Ra 4 Food - Health and Nutritional Tips

It looks like it is not just small independent retailers that are suffering from the recession, as Starbucks introduce new measures to raise their profile and claw back some of their losses, by making all
their lattes, cappuccinos and mochas sold in Britain, Fairtrade.

The American chain, who own 700 outlets throughout Britain and Ireland, have pledged that all of the espresso-based drinks will be brewed from coffee beans produced by farmers who have received a
fair rate of pay by the end of next year.

The Fairtrade Foundation - a company based in London which heads the development movement - have advised that those benefiting from the proposed plan include over 100,000 farmers across Latin American, Asia and Africa.

Growers receiving Fairtrade levels of pay are guaranteed a minimum of $1.25 (82p) for each pound of green beans in addition to a “social premium” of 10 US cents per pound, to contribute towards community projects like generating new schools and improving hospital facilities.

Currently only 6% per cent of Starbucks coffee sold worldwide is Fairtrade, however when they implement the proposed plan they will emerge as the largest buyer of Fairtrade coffee in the world, with global purchases doubling up to 40 million pounds in 2009.

Starbucks executives hope the move will generate more sales in the UK, after a dip in profits following stiff competition from rivals such as Costa Coffee and Caffé Nero, as well as other food and beverage outlets including McDonald’s and Wetherspoon.

Their biggest competitor, Costa Coffee, currently owns 821 outlets throughout the UK and in another PR move, last month delclared a section of their bean supply would come from farms approved by the Rainforest Alliance, which helps improve environmental and labour standards.

Yesterday, chairman and chief executive of Starbucks, Howard Schultz visited London and announced that the store was striving to be unique from competitors by providing more help to impoverished farmers.”We’ve done something that’s far beyond what any coffee company in the UK has ever done before,” he said.

“This is a long-term commitment and will not only benefit our farmers, but will give our customers the assurance that the coffee they’re buying in Starbucks in terms of espresso-based beverages is at a price that will allow sustainability for those people who need it most.”

He also added that customers should not think of the move as a gimmick or PR stunt as the long term plan was to eventually go Fairtrade worldwide. When questioned about whether he would mirror the UK and Ireland plans globally he said, “The goal is to do exactly that. But things like that take a long time in terms of creating a long-term supply chain operation.

“This is not a small task, but our goal is certainly to integrate as much Fairtrade coffee in all of our operations well beyond our announcement today.”

The Government have today released details of a new plan to reduced the huge losses to Britain’s economy from workers taking sick days. “Fit notes” will replace sick notes and are aimed at clawing back some of the £100bn lost every year from the work force.

The idea of giving workers a note from their doctors to prove their sickness was set up by the NHS in 1948 and has not changed since.

The new plans proposed by health ministers will “significantly reduce” employee sickness as doctors will decided now decide whether the worker is capable of going in to carry out any tasks.

However, the changes, which will involved an electronic fit note instead of paper sick note, are not expected to be implemented until 2010.

Work and Pensions Secretary, James Purnell advised that the plan was to benefit workers and offer help sooner rather than later.

Mr Purnell said, “Everyone has the right to work and we want to design a fair system which supports people so they can work when they are able.”

The Health Secretary, Alan Johnson, said, “Sick leave costs an estimated £100bn per year, but helping people stay in work does not just have an economic imperative, it has a moral and social one too.”

In addition to the fit notes, the government also wish to introduce changes such as a health check of NHS workers in an attempt to promote their welfare.

Ministers have estimated the project to cost £45m over three years and would benefit disabled people or those who became ill to be able to stay or go back to work by offering support with their condition as well as getting help to stay in employment.

As part of the plans, a national centre for health and well-being will be set up, a health helpline established for small companies and employment advisers will be available from GP surgeries.

Mr Purnell referred to the plan as a way to promote a “fundamental culture change”, commenting that during the current economic climate it was vital to keep people in employment.

Although no targets have been set to decrease sickness absence, the government hopes to reduce the amount of people claiming incapacity benefit by a million over the next six years.

Mr Johnson highlighted the fact that approximately 50% of the 600,000 people claiming incapacity benefits each year had in fact already been in employment - the plan, he said, would ideally decrease this figure.

The plan has been established after the government received recommendations from Dame Carol Black earlier in the year. Today she commented, “I believe the measures unveiled by the Government will help make our society a healthier and happier one, where everyone recognises the link between good health and good work.

“But to ensure it happens we need to work together to change attitudes and behaviours. The Government has taken this first important step, but we need to work in partnership, with business leaders, employers and individuals all having a role to play.

“This agenda is vitally important in the current economic climate and we can’t afford to neglect it. There are stark economic and social costs if we don’t strive to help people be healthy and in work.”

Sick days last year amounted to the equivalent of 172 million lost days from the workforce.

General secretary of the TUC, Brendan Barber said,”This goes some way towards addressing the health problems faced by people at work, and by those unable to work because of ill-health, but it could have gone much further.

“Workers made ill by their jobs need early access to rehabilitation and better support to help them get back to work as soon as they are able to. While the fit for work pilots go some way towards achieving this, they will have little relevance to the vast majority of workers who fall ill or are injured through work.

“More must be done to stop employees from becoming ill or injured in the first place. This report shows that ministers recognise the importance of enforcement in improving health and safety in workplaces. But without additional resources to the Health and Safety Executive and local councils, there is unlikely to be any increase in the number of inspectors.”

In opposition to the plans, Paul Kenny, leader of the GMB union recommended the Government focus their resources and energy on the recession rather than the proposed fit note changes.

Chief medical adviser of the Engineering Employers Federation, Professor Sayeed Khan advised, “Today’s proposals represent a major step forward in tackling unnecessary sickness absence, getting people back to work and promoting a culture change so that people recognise work is actually good for them and their families.

“Employers, employees and the UK economy have substantial benefits to gain from a positive approach to occupational health. Too often there is an emphasis on what the employee cannot do rather than what they can do.

“This system should help us tackle sickness absence in a positive manner by enabling employees to return in a role that suits both the employer and employee.

“The burden felt by many doctors relating to sick notes may also be improved with a drive to use a streamlined electronic system to improve communication between employer, employee and GP.”

In a history making deal this week, some of the UK’s most popular fast-food companies including McDonald’s and KFC, have agreed to help the government’s campaign to tackle heart disease and obesity by offering customers a healthier choice of food.

In addition, Burger King, Wimpy, Nando’s and Subway have made a vow to reduce fat and salt levels in the coming year.

Part of the changes will involve staff training to ensure customers understand the alternative healthy options on offer as well as being able to prepare food minus additions such as salt and sauces. Nando’s have also agreed to publicise nutritional information. The Food Standards Agency (FSA) will be overseeing the agreement, that will affect the way three million people at over 4,000 British outlets consume fast food.

The changes could not come sooner after nutritionists have complained for a long time about the lack of policing of restaurants and junk food cafés compared to supermarkets who have been forced to reduce salt, sugar and fat from their own brands as well as make nutrition information on packets more obvious. Currently statistics show that one in six meals is eaten out, a figure that is likely to increase over the next ten years.

The FSA hopes to clinch a similar arrangement with coffee shop chains, pubs and family restaurants within the next few months. They have announced that the deals formed part of a long-term agreement with the catering industry after a meeting with workplace caterers earlier in the year.

Rosemary Hignett, FSA’s head of nutrition said, “These are six of the biggest names on the high street, so it is an extremely positive step that for the first time they have agreed to work with us in this way. People see eating out as an enjoyable treat and we don’t wish to change that but we believe that restaurants can help make it easier for us all to take healthier choices when eating outside of our homes.”

Subway, the American based company, has boomed in the UK over the last five years and now has 1,300 outlets in the UK and Ireland. As part of the commitment formed with the FSA, they have agreed to offer free salad with sub sandwiches as a trial, as well as reducing salt and fat levels in their most popular  products. Nandos will offer less food that constitutes a “red” sign under the FSA’s traffic light labelling system i.e. high fat, saturated fat, sugar or salt. In addition they will publish nutritional information of food contents on their website. although not in any of their 800-plus stores.

Burger King’s commitment in their 512 UK outlets include reducing salt in their burgers and trialling a cooking oil containing less saturated fat. Wimpy will look at the salt and sugar content of their 10 best selling products by Summer 2009.

In KFC’s 720 outlets lower fat mayonnaise will be introduced and the FSA’s salt targets for 2010 will be met  by the end of the year for its tortillas and “twister” products. Salt in chicken fillets will also be reduced. McDonald’s have not confirmed any specific changes but did say they would continue to make nutritional improvements in the line they have been going, “We have done a huge amount already and we have always been of the mind that we don’t make forward promises so that’s why the forward commitments are rather vague,” a spokesman said.

Jeanette Longfield, a campaigner from the food and farming group Sustain, commented, “It’s a good thing if they have agreed to change what they are doing but it depends on what they are doing. Fast food chains are influential. Supermarkets say it is difficult for them to reformulate their takeaway meals if the actual takeaways aren’t lower in salt or fat, because they don’t taste the same.”

FAST FOOD

Burger King, Chicken Royale with cheese

Calories: 661

Fat: 38 grams

Salt: 4.3 grams

Sugar: 6 grams

Subway, Meatball Marinara

Calories: 520

Fat: 22 grams

Salt: 4.7 grams

Sugar: 16 grams

McDonald’s, Big Mac

Calories: 490

Fat: 24 grams

Salt: 2.1 grams

Sugar: 8 grams

Just when parents thought it was safe to take a break and go for a local stroll round the park with baby in buggy, someone has found a reason of why they could be seriously putting their baby at risk of a development delay.  New research has ‘proven’ that walking with the buggy in a certain way could have a detrimental effect on a child’s social and communication skills (like parents do not have enough to worry about already!)

In fact the majority of prams and buggies are designed in such a way that the child faces away from the parent, and this, studies say, could lead to problems later on.

Children facing away from their parents while being pushed do not have the same opportunity to chat, laugh and interact, and in addition are more likely to suffer from stress due to lack of a decent sleep in the
pram. Researchers at Dundee University have discovered that this could be a factor in contributing to increased stress in various situations when they are slightly older. They have also found that their ability to
communicate effectively with classmates at school could be significantly hampered. The study highlights the fact that children’s brains are like sponges between the ages of one and three, saying, “In short, every occasion that a baby has for interacting with an adult at those ages is a valuable one.”

This is the first time research into the area has been carried out and has been initiated following concerns from primary head teachers, who were commenting that an increased number of children were starting primary one without the ability to communicate, talk or play with their peers. The National Literacy Trust, which commissioned the research to contribute to its “Talk To Your Baby” project, advised that pushing a child in a buggy facing out, could be just as detrimental to their development as the overuse of television and computer games.

In the study, Dr Suzanne Zeedyk from Dundee’s School of Psychology, looked at findings from 2,722 babies and their parents, as well as using 20 babies and their parents for an experiment where parents walked for half a mile with the baby facing away and half a mile with the baby face to face.

In the first study, results showed that almost two thirds of all parents pushed their babies in buggies facing away, increasing to 86 per cent for children aged between one and two. In addition, the study revealed that parents using face to face prams were twice as likely to interact with their baby compared to parents using away facing buggies (25 per cent as opposed to 11 per cent).

The research also highlighted how mothers and babies in face to face prams had an increased chance of laughing with each other. In comparison, only one baby in the away facing buggies laughed on the journey, while as much as half laughed in the face to face prams. Similarly, babies in face to face prams had a far higher chance of rocking off to sleep gently with a lower heart rate, which would indicate lower stress levels resulting from the reassurance and comfort of being able to see a familiar face at all times.

So, if you have just forked out hundreds on a fancy away facing buggy…lets hope the shop allows returns! Otherwise you could be damaging your child for life!

Mobile phones have never really been that popular among health professionals, due to the potential harm the waves could cause your brain. It would therefore probably come as a shock to hear that they are now being
pioneered to help thousands of people across the UK, suffering from chronic diseases like diabetes and asthma.

Currently there are eight primary care trusts involved in the new project, which involves downloading software on to a normal mobile phone. Recent studies revealed that the software was very effective in minimising problems associated with chronic illnesses as well as reducing or preventing hospital disorders. In addition, it can be used to help cancer patients receive the correct doses of chemotherapy.

The software also allows patients to keep data involved with their condition and the treatment they are receiving, in order to maintain better control between GP and hospital appointments.

The information recorded is sent automatically to a central monitoring service, which lets nurses know if there are any potentially dangerous changes to the patient’s condition. Those who are deemed to be at risk will have access to a specialist immediately.

The software was created by a company called t+Medical. Trials have revealed that the software can reduce blood sugar levels for type 1 and type 2 diabetics by up to 0.7%. This therefore shows a fivefold less chance
of developing related conditions including blindness and limb amputations.

In a different variation of the program, the software can check the side-effects of chemotherapy, in order for oncologists to decide whether the appropriate dose is being used. There are different versions available for
various illnesses including asthma, high blood pressure and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), a lung disorder which can be linked to smoking.

The software is being uses by trusts in Walsall, Oxford-shire, Norfolk and Norwich, Newham, Southampton, Leicester, North East Essex and Calderdale and costs patients approximately £250 a year.

Lionel Tarassenko, a professor at the University of Oxford and a board member of t+ Medical, has revealed that there are already thousands of patients across Britain benefiting from the software and more were set to
take part in the trials. His findings were presented at a medical engineering conference in London, which was organised by the Royal Academy of Engineering.

He said, “There are 12 million people in Britain who have diabetes, asthma, hypertension or COPD – that’s a fifth of the population. Chronic long-term conditions are among the highest costs to the NHS, accounting for 80 per cent of all GP consultations.

“It is in between visits to the doctor that these diseases run out of control. By the time anybody notices anything is wrong, they’re in the hospital with an emergency.”

Professor Tarassenko commented that mobile phones were a perfect way to help people control their medical conditions when not in appointments, as now 90% of the population uses or has access to one.
“The main aim of telehealth solutions is to keep patients out of hospital,” he said.

A bitter ale, brewed by an independent Scottish brewery is coming under scrutiny because of its unusually “aggressive” name - Punk IPA, which some have ruled as promoting irresponsible drinking.

Along with Punk IPA, there are Hop Rocker and Rip Tide - all three made by BrewDog, based in Fraserburgh, which was created 18 months ago by two ex law student friends. The Portman Group, which is a self-regulating body industry body, have provisionally ruled that the names and what they are associated with are breaching marketing rules.

The group feel that Rip Tide being described as a “twisted merciless stout” could deem to be conjuring up images of antisocial behavior, while BrewDog saying that Hop Rocker is a “nourishing food stuff” and that “magic is still there to be extracted” was misleading people into thinking it would improve physical and mental capablities.

BrewDog have hit out at the decision, and fear that their business, which currently sells to Tesco, Asda, Sainsbury’s and Oddbins to name a few, could suffer huge financial losses, and even go under. They
will be given one chance to respond and form a case before the final decision is made.

James Watt, co-founder of BrewDog with Martin Dickie, refutes the claims about the kind of behaviour and image their beers are promoting. Punk IPA is the most popular of thre three, and its advertising states “this is an aggressive beer, we don’t care if you don’t like it”. Mr Watt comments that this a reference to its strong taste in comparison with lighter lagers.

He said, “Our branding, our packaging, is a little bit edgy. The word ‘aggressive’ is used because of the biting bitterness in it. It’s a heavily hopped beer. It’s not something you can drink a lot of,”

“We could [change the label] but should we be pushed into changing our approach by our competitors? I think what they [the Portman Group] are doing flies in the face of anti-competition laws.”

He added that people becoming intoxicated and acting aggresively or anti-social, was in fact more common in lagers being brewed at a fraction of the price of his beer by the major companies.

In addition to targeting BrewDog’s beers, the Portman Group are currently looking to move forward against a ban on a beer named Skull Splitter, which has been made by the Orkney Brewery for the last twenty years and takes its name from Thorfinn Hausakluif’s nickname - who was the seventh Viking earl of Orkney. The group decided that the name had too many violent connotations as well being an unsavoury reference to what the beer could do to the drinker’s head.

Health Officials have today advised people not to use an illegal intravenous synthetic hormone, which is widely available to buy on-line, to build up fake tans.

The Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA), which governs medicines to make sure they are not harmful to users, have advised that there has been an increase in people using Melanotan, a synthetic hormone that promotes the production of melanin, which protects the skin from the
harmful effects of the sun - as well as darkening the skin.

Users of Melanotan have to inject the hormone into the skin to reap from its benefits. It is currently illegal as it has not been officially safety-tested by any Western governmental healthcare agency, however it is sold online or behind the scenes in gyms and tanning salons. Doctors warn that the greatest risks posed by the hormone are related infections such as HIV or Hepatitis, due to it being an intravenous drug.

The hormone comes in two different types. Melanotan I helps to create a deeper tan, while Melanotan II can increase sexual desire. It is currently illegal in the UK to ship or sell either form, but customers are not breaking the law by buying the product.

Urban Wellbeing, a Soho independent salon in London went as far as openly selling Melanotan on a website forum. The advert said they were a “leading supplier of the personal research peptide Melanotan II, with a London-based agent”. When an undercover investigator phoned the salon they claimed the shop itself did not sell the hormone, but an independent agent.

David Carter, from the MHRA advised people against buying Melanotan, saying, “Don’t be fooled into thinking that Melanotan offers a shortcut to a safer and more even tan. The safety of these products is
unknown and they are unlicensed in the UK. The side-effects could be extremely serious.”

The leader of a Government taskforce has today advised against relying on “presumed consent” in reference to obtaining more organs to be used for transplant.

Elisabeth Buggins from the UK Organ Donation Taskforce, which was created by the Government to help get more donars, comments that data collected by her committee led them to believe that the “opt out” system
was ineffective for increasing the number of organs needed for transplant.

She told BBC Breakfast, “The Government asked us to look at presumed consent. We have looked at it very carefully, we have amassed over 400 pages of evidence from around the world,”

“Our conclusion, quite clearly, is that “opt out” is not the best way of increasing the number of organs available.”

The committee, who are an independent advisory, make this suggestion, at a time when Prime Minister Gordon Brown seems to prefer a change in the current law, which would allow people to openly opt-out of donating organs or body parts after their death for transplant.

Mrs Buggins added that Spain has the best track record of organ donation world wide.

She said, “Their leader says that presumed consent hasn’t made any difference,”

“They had presumed consent from 1979 to 1989 and the donation rate was almost flat. Then they made the changes which we are just in the process of beginning and their donation rate is now three times as good as ours.

“We want to see that happen in the UK.”

She added, “We have found that doctors are worried that it might erode trust, if we brought in presumed consent, that donor families would like to have the choice, they don’t want to feel bounced into the decision.

“People who have received an organ, said that the concept of a gift, of that organ being freely given, by the family, by the donor, is very important to them.”

Currently there are around 8,000 people in Britain who require an organ transplant. However only 3,000 operations take place each year and an estimated 1,000 people die in the UK every year after not receiving a much needed transplant.

There is currently a lot of opposition from patients’ groups against the system of “presumed consent”, and Gordon Brown voted against the proposed change in law in 2004.

However, he has indicated that his opinion could change.

He said, “A system of this kind seems to have the potential to close the aching gap between the potential benefits of transplant surgery in the UK and the limits imposed by our current system of consent.”

Mrs Buggins spoke on BBC Radio 4 Today programme, asking for more co-ordinators to help families who have lost a loved one, a large publicity campaign and more people who were willing to obtain organs from donars.

She also wanted to “dispel the myths” about people having to donate their organs and have them removed before they had even passed away.

However, Dr Tony Calland, chairman of the British Medical Association (BMA) medical ethics committee advised that presumed consent could tackle the lack of organs and help prevent unnecessary deaths.

He told the Today programme, “Every year people die because a donor cannot be found to allow their transplant to go ahead,”

“Evidence from other countries has shown that a system of presumed consent can address the shortage of donor organs and can save lives.

“The BMA supports a “soft” system of presumed consent, where individuals who do not want to donate their organs have a formal mechanism for registering that objection and where families are consulted to identify any unregistered objection.

“We believe this is more likely than the current system to ensure that the individual’s wishes are respected.

“Of course a system of presumed consent is not in itself a magical cure and the BMA has already stated that it strongly supports the raft of measures already proposed by the task force.

“We very much hope that these proposals will greatly enhance donation rates and the BMA will do whatever it can to help promote that goal.

“We still believe, however, that in the longer-term, the UK will need to consider legislative change.

“Public support for such a change is already growing but we need to continue to raise awareness and encourage public debate.

“We look forward to reading the full report and are committed to working with the Taskforce to achieve our common goal - to improve organ donation in the UK.”

Researchers reveal today that people are dying from heart disease unnecessarily due to incompetencies in the standard Electrocardiogram (ECG) test that is used to diagnose many patients.

Studies were carried out by doctors at the London Chest Hospital. Data they collected from 4,873 patients who received an ECG when suffering from pain in the chest area, revealed that nearly half (47 per cent)
continued on to experience a “coronary event” - for example a heart attack. This was despite tests coming back as negative in identifying any abnormalities.

Professor Adam Timmis and his team reports that the results suggest “exercise” ECGs, where patients usually run on a treadmill while electrical impulses produced by the heart’s rhythm are recorded, “are limited in how accurately they predict the risk of future heart disease”.

In fact they discovered that consulatations with a GP was providing practically the same amount of information about potential heart issues as the ECG.

One of the first signs of heart disease can be Angina - a condition brought on through not enough oxygen reaching the heart muscle.

The study, which was pulished online by the British Medical Journal, advised that for some people experiencing chest pain, the ECG test is just not efficient enough to detect potential problems.

In a larger study, 8,176 patients received an ECG when they were in a relaxed state, however this additionaly revealed no further benefit in comparison to a medical consultation and family history analysis.

Professor Timmis said, “Our study emphasises the importance of the clinical assessment for prognosis in patients with suspected angina. A prerequisite of any new test should be the demonstration of its incremental value over clinical assessment if risk stratification is to be improved and the potential for chest pain clinics to reduce coronary mortality is to be fully realised.”

Mike Knapton, of the British Heart Foundation, said, “This study confirms that the best way to diagnose a patient is to talk through their symptoms and medical history with their doctor.”

Oddly shaped and imperfect fruit and vegetables will be shunned no more, as the EU reverses their decision to ban them from our shelves.

EU agricultural officers have made the decision to abort the regulations on size and shape for 26 types of fruit and vegetable, which should make for funner and ultimately cheaper mealtimes. An estimated 20 per cent of farm produce was being wasted for not reaching the EU standards, as bendy cucumbers and crooked carrots were forbidden from sale.

Not all fruit and veg escape though - up to three quarters sold in the EU including pears, apples, citrus fruits, strawberries and tomatoes will still have to meet specified criteria.

For example, if pears have a skin defect on over 1cm2 of their surface, they will not be qualified as Class 1.

However, if these fruits and vegetables do not meet these high standards, they can still be sold, as long as they are labelled as being “imperfect” and sold separately from the good batch.

The EU Agricultural Commissioner, Mariann Fischer Boel, as a farmer proposed the deregulation. It was not an easy task though, as some countries, including foodie mad France and Italy were unhappy about the change.

Hilary Benn, the rural affairs secretary said, “I think a large dose of common sense is required here. Frankly, if shops want to sell, and consumers want to buy, funny-shaped carrots and turnips then I do not really see what the problem is.”

The EU’s criteria was incredibly vast and included irrational rules such as the colour of asparagus and the degree of a cucumber’s bend!

Happy about the decision are supermarkets, farmers and growers - not to mention consumers! Those loveable and strange looking foods will not appear back in the shops until July though.

Lucy Maclennan, category product manager for vegetables at Sainsbury’s, said, “Ideally, we would like to see all 36 rules removed and for them to be removed now rather than next summer.” The rules were so strict that a manager at one branch could have faced prosecution  for selling Halloween esque “zombie brain” cauliflowers and carrot “witches’ fingers “.

One organic grower - Patrick Holden, who is also director of the Soil Association - said that his own wonky carrots were rejected by Sainsburys two years ago.

He said, “This will be a fantastic step, especially for organic growers. We are about inner quality, not outer appearance.”

Imperfect fruit and vegetables will be sold for less than their perfect counterparts as part of a campaign to tackle obesity and help families to cook healthy but economic meals.

One modest but popular fruit will not escape the strict EU rules though - bananas must be at least 14cm long and 27mm thick in the middle!