Health

A daily handful of Brazil, cashew or pistachios nuts slashes diabetics' risk of a heart attack or stroke by a third, according to new research. Cardiovascular disease, or CVD, is the leading cause of illness and mortality in those with the common metabolic disorder. A study found patients who ate an ounce of the snack food five days a week were 34 and 17 percent less likely to die from or develop the condition, respectively. This would equate to about seven walnuts or 24 almonds, for instance - compared to those who ate less than a single serving a month. Each additional serving per week of total nuts was linked with a six and three percent lower risk of CVD death or developing the condition, respectively Tree nuts - which also include pine nuts, pecans, macadamias and hazelnuts - were the most protective. Regular nut consumption also reduced the risk of coronary heart disease such as hardening of the arteries by 20 percent - and dying from any cause by 31 percent. Lead author Dr … [Read more...] about A daily handful of nuts slashes heart attack risk by 33%

(CNN)UK researchers have developed a test they say might quickly identify sepsis, a potentially fatal complication from an infection. Scientists at Scotland's University of Strathclyde developed an experimental microelectrode device that analyzes a patient's blood and provides results as quickly as 2.5 minutes. Current testing methods for sepsis can take up to 72 hours. What is sepsis? This is important given that every hour without diagnosis and treatment increases the chance of dying. The research was published in the journal Biosensors and Bioelectronics. Sepsis is caused by the overreaction of the body's immune system to an infection or injury meaning that it also starts to attack organs and tissues. It can be treated with antibiotics if it is diagnosed early, but can lead to organ failure and death if left untreated. Read More About 6 million people around the world die from sepsis every year, with 52,000 of those in the UK, according to the UK Sepsis Trust. It is … [Read more...] about Researchers hope experimental 2.5-minute sepsis test could save lives

Staff, patients and visitors to a Cardiff hospital are receiving £70 parking fines from a private firm – despite claiming to have done absolutely nothing wrong. Gary Snowball says he drove his 82-year-old mother Jean Snowball, who has dementia, to have her bloods taken at St David’s Hospital in Canton, Cardiff, on February 8. He said he parked in a visitor space, inputted his car’s registration into the machine on reception as required, went to the appointment and then left the hospital 10 minutes later. But Gary claims he received a parking charge notice (PCN) from Parking Eye, the company responsible for the hospital’s car park, a fortnight later, ordering him to pay a fine or face possible court action. “I understand being given something like this if you park in the wrong place or you don’t input your registration – but I did everything correctly,” said Gary, who is a full-time carer to his mum. “It’s just shocking. … [Read more...] about Hospital patients and visitors ‘wrongly issued’ £70 parking fines

NHS staff working in Hull and East Yorkshire have been told they need to apply for new jobs. Up to 50 members of staff working for the trust that runs Hull Royal Infirmary and Castle Hill Hospital must reapply for new jobs in the NHS. Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust say it is in a bid to "improve the consistency and efficiency" of their administration division and have confirmed no staff will be made redundant during the changes. However, dozens of staff have been told they must apply for new roles as part of the restructure. While staff numbers are expected remain at the same level, the overhaul will see some people taking on more responsibility. In a statement, a spokeswoman for Hull and East Yorkshire Hospitals NHS Trust said: “We are currently reviewing the way we provide administration services for patients. "The review is being carried out in an attempt to improve the consistency and efficiency of the service. The review has identified that we still need the … [Read more...] about Hull NHS Trust tells 50 staff they must apply for new hospital jobs