News.Scotland.Org

The sleep deprived students in Scotland are taking  a lesson or two on how to get enough sleep. Sleep Scotland, a charity organization, is trying to teach the Glasgow teens the importance of adequate sleep. They are recommending the children to sleep for  nine hours at night by keeping off from  late-night TV and computer games.

Experts say teenagers become moody, irritated and uncommunicative if they are sleep deprived. Many students get only as little as 5 hours of sleep and go to bed after midnight even during weekends because they remain hooked to the online games and web browsing. Sleep deprivation can also lead  to depression and obesity.

Fiona Patterson, head of health and well-being  of Bellahouston Academy in Glasgow, one of the schools participating in the sleep lessons, called the survey results “absolutely shocking.”

Getting sufficient sleep will not only enhance the academic performance of the students  but also their overall alertness and smartness. This pilot  program of offering sleep lessons may develop into a full time program in schools around Scotland in the days to come. EIS, the largest teaching union in Scotland has welcomed the move and opined that it would ensure the overall well being of the students.

Irregular sleep patterns of the youth might adversely affect their biological clock and  the quality of their sleep, according to the National Sleep Foundation, which strictly advices the teens to avoid the computer, the TV and the phone, and choose any relaxed leisure activities at night to ensure a good night’s sleep that would allow the students to get up well rested and refreshed the next morning.

The Scottish government is working in sync with the food industry, businesses and schools to try to find a lasting solution to the  obesity problem, which could even threaten the country’s economic performance. It is alarming to note that among developed countries, only the US and Mexico have a worse obesity problem than Scotland, where 27 per cent of adults were obese and a further 38 per cent overweight in 2008.It is reported that adult obesity in Scotland is likely to reach 40 per cent by 2030 when the obesity problem would cost taxpayers an estimated £3 billion a year if the current food habits are left unchecked.

The Government is taking many steps to tackle obesity including removing the display of sweets in shops and restricting the sale of high-calorie food near schools apart from making appropriate policy changes to ensure the best results. The anti obesity drive is losing its sheen because of lack of monetary assistance and funding and The Scottish Retail Consortium, which helps the customers in choosing  well balanced diet is skeptical about the final results considering the fact that food  is ultimately a personal choice  where the individuals decide what they eat!

If everything works out as planned and the anti obesity drive proceeds without any hitch, it will bring down the curtains over the many  corner shops of Scotland that display an array of lip smacking  confectionery and fizzy drinks that attract kids and adults alike! If Scotland succeeds in its efforts to curb  obesity, then it will be one of the first countries in the world to have successfully addressed obesity.

Scotland is in verge of becoming the polluter haven, the lower fines is helping companies to escape with enviromental crimes. Report suggests that the companies which tend to pollute the environment by dumping waste in Scotland are fined much lower than south of the Border. Well’ this has given these big companies a golden opportunity to freely escape by paying a mere sum of £2,500, in contrast to £7,193 in England and Wales, which is really sad.

This has even widened the problem of keeping the country safe from this environmental threat, which is playing havoc with the lives of the Scottish people. The drop in the fines in past years has given a cushion to these companies who are encouraged to do such illegal acts openly.

Many environmental agencies has felt this is a matter of great concern and needs to be addressed soon or else this may lead to a serious threat for the people and environment of Scotland. Looking to the figures, a company by dumping waste illegally saves £100,000 and just need to pay a fine of £8000.

The administration need to look into the matter and impose serious fines to such companies who do pollute the environment by their waste. Even sentence for imprisonment should also go up to keep a check to such raging crimes.

First cancer research  laboratory of Scotland is all set to open in the Ninewells Hospital, Dundee. It is quite evident that every year many Scottish people succumbs to the dreadful disease of cancer. In recent years the death toll has drastically gone up with many still battling for their life. This first of its kind research lab has come up at  the right time and will focus on developing treatments for bowel, breast and skin cancer.

The research laboratory will also help to undertake a whole lot of study and research to improve the lives of cancer patients across Scotland. It will also help to bring in both researchers and doctors to work together and find out new and improved treatments for patients says, Prof. Irene Leigh, head of the university’s college of medicine, dentistry  and nursing and chair of the new centre’s board.

With more and more fresh cases of cancers being reported, there  was a real need for such a research lab, and it is felt that this new centre in Dundee will enable researchers and clinicians to do an in depth study to this killer disease and find out an effective treatment in due course of time. Meanwhile it’s even reported that more new research centres may soon come up in Glasgow and Edinburgh.

This cancer lab has brought a ray of hope for the medical fraternity and cancer patients for some result oriented research to lower the number of deaths caused by cancer every year in Scotland.

News Source : BBC News

Its really strange that nine out of ten Scots don’t know that salt is really not good for their health. In a recent survey conducted during National Salt Awareness Week, it was found that over 90% of Scots were unaware of the health hazards of excess salt.

Looking at the health of these Scottish people, it was found that around 70% with over intake of salt in their diet were traced with high blood pressure and heart ailments. Meanwhile 52% were reported with the risk of stroke. This study also revealed that only 18% were aware of the fact that excess salt could lead to strokes in them. If we look at the figures given by the Food Standard Agency, we can find that the average salt intake in the UK is 8.6g a day while the actual recommended standard is only 5g to 6g a day which is way below the actual consumption rate.

The doctors have even traced many such health hazards caused due to over intake of salt which many people in Scotland don’t know or they are taking it lightly. It seems if the trend of consumption of salt will continue in the same way, then the day is not far when every Scot may report to the doctor with either high blood pressure, strokes or stomach cancer.

A major study into Scotland’s ‘booze and blades culture’ was ordered last year by ministers to halt

a growing tide of violent crime, which had caused the loss of 54 lives. According to estimates, at least 1400 Scots find themselves victims of knife attacks every year.  West Central Scotland is then forced to spend £3.5 m a year for treating these victims.

The government, in its bid to combat this growing menace, had then sought the help of those skilled in researching crime.

Now it seems that the government is finally ready to act, if Scotland’s Community Safety Minister Fergus E wing is to be believed. Changing Scotland’s “booze and blade culture” seems easy, he said recently, but emphasized that “we cannot go on as we are,” while announcing funding to the tune of £30,0000 to supply metal detectors to pubs and clubs which have won the Best Bar None Award for the first time ever.

The Best Bar None Awards Scheme began set off in Manchester and made its debut in Glasgow in 2005. Since then,  it has expanded to Aberdeen, Aberdeen shire, Angus, Dundee, Falk irk, Fife, Inverness, Perth, Stirling and West Lothario.

The metal detectors to be supplied free of cost are expected to act as watchdogs and help keep customers safe and prevent knife crime.

July 23

Too much of every thing is bad; the same applies with the consumption of salt. Reports suggest that Britain’s are consuming lot of salt in their daily diet making them vulnerable to many fatal diseases. Study has revealed that people of Britain are eating almost 50 per cent more salt content than the recommended levels. The research has revealed that in recent years the average salt consumption has also jumped remarkably among the UK people.

As per the reports of the Food Standard Agency (FSA) Britain’s are consuming about 8.6g of salt on an average which is well above the prescribed level of 6g for both men and women. On the contrary if we look at the actual graph we can spot that men are consuming 9.7g of salt on an average while women consume 7.7g on an average.

In order to cut down this high salt intake by these UK people FSA has decided to introduce some plans keeping a check on the excess salt consumption. In this programme they will be targeting the food industry by cutting down salt level from products like bacon, ham, cakes and snacks. Experts have also said that if the daily salt intake in the UK is reduced to 6g then about 20,200 premature deaths a year from heart attacks and strokes caused by high blood pressure can be avoided.

The Food Standard Agency (FSA) is looking forward to take help of the food industry by encouraging them to cut short the amount of salt they use in different food stuffs. Meanwhile taking into count the importance of this issue the food manufacturers have already taken a positive move in the drive to slash the salt levels in food. They have cut down the salt content to a decent level from breakfast and morning snacks. FSA is also taking the initiative to work on with the catering industry to improve the nutritional content of food eaten out of the home.

Looking at large the catering industries do come in to the picture as most of the people usually have their meals or breakfast out of home. So if these catering industries will reduce the salt level then it will be a great help to cut down the increased salt intake by people. This will also help to control the increasing number of deaths caused by excess intake of salts by people.

July20

Have you ever wondered that music and drinks do have some connection, well if not then you might be amazed to known that loud music can make you drink more. It sounds a bit strange but research has revealed that ear-splitting music in bars and pubs do make people to drink more heavily and quickly.

In the study it was found that these drinking centres usually have a loud atmosphere with thunderous music which some how affect the patrons drinking habits. In the study done on a group of men it was found the men tended to drink more and in short time when they were exposed to high sound levels.

Another essential factor which has been known during the study was that loud music not only makes one to drink more and quick but it also makes the patron spend more time in these bar. According to Prof. Nicolas Gueguen the research head, higher sound levels may cause higher arousal which in-turn led to drink faster and more. Also this loud music doesn’t give the patrons much chance to talk too much which also adds to the quantity they drink.

It very well known that Scotland is badly affected by binge drinking and in such a situation this study has raised a question as to how much these clubs and bars are contributing to this problem.

July, 12

No one may have even dreamt that Claire Lomas’s first patient would be her very own fiancé. The medical student was still wearing her ceremonial robes when her fiancé Jamie Taylor began to turn blue at the restaurant. The couple were out for a meal with friends and their family celebrating the success at the University.

Jamie Taylor, while having his meal swallowed a piece of chicken very quickly and was not able to draw his breath. On seeing her fiancé in such a terrible state Claire suddenly stepped in and performed the Heimlich manoeuvre in order to clear his airways.

The couple who were there to enjoy and celebrate the occasion could have never ever thought this could be such a terrorising meal for them. Jamie was glad to get his breath back and more than him Claire was happy to give her fiancé a new life.

July, 10

If you find graphic images of diseased livers on alcohol bottles then don’t be surprised, as the docs have proposed the use of such graphic images as a warning for drinkers. This proposal came as a result of the trend of excessive consumption of alcohol in the UK. In the BMA conference in Edinburgh it was known that the alcohol consumption in the UK had doubled since 1960. It is expected that such warnings on the bottles of beer and wine will help to reduce the consumption to some extent.

It is clearly known that in recent times their has been a major upward trend in the drinking culture in the UK. This in turn is resulting to more and more alcohol related ailments and also is giving rise to more crimes. Doctors have raised the need to use graphic images on alcohol products and also such posters in pubs and clubs where alcohol is largely served.

UK has been fighting with the severe problem of binge drinking from a long time and also in recent year’s cases of under age drinking has come up as a major concern. With such an easy availability of alcohol to all, this problem has become a major problem now. To overcome this problem such unpleasant images on alcohol bottles, can and posters will help to some extent.

According to doctor Raj Narula, a urologist at the Princess of Wales Hospital in Bridgend, Wales, excessive consumption of alcohol causes cirrhosis of the liver which leads to cancer. Its time to take some decisive step to combat this problem, slowly this problem is taking shape of an epidemic and we need to fight it out before its too late. He said we have to start from an early age targeting teenagers who are more vulnerable to this drinking culture.

So the day is not far when we can see images displaying the hazards of consuming alcohol on liquor bottles.