A couple of weeks ago we listened live to Harvard Medical School’s Mini Med seminar on ageing. This was a very informative  event featuring experts in the field Amy Wagers Professor of Stem Cell Regenerative Biology; Sharon Inouye, the Director of the Hospital Elder Life Program and Professor of Medicine; and  Bruce Yanker, the Co-Director of the Paul F. Glenn Centre for the Biology of Ageing. Together they explained how the body ages and how we can keep it young and healthy.

The event started with an introduction by Amy Wagers who explained that ageing is a collection of physical and behavioural changes that take place as an individual gets older. She stated that ageing is the biggest risk factor for many diseases and the challenge that the medical field faces is how to promote healthy ageing.

When thinking about aging it was stressed that we have to think of a person’s health span as opposed to their life span. A person’s health span is the number of healthy years of life they experience and currently the general population’s life span has increased but their health span is relatively short and we need to do more research to determine how we can effectively increase a person’s health span; we don’t want people to have a long life span but have a poor quality of life because their health span is short.

Amy stated that we need to understand the cellular, biochemical and molecular basis of ageing and therefore understand how age-related diseases develop so that we can target these diseases. Amy stressed the importance of identifying predisposition to age-related diseases as there has been an explosion in these diseases over the past 15 years, mostly because we have more elderly than ever before.

Amy explained that ageing is a complex process where many biological mechanisms interact, these include loss of protein function, reduction in the communication between organs, the loss of the ability to regenerate cells after injury, metabolic dysfunction and DNA defects, just to name a few.  She said that there is hope that we can target the biological causes of ageing to prevent and reverse age-related disease.  Amy stressed that there are two very important factors in preventing age related diseases and these are: diet and exercise.

We then heard from Sharon Inouye who explored the clinical aspects of ageing. She stated that some of the main issues with ageing are: illness, disease and medications affect older adults differently; older adults are more likely to have multiple health conditions; we’re in a stressful society and stress results in a reduction in our physiological reserve so our body is less able to deal with ageing; falls are the leading cause of death in the elderly; many eldery experience a significant decline in brain function and finally we don’t have enough geriatricians to treat older people. Due to all of these issues we need to find ways to ensure that people age well. She stated that an important part of addressing these issues is ensuring that older people maintain their cognitive health by: encouraging people to be physically active (this is the most important), reducing cardiovascular risk factors, looking at medication management,  keeping the elderly socially and intellectually active and ensuring they get enough sleep.

Finally we heard from Bruce Yankers who spoke about brain function in the elderly. He wanted to answer the question: how do people who are healthy lose neurons? He stated that many older people retain memory and cognitive function but others lose this, why? He explained that biological processes in the brain decline with age and there are a number of genes involved in this process. REST is a gene regulator that appears in the ageing brain and disappears in people with Alzheimer’s Disease. REST controls many genes involved in memory. It keeps cells alive and regulates genes involved in neuron function. REST proteins are protective against Alzheimer’s Disease and thus prevent loss of neurons. He explained that some people can withstand Alzheimer’s lesions and do not go on to develop dementia, why? It seems to be REST proteins that are protective in these situations.

Finally Bruce explained that research has suggested that the strength and quality of relationships dictate how well people age. It was found that how happy people are is important in ageing healthily. Specifically how happy people are in marriage by 50 seemed to be a good indicator of how well they will age. Therefore it’s important that people control their stress levels and strive to be happy.

This was a very interesting seminar and gave us a lot to think about with regards to how to promote healthy ageing. A key theme of each talk was the power of exericse and we’ll continue to encourage the public to keep active.

We’d like to thank Harvard Medical School for organising this seminar series and making it as accessible as possible by broadcasting it live on the internet. You can find out more about this seminar series, read the lecture notes and watch

Back in March Public Health England launched their ‘One You’ campaign which aims to help adults across the country avoid health conditions caused by modern day life.

In this age of technology it can be very hard to maintain a healthy lifestyle with many of us spending most of our day sitting in front of a computer. This new campaign urges everyone to move more, eat well, drink less and be smoke free. It also provides advice on reducing stress level and sleeping better.

Professor Sir Muir Gray, clinical adviser for the One You campaign said:

“Although it has been customary to blame people for their ‘lifestyle’ we now appreciate that we need to take into account the environmental pressures that make it difficult to make healthy choices, having to sit 8 hours a day at work for example, and then drive an hour home. One You is designed to help every individual identify not only their risks but also the pressures they face in their life and the stress that results, and then support them with personalised tools and advice.”

The One You website is great resource for health information and on this website you can take the ‘How Are You’ quiz to assess how healthy your lifestyle is as well as download a range of free apps to get you fit and healthy.

This week it was reported that Johnson and Johnson, the company that produces talcum powder, has lost a second court case where another woman has claimed that she developed ovarian cancer after using talcum powder for feminine hygiene reasons.

The company has been instructed by a jury to pay a settlement of $55M to the claimant. This case follows a case in February of this year where the family of a women who died from ovarian cancer was awarded $72M after it was claimed that she developed ovarian cancer after using talcum powder for many years.

Johnson and Johnson will be back in court and may face a long stretch of court appearance as it faces 1,200 lawsuits accusing the company of not adequately warning women of the risks associated with using talc-based products.

The question is: is there a risk of developing ovarian cancer from the use of talcum powder? The short answer is, we don’t know.

Cancer Research UK says the following:

“Scientists are trying to see if this is the case, but for now the evidence is still uncertain. However, even if there is a risk it is likely to be fairly small.

“Cosmetic body and talcum powders often contain a mineral compound called talc. Several studies have looked at talcum powder use and ovarian cancer. While on the whole the studies have seen a modest increase in the risk of ovarian cancer in women who use talc on their genitals, the evidence isn’t completely clear. So we can’t be sure whether or not talc itself could cause ovarian cancer”

The Chief Executive of the UK’s leading ovarian cancer charity, Ovarian Cancer Action,  has said the following on this issue:

“If you’re currently using talc, don’t panic. Given evidence is inconsistent we do advocate a ‘better safe than sorry’ attitude and advise that women using talc on their genitals stop doing so. But it’s important to remember that the suggested increased risk from using talcum powder is very small.

“While the relative increase of a third suggested by some studies sounds significant, the absolute risk of getting ovarian cancer still remains very low. We’re talking about the difference between a 2% risk and a risk of 2.5%.”

This sentiment about using talcum powder for personal hygiene reasons is echoed by the NHS who say:

“Most gynaecologists recommend using plain, unperfumed soaps to wash the area around the vagina (the vulva) gently every day, as opposed to talc or perfumed soaps, gels and antiseptics.” 

The take home message is that there isn’t yet clarity on whether talcum powder increases risk of ovarian cancer and while this uncertainty remains it’s probably better to avoid using talcum powder on the genital area.

Penny Brohn Cancer Care is pleased to announce that its Living Well with the Impact of Cancer course will be coming to Croydon on 10^th and 17^th June 2016.

Penny Brohn Cancer Care’s course is a 2 day course over 2 weeks and will be held at Croydon University Hospital. The course can be attended by patients at any stage of illness and supporters such as a friend, family member or carer will also benefit from attending.

This is a free course that offers peer support, lifestyle recommendations and self-help tools. It will cover: nutrition, exercise, relaxation/stress management, emotional support, managing the impact of  cancer on close relationships and financial/welfare issues.

For more information on this course please download the flyer below or visit www.pennybrohn.org.uk/national-living-well-services and to book a place please complete the booking form below and email it to bookings@pennybrohn.org.uk

A couple of weeks ago we listened live to Harvard Medical School’s Mini Med seminar,’ Taking it all In: Environmental Toxins’. This was a really interesting event featuring experts in the field David Christiani, Professor of Medicine; Monica Colaiacovo, Professor of Genetics;  and  Maitreyi Mazumdar, Assistant Professor of Neurology. Together they discussed how environmental toxins affect our risk of cancer, women’s reproductive health and child development.

From Professor Christianai we learnt about the history of establishing the link between cancer and environmental toxins. This work started in 1775 when a link between scrotum cancer and children who worked as chimney sweeps was identified and going forward this led to links between tobacco, lifestyle and various chemicals being determined.

He explained that 6% of cancers are linked to environmental factors and  these factors include:  industrial exposures, like asbestos and polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAH); lifestyle factors,  like tobacco and diet; naturally occurring factors such as exposure to UV light and radon and finally medical treatments like chemotherapy.

It was shocking to hear that of the 80,000 chemicals on the market only 200 have been tested to determine whether they are carcinogenic and he called for more work to be done in this area. He suggested that the contribution that the environment plays in increasing our risk of cancer has been underestimated and much more work is needed to gain clarity in this area.

Next we heard from Professor Colaiacovo who spoke about the effect of environmental toxins on reproductive health. She stated that scientists are only now starting to understand the health effects of the various chemicals in the environments. Like Professor Christianai she stated that of the 80,000 chemicals present in the environment only a small numbers have been tested on reproductive health and the work that she is doing aims to address this. Currently her team is working on understanding how BPA, a product we’re exposed to everyday, affects reproductive health. She summarised previous work in this area stating that a Japanese study has shown that BPA is associated with miscarriages. Professor Colaiacovo has been exploring the effects of BPA in worms and her research suggests that BPA has a significant effect on a meiosis which is very important biological process in reproduction. They now want to look at other chemicals such as crude oil, pesticides and phthalates. They are hoping to explore reproductive health and also trans-generational effects.

Finally we heard from Professor Mazumdar who delivered a presentation on children and environmental toxins. She started by explaining that we may not realise it but children are affected differently  when it comes to  environmental toxins because they have different and unique exposures; they are growing, they live longer so are exposed for longer and they rely on adults to protect them, they don’t make choices about what they are exposed to.

When we look at the unique and different exposures to chemicals Professor Mazumdar explained that children are exposed through the placenta; breastfeeding; because they are closer to the ground and therefore breathe slightly different air and are closer to some toxins; and have more “off-the-ground-into-the mouth” experiences. Additionally children, because of their size, breathe in more air and they tend to eat more food. Finally children’s brains are growing rapidly and this is a very complex process so there are many opportunities for things to go wrong. Due to all these reasons children are more susceptible to environmental toxins and have heightened vulnerability therefore we should be more cautious about introducing new chemicals into the environment.

This was a very informative event and we have to admit we were very surprised that there is still so much that is unknown about the effects of these chemicals on our health. The mainstream seems to be falsely reassuring us that there is clarity on these substances and to hear experts say that actually we do need to proceed with caution,  for example, when microwaving food in plastic containers really made us sit up and take notice.

The next Harvard Mini Med Lecture will be ‘The New Old Age: How the body ages and how to keep it young’ on Tuesday 19^th April from 6pm -7:30pm (US Eastern Time)

Last month Public Health England launched their new Eatwell Guide which aims to give the public clear guidance on what a healthy diet looks like. This new Eatwell Guide replaces the Eatwell Plate and now encourages people to include more fruit, vegetables and starchy carbohydrates in their diet and less sugary foods and drinks.

The new Eatwell Guide is based on the Scientific Advisory Committee on Nutrition’s 2015 report on carbohydrates and health. It encourages the public to eat 30g of fibre a day, less than 6 grams of salt a day and that women should consume less than 20 grams of saturated fat a day and men less that 30 grams. The new guide also recommends that people consumes less than 30 grams of sugar a day and adults should be aiming to drink 6-8 gasses of fluids ideally from water, lower fat milks and unsweetened drinks.

A major difference between this new guide and the previous Eatwell Plate is the removal of sugary drinks. Additionally foods that are high in fat, salt and sugar have been moved to the outside of the guide to stress that they do not form part of a healthy diet.

The Eatwell Guide is  a useful resource for anyone wanting clear recommendations on healthy eating. You can read more about it here

On Saturday, we were delighted to have been a part of Kinetic Root Services first trauma campaign awareness day with our founder Abi Begho giving a presentation on how trauma affects physical and mental health.

Kinetic Root Services is a service for black women who have been through a traumatic experience and empowers them to heal and move forward by facing their experience, understanding themselves, dealing with the past and letting go of the negativity surrounding their traumatic experience. They achieve this through a programme of workshops, led by a trained counsellor. These workshops provide practical advice and support on how to deal with the effects of trauma.

Saturday’s trauma awareness campaign day was organised to introduce the black community to the services that Kinetic Root Services offer but to also raise awareness and educate the community on trauma, its causes, effects and the solutions.

The event was hosted by Michelle Yaa Asantewa who started the event with a brief introduction setting the scene for the day. We then heard from Abi Begho who gave a brief introduction on trauma, what it is and then discussed how trauma affects our physical and mental health and  then touched on how we can deal with the health issues associated with trauma.

Next we heard from Nyasha, the founder of Kinetic Roots services. Nyahsa focused specifically on the causes of trauma discussing some of the events and situations that can lead to trauma. Nyasha also spoke about the work that her organisation is doing to support women and mentioned their upcoming taster workshop which will be held on Wednesday 27^th April from  6:45pm – 9pm at the ANKH Wellbeing Centre in Shepherds Bush. For more information call 07746260258

The event ended with a very moving talk from Mojana who shared her personal experience with trauma, how she overcome the effects of trauma and what she believes the solutions are.

This was a really informative and interesting day and we are very grateful to Nyasha from Kinetic Roots Services for inviting us to take part in the event. We look forward to future events and applaud KRS for all the work they’re doing in our community.

It’s World Health Day today and the theme is ‘Beat Diabetes’ with the World Health Organisation calling for global action to halt the rise in and improve care for people with diabetes.

The WHO reports that the number of people living with diabetes has almost quadrupled since 1980 with 422 million adults worldwide living with this condition.

As part of WHO’s work to tackle diabetes, they have published their first global report on diabetes. The report calls on governments to develop strategies that would enable their citizens to make healthy choices and to ensure that health systems are effective enough to diagnose diabetes early and care for people with the condition. It also encourages everyone to make the personal decision and commit to living a healthy lifestyle, so eating healthily, being physically active and maintaining a healthy weight, all of which can reduce risk of developing diabetes.

Diabetes is more common in the black community and it’s very important for the black community to pay attention today and follow all the advice being issued by organisers of the Beat Diabetes campaign – eat healthily; be active; if in doubt, get checked; and if you have diabetes, follow a treatment plan so you can live well.

You can download WHO’s full report below.

This week, Public Health England announced that it has launched a new improved prostate cancer pack to help GPs and other healthcare professionals discuss the PSA test with men.  This new pack is part of the Prostate Cancer Risk Management Programme and consists of an evidence document for GPs, summary information sheets for GPs and summary information sheets for men aged 50 and over.

The PSA test is a blood test that can be helpful as part of the process of diagnosing prostate cancer but it is not accurate enough to be used as a screening test. Men who are over 50 can book an appointment with their GP if they have concerns about prostate cancer and would like to discuss the PSA test and this new pack will ensure that these appointments are as useful and informative as possible.

Dr Anne Mackie from Public Health England said:

“The decision about whether a man takes a PSA test is a complex one and has to be thought through carefully. Our new information pack will make it easier for GPs to have this conversation with their patients, and assist men in making a decision that is right for them”

Prostate cancer is more common in black men with black men being twice as likely to develop prostate cancer as their white counterparts. We hope that these new packs will create a better understanding of prostate cancer and the use of the PSA test and thus facilitate the early diagnosis of this disease.

On a sunny but chilly Saturday morning in March, the Lake Foundation Cycling Club ventured out onto the streets of Croydon. This time we headed towards Crystal Palace with trusty instructors Brian and Selina.

We asked a couple of our regular attendees what motivated them to rise fairly early on a Saturday morning to cycle.

D: “It’s good exercise. I’m a diabetic and the first time I [came to the cycling club], I checked my blood sugar afterwards and it had gone down. I’m not sure if the cycling helped but I will be monitoring it in future to see”.

M: “We like to come every week because we meet people and it’s inspiring. I feel like I’ve accomplished and achieved something. I’m not a regular cyclist but it gives me confidence, particularly, on the roads”.

M added that she felt it’s important to do other activities, to keep fit, in between cycling sessions. We agree!

The Lake Foundation Cycling Club meets every 2nd and 4th Saturday of the month between 10am-12pm. See the attached flyer for more information.