The most commonly prescribed drug for ADHD is Ritalin (methylphenidate), a psychostimulant, and its long-term effects are not well known, wrote lead author Todd Elder, of Michigan State University, whose study will appear in the Journal of Health Economics. Elder studied some 12,000 young children.

He found that “the youngest kindergarteners were 60 percent more likely to be diagnosed with ADHD than the oldest children in the same grade. Similarly, when that group of classmates reached the fifth and eighth grades, the youngest were more than twice as likely to be prescribed stimulants” for ADHD.

Though only doctors diagnose the condition, “many ADHD diagnoses may be driven by teachers’ perceptions of poor behavior among the youngest children in a kindergarten classroom,” Edler wrote.

“But these ’symptoms’ may merely reflect emotional or intellectual immaturity among the youngest students.”

Hand hygiene is a simple habit for sanitation. Yet hand hygiene when done properly is the best way to prevent infections from spreading. Throughout the day you accumulate germs* on your hands from a variety sources, such as direct contact with people and animals, or contaminated surfaces. If you do not perform hand hygiene properly, you can infect yourself with these germs by touching your eyes, nose or mouth. You can also spread these germs through contacting with others or touching other surfaces.

Who should perform hand hygiene?

Hand hygiene should be part of everyone’s daily routines. You should always perform and remind your family members or people around to perform hand hygiene as well.

When to perform hand hygiene?

Although it is not possible to keep your bare hands germ-free, there are times when it is critical to clean your hands to limit the number and the spread of germs.

Always remember to clean your hands in the following situations:

Personal Hygiene:

1. Before touching the eyes, nose and mouth

2. Before eating or handling food

3. After using the toilets

4. After blowing nose, sneezing or coughing

After contacting or handling contaminated or dirty materials:

1. After changing diapers or handling soiled articles from children or the sick

2. After touching animals, poultry or their droppings

3. After handling garbage

4. After touching public installations or equipment, such as escalator handrail, elevator control panels or door knobs

Others:

1. Before and after visiting hospitals, residential care homes or caring for the sick

2. Any time you find your hands dirty

How to perform hand hygiene?

You should clean hands with liquid soap and water when visibly soiled or likely contaminated with body fluid. When hands are not visibly soiled, clean them with 70-80% alcohol-based hand-rub is also effective.

Steps for hand hygiene

a) Clean hands with liquid soap and water:

1. Wet hands under running water.

2. Apply liquid soap and rub hands together to make a soapy lather.

3. Away from the running water, rub the palms, back of hands, between fingers, back of fingers, thumbs, finger tips and wrists. Do this for at least 20 seconds.

4. Rinse hands thoroughly under running water.

5. Dry hands thoroughly with a clean cotton towel, a paper towel, or a hand dryer.

6. The cleaned hands should not touch the water tap directly again. The tap may be turned off:

? by using the towel wrapping the faucet; or

? after splashing water to clean the faucet.

Please note:

? Never share towels.

? Dispose of used paper towel properly.

? Store personal towels properly and wash them at least once daily. Preferably, prepare more towels for frequent replacement.

b) Clean hands with alcohol-based hand-rub:

1. Apply a palmful of alcohol-based hand-rub and cover all surfaces of the hands.

2. Rub the palms, back of hands, between fingers, back of fingers, thumbs, finger tips and wrists.

3. Rub for at least 20 seconds until the hands are dry.

* Germs include bacteria, viruses and other microbes

The human body can regulate internal temperature within safe limits spontaneously. When we get hotter, the temperature control centre inside our body will trigger responses such as sweating and increasing breathing rate to cool us down. However, when the environment becomes extremely hot and spontaneous responses cannot effectively cool down our body, heat exhaustion or even heat stroke will occur.

Symptoms of heat exhaustion include giddiness, headache, nausea, shortness of breath and mental confusion. When the body temperature reaches 41°C or higher, the sufferer will have convulsion or become unconscious; and this is heat stroke. Immediately, the body temperature must be brought down and first aid be given, or else the sufferer’s life will be in great danger.

Who is at risk?

1. The obese
2. The sick
   including those with heart disease and high blood pressure
3. The elderly
4. Children

Precautionary measures

Pay attention to the weather warning issued by the Hong Kong Observatory and take the following measures:

1. Wear light-coloured, loose and air permeable clothing to reduce heat absorption and promote heat loss from sweating.
2. Bring and drink plenty of fluid to prevent dehydration.
3. Avoid drinks containing caffeine (e.g. coffee and tea) or alcohol, because these substances will speed up water loss from the body through the urinary system.
4. Do not engage in prolonged activities such as hiking or trekking under extremely hot weather, as heat, sweating and exhaustion place additional demands on one’s physique.
5. Perform outdoor activities in the morning or evening, if possible.
6. Choose an indoor venue with good ventilation by opening all windows and using fan or air-conditioning. Avoid doing vigorous exercise in a hot or stuffy environment.
7. Re-schedule your work to cooler times of the day. If you must work in a hot environment, introduce shading in the work area where practicable, then start slowly and pick up the pace gradually. Take breaks every now and then in a cool area to recharge yourself.
8. Do not stay inside a parked vehicle.
9. Stop in the course of activity immediately and seek medical advice if feeling unwell.

2. Use mosquito screens or nets when the room is not air-conditioned.

3. Place mosquito coil or electric mosquito mat / liquid near possible entrance, such as window, to prevent mosquito bites.

4. Prevent the accumulation of stagnant water

• Put all used cans and bottles into covered dustbins.
• Change water for plants at least once a week, leaving no water in the saucers underneath flower pots.
• Cover tightly all water containers, wells and water storage tanks.
• Keep all drains free from blockage.
• Top up all defective ground surfaces to prevent the accumulation of stagnant water.

How Much Liquid Do Kids Need?

You’ve probably heard the oft-repeated advice that you should drink 8 cups of water every day. Does the same rule apply to children? Yes and no. According to the Institute of Medicine (a division of the National Academy of Sciences, charged with advising the nation on health topics), most adults get all the liquids they need every day just by eating and drinking normally–with meals, and when they are thirsty. Any beverages, including caffeinated ones, count toward the daily fluid intake your body needs (which is closer to 10 cups than 8, by the way), and food, especially fruits and vegetables, contains water too.

Kids under 8 years old need a little less fluid than adults, but the advice is the same—they should drink healthy beverages with meals, plus sip water any time they are thirsty. Of course, if they are playing or exercising vigorously, or if it’s very hot outside, they’ll need more liquids to make up for what their bodies are losing to perspiration.

What Should Kids Drink?

• Water: Straight from the tap is fine (bottled isn’t necessary) but your child may drink more if it’s chilled, and/or if she has a special cup, bottle, or canteen for her H2O.
• Milk: Make it low- or non-fat (for kids 2 and up; littler ones need the fat for brain development). Serve two cups a day for kids 8 and under, three cups for older children and teens. Kids need the calcium and vitamin D in dairy products, so if your child doesn’t like milk, try flavoring it, or find other sources of these nutrients.
• Juice: Limit to 4-6 ounces a day for kids 6 and under (that’s ½ to ¾ of a cup). Older kids and teens can have 8-12 ounces a day. 100 percent fruit juice is best—check the label. Fruit drinks, punches, and ades may have added sugars (and calories). That 100% fruit juice does count as one of your child’s servings of fruit for the day—but it doesn’t have the fiber that whole fruit does.
• Sports drinks: Generally, avoid these since they add calories and sugar, but few nutrients, to your child’s diet. But if he’s exercising vigorously and prefers sports drinks to water, let him drink up—it’s more important that he stays hydrated. The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends 4 to 6 ounces of fluid every 15 minutes for a 90-pound child while he’s exercising. The AAP also suggests weighing your child before and after he exercises so you can see how much fluid he lost—then you’ll know how much he needs to replace during future workouts.
• Soda: Avoid. It’s nothing but empty calories.

Hydration Guidelines for Walkers

• Plain Water: For walks of an hour or less, plain water is the best drink.
• Add Salt: When your walk is going to be longer than an hour, a sports drink or salty foods such as pretzels can help with water absorption in the body as well as replacement of salt and energy.
• Drink Before You Walk: Prepare for your walk by drinking a tall glass of water (17 ounces or 500 mL) 2 hours before your walk. This will allow time for any extra to pass through you body before you hit the trail.
• Caffeine: Avoid caffeinated beverages before your walk, they cause you to lose fluid, making you thirstier as well as making you take inconvenient stops along the way.
• Salt Before a Long Walk: Before long walks, have a bit of extra salt with your meal or snack so you will have enough sodium to stay in balance.
• Plan for More Water: Carry water with you or plan for water stops along the route where you will be able to get a full drink of a cup of water every 20 minutes. A water fountain may not be able to deliver enough water for you to get a full cup.
• Drink When Thirsty: Older guidelines said to drink before you are thirsty, but new guidelines by USATF in 2003 for long distance runners and walkers say to use thirst as a guide and to drink when thirsty.
• Drinking When Sweating: If you are sweating more than usual, drink more than usual.
• High Altitude: You lose even more fluids at high altitudes, in heat and low humidity and need to drink more than usual. Again, let thirst be your guide and drink as soon as thirsty.
• Flavor Your Water: Make your water taste good so you will want to drink more. Add a squirt of lemon and keep it cool.
• Drinking After Your Walk: After your walk, end with another tall drink of water. After a long walk, do not overdo on plain water, use sports drink and/or salty foods to replenish salts as well
• Walking Water Calculator: Find out how much water you should be taking along or drinking from fountains, etc.

Signs of Dehydration

• nausea after exercise
• dark yellow urine or no urine
• dry, sticky mouth
• dry eyes

Pure Clean Water

• Tap water is perfectly fine for most purposes – in the US and Canada.
• Some walkers prefer the taste of filtered or designer water. Be sure to clean and dry single-use bottles before refilling them.
• Do not drink water from a lake or stream unless you filter or purify it. In many places there are nasty parasites such as Giardia lamblia and Cryptosporidium in the “unspoiled” mountain streams – because they are in the local squirrels and other animals.

Why You Need to Drink Water

Your body is estimated to be about 60 to 70 percent water. Blood is mostly water, and your muscles, lungs, and brain all contain a lot of water. Your body needs water to regulate body temperature and to provide the means for nutrients to travel to all your organs. Water also transports oxygen to your cells, removes waste, and protects your joints and organs.

Signs of Dehydration

You lose water through urination, respiration, and by sweating. If you are very active, you lose more water than if you are sedentary. Diuretics such as caffeine pills and alcohol result in the need to drink more water because they trick your body into thinking you have more water than we need.

Symptoms of mild dehydration include chronic pains in joints and muscles,lower back pain, headaches and constipation. A strong odor to your urine, along with a yellow or amber color indicates that you may not be getting enough water. Note that riboflavin, a B Vitamin, will make your urine bright yellow. Thirst is an obvious sign of dehydration and in fact, you need water long before you feel thirsty.

How Much Water do You Need to Drink?

A good estimate is to take your body weight in pounds and divide that number in half. That gives you the number of ounces of water per day that you need to drink. For example, if you weigh 160 pounds, you should drink at least 80 ounces of water per day. If you exercise you should drink another eight ounce glass of water for every 20 minutes you are active. If you drink alcohol, you should drink at least an equal amount of water. When you are traveling on an airplane, it is good to drink eight ounces of water for every hour you are on board the plane. If you live in an arid climate, you should add another two servings per day. As you can see, your daily need for water can add up to quite a lot.

Twenty percent of your water need will come from the foods you eat. The rest of your water need should come from the beverages you drink. Water is the best choice. Sodas have a lot of sugar in them, so if you drink sodas, you may take in more calories than you need. Herbal teas that aren’t diuretic are fine. Sports drinks contain electrolytes and may be beneficial, just look out for added sugar and calories that you don’t need. Juices are good because they have vitamins and nutrients.

Caffeinated beverages will also add to your daily water need. Even though caffeine is a diuretic, if you regularly consume caffeine, your body will regulate itself to that diuretic effect.

Drink Enough Water

It may be difficult to drink enough water on a busy day. Be sure you have water handy at all times by keeping a bottle for water with you when you are working, traveling, or exercising. If you get bored with plain water, add a bit of lemon or lime for a touch of flavor. There are some brands of flavored water available, but watch for extra calories.

Yet over the past 40 years there has been an astounding downward spiral in female survival rates in the UK compared with other countries.

According to the respected medical journal The Lancet, British women have fallen from 15th to 20th place in a league of death rates in 22 western European nations (the report investigated deaths from disease as well as fatalities in accidents and childbirth).

Overall, fewer women are dying earlier, however, in the UK survival rates are not improving as fast as they are elsewhere.

How could this have come to pass – especially when there has been a steady rise in the amount of money spent on health by Government?

The fact is, while the amount spent here has risen from 6.8 per cent of our national income in 1997 to about 8.7 per cent in 2008, other countries such as France and Germany still spend more as a percentage.

Leading cancer specialist Professor Karol Sikora says: ‘It’s tragic and outrageous that the NHS has tripled its spending over the past decade and yet – due to bloated and unnecessary administration and poor policy such as artificial targets – we still perform so badly.’

A lack of resources is partly to blame for our poor results. An extensive study last year found that in Britain there are 8.2 MRI and CT scanners per million people; the European average is 11.

There are also far fewer doctors in Britain: 2.5 per 1,000 population, compared to 3.4 in France, for instance. This causes delays in diagnosis.

Just as significant is NHS rationing of lifesaving drugs – for example, the bowel cancer drug Avastin and Nexavar, the only treatment offering any chance of survival for patients with advanced liver cancer – are routinely used in other European countries.

These drugs typically offer three to six months of extra life, but some patients can survive for years. Although the drug-approving body NICE agrees they work, it says the health system cannot afford them.

Despite the much-heralded reduction in waiting times, these patients often wait longer between scanning, diagnosis and treatment than in other European countries.

In France, for instance, the investigation for breast cancer – the appointment, scan and diagnosis – is all done within 48 hours, says Professor Sikora.

‘Here we have a long, drawn-out appointment system where patients wait to see a doctor, then a specialist, then for the CT scan and then the results. It can all go on for months – allowing time for cancer to spread and become more difficult to treat.

‘The Government prides itself with the fact that suspected cancer patients can see a specialist within two weeks of their GP deciding they need a referral.

‘It is the curse of the British public sector that everything involves waiting – even though we have a good breast screening programme.’

The good news is death rates for most cancers are falling; however, we still lag behind most of Europe.

A damning league table, compiled by the highly respected Eurocare-4 study, ranked Britain 14th of 19 European countries in a survey of five-year survival rates for any cancer (that is survival for five years or more from diagnosis).

Expenditure is an issue – 5 to 6 per cent of NHS expenditure goes on cancer, compared with 7 per cent in France and 9 per cent in Germany.

Another issue is the need for better early diagnosis at GP level, say experts. This is partly a training issue, but it also reflects GPs’ reluctance to refer because of costs.

The reason that small countries such as Iceland fare better than us, say experts, is that patients are in a progressive healthcare system, looked after by a greater number of doctors.

A flawed health service can only be partly to blame for the UK results, as it seems lifestyle factors – such as smoking and obesity – are also responsible for driving up our incidence rates.

But it’s not all gloomy news, for in some diseases, such as heart disease, the picture in Britain is improving – indeed there are now fewer women dying younger than ten years ago.

In a unique piece of research, Good Health has trawled the very latest, authoritative pan-European statistics to pinpoint exactly where – and why – the story for British women is so bad. As well as the Eurocare-4, we consulted the European cardiovascular disease statistics project, focusing on the biggest killer diseases.

We then asked leading experts to explain what needs to be improved if we are to start saving more women’s lives.

Ovarian cancer

Ovarian cancer is notoriously difficult to treat since symptoms often don’t emerge until the disease is quite advanced, as the ovaries are deep in the pelvis, explains Professor Karol Sikora.

A tumour can grow to the size of a grapefruit before the cancer becomes obvious.

Late diagnosis is the real issue in the UK, adds Professor Hani Gabra, director of the ovarian cancer action research centre at imperial College in London.

‘This is not about lack of drugs – though we have fewer oncologists than in other countries such as Germany and Switzerland, which means patients may get less time with their doctor.’

He says the pressing issue is raising awareness, making GPs and patients aware that symptoms such as constipation and bloating are not necessarily bowel related, but could be a sign of ovarian cancer.

‘We then need to fast-track diagnostic tests for women presenting to their GP with symptoms that may suggest ovarian cancer.

‘At the moment it’s harder for GPs to make referral s when they are unsure of symptoms because PCTs are trying to save money by reducing the number of referrals GPs are allowed to make.

It is bureaucratic madness. Women’s chances of surviving ovarian cancer greatly improve if the disease is diagnosed early, so prompt referral by GPs could play a significant role in improving the UK’s poor survival rates.’

A recent study revealed that GPs are less likely to refer older women with suspected ovarian cancer for investigation – even though four out of five cases are in women over 50.

Our survival rates for cancer generally are among the lowest in Europe, but particularly for older people, and age-bias could explain why we lag behind countries such as Malta and the Czech republic.

‘Because we are seeing women at a much later stage of the disease, we need to use chemotherapy more aggressively, like they do in other European countries,’ says Professor Sikora.

Stroke

Cardiovascular disease – heart disease and stroke – is the main cause of death in women in Europe. Strokes are usually treated with anti-clotting drugs within three hours, a technique known as thrombolysis.

In most western European countries, up to 30 per cent of patients receive thrombolysis.

Only about 1per cent were receiving it in the UK until recently. Clot-busting drugs ‘need to be given by an expert who understands how to administer the medication,’ says Dr Tony Rudd, a stroke physician at guys and St Thomas’s Trust, London.

The problem is our lack of specialist stroke centres – these offer specialist care, such as scanning and medication, and rehabilitation. All of which make a difference to survival and recovery.

Another issue is a shortage of brain scanners – while patients in most European countries are scanned at the earliest opportunity, many in the UK wait as long as 24 hours.

Improvements are slowly being made to treat patients more effectively, notably the drive to take patients straight to specialist stroke centres rather than their local hospitals, even if they are out of the area.

This is already happening in Germany and France (explaining their overall survival rates).

‘Stroke treatment is good in this country once the patient receives it, but the vital aspect that still needs pushing is to act quickly,’ says Dr Rudd.

‘This means training paramedics to do tests to determine whether a person has had a stroke and encouraging patients to forget their GP and call an ambulance straight away.’

Breast cancer

More British women are diagnosed with the disease than in any other country in Europe. This may be linked to lifestyle factors such as weight gain and alcohol consumption – we drink more than other European women.

Improvements in early detection through the national screening programme mean breast cancer survival rates are better than lung cancer.

But what holds us back is a slow diagnostic system, says leading cancer specialist Professor Karol Sikora.

‘Patients wait to see a doctor, then a specialist, then for the CT scan and then the results. yet in countries such as France, the investigation – the appointment scan and diagnosis – is all done within 48 hours.’

We also use a smaller range of chemotherapy drugs and less aggressively than European oncologists, says Professor Sikora. In Europe they will continue to give patients chemo, even when there are serious side- effects – here, specialists might not.

‘We also use radiotherapy less and the quality of our technique isn’t as good as many places in Europe where precision radiotherapy targets a cancer without damaging surrounding tissue. This means they are more likely to use more extensive radiotherapy.’

Lung cancer

Lung  disease is the biggest cancer killer of UK women – not surprising since a quarter of them smoke, more than in other European countries, with smoking on the increase among younger women.

Research has shown that women are more vulnerable to lung cancer than men and tend to be diagnosed at a younger age – even though they had smoked fewer cigarettes – possibly because nicotine triggers a gene which drives cancer growth.

Our mortality figures are particularly poor compared with countries such as Scandinavia and France, explains Dr Jesme Fox, medical director of The Roy castle Lung cancer Foundation.

‘Late diagnosis is a major factor in our relatively poor lung cancer survival figures.

‘A big problem is that patients delay seeing a doctor if they have, say, a persistent cough, a possible symptom of the disease, as they won’t associate it with cancer the way they would a breast lump.

‘And once they do get in the system, it takes so long to be diagnosed, scanned and treated that it can compromise survival.’

So although French women are also big smokers, their treatment in terms of waiting time as well as the use of chemotherapy is more advanced; so survival rates are better.

The National Lung cancer Audit revealed that people get worse treatment for lung cancer in the UK than many areas of Europe.

For example only 10per cent of British patients have surgery, which is the main way of tackling the disease.

Rates in Europe vary from 17.5 per cent to 25 per cent. Access to drugs such as Iressa – said to increase the time certain lung cancer patients survive without their disease worsening – have been approved in Europe while NIcE has still to make up its mind.

Heart disease

Coronary heart disease is the UK’s biggest killer, with one in every six women dying from the disease.

Over the past ten years there have been improvements in mortality rates thanks to better access to treatment and preventative treatment such as angioplasty, explains Dr Mike Knapton, of the British Heart Foundation. These have halved deaths from 20 per 100,000 to 11.

Taking the lead from other European countries, there’s now rapid access to a coronary care unit – so no delay in diagnosis and therefore greater chance of survival.

A steady increase in the number of cardiologists as well as an increase in the use of preventative drugs, such as statins has also had an impact.

However, three times as many women still die in Britain compared with France, which Dr Knapton says is driven by the number of people developing heart disease.

‘One reason for this is that the UK consumes more energy from fat than the European average.

‘This raises cholesterol, blood pressure and the risk of diabetes – all of which can lead to heart disease.’

A Mediterranean diet includes more monounsaturated fats, fruit and vegetables.

Ovarian cancer is notoriously difficult to treat since symptoms often dont emerge until the disease is quite advanced, as the ovaries are deep in the pelvis

Sugar or glucose is the energy source for cells. Normal blood glucose levels in humans is approximately 4 mM (4 mmol / L or 72 mg / dL).

When blood sugar levels outside of normal range, it could be an indicator of medical condition. High blood sugar constantly called hyperglycemia or if low as hypoglycemia.

Diabetes mellitus characterized by hyperglycemia and is the most prominent disease related to failure to control blood sugar.

As quoted from menshealth, Tuesday (30/3/2010), the following ways to control blood sugar:

1. Exercise
Exercise at least 20 to 30 minutes every day. No exercise and bad eating may worsen insulin resistance. Pick a favorite sport so we don’t feel bored.

2. Adding cinnamon to food we eat
Studies show that cinnamon may increase insulin sensitivity. This means the body will require less insulin to keep blood sugar levels. Adding cinnamon to desserts can reduce blood sugar levels without losing sweetness.

3. If blood glucose is high, take alpha lipoid acid
“Supplements are not invincible as prescribed nutrition and blood sugar in Europe,” says Jonny Bowden, Ph.D., CNS, author of The Most Effective Natural Cures on Earth. Bowden recommends 300 mg twice daily.

4. Avoid sweet energy drinks
University of Massachusetts scientists recently discovered that exercise increases insulin sensitivity by 40 percent when the deficit of 500 calories has been made, but didn’t made an increase when energy burned soon replaced by carbohydrates in sweet energy drinks.
5. Glucose Monitoring
This will enable to know how certain foods and drinks affect blood sugar level. Enough with the finger prick 2 hours after meals. The number is not higher than 139 mg / dL, and should not be less than 100 mg / dL. If out of range, you do need the oral glucose tolerance test.

6. Consume pumpkin or sunflower seeds for a snack
These little snacks will not affect blood sugar. And according to a 2006 study from researchers at Tufts University, these snacks rich in magnesium that can fight insulin resistance.

7. Eat every 2 to 3 hours
Eat fruit or juice with no sugar every 2-3. Eating with the frequency will help to maintain blood sugar stable and prevent overeating.

8. Health check
If you are using a thiazide diuretic for hypertension, consult with your doctor to switch to ACE inhibitors. In 2006, a review of 59 drugs Hypertension, found no strong relationship between low potassium levels caused by diuretics and increased blood sugar.

- Water prevents DNA damage and repairs more efficiently.

- Water increases the efficiency of the immune system in the bone marrow, including against cancer.

- Water is the main solvent of all foods, vitamins, and minerals; used to break down these materials and metabolism and assimilation.

- Water gives energy to the food, so that food particles could provide energy during the digestive process.

- The water used as conductor of all substances in the body.

- Water increases the efficiency of red blood cells to capture oxygen in the lungs.

- Air cleaning toxic waste from different parts of the body and took it to the liver and kidneys to be excreted.

- Water is the main lubricant in the joint cells and helps prevent arthritis and back pain.

- Water cooling system is important for the body (through sweat) and heating the body (electrical).

- Water helps reduce stress, anxiety, and depression.