feelgood 28-01-2011

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Under themicroscope

UNDER COVERHealth insurance plan tosuit you and your pocket: 6

CLOSE CALLChance cervical smearsaves woman’s life: 11

TUMMY TONERSTop US fitness instructor onhow to get fab abs fast: 4, 5

FeelgoodFriday, January 28, 2011

FeelgoodFeelgood

Research work by Irish-basedscientists paves the way for

revolutionary medical treatments: 8,9

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011

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Feelgood

HEALTH NOTES

Kate O’Reilly

WHAT’S ON

www.irishexaminer.com www.irishexaminer.comFeelgoodMag FeelgoodMag www.irishexaminer.com [email protected] Editorial: 021 4802 292 Advertising: 021 4802 215

News front

■ COFFEE MORNING: Monkstown GolfClub in Co Cork, are holding a coffeemorning in aid of Marymount Hospice,on Thursday next, February 3 from10am. All are welcome and there arelots of prizes to give away on the day.

■ FASHION SHOW: A fashion show willtake place in aid of Cork Simon Com-munity on Wednesday next, February 3,at 8pm in Vienna Woods Hotel, Cork.Tickets are 5 and are available on thedoor. Call the fundraising office at CorkSimon Community on 021-4929410.

■ FREE CLASSES: Jeff Gonet gives afree Hatha Yoga class at Unity Yoga,Patrick’s Hill, Cork, every Thursday from5pm to 6pm. On Mondays there is a re-laxation class from 11am to 12 noon —the first class is free and on Tuesdaysthere is a pilates class with Angela Han-non and again, the first class is free. Formore, see unity-yoga.net/cur-rent-class-timetable/ or call 0863014428.

■ SPORTING LUNCHEON: Irish charityFighting Blindness will hold its annualsporting luncheon on Friday next Febru-ary 4 at 12.30pm in the Shelbourne Ho-tel in Dublin. Ahead of Ireland’s openingSix Nations match against Italy and theHennessy Cognac Gold Cup, RTÉ’s DesCahill will be joined by stars from Irishsport including Shane Byrne and MickGalwey. Funds raised through thisevent are crucial to support the charity’sresearch projects for the cure and treat-ment of blindness in Ireland where over100,000 people are affected by condi-tions such as Age Related Macular De-generation (AMD), Diabetic Retinopathyand Retinitis Pigmentosa (RP).To reserve a table, call Elaine on

01-709 3050. Further information isavailable at www.fightingblindness.ie.

■ HEART CLINIC: The Irish Heart Foun-dation will hold free blood pressure andcholesterol testing clinics at the IrishHeart Foundation Office, 42 PenroseWharf, Cork from 10am-12pm on Tues-day, February 1, and in Midleton at theFamily Resource Centre on Wednesday,February 2, from 2.30pm-4pm.The Irish Heart Foundation’s Health

Promotion Nurse, Sr Siobhan Ryan, isalso available to talk to groups in Mun-ster (ICA, active retired, men’s groups,parent’s associations, etc). Sr Siobhancovers subjects including stroke aware-ness, healthy eating, cholesterol andblood pressure and physical activity.Contact the Munster Regional Office,021-4505822, for more details. If youhave questions about stroke or heartdisease you can also contact the IHFHelpline on 1890 432787.

■ FACE AGM: Fermoy Action Children’sEducation (FACE) is a voluntary groupset up to provide support services forchildren with dyslexia, dyspraxia andother specific learning difficulties. TheirAGM is on Wednesday next, February 2,at 7.30pm in the Fermoy CommunityResource Centre. All welcome. CallFACE on 087-2278459 or email [email protected]

Items for inclusion in this columncan be sent to [email protected]

ON THEIRMARKS:LyndseyO’Sullivan,Sinead Murphyand KathyO’Sullivan fromBantry BaysideJoggers club atthe launch ofThe Bay Run2011. Picture:Gerard McCarthy

A NEW survey by Centrum has found that70% of people in Ireland feel that they don’thave enough time in their day, with 68% ofthose surveyed reporting that they are tootired to do what they actually want.Over half of women in Ireland cite house-

work as a contributory factor to their lack ofenergy, against just one in five men.The main contributor to men’s lack of en-

ergy or fatigue is their job (53%), which af-fects just 41% of women.When it comes to family life, almost half of

women (46%) say that their children con-tribute to their lack of energy, whilst thesame applies to just 23% of men in Ireland.

The number of people in the Republic of Ire-land living with breathing difficulties (chron-ic airflow obstruction) is expected to rise by40% by 2020, according to new research bythe Institute of Public Health in Ireland (IPH).In 2007 nearly 94,000 adults had serious

breathing difficulties. By 2020 this is expect-ed to rise to over 131,000. Chronic airflowobstruction is linked with conditions such aschronic obstructive pulmonary disease(COPD), chronic bronchitis, emphysema andasthma. These conditions are a leading, andincreasing, cause of death.

The Irish Cancer Society (ICS) is seeking 25motivated people to take on the challengeand Trek China this October (14-23) in aidof cancer research. Through reaching afundraising target of 4,500 and walkingalong the Great Wall of China, you’ll be

making your every step count.For more information, visit can-

cer.ie/trek4life or to speak to a member ofthe fundraising team phone 1850-606060.

The sixth annual Bantry Bay Run takesplace on Sunday, May 1. The half marathonstarts from Glengarriff, along the coastalroute to Bantry. Cork Senior Football cap-tain Graham Canty and members of the BayRun’s chosen charity, the Bantry Division ofthe Special Olympics, turned up at thelaunch to support the initiative. More than1,300 took part in Bay Run 2010. This yearinternationally renowned long distance run-

ner Catherina McKiernan will once again bethe official starter of the run. Registration atwww.bayrun.ie costs 50

Potentially deadly varieties of a commonfood bug found in cheese and ready meals are“uniquely adapted” to infect the heart, astudy has found. The listeria strains are mostlikely to target people with pre-existing heartproblems, or who have had heart valve re-placements, say researchers. Scientists in uni-versity of Illinois, Chicago, discovered thatmice infected with the strains had up to 15times more bacteria in their hearts than thoseexposed to other forms of listeria.

A salt-based treatment for asthma has helped Irish celebrityTwink, get back to full health, writes Arlene Harris

Breathing easily

CLOSE CALL: Twink was hospitalised lastyear after a chronic asthma attack.Picture: Gareth Chaney/Collins

A LMOST half a million adults inIreland suffer from asthma. Thiscondition, which causes pa-

tients to feel short of breath and wheezy, isdebilitating but can also be life threatening.Adele King (aka Twink) knows how dan-

gerous the condition can be. Last year wasrushed to hospital with a chronic asthmaattack which doctors believed could havebeen fatal. Luckily for the TV and theatrestar, her breathing was stabilised and shecontinues to manage her asthma on a dailybasis.One of the factors which she says has

helped her to control the condition is herattendance at the Salt Cave in Maynooth.This therapeutic ‘cave’ is in fact a roomwith the physical atmosphere of a Siberiansalt mine. The particles of salt which per-meate the room penetrate the chest causingmucus to be removed from the lungs.“I had a chronic asthma attack and

thought I was going to die,” recalls Twink.“I spent four weeks in hospital then wentto the Salt Cave in Maynooth.“The salt therapy sessions brought me

lots of relief and I found I could breathemore easily. It did me a great deal of goodand I like the fact that it is natural and100% drug free.”Dr Tamas Bakonyi runs the clinic with

his wife Orsi. As a GP, Dr Bakonyi is quickto point out that the benefits of salt therapyshould be used in conjunction with

conventional medicine. “Salt has been usedfor many years to alleviate the symptoms ofasthma and allergies,” he says. “But themethod we are using is more beneficial as in-stead of inhaling it through a nebuliser, thepatient can sit in the room for up to an hourjust breathing normally and allowing the salt

to do the work.“We are not 100% sure how it works but

it seems to suck the fluid out from thebronchial tubes allowing the patient tocough up the phlegm after the session.“However, we wouldn’t advise patients to

stop using their asthma medication as thetherapy should be used in conjunction withprescribed inhalers as a means of alleviatingbreathing problems.”The Maynooth clinic has been in opera-

tion for two years and the owner say thetherapy is also gaining strength across Europeand in the US.“A study of salt therapy on children with

cystic fibrosis is currently underway in Ger-many and there are also clinics in Belgiumand America,” says Dr Bakonyi. “The cli-mate of Ireland leaves us susceptible tobreathing conditions and I am confident thatthis sort of therapy will become part of ourhealth culture in the next five to 10 years.”Frances Guiney, respiratory nurse specialist

with the Asthma Society of Ireland, sounds anote of caution about the treatment: “Dueto the paucity of trials on the benefit of ‘salttreatment’ no definitive conclusions can bemade as to the effectiveness of this treatmentin chronic asthma. More trials with longterm follow up are necessary.”

■ Individual sessions cost 35 and blocks of20 sessions cost 350. For more informationvisit www.saltcave.ie or call 01-6289851

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FRIDAY, JANUARY 28, 2011Feelgood

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THE SHAPE I'M IN Pauline Bewick

In profile

Once I know what Ihave to do, I really

can relax and a cup oforganic Green & Blackhot chocolate sendsme to sleep if I’mawake with stress

ROCK ON: Kerry-basedartist Pauline Bewickis 75. Picture: Don MacMonagle

A life on canvasA SK Pauline Bewick about her childhood home

and there’s nothing conventional about the an-swer. As a young girl, the artist variously lived

in a railway carriage, a caravan, a workman’s hut and ahouseboat.“I heard about a study, which found that people who

move around in childhood become creative. I always havebeen. I think it’s because you have to write or become apainter — you can’t hold all of what you’re experiencingin your head.”One of Ireland’s most acclaimed artists, she sold more

than 20 paintings at a recent exhibition. “It’s a miracle inthese times,” says the 75-year-old, who is married toPatrick Melia and whose daughters, Poppy and Holly, arealso artists.Based in the Glenbeigh area of Kerry, she attributes her

good health to being vegetarian and eating raw foods. Shealso describes herself as a “real convert to reflexology”since she was introduced to it recently in Inchydoney.(Visit Pauline Bewick’s website www.paulinebewick.ie).

What shape are you in?I’m very good for the age of 75, especially if I take a naparound 2pm. I walk nearly every day, not a long walk — Iusually take off down to the beach.

Do you have any health concerns?I get a very bad reaction to wheat but it has changed itscharacter. I used to get urticaria and come up in hives as ifI’d been stung by nettles. Now that’s disappeared but I getheadaches instead. I adore toast and bread but if I eat morethan one slice, I get pain in the back of my head.

What are your healthiest eating habits?I’m mad into raw foods and salads fresh from the garden.I’ve been a vegetarian all my life except I do eat fish. Ithink meat is indigestible.

What’s your guiltiest pleasure?Coffee, but I don’t overindulge. A little does me goodand I find it relaxes the headache brought on by the wheatallergy.

What would keep you awake at night?Work undone, like letter-writing or tidy-ing the house. I particularly like to goto bed when everything is in itsplace. I’m a bit obsessional like that.When I’m doing a really goodpainting, I sleep in my studio. I getso excited about a good paintingthat I get up during the night andpaint some more.

How do you relax?I write a list. Once I knowwhat I have to do, I really canrelax. A cup of organic Green &Black hot chocolate sends me tosleep if I’m awake with stress.

Who would you invite to yourdream dinner party?It would be a hugeaffair. I’d inviteDavid Attenbor-ough, Graham

Norton, Richard Dawkins and Billy Connolly. I’d inviteRussell Grant because he fascinates me, Dr Alice Roberts— who does wonderful films about the human journey —and Imelda May because she’s the most attractive, naturalgirl. I’d also have Joanna Lumley and Miriam O’Callaghan.

What’s your favourite smell?Tea-rose. I used to get pure tea-rose perfume.

When did you last cry?I always cry when I see a lorry of animals on the way tothe slaughter-house.

What would you change about your appearance?I’d have less wrinkles and less brown moles.

What trait do you least like in others?Lying and being dishonest. I don’t like bad temper, roadrage, people who are unnecessarily cross.

What trait do you least like in yourself?I’m very judgemental, yet I have an understanding ofwhy the person is manifesting the particular trait I don’tlike.

Do you pray?I don’t pray. I’m in the darkness as to whether there’s aGod or not. I don’t speak out to an angel or God but I

wish tomyself.

What would cheer up your day?I’m very easily cheered up by a springflower, a bird, snow, laughter. I’ve verycheered by doing a good painting.

Helen O’Callaghan Dron Friday A

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Feelgood Feelgood

Time to move

■ SIDE CRUNCHES

■ MOUNTAIN CLIMBER

A-list trainer Jillian Michaels. Do the moves and get a flat tum — now

Areas trained: Core and arms.

Technique:■ Start in a plank position with shouldersdirectly over hands, tummy tight.■ Bend your right leg in towards your rightelbow, without moving your upper body,keeping your foot off the floor. Return toplank, then repeat on the left leg — this isone rep. (If this is too hard, place your footon the floor, near your elbow, at each rep. Ifit’s too easy, perform a press-up when eachknee reaches your elbow.)■ Repeat for the required amount of reps.

Beginner: 1x 8-1 reps.Intermediate: 1x 10-12 reps.Advanced: 1x 12-14 reps.

Areas trained: Cardio and core.

Technique:■ Get into a plank position: resting on your toes, body ina straight line, shoulders over your hands.■ Jump your feet out and in. Repeat this for the requiredtime.

Beginner: 30 seconds.Intermediate: 45 seconds.Advanced: 60 seconds.

To really boost results, Jillian recommendssavvy training: “Target the fat-burning zoneand work at 85% of your maximum heartrate for the best, fastest results,” she says.“Wear a heart rate monitor, so you can seehow effective your workout really is.”

HOW TO DO ITThese moves from Jillian’s Six-Week

Make it the year of the washboard stomach with this amazing new workout from

Six-Pack DVD will have you honed andtoned, before you know it.

Before you complete this circuit, alwaysstart with a short warm-up: march on thespot with your arms raised for two minutes,then perform dynamic lunges for one minuteon each leg.

Finally, mobilise the spine by clasping yourhands in front of your chest and rotating from

A A last, the wait is over: US fitnesssensation, Jillian Michaels’ fitnessDVD is finally available in Ire-

land. Her renowned tummy-toning workouttargets as many muscles as possible, workingto increase calorie burn and whittle you intoab-tastic shape in no time. Combining stand-ing and mat-based exercises, you’ll keep yourheart rate high and blast that fat.

GET AB FAB

Areas trained: Cardio, stomach and core.

Technique:■ Stand with your feet hip-width apart — thisis your start position.■ Quickly, crouch down with hands and feeton the floor, shoot your legs backwards intoa plank position, return to the crouchingposition, then return to standing. Advancedexercisers should add a jump at the end.■ Repeat this sequence to complete therequired reps.

Beginner: 1 x 8-10 reps.Intermediate: 1 x 10-12 reps.Advanced: 1 x 12-14 reps.

Areas trained: Back and bum.

Technique:■ Lie on your front with your arms extendedin front of you, your legs straight and yourtoes pointed.■ Lift your upper body off the floor, then pullthe arms towards you, so your elbows arebent at a 90-degree angle and in line withyour shoulders.■ Straighten the arms again, then lower thebody to the floor. This is one rep.■ To make the exercise more challenging,lift your legs as well as the upper body,keeping the toes pointed.

Beginner: 1 x 8-10 reps.Intermediate: 1 x 10-12 reps.Advanced: 1 x 12-14 reps.

Areas trained: Stomach, bum and sidemuscles.

Technique:■ Stand with your feet shoulder-width apart,holding a dumbbell with both hands at chestheight. This is your start position.■ Squat down, bending at the hips andknees. As you return to standing, twistthrough your waist and raise your right legupwards and across your body, towards yourleft elbow.■ Squat down again and repeat on the otherside. Continue, alternating sides, tocomplete one set.

Beginner: 1 x 8-10 reps with no weight.Intermediate: 1 x 10-12 reps.Advanced: 1 x 12-14 reps.

Area trained: Stomach.

Technique:■ Lie on your back with your right armextended above your head, your right legstraight with your left knee bent. This is yourstart position.■ Lift your upper and lower body towardseach other, bringing your extended right leglevel with your left knee’s height, and thenlower down slowly.■ Repeat to complete one set, then repeatwith your left arm and left leg extended. Tomake the exercise harder, raise both arms.Keep your neck straight throughout, withoutbringing your chin towards your chest.

Beginner: 1 x 8-10 reps each side.Intermediate: 1 x 10-12 reps each side.Advanced: 1 x 12-14 reps each side.

side to side. Complete this circuit twicethrough, four days a week — after six weeks,you’ll have seriously enviable abs.

Beginners shouldn’t use a weight, but thoseat intermediate or advanced level should use a1-3kg hand weight, where possible.

■ Jillian Michaels: Six-Week Six-Pack isavailable on DVD, now, for 15.

■ BURPEES ■ SQUATWITHROTATIONS

■ LONG LEVERCRUNCHES

■ SUPERMAN ■ PLANK JACKS

Areas trained: Side muscles and stomach.

Technique:■ Lie on your right-hand side, right armextended in front of your body. Crunch yourknees inwards, keeping your heels in linewith your bottom and place your left handbehind your head. This is your start position.■ Crunch your left knee towards your leftelbow, then extend the left leg.■ Continue to complete the set, then repeaton your other side.

Beginner: 1 x 8-10 reps each side.Intermediate: 1 x 10-12 reps each side.Advanced: 1 x 12-14 reps each side.

■ SPIDERS

Areas trained: Cardio and core.

Technique:■ Start in a plank position withshoulders directly over hands,tummy tight.■ Jump your legs, alternately,towards your belly button in arunning motion. Keep the paceas fast as you can for theallotted time. Keep your backstraight, and abs engaged,throughout.

Beginner: 30 seconds.Intermediate: 45 seconds.Advanced: 60 seconds.

SAFETY TIP

While in plank

position, don’t let

your hips drop

SAFETY TIP

Keep your neck straight

with your gaze on the

ground throughout

SAFETY TIP

Keep your back straight

and abs engaged

throughout

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Feelgood

Looking closer

THERE are more than 250 differenthealth insurance packages availableacross the three health insurance

companies — Quinn Health, Aviva andVHI — and finding the one to fit yourand your family’s needs can be difficult.Aongus Loughlin, head of health care

and risk at Towers Watson consultancy,says it’s important to establish your needswhen considering switching insurers.“Before you start making enquiries it’simportant to arm yourself with the rightinformation,” he says.Loughlin suggests asking yourself four

simple questions:1. If I got sick, what type of hospital —private or pub-lic — would Ilike to attend?2. Do I wantor need the ad-ditional optionsoffered by aprivate hospi-tal? (Remem-ber, it may notcut down onwaiting time)3. Do I want apublic or private room? This often de-pends on your personality.4. Do I need outpatient coverage — GP,dental, osteopath, physiotherapist etc?“Everyone is covered by community

rating which means, regardless of yourage or level of health, all plans or levelsof coverage are available at the samecost,” says Loughlin, adding that onceyou make the switch you are covered formedical emergencies.“If you are changing insurer, you can

take your years of service with you,which means you do not have to serveany new waiting periods if you have apre-existing medical condition.“Any person joining a health insurance

company for the first time will not becovered for pre-existing illnesses for aperiod of five to ten years, depending onyour age at joining. Also, the new insur-ance company will ask you to wait be-tween 26 and 104 weeks, depending onage, before any cover is provided for anillness that arises after the date of join-ing.”By law, you cannot be penalised for

changing insurers, says Loughlin.And if you want to return to your old

insurers you can do so, again withoutpenalty.“Regardless of what you decide, it’s

important not to let your cover lapse formore than 13 weeks,” says Loughlin.“Otherwise, you lose out on the accu-mulated years of service.”■ www.towerswatson.com

MAKING THESWITCH

As VHI costs soar, Terence Cosgrave looks at the options open to customers

Health is wealthFOLLOWING the VHI premium

price hikes, many families are strug-gling with the cost of health insur-

ance. For some, it has become prohibitivelyexpensive, forcing them to re-assess the valueof health insurance.The two-tier system which operates in Ire-

land confers on those with health insurancequicker access to some hospital services —though it is important to remember thatemergency services will always be providedimmediately.In almost every country with a health sys-

tem acknowledged to be successful — Hol-land, Germany, Finland, Austria or Canada,for example — this division between the richand the poor (or if you like, those with andwithout health insurance) does not exist.

What to do?It is almost always possible to reduce thecosts in the short term. If you are committedto staying with VHI, you can put off the evilday of increases for a year by contacting theVHI now and re-starting their policy fromJanuary, which will put off the increase for ayear — as opposed to paying it from the dateof renewal. The final date for doing this isJanuary 31 (next Monday), so if this is an op-tion for you, you need to do it before then.VHI customers should also ensure they are

receiving the corporate rate — which isavailable to everyone, subscribers simply haveto ask for it. But families and individuals canalso keep their premiums at the same level bychanging companies or policies.The Health Insurance Authority’s website

(www.hia.ie) offers comparisons between thehealth insurance packages of the three mainhealth insurance companies in Ireland and al-so details of health cash plans.The first thing for VHI customers to de-

cide is if they want to stick with the compa-ny for the moment (assuming they are goingto renew now and postpone the increase) orif they want to move.

You have the right to changeThe Health Insurance Authority’s chief ex-ecutive, Liam Sloyan, emphasises that every-one has the right to change policies and“no-one is too sick or too old” to do so.He says that unlike other areas, people who

buy health insurance have basic rights andanyone is entitled to buy any product a com-pany offers — which is why, for example, aperson is entitled to get the corporate rateeven if they’re not a corporation.He advises people to use the HIA website

or simply call them (1850 929 1666) to getthe right information.And people should be very aware of the

various services offered by the different com-panies under different plans.Quinn Healthcare, for example, has half a

million subscribers and offers a confidentialGP telephone service and cervical cancervaccinations at reduced cost.The cost of attending GPs can be a major

expense for some families, so this servicecould be a great help in reducing medicalbills.Aviva offer a ‘Post Natal Home Help’ and a

benefit for partners of women giving birth.They also offer a breast-feeding consultancyservice as part of their overall package.The key thing to remember is that each

company offers services it hopes will entice

the public into buying a policy — but theymay not be policies that are relevant or usefulto your particular circumstances.

Reducing medical costsOne way to effectively reduce family costswould be to track all medical and dental ex-penses over the course of a year to estimateactual medical costs.Were all GP consultations necessary?

Would a phone call to a GP have worked justas well? Are there family members who needa cervical cancer vaccination? Which servicesoffered are likely to be used?One option to be avoided is to simply stop

coverage without any plan for the future asbreaks in cover may mean an individual orfamily has to endure a waiting period forcover to be re-instated, and in the case ofsomeone with a pre-existing condition, thiscould be up to five years. Another option, forsome, could be getting out of health insur-ance and taking out a health cash plan.

Health cash plansA health cash plan is of no use in terms of‘queue jumping’, but it does provide insur-ance — of a sort — against medical expenses.HSF Health Plan, which is based in Ennis,

Co Clare, have seen call inquiries triple sincethe VHI price hikes were announced, mainlyfrom families previously insured with VHIwho can no longer afford coverage.HSF is a charity (www.hsf.eu.com/ireland)

so most of their premia are ploughed backinto payouts.A health cash plan is a much more inex-

pensive way of dealing with health expenses,and for families on a limited budget, thebonus is that it provides money back for allhealth expenses — including GP and dentalbills. Also, the fact that there is no excess feemeans the total cost of a examination by aGP or consultant is fully paid without deduc-tions. It is important to check excess feesagainst the various health insurance plans asthe costs involved can vary.There is also a payment for days spent in

hospital. Many people are unaware that ifthey stay in a public hospital, there is still acharge levied of 75 a day for up to tendays. This fee is recoupable under a cashplan. It may not offer the total security blan-ket of health insurance, but it is an alternativefor people for whom health insurance has be-come unaffordable.Either way, it is worthwhile for every fami-

ly to track the medical bills they encounterover the course of this year and this informa-tion — combined with the likely medical ex-penses next year — will give them a betteridea of the most appropriate way to managetheir healthcare expenses in the future.The best response to the VHI hikes is to

examine each option offered, assess what ser-vices are really necessary, adopt a ‘reasonablerisk’ strategy and purchase the option thatbest suits you.

Picture: Getty Images


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Tony Humphreys

Psychology

Our columnist is moved by the humanityof the hospital staff who cared for him

Kindness of people

A T the end of November, I became suddenly,acutely ill. For somebody who hadn’t been to amedical doctor since I was in a monastery, over

40 years ago, my initial response was that ‘I’ll get through thismyself ’. Even though the pain was relentless and intense, Istuck to the determination ‘I can ride this storm’, like manyother emotional storms I had endured in my life.I stopped eating and was not sleeping. On the third day,

under pressure from my long-suffering wife, I went to a localdoctor, but, unfortunately, was misdiagnosed and the pre-scriptions only exacerbated the illness.This outcome copperfastened my notion that this was

something I could get through myself. Three weeks passed,with no return of appetite, continued insomnia and weightloss of three stone.On the Monday of the fifth week of the illness, from a

place of great concern, a dear colleague, whose brother is aGP, transported me on icy roads to his surgery. It didn’t takethe experienced doctor long to diagnose that I was very ill.And though he couldn’t put his finger on what the illnesswas, he immediately arranged for me to be admitted to theaccident and emergency unit in the South Infirmary, Cork.Within the hour, I was admitted to the unit and a team of

healthcare professionals began the search for the nature of theillness. I could see that their first hypothesis was cancer, be-cause all the different test results were giving a very confusingpicture.On the third day, they diagnosed the illness — a massive

infection of gallstones in the gall bladder, which, left untreat-ed for a month, had formed an abscess on the liver. On theThursday before Christmas, they inserted a drain into the liv-er, and so began the draining of the poisons that had built upover four weeks. It took six days to do the job, but I was onthe road to recovery, with one or two hiccups.I was discharged on the Wednesday after Christmas. Spend-

ing Christmas in hospital was a transforming experience forme.The purpose of this article is not to tell you about the ill-

ness but of the immense kindness I experienced not onlyfrom my wife, secretary, family, people I’ve helped, studentsand neighbours but also, unexpectedly, from the hospital staff.Two years ago, my wife needed to be admitted overnight to

another hospital in Cork, and her experience of the medicalcare she received was not pleasant. I also encountered it whenI went to see her there. When I was admitted to the SouthInfirmary, I was expecting similar treatment and was prepar-ing to do battle.What transpired was the exact opposite to my wife’s expe-

rience. From the moment I arrived in the accident and emer-gency unit, to my discharge, nine days later, I encounteredprofessional competence, commitment, kindness, active lis-tening, equality and personalisation. This experience was re-peated with every person I met — the porter, the cateringstaff, the room cleaning staff, the radiologist, the cat-scan spe-cialist, the ultra-sound expert, every nurse, house doctor,medical registrar and consultant.It is not that, as a clinical psychologist, that I did not detect

personal vulnerabilities in different members of the staff Imet, but their insecurities and fears did not interfere with

their professionalism and enduring kindness.My own motto for living is that ‘there is no greater wis-

dom than human kindness’ and it was humbling to experi-ence that from each member of staff I encountered. If I madeevery effort to individualise each of them and discover theirfirst name, none of them faltered in remembering my firstname. There was also a very visible camaraderie between allmembers of staff and a prevailing sense of good humour.Understandably staff members experience stress, working

36-hour shifts, but they didn’t allow their stress to underminetheir commitment to care.If the HSE is looking for a model of effective medical care,

they need look no further that the South Infirmary, Cork.I frequently expressed my appreciation to individual mem-

bers of staff and the response I invariably got was “we rarelyhear such appreciative feedback”. It is what they deserve andI hope this article goes somewhere to making their profes-sional goodness and kindness more visible.

■ Next week: What I learned from my illness.

■ Dr Tony Humphreys is a clinical psychologist, author and in-ternational speaker. His recent book with co-author HelenRuddle, The Compassionate Intentions of Illness, is relevant totoday’s topic.

From the moment Iarrived in the accidentand emergency unit to

my discharge nine dayslater, I encountered

professionalcompetence,commitment,

kindness, activelistening, equality and

personalisation


Think of it asa blank canvas

Have your say in shaping your newspaperat www.irishexaminer.com/readerpanel


8


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Feelgood

xxxxxxxxBehind the scenesxxxxxxxxCover story

Despite our gloomy profile, internationally Irish medical researchers continue to make breakthroughs in the treatment of serious illnesses. Pól Ó Conghaile reports

FRANCIS RYND (1801-1861)

Dublin-born doctor invented the hypo-dermic syringe in 1844 while working atthe MeathHospital,where hetreatedpoor peo-ple. Hewas thefirst personin theworld toshow thatdrugs could be injected into a patient’sbloodstream — which was deemed im-possible — instead of being taken orally.

ARTHUR LEARED (1822-1879)

The Wexford physician invented the mod-ern stethoscope in1851. Although thedevice had beenaround sincebefore he wasborn, Leared’sversion was thefirst with a doubleearpiece. He alsocarried out impor-tant work on thecirculation ofblood, digestionand the workingsof the pancreas.

SCIENCE FACTION■ In the field of genetics, Irish researchpapers receive more citations than thosefrom any other country

■ Last year 30 discoveries funded by theIrish Cancer Society (ICS) were publishedinternationally

■ Some 250 researchers from 40countries are working at Trinity College’snanoscience research institute

■ UCC is first in world to investigate how aspecific signallingmolecule contributes tothe development of breast cancer

■ Compiled by Mark Evans

SMART SCIENCE: At Trinity College Dublin, Dr Despina Bazou, left, specialist in cancer cell interactions; Gemma-Louise Davies, PHD researchstudent, and Prof Martin Hegner, expert in bio sensors/diagnostic devices. Picture: Maura Hickey

YOU know things are bad whenyou need to look down a 1 mil-lion microscope to find a trace of

hope in Ireland. But that’s exactly what scien-tists at CRANN, Trinity College’s nanoscienceresearch institute, are doing. Manipulating ma-terials up to 800,000 times thinner than a hu-man hair, research being conducted here couldrevolutionise our whole approach to health.If you want optimism on this benighted is-

land, this is where to find it. Standing beside ahelium ion microscope at CRANN’s Ad-vanced Microscopy Laboratory, I see a micro-graph image of platelets stuck like chewinggum to a cancer cell. The miniature scale hasmega-potential.“Platelets help cancer cells survive and grow

and spread to other parts of the body,” explainsDr Despina Bazou, who took the image whileresearching the interaction between plateletsand cancer cells. “Obviously we don’t wantthat, so we’re trying to identify potential drugsthat could stop the effects of platelets, givingus better access to the tumour itself.”Dr Bazou is just back from a parabolic flight

with the European Space Agency, where sheused zero-gravity to mimic the state in whichcells and platelets levitate in the body — en-abling a further, tantalising series of tests onthe nature of their interaction.“Chemotherapy attacks normal cells as well,

but using nanotechnology, we would like todesign drugs that would specifically attackthese platelets... these could represent a per-sonalised therapy for cancer patients.”In these gloomy times, it’s thrilling to think

Dr Bazou is just one of hundreds of scientistsaround the country making world-class break-throughs in serious illnesses research. Irelandhas been ranked eight in the world for qualityof research in Materials Science, according toThomson Reuters. In the field of genetics,Irish research papers receive more citationsthan those from any other country.In Cork, scientists at UCC’s Tyndall Nation-

al Institute are heading up a European Com-mission project on the development of ElectroActive Polymers (EAPs). EAPs are smart mate-rials that can expand and contract in liquidwhen activated with an electric field — mak-ing them suitable for insertion into the cardio-vascular circulatory system. The potential isexciting, to say the least.“One application is blocking an undesirable

connection between a vein and an artery,which could for instance be the result of acongenital birth defect,” says Frank Stam, the

Heart-e-Gel project co-ordinator. “In this casesurgery could be replaced by a minimally inva-sive procedure.”Other EAP properties could lead to dynamic

splints and even steerable catheters.“As long as there are people, there will be a

demand for medical improvements,” says Stam,who is hugely excited at the research under-way in Ireland and the potential it offers forthe development of new medical procedures.This is only the beginning. Last November,

it was revealed that a team of researchers fromthe Royal College of Surgeons and the MaterHospital had identified an insulin-producingcell which, when it dies, gives a regenerativeboost to cells around it. The discovery offersnew hope for the development of drug treat-ments for the estimated 141,000 people in Ire-land with diabetes. Last year, some 30 discov-

eries funded by the Irish Cancer Society (ICS)were published internationally, including thedevelopment at Trinity College of a new drugcapable of killing chronic lymphocyticleukaemia cells, while at the same time sparingnormal cells.At UCC, an ICS-funded research group led

by Professor Thomas Cotter famously discov-ered a ‘suicide’ gene that allows leukaemia cellsto survive past their expiry date. UCC is alsowhere Dr Patrick Kiely is developing three-di-mensional models to study the ways breast can-cer cells metastasise. His research, investigatinghow a specific signalling molecule contributesto the development and spread of breast can-cer, is the first in the world to look at this sig-nalling protein in this way.It’s impossible to include all of the break-

throughs here, but other encouraging signs in-

clude Science Foundation Ireland’s recentfunding grant of 10 million to NUI Galway’sRegenerative Medicine Institute (Remedi).Remedi is researching stem cell biology with aview to developing regenerative therapies — aprocess that could have radical implications forthe treatment of conditions like cardiovasculardisease, diabetes and osteoarthritis.“If you take osteoarthritis as an example, the

idea is to be able to inject these cells into thejoint and then for the cells to become cartilageor to promote cartilage formation,” explainsRemedi director, Prof Tim O’Brien. “Theidea of tissue regeneration is to avoid the needfor replacement or removal. So if you can gen-erate new healthy cartilage, then you mightn’tneed to replace that hip.”Remedi works in the main with stem cells

from bone marrow, and is targeting the gener-

ation of new blood vessels and cartilage. Thefunding announcement will allow it to movefrom research towards regulatory approval forphase one human studies. From there, its tech-nologies could enter large-scale studies withinthe decade, hitting the market within 15 years.Back at Trinity College, lab manager Fergal

Keating shows me around CRANN’s Ad-vanced MicroscopyLab. Supporting boththe research of scientistslike Dr Bazou and thatof companies like Intel,HP and Boston Scien-tific, the microscopeshere are capable ofviewing at the atomiclevel. “You’re goingright down to the fun-damental level of un-derstanding things,”says Keating.In one lab, we see a

FEI Transmission Elec-tron Microscope, amind-boggling deviceallowing scientists tozoom in at 0.1 of ananometre (to put thatin context, a typicalvirus measures 20nanometres). It lookslike a scaled-downApollo rocket.Nanoscience involves manipulating materials

at a miniscule scale, and some 250 researchersfrom 40 countries are working at CRANNacross the full spectrum of research — fromhealth to electronics, food and textiles. Thetiny materials are throwing up gigantic poten-tial, too.One investigator, Prof Martin Hegner, is de-

veloping tests that could deliver results for bugslike MRSA, swine flu and malaria within min-utes, while reducing the amount of bloodneeded to a pinprick.“In the case of malaria, current tests can be

quite invasive,” Hegner says. “So if we can pre-pare a test that requires a pinprick and gives ananswer within half and hour, then it’s a big im-provement.”“The healthcare industry is moving towards

managing people’s health as opposed to react-ing to it,” as Diarmuid O’Brien, executive di-rector of CRANN, puts it. “Nanotechnologyis one of the key technologies that’s going tohelp achieve that... it should hopefully change

how a doctor does his job and increase thequality of healthcare for the patient.”Of course, nobody is getting carried away.

For all of this amazing research and potential,the funding, manpower and will necessary totest products safely and bring them to marketis another story.Just 16% of Leaving Certificate students in

Ireland took higher levelmaths last year, 9% failedbiology, 8% failed chem-istry and 7% failedphysics, prompting groupslike IBEC and the Ameri-can Chamber of Com-merce to express theirconcern. A recent OECDsurvey further troubles thenotion of Ireland as aknowledge economy. TheProgramme for Interna-tional Student Assessmentsaw Ireland’s ranking inmaths falling from 16thto 26th (of 39 countriessurveyed). We rank 18thin science. Not exactlynews to excite invest-ment.“I moved from

Switzerland in 2006,when the news wasgood,” says Prof Hegner.“Now it’s going down

the drain because of Ireland’s reputation. Weare doing nice stuff in the lab, but graduateshave no reason to stay, because there is nomarket... they’ll end up in the best labs, butthe best labs will be abroad.”To stop this happening, he says, ongoing in-

vestment is required. Already 130,000 peopleare employed in the ICT, medical devices andbiopharmaceutical sectors in Ireland — to ascientist like him, shoring that up, funding fur-ther research, attracting the best people andkeeping the scientific infrastructure competitiveis a no-brainer. But to a government in a re-cession? You don’t need to peer down an elec-tron microscope to see the conflict.

■ Nanoweek, organised by NanoNet, (seepicture above), offers a wide range of eventshighlighting the importance of nanoscience,takes place from January 31 to February 4.

■ National cancer helpline: 1800-200700.

SMALL WONDER: Organisations working innanoscience came together to formNanoNet, a single body to promoteawareness of nanoscience in Ireland.Pictured are (l to r) Alan Hynes, CompetenceCentre for Applied Nanotechnology (CCAN);,Mary Claire O’Regan, Tyndall Institute;,Diarmuid O’Brien, CRANN and LeonardHobbs, Intel. Picture: Maxwells

LUCIEN BULL (1876-1972)

Moved to Paris from his native Dublin in1894 to study high-speed photography.He was the first to photograph insects inflight. However, his work on the electricalworkings of the heart led to the inventionof the electrocardiograph (ECG). Bull de-veloped a version that was a close rela-tion of today’s machines.

VINCENT BARRY (1908-1975)

The Cork-born chemist studied at UCDand UCG where his work focused on sug-ars. In the 1950s Barry led a team of re-searchers atTCD in formu-lating manydrugs thatproved suc-cessful incombatingleprosy. Barryalso spear-headed re-search into theuse of chemotherapy to treat cancers.

JOHN DRUMM (1942-2010)

The ultrasound pioneer passed away lastJuly, but hiswork haspreventedthousands ofstillbirths. FromBirr, Co Offaly,the obstetricianwas the first towitness theflow of blood inthe umbilical artery, a test carried out regu-larly today to monitor problem pregnan-cies. He also set up the ultrasound depart-ment at the Coombe Hospital in Dublin.

Irish medics who left their mark


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Feelgood

Dr Niamh Houston is aGP with a specialinterest in integrativemedicine. If you have aquestion about your child’shealth email it [email protected] send a letter toFeelgoodIrish ExaminerCity QuarterLapps QuayCork

Dr NiamhHouston

FAMILY

NOTE: The information contained in Dr Houston’s column is not a substitute for medical advice. Always consult a doctor first

CatherineShanahan

MUM’S WORLDMUM’S WORLD

For me thegreat test is

patience. The redmist descends

and temple veinsswell in the faceof an insolent

child. I control itwith the mantra:

“Pick onsomeone your

own size

Medical matters

DUSTING down the thumbscrew andbrushing up on knuckle-crushing tech-niques are not in my parenting com-

pendium. They say victory attained throughviolence is tantamount to defeat.There are, however, times when the lure of

the wooden spoon is like the pull of a choco-late éclair to a diet junkie and the cutlerydrawer is best avoided ’til the moment oftemptation has passed.I am not a fan of slapping, and delivering a

clout by way of punishment to a disobedientchild seems to me the ultimate in hypocrisy.There are many words to describe such phar-isaism, not least “Practise what you preach”.Yet, I do understand the frustration of par-

ents outjockeyed by naughty offspring. It issingularly discomfiting to find yourself kow-towing to the whims of a wayward child. Ihave come perilously close, on more thanone occasion, to completely losing the rag. Iwalk away to the sound of a voice in my headthat tells me to “Spare the rod”.But while smacking is anathema to me,

over-indulgence is almost as bad. Who wantsto produce a diva whose endless list of de-mands include first-class travel only andsomeone to carry her bags and handmadesoap by Jo Malone? Or a man who believesno woman is good enough because that’s

what his mother warned, whose sense of self istoo inflated to allow anyone into his heart,who regards others as lesser mortals, no morethan a means to an end?The challenge is to strike the right balance

between discipline and excess, to mix the in-gredients with a blind chemist’s caution wherethe outcome is anyone’s guess. There is nomathematical equation to help us pass the test.There’s nothing scientific in mentoring and noguarantee of success.For me the great test is patience. The red

mist descends and temple veins swell in theface of an insolent child. I control it with themantra: “Pick on someone your own size”.I do not have the fortitude for hot-house

parenting or micro-managing lives. I try tolead by example and scold without losing sightof the fact that the people I am dealing withhave limited experience of life.It is every parent’s duty to do the best they

can to raise a child to respect what’s right andchallenge what is wrong. If badness is spoiledgoodness, the ball is in our court to preservewhat’s best about our child before unleashing iton the world.So dust down that parents’ compendium and

go straight to “Useful Tips” and take heed ofthe words “What a child doesn’t receive he canseldom later give”.

CONSTANT ITCH: Hives can be caused byan allergic reaction. Picture: Getty Images

QI HAVE had an itch all overmy body for the past fewweeks. Hives have also recent-ly appeared. I have had bloodtests, but these have not

shown up any allergies. I take anti-his-tamines occasionally when the hives getvery severe. Can you recommend othertreatments?

A. Hives, also known as urticaria, appear af-ter the body releases histamine. This triggersan allergic reaction, resulting in red, raiseditchy small bumps on the skin.Acute urticaria lasts only for a few days,

and is usually caused by an infection (espe-cially viral infections of the upper respirato-ry tract), drugs (such as penicillin) and foods(especially shellfish, fish, eggs or nuts).Chronic urticaria lasts for more than sixweeks and may be due to other causes —autoimmune disease, stress, connective tissuedisease or physical stimuli (pressure, heat,cold, sun, water, exercise).A commonly used blood test to detect al-

lergies is the RAST test (or immunoglobu-lin IgE test). However, this test is less accu-rate in detecting allergens than a skin test. Askin prick test will detect causes of immedi-ate allergic reactions, while a skin patch testdetects allergens that can cause a delayed al-lergic reaction (those that develop over thecourse of a few days). Other tests that mayhelp identify the allergen include stool ex-amination for ova and parasites, antinuclearantibody titre, thyroid function/antibodylevels, as well as a full blood count and dif-ferential white cell count. A detailed recordof your activities, exposures and diet is vital.In many cases of urticaria, the trigger is

never identified. Even if it is known, somepatients may be unable to avoid exposure orreaction. This can be frustrating for boththe patient and healthcare practitioner, butthere are many options for treatment man-agement. General conservative measures in-clude staying in a cool, calm environment.Wear loose, comfortable clothes. Take luke-warm to cool baths with added baking sodaor colloidal oatmeal (Aveeno).Antihistamines are the main stay of treat-

ment for uritcaria. It is best to take them ona regular basis rather than as needed in orderto reduce inflammation and prevent symp-tom development.Other prescribed medication that can help

treat urticaria includes the leukotriene re-ceptor antagonists such as Singulair. Corti-costeroids are another option, generally usedfor severe cases.

Quercetin is a bioflavonoid with anti-in-flammatory properties. It is found in manyfoods, including green tea, apples, berriesand brassica vegetables (cabbage, cauliflower,broccoli, etc). It is also available in supple-ment form.Butterbur is a herbal treatment used to

treat allergic rhinitis. It lowers histaminelevels, and may be an alternative to considerinstead of antihistamines. The usual dose is50mg-100mg of standardised extract twice aday with meals. It should not be taken inpatients with liver disease, and liver functionblood tests should be done in those whotake it for longer than three to four weeks.Homeopathic treatment may help. As

each patient is assessed individually andtreatments are given on the basis of the“constitutional” approach, there is no oneremedy that suits all. Only consult trainedand accredited practitioners.

Q. Can you tell me what’s the besttreatment for rheumatoid arthritis. Mysister was recently diagnosed with this,

she’s only in her 30s and was started onweekly injections immediately. Thereseems to be a number of side effects withthis medication, could she not take tabletsinstead?

A. People with rheumatoid arthritis havea high level of a protein produced by thebody called TNF (tissue necrosis fac-tor).This protein is involved in producinginflammation and controls the activity ofother inflammatory chemicals. It is alsofound in other inflammatory conditionssuch as ankylosing spondylitis, psoriaticarthritis, in the inflamed lining of the intes-tine of people with Crohn’s disease and inincreased levels in skin affected by psoriasis.Specialists treating rheumatoid arthritis

prefer to use disease-modifying drugs(DMARD) as soon as possible. Your sistercould be receiving an injection containingthe ingredient adalimumab, which is a rela-tively new type of medicine called a mono-clonal antibody — a type of biologicaltreatment. This works the same way as thenatural antibodies produced by our immunesystem.By binding to TNF, adalimumab prevents

the inflammatory responses it causes. In pa-tients with rheumatoid arthritis this means areduction is the symptoms of the arthritis,improves function and movement of thejoints and reduces the progression of thedisease and further joint damage. However,like all medicines, this human monoclonalantibody is not without risk — it can com-promise the body’s ability to fight infections.Cases of TB and other serious infections,

lymphoma and non-melanoma skin cancerhave been seen in people treated with thismedicine. On rare occasions, this medicinemay decrease the number of blood cells inthe blood causing anaemia, increased risk toinfections or problems with blood clotting.It’s also important for women to use an ef-fective method of contraception to preventpregnancy. Her doctor will be monitoringyour sister for such side effects.Oral medication used in the management

of rheumatoid arthritis includes pain-killerssuch as paracetemol, and NSAIDS, forexample, ibuprofen or coxibs.Medicines and their side effects can affect

individual people in different ways. Becausea side effect is stated does not mean that allpeople using the medicine will experiencethat or any of the side effects listed. If yoursister has any concerns, her doctor will ad-vise her.■ Contact: www.arthritisireland.ie

CatherineShanahan


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SO what happens if your smear test comes back abnormal? Don’tpress the panic button just yet, says Dr Henchion. “A smear testdoes not diagnose cancer,” she explains. “It simply identifies ab-

normal cells that, if left alone, in some cases may develop into cancer.“Up to 80% of women will contract HPV at some stage in their life

and most of the time the body clears the infection on its own. Around15% of women return an abnormal reading — that doesn’t mean youhave cancer.”Dubliner Chloe O’Connor, 34, (pictured right) had three

abnormal smears in the space of two years through the Cer-vicalCheck programme. And it was a case of ‘fourth timelucky’ as her most recent smear came back all clear.“Abnormal smears seem to be very common and often lead

to nothing, or a simple procedure to remove the tissue,” shesays. “But I feel much happier being tested regularly.”

See www.cervicalcheck.ie

Life experience

Chloe had three abnormal smears

Picture: Kieran Clancy

A chance cervical smear revealed malignant cancer, says Deirdre Reynolds

A chat saved my lifeL IKE so many mothers across the

country, Geraldine Liston didn’thave the luxury of ‘me time’ while

her children were growing up.Juggling six youngsters, aged from three

months to 17 years, the busy Limerick mumrarely escaped on a spa break or to themovies. It wasn’t until 1998 that she had timefor her first smear test, at the age of 38.Spurred on by a chat with her sister, Geral-

dine booked in for the precautionarycheck-up after the birth of her sixth child —just to be on the safe side. She was devastatedto learn that she had been living with cervi-cal cancer all along.“I never entertained the thought that I

could have been sick,” says Geraldine, now49, “and I certainly didn’t feel sick. So whenthe doctor told me I had a malignant tumour,it was a huge shock.”“Even then, my first thought was for the

kids — I figured I’d go home, make all thearrangements and come back a few weekslater for surgery. But, within a week, I’d hada radical hysterectomy and started on hor-mone treatment.“I was furious with myself for not making

the time to go and have a smear test doneyears earlier.”Cancer-free for five years, Geraldine’s cau-

tionary tale has a happy ending — but itcould have taken a more sombre twist, if thetopic of having a smear hadn’t casuallycropped up over coffee with her sister thatmorning.Now, whether you are a 20-something ca-

reer woman or mum on-the-go, you are be-ing urged to pause for just five minutes —about how long it takes to carry out a smeartest — to potentially avoid a close call ofyour own.It’s European Cervical Cancer Prevention

Week and medics here are hoping it will helphammer home the message that the simpletest can stop cervical cancer before it starts.Cervical cancer occurs when cells in the

cervix mutate and multiply rapidly, and is al-most always caused by certain high-riskstrains of human papillomavirus (HPV) —the most common sexually transmitted infec-tion in the world.In Ireland, it’s the second most prevalent

cancer among women under 44 — defeatingover 90 women every year.But while it’s one of the most lethal types

of cancer in women, ironically, it’s also themost preventable. Routine smear tests everythree to five years nip any abnormal cells inthe bud, before they develop into the disease— a process that can take anything up to 20years.And with CervicalCheck — Ireland’s na-

tional cervical screening programme — offer-ing women aged 25-60 free smears at hun-dreds of GP and family-planning clinicsacross the country, nowadays there are few noexcuses.“Cervical cancer is unique, because we

know how to prevent it,” says Dr CaitrionaHenchion, medical director of the Irish Fam-ily Planning Association. “It takes a long timeto develop and often has no symptoms until

an advanced stage.“Regular screening can save lives by detect-

ing any abnormalities at an early stage. Con-trary to what women may have heard, it isn’tpainful and takes a few minutes.”

Just like the getting a mammogram, goingfor a smear could soon become as normal asa trip to the hairdressers.“In the past, Irish women were a bit em-

barrassed to talk openly about going for a

smear,” says Dr Henchion. “But, today, it’s nobig deal. We’ve seen a huge number of wom-en in their 50s coming in for their first smear,after their daughters talked to them about it.”And with the rollout of HPV vaccine, Gar-

dasil, for students in first and second year ofsecondary school, last year, even girls asyoung as 13 are wising up to the health oftheir womb — although the scheme is notwithout its share of dissent.“With any new vaccine, there is always go-

ing to be a bit of concern,” says Dr Hen-chion. “But, to date, the vaccine — whichprotects against the two types of HPV, whichcause around 70% of cervical cancer — hasproven extremely safe.“We are in a position to almost eliminate

cervical cancer in a generation.”For cervical cancer survivor, Geraldine Lis-

ton, there was no question as to whether her13 year-old daughter, Aimee, should get thejab or not.“I was completely negligent when it came

to my health,” she says, “but I’m so grateful itwas detected when it was. My youngest girl,Aimee, has had the vaccine and my othertwo daughters, Ciara and Lisa, both in their20s, go for regular smears.“My mother died when I was younger and

my biggest fear was leaving my kids withouta mum. I’m very thankful that I got to watchthem grow up.”Picture:Barbara Lindberg

I neverentertained the

thought that Icould have been

sick and Icertainly didn’t

feel sick. Sowhen the doctor

told me I had amalignant

tumour, it was ahuge shock

— Geraldine Liston


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Food survey

Roz Crowley

The futureis orangeW ARM toasted brown bread, or fresh

baguette, with a little melting butterand topped with a good marmalade

makes for a delicious start to the day.Marmalade isn’t the most difficult preserve to

make, but it does take time. Now is the season forperfect, Seville oranges, which have a wonderfultang. All you need to add is some sugar and water.In Darina Allen’s Forgotten Skills recipe book

there are wonderful additions of ginger or whiskeyand one combination of orange, lemon and grape-fruit. For style, try her kumquat variety, whichlooks great in recycled jars and crocks. Ideal forgifts, at any time of year.Limes make good marmalade, too, so if you ever

see them selling cheap, grab them and make somemarmalade, which is delicious with cold meats.Marmalade of any kind is good with rich foods,

such as duck and venison. Serve on the side, or addto gravy. The sweet and sourness is perfect andhelps digest the fats, so try with pork, too.Instead of Spanish membrillo, try serving orange

marmalade, or one of the fruit spreads tested below,with cheese. For a change, sandwich meringueswith marmalade and cream, and substitute any cakerecipe that uses jam, with it. Swirl some into yo-

ghurt, or add to low sugar muesli for breakfast.Calories come from the sugars. Expect about 250

calories per 100g, about a quarter of a jar, so countin if keeping an eye on your waistline.For this survey, we included two orange fruit

spreads to see if they were a better buy than themarmalades.

Bonne Maman mandarinmarmalade, 370g 2.79LIGHT golden in colour, the 35%fruit brings plenty of fresh flavour,

just like eating a squashed mandarin.60% sugars, from fruit and added canesugar, is quite sweet, but not cloying.The texture is not over-set and the peelis finely-cut and liked by those who don’tlike a lot of stringy bits. A deliciousall-rounder that all tastersliked best.

Score: 9.5

Ballymakuirke fruit farm KanturkSeville orange marmalade, 340g

2.92

Available mainly in health/wholefoodstores, this locally-made marmalade is asimple blend of oranges and sugar. Thepeel is medium to thick-cutand quite chewy. Textureis not too solid. The tasteis of an old-fashioned,simple marmalade, nicelysweet with a little tartness.

Score: 8

Weight Watchers orange fruitspread, 320g 2.59

Calories are not as low as hoped from aproduct with no added sugar. The natu-ral sugars, 39.2%, come from thefruit-juice extracts of apple, grape, or-anges and concentrated grape juice.Calories are 157 per 100g, 100calories less than with mar-malade. The gelling agent,fruit pectin, is not overdone;the texture is loose. The re-sult is a peel-free, smooth,soft mixture with just a slighttang.

Score: 7

Maribel orange marmalade, Lidl,450g 65cIn useful, wide-necked jars, with a thicktexture and thinly-cut peel, thisdark-coloured marmalade is by far thecheapest in the selection. With a soft,not tart, citrus flavour, even with 67%sugar content (including nat-ural sugars from the fruit),it’s not too sweet. A fairlylow 35% fruit delivers apredictably low orangeflavour, but it is still a goodbuy, at this price. Great forcakes.

Score: 7

Folláin orange marmalade, 300g2.45

100% fruit delivers 39% natural sugars,and, for marmalade, a relatively low 161calories per 100g. The peel is cut verythinly and there isn’t too muchof it. Not too sweet, not tootangy, the result is asmooth, richly fruity, opaquemarmalade. All tasters likethis.

Score: 9

Meridian Seville orange fruit spread,284g 2.55

With oranges cooked in grape juice con-centrate, just 145 calories per 100g and33.4% sugars, the result is a silkysmooth texture that is fresh and appetis-ing. The grape concentrate taste is dis-cernible, but the orange is still there,with a lively tang. All tasterslike this one.

Score: 8.5

Homemade orange marmalade, Kerrygreen, 454g 2.75

With just sugar and 40% fruit, the colouris honey-like. There are lots of peelshards, which are a little bit hard, butthis is natural enough in a simple mar-malade without additives.The texture is quite stiff andthe flavour is what we ex-pect of an old-fashionedmarmalade, on the sweetside with just a little tang.

Score: 7.5

Dunnes Simply Better citrus mar-malade, 340g 1.69

With a stiff, jelly texture, this mar-malade has thickly-cut peel, which isperfectly cooked and not too chewy.There is a lot of peel, which sometasters thought was too much. With40% fruit, there is a general-ly fruity flavour comingfrom a combination ofgrapefruit, oranges andlemons. A little sweet, buta nice, smoothly-roundedflavour will suit those whodon’t like tart marmalade.

Score: 7



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Deirdre O'Flynn

MOSTLY MEN

DId you know...

Weight Loss Supplementswith Kate O’ReillyTAKE 4

Male health

Acupuncture tocombat pain

NEEDLE POINT: Eanna Bailey received acupuncture for hip bursitis as part of a successfultreatment programme to tackle the painful condition. Picture: Nick Bradshaw

DUBLIN man Eanna Bailey (20) istraining for the 2012 Olympics asa modern pentathlete. Not con-

tent with one sport, he hopes to compete inrunning, shooting, swimming, horseridingand fencing.Naturally, his fitness and attention to detail

is vital.Eighteen months ago, his training was in-

terrupted when he fell prey to bursititis in hiship. Commonly seen in athletes in run-ning-oriented sports, bursititis causes painover the outside of the upper thigh.“I received physio for the injury and

acupuncture, as well, as part of the recoveryprocess,” says Bailey, who is speaking to high-light the second, annual acupuncture aware-ness week, in association with the Acupunc-ture Council of Ireland, which wraps up to-morrow, January 29.“I had a sore hip and went to my physio,

Geraldine Cleary, with it. Geraldine travelledwith the Irish Olympic team to Seoul, andacupuncture therapy was part of my recoverywith her,” says Bailey, who was PentathlonIreland’s ‘sports person of the year,’ 2010.“The acupuncture therapy, using short nee-

dles, took three sessions, and, along with lasertherapy and physio, helped in the six months

it took the bursitis to go.”Acupuncture is a complex medical system

used to diagnose and treat illness, prevent dis-ease and improve well-being. It can focus onphysical, psychological, and emotional prob-lems. Around at least 3,000 years, it involvesthe insertion of extremely fine, pre-sterilisedneedles, at predetermined points on the body,to restore health. Although this therapy isgrowing in popularity, many people in Ire-land are still unaware of just how effective itis in treating many common conditions.“Acupuncture can help to treat common

conditions including cold, flu viral infections,sinusitis, hayfever, eczema, depression, arthri-

tis, asthma, fertility issues and bowel prob-lems, to name a few,” says Stephen Murphy,chairman of the Acupuncture Council of Ire-land.To raise awareness of the possible benefits

of acupuncture, members of the public havebeen invited to attend free informationevenings, seminars, trial acupuncture sessions

and open days in various venues across thecountry. One such event will take place to-morrow, Saturday, January 29, in CarltonCastletroy Park Hotel, Limerick, from2.30-7.30pm. For details contact: MareseMcElduff: 087-6814675.

■ www.tcmci.ie

Stroke admissions riseafter FAST campaign

Your metabolic restingrate key to weightMATHS fans will be interestedthat an algorithm is beingused in a new weight-manage-ment programme.Intervene is the latest health

information service set up byIrish Independent Pharmacists,and has developed the algo-rithm-based weight manage-ment protocol. A patient’s rest-ing, metabolicrate is calculatedusing sportsmedicine tech-nology, and thisnumber builds adiet and lifestyleprogramme to

help the patient maintain ahealthy weight.Offering people the tools to

control their weight, includingexercise programmes, dietaryadvice and alternative thera-pies, an Intervene online li-brary provides videos ofOlympic and World Champi-onship silver medallist, Gillian

O’Sullivan, toget patientsstarted on anexercise plan.

■ Check it outat www.inter-vene.ie.

A man whose indexfinger is longer thanhis ring finger has astatistically lower riskw of developing prostatecancer, compared tothose whose index fingersare shorter than their ringfingers(Source: The University of Warwick and the Institute of CancerResearch, UK)

HERBAL BLEND:Zotrim is a blend ofthree plant extracts(guarana, yerba maté

and damiana) designed to helpreduce your daily food intakeand leave you feeling fuller forlonger. Its manufacturer saysafter taking it, users may eatalmost 20% less calories andreduce intake of high fat sweetitems by over a quarter. Zotrimis available fromwww.zotrim.comor Holland &Barrett,where it costs27.87 for 180tablets.

SLIMMING TINCTURE: A Vo-gel says its Helix Slim product ismade from Jerusalem artichokeand contains prebiotic dietary fi-

bre that feeds the friendly bacteria inyour gut, helping your body eliminatetoxins and improve energy levels. Thecompany says it also has a balancingeffect on your blood sugar levels,which may help to keep hunger pangsand sugar cravingsat bay. For best re-sults A Vogel recom-mend taking 15drops in a little wa-ter three times a dayfor 12 weeks.Helix Slim is avail-

able as a tincture( 10.50) or tablets( 12.55).

MODELS’ CHOICE: Not strictlya weight loss aid, Pukka DetoxTea is cleansing blend of wholeseeds, designed to rejuvenate

the body. According to Pukka, it hasbeen the models’ favourite at LondonFashion Week in recent years. It con-tains aniseed and fennel seed help torelax digestion and flushthe urinary system; car-damom seeds to clearexcess mucus; corianderand celery seed to washtoxins from the bodyand licorice root whichcalms and tones. Puk-ka’s organic herbal teasare available from Tescoand health stores andcost 2.95 for 20sachets.

CIDER VINEGAR: AppleCider is a natural supplementdesigned to help weight lossin conjunction with a calorie

controlled diet. Cider vinegar has tra-ditionally been used help to curb theappetite. According to its manufactur-er, Apple Cider tablets also containglobe artichoke, which stimulates theliver, and dandelion to assist thebreakdown of fats.Apple Cider 600 Orig-inal ( 14.99) and Ap-ple Cider 720 HighStrength ( 16.49) areavailable in healthstores and pharma-cies. Distributors Nat-uralife also supplyanother weight lossproduct, Perfect 10.

THERE was an 87% increasein stroke-related admissionsfollowing the launch of theIrish Heart Foundation’sFAST campaign. Researchcarried out by the Royal Col-lege of Surgeons in Ireland(RCSI) showed that 59%more stroke victimsgot to hospital intime to receive po-tentially life-savingthrombolysis treat-ment in the firstphase of the cam-paign in 2010. TheFAST acronym wasdeveloped to in-

form the public about thekey symptoms of a stroke:■ Face — has their face fall-en on one side? Can theysmile?■ Arms – can they raise botharms and keep them there?■ Speech – is their speech

slurred?■ Time — time tocall 999 if you seeany of these signs.“These results of

the FAST campaignare extraordinary ,”said Irish Heart Foun-dation head of advo-cacy, Chris Macey.

4321YOU may bestruggling withthat new year’s

resolution to eat morehealthily and lose a fewpounds. Some productswhich might help in-clude:


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STUFF WE LIKE

Beauty

The news on ...

Emily O’Sullivan TAKE THREE

Winter plays havoc with our skin so extra protection is vital

I F you’re currently not suffering the ef-fects of the recession, you’re probablyoff skiing this year. For those of us

grappling with a payslip that caused instantpalpitations, sweaty foreheads and a commit-ment to “scale back” in rather a major way,skiing is off the agenda. But our skin is actinglike it’s just back from a holiday in sub-zerotemperatures, which is unfair seeing as howthe furthest place we’ve travelled in the lastthree months is Glasgow. And yes, admittedlyit was sub-zero, but without the snowyAlpine landscapes.

Moaning is not going to help our skin,which is in a bad way. It’s dry, flaky and asfor our hands? Euugh. Right now, they arepretty much unpresentable (hence our newbest friend: gloves). Around this time of theyear, every year, it becomes apparent that ourregular moisturiser is not cutting the mustard.It just isn’t rich enough.

Very thick moisturisers are not ideal eitheras they can overload the skin and give youslight bumps and pimples, so it’s a tough callto try and mix seriously hydrating with nottoo overloading.

Of course, if you are off skiing (you luckything), the number one thing you have tothink about is keeping your skin protectedfrom the sun. People get sunburned whenthey are skiing because of altitude and snow,where up to 80% of UV rays can be reflectedback onto a skier’s face.

Snow will also wash whatever you put onyour skin off it eventually, so opt for a wa-ter-resistant product. It’s also worth going fora sun cream with anti-freeze, such as BootsSoltan Extreme, to prevent it freezing onyour skin in very cold temperatures. Ouch.And remember that 80% of UV rays passthrough cloud, so even if it’s overcast you still

need sun protection.For those of us spending the remainder of

the winter in Ireland, making sure your skinis cared for is a priority. The skin thins slight-ly in winter meaning it has less protectionthan it does in summer and that means thatyou need to bump things up with your skin-care routine.

It’s also good to just add a little luxuryalong the way, making your skincare steps justa tiny bit richer (we like to add a drop offace oil to our foundation, for example). Ifyou feel you need something a little moresubstantial, then try going for a serum.Chanel’s Hydramax Serum is a good bet —it’s light, it has a fresh scent and feels like it’sprotecting our skin when the cold weather is

throwing all it can at it.Go for a good night cream, a deeply hy-

drating one — when you’re out in cold tem-peratures during the day, allowing your skinto recharge while you sleep really does makea difference to its condition.

If the cold weather is increasing your skin’ssensitivity, try switching to a specific calmingcream for the duration of winter. The sharpchanges in temperature from icy blasts ofwind to hot roars of central heating meanseven the sturdiest of skins can end up feelinga little touchy.

Thankfully, sensitive ranges don’t have tocost a fortune. Aveeno’s Ultra Calming is ex-cellent and clocks in at around the ten quidmark. Perfect.

La Roche Posay Nutritic Ultra-FineCream, 16. Designed forvery dry skin, Nutritic has beenformulated to protect skins intemperatures as low as minus50. While you might not needthat kind of protection, it’s goodto know your skin cream is up tothe job. A great option for pro-tecting against the effects of coldweather including dryness, tight-ness, fragility, rigidity androughness.

Eucerin Anti-RednessCalming Night Cream, 18.99. Ifyour skin is prone to redness androsacea, then winter can be a real bat-tle — Eucerin is a good brand for keep-

ing things calmed and soothed. It’s fra-grance free and non-comedogenic and con-tains an extract of licorice root to help alle-viate the effects of redness.

Chanel Hydramax + Serum, 66. Chaneltakes chilly weather very seriously indeedwith an immediate moisture boost to theskin. If you need a little extra protection,then a serum could be the way to go. Wearit under your regular cream day and night

for a good hydration boost.

Dr Alkaitis Organic Nour-ishing Treatment Oil,72.79 from lovelula.co.uk.

You’d want to be feeling a bitflush to splash out on this oil,but it’s an award-winner and it

can be used on the face, hair and body —so it’s a good bet if you’re travelling some-where cold and want to cut down on yourluggage. It uses virgin pressed or-ganic oils and 100% pure essentialoils.

Dermalogica Extra Rich Face-block SPF 30, 31.86 at kudos-beauty.ie. For the skiiers out there, agood sunblock is essential, but some-times your skin can get overloaded ifyou wear sun cream on top of a heavymoisturiser. This is a good two-in-one,with a rich skin cream as well as excel-lent sun protection.

Aveeno Ultra Calming Night Cream,10.96. We love this one. It’s a great

choice for winter and there’s a day creamto match. It’s rich, but not excessively soand not at all greasy. All in all, after you’ve

taken your make-up off, thiscream is a joy to apply —smoothing and soothing all inone. Perfect.

CELEBRITY FRAGRANCES

WE thought the age of the celebrity fra-grance was over. It appears not. Peopleare still buying Grazia, still caring aboutwhat Victoria Beckham is wearing, andstill wearing celebrity fragrances. We pickthree...

Beyoncé Heat, 25.95. Launched lastyear, Beyoncé Heat ispopular, with top notesof red vanilla orchid,magnolia, neroli andpeach. From February2, everyone who buysa 30ml bottle will get alimited-edition,five-track CD from thelady herself.

Christina AguileraRoyal Desire, 30.50. Launched in au-tumn, 2010, Aguilera’s scent has a bottlethat’s easy on the eye with a pretty, blacklace on pale-pink effect. The scent is su-per-sweet and girly, with white marsh-mallow, blackberry and mandarin as topnotes; honeysuckle, rose and lily asmid-notes; and sandalwood, musk andcedar as base.

SJP NYC, from 18.50. Sarah Jessi-ca Parker, pictured, hasn’t slipped fromthe headlines despite the cinematictragedy that was Sex and the City 2. She’sgracing magazine covers and in the pa-pers (usually bringing her kids to school).This scent was brought out last year tocoincide with the film, and is inspired byCarrie Bradshaw’s relationship with NYC.It has top notes of mandarin, white acan-thus and strawberries with mid notes ofgardenia, honeysuckle, mimosa and redrose.

MATTE

MATTE is back. But it’s impor-tant to remember that matte inthe 21st century bears no, abso-lutely no, relation to matte in the‘80s. The new-look matte is vel-vety and polished, rather thanheavy and mask-like. BeautifullyMatte foundation, from No7, fo-cuses on a delicately matte fin-ish and is mattifying andoil-free, perfect for those withcombination skin. Availablefrom Boots stores, 18.95.



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Do you have a questionfor Megan Sheppard?Email it [email protected] send a letter toFeelgoodIrish ExaminerCity QuarterLapps QuayCork

Megan puts the spotlight on: Amazing Antioxidants

Natural health

Megan Sheppard

WE hear so much about the roleof antioxidants in the diet, andhow they can slow down the

ageing process and improve your qualityof life. So, where do you find these mir-acle workers?Vitamins A, C, E, and selenium have

been touted for years as the big hitters.Foods high in these nutrients are guar-anteed to add years to your life, whiletaking years off your appearance. Re-searchers have doubled the life-span ofmicroscopic worms using antioxidants.

While they may not dou-ble your time on theplanet, they will fightoff free-radicals and

rejuvenate your

body at a cellular level.A free radical is an unstable form of

oxygen or nitrogen that is a normalby-product of other chemical reactionsin the body.Free radicals can

lead to illness inthe body becausethey damage oth-er cells and accel-erate the ageingprocess.This is not a matter of vanity — age-

ing cells in organs can lead to heart dis-ease or cancer. The role of the antioxi-dant is to bind to these unstable ele-ments and safely remove them from thebody.

Vitamin AFound in fish oil, carrots, green andyellow vegetables, eggs, milk, dairyproducts and yellow fruits. Vitamin Aprotects the skin and internal mucousmembranes. It destroys carcinogens,lowers cholesterol levels and helps thefight against heart disease and stroke.

Vitamin CFound in almost all fruits and vegeta-bles. Vitamin C works by boosting theimmune system, reducing stress levels,and is a crucial ingredient in the growthand repair of tissues. If you take vitaminC as a supplement, make sure you getbetween 1,000-3,000mg daily in 500mgincrements.

Vitamin EFound in healthy nuts, seeds and leafygreen vegetables. Vitamin E lowersblood pressure, boosts energy levels, re-duces the risk of blood clotting andprotects the lungs from environmentalpollution. Aim for 500-1,000mg daily.

SeleniumFound in seafood, liver, meat, whole-wheat bread and grains. Seleni-um protects the blood,heart, liver, lungs and im-mune system.You need around

200-400mcg daily, sincemost soils are deficient inthis mineral.

QI HAVE read tomatoescan help protect againstprostate cancer. Is thistrue? And if so, howmany tomatoes would I

need to eat?

A. Tomatoes, and tomato-basedproducts (such as tomato sauce, tomatopaste and tomato puree), are a greatsource of the powerful antioxidant, ly-copene. With an antioxidant value ofalmost three times that of vitamin E,lycopene is thought to play a significantrole in protecting against the incidenceof cancer in women and men.A great deal of evidence suggests ly-

copene is particularly effective in pre-venting prostate cancer through de-creasing PSA (prostate specific antigen)levels.The largest study to date involved the

monitoring of prostate cancer risk anddiagnosis along with a record of dietarytomato sources for 47,900 males. Theresults suggested that consuming 10 ormore servings of raw or cooked tomatoproducts per week reduced the risk ofdeveloping prostate cancer by 35%.Tomatoes are not the only dietary

source of lycopene, but the other foodshigh in this nutrient are not commonlyeaten in significant amounts as part ofthe standard Western diet — pink gua-va, papaya/paw paw, pink grapefruit,and watermelon.A number of in-vitro, in-vivo and

epidemiological studies have suggestedthat lycopene is the main phytochemi-cal responsible for the reduced risk ofcancer in those consuming the most toma-toes and tomato products. There are othernutrients found in tomatoes which will nodoubt support and protect the system, suchas ascorbic acid, folate, quercetin, narin-genin, beta carotene, and phytoene.It is also important to consider the fact

that most people who are eating plenty oftomatoes and tomato-based foods are likelyto be making other healthy dietary choices aswell. London University scientists Barber andBarbe have researched lycopene and prostatecancer. They believe: “….there is probablyonly sufficient evidence to recommend topatients a diet rich in all vegetables and fruitsof which tomatoes and tomato-based prod-ucts should certainly be a part.”(*Barber NJ, Barber J. 2002; Lycopene and

prostate cancer. Prostate Cancer ProstaticDis. 5;1:6-12.)

Q. I suffer from migraines, particularlyaround the time of my period. When amigraine comes on I feel as if I am goingto vomit, although I never do. I usuallyretreat to a dark room. Is there anythingnatural that I can take to help with these,as they are totally incapacitating for thefirst day or two of my period?

A. Hormonal changes can certainly triggermigraines, as you have discovered. Sincethere are so many potential causes for mi-graines, it is a small blessing that you actuallyhave managed to pinpoint your trigger situa-tion. Of course, it is not as simple as remov-ing a specific food from your diet, but youcan still take some steps to help reduce theseverity and treat the symptoms.Homeopathy can be very useful in treating

migraines, as it takes into account the specif-ic factors that cause the migraine in the firstplace, and also the particular set of symptomsthat you experience.When it comes to herbs, feverfew has a

long history of treating and preventing mi-graines. You will need to take it consistentlyfor up to four weeks before it takes effect.Capsules or tinctures work well (take daily asdirected by the manufacturer), or you canmake feverfew tea using one teaspoon ofdried herb to a cup of near boiling water,three times daily.Adding essential fatty acids to your diet,

using fish oil or evening primrose oil, willhelp with migraine severity and also anyother symptoms associated with menstrua-

tion, such as cramping and moodswings. Studies have shown that takingessential fatty acids daily can reduce thefrequency of migraines by half in almosttwo-thirds of migraine sufferers, alongwith a significant reduction in pain andseverity of the attack.Essential oils such as basil and pepper-

mint are also a useful standby for mi-graine attacks — you can often buy thisas a readymade combination in a roll-onapplicator, or simply make your own ina dropper bottle and rub it into yourtemples, along your jawline, and at thebase of the skull whenever you need to.

Q. I have used all of the conventionalremedies to treat my athlete’s footwith some success, but it keeps com-ing back. Is there any way that I canget rid of this for good?

A. It is important to note that fungalinfections are only able to take holdwhen your immune system is function-ing below par, so building up your im-munity is the best place to start whendealing with a long-term infection suchas this.Simple dietary changes, such as in-

creasing the amount of garlic in yourfood — particularly raw garlic in saladdressings, hot drinks, and even freshjuices — eliminating processed foods,grains and fungi, and cutting back onfruit sugars, will all help while you resetyour immune health.Different to other types of infection,

fungal infections are a direct result ofour innate immune status. We don’tacquire immune protection against

fungal diseases simply by being exposed tothe fungal infection.The specific white blood cells responsible

for fighting off fungal infections are calledT-lymphocytes (T-cells), which are producedin the thymus gland. Oriental mushrooms(shiitake, reishi, maitake and cordyceps) workto support the thymus without aggravatingthe fungal condition. These mushrooms aredifferent to commerical varieties and have anadaptogenic effect, which simply means thatthey support the body with nutrients whilebalancing organ health and addressing specif-ic issues.Solgar makes a combination supplement

which includes reishi, shiitake, and maitakewhere 50 capsules cost 26.51 from Here’sHealth (www.hereshealth.ie; 021-4278101).Topically, there are two Australian essential

oils which can help to clear athlete’s foot forgood. Both tea tree and lemon myrtle can beapplied to fungal infections of the nail andskin between the toes. You may want to di-lute essential oils when applying to openskin, by using a carrier oil (olive oil workswell — 2-3 drops of essential oil to 5ml ofolive oil). Apply with a cotton bud to avoidspreading the infection further, and changeyour socks whenever you apply the solution.

RED ALERT: Evidence suggests the lycopene in tomatoesand tomato-based products can reduce the risk of prostatecancer by 35%. Picture: Getty Images

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