The Health Reporter – Gluten free diet
Primarily used to treat celiac (coeliac) disease, gluten-free diets are becoming pretty popular, to the point that supermarkets now have dedicated aisles for gluten-free products. But, is a gluten-free diet the right path for you to stay healthy?
First, what is gluten?
Gluten is the general name for the protein found in wheat, barley and rye, but also beer, cake, salad dressings, pizzas and so on. If you chose to follow a gluten-free diet, you may get confused between what you can and cannot eat at first. Here is a list of what’s allowed or not, in case you’re not too sure.
Where is surrogacy legal, where can you pay a surrogate, and where is it against the law?
The controversial story in the news this month of the Australian couple who used a Thai surrogate to have twins threw a spotlight on surrogacy, particularly commercial surrogacy. Expat Family Health decided to take a closer look at surrogacy and how it is legally considered in different countries.
There are two main types of surrogacy:
Sardinia is one of the healthiest places in the world.
Experts say optimism, a purpose, a natural diet and an active lifestyle are three times as important as genetic makeup when determining how long you will live. For families moving abroad, the country you choose to move to can have a big impact on your health and general wellbeing.
Some countries, such as Australia, promote an active, outdoor lifestyle while others are well-known for their healthy diets (think Mediterranean nations). It’s not just about fresh food and enjoying regular hiking trips though, research has also shown interpersonal relationships play a part in living a healthy, long life. Areas where a good community spirit, emphasis on family life, and a laid-back pace still exist are great spots to boost your health when living abroad.
Eight tips for getting your kids read to go back to school.
With the school year starting in September for many, lots of children are already half-way through their summer holidays. For some parents this can be a blessing, but how can you make sure your little ones are ready to go back-to-school without a mad rush at the end of August?
We offer eight tips on how to ensure the healthiest, best start for the new school year.
10 facts about breastfeeding for World Breastfeeding Week.
To honour World Breastfeeding Week (WBW) we are bringing you 10 facts about breastfeeding and breast milk.
1. Liquid gold
Before your milk comes in (2/3 days after birth) you will produce a substance called colostrum, also known as ‘liquid gold’. It is packed full of potassium, calcium, minerals, protein and antibodies to give your baby a great start. Human milk sells online for around $4 per ounce, around 260 times more than the price of oil.
Traveling family by Carissa Rogers (flickr.com)
Waiting in a line at the airport, or being stuck in traffic when going on holiday is bad enough, throw in some impatient and bored kids and you could have a nightmare on your hands. Here are a few tips on how to keep your child busy during the trip.
Portable DVD player
If you know you are in for a long drive and that you might get stuck in traffic, we recommend you buy a portable DVD player for your kids. Yes, it’s not ideal, but long drives often feel even longer to little ones, and watching a movie can be a good way to amuse them. One movie will give you a two-hour break from the constant “are we there yet?” and “I’m bored” comments.
Portable DVD players are also great when on holiday: your kid wants to watch a movie and not everyone is interested in a Disney film? No worries, they can watch it on their own little screen!
Majority of parents with overweight children don’t see it as a problem.
A study led by the San Diego University of Medicine in the United States found parents of overweight children seldom acknowledge the potential severity of the situation. Most are also unaware of the risks of childhood weight gain and of the benefits of daily exercise to reach and maintain a healthy weight.
Lead author of the study, Kyung Rhee, MD, said, “Parents have a hard time changing their child’s dietary and physical activity behaviors. Our study tells us what factors may be associated with a parent’s motivation to help their child become more healthy.”
Happy by Weird Beard (Flickr.com)
A European report released last month analyses one the most talked-about measurements in the media, happiness. Happiness scales are fast becoming a respected measure of well-being in a country, equal to wealth and power. The European Quality of Life Survey puts Scandinavian countries at the top of the happiness charts, with other northern European countries in the middle.
According to the Office of National Statistics (ONS) the UK is the 11th happiest country in Europe, with 71.8 percent of adults aged over 16 rating their life satisfaction as seven or more out of 10. This is slightly higher than the European average of 69.3 percent, and similar to Germany (72.3%), and France (71.6%). It’s a long way behind the happiest nations of Denmark (91%) and Finland (89.8%).
British expat Ophelia Dodds tells us about getting a mammogram in the US.
When I turned 40 last year I was surprised to discover that in the US (State of Illinois) you are referred to start having mammograms. In New Zealand the age is 45 and in the UK it is 50, so this seemed quite early.
However, with breast cancer such a major issue for women of a certain age (I refuse to call it middle age!) I felt that it was definitely a positive that I would be checked so early, and continue to be checked every year. Also, as part of the Affordable Care Act (2010), coverage for mammograms is mandatory, meaning that no co-pay or deductible is required, regardless of your insurance plan and those without insurance are also covered by Medicare.
PCOS is a trigger for type 2 diabetes among young women.
Women with polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) – present in 5-10% of women of childbearing age – have a startlingly higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, said a leading expert of reproductive health. The risk is present even in young women who are not overweight, a large study of over 6,000 women in Australia has found.
The research, led by Professor Helena Teede and Dr Anju Joham, analysed the study of over 6,000 women aged between 25-28, 500 of whom had been diagnosed with PCOS. Looking at the data collected over a nine year period, the incidence and prevalence of type 2 diabetes was three to five times higher in women with PCOS. Crucially, obesity, a key-trigger for type 2 diabetes was not an important factor for women with PCOS.