Health dispatches

Putting an end to your sedentary lifestyle …

Well, you could simply begin by … walking more. But take the advice of Dr Pierre Josué of the French Ramblers’ Federation and build up gradually. Start with 10 minutes a day. During exercise you should always be able to carry on a conversation. If you find you can’t, slow down. Then gradually increase the time to 30 minutes, then 45 minutes and longer.

As far as equipment goes, you will need shoes with good soles. This will help to prevent burns and blisters. There’s nothing like this sort of problem to put you off exercise! If you are not prepared to put on trainers, Dr Josué has another suggestion:  you can make walking part of your daily routine by walking to the shops, getting off the bus before your normal stop and walking the rest of the way, using the stairs instead of the lift, etc. What should your target be? To manage the well-known 30 minutes a day recommended by the WHO.

The benefits of walking have been well and truly proven. It’s quite simple: your heart and your arteries will love it! Walking regularly helps to decrease the levels of bad cholesterol, triglycerides and glycaemia in the body. Studies have even shown that walking can reduce the risk of breast and colon cancer.

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Diabetic? Go easy on the coffee!

Will black coffee soon be a thing of the past for diabetics? Well, we haven’t reached that point just yet, but the results of an American study show clearly that caffeine increases glycaemia levels. The only question mark, and it’s a big one, is that the study only involved 10 patients.

These were in fact keen coffee drinkers who suffered from type 2 diabetes. All followed a diet appropriate to their condition and exercised regularly. On the first day of the experiment, the American team administered capsules containing the equivalent of 4 cups of coffee. Then, the next day, the participants were given a placebo.

At the end of this short study, the author reports an average increase of 8% in glycaemia levels on the first day. For the time being no explanation has been offered. Only one possibility has been suggested, based on the fact that caffeine increases the production of adrenaline, a hormone associated with increased glycaemia levels.

It is therefore essential that this study be extended to larger groups. Meanwhile, coffee and tea are allowed, but in moderation … For those who prefer to err on the side of caution, there is always red tea: the famous rooibos. Grown in South Africa, red tea does not contain theine and is rich in vitamin C.

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Cases of brucellosis still occurring in France!

Although little known, brucellosis is not a stranger to developed countries. In fact, in a country like France, 21 people were diagnosed as suffering from this zoonosis in 2008. But according to French health watchdog the InVS, the trend has been downwards in recent years.

In nineteen of the 21 cases reported in 2008, the illness was imported. Contamination originated in Turkey in 8 cases, Algeria in 6 cases, Italy in 2 cases, with 1 case respectively from Portugal, Spain and Tunisia. All the patients concerned reported having engaged in risk behaviour during their visits to these countries: direct contact with livestock, consumption of untreated milk or dairy products made from untreated milk.

The only ‘home-grown’ case involved a laboratory technician who had handled strains of Brucella, and a patient in regular contact with a many stock rearing farms. The level of risk is obviously much higher for tourists who do not have the same awareness of the need for basic hygiene precautions. It is important to remember never to buy food products that have not been subject to an official health inspection.

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Don’t hold back on the basil!

Okay … so you often put basil in your tomato salads. But apart from its obvious taste qualities, did you know that basil also has pharmacological properties? Which is why it is recommended to young mothers who have just given birth as it is believed to encourage lactation.  But that’s not all.

Basil belongs to the family Lamiacea and is found growing in warm areas sheltered from the wind. For the reasons given above, basil is an ideal candidate for a place among the aromatic herbs in the family garden. But as it also grows well in pots, it has become a kind of urban plant…

When required for “therapeutic” purposes, basil should be picked while the stem still has flowers on it. The stems should then be tied into bunches and dried in thin layers in the shade. Once dry it can be used to make infusions: 2 to 3 teaspoons of dried basil to 2 cups of water. The silica and saponins the plant contains have a beneficial effect on urinary problems and bloating. Tanins and mineral salts make basil an aid to digestion in addition to its stimulant effect on lactation. And basil is also believed to be a good sedative! If you remain unconvinced, you still try using it in the kitchen…

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Take care when using a lawnmower!

Even if you’re used to using a lawnmower, it can still be dangerous. The main injuries are caused by the blades and by stones flying up when you’re mowing. So even when cutting a small patch of lawn, always take care.

Wear trousers, gloves and closed shoes. If there is a problem with your mower, never lift it up while it is still running and don’t try to free up the blade with your hand or foot. Even when the motor has stopped! Instead, use a stick or a tool handle. And always be sure to turn it off first and disconnect the spark plug or remove the electric plug from the socket.

Also, if you use an electric lawnmower, beware of the risk of electrocution. Only mow the grass when the weather is very dry. Regularly check the condition of the power lead and the plugs. In the case of heat motors, there is always a risk of fire or accidental explosion. So be sure to fill the tank in a well-ventilated space or better still, out of doors, away from any flame or possible spark. If the fuel overflows, wait a while before starting up again.

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