Free internet access must be considered as a human right, as people unable to get online — particularly in developing countries — lack meaningful ways to influence the global players shaping their everyday lives, according to a new study.

Heart health deteriorates as early as adolescence, with black girls experiencing greater rates of decline than white girls, according to preliminary research to be presented at the American Heart Association’s Scientific Sessions 2019 — November 16-18 in Philadelphia.

A new study has concluded that there is insufficient evidence to support claims that medicinal cannabinoids are a “cure-all” for people with mental illness, or, in fact, that it is able to improve mental health at all.

These findings, published in The Lancet Psychiatry journal, represent the most comprehensive analysis of medicinal cannabinoids and their impact on six mental health disorders and their symptoms, i.e. depression, anxiety, ADHD, Tourette syndrome, PTSD and psychosis.

The meta-analysis was based on a combination of 83 studies that included 3 000 people, and indicates that the use of cannabinoids for mental health conditions cannot be justified. This conclusion is based on the current lack of evidence for the effectiveness of these substances, as well as their known risks. 

Dangers of non-medicinal cannabis

Medical marijuana is fast becoming a go-to treatment for many people who suffer from chronic pain, and for this reason, is legally available in several countries, including South Africa.

Medicinal cannabinoids like tetrahydrocannabinol (THC) and cannabidiol (CBD), are increasingly being used around the world to treat mental health disorders.

However, there is a large body of evidence indicating that non-medicinal cannabis use can actually increase the occurrence of depression, anxiety and psychotic symptoms.

Professor Louisa Degenhardt of the National Drug and Alcohol Research Centre (NDARC) at UNSW Sydney, Australia, and lead author of the study said that the study’s findings have important implications in countries where cannabis and cannabinoids are being made available for medical use.

“There is a notable absence of high-quality evidence to properly assess the effectiveness and safety of medicinal cannabinoids compared with placebo, and until evidence from randomised controlled trials is available, clinical guidelines cannot be drawn up around their use in mental health disorders.” 

In countries where medicinal cannabinoids are already legal, Degenhardt cautions that doctors and patients must be aware of the lack of evidence, as well as the risks of cannabinoids, and that these must be weighed when considering using it to treat symptoms of these common mental health disorders.

How the study was done

To examine the available evidence for all types of medical cannabinoids, the researchers studied and investigated 83 published and unpublished studies between 1980 and 2018. The sample included both randomised controlled trials (RCT) and open-label trials (participants know which treatment they’re taking). Of the studies:

• 42 looked at depression
• 31 looked at anxiety
• 8 looked at Tourette syndrome
• 3 looked at ADHD
• 12 looked at PTSD
• 11 looked at psychosis

In most RCTs examining depression and anxiety, the primary reason for cannabinoid use was for reasons unrelated to mental health, such as chronic non-cancer pain or multiple sclerosis. 

Few randomised controlled trials examined the role of pharmaceutical CBD or medicinal cannabis. Instead, most looked at THC, with or without CBD.

What they found

Anxiety

The researchers found “very low quality evidence” that the cannabinoid THC (with or without CBD) can improve anxiety symptoms in cases of chronic pain.

It is important to note, however, that this may have been due to improvements in patients’ primary medical condition, the authors explain. For this reason, the authors suggest further research should be done to explicitly study the effects of cannabinoids on anxiety and depression.

Psychosis

Pharmaceutical THC (with or without CBD) worsened negative symptoms of psychosis and didn’t significantly affect any other primary outcomes for the mental health disorders examined.

The authors highlight the need for high-quality research as there is currently only limited and low quality evidence for the effectiveness of cannabinoids in the treatment of mental health conditions.

Downfall of this study

Since there is only a small amount of data and small study sizes available for analysis, any conclusions would be of limited value. 

The authors therefore conclude that despite cannabinoids hypothetically showing potential for a variety of health conditions, they shouldn’t be promoted as a treatment for mental health until there is solid proof of their efficacy. 

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Compiled by Zakiyah Ebrahim

By now we know that smoking increases our risk for chronic disease and can significantly worsen the symptoms of other health problems.

But if that isn’t enough to make you quit, a study from the University of Bristol has now shown that heavy smoking may cause facial ageing.

The study, published in PLOS Genetics recently, led by the University’s MRC Integrative Epidemiology Unit (IEU), investigated 18 000 traits to identify those who may have been affected by heavy smoking.

How did the research work?

According to the news report, the researchers analysed the data by using a new approach. They combined two existing methods: the Mendelian randomisation phenome-wide association study approach and gene-by-environment interaction tests.

The researchers found this new approach to be effective and it added to evidence that heavy smokers are likely to experience premature signs of ageing such as wrinkling. This effect on appearance might act as a stronger deterrent to help people quit.

And if this new angle works, it can also be done to for other substances such as alcohol.

Dr Louise Millard, Vice Chancellor’s Research Fellow in the Bristol Medical School: Population Health Sciences (PHS) who led the research, said: “We proposed a novel approach that could be used to search for causal effects of health exposures, and demonstrated this approach to search for the effects of smoking heaviness. We searched across thousands of traits to identify those that may be affected by how heavily someone smokes. As well as identifying several known adverse effects such as on lung health, we also identified an adverse effect of heavier smoking on facial ageing.”

Why exactly would smoking lead to facial ageing?

There are several factors that can add years to our appearance, including sun exposure without protection. In this case, cigarettes alter the appearance of the skin because of the effect of nicotine on the blood vessels.

Nicotine narrows the blood vessels, which affects blood circulation. With less circulation, your skin gets less oxygen and nutrients, which is important for a healthy texture and appearance.

Just like the rest of your body, your skin needs antioxidants such as vitamins for optimum health – and when those can’t get to your skin, free radicals start taking their toll, causing wrinkling and signs of premature ageing. You expose your body to oxidative stress every time you smoke.

The chemical compounds found in cigarettes also deplete the body of collagen and elastin, the structures that our bodies produce to help keep the skin supple. Your body naturally starts producing less of these as you age. Throw cigarettes into the mix, and you’re speeding up the process.

Wrinkles around the mouth are specifically associated with smoking. The main contributors are the heat of the cigarette and the physical action of pursing your lips together when inhaling.

Is there anything you can do to avoid a smoker’s face?

While you can protect your skin against harmful UV rays by applying sunscreen, there are no such measures for smoking. The best course of action is to quit and to support your skin health by drinking more water and eating lots of fresh fruit and vegetables.

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Compiled by Marelize Wilke

The drugs, used to treat epilepsy and multiple sclerosis, are recommended for use by the NHS in England.

Raise your hand if cayenne pepper makes you think of those cringe-worthy Master Cleanse drinks Beyonce famously chugged before filming Dreamgirls a few years back.

Those lemon-cayenne-maple-syrup drinks may have made cayenne (in)famous, but it’s been a popular wellness ingredient pretty much forever.

Though you might just think of cayenne as a way to add a little kick to food, the popular spice does actually deserve some health cred.

What makes cayenne pepper special? A little thing called capsaicin.

The reason cayenne has been used in traditional medicine and “cleanse” drinks alike: a compound it contains called capsaicin.

Capsaicin is the active ingredient in many peppers, including cayenne. “It’s what makes cayenne and other peppers spicy,” explains Dr Jamie Alan, assistant professor of pharmacology and toxicology at Michigan State University.

“This spiciness is measured by Scoville heat units, and pure capsaicin is the upper limit of the scale,” says Alan. Cayenne contains more capsaicin than famously-hot jalapeños, so it’s definitely got some heat.

Capsaicin is thought to be behind many of cayenne’s health benefits, says dietitian Alissa Rumsey.

And what are cayenne pepper’s health benefits, exactly?

Some people swear that cayenne can do pretty much everything short of reviving the dead. (Mmkay, guys…)

Science does actually suggest that cayenne can benefit your health in a number of ways, though.

READ MORE: 7 Health Benefits Of Spicy Food Every Hot Sauce Lover Needs To Know About

1. It speeds up your metabolism.

Because capsaicin can slightly raise your body temperature (meaning you’ll burn more calories), cayenne may offer a bit of a metabolism boost, says Keri Gans, a registered dietician and author of The Small Change Diet.

How significantly cayenne can boost your metabolism — and how much cayenne you need to make it happen — though, isn’t quite clear.

Plus, it’s not exactly a metabolism magic bullet: “A sprinkle of cayenne pepper on a huge meal that consists of lots of added fat and sugar is not going to negate all the excess calories from that meal,” Gans says.

2. It may help with pain.

Since fairly strong research suggests capsaicin can help with pain, topical creams made with the stuff have been available for years, says Alan.

“We know that [capsaicin] works by reducing the amount of available ‘substance P,’ a chemical important for pain transmission,” Alan explains.

When you use a capsaicin cream, “there will be an initial burn, as substance P is depleted, followed by pain relief,” Alan says. Though some people aren’t super comfortable with that initial burn, the approach generally works well.

3. It packs antioxidants.

You know antioxidants, those substances that can prevent or slow damage to your cells caused by harmful compounds called free radicals? You’ll find plenty (including vitamin C and carotenoids) in cayenne, says Sonya Angelone, a spokeswoman for the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

“Peppers have been shown to prevent oxidation or free radical damage, especially in relation to cholesterol and triglycerides,” she adds.

4. It might help with congestion.

Though there isn’t a lot of research to back this up just yet, cayenne’s heat can theoretically help clear out congestion.

“The idea is that capsaicin can shrink the blood vessels in the nose, temporarily relieving congestion,” Alan says. (Think of how eating hot wings can make your nose run…)

5. It may improve circulation.

“Peppers with capsaicin have been shown to reduce cholesterol and triglycerides, and help keep cells from sticking together and forming blood clots,” Angelone says. All of these factors are good news for healthy blood circulation.

Does cayenne pepper have any negative side effects?

Spicy stuff, including cayenne pepper, isn’t for everyone. “While spicy food doesn’t actually cause heartburn, it can make it worse,” Rumsey says. If you struggle with heartburn and find its get worse after you eat cayenne, you might need to cut down a little. “Often, smaller meals and smaller amounts of spice can help to control this,” Rumsey says.

Spicy foods, like cayenne, can also irritate your gut and intestines, which can make you have to poop a lot, Rumsey says. Lovely.

And, while cayenne can add flavour to dishes, eating it (and other super spicy stuff) on the reg can actually make your taste buds less sensitive over time. Who knew?

Finally, keep in mind that capsaicin skin creams can irritate the skin if not used carefully. If you’re planning to try a cayenne cream, follow the package instructions carefully and wash the cream off well when you’re done using it to avoid irritation from prolonged exposure, Alan says.

Got it. So, how should I use cayenne pepper?

Though it’s unclear exactly how much cayenne you need to consume or use to reap its benefits, you can incorporate it into your diet by either chopping up a fresh pepper or buying dried cayenne from the spice aisle, Gans says. (Note that dried cayenne spice’s heat and capsaicin are more concentrated.)

From there, the possibilities are pretty much endless—though dietitians have a few recommendations.

1. Add it to dips.

Looking for a spicy snack or having people over? Gans recommends adding fresh cayenne to appetizers like hummus for an added kick.

2. Sprinkle it over baked chicken.

If your usual chicken dishes have you bored, chop up some fresh cayenne pepper and sprinkle it on top of your protein.

3. Stir it into soups.

Make your favourite soup or stew recipes even more warming by adding some cayenne into the mix. Just stir in “a little at a time,” so you don’t overdo it in the heat department, Angelone recommends.

4. Toss it over sautéed vegetables.

If you’ve been feeling kinda meh about your go-to veggies, cayenne will definitely mix things up. Sprinkle a little dried cayenne into your usual seasoning mix for extra oomph.

5. Make a chilli oil.

Rumsey’s favourite way to use cayenne: Add a few dashes to olive oil and then drizzle it over your food. (She loves it atop plain popcorn.)

The bottom line: Cayenne can support your health in a bunch of ways, but it’s no magic bullet. Use it only as much as works for your body (and taste buds).

^{This article was originally published on www.womenshealthsa.co.za}

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Korin Miller

From Halloween through to New Year, holiday weight gain affects people the world over and, according to a study published in the New England Journal of Medicine, it can happen with any major holiday, not just the winter (summer in the southern hemisphere) ones.

As you might know first-hand, it’s a lot harder to lose that weight than to put it on. So even if you start every new year with just an extra pound or two, if you repeat this pattern yearly, your weight will just keep rising. That’s why the best approach is preventive – being aware of extra calories, starting now.

Frozen fruits and vegetables

There is another, separate challenge to healthy eating during the cold weather months in many parts of the US – much less availability of locally grown fruits and vegetables. It’s still possible to buy foods like berries and peppers, for instance, but you’ll pay a higher price, and in some regions, the selection of fresh produce simply shrinks. That helps explain the results of a study that polled women in North Dakota. Researchers found that diet quality was lower in winter when foods like corn, berries, tomatoes and lettuces were less available.

What to do? Switch to dark leafy greens, squashes and root vegetables, and supplement with frozen fruits and vegetables, which can be as nutritious as fresh because they’re typically packaged soon after harvesting.

Another smart step is to look for calorie-saving swaps when cooking holiday meals. These don’t have to be complicated. Use low- or no-fat milk instead of whole milk and cream; extracts and spices instead of sugar and butter to add flavour; whole-wheat flour in place of half the white flour; and switch to whole-wheat breads and pastas as much as possible.

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Stephanie Horman is an Instagrammer who documents her life as a mom, sharing the adorable and honest moments while raising two kids. But Horman's latest post, which includes a candid photo of herself hiding in her bathroom, is the one so many mothers are relating to right now. 

On October 28, Horman, of British Columbia, shared the photo, along with a lengthy and emotional caption explaining how important it is for busy moms to carve out a little alone time for themselves. 

RELATED: This Mom's Photo of Eating While Breastfeeding Is Going Viral Because It's So Relatable

“The bathroom—universally known as the place where mom's hide out to take a breath,”  she wrote. “Get a moment of quiet. Collect our thoughts, or have a little cry.”

“As I sit in this room, trying to calm my emotions over a battle with my 2 year old about why she cannot paint her sister with nail polish, I remind myself that this to shall pass,” she continued. “The rubber ducks will soon leave the tub, and the tiny little toothbrushes will someday not be there. These moments I wish away, I will soon want back, and when that happens I will probably sit back down on this cold damp bathroom floor and remind myself how fleeting those moments really were.”

RELATED: This Mom's 2 Kids Busted Into the Bathroom While She Was on the Toilet—And You Have to See Her Emotional Response

Horman then addressed her followers, who she presumed might also be getting their me time locked in the bathroom as well. “If you are hiding in your bathroom reading this, remember that you will get through today,” she wrote. “So take a deep breathe, look in the mirror, and remind yourself that you are doing a great job♥”

Her audience clearly connected with the post; more than 80 comments flooded the page. "What, im not the only one that uses it as a hiding spot its hard sometimes at the moment to remember the fleeting time," one follower wrote. "Lol, I’m sitting in the bathroom taking a mini break as I read this," another added. 

RELATED: Moms Strip Down in Stunning Photo Series That Puts Their Stretch Marks and Loose Skin on Full Display

While Horman has posted before about the challenges of caring for young kids, this post instantly connected with her audience. Here's to hoping she continues to share her raw and real experiences of motherhood. 

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A fibre-rich diet appears to help people with high blood pressure and type 2 diabetes in multiple ways, lowering their blood pressure, cholesterol and blood sugar levels, a new study suggests.

High blood pressure (hypertension) and diabetes raise the risk for heart disease, and diet may help keep it at bay, researchers say.

Preventing cardiovascular disease

“This study helps us determine three important things for this patient population,” said lead author Dr Rohit Kapoor, medical director of Care Well Heart and Super Specialty Hospital in Amritsar, India.

“Firstly, a high-fibre diet is important in cases of diabetes and hypertension to prevent future cardiovascular disease,” Kapoor said in a news release from the American College of Cardiology.

“Secondly, medical nutrition therapy and regular counselling sessions also hold great importance in treating and prevention of diabetes and hypertension,” he added.

Thirdly, this type of diet in combination with medical treatment can improve lipid levels, pulse wave velocity [a measure of arterial stiffness], waist-to-hip ratio and high blood pressure, Kapoor said.

Improved risk factors

For the study, Kapoor’s team tracked fibre consumption among 200 participants over six months. Patients sent photos of their meals on WhatsApp and engaged in phone calls three times a week during which they were asked to recall their diet.

The study found that those participants eating a high-fibre diet showed significant improvement in several risk factors, including a 9% reduction in cholesterol, 23% reduction in triglycerides, 15% reduction in systolic (top number) blood pressure and a 28% reduction in blood sugar.

Foods high in fibre include fruits and vegetables, beans, whole grains and nuts.

The study results were scheduled to be presented at an American College of Cardiology meeting, in Dubai, United Arab Emirates. Data and conclusions presented at meetings are usually considered preliminary until published in a peer-reviewed medical journal.

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HealthDay