Wednesday, October 1, 2014

How your CLOTHES can give you a bad back: From pencil skirts to skinny jeans, the outfits that can twist your spine

  • If you have a bad neck, aching back or noisy knees it could be your clothes
  • Tight trousers and pencil skirts can damage muscles and joints
  • High heels and heavy bags leave you in pain
  • Chiropractor Tim Hutchful highlights the worst wardrobe offenders




    • Whenever you find yourself complaining of a cricked neck, aching back or noisy knees, don’t immediately blame your office chair or an over-enthusiastic Zumba class — it could be down to your clothes.
    Tight trousers and pencil skirts can damage muscles and joints as much as high heels and heavy bags, leaving you in pain. Here, chiropractor Tim Hutchful, from the British Chiropractic Association, highlights the worst wardrobe offenders.
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    PENCIL SKIRT
    The problem with straight sided, slim-fitted skirts is that they clamp your knees together, making it difficult to balance and bend. Squatting to pick something up from a low drawer or shelf becomes difficult, too. ‘The best way to crouch safely is to bend the knees,’ Mr Hutchful says. ‘But, in a pencil skirt your movement is limited. Over time the damage and strain can become cumulative — you might not feel anything straight away, but if you wear tight skirts regularly, you could be setting yourself up for a pulled muscle or even disc problems.’
    HEAVY NECKLACE
    The muscles, tendons and joints of the neck struggle to cope with the strain of balancing the 10 lb to 12 lb weight of the average head (equivalent to five bags of sugar) all day, so adding a heavy necklace can tip the balance.
    ‘Anything that pulls the neck forwards or backwards tips the head away from its point of neutral balance,’ says Mr Hutchful. ‘This can create neck tension, pain and damage, and long-term could encourage a slouched posture with damaging consequences for the back.’
    SPANX
    If it’s not too tight, and contains plenty of Lycra, support underwear can have a surprisingly beneficial effect because it can act like the compression clothing that top athletes wear to improve performance by increasing blood and lymphatic flow.
    However, wedge yourself into something too constricting and you could be in trouble. Not only will shapewear restrict breathing but, if it is tight enough to limit movement in the middle of your body, it will put abnormal loads on parts of your spine.
    ‘If you restrict movement in one part of the spine, something has to compensate,’ he says. ‘This can trigger pain and ultimately damage in the upper or lower back.’
    HIGH HEELS 
    Wearing high heels too often can be bad for your feet and bad for your back.
    As well as triggering hammer toes and bunions, heels can cause the calf muscles to shorten, which can lead to circulation problems, knee damage and back pain.
    To minimise damage, keep high-heel time short — wear trainers when walking to and from work and stick to a small heel when possible.
    Also, alternate your shoe wardrobe, wearing different shoes (and heel heights) every day.
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    HALTER NECK TOP
    A halter-neck bra, bikini, or tightly fitted top can pull the neck forwards particularly if the strap around your neck has to support a large or heavy bust.
    ‘The strain on your neck will create muscle tension and can pull you in to a highly damaging form of posture called “anterior carriage” where the neck sticks forwards on the body, with the shoulders rounded and slumped,’ says Mr Hutchful.
    This is a common cause of neck, upper back and shoulder pain.
    ILL-FITTING BRA 
    A large bust needs more support than can usually be offered by a pretty, lacy bra.
    ‘The thin straps of a fashion bra can put too much pressure on the shoulders,’ says Mr Hutchful.
    Try to find bras with thick straps for everyday use and wear racer-back sports bras whenever possible to spread the strain across your shoulders.
    OVERSIZED BAG
    We’ve long known the danger of lugging a huge bag on one shoulder, but the Victoria Beckham-inspired trend for ‘displaying’ your designer purchase in the crook of your forearm could not be worse.
    This one-sided weight-lifting can increase the risk of muscle strain and pain in the neck, shoulders and upper back — and can even trigger tension headaches.
    Carrying a large bag over your shoulder is no better, particularly if you always use the same shoulder.
    Don’t overfill your bag (‘do you need a litre of water?’ asks Mr Hutchful), hold it by the handle, or over one shoulder, switching sides regularly.
    SKINNY JEANS
    Jeans that grip tightly around the waist, hips, thighs and calves can make a normal walking action impossible.
    ‘If you aren’t able to take a bouncing stride, you lose the shock-absorbing qualities of a natural walk,’ says Mr Hutchful. ‘This can create undue pressure in the joints.’
    Wearing a tight belt could exacerbate the problem, triggering leg pain.
    And don’t sit for long periods with your phone in your back pocket, the imbalance caused by having one buttock higher than the other could cause back and hip pain.
    For more information see chiropractic-uk.co.uk


    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2776922/How-CLOTHES-bad-From-pencil-skirts-skinny-jeans-outfits-twist-spine.html#ixzz3Ex4W8tQd 
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    Smoking while pregnant or breastfeeding endangers boys' fertility by damaging their sperm

  • Australian scientists found smoking while pregnant permanently damages the reproductive organs causing them to produce faulty sperm
  • Concerns many men in 30s and 40s may be suffering the effects now
  • Around one in eight women now smoke while pregnant, though the percentage was much higher in the 1970s and 80s 




    • Mothers who smoke during pregnancy or while breastfeeding could be endangering their sons’ fertility, research shows.
    Scientists have found it permanently damages the reproductive organs so they produce faulty sperm.
    They say many men now in their 30s and 40s may be suffering the effects of their mothers smoking throughout pregnancy.
    Around one in eight women now smoke when pregnant although this percentage was far higher in the 1970s and 80s when so little was known about its harmful effects.
    Scroll down for video 
    Australian scientists have found smoking while pregnant or breastfeeding damages unborn boys' reproductive organs, causing them to produce faulty sperm
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    Australian scientists have found smoking while pregnant or breastfeeding damages unborn boys' reproductive organs, causing them to produce faulty sperm
    Australian researchers studied mice who inhaled the equivalent of 24 cigarettes a day before giving birth.
    They found that the male pup mice produced far fewer sperm and they were of poorer quality.
    Although the study was only in mice the researchers say the findings are relevant to mothers.
    Professor Eileen McLaughlin, co-director of the Priority Research Centre in Chemical Biology at the University of Newcastle, in New South Wales, said: ‘It would be unethical to deliberately expose pregnant mothers and their offspring to the toxins in cigarettes.
    ‘We already know that smoking in pregnancy harms the baby in the womb as babies are often born small and vulnerable to disease.
    ‘So in this study we used a mouse animal model which directly mimics human smoking, to look at what effects the mothers smoking during pregnancy and breastfeeding has on the fertility of their male pups.
    ‘Our results show that male pups of ‘smoking’ mothers have fewer sperm, which swim poorly, are abnormally shaped and fail to bind eggs.
    ‘This is the first time we have been able to prove conclusively that male baby exposure to cigarette toxins in pregnancy will damage later life fertility.
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    The researchers said even if the boys never touched a cigarette during their teens or adulthood their cells could be permanently damaged from their mothers’ bad habits
    ‘Although this is a study in mice, the findings are relevant to human health as many men, now in their 30s and 40s, were exposed to cigarette toxins in the womb when it was less well known that smoking affected babies’ health.’
    The researchers, whose study is published in the journal Human Reproduction, say even if the boys never touched a cigarette during their teens or adulthood their cells could be permanently damaged from their mothers’ bad habits.
    They are now investigating whether mother’s smoking also affects the future fertility of their daughters.
    Doctors say that every time a pregnant woman smokes a cigarette it is like putting their foetus in a smoky room for 15 minutes.
    It has been shown to greatly increase the risk of stillbirth, miscarriage, prematurity and the baby being born underweight


    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2776109/Smoking-pregnant-breastfeeding-endangers-boys-fertility-damaging-sperm.html#ixzz3Eun4FdPH 
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    Surprise pregnancies are more common in women who live with their partners - but aren't married

  • Around 50% of pregnancies in the UK and U.S. are unplanned 
  • Women in a cohabiting couple more likely to become accidentally pregnant
  • This was compared to women who were single or married
  • Working class women most like to have a surprise pregnancy
  • They couldn't access contraceptives or forgot to take them, research found
  • Middle class women with a degree more likely to use contraceptives
  • Also more likely to talk to their partner about contraception 




    • Women who live with their partners are more likely to accidentally become pregnant than those who are single or married, a new study has found.
    Researchers found most couples who live together said they intended to delay childbirth until they were married, steadily employed and financially stable.
    Despite this, surprise pregnancies are very common, with figures showing they account for half of all conceptions in the UK and U.S.
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    Women who live with their partners are more likely to accidentally become pregnant than single or married women, according to U.S. researchers. Working class women were most likely to have a surprise pregnancy
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    Women who live with their partners are more likely to accidentally become pregnant than single or married women, according to U.S. researchers. Working class women were most likely to have a surprise pregnancy
    Researchers found accidental pregnancy was especially common among working class couples who struggled to access reliable contraceptives and often forgot to use them.
    This was compared to middle-class couples where the women could access contraceptives more easily and tended to talk about contraception more openly with their partners.
    The study was conducted in the U.S. where unlike the UK, contraceptives are not free and are generally included in health insurance plans. 
    Men in middle class relationships often helped ensure their partners used contraception, by reminding them about it, helping them set alarms, or by paying for prescriptions. 
    In the study, middle class couples were characterised as being university-educated and having a job that required a degree. 

    The study, carried out by social scientists from Cornell University and the University of Indianapolis involved 61 middle class and working class couples who lived together. 
    They were quizzed about their relationships and their use of contraception.
    They study found that women in cohabiting couples were the most likely to become accidentally pregnant, with working class women more likely to have a surprise pregnancy than middle class women.
    Working class women in the U.S. reported that job instability or unemployment left them without health insurance or health plans that covered contraceptives.
    Lead author Professor Sharon Sassler, from Cornell University, said: 'Women who are on the same page as their partners regarding childbirth and who are able to communicate with partners are more efficacious contraceptors.
    Middle class couples living together used contraceptives more effectively and talked about them more openly. Men helped their partners by reminding them about contraceptives and paying for prescriptions
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    Middle class couples living together used contraceptives more effectively and talked about them more openly. Men helped their partners by reminding them about contraceptives and paying for prescriptions
    'Since it is the middle-class women who are more likely to be in this position, they are therefore in greater control of their reproductive destiny than their working-class counterparts.'
    She added that the research looked at the barriers facing working class women.
    She said: 'Women mentioned the cost of going for a doctor's visit; paying for birth control pills, which insurance once had covered but no longer did; or not being able to afford the out-of-pocket expense on insurance plans with meagre coverage as barriers.'
    She added that this was one of the only studies to include men's perspectives on family planning and contraceptive use.
    She said: 'We find that men are often involved in ensuring contraception is regularly used – whether by reminding partners, helping them program their phone or helping to pay for a prescription that is too expensive.
    'Social marketing programs can target male partners to participate in deferring pregnancy until couples are ready – relationally, emotionally and financially – to become parents.'
    The study was published in the journal Family Relations. 


    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2776402/Surprise-pregnancies-common-women-live-partners-aren-t-married.html#ixzz3EulqSqGP 
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    Viagra 'may cause blindness': Ingredient in the drug can permanently affect sight, doctors warn

  • Viagra may cause loss of vision in men with retinitis pigmentosa
  • Retinitis pigmentosa is a rare inherited eye condition causing sight loss 
  • Some people have normal vision but carry one gene for the condition
  • Ingredient in Viagra linked to degenration and death of cells in the retina
  • People with retinitis pigmentosa and those who carry the gene at risk 




    • Viagra could cause blindness in men with eye problems, and even those with seemingly normal vision, a new study has found.
    Australian researchers say an ingredient in anti-impotence drugs may permanently affect the vision of men with an inherited eye condition.
    It could also affect those with normal sight who carry one gene which is linked with developing eye problems.
    Scroll down for video 
    Viagra could cause blindness in men with inherited eye condition retinitis pigmentosa - or those with normal sight who carry the gene for the condition, Australian researchers have found
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    Viagra could cause blindness in men with inherited eye condition retinitis pigmentosa - or those with normal sight who carry the gene for the condition, Australian researchers have found
    One theory is that erectile dysfunction drugs may obstruct an enzyme which is important for transmitting light signals from the retina to the brain.
    It is already known that sildenafil, the active ingredient in the erectile dysfunction medication, can cause temporary vision problems in some healthy people.
    Doctors have now warned it could also cause permanent damage to the eyes of people retinitis pigmentosa.
    People with normal sight that carry the gene for the condition may also be at risk, experts warn.
    Retinitis pigmentosa is a rare hereditary condition that causes the cells in the retina - the area of the back of the eye which detects light - to degenerate and die.
    This can lead to difficulty seeing in dim light, loss of peripheral vision, and sometimes blindness. 

    About one in 50 people are likely to be carriers of genes which lead to the degeneration of cells in the retina.

    OTHER PROBLEMS LINKED WITH ANTI-IMPOTENCE DRUGS 

    Loss of hearing
    In 2011, Viagra and similar impotence drugs were linked to hundreds of cases of sudden hearing loss around the world.
    Research published in the journal The Laryngoscope said it was not clear how long the problems lasted, but this type of hearing loss - more commonly due to infections and exposure to loud noise - usually causes permanent damage in up to a third of cases.
    Skin cancer
    Earlier this year, American researchers found that men who used Viagra were 84 per cent more likely to get melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer.
    It is thought the impotence drug may affect the same genetic mechanism that enables skin cancer to become more invasive.
    In the new study, researchers from the University of New South Wales, Australia,  tested sildenafil on healthy mice and mice with one copy of this mutant gene.
    They found the healthy mice experienced problems with their eyes for about two days.
    However the drug affected the vision of mice who carried the mutant gene for two weeks.
    The researchers also found early signs that the cells in the mice's eyes were dying, suggesting sildenafil may cause loss of vision in people who carry the gene for the disease but have normal vision.
    Dr Lisa Nivison-Smith, of the UNSW School of Optometry and Vision Science, said: 'If cells actually die in the retina that would lead to blindness.'
    People who have normal vision, but who carry a single copy of the mutant gene for retinitis pigmentosa, could be more susceptible to changes caused by sildenafil, she added. 
    The study was published in the journal Experimental Eye Research.The news comes after reports that Britain is braced for a 'Viagra boom' after the drug's patent ran out last year.
    The cost plummeted by 93 per cent as cheaper generic versions of the drug became available.  
    Previous studies have linked Viagra and other anti-impotence drugs to side effects such as deafness.
    American researchers also found that men who used Viagra increased their risk of developing skin cancer. 
    Retinitis pigmentosa is a rare hereditary condition that causes the cells in the retina - the area of the back of the eye which detects light - to degenerate and die
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    Retinitis pigmentosa is a rare hereditary condition that causes the cells in the retina - the area of the back of the eye which detects light - to degenerate and die


    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2776190/Viagra-cause-blindness-Ingredient-drug-permanently-affect-sight-doctors-warn.html#ixzz3EulJKRIc 
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    White lesbian mother sues sperm bank after she gave birth to mixed-race baby because she was sent black man's sperm

  • Jennifer Cramblett says fears her daughter won't be accepted by her racist family and neighbors her small, all-white Ohio town
  • Hardships including having to go to a 'black neighborhood' to get her daughter's hair cut, where she was 'not overtly welcome'
  • Ms Cramblett says Midwest Sperm Bank mixed up her order and sent her sperm vials from the wrong donor 




    • A white lesbian mother is suing a Chicago sperm bank after she claims she was mistakenly sent a black man's sperm and gave birth to a mixed-race daughter.
    Jennifer Cramblett claims the mistake has caused her stress and anguish because her family is racist and she lives in a small, all-white town in northeast Ohio. 
    In a lawsuit filed this week in Cook County, Illinois, Ms Cramblett says Midwest Sperm Bank sent her several vials of a black man's sperm by mistake because the clinic keeps paper records and accidentally transposed numbers on her order.
    The couple had specifically chosen a white donor to be the father of their child. 
    Jennifer Cramblett (right) and her partner Amanda Zinkon (left) picked out a white sperm donor from Midwest Sperm Bank, but were instead sent a black man's sperm, the allege
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    Jennifer Cramblett (right) and her partner Amanda Zinkon (left) picked out a white sperm donor from Midwest Sperm Bank, but were instead sent a black man's sperm, the allege
    Ms Cramblett she has 'limited cultural competency relative to African-Americans' and worries that her daughter Payton will not be accepted in her hometown of Uniontown. 
     'Jennifer lives each day with fears, anxieties and uncertainty about her future and Payton's future,' according to the lawsuit. 
    Ms Cramblett said she and her partner Amanda Zinkon love their daughter, who is now two years old, but say they must now consider moving to a more diverse community.
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    Amanda Zinkon is pictured here with daughter Payton, who is mixed-race
    Ms Cramblett says in her lawsuit that much of her family is racist and that one uncle openly makes racist comments.  
    Even simple tasks have become more complicated because Payton is mixed-race, the lawsuit says. 
    'Payton has hair typical of an African American girl. To get a decent cut, Jennifer must travel to a black neighborhood, far from where she lives, where she is obviously different in appearance, and not overtly welcome,' according to the lawsuit.
    Ms Cramblett says she grew up in Scio, Ohio - population 762 - and didn't meet a black person until she attended college. She currently lives in Uniontown, population 2,802, and fears Payton will be the only non-white child in class when the time comes for her to attend school.
    Ms Cramblett says her family has difficulty accepting the fact that she is gay and encourage her to hide her sexual orientation when she is around them. 
    She says no matter what she does, Payton cannot hide her race - nor should she have to. 
    Ms Cramblett is alleging breach of warranty and wrongful birth.
    Midwest Sperm Bank would not comment on the case. 


    Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2776489/White-lesbian-mother-sues-sperm-bank-gave-birth-mixed-race-baby-sent-black-man-s-sperm.html#ixzz3Eukf15vh 
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