Fluoride in tap water cuts fillings - but does it raise dementia risk? Councils hail health findings as campaigners call for more research into long-term effects.

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Adding fluoride to tap water leaves fewer children needing fillings, according to NHS figures out yesterday.

The statistics revealed that England’s ten million children required 3.5million fillings last year.

And many of the areas with the lowest rates of fillings are the ones that have added the powerful enamel-protecting chemical to their tap water.
Nevertheless, critics of the mass fluoridisation scheme insist that there is evidence it could be putting youngsters at risk of dementia in later life.
Youngsters in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire – where supplies have been treated since 1968 – had fewer cavities than children in any other region.
And the three medicated areas of Newcastle, Gateshead and North Tyneside had 32 per cent fewer fillings than neighbouring South Tyneside, which has chosen not to add fluoride to its water supplies.
Last night campaigners claimed the data should persuade more areas to sign up to the scheme.
However some experts are worried about the measure, concerned that it will have unforeseen consequences for the nation’s health.
Opponents claim the substance often leaves teeth mottled and could even accelerate the onset of dementia.
Last night Philippe Grandjean, professor of environmental health at Harvard University, said: ‘The possible effects on degenerative brain diseases are uncertain.
‘We recommend further research to clarify what role fluoride exposure levels may play in possible adverse effects on brain development so that future risk assessments can properly take into regard this possible hazard.’
Around six million people currently have fluoridated water in England – the only part of the UK that allows councils to add the chemical to tap water if they opt in to the scheme.

Many of the areas with the lowest rates of fillings are the ones that have added the powerful enamel-protecting chemical to their tap water. But critics insist that there is evidence it could be putting youngsters at risk of dementia in later life

The NHS records the number of fillings or cavity resealings carried out on children under 16 and breaks them down by the 151 primary care trust areas (PCTs) which existed before this year’s Health Service reforms.
The figures show a total of 27 PCTs have at least some treated water supplies.
The 14 PCTs which have  carried out wholesale fluoridisation had 7 per cent fewer fillings compared with the rest of the country.
And three of the best rates were in fluoridated areas. North Lincolnshire – the PCT that covers Scunthorpe – came top of the table, with Walsall and Warwickshire making the top five.
All three of the areas have treated their water supplies with fluoride.
Susan Hodgkiss, from the British Fluoridation Society, said: ‘Systematic reviews of the scientific evidence have been undertaken – all have identified dental health benefits resulting from consumption of fluoridated water.
'Socially deprived children  suffering the highest levels of decay may be among those who stand to benefit most.’
She added: ‘The debate is about whether individuals who have a personal preference not to drink water containing one part per million of fluoride should be able to prevent  society from acting to ensure everyone enjoys protection against tooth decay.’

Youngsters in Scunthorpe, Lincolnshire (pictured), where supplies have been treated since 1968, had fewer cavities than children in any other region

However last night Doug Cross, from UK Councils Against Fluoridation, claimed that the statistics do not tell the whole story.
He said: ‘This issue goes beyond fillings rates because there are hidden costs, as one in eight children who are exposed to too much fluoride will end up with mottled teeth due to fluorosis.
‘Fluoride also promotes the movement of aluminium from the stomach to the brain which is a major cause of dementia.
‘It is predicted that soon a third of our over-65s will die with Alzheimer’s, so adding any additional risk is just crazy.’
He added: ‘Fluoridated water is a medicine and so anyone who receives it through their water supply must give their informed consent. If it’s not legal to mass medicate then it should not be happening.

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Half of all maternity wards turn away women in labour: Report says lives are at risk because units are 'bursting at the seams'.

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Half of maternity wards are having to turn away women in labour because they are so busy, a report warns.
It says the lives of mothers-to-be and their babies are being put at risk because they are forced to travel miles to alternative hospitals.
The report by the Royal College of Midwives states that many units are ‘bursting at the seams’ and like ‘pressure cookers’ unable to cope with the soaring demand.
Britain’s birth rate is at an all-time high, partly driven by the influx of migrants, many of whom are relatively young and ready to start families.
In addition, there has been a surge in the numbers of women in their 40s giving birth after having delayed motherhood to pursue their careers.
The report found more than a quarter of maternity units have had to restrict their home-birthing services during the past 12 months to free staff to work on the labour wards. 
Midwives also say there has been an increase in complicated births, often because mothers are older or more obese.
All this has left maternity units struggling to cope – despite an extra 1,000 midwives being employed by the NHS in the past couple of years.
The Royal College of Midwives has calculated another 5,000 are needed to ensure mothers and babies are cared for properly.
The RCM’s survey of 91 senior  midwives found that 46 per cent had been forced to close their unit to women in labour at least once in the past 12 months. 
A fifth said their budget had been slashed in the past year and a third said they did not have enough money for necessary numbers of staff.
Cathy Warwick, chief executive of the RCM, said: ‘Despite welcome increases in midwife numbers, this survey describes a worrying picture of our maternity services, and one that shows it is not improving.

 

‘The midwifery shortages and cuts to services it describes will have a detrimental impact on the care women, babies and their families receive.
‘This shows a service that sometimes severely restricts the choices available to women, is struggling to provide continuity of care and is bursting at the seams in its ability to cope. 
‘The temporary closures it highlights are just the tip of the iceberg.
‘Before closures happen, services have already been stretched to their limit, and closing is the point at which safety could be compromised if that does not happen.
‘I have deep misgivings about the quality of the service midwives and maternity support workers are able to provide, working in such an unstable, pressure-cooker atmosphere.’

Care and attention: According to the RCM, pregnant women are being put at risk when they are forced to travel longer distances to be seen by a midwife

The latest figures from the Office for National Statistics show that 813,200 babies were born in 2012, the highest number for any year since 1972.
One experienced senior midwife, who wanted to remain anonymous, said: ‘All the fat is off the bone – we cannot strip any more off.
‘Having worked in the NHS for more than 30 years I have never known it  to be so bad, and I fear for mothers and babies and midwives who are working tirelessly. 
‘It is most difficult now we are trying to provide more for less with an increasing birth rate, but as far as trust boards are concerned this is not enough.
: The idealisms from the Department of Health and House of Commons are just not matching up with the requirements to provide this. 
‘Poor performance, without adequate support, is increasing. I know they are being pressed from on high, but the elastic will break.

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Patients at risk as nurses under 'unprecedented' stress are jeopardising basic care, warns nursing union.

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Patient care is being jeopardised by the amount of pressure being put on nurses, according to the Royal College of Nursing.
The RCN has warned that patients are being put at risk because of nursing staff cuts and excessive workloads.
The union claimed there is 'unprecedented' stress on nurses which is leading to many of them suffering from ill health.

A poll by the Royal College of Nursing found that more than half have of nurses in the NHS and private sector have been made unwell by stress in the last year. While four in five said they have battled through feeling unwell and still gone into work. The union warns this is putting patients at risk

A poll conducted by the RCN on 2,000 nurses working across the NHS and private sector found that more than half have been made unwell by stress in the last year.
While four in five said they have battled through feeling unwell and still gone into work.
The RCN explained that many nurses questioned reported sickness absence policies at their place of work were so punitive they had no alternative but to attend work despite feeling unwell.
One of the nurses questioned told the RCN: 'I've been told that if I don't meet the 100 per cent attendance at work I will be up for a capability hearing.
'I had three admissions into hospital due to a cardiac problem, so if I get chest pain I have to ignore it because I have to go to work.'
Another said: 'I am currently off work following breast cancer, a senior manager called three weeks after my surgery and asked if I was coming back as people with cancer often don't return and they wanted to fill my post.'

RCN officials also raised concerns about working culture for nurses after 56 per cent said they had experienced physical or verbal violence from patients in the last year and almost a quarter (23 per cent) reported being bullied by their managers

The union said if nurses are going into work feeling unwell patient safety could be in jeopardy.
RCN officials also raised concerns about working culture for nurses after 56 per cent said they had experienced physical or verbal violence from patients in the last year and almost a quarter (23 per cent) reported being bullied by their managers.

The RCN explained many nurses questioned reported sickness absence policies at their place of work were so punitive they had no alternative but to attend work despite feeling unwell

Dr Peter Carter, general secretary of the RCN, said: 'In the aftermath of the Francis Inquiry, it is clearer than ever that working cultures in the NHS and beyond have a direct and serious effect on the level of care that staff can provide to patients. 
'Our whole care system is currently facing the huge challenge of delivering care at a time of increased demand and scant resource. This is the reality which nurses face in every working day.
'There is much that managers and employers can do, and should be doing, to support staff and keep patients safe.
'By ensuring there are enough staff to deliver care, and enabling staff to raise concerns safely, the positive working culture which exists in many places could be the reality everywhere.
'Worryingly, this report shows that rather than an environment which supports staff, some employers are instead adopting panic behaviours.
'Staff report being intimidated and blamed, and feel they have no way of speaking out about threats to patient care. Individual nurses are clearly going the extra mile to make sure the job is done, however, the risk of burnout is very real, and very widespread.'
A Department of Health spokeswoman said: 'The staff working for our NHS are our health service's most precious resource. Nurses are working extremely hard and continue to provide a high quality of care in the face of rising healthcare demands.
'We want to support nurses as much as possible and are already investing in technology and training, while looking at cutting bureaucracy by a third to allow nurses to focus on patients and not paperwork.

'Recent reports have shown clearly that we need safe numbers on wards and a supportive culture in the NHS. We have already introduced some major changes, such as a Chief Inspector who will take action on staffing levels.

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Teenage girls who eat peanut butter twice a week 'reduce their risk of breast cancer by 39%'.

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Eating peanut butter could reduce a woman’s risk of breast cancer, new research suggests.
Teenage girls who regularly eat peanuts are 39 per cent less likely to develop benign breast disease by the age of 30.
Some benign breast diseases, while noncancerous, increases the risk of breast cancer later in life.
Researchers at Washington University School of Medicine in St. Louis and Harvard Medical School found the link was particularly strong in girls who ate peanuts when they were between the ages of nine and 15.
‘These findings suggest that peanut butter could help reduce the risk of breast cancer in women,’ said senior author Dr Graham Colditz, associate director for cancer prevention and control at Siteman Cancer Centre at Barnes-Jewish Hospital and Washington University School of Medicine.
The researchers studied 9,039 U.S. girls between 1996 and 2001, and then again between 2005 and 2010 when they were 18 to 30-years-old.
They found that the participants who ate peanut butter or nuts twice each week were 39 per cent less likely to develop benign breast disease than those who never ate them.
The study’s findings also suggest that beans, lentils, soybeans and corn also may help prevent benign breast disease, but consumption of these foods was much lower in these girls meaning the evidence was weaker.
Past studies have linked peanut butter and nut and vegetable fat consumption to a lower risk of benign breast disease. 
However, participants in those studies were asked to recall their teenage food intake years later.
This new study is the first to use reports made during adolescence with continued follow-ups.
About 80 per cent of all breast lumps are benign, or noncancerous, and they are considered to be benign breast diseases.

Teenage girls who regularly eat peanuts are 39 per cent less likely to develop benign breast disease by the age of 30. Some benign breast diseases, while noncancerous, increase the risk of breast cancer later in life

These lumps tend to be moveable and smooth and are often found in both breasts.
They can be caused by benign breast changes, breast infections or injury and medications such as birth control pills and hormone replacement therapy.
Previous research by the Shanghai Cancer Institute suggested that eating peanuts - and other foods rich in Vitamin E - could cut the risk of liver cancer.
It also found that Vitamin-E rich foods, such as peanuts, can protect against heart disease and eye damage in old age.

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This Is Serious; The more texts you send, the worse you sleep: People who constantly message 'experience more stress in their friendships.

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Many people claim they couldn't live without their phone, but this addiction could be doing them more harm than good, experts warn.

New research suggests that excessive texting can cause a whole host of sleep problems.
U.S. researchers found that people who send the most texts experience the most sleep problems.

People who text the most experience the most sleep problems. This is thought to be because they feel pressurised to reply to messages in the night and because they sleep with their phone by their bed so are woken by incoming messages

They believe this could be because these people feel pressurised to respond to messages immediately regardless of the time, and that some people sleep with their phone next to their bed meaning they are woken up by incoming texts during the night.
Karla Murdock at Washington Lee University found that first year students who text a lot sleep less well, regardless of their level of stress.
She asked students to answer questions that assessed their emotional well-being and sleep problems.
She also asked them to estimate how many text messages they sent and received on an average day.

To assess the students' sleep quality, Dr Murdock used the Pittsburgh Sleep Quality Index.

This is a widely-used instrument that measures multiple aspects of sleep quality such as sleep duration, the amount of time it takes to fall asleep, the amount of time actually spent sleeping while in bed, night time disturbances, and daytime sleepiness.

The study also found that frequent text messaging is associated with more friendship-related stress because texts are unable to convey subtle nuances in conversation

The key finding was that a higher number of daily texts was associated with more sleep problems.
Dr Murdock notes that this finding reinforces previous evidence pointing to a direct association between mobile phone use and poor sleep in adolescents and young adults.
The study also found that frequent text messaging is associated with more friendship-related stress.
Dr Murdock wrote: ‘These correlational findings provide an initial indication that heavy text messaging could be problematic during times of stress.
‘Although speculative, it could be argued that text messaging is a uniquely unsuitable mode of communication for coping with interpersonal stress in close relationships.’
For instance, Dr Murdock suggested the abbreviated language that is common in texting lacks the ability to provide the kind of nuance that is important in discussing sensitive issues.
In addition, texting fails to offer critical non-verbal cues that would be part of a face-to-face conversation.
‘Text messaging may carry a high risk of producing or maintaining misunderstandings and/or unproductive interactions during periods of stress,’ she wrote.
‘When interpersonal stress involves conflict, the conditions required for productive communication may be particularly difficult to achieve through texting.

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The average student gains two STONE in the first year of university - with the main reason for 'freshers' flab' being stress.

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More than a quarter of students at university put on up to 2st (28lb) in ‘fleshers' flab’, according to new research.
By the end of their university career, nearly two-thirds of students that gained weight had put on between 1st and 5st (14-70lb).

A culture of stress, drinking, and unhealthy eating were the main culprits in putting on weight, according to a recent survey.

Students reported relying heavily on convenience foods, takeaways and fast food, with almost half of those questioned admitting eating convenience foods up to five times a week

More than half of students reported drinking alcohol at least three times a week, with around three per cent boozing every night of the week. 
Two thirds of those surveyed describing their eating habits at university as ‘quite unhealthy’ and a fifth described them as ‘very unhealthy’.

 

Students reported relying heavily on convenience foods, takeaways and fast food, with almost half of those questioned admitting eating convenience foods including ready meals and pre-prepared sauces up to five times a week.
Six in 10 said they had takeaways or fast food meals between three and five times each week. Only a third ate fruit or veg once a week or even less.

More than half of students reported drinking alcohol at least three times a week, with around three per cent boozing every night of the week when at university

TOP TEN REASONS WHY STUDENTS GAIN WEIGHT AT UNIVERSITY

1. Eating unhealthily because of stress
2. Post drinking/night out eating or snacking 
3. Binge drinking/nights out    
4. Pressure to fit in 
5. Didn’t see weight or healthy as a priority when you were a student 
6. Food available in university canteens/halls of residence  
7. Feeling down about being away from home    
8. Didn’t have the knowledge or skills to cook healthily    
9. Lack of support available    
10. Didn’t have the facilities to cook

Students’ cooking skills left a lot to be desired too – a third of respondents claimed that as a student they would have been unable to spaghetti bolognese from scratch.

Around 15 per cent said they would have been challenged to make scrambled eggs on toast, and 5 per cent couldn’t even prepare cheese on toast.


Busy student social lives and tight budgets were also blamed.

The biggest influences on food choices were cost, ease and speed of cooking with only 10 per cent of people saying they even considered their health when deciding what to eat. 
Meanwhile, 59 per cent described eating healthily on a budget as either ‘difficult’ or ‘very difficult’. 
Almost all of those questioned said that students needed help to learn how to eat healthily on a budget and 94 per cent said they’d like to see healthier food available at universities.

Two thirds of those surveyed describing their eating habits at university as 'quite unhealthy' and a fifth described them as 'very unhealthy'

The research, conducted by Slimming World, surveyed 1,055 current and former students who are all now Slimming World members.
‘It really isn’t surprising to see that many young people gain weight when they head off to university,’ said Slimming World’s Head of Nutrition and Research Dr Jacquie Lavin.
‘Moving away from home to study means lots of them become responsible for their own eating habits for the first time in their lives, and they don’t always have the skills or motivation to cook the same healthy meals they may have enjoyed at home.

‘Add to that the busy social scene and often tight budget and it is even easier to understand why young people struggle to maintain a healthy figure.’

Dr Lavin said that it doesn’t have to be that way, adding that healthy eating can be as simple as cooking favourites like beans on toast and topping it up with tuna and sweetcorn.

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Family hit by double tragedy in less than a week as father, 56, succumbs to cancer days after son, 24, dies of a heart attack.

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A family has been left devastated after a father and son both battling terminal illnesses
died within days of each other.
Sam Claridge, 24, had a serious lung condition but died from a sudden heart attack at his mother's house.
Just six days later his heartbroken father Martin Claridge, 54, passed away after losing a long battle with cancer.

Tragic: Father and son Martin and Sam Claridge both died within days of eachother after battling long-term illnesses

The deaths have left the Claridge family, including Martin's mother Ivy, brothers Peter and Derek and sister Peggy, devastated.
'Sam was a cheerful young man and he was very popular with lots of friends,' a statement from the family said.
'Sam's parents divorced when he was quite young but he still had a lot of contact with his father while he was growing up and continued to have contact with both parents after setting up home on his own.
'Several fund raising events were held, to help Sam's mother with the cost of his funeral, all of which were well supported.'

Close: Bristolians Sam and Martin had a strong bond and their deaths has left their family devastated

Sam, of Fishponds, Bristol, had known he was terminally ill for five years but was expected to live into his 30s.
He died on September 10, shortly after leaving Frenchay Hospital in Bristol where he was an outpatient for his lung problem.
His father Martin, who had worked as a self-employed builder in Bristol for more than 30 years, died on September 16.
Martin, of Stapleton, Bristol, had been fighting pancreatic cancer for 15 months which had spread to other parts of his body.
The family statement added: 'Martin took a lot of pride in his work and enjoyed smaller projects where he could remodel the inside of a property and make it look like new.
'He was a well-travelled man and liked to have holidays abroad whenever he could to places such as Spain, Cyprus, Tobago, Thailand, France and Italy as well as travelling around the UK.'
Both funerals, to be held in Bristol, will take place this week.

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Number of children having MMR vaccine is at highest level since jab was introduced more than 20 years ago.

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The proportion of babies and toddlers having the first dose of the MMR jab is at its highest level since the vaccine was first introduced, figures show.
In 2012/13, 92.3 per cent of children in England had been immunised by their second birthday, compared to 80 per cent when the jab was first introduced in 1988.
Youngsters have their second dose of the vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella before they start school, usually between the ages of three and five.

The proportion of babies and toddlers having the first dose of the MMR jab is at its highest level since the vaccine was first introduced in 1988, figures show

The lowest recorded figure for the first dose was in 2003/04, when just 79.9 per cent of children were immunised.
Research published in 1998 suggesting a link between the MMR vaccine and autism led to a dramatic decline in the number of children being vaccinated.
The study, led by Dr Andrew Wakefield, has since been discredited by scientists around the world.
While healthcare professionals will welcome the latest figures, coverage in England is still below the 95 per cent target set by the World Health Organisation (WHO).

In 2012/13, 92.3 per cent of children in England had been immunised by their second birthday

England has never hit this target, according to the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC), which published the latest figures.
Its new report found MMR coverage has increased regionally as well as nationally.
Coverage was more than 90 per cent in nine out of 10 strategic health authority areas, with the highest recorded figure in the North West at 94.9 per cent and the lowest in London at 87.1 per cent.
Today's report also showed that coverage in England was below that of other UK countries for all routine childhood vaccinations measured at one, two and five years.
Mary Ramsay, head of immunisation at Public Health England, said: ‘Routine vaccination in childhood is vital in protecting children from a range of infectious diseases, many of which have now been consigned to history.
‘The findings from HSCIC's report are a good indication that parents and children are increasingly able to access primary care to receive these vaccinations and to protect their health for the years to come.
‘This is a good reminder to parents to ensure their child's vaccinations are up-to-date, and, if not, to contact their GP.

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How cosmetic surgery clinics are STILL offering cut-price deals and perks - despite recommendations they should be banned.

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Cosmetic surgery clinics are still offering perks - such as chauffeurs and package deals - despite Government recommendations they should be banned.
More than half of the top 50 aesthetic plastic surgery providers still advertise promotional deals often tied in with freebies, photo shoots, competitions or holiday destinations.
The research, published at the annual meeting of the British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) in London, found that many deals were also time-linked, with statements such as ‘book by Friday’.

Cosmetic surgery clinics are still offering perks, such as chauffeurs and package deals, despite Government recommendations they should be banned

Not one provider gave patients the recommended two-stage written consent cooling-off period.
A separate study looking into non-surgical treatments such as wrinkle-relaxing injections and dermal fillers, found 58 per cent of the top 50 providers were offering incentives.
Some 32 per cent did not say who actually administered the treatments and more than a quarter made no mention of qualifications.

 

Sites where these facial procedures could take place included shopping centres, gyms and parties at home.

Some 32 per cent of non-surgical treatment providers do not say who administers the treatments and more than a quarter make no mention of qualifications

Only 22 per cent of the procedures were offered in facilities registered with the Care Quality Commission (CQC).
In April, a report from NHS medical director, Sir Bruce Keogh, following the PIP breast implant scandal, warned that advertising practices in the industry were highly misleading.

It said time-limited deals, financial inducements, package deals, and reduced prices for referring a friend were ‘socially irresponsible’ and should be banned by professional codes of practice.
BAAPS president Rajiv Grover said: ‘This new, yet sadly unsurprising, evidence shows that despite the recommendations of Sir Bruce Keogh's review, the most popular providers continue to advertise financial inducements and “luxury” incentives, clearly reinforcing the preposterous notion that surgery is part of a celebrity-style status symbol involving photo shoots and chauffeur services.
‘There is nothing glamorous about surgery and these serious (and irreversible) procedures should not be sold alongside aspirational perks as if they were part of a jet-setting lifestyle.’
A new Government-endorsed National Institute of Aesthetic Research (NIAR) has been set up by BAAPS and the Healing Foundation to establish scientific evidence on aesthetic procedures.
Sir Bruce Keogh said: ‘I welcome the announcement from the Healing Foundation and BAAPS on the launch of the NIAR.
‘This joint initiative is the first recommendation of my review to be implemented and I know it will provide a major contribution to patient safety.

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First kiss in four years for father who suffered agonising pain from the slightest touch.

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A father with a rare condition which left him in agonising pain at the slightest touch has kissed his wife for the first time in four years - after having a piece of his skull removed.
Mark Steadman, 38, was unable to go outside or wash his face after being diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia (TN) in 2009.
The condition - which affects 12 out of every 100,000 people in the UK each year - leaves sufferers with pain in their face which is so bad more than a quarter commit suicide.

Mark Steadman, 38, is able to kiss his wife, Louise, and children for the first time in four years after having surgery to cure his agonising face and teeth pains

It is caused by pressure on the trigeminal nerve - the largest nerve inside the skull.
The father-of-three was left in such agony even the slightest kiss or breath of wind on his skin felt like he had been ‘hit by lightning’.
He was forced to take a cocktail of powerful painkillers, including morphine, which left him in a zombie-like state.

 

But he has now been able to kiss his wife Louise, 35, for the first time since 2009 after he had a 10p sized piece of his skull removed.
During the six-hour operation at Birmingham’s Queen Elizabeth Hospital on September 3, surgeons removed a piece of his skull in order to gain access to the nerve which they then wrapped in Teflon.
The treatment is expected to mean Mr Steadman, a probation service officer, remains pain-free for the next decade when he will have to undergo another operation.

Mr Steadman (pictured with his wife and son, Leon, four) had trigeminal neuralgia - a condition caused by pressure being put on the largest nerve in the skull. It caused him to suffer bouts of extreme pain up to 250 times a day. The pain could be triggered by the slightest touch - including a kiss from his wife

Mr Steadman, of Kidderminster, Worcestershire, said: ‘The surgery has transformed my life - I cannot say how wonderful it is to kiss Louise and my kids again.
‘Even though I’ve had part of my skull removed it’s worth it to be able to be a normal dad and husband again.
‘It was horrible being in the same house as my family and not be able to show them affection because I knew the pain would be so awful.
‘The disease destroyed my life - the pain is so debilitating you can’t do anything.
‘Once I was at my parents’ house for dinner and before the spoon even got to my mouth I was on the floor in agony.

Mr Steadman had surgery at Birmingham's Queen Elizabeth Hospital to remove part of his skull and have his trigeminal nerve wrapped in Teflon - he has been pain-free ever since the operation on September 3

Mr Steadman said: 'The surgery has transformed my life - I cannot say how wonderful it is to kiss Louise and my kids again'

‘It feels like you have been hit in the face with a bolt of lightning, or at its worse like a whole thunder storm has hit you.
‘There were up to 250 attacks a day.
‘Sometimes the pain would drop me to my knees- other times it would feel like all of my teeth on the right hand side were just on fire.
‘The only treatments were to take 50 pills a day, and they just left me like a zombie. I was just sat in my chair completely zoned out.
‘If I needed to go to the toilet I needed someone to walk in front of me so I didn’t bump into things.

Mr Steadman (pictured after his operation) was in so much pain that he had to take 50 painkillers a day, including morphine. He says the drugs left him in a zombie-like state

‘They had to take away the medication and let my wife look after it because the temptation to take another pill to help ease the pain is too much.’
Mr Steadman explained that the problem started in 2009 with a pain in his teeth.
He went to the dentist and was told the pain was caused by him grinding his teeth in the night but his wife said that he never did that.
Mr Steadman then went to his GP who also believed that grinding his teeth could be the problem.
Mr Steadman said: ‘I felt like I was almost cracking up, I knew there was a problem but no-one seemed to know.

Mr Steadman said: 'It feels like you have been hit in the face with a bolt of lightning, or at its worse like a whole thunder storm has hit you. There were up to 250 attacks a day'

‘It’s been a real battle, you spend your whole life trying to avoid the pain. It could be the gentlest of breath or a kiss off my wife and kids.
‘I would get up in the morning and look outside and see the trees blowing and stand there in absolute panic saying “I can’t go out”.’
The couple, who have three children James, 15, Emily, 13, and four-year-old Leon, got married seven years ago.
Mrs Steadman, a full-time mother and Mr Steadman’s carer, said: ‘The condition was a nightmare for us. Mark had to sleep downstairs.
‘We’ve been together for 18 years but married seven years ago so basically for more than half our married life together I wasn’t able to kiss my husband.

Mr Steadman is now expected to be free from pain for about ten years after which he may require more surgery to prevent the pain returning

‘I cannot describe how good it is to have my husband back. I can’t stop kissing Mark now.’
Shockingly, trigeminal neuralgia is known as the ‘Suicide Disease’ because 27 per cent of sufferers kill themselves because they are unable to bear the pain.
Professor Hugh Coakham, a neurosurgeon at the privately-run Spire Hospital in Bristol, and expert in the condition, said: ‘Research suggests the pain is caused by a blood vessel pressing against the trigeminal nerve and wearing away the nerve’s protective myelin sheath.
‘Sufferers experience these horrible electric shock-like feelings.
‘It mostly affects middle-aged and older people. This may be because blood vessels become gnarled and twisted with age, encroach over the nerve and wear down the insulating sheath.’

WHAT IS TRIGEMINAL NEURALGIA?

Trigeminal neuralgia is a sudden and severe facial nerve pain - the pain is so severe that it drives many sufferers to suicide. As a result, it has been dubbed the 'suicide disease'.
The pain has been described as like a stabbing or piercing pain.
Each attack lasts for between a few seconds and two minutes.
The pain usually only affects one side of the face - most commonly the right side.
Triggers include talking, smiling, chewing, touch, swallowing and a cool breeze.
In 80 to 90 per cent of patients the pain is caused by pressure on the trigeminal nerve - the largest nerve in the skull.
The condition affects four or five people out of every 100,000.
Almost twice as many women as men are affected.
It is most common in people between the ages of 60 and 70 and is very rare in under 40s.
There is no cure for the condition which usually gets worse over tim

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How SHARKS could be the key to beating breast cancer: Scientists hope creatures' antibodies will yield new wonder drug.

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Scientists are looking for a new breast cancer wonder drug – in sharks.
It is hoped that antibodies found the giants of the deep will lead to the ‘the new Herceptin’.
Hailed as the biggest development in breast cancer for at least 25 years when it was launched more than a decade ago, Herceptin treats an especially fast-growing and spreading form of the disease.
One in four of the 44,000 British women diagnosed with breast cancer each year have this HER2-positive form of breast cancer.
But Herceptin doesn’t work in all cases and sometimes it only offers brief respite, so new treatments are still needed.

Researchers believe the powerful immune system of the shark may hold the answer. They have taken HER2 protein, which sits on the surface of tumours and fuels their growth, and injected it into sharks, to trigger the production of antibodies against it

The Aberdeen University researchers believe the powerful immune system of the shark may hold the answer.
They have taken HER2 protein, which sits on the surface of tumours and fuels their growth, and injected it into sharks, to trigger the production of antibodies against it.
Researcher Helen Dooley, who has received a £200,000 grant from the Association for International Cancer Research, said: ‘It is just like going to the doctor to get your holiday shots.  But instead of getting a shot in the arm, they get a shot in the fin.

 

‘We let it cook for a couple of months and then go in and take a blood sample from their tail.’
It is hoped the blood contains antibodies that home in on the HER-2 protein and stop cancerous cells from growing and spreading.
A synthetic version of these antibodies could then be used as a drug.
Shark antibodies are key because they are able to squeeze into very small spaces it is hoped they will reach parts of the HER2 protein that other drugs can’t.
Dr Dooley said: ‘Herceptin is a brilliant drug but some women don’t respond to it and other women become resistant to it after a period of time.’
The experiments are being done on nurse sharks, huge but docile creatures which make a sucking sound when hunting for prey that resembles the sound of a baby that is feeding.
A special colony is kept in an aquarium in Baltimore in the US and blood samples are shipped to Dr Dooley’s lab in Aberdeen for analysis.

It is hoped the shark blood contains antibodies that home in on the HER-2 protein and stop cancerous cells from growing and spreading. A synthetic version of these antibodies could then be used as a drug

Dr Dooley, who takes blood samples from the sharks’ tails, said nurse sharks were chosen because of their gentle nature.
‘It is much harder to get a blood sample from a great white’.
The preliminary nature of the work means that it is still at least a decade before any drug is tested on women for the first time.
Dr Caitlin Palframan, of Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said: ‘Breast cancer is not a done deal and we need to keep developing new treatments for the disease.
‘We look forward to seeing the results of this research in the future as, although it is a very effective drug, Herceptin sometimes does not work or can stop working over time, so we’re in need of drugs that can complement it.’
She added that any new drugs have to be cheap enough for patients to benefit.
Herceptin was the subject of high-profile battles for NHS funding when it was first launched and two ‘highly promising’ new breast cancer drugs have recently been deemed too expensive for widespread use.

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Newborn baby died just hours after his mother's concerns were dismissed as 'paranoia' by midwives.

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A woman claims midwives treated her as an ‘anxious new mum’ just hours before her newborn son died in hospital.
Jared McDowall died at St Michael’s Hospital in Bristol on January 17 last year, two days after he was born by emergency Caesarean section.
Avon Coroner’s Court heard his mother, Natasha, mentioned to hospital staff that her son was reluctant to feed and was crying unusually.
Mrs McDowall, of Longwell Green, Bristol, said she was ‘sick with worry’ over her son’s condition, but midwives simply dismissed her concerns as ‘paranoia’.
Just hours later, Mrs McDowall discovered her son, who weighed six pounds, floppy and lifeless in his cot.
Resuscitation attempts were unsuccessful and he was pronounced dead at 2.45am.
An inquest into Jared’s death heard a root cause analysis investigation (RCA) found four failures in his care, including failures to recognise poor feeding and unusual crying.
The hearing was told it was not possible to ascertain an exact cause of death, but Jared could have suffered from hypoglycaemia - low blood sugar - which may have triggered his loss of consciousness.
Avon Coroner Maria Voisin, who reached a narrative conclusion, is writing a report referencing ways to improve care at St Michael’s Hospital raised during the inquest.
‘It is of note that the recorded observations were generally normal and staff did not have concerns about Jared’s progress,’ she said.
‘The parents did have concerns about his feeding and his crying and raised these with staff.
‘The staff said his level of feeding was typical for normal babies and not of concern to them.

 

‘In relation to his crying, they did not believe it caused any concern and were reassured when his observations came back as normal.’
Ms Voisin said she considered reaching a conclusion of neglect but heard no evidence of ‘gross failures’ in Jared’s care by hospital staff.
She will now write a report to the hospital following comments by Dr David Harding, who made a number of recommendations to the inquest.
These included a graph showing birth weight and gestation, better synthesis between doctors and midwives and education packs for hypoglycaemia.

Natasha and Shaun McDowall say they were treated like 'anxious new parents' when they expressed their concerns about Jared to midwives

The inquest was told Jared was born weighing 2.7kg - 200g under the ‘low birth weight’ of 2.5kg - by Caesarean section at St Michael’s Hospital at 2.57am on January 15 2012.
He appeared to be doing well for the first 24 hours, but the following morning, Mrs McDowall noticed he was crying in a ‘jerky way’ and was reluctant to feed.
Mrs McDowall told the inquest she reported her concerns to midwife Natasha Bridge but was made to feel like an ‘anxious new mum’ and was reassured that her son was fine.
‘I was sick with worry and felt I was being treated as a paranoid mother,’ she said.
‘At the time I felt I was being brushed off.’
Both Jared and Mrs McDowall were examined through the day but all observations returned as normal, with a second midwife also reassuring the family.
But in the early hours of the following morning, Mrs McDowall discovered Jared ‘floppy and lifeless’ in his cot and rushed him to the midwife station for help.
‘I repeated that he was ill all day and none of them had listened to me,’ she said.
‘The alarm sounded and a lot of medical staff came rushing to Jared’s aid.’

An inquest into Jared's death heard that the cause of his death could not be formally established but that he could have had low blood sugar. Mr and Mrs McDowall are pictured arriving at the inquest

Resuscitation efforts did not succeed and Jared was pronounced dead at 2.45am.
Pathologist Dr Craig Platt said post-mortem tests showed Jared had high insulin levels but could not ascertain his glucose levels before resuscitation, meaning it was impossible to say whether he was hypoglycaemic.
He said the cause of death was ‘unexpected death of a neonate’ but that Jared’s raised insulin levels, low birth weight, a pulmonary haemorrhage and abnormalities in his pancreas - which could suggest a problem regulating insulin levels - should also be recorded.
Mrs McDowall told the inquest: ‘I feel completely let down by the medical professionals at St Michael’s Hospital, particularly the midwifery team who failed to listen to my concerns.’
Midwife Natasha Bridge, who qualified six months earlier, said there were ‘no warning triggers’ to refer Jared to a different ward or care team.
Experienced colleagues agreed with her observations and said Jared appeared healthy, with his feeding chart similar to other newborns.
But Jared had four feeds in a 24 hour period - one breast feed and three 10ml servings of formula - two fewer than recommended, the inquest was told.
Staff also considered his cry to be ‘unusual’ but not ‘abnormal’, which would have been noted on medical charts.

Mrs McDowall told the inquest: 'I feel completely let down by the medical professionals at St Michael's Hospital (pictured), particularly the midwifery team who failed to listen to my concerns'

Sarah Windfeld, head of midwifery at the University Hospitals Bristol NHS Foundation Trust, said charts now featured ‘unusual crying’ as a result of Jared’s death.
Observations had also been increased, there was more supervision, extra training and support had been offered to staff and clearer ways to escalate concerns introduced, she added.
Speaking after the inquest, Jared’s parents Natasha, 37, who works in HR, and Shaun, 43, an IT consultant, said they had suffered with depression after his death.
Mrs McDowall said: ‘We were absolutely disgusted at the care Jared and I were given and it has been very hard to relive the events during the inquest.
‘Shaun and I knew something was seriously wrong with Jared and I was becoming more and more concerned because he wouldn’t feed, but the midwives made me feel like I was overreacting and that I was wasting their time.

Jared was born by emergency Caesarean section at St Michael's Hospital at 2.57am on January 15 2012. He weighed just 6lbs (picture is posed by models)

‘Jared was our first baby and we were so excited to bring him back to our family home but we never got chance to do this. His death still affects us every day and I’m not sure we’ll ever come to terms with it.
‘To be honest, what happened made us lose all faith in maternity services and we were terrified the same thing would happen again if I became pregnant.
‘We just hope that Jared’s death was not in vain and that improvements are made in observational charts and training to ensure no other family has to go through the same ordeal.
‘Nothing can bring Jared back but seeing improvements in maternity services might help us to begin the process of accepting what happened.’
Mr and Mrs McDowall have instructed medical law experts at Irwin Mitchell to investigate Jared’s death.
Julie Lewis, a partner at Irwin Mitchell’s Bristol office, who represents the family, said: ‘We will now continue to work on behalf of Natasha and Shaun in liaising with the Trust to secure an admission of responsibility which we hope will help them to begin to come to terms with what happened and begin to rebuild their lives.

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Forget brain training: Playing a musical instrument can sharpen your thoughts - and help ward off depression and dementia.

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Playing a musical instrument could help protect against mental decline through age or illness, according to a new study.
Researchers at St Andrews University found that musicians have sharper minds and are able to pick up and correct mistakes quicker than non-musicians.
Musicians also responded faster than those with little or no musical training, with no loss in accuracy, the study found.

Playing a musical instrument, such as a piano pictured, could help protect against mental decline through age or illness. Researchers at St Andrews University found musicians have sharper minds and are able to pick up and correct mistakes quicker than non-musicians, and with no loss of accuracy

The researchers measured the behavioural and brain responses of amateur musicians compared with non-musicians when performing simple mental tasks.
The results showed that playing a musical instrument, even at moderate levels, improves a person's ability to detect errors and adjust responses more effectively.
 The research was led by psychologist Ines Jentzsch, a reader in the university's School of Psychology and Neuroscience.
'Our study shows that even moderate levels of musical activity can benefit brain functioning,' she said.
'Our findings could have important implications as the processes involved are amongst the first to be affected by ageing, as well as a number of mental illnesses such as depression.

The research suggests that musical activity including reading sheet music could be used as an effective intervention to slow, stop or even reverse age or illness-related decline in mental functioning

'The research suggests that musical activity could be used as an effective intervention to slow, stop or even reverse age or illness-related decline in mental functioning.'
The study, published in the journal Neuropsychologia, builds on previous work showing the benefits of musical activity on mental and physical well-being.
Pianist Dr Jentzsch said: 'Musical activity cannot only immensely enrich our lives but the associated benefits for our physical and mental functioning could be even more far-reaching than proposed in our and previous research.

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WAO!!! Next time you have an argument with your partner, be aware that it could be harming your health.

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Many people struggle to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day, but new research suggests that even those who do manage it should be doing more.
The Spanish study revealed that people who eat seven-a-day live, on average, for more than a year longer than those who do not.
The research revealed that eating a lot of fruit and vegetables is particularly protective against heart disease.

A Spanish study has revealed that people who eat seven portions of fruit and vegetables a day live, on average, for more than a year longer than those who do not

Researchers at the Andalusian School of Public Health’s Granada Cancer Registry analysed 25,682 deaths among 451,151 people over a 13 year period, reports.
They found that people who ate more than 569 grams of fruit and vegetables – seven portions – a day were 10 per cent less likely to die and lived, on average, 1.12 years longer than those who ate less than 249 grams a day.

 

The study also suggested that for every 200 gram increase in consumption, mortality risk falls by six per cent.
Therefore, the researchers believe that almost three per cent of deaths could be prevented if everyone ate six or seven portions of fruit and vegetables a day.

The research revealed that eating a lot of fruit and vegetables is particularly protective against heart disease

Previous research has also shown that if everyone ate their recommended daily allowance of fruit and vegetables, the number of people with chronic diseases would fall and the risk of early death would fall by 10 to 25 per cent.
‘There is now sufficient evidence of the beneficial effect of fruit and vegetable consumption in the prevention of cancer and other chronic diseases,’ lead author María José Sánchez Pérez told Science Daily.
‘For this reason, one of the most effective preventative measures is promoting their consumption in the population.’
The study also established that people who eat a lot of fruit and vegetables are 15 per cent less likely to develop heart disease.
More than four per cent of heart disease-related deaths could also be prevented if everyone ate enough fruit and vegetables.
According to the researchers, raw vegetables are particularly good at reducing mortality risk.
They also found that eating a lot of fruit and vegetables was particularly good at reducing the mortality risk for people who consumed a lot of alcohol, were obese and who smoked.
They believe this is because of the antioxidant content of fruit and vegetables which reduces the oxidative stress caused by drinking alcohol, smoking, and being overweight.

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How date nights can improve your health: People who are content with their spouse are healthier.

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Next time you have an argument with your partner, be aware that it could be harming your health.
Happier marriages make for healthier spouses, according to a new 20-year-long scientific study.
Researchers compared the upsides and downsides of healthy and troubled marriages and found a strong connection between the two.
It means that marriage-building activities such as regular date nights could improve an ailing patient's health.
The study, published in the Journal of Marriage and Family, observed how the marital happiness of 1,681 people affected their physical health.
Those polled answered 11 questions asking them how happy they were with various aspects of their relationship.
It delved into factors such as whether their spouse understood them, did activities with them, and provided them with love and affection.
The volunteers were also asked 13 questions about how they dealt with issues like jealousy, anger and infidelity.
Meanwhile, their health was ranked as excellent, good, fair or poor.
Co-author Dr Cody Hollist, a marriage and family therapy expert at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln in the U.S., said happiness and health go hand-in-hand.
He said: ‘There is no way to tease out whether good marriages lead to good health or whether bad marriages makes you sick.
‘But it is clear that marital quality and health run in tandem.’

 

In order to study the health effect of ageing, the researchers broke the group into those aged 18 to 39 and those aged 40 to 55.
There were some differences between the groups as the younger group tended to have better health but more marital problems.
However, the overwhelming correlation between happy marriage and good health for both groups made the researchers draw their conclusions.

Marriage-building activities such as regular date nights could improve an ailing patient's health

Dr Hollist said: ‘As health worsens, do marriages stay stable?
‘What we found is that there's a relationship between health and happiness for both age groups.
‘If their health is good, their happiness is up.’
However, one surprising finding did emerge as those who began the study in troubled marriages reported improved health over time.
Offering a possible explanation, Dr Hollist said those people were resilient in the face of adversity.
He said: ‘Stressful circumstances can be a wake-up call for some as it can motivate healthier and more adaptive pathways of behaviour over time.

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'A spider bite nearly cost me my leg': Carer feared amputation after venomous spider turned her leg black.

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A woman feared her leg would have to be amputated after she was bitten by Britain’s most venomous spider - the false widow.
Christine McCullins, 54, was bed-ridden for a week at her home in Basingstoke after the 'excruciating' bite on her left ankle throbbed a glowing red and became infected.
Her limb swelled and turned black following the attack by the spider, which is a relative of the potentially lethal black widow.
Antibiotics prescribed by her GP failed to clear-up the infection and it led to cellulitis - an infenction that affects deep layers of the skin.
When Ms McCullins returned to her doctor she was told she may have to be admitted to hospital and put on a drip if another dose failed to work.
She later admitted she feared it would develop into the nasty flesh-eating bug necrosis, which ravages limbs and can even lead to them being amputated.
Ms McCullins - a full-time carer for her terminally ill mother - was celebrating her sister-in-law’s birthday when she was attacked in Basingstoke, Hamshire.
She said: 'I was sitting on a wall in my brother’s back garden, with my legs dangling over the side.
'I felt a slight nip on my ankle, which I thought was just a graze from the cement in the wall.
'However, it soon started to look a little sore and more like a mosquito bite, which I treated with medication from a pharmacy.'
Ms McCullins leg became increasingly itchy and swollen and after a week she went to see a doctor who told her it was actually a spider bite.
She added: 'By that time, my leg was extremely swollen and painful. Although the antibiotics helped with the bite, I had developed cellulitis.'

Ms McCullins was bed-ridden for a week at her home in Basingstoke after the 'excruciating' bite on her left ankle throbbed a glowing red and became infected, right.  She said she knew the bite was caused by the false widow, left, after researching her symptoms on the internet and finding photos of similar bites

HOW DANGEROUS IS THE FALSE WIDOW SPIDER?

Stuart Hine, an expert from the British History Museum, said the false widow spider has been living in Hampshire and along the south coast of England for more than 30 years.
They are thought to have come into the country from abroad through ports where there are shipments of bananas.
The false widow - or Steatoda nobilis - is a relative the potentially lethal black widow found in America and Asia.
It has been spotted at least 50 times in parts of London and Kent over the past month.
It is thought the drop in weather at the start of September forced the arachnids into people's houses. 
Symptoms of a false widow bite include swelling, pins and needles and minor chest pains.
Hine added: 'These symptoms may last for a couple of days but the total effect is unlikely to be more serious than that.'

The serious skin condition meant she had to return to the doctor for stronger antibiotics, but it still took around three weeks before the swelling subsided.
'I’ve heard horror stories of infections developing into the flesh-eating bug necrosis,' contuined Ms McCullins
'When my leg turned black I feared I may have caught it and be at risk of having to have my leg amputated. I’ve been absolutely terrified of spiders all my life - I have a real phobia of them. I’m just really glad I didn’t actually see the spider itself.'
Ms McCullins claims she knew the bite was caused by the false widow after doing some research on the internet and finding photos of similar bites.
Stuart Hine, an expert from the British History Museum, said the spider has been established in Hampshire and along the south coast of England for more than 30 years.
They are thought to have come into the country from abroad through ports where there are shipments of bananas.
Mr Hine said: 'If handled unwisely or accidentally, adult Steatoda nobilis - the formal name for the false widow spider - are capable of biting humans.
'Reports from those bitten describe a certain amount of pain and often a degree of swelling in the affected part.
'These symptoms may last for a couple of days but the total effect is unlikely to be more serious than that. However, if symptoms were to persist, it would be advisable to seek medical attention.'

Antibiotics prescribed by Ms McCullins' GP failed to clear up the infection and it led to cellulitis - an infection that affects deep layers of the skin, pictured. When she returned to her doctor she was told she may have to be admitted to hospital and put on a drip if another dose failed to work.

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Health and Fitness Ideas for New Mothers.

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Everyone that is not entirely satisfied with their body knows what it can be like to browse around for health and fitness tips that will actually be effective. One group of individuals that has been striving to lose weight and live a healthier lifestyle are new mothers that have recently given birth! According to a July 15 article on LeaderPost.com, there are several health fitness tips that new mothers can do to drop the baby weight. Perhaps the simplest health and fitness tip to carry out is simply to stay away from the scale. Scales can be incredibly discouraging. Even if people see themselves losing one to two pounds a week, they may never feel like it is enough. Focusing on eating healthy vegetables and a few core exercises three days a week could be all that a new mother will need to help lose the baby weight. Another terrific tip for new mothers is to not forget about muscle development and strength training. While a lot of people may recommend cardiovascular workouts, they may not take into account that parenting is an extraordinarily strenuous job. Even carrying a newborn infant for hours at a time can be exhausting on ones muscles after a certain length of time. By focusing on arm, shoulder, chest and leg muscles, new mothers (and fathers!) can make sure that they will be able to handle all of the physical strain that parenting comes with. A health and fitness tip that no one should forget is to listen to their body. Working out is great, but if they start to feel tired or strained, they should take a break. Continuing to work out through pain will not benefit anyone that just had a baby. If the body says to rest, then rest is probably what is needed. With tips like these, new mothers may find that they will be able to withstand the rigors of parenting with less difficulty than they initially anticipated. Not only will it help someone to feel better about their body and improve their self image, but it will also help them to keep up with the newest addition to their family!

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Fast Fat-Burning Exercises Flatten Your Abs in 8 Minutes.

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IF WEIGHTLIFTING IS THE FAST TRACK TO FAT LOSS—and most experts agree that it is—then why do so many guys in the gym have a gut? "Too many of them focus on beefing up body parts instead of trying to work as many muscles as possible," says B.J. Gaddour, C.S.C.S., owner of StreamFit.com and creator of the Ultimate Boot Camp Workout. One solution: metabolic finishers—one or two exercises performed at the end of a workout that turn it into a total-body sweat session. "Think of them as fast-paced finales that ignite muscle growth and accelerate weight loss," says Gaddour. "Oh yeah, and they're great for melting stubborn belly fat."

DO THIS
Select the finisher that transforms your typical routine into a total-body workout. If your workout targets your upper body, for example, go with the lower-body finisher. Already doing a total-body workout? Then shift your metabolism into high gear by performing the final two finishers (A and B) as a superset (back to back with 10 seconds of rest between them). Repeat the superset 8 times.

LOWER-BODY FINISHER
5-5 Split Squat


1. Face a wall and assume a split stance with your left foot forward, toes touching the wall. This is the starting position.
2. Take 5 seconds to lower your body until the top of your left thigh is at least parallel to the ground, pushing your left heel into the floor as hard as you can.
3. Hold for 5 seconds, and then explode back up to the starting position.
4. Do 5 reps in 1 minute, and then immediately switch legs and repeat.
5. Rest for 60 seconds and repeat the 2-minute sequence, this time starting with your right foot forward.

"Keeping your toes against the wall more effectively engages your hamstrings and glutes, turning a move that traditionally targets your quads into one that works your entire lower body," says Gaddour.

UPPER-BODY FINISHER
Triple Crush


1. Kneel on the floor holding a pair of dumbbells at arm's length next to your sides. This is the starting position.
2. Bend your elbows and curl the dumbbells as close to your shoulders as you can.
3. Next, press the weights overhead with your palms facing each other.
4. Without moving your upper arms, lower the dumbbells behind your head.
5. Now reverse the movements to return to the starting position.
6. Repeat for 90 seconds, and then rest for 30. That's 1 set; do 2.

"You're combining three exercises [biceps curl, shoulder press, triceps extension] into one move" says Gaddour, "and kneeling works your core more effectively than standing."

TOTAL-BODY FINISHER A
Dumbbell Skier Swing


1. Grab two unevenly weighted dumbbells (a 5-pound difference is ideal) and hold them at arm's length in front of your chest. Your feet should be hip-width apart and knees slightly bent.
2. Without rounding your lower back, bend at your hips and simultaneously swing your arms backward.
3. Explosively thrust your hips forward and raise your torso until you're standing upright, letting your momentum swing the weights up to chest level.
4. Continue for 20 seconds. Alternate the heavier weight between your right and left hands in successive supersets.

"This move trains not only your often-neglected hamstrings," says Gaddour, "but also your entire core from shoulders to hips"

TOTAL-BODY FINISHER B
Dumbbell Mountain Climber


1. Assume a pushup position with a dumbbell in each hand. Keep your palms facing in. Your body should form a straight line from ankles to head. This is the starting position.
2. Lift your right foot off the floor and slowly raise your right knee as close to your chest as you can without rounding your lower back.
3. Return to the starting position and repeat, this time lifting your left knee. Continue for 20 seconds, alternating knees with each repetition.

"You'll target your abs and send your heart rate through the roof," Gaddour says.

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CONFESSION:'I was worried I'd look like a whale waddling down the aisle': Bride-to-be 'addicted to bacon rolls' loses 7st in just 11 months.

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A bride was so desperate to look good in her wedding photos that she shed seven stone over the course of her engagement.
Former snack addict Sam McGinlay, 28, swapped bacon rolls and crisps for fruit and veg and began a gruelling exercise regime of cycling and high-intensity workouts after her partner Brian McGinlay proposed.

In just 11 months, Mrs McGinlay shrunk so much that she had to alter her £750 wedding dress to bring it in from a size 20 to a size 12.

Sam McGinlay, 28, married Brian McGinlay, 31, last month after losing seven stone in a 11 months. She was a size 20 at the time of her engagement (left) and dropped to a size 12 by the time she got married (right)

She said: 'Shortly after Brian proposed I went to a dressmaker to try on dresses with my mum, Barbara.
'I tried to pretend I was happy squeezing into a size 20 dress, but the truth is I was heartbroken. I never imagined I would be a fat bride.
'I had really horrible thoughts of me looking like a whale as I waddled down the aisle.

'So I went from eating around 3,500 calories a day to a much more balanced diet which helped me to exercise regularly.'

Mrs McGinlay struggled to breathe during exercise - even walking on the beach with her son Aiden was a chore

Sam McGinlay and Brian McGinlay pictured shortly after they got together in 2005. 'I was convinced we looked weird together because Brian was so slim,' said Mrs McGinlay

Mrs McGinlay took on a largely sedentary office job when she was 17 and, after a year of desk snacks and little exercise, her weight had increased from her natural 11 stone to 15 stone.

Mrs McGinlay struggled to control her eating impulses over the next decade.

'Crisps were one of my weaknesses. I ate packets and packets, but told myself I wasn’t doing myself any harm.

'I remember at age 18, weighing myself before a big night out with my best friend, and the scales tipped 17 stone. It was so embarrassing.

'I was bored and self-conscious and in need of cheering up, and that just made me crave fatty, sugary foods even more.'

Mrs McGinlay underwent a gruelling exercise regime to fit into her size 12 dress for her wedding day

Mrs McGinlay and Mr McGinlay married on August 3rd at the Three Kings function centre near Falkirk, followed by a honeymoon to the Trossachs in Scotland. At this point, Mrs McGinlay had lost 11 stone

She met Brian McGinlay, 31, through friends in the year 2000 and they began dating in 2005.

Mr McGinlay said: 'I didn’t care what size Sam was, it was her personality I was attracted to.
'But I could see she was unhappy. There were times I could not bear to see her so upset.'
Mrs McGinlay, who works at an accountancy firm, said: 'I was 18 stone and convinced we looked weird together because Brian was so slim.
'I looked awful in holiday photographs. I was ashamed to look so overweight compared to my friends.'
The birth of the couple’s son, Aiden, in December 2009, pushed Mrs McGinlay’s dieting plans down her list of priorities.

Mrs McGinaly, left, on a work night out with colleagues before she lost the weight. Mr McGinlay said: 'I didn¿t care what size Sam was, it was her personality I was attracted to.'

Mr and Mrs McGinlay pictured during a recent meal out. They met through friends in the year 2000 and they began dating in 2005

'I told myself that breastfeeding meant I could not diet. Aiden came first, and that was that.

'I’d lost a small amount of weight a year before giving birth, but around the time of our five-year anniversary, when Aiden was three months old, I was back to size 20.'
Mr McGinlayproposed with a white gold ring set with a cluster of diamonds, and Mrs McGinlay knew it was time to take action.
She said: 'I had tried losing weight before, but now I was truly determined. I knew I needed the support of other people, so I joined exercise classes and slimming groups.
'I began to enjoy high-intensity exercise like Metafit cross-training which involves springs, lunges, squats and plank holds, and Zumba.
'I spent at least two and half hours a week on my bike, and went for frequent 10 kilometer hill walks.'

The couple pose for pictures after their wedding on August 3rd. Forklift driver Mr McGinlay also went on a reduced calorie diet in support and lost two stone

Before her weightloss revelation, Mrs McGinlay would tuck into a bacon roll and creamy coffee for breakfast, followed by a cheese and mayonnaise sandwich for lunch and, for dinner, huge portions of hearty meals like meat with patties and bread and butter. Snacks would include thick crisps and sweets.
The new Mrs McGinlay enjoyed a cup of tea with rich tea biscuits and a banana for breakfast, a wafer-thin ham and light cream cheese sandwich on wholemeal bread with a yogurt for lunch and portion-controlled reduced-fat curry for dinner, with grapes for a snack.
Forklift driver Mr McGinlay also went on a reduced calorie diet in support and lost two stone.
He said: “Sometimes Sam would be upset because she would attend slimming class and would not have lost any weight.
'But I helped her by reminding her she was converting fat into muscle.
'She was much happier and it was wonderful to see.'

Before her weightloss (left), Mrs McGinlay would tuck into a bacon rolls and creamy coffees for breakfast. Now Mrs McGinlay (left) typically starts her day with a cup of tea, rich tea biscuits and a banana

'It was amazing to dance with Brian at the reception without getting out of breath,' said Mrs McGinlay.

Mrs McGinlay said: 'It was tough going but my Zumba teacher, Carol, was amazed by my progress. She called me the "ever-shrinking woman".'
Eventually, Mrs McGinlay began seeing the fruits of her labour.
By Christmas 2012 she had shrunk to a size 14 and by April she had reached her 11 stone target - a weight loss of seven stone.
Mrs McGinlay and Mr McGinlay married on August 3rd at the Three Kings function centre near Falkirk, followed by a honeymoon to the Trossachs in Scotland.
'It was amazing to dance with Brian at the reception without getting out of breath,' said Mrs McGinlay.
'I was so proud when I was able to pack a size 12 bikini into my holiday packing.

'I don’t even recognise the person in the old photographs.

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