The 3-year-old boy who weighs 150lb due to syndrome that means he just can't stop eating

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The parents of a three-year-old boy who apparently weighs 11 stone say they are desperate for him to stop gaining weight.

The boy, known only as Misael, was born a healthy 6lb 6oz (2.9kg). 

But every month since then, he has gained 6lb - causing him to balloon in size and leaving him struggling to walk.

He now weighs 154lb, or 70kg, his parents say.  

The three-year old Brazilian boy, known only as Misael, is said to weight 11 stone (154lb)

Misael was born a healthy 6lb 6oz (2.9kg). But every month since then, he has gained 6lb - causing him to balloon in size and leaving him struggling to walk 

Doctors now believe he may be suffering from Prader–Willi syndrome, a rare genetic condition characterised by a constant hunger and desire to eat

Meet three-year-old Misael who weighs over 150 pounds

Doctors now believe he may be suffering from Prader–Willi syndrome, a rare genetic condition characterised by a constant hunger and desire to eat.

Children with the condition will eat three to six times more than others of the same age - and even then will probably still feel hungry. 

He also suffers from an underactive thyroid - which can cause weight gain - and his parents say medication to help treat this is not helping.

Misael's father Michael said: 'Even taking him to the doctor or leaving the house with him is difficult. 

'And when we walk down the street, people stop, want to take pictures with him, people say that they never saw [a boy] this size, people want to know how old he is, how much he weighs...'

Transporting Misael - who has behavioural problems - is so problematic that his family, from Cachoeiro de Itapemirim, Espirito Santo, are forced to hire a private taxi. 

His mother said: 'The doctors think he might have this syndrome that makes him gain weight. They want to do tests.

Children with Prader–Willi syndrome will eat three to six times more than others of the same age - and will probably still feel hungry

Misael also suffers from an underactive thyroid - which can cause weight gain - and his parents say medication to help treat this is not working 

Symptoms of Prader-Willi syndrome (PWS) may include a permanent feeling of hunger, which can easily lead to dangerous weight gain, reduced muscle tone and learning difficulties. 

Sufferers may also display behavioural problems, such as temper tantrums or stubbornness. 

There is no cure for PWS, so treatment aims to manage the symptoms and associated problems. 

For parents, this includes dealing with their child's behavioural problems and excessive eating. 

Restricting a child's diet is a particularly important part of managing their condition. According to NHS Choices, while PWS itself is not life threatening, the compulsive eating and resulting weight gain can be.

Younger adults with the condition are at a much higher risk of developing obesity-related conditions usually seen in older adults, such as type 2 diabetes and heart failure.

Compulsive eating can also cause health problems such as an abnormally expanded stomach and choking. 

People who suffer from the condition also display behavioural problems, such as temper tantrums or stubbornness

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One million women denied the 7p breast cancer drug that can halve chance of developing disease because of red tape

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More than a million women are denied pills that could halve their chance of developing breast cancer because of red tape, experts warn.

They say those at greater risk should be offered a preventative treatment that costs as little as 7p a day.

But the drugs are not licensed for this use – making doctors reluctant to prescribe them in case patients sue over side effects.

More than a million women have been denied pills that could halve their chance of developing breast cancer

Breast Cancer Campaign research estimates that if women were properly screened, and those at risk were offered the drugs, nearly 4,000 cases a year could be prevented.

Tamoxifen, Raloxifene and Anastrozole block oestrogen and are used to treat breast cancer. But the Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency has not licensed them for preventative use, which costs 7p to 61p a day and cuts risk by 40 to 50 per cent.

MHRA says drug firms must apply for a new licence so it can assess the pills’ ‘safety, efficacy and quality’ – a very expensive process that would take years. 

Mia Rosenblatt, of Breast Cancer Campaign, said: ‘It’s incomprehensible that there are low-cost, effective treatments out there which are not routinely available to patients because of red tape.’ 

Campaigners also said the lack of screening means many women do not realise they are at risk due to factors such as having the genes BRCA1 and BRCA2, high breast density, hormone replacement therapy, smoking and having children later in life. 

They said NHS screening should be expanded, with women over 50 filling in a risk assessment form every three years.

Professor Anthony Howell, who carried out the research, said: ‘There’s a big group of women out there who don’t know they are at increased risk and who can’t get these drugs.’ He added the MHRA ‘haven’t thought it through’.

The charity says 10 to 15 per cent of women over 50 – some 1.3million – have an increased risk of breast cancer, but a ‘minuscule’ number are taking the drugs. However, the pills can cause nausea, weight gain and even blood clots.

A new breast cancer drug can extend patients’ lives by an extra year and four months on average compared to standard treatment, US researchers say. 

Perjeta, for those with advanced cancer, achieved ‘phenomenal’ results in a trial. NHS watchdog NICE said it was unlikely to be cost effective.

YOUNG WOMEN ARE WAITING MONTHS FOR CERVICAL CANCER DIAGNOSIS

Young women with cervical cancer symptoms are waiting up to six months for a diagnosis, a study shows.

King’s College London researchers said that pain and bleeding are being dismissed as side effects of the Pill by women and family doctors.

They studied 128 patients under 30. Most had been identified by the NHS screening programme before they realised anything was wrong. But of those who did notice symptoms, 28 per cent said they then waited three months to go to a GP. Even after seeing a doctor, 60 per cent had to wait three more months for a formal diagnosis.

The disease is the most common form of cancer in women under 35, with around 900 cases a year. A third of patients will die within five years.

How to recognize and check for breast cancer symptoms

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Good news slimmers! Eating that bar of chocolate can HELP you lose weight

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It turns out that bowl of ice cream or packet of crisps could be good for you after all. 

New research on successful slimmers shows that indulging in unhealthy treats while on a diet makes you more likely to reach your goal weight. 

The findings put to rest the myth that a diet of nuts and lettuce will get your into those skinny jeans quicker than a balanced diet. 

A new survey shows that indulging in unhealthy treats while on a diet makes you more likely to reach your goal weight (posed by model) 

In a survey of 2,600 Weight Watchers members, over half of whom have lost 10 per cent of their body weight, three quarters planned indulgence into their week. 

A third of all respondents went even further, revealing they treated themselves to unhealthy food at least once a day. 

94 per cent of those questioned thought they were more likely to lose weight by incorporating indulgence into their plans as it helps to stay focused on the end goal - one in five said they’ve found they actually lose more weight on weeks when they include their favourite foods,

And the proof was in the (lack of) pudding - when questioned, half of the respondents who don’t let themselves indulge admitted they had gained a stone or more after a diet that involved deprivation. 

The Zero Calorie Chocolate on Kickstarter (related)

94 per cent of those questioned in a WeightWatchers survey thought they were more likely to lose weight by incorporating indulgence into their diet (posed by model)  

Only a quarter of people who had tried this method of only-healthy dieting managed to stick with the rigorous regime for more than a month. 

Zoe Griffiths, Head of Programme and Public Health for Weight Watchers UK said: 'The common misconception is that you need to deprive yourself of the food you love, in order to see weight loss success.

'But the reality is, as soon as you tell yourself that you can’t have that glass of wine in the evening or a dessert after dinner, you start to want it even more. 

'This explains why so many respondents only lasted a short amount of time on a ‘deprivation’ diet, it’s unsustainable.

“At Weight Watchers we know that life just isn’t fun when you deprive yourself of the foods you love and, in actual fact, allowing yourself to indulge as part of a healthy diet and lifestyle is much more effective.'  

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Funny;Doctor performs surgery on his OWN tongue to try and cure his snoring problem

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A doctor who snored terribly for years says he has cured the problem by performing surgery on his own tongue.

Dr Zhang Xiangmin undertook the remarkable operation to help his long-suffering wife sleep.

He believes his snoring was caused by obstructive sleep apnoea, where the throat closes repeatedly during the night.

Dr Zhang Xiangmin performed surgery on his own tongue to try and stop his snoring problem

He said the experimental op was prompted by his desire for his long-suffering wife to get a good night's sleep

During the procedure, Dr Xiangmin inserted two thin pipes through tunnels he made on the back of his tongue. At night, the loops these pipes onto his teeth to stop his tongue from collapsing and causing him to snore

Snoring occurs when the airway is partially obstructed - the sound is generated by air rushing past the soft tissues in the throat.

In severe cases, the airway can become completely blocked, stopping breathing for up to ten seconds, before the brain jolts the body awake, causing the airway to reopen. 

During his experimental procedure, Dr Xiangmin inserted two thin pipes through tunnels he made on the back of his tongue.

At night, he loops these pipes onto his teeth to stop his tongue from collapsing and causing him to snore. 

 

Three months on, he has now declared the procedure a success.

Speaking at a press conference in Changsha, the capital of China's Hunan Province, he said: 

'The surgery won't affect normal speaking and eating functions at all, and is very safe.' 

Obstructive sleep apnoea is a risk factor for a number of conditions, including heart attack, stroke, high blood pressure, daytime fatigue and weight gain.

One of the most successful treatments for the condition is a continuous positive airway pressure mask or CPAP, where mildly increased air pressure keeps the airways open during sleep.

However, many people dislike wearing the mask, with some estimates suggesting that only half of sufferers with a CPAP device regularly use it. 

Dr Xiangmin believes his snoring was caused by obstructive sleep apnoea, where the throat closes repeatedly during the night. Snoring occurs when the airway is partially obstructed

Three months on, he has now declared the procedure a success. 'The surgery won't affect normal speaking and eating functions at all, and is very safe,' said Dr Xiangmin, speaking at a press conference 

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The real life mermaids

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For centuries mermaids have occupied the world of fantasy and fairy tale. This illustration was published in Hans Christian Andersens Fairy Tales around 1900

For thousands of years they have occupied the world of fantasy, fairy tale and folklore. 

The half-human, half-fish creatures first appeared in ancient Assyria, now Syria, when the goddess Atargatis transformed herself into a mermaid out of shame, having accidentally killed her human lover.

In history the seductive creatures have been linked to perilous events in European, African and Asian culture, including floods, storms, shipwrecks and drownings.

And they are associated with Greek mythology, Homer having referred to them as sirens - dangerous, yet beautiful creatures, who lured sailors to shipwreck.

Hans Christian Andersen's well-known fairy tale The Little Mermaid, was transformed into a Disney classic and mermaids have also been depicted in operas, paintings, books, films and comics.

But could the concept actually have been derived from a real medical condition?

Sirenomelia, also known as 'Mermaid syndrome' is a life-threatening illness, marked by the rotation and fusion of a sufferer's legs.

The rare congenital deformity causes what looks like a single limb, resembling a fish tail, in the womb.

Medical historian Lindsey Fitzharris, who has a PhD from Oxford University, told MailOnline the condition occurs from a failure of the normal vascular supply, when the umbilical cord fails to form two arteries.

As a result there is not sufficient blood supply reaching the foetus, she said.

The single artery 'steals' the blood and nutrition from the lower body, diverting it back up into the placenta.  

Suffering malnutrition, the foetus fails to develop two separate limbs. 

The condition is extremely rare, affecting one in 100,000 babies, but is 100 times more likely to occur in identical twins.

Babies born with the condition rarely live beyond a few days with more than half of cases resulting in stillbirth.

Dr Fitzharris, author of the blog The Chirurgeon's Apprentice, said: 'Over the course of my research, I've found very little about the disorder's history.

'There are snippets here and there which claim that foetuses born with sirenomelia were sometimes preserved in jars and put on display in 'freak shows' during the 19th century.

'But these sources are frustratingly vague.

'There is a brief mention of the condition in a four-volume atlas published in 1891 titled Human Monstrosities, but nothing that hints at how medical practitioners understood sirenomelia in earlier periods. 

'Perhaps because the disorder is so rare, it's also been hard for me to locate specimens in anatomical collections.

'My search in the Hunterian Museum at the Royal College of Surgeons in London came up cold.

But medical historian Lindsey Fitzharris said the inspiration for the mythical creature could come from a real medical condition. Sirenomelia also known as 'Mermaid syndrome' is a fatal illness, marked by the rotation and fusion of a sufferer's legs. Pictured are specimens on display at the Vrolik Museum in Amsterdam

Walt Disney transformed Andersens fairy tale into one of the most iconic animated films, The Little Mermaid, released in 1989

A statue of Hans Christian Andersens's the Little Mermaid in Copenhagen, Denmark, and right an illustration from Andersens Fairy Tales, right

'I did, however, find an early 20th-century example at the National Museum of Health and Medicine in Washington D.C.

'There are also three foetuses in the Anatomical Museum of the Second University of Naples, which have undergone 3D bone reconstructions.' 

But Dr Fitzharris said by far the largest collection of foetuses is to be found in Amsterdam at the Vrolik Museum.

• 

Another of the sirenomelia exhibits at the Vrolik Museum in Amsterdam, which has a vast collection of more than 5,000 human and animal anatomy

They stand in jars among more than 5,000 specimens of human and animal anatomy, embryology, pathology and congenital anomalies.

Dr Fitzharris added: 'Sirenomelia is extremely fatal.

'There are no accounts of anyone with this condition surviving in the past.

'Most died within days of being born due to kidney and bladder failure. 

'Even today, the odds are against those with sirenomelia, though there are a handful of examples of children living past infancy.'

In 1988 Tiffany Yorks underwent surgery to separate her legs before her first birthday.

She still suffers some mobility problems, because of her fragile bones, and uses crutches and a wheelchair to get around.

At the age of 26, she is the oldest known surviving sufferer of the condition.

Another notable survivor of the rare disorder is a Peruvian girl, nicknamed the Little Mermaid.

In 2006 a team of eight specialists successfully carried out a second operation on the then two-year-old Milagros Cerron. 

The youngster, whose first name means 'miracles' in Spanish, was born with the rare congenital disorder. 

Her legs were fused from groin to ankles and her feet splayed, in the characteristic form of sirenomelia.  

Most of Milagros's internal organs, including her heart and lungs, were in perfect condition.

But she was born with serious internal defects, including a deformed left kidney and a very small right kidney located very low in her body.

Her digestive, urinary tracts and genitals also shared a single tube.  

Peruvian Milagros Cerron, known as the Little Mermaid, was operated on in 2006. Surgeons completed a second operation to separate her legs, fused together after she was born with sirenomelia

In June 2005 doctors successfully performed the first in a series of risky operations to separate Milagros's lower legs, to above her knees. 

The second operation was carried out to separate the remaining fused tissue, from her knees to groin. 

Surgeon Luis Rubio, who led the specialists, said after the second surgery: 'There were no problems, no complications from anaesthesia or from haemorraghing. '

He said Milagros had developed the ability to stand alone without help and take small assisted steps.

In 2012 the then seven-year-old required a kidney transplant, part of surgery to reconstruct her urinary tract.

Rubio said at the time that Tiffany Yorks, was the only other person known to have undergone successful surgery to correct the rare congenital defect.

In 2006 the surgeon calculated Milagros would need at least 16 more operations over the course of the next decade to reconstruct and repair her digestive, urinary and sexual organs.

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Danger On The Horizon;Ebola Outbreak read this

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Experts predict up to 1.4million people in Liberia and Sierra Leone will become infected with Ebola by January, as experimental drugs are set to be tested in West Africa for the first time.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is expected to release the predictions for the two West African nations, which have shown the steadiest and most alarming spread of cases, today.

It comes as the World Health Organisation warn cases could reach 21,000 in six weeks unless efforts to curb the outbreak are ramped up.  

The disease has already claimed more than 2,600 lives in the region since February, when the latest outbreak - the largest since the virus was discovered in 1976 - began in Guinea.  

Today the Wellcome Trust announced a £3.2million grant will allow clinical trials to begin at existing Ebola treatment centres in the hardest hit areas. 

Experimental Ebola treatments will be tested in West Africa for the first time as part of an international initiative to fast-track trials of the most promising drugs. Pictured, a Nigerian health official wearing protective clothing waits to screen passengers for the virus at the international airport in Lagos

The disease has already claimed more than 2,600 lives in the region since February, when the latest outbreak - the largest since the virus was discovered in 1976 - began in Guinea. A health worker is pictured spraying a man with disinfectant after he is thought to have died from the disease

Beds inside the 'Island Clinic', a new Ebola treatment centre that has opened in Monrovia, Liberia.  It comes as one of the worst affected countries announced a four-fold increase in beds for patients with the virus 

It comes as the UN Security Council declared the epidemic a threat to international peace and security, and called for an urgent response. 

Since the first cases were reported six months ago, more than 5,800 people have become infected with the virus. 

Officials say cases are continuing to increase exponentially and Ebola could infect people for years to come without better control measures.

In recent weeks, health officials worldwide have stepped up efforts to provide aid but the virus is still spreading. 

 

Christopher Dye, WHO's director of strategy, said: 'We're beginning to see some signs in the response that gives us hope this increase in cases won't happen.

'This is a bit like weather forecasting. We can do it a few days in advance, but looking a few weeks or months ahead is very difficult.'

They also calculated the death rate to be about 70 per cent among hospitalised patients but noted many Ebola cases were only identified after they died. 

WHO is just one of the groups that have attempted to calculate the epidemic's future toll. 

The CDC calculations are based, in part, on assumptions that cases have been dramatically under reported. 

This is a bit like weather forecasting. We can do it a few days in advance, but looking a few weeks or months ahead is very difficult

- Christopher Dye, WHO 

Other projections have not made the same kind of attempt to quantify illnesses that may have been missed in official counts.

CDC scientists conclude there may be as many as 21,000 reported and unreported cases in just those two countries as soon as the end of this month, according to a draft version of the report obtained by The Associated Press. 

The agency's numbers seem 'somewhat pessimistic' and do not account for infection control efforts already underway, said Dr Richard Wenzel, a Virginia Commonwealth University scientist who formerly led the International Society for Infectious Diseases. 

Dr Armand Sprecher, an infectious diseases specialist at Doctors Without Borders, said: 'It's a big assumption that nothing will change in the current outbreak response.

'Ebola outbreaks usually end when people stop touching the sick.

'The outbreak is not going to end tomorrow but there are things we can do to reduce the case count.' 

A £3.2million grant from the Wellcome Trust will allow clinical trials to begin at existing Ebola treatment centres. Pallets of supplies are loaded on to a 747 aircraft at New York's JFK airport, bound for West Africa

New estimates from the World Health Organisation warn the number of Ebola cases could hit 21,000 in six weeks unless efforts to curb the outbreak are ramped up

160 NHS STAFF VOLUNTEER TO GO TO EBOLA-RAVAGED WEST AFRICA 

More than 160 doctors, nurses, paramedics and other NHS staff have volunteered to go to Ebola-ravaged West Africa.

They will spend six weeks trying to stem the worst-ever outbreak of the disease, which has claimed more than 2,800 lives.

The number of cases will continue to ‘climb exponentially’, with more than 20,000 people infected by the start of November, unless urgent action is taken, the World Health Organisation has forecast.

By Monday night – three days after Dame Sally Davies, the government’s chief medical officer, issued a plea for British healthcare staff to volunteer – some 164 had come forward.

They will be given training before they go on how to prevent the virus spreading in hospitals – and how to protect themselves against infection.

The disease has taken a high toll on healthcare workers, including British nurse Will Pooley, 29, who caught ebola while working in blood-spattered wards in Sierra Leone.

He has since made a full recovery and has given blood which will contain antibodies to help save the life of a close friend.

Today, experts warned that the disease might be here to stay – and become a part of life like flu, HIV or TB.

If it does become endemic in West Africa, this raises the odds of it coming to Britain, said Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust.

A £3.2million grant from the trust, one of the world’s biggest medical charities, will be used test much-needed ebola drugs in Africa for the first time, with the first doses given in November.

Dr Farrar said: ‘We have to seize the opportunity of these terrible circumstances to change the future.’

By Fiona MacRae 

Local health officials have launched campaigns to educate people about the symptoms of Ebola and not to touch the sick or the dead. 

Previous Ebola outbreaks have been in other areas of Africa; this is the first to hit West Africa.

Dr Sprecher was also unconvinced Ebola could continue causing cases for years and said diseases that persist in the environment usually undergo significant changes to become less deadly or transmissible.

Christopher Dye, WHO's director of strategy and colleagues wrote they expected the numbers of cases and deaths from Ebola to continue rising from hundreds to thousands of cases per week in the coming months - and reach 21,000 by early November. He said it was worrisome that new cases were popping up in areas that hadn't previously reported Ebola, like in parts of Guinea.

'The picture is too unclear at the moment,' he said, noting the outbreak is continuing to double in size about every three weeks,' he said.

Scientists said the response to Ebola in the next few months would be crucial.

'The window for controlling this outbreak is closing,' said Adam Kucharski, a research fellow in infectious disease epidemiology at the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine.   

There are not enough hospital beds, health workers or even soap and water in the hardest-hit West African countries, Guinea, Sierra Leone and Liberia.

Last week, the U.S. announced it would build more than a dozen medical centres in Liberia and send 3,000 troops to help. 

Britain and France have also pledged to build treatment centres in Sierra Leone and Guinea and the World Bank and UNICEF have sent more than $1million worth of supplies to the region.

In August, a WHO panel unanimously concluded that in exceptional circumstances it would be ethical to use experimental drugs in people with Ebola.

There are a number of drugs, currently in development, that have shown promise in the laboratory.  

Empty street in Freetown, Sierra Leone during a three-day lockdown to attempt to stop the spread of Ebola

A U.S. military aircraft is pictured at Roberts International Airport in Monrovia, Liberia 

Animal studies on non-human primates have proved encouraging. 

Last week the first volunteer in the UK was given one of the experimental vaccines, as a new trial got underway at the University of Oxford.

Any new drug faces rigorous clinical trials before they are deemed safe for human use.

But this new initiative, announced today, will allow experimental treatments to be assessed rapidly in patients.

It means those that prove to be safe and effective can be adopted for use as soon as possible.

The project is being led by Dr Peter Horby of the Centre for Tropical Medicine and Global Health at Oxford University. 

He said: 'The Ebola situation in West Africa is an ongoing tragedy of immense proportions and we urgently need to know whether any of these investigational treatments can save lives. 

'In essence we need straightforward clinical trials, as for any drug for any disease, but new ways of working will be needed to provide rapid and reliable answers in perhaps the most challenging outbreak we have ever encountered. 

'Effective drugs will not only help individual patients but will also increase community confidence in the value of Ebola treatment centres, thereby improving our chances of controlling the outbreak through isolation and treatment of infectious patients.'

The funding will be used to establish a series of trials in West Africa - where the disease has rampaged through communities.

Ruth Atkins, the first UK volunteer to receive an experimental Ebola treatment as part of a new clinical trial at Oxford University

Once the most suitable sites for the trials have been identified, the WHO will facilitate access to the treatments, and rapid ethical review, and implementation of the trials in affected countries.

The precise details of how the trials will be carried out are under discussion with all stakeholders and those communities that could be involved. 

Dr Jeremy Farrar, director of the Wellcome Trust, said: 'It is a huge challenge to carry out clinical trials under such difficult conditions, but ultimately this is the only way we will ever find out whether any new Ebola treatments actually work.  

'What's more, rapid trials, followed by large-scale manufacturing and distribution of any effective treatments, might produce medicines that could be used in this epidemic. 

'The Wellcome Trust funding will allow these trials to happen quickly, and in an ethically and scientifically robust setting.'

A number of treatments are being considered for use in the trials.

A team of experts, appointed by WHO, will recommend which to prioritise based on factors including which is likely to work best the availability of the intervention, the ability to safely administer the treatment in Ebola centres, and the capacity for manufacture on a useful scale.

A number of pharmaceutical companies including Mapp Biopharmaceutical, Sarepta and Tekmira are collaborating and are providing key data on efficacy, safety, and production abilities for a number of potential drugs. 

Dr Marie-Paule Kieny, assistant director-general of WHO's Health Systems and Innovation, said: 'In order to benefit the broader community, WHO confirmed that it is ethical to offer unregistered therapeutic interventions to Ebola patients in the context of the current outbreak, while ensuring that as much information on their safety and efficacy is collected as possible. 

'This platform provides an excellent opportunity to put this recommendation into action.'

Dr Piero Olliaro, senior research manager at TDR, the Special Programme for Research and Training in Tropical Diseases at WHO, said: 'This clinical trials platform will make it possible to rapidly test potential treatments in the affected West African countries. 

'The data will be openly available, an important step for ongoing scientific investigations. 

'The Wellcome Trust's financial commitment is an important and valuable contribution to helping us find new treatments for this terrible outbreak.'

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The tiny steps that'll transform your life;Watch Video here

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Most people spend more time planning their wedding day or buying a second-hand car than they do mapping out their life and their career.

Just 3 per cent of us actively bother to set ourselves proper life goals. For everyone else, the task seems simply too daunting.

We cross our fingers, muddle through and hope for the best.

Scroll down for video  

Plan your next holiday today for a more productive personal and business life says author Tom O'Neil

And yet studies have shown that those who do set goals go on to achieve a significantly more successful life than those who don’t.

Which is where the One Per Cent Principle comes in.

At its core is the idea that by making tiny changes to our lives, we massively increase our chances of business and personal success.

Through a series of mini goals achieved over a short to medium period, we can totally transform what we achieve and how we live.

In my new book, I show you how to tweak a series of aspects of your life — marriage, health, career, friends, finances, family, time management, fun and lifestyle — to spectacular effect, through setting yourself a series of mini goals.

Arrange any appointments, such as dental check-ups, you’ve been putting off in order to declutter your diary

These are not major, life-changing actions, but when they are all added up towards a specific objective they can have a massive impact on your productivity and quality of life.

Here are my suggestions for applying the One Per Cent Principle to specific areas of your life.

You’ll be amazed what a difference they can make.

RELATIONSHIPS

• Give your partner a genuine compliment today that they have never heard from you before. For example: ‘I really like your dress style.’ Or: ‘You look great in that top.’

• Have an honest, fair and open discussion about the main thing you argue about in your relationship. (For example, money, sex or children.) What is one thing you could each do to make this problem less of a struggle in your relationship?

• Say something positive to your partner. Research shows that happy couples tend to have a five-to-one ratio of positive to negative comments.

Cook a meal together. Either work together on one meal, or take turns making a course each, while the other person talks and sips wine

LITTLE WAYS TO BOOST YOUR HEALTH 

• Take half a teaspoon less sugar in your coffee or tea today.

• Try a new food — but not a takeaway

• Go for a week without fizzy drinks or alcohol.

• Learn how to do CPR.

• Do ten press-ups and ten stomach curls.

• Ask yourself if there is an area in your life that you are struggling with. This could be mental, physical, emotional or spiritual. Ask someone you care about today for the help and support you need.

• Go to bed half-an-hour earlier to ensure you get the sleep your body needs.

• Spend time outside in the sunshine absorbing valuable vitamin D — but make sure you use enough sunscreen.

• Turn your alarm off at the weekend and make sure you are getting enough sleep.

• Ask your partner about their childhood. What were their favourite secret places, what pets did they have and what were their best holidays?

• Think about a time when something went wrong between the two of you. Ask yourself: ‘What could I have done differently? What could we have done differently? What is it we can learn from this?’ Talk to your partner about it, starting with what you could have done differently.

• Cook a meal together. Either work together on one meal, or take turns making a course each, while the other person talks and sips wine.

• Make your partner a surprise breakfast with all the trimmings.

• Leave a note telling your partner you love them, which they will stumble across during their day, or send them a loving email.

• Next time your partner mentions an appointment they are going to (for example, a meeting at work, lunch with a friend or catching up with a family member) remember to ask them how it went.

• Think about something you’ve both wanted to do together and find a DVD or website that shows you how to do it. Plan a date night around watching it together.

•  Instead of watching TV, read a story out loud to each other or have a game of cards.

•  Put on music you both like and dance in your living room.

FAMILY 

• For four days a week, limit your family’s total TV, Facebook and YouTube use to one hour per day. Use the time you would normally spend on these things for some fun family activities.

• Set up a regular board game night once a week.

• Tell your children about your family history.

• Organise one-to-one time with each of your children this week.

• Phone your parents or grandparents. Sometimes a ten-minute call is all they need to feel loved.

• Say ‘yes’, rather than ‘no’ to your children. You won’t remember the report you were writing in a year’s time, but they will remember the walk you took them on.

• Introduce your children to a skill you are good at. This could be fishing, painting, gardening or working with computers.

Take Time to . . .

• Set your alarm clock for 15 minutes earlier and spend this time planning what you want to achieve.

• Declutter you life by giving an object you don’t use any more to someone in need. This could be an old suitcase, a pram, or a barbecue.

•  Read a book in the next week.

• Arrange any appointments, such as dental check-ups, you’ve been putting off.

• Set up contingency plans. For example, sort out a spare set of car and house keys, or work out a different way to get the children to school.

• Put an emergency box in the boot of your car. Include an umbrella, a first-aid kit, raincoat and a torch.

• Take an extra business shirt or blouse to work and leave it there as a spare.

• Tidy one drawer a day.

• Consider your to-do list. Is it overwhelming you? Eliminate all but the absolute essential tasks and rewrite your list, making it more manageable.

CAREER

Many of these activities will take no more than a few minutes. (One per cent of your day is 14 minutes.) But their effects on your career could be far-reaching:

• Update your CV with some of your recent achievements. These can include things you might not have thought of, such as being awarded extra responsibility in your department, or taking part in a special project.

•  Find out about further training you can do to improve your employability.

• Do a survey online and find out what people with jobs similar to you are being paid in the market.

Update your CV with some of your recent achievements. These can include things you might not have thought of, such as being awarded extra responsibility in your department, or taking part in a special project

• Think about what you want to be doing for work in ten years’ time. Write this down and start to plan how you can make this dream a reality.

MINI MONEY SAVERS 

Here are some small things you can do that could improve your finances:

• Set up an automatic payment of £25 a week towards your retirement.

• Take ten minutes to review your bank balances and financial agreements.

• Ensure all your insurance policies are up to date.

• Use price comparison websites to find the cheapest option when buying a medium or large-sized item. (I did this recently buying a fridge and found a £150 price difference.)

• Set up direct debits for household bills.

• Set up a ‘sanity money’ account, so you can indulge in treats without blowing the family budget.

• Make your own lunch and take it to work rather than buying overpriced (and often unhealthy) cafe or deli food.

• Calculate the cheapest way to get to work (including public transport, bicycle, walking and so on) and try it out.

• Keep all your receipts for a week and find out exactly where your money is going. Analyse your findings and look to cut back where necessary.

• Do a personal asset stocktake and streamline your life. Does your family need three TVs?

• Think of three things that you love about your job.

• Tell a friendly colleague that you genuinely enjoy working with them.

• Start a blog about your professional area of expertise. Over time you will develop a following and be seen as a key person in your industry. However, remember to ensure you do not breach any confidentiality or privacy issues and get permission from your manager, if required.

• Sharpen up all your online profiles (including LinkedIn, Twitter and Facebook), making sure you come across professionally.

•  Clean up your desk and rearrange your furniture so it’s more efficient.

•  When you make a decision in your job, ask: ‘If I owned the business, would I do this?

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LIFESTYLE AND FUN

• Ask your boss about working from home for one day a week.

• Be disciplined about turning off your work phone and don’t answer any emails at the weekend.

• Plan your next holiday today.

• Write down up to ten things that you enjoy: whether it’s spending time with family, going to the cinema, belonging to a gym or learning a new language.

• Take time to reflect on the past 12 months. What were the highs and lows? What were the successes and failures? How can you move forward in the next 12 months?

• Think of a time when you felt really alive. What were you doing and how can you re-capture that feeling?

FRIENDS

• Phone a different friend every day for a week just to catch up and say hello.

• Organise to have coffee with a friend you have lost touch with.

• Cull your Facebook friends back to only those who actually mean something to you.

• Make a list of your friends’ birthdays and ring or text them on the day.

• Offer to babysit for a couple who have not had an opportunity to have a night out without their children.

• Start writing a journal or diary. You will be amazed how therapeutic this can be.

• Learn to ignore things that aren’t important in your life or don’t affect you directly.

• Go somewhere alone. Listen to the sounds, feel the breeze and focus on enjoying the time with just you.

• Think of a favourite memory. When you are stressed, remembering happy moments can relax your mind.

• Give yourself a present. It might be a week on a cruise, or a day off.

•  Surround yourself with happy people. It’s easy to think negatively when you are surrounded by people who think that way. Conversely, if you are around people who are happy, their emotional state is infectious.

• Learn to laugh at the little things and be amused by your mistakes and failures.

• Stop being a perfectionist today. Doing the best job you can is vital to your success; however, perfectionism will destroy all your pleasure and send you in search of the unattainable.

The 1% Principle by Tom O’Neil, £9.99, is published by HarperCollins.

Don't let fear of failure hold you back

Even when we do set ourselves goals and targets, as often as not we lose heart and give up. There are a large number of reasons for this. Among them are:

Trying too much, too quickly

When we set ourselves goals we often get over-excited, failing to think through the time and/or money needed to achieve them. We start to miss deadlines and progress begins to fall away. We say to ourselves: ‘This is too hard. I cannot set and achieve my goals. I am a failure at this.’

No passion for the goal

It’s important to understand who is setting your goals. Family psychologist Dr James Dobson has highlighted the story of a man whose father and grandfather were both surgeons.

No prizes for guessing what the family expected the man to do as he grew up. He duly qualified as a doctor and then a surgeon.

His family was very proud, and he went on to have a highly successful career.

On the day his father died, however, the man resigned from his post at a leading hospital and signed up for a new job as a builder’s labourer. His passion had always been for building and construction.

He had no real enthusiasm for the medical profession. It sounds basic, but make sure that the goals you set are your goals — not those chosen by your parents, friends, colleagues or teachers. Be true to who you are and who you want to be.

Procrastination/distraction

The ability to procrastinate and get distracted by a wide range of unimportant things can be very strong, especially when the next stage of your goal is some distance away.

Tasks such as tidying your desk or cleaning your car take on a new importance.

This becomes a trap because we unwisely devote our time to these small jobs, then get caught when it becomes apparent that we cannot reach our goals in time.

Fear of failure

A lot of the time we don’t achieve our goals because we are afraid we may be seen as a fraud or a failure if things don’t go according to plan. This leads to a state of ‘development paralysis’, whereby we don’t strive towards the goals we have set, then later on don’t set any goals at all.

Don’t worry what other people think. Just focus on taking that next 1 per cent step towards your destiny. Trying is what counts.

Howcast presents 3 easy anti-stress tricks (related)

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The Duchess of Cambridge suffers from vomiting

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Kensington Palace officials were forced to announce the pregnancy early because Kate is suffering from severe hyperemesis gravidarum

The country rejoiced when it was announced that the Duchess of Cambridge is pregnant again. 

But the spare is proving as troublesome for the Duchess as the heir – Kensington Palace officials were forced to announce the pregnancy early because Kate, right, is suffering from severe hyperemesis gravidarum.

I was quite troubled to see this referred to by some commentators as morning sickness. It’s not. Morning sickness is a very common symptom of pregnancy, affecting about half of all expectant mothers, and it ranges from mild nausea to daily vomiting. It isn’t pleasant but it certainly isn’t serious.

Hyperemesis gravidarum, on the other hand, is brutal. Affecting only two per cent of pregnant women, the sickness is so severe that sufferers end up dehydrated and weak.

This often results in hospital admission – as it did when Kate was carrying her first child – for intravenous fluids and heavy-duty anti-sickness drugs. Thankfully, in most cases the health of the baby is unaffected.

The Royal couple are also said to be hiring a maternity nurse, who will live with mother and baby round-the-clock. William and Kate did not do the same for Prince George – but I say if you can afford it, go for it.

Managing with sleepless nights is one of the hardest things to get used to as a parent, and it is not necessarily easier the second time around.

Sleep deprivation is a bit like being run over by a five-ton truck every day. It is a big strain on both parents, and I admire the couple for coming up with a sensible strategy and admitting that they need help. Their lives are under constant scrutiny, and I hope they will not be judged unfairly for this move.

WHY I'M FORCED TO REVEAL YOUR SECRETS 

My mother, who is in her 90s, recently had food poisoning. Shortly after she recovered, our local council wrote to her and then called asking all sorts of questions about what she’d eaten and where. My concern is that her medical information was passed on to the council without her consent. I thought what happened between patient and doctor was confidential?

I can reassure you that the experience your mother has had is entirely correct and permissible. Patient confidentiality is a right of every patient, as you say, and doctors have a strict responsibility to uphold this. However, there are situations where confidentiality can be breached, such as in cases where protecting the health of the community overrides the individual right of a patient.

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Hyperemesis gravidarum often results in hospital admission as it did when Kate was carrying her first child

A doctor is required by law to report cases of any disease capable of starting an epidemic – such as serious food poisoning – immediately to the local public health team. This gives the authorities a much greater chance of preventing the spread.

Some diseases are unlikely to cause an epidemic but reveal a breakdown in hygiene that needs investigation.

Notifiable diseases are usually those that spread rapidly and are difficult to treat, or those that can be used to monitor the effectiveness of vaccine programmes. The list includes 30 infections, among them measles, scarlet fever, TB – and even plague. The full list can be found on the gov.uk website.

As a GP, it is my statutory duty to report these diseases even when they are only suspected, rather than confirmed. The principle is to ensure that an outbreak is contained. Speed is of the essence and, in order to facilitate this, a GP is obliged to provide full personal details to officials in the patient’s local authority area.

Those officials are then able to contact the patient directly so that appropriate action can be taken to control or prevent further infection.

I have chronic bronchitis and although I’m not able to walk far, I do try in order to keep fit. My oxygen levels are normal but I still suffer from a lot of pain in my chest. I already use three different inhalers and my doctor says there’s nothing more he can do. Is there anything that you could suggest?

Three million people in the UK are estimated to suffer from chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, encompassing lung conditions including emphysema and chronic bronchitis.

They all cause narrowing of the airways in the lung and a debilitating, progressive condition that interferes with normal breathing and exercise tolerance as you describe.

Smoking is the main cause and if you are a smoker, quitting is the most important thing. Stopping smoking can prevent the disease from worsening. Your GP can offer you all forms of nicotine-replacement or tablets on prescription.

Inhalers are not easy to use and many COPD sufferers have poor technique, which leads to them being less effective. A practice nurse will, if asked, check your technique and offer help. The next step of treatment once inhalers are at a maximum level could be tablet therapy.

It is also crucial to discuss with your GP something called pulmonary rehabilitation, a type of physical and educational treatment specifically for COPD sufferers who feel disabled by their condition.

Anyone in this situation who suffers chest pains should make sure their GP knows. The pain can be a symptom of COPD but also a sign of heart disease, and cardiology investigations may be needed alongside the respiratory treatments.

HAS CANCER MOTHER LAURA PAID £80,000 FOR FALSE HOPE? 

Are NHS doctors keeping life-saving treatments from young mothers dying of cancer? The story of Laura Fischer-Beards, apparently saved last week by US surgeons after being refused NHS treatment for an ‘inoperable’ brain tumour, suggests they are.

Mother-of-three Laura was given 12 months to live, but now has had an £80,000 ‘pioneering procedure’, reported to have extended her life by as much as 15 years. Of course I’m pleased for her. But the story is full of half-truths.

Laura Fischer-Beards was given 12 months to live, but now has had an £80,000 ‘pioneering procedure'

She suffers from grade two glioma – a slow-growing, difficult and unpredictable cancer. Typically, patients live for between five and 15 years from diagnosis. Laura had already had radiotherapy, chemotherapy and surgery.

And the procedure she paid for, awake mapping craniotomy, is offered on the NHS. But she’d suffered a stroke during the first surgery. Surgery would carry a huge risk of permanent disability and offer no guarantee she would live longer, as it’s almost impossible to remove all the cancerous cells, which don’t show up on scans.

American doctors agreed to operate and say they removed ‘100 per cent of the enhanced tumour’. This sounds as if they’ve cured her, doesn’t it? Not so. This is medical terminology for: ‘We’ve got all we can see on the scans.’

Perhaps the operation has bought her more time. But she may well have lived as long or longer had they done nothing.

It’s difficult to accept that watching and waiting can be as good as – or better than – ‘battling’ cancer. I recently read Do No Harm, by British neurosurgeon Henry Marsh. His more experienced self recognises that not operating often results in the same clinical outcome and life expectancy.

Laura’s UK doctors would have operated if they thought it would benefit her. And beware false hope. The cruel part is not that she has spent £80,000 – it is what she seems to think she has been given for her money.

DON'T PUNISH WORKERS JUST FOR BEING ILL

I was furious when told about the case of a depressed patient forced by their boss to take time off for psychotherapy as paid holiday. The Chief Medical Officer’s latest report focuses on mental health, particularly the huge toll mental illness takes on our workforce.

It states that 17 million working days are lost each year due to stress, depression and other mental health problems, costing Britain up to £100 billion annually. But that figure completely misses the huge and far more significant personal costs such issues cause to individuals and their families.

Sadly, I see the problem workers face trying to access therapy – long waiting times and availability only during office hours. And although the example I’ve detailed is extreme, not to mention illegal, more options should be open to all patients that will keep them living as normal a life as possible.

The Chief Medical Officer suggests fast-tracking workers ahead of others into therapy to improve the situation. But that would just create a two-tiered system, going against the principles of the NHS.

It would far better to legislate to ensure that employers build mental health support into the core of their working practices.

That would help improve the situation before individuals have even reached their GP’s surgery.

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