Tag Archives: explained

Does Your Business Need a CE Marking?

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fittosize__188_0_6b5875022545918593cca24dce9d3f1a_f_press_title_seminars_and_courses_shu159781091_cold1_3c_2015_08_800px_webBeing safe in business is important. Lawsuits or worse could happen if you do not make sure your products work well and have no faults. the business world is littered with stories of companies that did not make the necessary steps to protect their company and their customers. In fact, since 1995 manufacturers have had to make sure they get their machines assessed to make sure they conform to safety standards. A CE marking confirms that the machinery adheres to all of the necessary health and safety requirements of the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC as well as other relevant EU directives. In fact, all machinery imported from non-EU countries requires a CE mark, irrespective of the year of construction.

 

We have all seen CE markings on things we have bought but how do you get one? A company like Pilz, who are an accredited inspection body for machinery and safeguarding devices, will do all of the work for you. Pilz are one of the only companies that are prepared to take responsibility for the conformity assessment procedure. They sign as the authorised representative on the declaration of conformity, confirming that the requirements of the Machinery Directive 2006/42/EC have been met. Their staff work to a high level of technical competence and they leave you with peace of mind, knowing that your machinery reaches the required quality. This not only guarantee access to European market but it means you will have Pilz as your representative. Doing CE markings with Pilz also protects your workforces without compromising on productivity.

 

After Pilz identify and apply the relevant standards and directives, carrying our the necessary inspections, tests and measurements, you will have a complete CE-marking in conformance with legal requirements. For extra peace of mind they also create and archive the required legal documents and manage the certificate. Great stuff indeed.

 

 

Cholesterol Egg-splained by Dr Kathleen Thompson

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When I was a child, eggs were definitely good for us – We were encouraged to ‘go to work on an egg’ and boiled eggs with runny yolks and toast soldiers were a healthy meal.

Then in the 1970s everything changed. We were warned that eggs raised blood cholesterol. This caused atherosclerotic plaques (fatty deposits), which narrowed our arteries and reduced blood flow, resulting in heart attacks and strokes.

Cholesterol Egg-splained by Dr Kathleen Thompson

Overnight the egg was recast from hero to villain.

These changes were based on some small studies of animals which were fed high-cholesterol diets, plus large trials involving people who regularly ate cholesterol-rich foods such as eggs.

Forty-years on, we understand that the conclusions reached were flawed.

Dietary studies are always difficult. It is relatively easy to compare a group of patients who are given a new drug with a group who aren’t. In contrast, one can hardly make a group of people eat copious daily eggs for several years, to see whether they suffer more heart attacks than people who don’t.

So, usually people with a certain eating pattern of interest (eg high egg consumption) are followed, and their rates of disease are compared to those with different eating patterns.

However, confounding factors can influence these results. The people who ate lots of eggs in the cholesterol studies often also consumed more saturated fats and trans fats too, in red and processed meat. Other important factors which can affect blood cholesterol, such as physical activity and exercise, were also different between the two groups.

Consequently, eggs were wrongly blamed for blood cholesterol increases.

One should always be wary of facts based on research. Studies are very powerful tools, and numerous important advances have resulted, but the accuracy of data is dependent on the design of the study and interpretation of the results, and can be misleading.

The reality for cholesterol is more complicated than people thought. Our body makes most of our cholesterol itself. Food sources only contribute slightly in most people. Even then, eating eggs raises (protective) high density lipoprotein (HDL) cholesterol, rather than the harmful low density lipopoprotein (LDL) type.

Diabetics handle cholesterol differently, and some people are sensitive to cholesterol. These, in addition to people with familial hypercholesterolaemia (an inherited condition) may need to limit dietary intake.

For most though, blood cholesterol is best controlled with exercise, not smoking, weight control and avoiding saturated and trans fats.

Eggs are an excellent food source. Egg protein provides all the amino acids needed to build healthy muscle. The fat in eggs is mainly monosaturated (44%) and polysaturated (11%). They provide vitamin D and other important nutrients and a medium egg only contains 80 calories.

Free-range chickens can eat worms, insects and other natural foods, which could theoretically improve the quality of their eggs, but all eggs are good.

So, why not go to work on one?

Further Information and References:

http://www.bmj.com/content/346/bmj.e8539

http://www.webmd.com/heart-disease/guide/heart-disease-lower-cholesterol-risk

Note: These articles express personal views. No warranty is made as to the accuracy or completeness of information given and you should always consult a doctor if you need medical advice

 

 

Kate’s Royal Morning Sickness explained and top tips on keeping nausea at bay

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Following the news that The Duchess of Cambridge has been hospitalized due to severe morning sickness (otherwise known as Hyperemesis Gravidarum), we enlist the help of the UK’s leading women’s health expert and nutritionist Dr Marilyn Glenville PhD and Russell Bowman, expert nutritionist at The Nutri Centre to shed light on this rare condition and give us their top tips on keeping morning sickness at bay

In the first three months of pregnancy, more than 90% of expectant mothers will suffer some level of morning sickness – which despite its name, doesn’t occur only in the morning.

So what are the causes?

‘Morning sickness is due to the changes in the female sex hormones oestrogen and progesterone which women experience early in pregnancy’, Russell Bouwman, Nutritionist, The Nutri Centre.

What are the symptoms?

Symptoms of morning sickness don’t just include nauseas and sickness.  Marilyn says ‘Symptoms can include cramps, heart-burn, cravings, intense hunger, a metallic taste in your mouth and feeling of weakness and tiredness. Morning sickness may also be related to the increased sensitivity to odours that pregnant women experience, which can trigger nausea. Unfortunately this is all just part of being pregnant, and your doctor won’t be able to prescribe you anything to relieve the symptoms, which are usually confined to the first trimester of pregnancy.  But its not all bad news, according to a study by the National Institute of Child Health and Human Development in the USA, women who vomit during pregnancy are more likely to carry all the way to term and deliver healthier babies’

The Royal Sickness

Kate Middleton is suffering from Hyperemesis Gravidarum, an acute and potentially dangerous form of morning sickness.  For most women, the symptoms of morning sickness are mild to moderate but for an unlucky few, (on average 1 in 50 expectant mothers), morning sickness occurs in its most severe form.  ‘If you suffer from this condition, you may vomit so much that you are unable to keep any food or drink down and hospitalization may be necessary in order to be intravenously fed fluids.  This condition can also be dangerous for you and your baby, so if you’re vomiting so much that you can’t eat or drink, it’s essential that you consult your doctor immediately’ warns Marilyn.

 

Mother Nature to the Rescue –

9 natural remedies to help you achieve a morning sickness-free 9 months

Apple Cider Vinegar – ‘Apple cider vinegar is pH neutral, so it can help settle the stomach acid which causes nausea. Add 2 tsp of apple cider vinegar to a cup of warm water first thing in the morning to help keep nausea at bay’ advises Marilyn. Try Higher Nature’s Organic Apple Cider Vinegar, £6.50 from www.nutrientre.com.

Almonds – ‘Almonds are a great source of protein and calcium, both of which can settle your stomach.’  Take Marilyn’s sickness-busting tip and soak 10 almonds (unroasted) over-night, peel off the skins in the morning before eating.

Water – drinking water is essential to compensate for the fluids lost during vomiting.  Marilyn suggests you ‘keep a pint of mineral water by your bed with the juice of half a lemon and a pinch of salt.  The lemon juice makes the water more alkaline and this seems to settle he stomach.’

Vitamin B6 – Some experts believe morning sickness is caused by high levels of oestrogen in the system.  Marilyn explains ‘oestrogen can build up when the liver isn’t efficiently flushing away the excess. ‘Vitamin B6 can help clear away excess toxins by optimising liver function.’ BioCare’s Vitamin B6 is a water soluble B vitamin which is yeast free and suitable for vegans. Biocare’s Vitamin B6 is £8.80 for a 2 months supply and is available from www.biocare.co.uk.

Ginger – Ginger supplements have been proven to ease nausea by helping food to pass more rapidly through the digestive system, as well as reducing the stimulation to the part of the brain that prompts a burst of nausea or vomiting. Russell says ‘Ginger can be helpful in preventing nausea and morning sickness, and research suggests that it can be effective. Ginger contains many active ingredients including phenols, which can improve gastroduodenal motility and reduce the sensations that cause nausea’. Ginger can affect certain heart and blood medications, so speak to your GP if you are taking these’.  Russell recommends:

Ginger People’s Ginger Chews Original, £1.55 from www.nutricentre.com. Containing fresh ginger this is a handy remedy to keep in your handbag on the go or by your bed ready to take first thing in the morning.

BioCare’s Gingerdophilus (Ginger and Probiotic Combination), £20.40 for a months supply from www.biocare.co.uk.  This product combines powdered ginger with the benefit of probiotics, which can assist in digestive complaints as well as the nausea associated with morning sickness. 3 capsules provides 900mg of ginger which can be effective for short term use (4-5 days at a time).

Lemon therapy – ‘Lemon juice can help to relieve nausea, even by just inhaling its fragrance. Cut a lemon in half and rub the juice on your hands, then hold your hands to your face and take a deep breath whenever you feel nauseous.’ advises Marilyn. To replenish fluids try Pukka’s Lemon Green Tea, a light blend of smooth green tea with a subtle twist of Sicilian lemon and fragrant lemon verbana. Available from www.pukkaherbs.com for £2.25

Homeopathy – Marilyn advises you take the most appropriate in a 30c potency, 4 times a day for 3 days:

Arsenicum – is best if you have a sense of constant nausea, some vomiting and if you feel exhausted or faint.

Ipecac – for morning sickness that isn’t relieved by either vomiting or stress

Nux vomica – if you feel nauseous, but better if you actually vomit

Sepia – if you feel constantly nauseous, but a little better if you eat little and often.

Acupressure – One study showed a 60% improvement in morning sickness in women who used acupressure.  The acupressure point for nausea is at the base of your wrist, about 5cm fro the crease of your wrist on the inside of your rm.  Press on this point for several seconds each time you feel nausea coming on.  Alternatively you can buy acupressure bands to do this job for you.

Aromatherapy – Try putting a few drops each of rosewood and lavender essential oils onto a tissue or handkerchief and inhale during the day.

 

Russell Bouwman gives us his top tips on avoiding morning sickness

  • Become a protein grazer – Eat small, frequent meals and snacks throughout the day so your stomach is not too empty or too full at once. Research suggests that high-protein foods were more likely to ease symptoms.
  • Snack attack – keep simple snacks such as ginger biscuits or crackers by your bed. When you first wake up, eat a small amount and then rest for a while longer before getting up. Snacking may also help you feel better if you wake up nauseated in the middle of the night.
  • Take it slow – Getting up slowly in the morning, by sitting on the bed for a few minutes rather than jumping right up may also be helpful.
  • Smell the roses, or not – Try to avoid foods and smells that trigger your nausea. Due to your heightened sense of smell, you may find that certain foods that you enjoyed before you fell pregnant may make you feel queasy now. If so, you could try sticking to more bland smelling or tasting foods for the short term.

Dr Marilyn Glenville PhD is the UK’s leading nutritionist specialising in women’s health. She is the author of 10 internationally bestselling books, including the recently re-launched Getting Pregnant Faster and The Natural Health Bible for Women. Marilyn practices in her clinics in Tunbridge Wells (Kent), St John’s Wood (London), Kensington (London) and Rathmines (Dublin). For more information on specific health problems see Dr Glenville’s website www.marilynglenville.com.