Woman’s Weekly UK – 27 August 2019

Chinaistheepicentreofthecurrent

worldwideoutbreakofAfricanswine

fever– a highlycontagiousvirusinpigs,

whichisincurableandhasa near100%

fatalityrate.Theviruscanliveonin

uncookedorfrozenporkforseveralweeks,

butisnotthoughttobeharmfultohumans.

However,thepandemicwillaffectthe

availabilityofporkmeat,ofwhichChinais

themajorsupplier.

PIG VIRUS

PANDEMIC

Thousandsofmarineviruses

havebeendiscovered

Ocean

viruses

Overthepastfew

years,scientistshave

recognisedthatevenin

thedeepoceansthere

areviruses,andthe

recentTaraOceans

studysuggeststhe

numberismuchhigher

thanthought.Eventhe

ArcticOceansamples

haveshownmany

previouslyunknown

viruses.It’spoorly

understoodbutvirus

populationsmay

playabiggerrolein

oceanbacterialcontrol

andmanagementof

thecarboncyclethan

werealised.

Dr Gill

Advice from the Woman’s Weekly doctor

DrGillJenkins

hasmorethan^25 years’

experienceasaGP

COPING WITH...

E-cigarettes provide nicotine

without many of the other

chemicals present in tobacco.

But how safe are they?

G

enerally, vaping

is 20 times less

harmful to your

health than

smoking. However, studies

show there are harmful

emissions in the vapour,

including irritants and

carcinogens, though at

a much lower level than

in conventional cigarettes.

Other studies voice

concerns that vaping can

act as a gateway drug,

priming the brain to be more

receptive to harder drugs,

and that even smoking

e-cigarettes for only 30

minutes can cause arteries

to harden in a similar way to

tobacco cigarettes. More

research is needed into their

long-term safety, but overall

it’s felt that vaping can be a

useful tool to stop smoking.

VA P I N G

All tobacco contains over

7,000 chemicals, including

tar, arsenic, hydrogen

cyanide, lead, benzene and

carbon monoxide – a high

price to pay for the addictive

nicotine hit smokers crave.

Health risks include

hardening of the arteries

• as heart attacks, strokes and
  peripheral vascular disease
  leading to gangrenous limb
  amputation – plus lung
  disease and cancers.

Replacement

therapy

Nicotine replacement

therapy (NRT), available on

prescription as patches, gum,

sprays, lozenges or inhalators,

helps overcome urges to

smoke. You can also buy

NRT from pharmacies.

All NRT releases nicotine

safely into your bloodstream

without other chemicals.

Vaping is not available on

prescription but similarly

gives you nicotine, possibly

at higher doses, albeit with

other chemicals.

The most effective way to

use NRT is to combine two

sorts. For example, patches

provide slow-release

background NRT then a

faster-acting product, such

as gums or nasal spray, can

be added in when you get

cravings. Ideally, NRT should

Ways to help

quit smoking

✿ Pick a stop date. Decide

you’ll be a non-smoker from

that day. Tell your family and

friends and plan something

to distract you.

✿ See your practice nurse.

You’re four times more

likely to succeed if you’ve

specialist help and use

treatment with regular

encouraging reviews.

✿ Nicotine replacement

therapy improves your

chances of quitting, as

does vaping, but it should

be a temporary plan.

✿ Call yourself a non-smoker

and think of yourself as one.

Get rid of everything that

reminds you of smoking.

HELPLINES

Our phone lines give you access to professionals who

can offer you help and advice

DR MELANIE WYNNE-JONES

HELPLINES

Stress 0904 470 0681

Migraine 0904 470 0682

IBS 0904 470 0683

Varicose veins 0904 470 0684

Heartburn 0904 470 0685

Heavy periods 0904 470 0686

JAN DE VRIES

ALTERNATIVE HELPLINES

Osteoporosis 0904 470 0812

Bladder problems 0904 470 0813

Rheumatism 0904 470 0814

Losing a parent 0904 470 0871

Depressed 0904 470 0873

Arthritis 0904 470 0 874

Users must be over 18. You must have the bill payer’s permission. Calls cost 65p per minute plus your network’s access charge. Each line

lasts approx. four minutes. Service provider: Spoke Ltd, 0333 202 3390

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