0 Have your say A leading expert in neurobiology is warning that many people across the UK are putting their health at risk by experimenting with veganism. Professor Robert Pickard, from the University of Cardiff, claims “new year” diet changes such as Veganuary, where people sign-up to go vegan next month, means they will lack the health and nutritional benefits that are found in meat and dairy products.He claims many plant-based alternatives are actually packed with artificial ingredients and meat-free alternatives available in restaurants and supermarkets like “bleeding veggie burgers” have to go through extensive chemical processes to mimic the taste and texture of the real thing.According to Pickard, plant-based products are often viewed underneath a “health halo”, but are more processed than natural, lean cuts of meat.The professor forms part of the Meat Advisory Panel (MAP) – a group of healthcare professionals, … [Read more...] about Taking meat off the menu ‘could damage health’, warns academic
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Resources meet volunteers: Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, Friedell Committee for Health System Transformation merge
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News The Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky and the Friedell Committee for Health System Transformation have joined together and will function as one organization, a change that takes effect immediately. In announcing the merger, the groups "emphasized the organizations' congruent missions and committed volunteers, and the value of speaking with a single, amplified voice to influence community and statewide health policy change," says the release. Ben Chandler, president and CEO of the Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, at Dec. 3 luncheon announcing a merger with the Friedell Committee. The groups announced the union at a Dec. 3 luncheon to honor the late Dr. Gil Friedell, who founded the committee and was well-known for his mantra: "If the problem is in the community, the solution is in the community." J.D. Miller, chairman of the Friedell Committee, citing the quote, said this philosophy was something they all agreed on. "One of the things … [Read more...] about Resources meet volunteers: Foundation for a Healthy Kentucky, Friedell Committee for Health System Transformation merge
Friends can improve your health and well-being, especially during the holidays
For many of us, especially those without family nearby, spending time with friends can be a meaningful way to celebrate the holidays. As fewer people opt for marriage, friendships have become more than social relationships: Friends are proxy families, and they may be better than the real ones. Researchers have found that these personal connections may be more beneficial to one's health and well-being than family relationships. And at a time when loneliness has become a public health crisis, with young adults saying they feel lonelier than older generations, studies show that investing in friendships pays off.According to the Mayo Clinic, these bonds can help reduce stress, increase happiness and bolster self-confidence.With hectic schedules, finding time to nurture these relationships can be challenging. But the holidays provide an opportunity to renew these bonds, giving us a chance to deepen what friendship expert Shasta Nelson calls Frientimacy: the intimacy between friends … [Read more...] about Friends can improve your health and well-being, especially during the holidays
Employer-sponsored health plans in Ky. saw modest cost hikes in 2017, but many people struggle with premiums, deductibles, etc.
By Melissa Patrick Kentucky Health News While much attention has recently been given to the number of people who sign up for health insurance on the federal exchange, the reality is that most people get their health insurance through their employer. A recent analysis by The Commonwealth Fund, a foundation interested in the health-care system, shows that the overall cost of employer-sponsored plans keeps going up. “The vast majority of people under age 65 in the U.S., 152 million, get their health insurance through an employer, and many of them can barely afford to pay for it. Several bipartisan policy fixes have the potential to reduce health care burdens for workers and families struggling to afford the health care they need, while also making our health system work better for everyone," Dr. David Blumenthal, president of The Commonwealth Fund, said in a news release. According to the analysis, 56 percent of people under 65 get their health insurance through an employer, … [Read more...] about Employer-sponsored health plans in Ky. saw modest cost hikes in 2017, but many people struggle with premiums, deductibles, etc.
Ky. drops three spots, to 45th, in America’s Health Rankings; big drops in vaccinations follow state rule allowing easier exemption
By Melissa Patrick and Al Cross, Kentucky Health News Kentucky dropped three spots in the latest America's Health Rankings, to 45th from 42nd last year. It marked the third straight year that the state showed a significant increase in the number of years of potential life lost, a broad measure of overall health and life expectancy. The United States as a whole also had increases the last three years, but not as significant as Kentucky's. Many figures in the report are based on the Behavioral Risk Factor Surveillance System, a federal poll. The state was 42nd in health determinants, which is the measure of health-related behaviors, such as smoking; community and environmental influences; clinical care, and public policy; and 45th in outcomes, such as the rate of death from cancer, which continues to be the nation's worst. One measure that showed a significantly worse outcome was low-birthweight babies; Kentucky dropped from 38th to 42nd among the states. Several measures of … [Read more...] about Ky. drops three spots, to 45th, in America’s Health Rankings; big drops in vaccinations follow state rule allowing easier exemption