Tag Archives: age

Insurer scraps upper age limit on single trip policies for Europe

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Over 50s insurance specialist Staysure has announced the removal of its upper age limit restrictions on its European single trip travel insurance policies.

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Recognising the challenges older travellers face when searching for affordable travel insurance, Staysure will now expand its cover options to include customers aged 85 and over when travelling to Europe, enabling even more holidaymakers to fulfil their travel plans regardless of their age. While an upper age limit will still remain on some long haul destinations, the company has removed the restriction to allow its older customers to continue visiting their most popular holiday destinations, such as Spain, Turkey, Greece and Cyprus.

Staysure Head of Product Alison Longdon said: “We pride ourselves on being able to react to our customers’ needs and go the extra mile in creating products and services that suit their lifestyle. Getting affordable travel insurance in your 80s and 90s can be very difficult and expensive, whether due to age or existing medical conditions, so this change in our service offering for our most popular destinations is yet another step towards making our customers’ travel dreams come true and opening doors that were previously closed to them.”

Staysure CEO Ryan Howsam said: Since the launch of our Sure You Can! campaign, our customers continually tell us of the amazing things they do and what they get up to on their holidays and we’ve genuinely been impressed by the stories they share with us. It just goes to show that our customers really do want to live life to the full and fulfil their travel aspirations and our cover can enable them to achieve it.

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Staysure’s single trip travel insurance is ideal for holidaymakers looking for a great value, straightforward policy to cover one trip. Comprehensive single trip travel insurance includes cover for medical emergency and repatriation, up to £10m; cancellation, curtailment and trip interruption, up to £5,000; baggage loss, up to £2,000; personal liability, up to £2m and legal protection to cover up to £25,000.

More information can be found at Stayure.co.uk. Terms and conditions apply to the age limit for long haul destinations. There is no upper age limit for single trip policies unless you are travelling to the United States of America, Canada, the Islands of the Caribbean, Bermuda, Mexico, Thailand, China or Hong Kong, where you must be 85 or under at the time of purchasing your policy.
Changes will be taking effect from February 2015.

www.staysure.co.uk/travel-insurance/single-trip

Women’s emotional intelligence grows with age, says expert

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Women improve with age by becoming even better at relationships of all kinds, clearer communicators and have even greater emotional intelligence according to Cognitive Neuroscientist and Business Improvement Strategist, Dr Lynda Shaw.

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With much talk in the media about the drawbacks of ageing, Dr Shaw says women naturally reinvent themselves as they mature. 
Dr Shaw explains: “Both genders can relish that experience brings confidence and we learn to enjoy the here and now more as we age.  We have realistic expectations and have probably invested heavily in great relationships with friends and family. Most of us care about our appearance, but have also learnt to place importance on other things.  That said, women are quite extraordinary as they get older.”  
“As our oestrogen supply runs down around the time of the menopause and we have been around the block a few times and picked up a few bruises along the way, women are more able to observe, read a situation, evaluate and communicate.  They are more likely to have strong relationships and as children grow up, the female needs to find other investments to satisfy her needs.  This is when her attention moves further outside the home and at this stage women are stronger than ever, and can contribute enormously to the economy, community and society as a whole.”  
Women tend to talk more in order to feel bonded to her female friends.  A female is hard-wired to seek out her network in readiness for times of trouble but is also able to ‘read’ situations with greater clarity.  Shaw continues: “It is quite typical for men to think women are almost spooky in the way they intuitively understand things.  The female will ‘see’ problems that males are oblivious to.  Take the scenario of a party   A woman will notice if a couple have fallen out, or if there is an attraction between two people who have spent the evening avoiding one another.  Men rarely notice such things.  There is nothing spooky going on, females are just wired differently to males and they get even better at it with age.”
So why are women different to men?
THE FACTS
• At 6 – 12 weeks gestation a foetus is exposed to a flood of hormone secretion.   This is either a surge of testosterone, oestrogen or progesterone depending on the genetic code of whether we’re male or female. Therefore, this hormonal output results in our sexual differences both physically and in the brain which leads to different patterns of behaviour.
• Scientific research has repeatedly found that the hypothalamus is different in a male and female brain.  This region controls body temperature, hunger, thirst, sleep as well as affecting the endocrine system that also controls sexual activity.
• Studies have also found that men have larger brains, but we now know that size doesn’t matter as there is no difference in intelligence!
• The male brain has more grey matter and the female brain has more white matter so we think differently.  Grey matter is rich in active nerve cell bodies and white matter consists more of bundles of nerve fibres which are the connections between neurons.
• The female brain has a larger limbic system, which means that females tend to be more in touch with their emotions. In addition, the language centres are larger in women and females tend to respond better to auditory stimulation. 
Dr Shaw continues: “Both typical male and female brains have their own strengths, but we are products of our biological genetic code, chemical make-up including hormones, environment and social upbringing. Discussing typical gender characteristics must not inflict unnecessary limitations on any of us.  That said, the world is beckoning for the mature women who have improved with age to embrace and enjoy the wonderful resources and experiences they have.”
www.drlyndashaw.com 
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Japanese longevity continues to grow

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Tokyo: Japanese people are living longer than ever, with the average life expectancy now 86.05 years for women and 79.29 years for men, the country’s health ministry has revealed.

The life expectancy of Japanese women increased by almost 22 days in 2008 from the previous year, while men added another 37 days, the ministry said.

The longevity of the Japanese is attributed in part to a healthy traditional diet including fish and vegetables and an active lifestyle.

But longevity is causing economic problems for Japan, which has one of the world’s lowest birth rates, leaving a shrinking working population to support a mass of retirees.

AGE DEFY SERUM PROMO OFFER – BUY 1 GET 3 FREE!

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London: What happens when you can’t find an anti-ageing serum that works for you? The answer for Denise Bell-King was to make it herself!

Unable to find a high quality, simple anti-ageing serum for her own use, Denise decided to create her own, offering a product that gave excellent results at affordable prices. Her product, Age Defy Serum has worked for women throughout the UK, selling via her website www.agedefyserum.com

Denise, 49, came up with the idea of creating her own serum a few years ago after using a well-know brand of skincare that included aromatherapy oils.

“Aromatherapy oils had been fantastic to my skin for 10 years, but the problem is, if you haven’t used them and you hit your 40’s, they’re really not going to actively anti-age you if you haven’t done that much before. From the research that I’d done over the past ten years I knew that mineral oils were absolutely out, but that some ingredients were great and the simpler I kept the formula, the better!”

Denise created a formula that included Retinol-A, Jojoba and Palm Oil that she tried out on herself and that fulfilled everything she wanted to achieve. “The results were fantastic, and since its launch in 2007, hundreds of men and women have written to me saying how great the results have been for them too.”

Age Defy Serum boosts your skin’s defences from the inside out and dramatically reduces wrinkles furrows and frown lines. It will soothe, strengthen and age proof your skin on your face, neck and is perfect for smoothing away the tell-tale signs of ageing on the backs of hands too.

Packed with high quality ingredients including Palmitoyl Pentapetide-3, Pro-Retinol, Jojoba Oil and Vitamin E, Age Defy Serum has helped thousands of women to achieve younger looking skin.

Age Defy Serum is particularly effective on the following areas:

• Age sports and pigmentation
• Crepey Neck syndrome
• Nasal-labial lines
• Crows Feet, wrinkles and saggy eye lids
• Decolletage
• Jowls

ELIXIR SPECIAL OFFER: BUY 1 GET 3 FREE OFFER!

Elixir News has teamed up with Age Defy Serum to bring you an amazing offer of buy 1, get 3 FREE! “Now you can get six months of our 200 ml size serum for an amazing price of just £39.95, which makes it incredible value. At these prices, you can buy 1, keep one, give 2 away to friends and still get great skin yourself!” Said Denise.

To take up this brilliant offer, simply call 0800 848 8101/8122 or visit www.agedefyserum.com quoting Elixir News to bag your purchase – remember, you need to hurry as this offer is only valid until end of July 2009!

Please also note that no money equivalent is offered and the Editor’s decision is final.

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Excercise key to staying younger

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New York: Fitness, strength and flexibility do not inevitably fade away with age, and are more often a matter of lifestyle choices, according to a new report.

Often, the discomforts of middle-age, like lower back pain or stiff joints, are blamed on aging alone. However, a well-rounded exercise routine that includes aerobic activity, strength training and stretching can help people offset the effects of ageing, according to a report from the Mayo Clinic.

Studies show that regular exercise can lower the risks of chronic ills like diabetes and heart disease, boost immune function, alleviate fatigue and cut the risk of disability in older adults.

People of any age can start exercising, even if they’ve never been active, the report says. However, sedentary people should always talk with their doctors first, particularly if they have any chronic medical conditions.

To get the most benefits, exercisers should try to fit in five types of activity, according to the Mayo report. One is aerobic exercise — any type of movement, like walking or riding a bike, that raises the heart rate and gets you breathing harder. A good beginning, the report says, is to exercise aerobically for 30 to 60 minutes three times per week, working toward a five-day-per-week goal.

Strengthening exercises, such as lifting hand weights or doing push-ups, are important to maintaining muscle mass and strength. Most people will quickly notice improvements after strength training just two or three times per week, for about 20 minutes per session, according to the report.

It’s also important to fit in stretching to boost flexibility, balance exercises to improve coordination and lower injury risk, and “core stability” training — exercises that focus on the muscles of the trunk.

All of these activities do require proper technique, the report notes, so it is a good idea to begin by taking an exercise class or getting advice from a professional, such as a doctor, exercise trainer or physical therapist.

Numbers of “oldest old” set to double in 25 years – UK report

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London: The ageing population in the UK is growing rapidly, according to new Government statistics.

Nearly one in four of the population will be over 65 in less than 25 years, and the number of those over 85 – the “oldest old”, would more than double.

The forecast from the Office for National Statistics says this will result more resources being directed towards the elderly including health and social care and transport.

Improvements in medical treatments and social conditiions mean that many more people are living longer and the younger generation will have to work longer and pay more in taxes.

The ONS said that the number of people expected to live more than 85 years would rise to more than three million by 2032. It added that the number of people with dementia could double to 1.4 million within 30 years.

By 2032 the 85-plus group will make up 4 per cent of the population. That means the proportion of people who use public services the most and who depend on family, neighbours and so on is increasing.

The report also said that increasing the retirement age was the key to supporting the millions of extra older people who will need assistance.

But increasingly men and women will face the dilemma of how to look after their elderly relatives when they themselves are reaching retirement.

Demand for long-term care is inevitably going to increase over the coming years as the population aged 85 and over grows.

The new figures show there were 9.5 million over 65s in 2007. By 2032 the figure is projected to increase to 16.1 million, 23 per cent of the estimated total population.

In 1982 there were 600,000 people over 85, or 1.1 per cent of the total population. By last year this had doubled to 1.3 million and will rise to 3.1 million by 2032.

In spite of the growing number of old people, the proportion of over 65s living in communal establishments fell between 1991 and 2001 as a result of government policies to support people in their own homes and communities.

The analysis also showed that men are living longer and closing the gap with women.

Ageing biomarkers identified?

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Medical experts move towards identifying “biomarkers” of ageing, according to a new study published by Ageing Cell.

If scientists are able identify such markers in humans, they suggest it could provide the means for the scientific validation of anti-ageing therapies.

“This is the first evidence that physiological age can be predicted non-subjectively,” said lead study author Simon Melov.

“We were able to predict the ages of the animals 70 per cent of the time, which is far better than anything … done before,” the scientist added.

Meanwhile another team of researchers suggests it has gained an insight into how some people appear able to maintain extremely sharp powers of memory despite being aged in their 80s or older.

The experts from the Feinburg School of Medicine said such individuals’ brains were found to contain far fewer fibre-like tangles than those of other people who had aged in a more typical fashion.

Life expectancy in Britain falls

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London: Britons have one of the lowest life expectancies in Europe, according to a new study published in the medical magazine, The Lancet.

Researchers at Leicester University discovered that a British woman who reached the age of 50 in 2005 can expect to live for another 32.7 years – reaching 82 years and eight months – ten months less than the European average.

This figure is lower than that for France and Germany, according to the league table of 25 European Union countries.

Britain came just 16th, just above the poorer nations of eastern Europe, and Denmark.

The figures also revealed that while British men’s relative position is slightly better than women’s, they still lag behind countries such as France.

A British man who reached 50 in 2005 – the most recent year for which figures are available – can expect another 29 and a half years of life.

This is about ten months above the European average, but a month lower than France and 11 months lower than Italy.

UK MPs highlight abuse of elderly with dementia

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London: An influential group of MPs is calling on the Government to stop the dangerous over-prescribing of antipsychotic drugs to people with dementia. Up to 105,000 people with dementia are given the drugs inappropriately, according to expert predictions in the new All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) on Dementia report, ‘A Last Resort’, published today.

Antipsychotics continue to be a first resort for dealing with challenging behaviour in people with dementia, such as aggression or agitation, despite causing devastating side effects, doubling risk of death and costing the UK over £60 million a year.

‘A Last Resort’ identifies 5 vital steps to reduce antipsychotic use and reveals there is currently no audit or regulation of the issue. It urges the Government to use its new National Dementia Strategy to address the problem and the National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence to conduct a thorough review.

Jeremy Wright, Chairman of the APPG on Dementia, says:
‘A Last Resort shines a light on one of the darkest areas of dementia care. Antipsychotics can double risk of death and triple risk of stroke in people with dementia, heavily sedate them and accelerate cognitive decline.

‘The Government must end this needless abuse and make the 5 point plan a key element of the National Dementia Strategy. Best practice guidelines are not enough – safeguards must be put in place to ensure antipsychotics are always a last resort. We need to include families in decisions, give people with dementia regular reviews and equip care staff with specialist training.’

Neil Hunt, Chief Executive of the Alzheimer’s Society, says
‘It is absolutely disgraceful that widespread the abuse of people with dementia has been allowed to continue despite safety warnings on antipsychotics. Urgent action is needed.

‘Safe, effective alternatives to antipsychotics are available. New Alzheimer’s Society research shows specialist dementia training vastly increases quality of life and could save the UK £35 million a year if it was mandatory.’

‘Over 70% of people with dementia experience challenging behavior at some point during illness. More often than not this is an expression of unmet need, not a symptom of dementia, and there is no excuse for reaching for the medicine cabinet.

Lynn Ramsey, whose husband David was prescribed antipsychotics, says
‘My husband David was given antipsychotics without my knowledge. He was unable to make the decision himself because of his dementia. At first it was extremely painful for him and the drugs impacted on his ability to eat and dress. David’s chin became slumped onto his chest and he could only look at the floor for the rest of his life. He died aged 63. These drugs have a major adverse affect on people’s lives, both patients and families.’

The 5-point plan recommended in the report:

1. Specialist dementia training for all care staff
2. Families must be involved in all decisions around antipsychotics.
3. More pro-active support for care home staff from GPs, community psychiatric nurses and psychiatrists.
4. Compulsory medical reviews of people with dementia every 12 weeks
5. A cost effectiveness review by The National Institute of Health and Clinical Excellence and a national audit by the Care Quality Commission

References

• Up to 150,000 people with dementia in the UK in care facilities are prescribed antipsychotics according to best estimates.’ (Prof C Ballard, APPG inquiry oral evidence). Experts in Old Age Psychiatry predict 70% of prescriptions are inappropriate, therefore up to 105,000 people with dementia are inappropriately prescribed antipsychotic drugs (A Last Resort).
• Alzheimer’s Society funded research estimates antipsychotics cost the UK £60, 792, 263 per annum and specialist dementia training would save the UK £35 million a year if it was mandatory.
• Antipsychotics can treble risk of stroke in people with dementia (Committee on Standards for Medicine, 2004), and double a person’s risk of mortality (FDA 2005).
• Alzheimer’s Society research published in the BMJ found that specialist dementia training reduces disruptive behaviour and the use of antipsychotics by 50%.

More information
• ‘A Last Resort’ collates evidence from stakeholders, experts and people with personal experience, received as part of an All Party Parliamentary Group on Dementia investigation, including the Royal College of Nursing, Royal College of Psychiatrists, Alzheimer’s Society and the Commission for Social Care Inspection.
• 244,185 people (two thirds of care home residents) have a form of dementia.
• If we live to over 65, 1 in 3 of us will end ourlives with a form of dementia
• 700,000 people in the UK have a form of dementia. In less than 20 years nearly a million people will be living with dementia and by 2051 there will be 1.7 million
• For support or advice contact Alzheimer’s Society Dementia Helpline number is 0845 300 0336 or visit www.alzheimers.org.uk

Older Americans wealth and age grows, says new US report

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Chicago: Older Americans are richer than ever before and are expected to live far longer than prior generations, a new US government report reveals.

They said the average net worth of older Americans, aged 65 or older, has increased almost 80 percent over the past 20 years.

And those who reach the age of 65 are now expected to live an average of 19 more years, or seven years longer than people who had reached age 65 in the year 1900.

The findings are part a report released on Thursday called Older Americans 2008: Key Indicators of Well-Being, which features data from 15 federal agencies on trends in population, economics and health issues.

“It gives you a status report of the older population,” said Richard Suzman of the National Institute on Aging, a part of the National Institutes of Health.

“We’ve seen significant improvements in poverty. The percent of those with low income has gone down, education has increased, life expectancy has increased,” Suzman said.

“But there are some notes of concern. Obesity has gone up quite significantly. And there are some large disparities. The life expectancy gap between whites and blacks has narrowed but is still large. There is a big wealth gap between whites and blacks,” he said in a telephone interview.

The report forecasts that by 2030, the number of Americans over the age of 65 will nearly double to 71.5 million, or 20 percent of the U.S. population, up from 12 percent, or 37 million people, in 2006.

It found that older adults in the United States are far better educated than prior generations. In 2007, 76 percent of those over 65 had high school diplomas, and at least 19 percent had a bachelor’s degree, up from 24 percent with high school diplomas in 1965 and just 5 percent with bachelor’s degrees.

But much of those gains in education were enjoyed by non-Hispanic whites over the age of 65. Eighty-one percent of non-Hispanic whites age 65 and older had finished high school in 2007, compared with 72 percent of Asians, 58 percent of blacks and only 42 percent of older Hispanics.

And while the proportion of people with incomes below the poverty line fell to 9 percent in 2006, down from 15 percent in 1974, median net worth for households headed by white people aged 65 and older in 2005 was six times that of households headed by blacks.

Not surprisingly, older Americans, like many other groups, are getting fatter, the researchers said. In the 2005-2006 study period, 37 percent of women aged 65 to 74 were obese, and 24 percent of women age 75 and over were obese. This is up from the 1988-1994 study period, when 27 percent of women age 65 to 74 and 19 percent of women age 75 and over were obese.

Despite many studies touting the benefits of exercise, the report found no significant change in the percentage of older people engaged in physical activity between 1997 and 2006.

While the report noted that Americans are living longer than ever before, life expectancy in the United States still lags many other industrialized countries, including Canada, France, Sweden and Japan.

For example, women in Japan who reached the age of 65 in 2003 could expect to live 3.2 years longer than women in the United States. Men in Japan who reached age 65 lived 1.2 years longer than men in the United States.

The full report can be viewed online at www.AgingStats.gov

Average person’s heart is five years older than their real age

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London: The average person’s heart is five years older than their chronological age, according to a new study.

Based on an analysis of heart health checks conducted at branches of Lloydspharmacy, and using a protocol developed by Unilever and Boston University, the study shows that people’s hearts are aging faster than they should.

The research is based on a sample of more than 3000 tests conducted on adults less than 60 years old. The study should be a real wake up call for smokers in particular. The findings reveal that puffing away results in a heart age which is a full 14 years older than smokers’ actual age. The figure for non smoking men is 4 years. Women, however, fare better. The average Heart Age of non-smokers in this age group is the same as their chronological age.

Recently it emerged that while death rates from coronary heart disease are falling among the old they are levelling off or rising among people aged 35 to 54, suggesting that there is a middle aged heart disease bulge caused by over-indulgence and sedentary lifestyles.

The findings of the research coincide with the launch of a tie-up between Lloydspharmacy and Flora pro.activ. The initiative was launched by Gloria Hunniford who has been working with Flora pro.activ on a number of heart health campaigns.

Heart health is an issue that Gloria feels passionate about. She lost her first husband, Don Keating, as a result of an undetected heart condition and then her husband Stephen Way suffered a heart attack just after they got married.

Gloria herself had raised cholesterol (6.35mmol/l), and these experiences alerted her to what she describes as, “the silent killer cholesterol”, and made her realise that she needed to take serious steps to protect her own heart.

As part of the link between Lloydspharmacy and Flora pro.activ, people can get a free Cholesterol test and Heart Check worth £15 at more than 600 branches of Lloydspharmacy nationwide in return for two proofs of purchase of any Flora pro.activ products.

The Lloydspharmacy Cholesterol and Heart Check is a 10-15 minute consultation involving, amongst other things, cholesterol and blood pressure tests and a lifestyle assessment. Based on these results a percentage risk score of developing heart disease over the next ten years is estimated.

Heart Age

Heart age is calculated using a range of factors including blood pressure,
blood cholesterol, diet and lifestyle. The Heart Age Calculator was
developed through collaboration between Unilever (the parent company of
Flora) and the Boston University Statistics and Consulting Unit, the department that was involved in identifying the factors that increase people’s risk of heart disease in the world-famous Framingham Heart Study.

About Lloydspharmacy

Lloydspharmacy has 1,700 pharmacies across the country. These are based predominantly in community and health centre locations. The company employs over 16,000 staff, of which 80 per cent are women and dispenses 120 million prescription items annually. The pharmacies have over two million visits per week by customers who are also predominantly women.

Lloydspharmacy is the trading name of Lloydspharmacy Ltd, a wholly owned subsidiary of Celesio AG based in Stuttgart. Celesio is the leading pharmaceutical distribution company in Europe and is represented in 15 countries. With its three divisions, Celesio Wholesale, Celesio Pharmacies and Celesio Solutions, the group covers the entire scope of pharmaceutical trade and pharmaceutical-related services.

Lloydspharmacy which is a community pharmacy has primary care at the heart of its business. This is why has launched a range of products aimed at community health such as affordable blood pressure monitors, Solar Safe products and is a supporter of NHS initiatives such as NHS Choices by providing terminals in-store for patient information.

World’s population getting older

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Vienna: The world’s population is growing older as people live longer, and fertility and birth rates fall.

A study, published online by Nature, carried out by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis at Laxenburg, Austria, examined population forecasts and fertility rates in 13 major regions of the planet.

The future paths of population ageing result from specific combinations of declining fertility and increasing life expectancies in different parts of the world, it says.

The “speed of ageing is likely to increase over the coming decades and to decelerate in most regions by mid century”.

The study found the overall average of the world’s population will increase from 26.6 years in 2000 to 31.1 in 2050 and then to just 32.9 in 2100, slightly less than what it was in China in 2005, owing to large differences in the regional patterns of ageing.

The researchers say the probability that world population growth will end in this century is 88 per cent, somewhat higher than previously believed. After mid century, lower rates of population growth are likely to coincide with slower rates of ageing.

By the middle of the century, the average Briton will be 48.4 years old, against 39.1 years old now.

But by 2100, the rate of increase will have slowed, with the average age rising to 53.5 years.By the middle of the century it is likely that a third of the population in Britain will be over 60 thanks to people living longer coupled with falling fertility rates

They found that by the middle of the century there is an 82 per cent chance that a third of the population in Britain will be over 60 thanks to people living longer coupled with falling fertility rates, compared with 98 per cent in Japan/Oceania and close to zero per cent for sub-Saharan Africa.

Spire offers new injection for age-related blindness

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London: A new quick procedure not widely available on the NHS which treats age related blindness disease is now available at 13 Spire Healthcare hospitals around the UK.

Age-related macular degeneration (AMD) affects the central part of your vision and occurs mainly in older people. About one in 100 people aged 65-75 and one in eight people aged over 85 suffer from serious AMD that can result in complete loss of central vision.

There are two types of AMD known as the wet kind and the dry kind. Wet AMD is more destructive and is characterised by abnormal blood vessels growing at the back of the eye. These extra blood vessels leak and can cause rapid loss of sight.

Mr Timothy Dabbs, a specialist eye consultant at Spire Leeds Hospital said:
“Although Wet AMD progresses rapidly and is destructive it is treatable. We inject a special drug under a local anaesthetic to control the growth of abnormal blood vessels in the eye.

“On average a patient will need six injections, they are quick procedures
and patients can normally go home about an hour later. Although they may
not regain full sight, the treatment will often prevent further damage and in some instances can reverse some of the damage already caused.”

Erika Bennett, a patient recently treated at Spire Leeds Hospital, said:
“From not being able to read at all I can now read with my reading glasses.
There is a small improvement with every injection and the treatment itself isn’t painful.

“The staff at the hospital made me feel very comfortable. I had lots of confidence and trust in Mr Dabbs as he made sure he explained every detail of the procedure to me. I would recommend anyone suffering with this condition to try this treatment.”

How to tell if you have AMD
If you’re concerned that you or someone you know may be suffering from AMD, the best self test is to look directly at a straight line such as a door or window frame and using only one eye at a time to see if there is a noticeable kink in the frame which appears to move with your gaze. Your optician will be able to confirm if there is deterioration in your eyes.

The Hospitals currently offering this treatment include:

Spire Bushey Hospital

Spire Cambridge Lea Hospital

Spire Cardiff Hospital

Spire Edinburgh Hospital

Spire Gatwick Park Hospital

Spire Harpenden Hospital

Spire Leeds Hospital

Spire Leicester Hospital

Spire Manchester Hospital

Spire Norwich Hospital

Spire Southampton Hospital

Spire Sussex Hospital

Spire Wellesley Hospital

About Spire
Spire Healthcare is one of the leading independent hospital providers in the UK, with a 25 year heritage of customer service and clinical excellence. It was formed in 2007 from the sale of BUPA Hospitals to leading private equity company Cinven.

Spire Healthcare has 25 hospitals across the UK, providing services for private and insured patients as well as NHS funded patients under the government’s Choose and Book scheme. It also offers cosmetic and weight-loss surgery.

Its hospitals carry out more than 160,000 in-patient and day-case treatments a year and work with over 3,000 consultants. It is proud to be the first independent hospital group to publish clinical outcome data.

Life expectancy in China continues to grow

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Bejing: Chinese people are living healthier and longer lives as medical and sanitary conditions in the country have greatly improved, according to the latest report from the Ministry of Health.

Residents’ average life expectancy, a key measurement of economic development and health care levels, increased to 73 years in 2005 from 71.4 years in 2000.

In addition, the infant mortality rate decreased to 1.53 percent in 2007 from 2.55 percent in 2003. Last year, 36.6 people per 100,000 women died during pregnancy or childbirth, compared to 51.3 women per 100,000 in 2003.

According to the report, the improvement in Chinese people’s health conditions was attributed to increased spending on medical care and enhanced medical services provided across the country in the past five years.

In 2007, China was estimated to have spent 1.05 trillion yuan (US$144.43 billion) in healthcare, accounting for 4.82 percent of the gross domestic product, with the per capita medical expenditure standing at 781 yuan.

The government is shouldering more of the medical expenditure in the past five years. Government spending, as a proportion of the country’s total medical expenses, increased by one percent from 2003 to 2006, while residents’ spending dropped 6.5 percent in the same period.

As a result of increased investment in medical care, people are able to enjoy better medical services. By the end of last year, a total of 315,000 medical institutions were established, 24,000 more than that in 2003. The number of medical practitioners, including assistant practitioners, rose to 1.56 per 1,000 people in 2007 from 1.48 per 1,000 in 2003. The number of registered nurses per 1,000 people climbed to 1.12 from one nurse during the same period.

The report adds China has made much effort to improve the public health and medical system in the past five years, covering maternity and childcare, disease prevention and medical insurance in both urban and rural areas.

New treatments for ageing hair

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New treatments for aging hair
By Alan J. Bauman, M.D.

Facelifts, anti-wrinkle creams, tummy tucks and nutritional supplements – whether you’re 30 years old or pushing 80, women and men are doing all they can to look younger, healthier and more vibrant. But there’s one thing many people seem to overlook which is the look and condition of their hair.

After all, ask any hair stylist, cosmetologist or fashion expert, and they’ll be happy to tell you: whether we look old or young, hair has a lot to do with it. Hair has an enormous bearing on a person’s perceptual age. And it’s hard to stop aging in its tracks when your hairline shows recession, bald patches or general thinning. We may not consciously think about it, but hair provides a “visual frame” to the face. Hair shapes a person’s face – and, as such, it accentuates key physical features of the face and body, whether good or bad.

Body weight, bone structure, skin tone and age – all of these can be magnified or de-emphasized by the quality, quantity, shape and cut of a person’s hair. Because of the important visual impact hair has on a person’s overall appearance, making sure your hair is healthy, full and youthful is an important first step in battling the effects of aging.

Restoring the “Visual Frame”

Restoring the face to a healthy, youthful appearance requires a multi-therapy approach – of which hair restoration is a critical component. Both plastic surgery and hair restoration share the same fundamental goal: to restore a healthy, youthful look to the face. Plastic surgery achieves this objective quite directly by eliminating wrinkles and tightening the skin via face-lifts, brow-lifts and other procedures. Hair restoration, on the other hand, secures this goal more obliquely, by restoring the “visual frame” to the face.

By restoring a receded hairline, increasing hair fullness or density and reducing bald spots, a hair restoration physician can help a patient achieve a new look for the face that is more balanced and youthful. Ultimately, this restored “visual frame” will help a person to take years off of their physical appearance – and will greatly accentuate any other anti-aging treatments they may wish to pursue.

New Treatments for Hair Loss

In recent years, hair restoration has rapidly evolved to become a science all of its own. New technologies, medications and advanced surgical procedures have dramatically changed hair restoration from the inadequate procedures of the 1970s and 1980s to a fully legitimized medical science field with almost limitless potential.

Here are a few of the many new non-surgical treatment options for hair loss sufferers:

• Approved Medications – Clinically proven, clinically-approved topical medications (e.g., Propecia and Minoxidil) are well-known, tried-and-true therapies used to maintain and restore hair. For hair restoration physicians, these are the gold-standard.

• Lasers: Low Level Laser Therapy (LLLT) is a relatively new technology believed to stimulate hair follicles at the cellular level, improving cellular metabolism, protein synthesis and microcirculation – thus, helping to regrow hair. The treatment is pain-free and easy to do. Patients simply sit under a laser “hood” for about 15 minutes at a time (much like sitting under a hair dryer at the salon) to boost hair regrowth and healing after hair transplantation. LLLT is also available for private home use via small hand-held devices (see next section for more details).

• Nutritional Supplements: A few supplements have shown some evidence they can improve the quality of hair growth, including a European product called Viviscal, which is comprised of marine extracts and a silica compound.

• Microscopic Detection: By the time hair loss is visible to the naked eye, 50-percent of the hair has already been lost. New PC-based video microscopes, like the South Korean “Folliscope,” enable doctors to spot areas of thinning follicles before they become noticeable to the naked eye. These high-powered scopes can also track the early, subtle results of hair restoration treatments.

• Healing Accelerators: Getting better after a microsurgery just got easier. New therapies like copper-peptide soaks, hyperbaric oxygen therapy and LLLT promise to help patients return to their regular routine faster.

The Benefit of Lasers

Conclusive medical studies have yet to be done on hair and laser therapy (LLLT). While laser therapy is not considered a “miracle cure,” there is a good deal of supporting clinical and anecdotal evidence that it enhances hair growth.

More than 2,500 scientific studies on laser therapy have been documented in a text called “Laser Therapy: Clinical Practice and Scientific Background” by J. Tuner and L. Hode. European studies have also shown that LLLT stops hair loss in 85-percent of cases and stimulates new hair growth in 55-percent of cases.

Additionally, a recent study of the HairMax LaserComb found an average increase of 93.5 percent in the total hair count of patients tested over six months.

Patients can undergo laser therapy at the doctor’s office with the new laser “hoods,” or they can try it in the privacy of their own homes. Some units are found only in physicians’ offices, some are in non-medical clinics. Home use of LLLT is now available through new hand-held laser devices, also known as laser “combs” or “brushes.” A few examples of the latest products available include the HairMax LaserComb ($395, £207, Euros 309) and Erchonia THL-1 ($3,500, £1,838, Euros 2,741)). LLLT is not a miracle cure – but it can be a helpful non-chemical, non-invasive treatment option patients may want to discuss with a hair restoration physician.

The Microsurgery Option

In spite of the many new remarkable technologies now available for the consumer, hair restoration surgery still remains the best option for achieving dramatic results. Over the past few years, these surgical procedures have rapidly evolved into minimally invasive “microsurgeries” that offer the triple benefits of artistic hairline recreation, virtually scar-less incisions and extremely short recovery times. Whereas in the past, hair loss sufferers had to settle for obvious Barbie and Ken doll-like “hair plugs,” today’s hair transplant patient can choose a microsurgical option than can recreate a 100-percent natural-looking hairline.
Here are the latest advances in microsurgical hair restoration:

• FUE: Follicular-unit extraction (or FUE) is a minimally invasive procedure in which a doctor can extract single follicular units (that means groupings of 1, 2 or 3 hairs) individually from the donor area without a scalpel. The benefits? Patients don’t have to worry about stitches, linear scarring or long recovery times. Currently, only a few doctors are qualified to perform this advanced medical procedure – but more doctors are learning how, especially through new education programs provided by the International Society of Hair Restoration Surgery (ISHRS).

• Follicular-Unit Micrografting: Moving more hair follicles than ever before, follicular-unit micrografting enables physicians to transplant large areas of hair loss as well as artistically recreate natural hairlines. Like FUE, this microsurgical procedure allows for the careful, artistic angle orientation and position of each individual hair follicle to achieve a natural-looking hairline.

• Trichophytic Donor Closure: In order to restore hair to one part of the head, you have to take it from somewhere else. In the “old days” of hair restoration, that usually meant patients were left with a sizable scar. But today a new technique called trichophytic donor closure allows hair to grow right through the thin scar line, thus more effectively concealing any signs of surgery – even with short haircuts. This procedure should be used in conjunction with follicular-unit micrografting hair transplant surgery to achieve the best post-op results.

Seeing the Doctor

Turning back the clock isn’t always easy – but with the right doctor and multi-therapy program, it can be done. And hair loss is no exception. Whether you’ve noticed a few extra hairs in the shower drain and are worried about thinning, or you’re suffering more extensive baldness, treatments are available to restore hair, improve your look and keep it that way. To get the most accurate and up-to-date information on battling hair loss, it’s essential for patients to talk to a trained hair restoration physician who has extensive experience in the many new minimally invasive procedures and effective medical therapies. Such physicians can inform patients of all their options from a medical perspective and provide them with realistic expectations of what each treatment or combination of treatments can provide. After a careful evaluation, the patient and physician can decide together on the best course of action for achieving the patient’s hair restoration goals.

Contact Info: Alan J. Bauman, M.D. is founder and medical director of the Bauman Medical Group based in Boca Raton, Florida, and is a leading authority on hair restoration for men and women. Contact details: www.baumanmedical.com T: 877-BAUMAN-9 (toll free in US) or + 1 561-394-0024

Vitamin D may help against diseases of ageing

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London: Vitamin D may help to slow down the ageing process and protect against degenerative diseases, according to new research from scientists at King’s College London.

Head researcher Brent Richards says: “These results are exciting because they demonstrate for the first time that people who have higher levels of vitamin D may age more slowly than people with lower levels of vitamin D.

“This could help explain how vitamin D has a protective effect on many age-related diseases, such as heart disease and cancer. What’s interesting is that there’s a huge body of evidence that shows sunshine ages your skin—but it also increases your vitamin D levels. So, like many times in medicine, we find there’s a trade-off”, Richards adds.

The study reported in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition looked at vitamin D levels in 2,160 women ages 18-79. It examined their white blood cells for genetic signs of aging. The women then were placed into three groups according to their vitamin D levels.

Science has placed telomeres as the most reliable measures of a person’s age. These are the lengths of genetic material that cap the free ends of DNA in a cell. With age, the telomeres shorten and the DNA becomes increasingly unstable. Eventually the cell dies.

The study found that those with the highest vitamin D levels had significantly longer telomeres (equivalent to five years of normal aging) than those showing the lowest vitamin D scores.

During summer, much of the vitamin D needed by the body is created by a reaction in the skin, which is powered by sunlight. In winter months where there is less sunshine, vitamin D comes largely from fortified products such as milk, soy milk and cereal grains. It can also be found in cod liver oil, wild salmon, Atlantic mackerel, shrimp and sardines.

“Although it might sound absurd, it’s possible that the same sunshine which may increase our risk of skin cancer may also have a healthy effect on the aging process in general,” says co-author Tim Spector.

The team of scientists opine that though large-scale trials are needed to confirm the discovery, if proved correct the finding could have a dramatic impact on healthcare.

Why calorie restriction prolongs life

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Chicago: Scientists have already proven that calorie restriction – but not nutrients – can prolong the lives of everything from yeast to mice and monkeys, but they didn’t know why, until now.

In a new study published in Cell magazine, US researchers suggest that the link between food restriction and longevity may be a molecular response to the stress from cutting back calories.

That reaction preserves critical cellular functions, helping the body to fight off age-related diseases.

In laboratory experiments on human cells, investigators found that cutting calories, while preserving the nutrients they need, starts a chain reaction in the mitochondria – or power houses of the cell – that results in the build-up of a coenzyme called NAD (Nicotinamide adenine dinucleotide).

This in turn amps up the activity of enzymes created by two genes called SIRT3 and SIRT4. The effect of all this is to strengthen the mitochondria, increase energy output and slow down the cell’s ageing process.

David Sinclair, a molecular biologist at Harvard Medical School who worked on the study commented: “We’re not sure yet what particular mechanism is activated by these increased levels of NAD, and as a result SIRT3 and SIRT4.

“But we do see that normal cell-suicide programs are noticeably attenuated,” he said, referring to the way cells are programmed to die as part of the aging and regeneration process.

“This is the first time that SIRT3 and SIRT4 have been linked to cell survival,” he said.

The fortification of the mitochondria in response to the stress of a much lower-calorie diet can help ward off diseases associated with ageing.

Damaged or dysfunctional mitochondria have been implicated in Alzheimer’s, stroke, heart disease and diabetes. It is thought that the common link is oxidative stress which damages the mitochondrial DNA leading to cell death.

Even given the growing recognition about the importance of the mitochondria in sustaining health, the researchers were surprised to find just how critical the so-called “battery packs” are to the life of the cell.

Specifically, they found that even when all the other energy sources in the cell, including the nucleus, are wiped out, the cell remains alive if the mitochondria are kept intact and functional.

“Mitochondria are guardians of cell survival,” said Sinclair. “If we can keep boosting levels of NAD in the mitochondria, which in turn stimulates buckets of SIRT3 and SIRT4, then for a period of time the cell really needs nothing else.”

Sinclair said the genes could be promising drug targets for diseases associated with ageing.

World’s oldest man reaches 112

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Tokyo: Tomoji Tanabe, has celebrated being the oldest man in the world at the age of 112.

Born on 18 September 1895, he celebrated his record birthday at home in Miyakonojo, on the island of Kyushu, 900 kilometres south-west of the capital.

The town’s Mayor paid his respects with a bunch of flowers and a cheque for 850 yen, equal to around 650 euro. And of course, the question about the secret of a long life. Drink milk, steer clear of alcohol and eat healthily: lots of greens and a breakfast of rice soup, miso (fermented soya) and algae.

Tanabe claims that he has never stopped keeping his diary, reading every daily paper of the day and going for a walk alone. “He is in really good health”, doctors assure us.

“I want to live for ever, I do not want to die”, he told journalists. It is a target that more and more Japanese are attaining: according to statistics, there are over 32,000 hundred-year-olds.

Japanese women have held the world record in longevity for the past twenty-two years, with the men second only to Icelanders.

Heart attack screening for siblings could save lives

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Glasgow: Premature heart attacks could be prevented if close relatives of victims were screened and treated, say experts at Glasgow University.

Siblings of those with premature heart disease – which occurs in men under 55 and women under 65 – have at least double the risk of developing problems. The siblings’ children also have an increased risk.

Specialists believe routine screening for those at higher risk should be looked at.

the UK’s Glasgow University, said: ‘Family history of coronary heart disease significantly increases risk of the disease in all firstdegree relatives.’

Common genetic factors are behind the extra risk. But doctors also blame a ‘shared lifestyle’ within families, such as eating similar unhealthy foods and smoking.

Using a series of calculations, doctors worked out that 88 per cent of premature heart attacks in those with a family history that were treated in England Wales and Scotland in 2004, could have been prevented through family screening.

Folate shown to slow dementia, says new US report

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New York: A folate study has revealed that the vitamin can slow the cognitive decline of ageing.

The research, presented at the recent US Alzheimer’s Association’s first conference on prevention of dementia, demonstrated that otherwise healthy people could slow the decline in their brain function by taking double the recommended daily dose of folate.

Scientists found that men and women 50-75 years old who took 800mcg of folate a day over three years scored significantly better in cognitive tests than peers taking a placebo. On memory tests, the supplement users had scores comparable to people 5.5 years younger, said the researchers from Wageningen University in the Netherlands.

“It’s the first study to convincingly show that [folate] can slow cognitive decline,” said lead author Jane Durga. The study involved healthy older people, not those with Alzheimer’s symptoms, so it doesn’t show if folate might ward off that disease. “That’s the key question,” Durga said.

Previous research has suggested that folate along with other B vitamins can reduce levels of homocysteine, an amino acid thought to play a role in the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

The current study involved 818 middle-age adults who had elevated levels of homocysteine at baseline. They were randomized to receive either folate or a placebo for three years. Blood folate levels for those in the supplement group increased five-fold and plasma total homocysteine concentrations decreased by around 25 per cent by the end of the study.

“I think I would take [folate], assuming my doctor said it was OK,” said Johns Hopkins University neuroscientist Marilyn Albert, who chairs the Alzheimer’s Association’s science advisory council.

“We know Alzheimer’s disease, the pathology, begins many, many years before the symptoms. We ought to be thinking about the health of our brain the same way we think about the health of our heart,” she added.

Folate is found in such foods as oranges and strawberries, dark green leafy vegetables and beans. In the United States, it also is added to cereal and flour products.

Durga said it’s not clear how folate might work to protect the brain. Some studies suggest folate lowers inflammation; others suggest it may play a role in expression of dementia-related genes.

There is research now suggesting ways to protect the brain against age-related memory loss and Alzheimer’s. The Alzheimer’s Association has begun offering classes to teach people the techniques. Topping the list:

* Exercise your brain. Using it in unusual ways increases blood flow and helps the brain wire new connections. That’s important to build up what’s called cognitive reserve, an ability to adapt to or withstand the damage of Alzheimer’s a little longer.
* In youth, that means good education. Later in life, do puzzles, learn to play chess, take classes.
* Stay socially stimulated. Declining social interaction with age predicts declining cognitive function.
* Exercise your body. Bad memory is linked to heart disease and diabetes because clogged arteries slow blood flow in the brain.
* Experts recommend going for the triple-whammy of something mentally, physically and socially stimulating all at once: Coach your child’s ball team. Take a dance class. Strategize a round of golf.
* Diet’s also important. While Alzheimer’s researchers have long recommended a heart-healthy diet as good for the brain, the folate study is the first to test the advice directly.

The recommended daily dose of folate in the USA is 400 micrograms; doctors advise women of childbearing age to take a supplement to ensure they get that much.

The research findings add to mounting evidence that a diet higher in folate is important for a variety of diseases. Scientists have long thought that folate might play a role in dementia, and previous studies have shown people with low folate levels are more at risk for both heart disease and diminished cognitive function.

For more information: www.hsfolate.com

Can humble carrot turn back the clock for ageing men?

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London: Ageing men should start munching carrots if they want to attract the opposite sex and turn back the clock.

According to new research by scientists at the universities of Glasgow and Exeter animals use the pigments in carrots to make themselves more colourful to attract mates.

Although many ageing men try to brighten themselves up by buying loud shirts, brightly coloured sports cars and motorbikes, and generally trying to make themselves more ‘interesting’.

Invariably, this fails miserably every time. So perhaps it’s worth taking a trip to your local green grocers to buy half a hundredweight of gnarled root vegetables?

Most Britons believe they look 10 years younger than their real age

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London: Almost a third of women (31 per cent) in their early sixties believe they look ten years younger. Almost a quarter of men in their early 60s (24 per cent) believe they look 10 years younger.

The majority of people in the UK say they look and feel younger than their years. 12 per cent of women aged 36 or over believe they look ten years younger than their years and almost a third (31 per cent) say they feel ten years younger than their real age!*

The new research, compiled by innovative private medical insurer, PruHealth, reveals despite the pressures of modern life, the majority of Britons excel at holding back the years.

The Older, the Better!

Contrary to popular belief, more than half (54 per cent) of women aged 40-plus believe they look younger than they are. But it’s not just women who look and feel younger than their years, 14 per cent of men in their early 40s think they look 10 years younger than they actually are.

70 per cent of women in their early sixties feel ten years younger, and a third (31 per cent) say they look ten years younger. Similarly, almost a quarter of men in their early 60s (24 per cent) believe they look 10 years younger.

However, the optimum age for looking and feeling younger is in your 70s, with 93 per cent of women feeling younger and 84 per cent saying they look younger than their years!

Modern Living

The pressures of modern life are taking the biggest toll on men and women in their thirties, with juggling work, starting a family and financial worries impacting on this generation’s looks. 17 per cent of men and 12 per cent of women in their thirties think they look older than their years.

The findings also reveal the majority of Britons manage to stay looking and feeling youthful despite putting daily pressures on their bodies:

· Nearly one in four (23 per cent) Brits say their stress levels are eight or above on a scale of one to 10 (10 being the highest)

· 45 per cent of people have six hours of sleep or less per night

· Nearly one in four (23 per cent) adults drink more than 14 units of alcohol each week

· A fifth (20 per cent) of Brits smoke cigarettes every day

· 50 per cent of people only do moderate exercise less than once a week

Spend to Mend

For many Brits, the secret to eternal youth could be down to balanced lifestyles. Although the average person splurges nearly £50 a month (£48.13) on booze, cigarettes and junk food, we also spend £29.03 each month on fruit and veg and vitamins. Our monthly spend of £25.94 on skin, hair and body care could also be in a bid to stave off the ‘ugly’ effects of fatty foods, cigarettes and alcohol, such as bad skin and greasy hair.

Katie Roswell, Health and Lifestyle Expert, PruHealth, said: “Despite many recent warnings of bad diets and binge drinking, people in the UK are generally living balanced lifestyles and as a result are feeling and looking better than ever. If we continue to move in the right direction by eating sensibly, cutting back on smoking and making time in our busy schedules for regular exercise, hopefully we’ll be able to continue holding back the years!”

Full consumer product information can be found at www.pruhealth.co.uk

*YouGov conducted an online survey of 2,193 people for PruHealth between 20 – 23rd April 2007. Data is weighted to be representative of the GB population.

** Government Actuary Department, 2005

About PruHealth

PruHealth was launched in October 2004 as a joint venture between Prudential and Discovery Holdings from South Africa. Since launch, PruHealth has grown quickly. It now covers over 100,000 lives and in a sample of its individual customers, one third said they had changed their behaviour for the better because of its Vitality reward scheme which encourages policyholders to look after their health.

PruHealth was chosen, among other stakeholders, to champion the Department of Health’s “small change, big difference campaign.”

The campaign is aimed at adults with the message that even small changes in diet and physical activity can make a difference. Launched by Tony Blair and Patricia Hewitt in April 2006, PruHealth was the only private medical insurer to be selected at launch.

Is 50 the new 25 – new UK report?

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London: The over 50s are living the lives of 25 year olds, according to a new report from the UK’s Future Foundation.

The second flush of youth is the result of improved health and longer life expectancy with men expecting to live 15 years after retirement and women 22.

Martin Lloyd-Elliott, a psychologist, who contributed to the report said that there had been a shift in expectations with over 50s expecting doors to open rather than close in the second phase of life. With more wealth and more free time older people are taking the time to do more with their leisure such as travel.

Unlike their predessesors who spent their time doing domestic chores over 50s now spend their time socialising and shopping. In fact over 50s spend twice as much time shopping as their counterparts did 50 years ago. They also go to the shops for longer than today’s twentysomethings.

They are also keen on keeping fit, spending the same amount of time as on sport and exercise as 25-year-olds did in 1957.

Wrinkles see the light – and disappear – new light rejuvenation from Ellipse

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London:Wrinkles see the light and disappear with Ellipse’s new rejuvenation treatment

A new wrinkle busting treatment using light rejuvenation to increase collagen making skin look young and supple has been launched by the experts at Ellipse.

This new intense pulsed light (IPL) treatment has been shown to improve lines and wrinkles in less than a month. It is a non-invasive two step procedure that consists of applying a spray which contains an advanced liposome, which converts the active ingredient into a pigment called (protoporphyrin IX 2) helping to absorb the light and aiding deeper penetration. This triggers a chemical reaction that is in effect a miniature explosion that damages the skin cell, triggering a cellular repair response. This process improves the skins elasticity resulting in a noticeable 300% collagen production.

Michael Dodd, Managing Director at Ellipse explains: “What is exciting about this new extension of the product in to anti-aging is that it will add another exciting chapter to Ellipse’s comprehensive menu of treatments with the likes of ‘Skin texture’ and Photo Rejuvnenation already under its belt. With Wrinkle Reduction we can now provide customers with a one-stop-shop, non-invasive solution to better skin management.”

With the Ellipse IPL Wrinkle Reduction application, people will see lasting results for up to 12 months depending on the individual. In clinical studies it has been found that collagen production peaks at three months. A course of three treatments with three week intervals is recommended by the scientists behind the Ellipse technology but visible results can be seen after just one treatment.

Wrinkle Reduction gradually takes place from one up to twelve months when collagen stimulation is triggered offering the building blocks to smoother, youthful skin. Clinically proven by leading dermatologists Ellipse’s Wrinkle Reduction treatment will offer people either a non-invasive preventative measure or a solution to anti-ageing. Dubbed as the new “lunchtime beauty-fix” it shows significant improvement in wrinkles minus the pain or visible redness associated with comparable alternatives. Find our more at www.wrinkle-reduction.org

Ageless Secret – the beauty mask you can wear all day

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Would you wear a beauty mask in public? Here’s how you can get the benefits of wearing a beauty mask all day long, without anyone knowing it’s there!

Every day, women across America (and some men, we know you’re out there!) spend their hard-earned money on sticky or oily face masks to temporarily lift, tone and firm their skin. But whether they are green, blue, textured or peel-off, you probably don’t want to wear them out in public. Until now, there was no way to keep that ‘fresh from the spa’ look all day long, every day.

New developments in anti-aging technology have led to the creation of an ‘invisible beauty mask’ that leaves no residue so it can be worn by itself or beneath make-up. Called The Ageless Secret™, it is the only beauty mask on the market that can be worn all day, every day to constantly lift, firm, tone and hydrate your skin.

Because it is invisible, The Ageless Secret™ can be sprayed onto your skin throughout the day – even over makeup. It immediately improves skin elasticity whether you’re a tanning goddess or simply experiencing signs of aging.

“Instead of getting only the temporary results from a typical beauty mask, you can cheat ‘old age’ and get the results of a beauty mask all day every day. And because it is constantly lifting, firming and toning your skin it trains your skin to resist looking old,” says Jim Kaszyk, President and Chief Technologist of Kasz Enterprises Inc, who developed The Ageless Secret™ formula..

The Ageless Secret also dramatically reduces the need for a moisturizer, because it hydrates, softens and dramatically improves skin suppleness to fight wrinkles and the first signs of aging. “The Ageless Secret relies on harmless and time-tested, all natural ingredients combined into a gentle formulation using The Ageless Secret’s exclusive homeopathic-like manufacturing technology,” explains Kaszyk.

“This formula also is safe enough to drink,” he confirms. “This level of product safety separates us from others within the market. We believe what you put on your skin goes into your skin and eventually into your body. Because we have found ways to enhance the effectiveness of the ingredients, we can use them in tiny amounts. That also eliminates unpleasant odors, textures or side effects. The resulting invisible mask trains and tones the skin to keep it from looking old. The more it is used, the better results you get.”

The Ageless Secret™, available in Original and Gold Formulas, is currently sold online at www.agelesssecret.com and at a limited number of health food stores in the US. The price is $159.99 (£81.32, Euro 120.34)and will last two months, if you use it according to the directions. Longer if you don’t spritz quite so often during the day.

Biography – Curtis J. Perry, MD

Dr. Curtis Perry is a Board Certified facial plastic surgeon, in addition to being a board certified otolaryngologist. He is currently in private practice in East Greenwich, Rhode Island. He also serves as an assistant clinical professor at Tufts University School of Medicine. Dr. Perry earned his medical degree at Brown University Program in Medicine in Providence, Rhode Island. He is a member of numerous professional societies including the American Academy of Facial Plastic and Reconstructive Surgery and the American Academy of Cosmetic Surgery. He also is a co-author of several articles published in professional medical journals.

Biography – Dr Richard W. Parlee

Dr Richard W. Parlee is a pharmacist and chiropractor. He has been in clinical practice for more than 35 years in Orange County, California. His primary focus has been assisting the body with healing and enhancing itself through natural means, emphasizing clinical nutrition to supply the necessary raw materials that the human body so desperately needs. He continues to be a pioneer in natural healthcare, seeking the most innovative products and methodologies that improve the quality of people’s lives. His commitment to excellence in providing proven, practical and life enhancing results for his clients remains his mission.

Dr Parlee was certified as a registered pharmacist in 1963 by the Oregon Board of Pharmacy. He graduated from the Los Angeles Chiropractic College as a Doctor of Chiropractic in 1970.

Dr Parlee has been using The Ageless Secret in his practice for the past three years. Both he and his clients have noticed remarkable tangible results in the de-stressing and rejuvenating aspects of The Ageless Secret as well as the diminishment of wrinkles, general tightening of the skin, and the hydrating effect it has on the areas of application. He continues daily to see the improvements The Ageless Secret has had on his numerous clients.

Biography – Steven E. Nelson

Steven E. Nelson is a Doctor of Pharmacology at Synergy Wellness Clinics, Inc. in Palm Desert, California. Dr. Nelson has more than 43 years of experience in applied pharmacology and biochemistry, and more than 15 years experience as a clinic, naturopathic and homeopathic physician.

He has written articles for more than 30 medical, nutritional, trade and commercial publications. And he has 10 years experience as a clinical instructor at the University of Wisconsin, University of California, UCLA, University of Southern California and Stanford University.

Nelson earned his Doctor of Pharmacy from the University of Michigan, a Doctor of Philosophy (Clinical) in Pharmacology from the University of Wisconsin Schools of Pharmacy and Medicine, and Doctor of Philosophy (Clinical) in Biochemistry and Clinical Nutrition from Indiana University.