New to sports sponsorship are the latest group of drinks companies who are lobbying for acceptance with their latest blends of alcohol and caffine stimulation drinks - one up on poor relation taurine based Red Bull these turbo pops are fast growing in popularity.

So how is this different than a rum and coke? Irish cofee? etc. Drinkers have been mixing alcohol with caffiene forever. Now it’s wrong because the industry is doing it for us?

The drinks, which are sold under names such as Joose, Four Loko and Liquid Charge, typically combine malt liquor, vodka or another alcoholic beverage with caffeine or other stimulants.

In the US health-advocacy groups are urging government to closely regulate caffeinated alcoholic drinks, a small but fast-growing category popular among younger drinkers.

Proponents of tougher regulation are calling for everything from outright bans to warning labels stating that mixing caffeine and alcohol could carry health or safety risks.

A primary concern of the groups is that caffeine and other stimulants may mask feelings of drunkenness, which could lead users to act recklessly, such as driving while intoxicated.

Some thoughts about the health effect of these drinks

An excellent example of how researchers can twist around correlation to show whatever causation they set out to prove. I would suggest that the type of people who drink red bull and vodka, instead of something a little less party-ish, are the type of people who are more likely to do stupid things in general, and probably are out to get smashed regardless of how much caffeine the government does or doesn’t allow them to mix with their liquor. You may as well come out with a study that shows people who drink jack daniels are more likely to gt in bar fights than people who drink johnny walker - that must mean that common whiskey gets you drunker than a good scotch, right?

Even if we did put labels on these drinks, there’s still millions of helpless consumers out there mixing jack and coke. Surely a major public health campaign would have to happen. How about: if some actual hard science comes out about this, we just wait and see if it gets around without the government having to do anything, much like the common knowledge that alcohol makes you drunk?

The long half-life of caffeine makes it a less than genius decision to consume at 9 pm (which only increases alcohol’s effect on sleep quality), the notion that it can sober you up is less than genius, and the the plan to be awake enough to get drunk and be an idiot all night is also, yep, less than genius. But an idiot with a pencil can cause harm to himself and others if motivated/bored enough, not a reason to get rid of pencils. Caffeine can increase respitory rate as well, allowing me to smoke more cigarettes on the patio Saturday morning, shall we have an article on that?

Sounds like these drinks are pretty much the same as a rum and Coke.

A better use of regulatory oversight would be in monitoring products like Red Bull that are marketed to kids. High school students with a backpacks full of sugar-caffine charged beverages seems to me to be the greater health risk.

If you buy various margarines and spreads such as sun flower and vegetable oil based spreads the labling will say they’re good for you because they contain Omega 3 oil.

Now 20 of the world’s leading scientists who specialise in fats have signed a petition saying that the rules should be changed because that is misleading - Professor Jack Winkler of London Metropoloitan University has co-ordinated the petition and this interview is transcribed.

What’s happening is that some companies are putting vegetable or cheap  fish oils into their products and slapping a strong claim that they are high in omega 3 which implies that they will deliver the same health benfits for health and heart as the more expensive fish oils but they don’t.

The new regualtions make this legally permissable it would legalise the deception to consumers.

Fish Oils Best Omega 3? What about flowers and vegetable Oils?

You say fish oils - I thought that some of the omega 3 came from vegetables and plants such as sun flowers?

Thats right and they are cheaper - the companies want to use cheaper plant oils but use a claim that implies they are as good as more expensive fish oils and that is somehting that this new regualtion would make legally permissable even though it is substantively misleading.

Fish Oils Best for Omega 3s

The cheaper oils aren’t actually bad for you?

No - we actually want to claim - we have a big public health problem here - we eat too few of these healthy omega 3s - the best way to get them is to eat fish, but we don’t eat enough fish and we never will.

Add Omega 3 oil to food people like to eat

The second best way to do it is to take the food that people actually like to eat, and put the healthy omega 3s into them, fortify them. If we do that the companies will gain a commercial advantage and public health will be improved but we’ve got to have rules to make sure they do it properly and this rule will allow them to engage in trickery.

This rule is a European regulation and if it goes ahead things will effectively stay the same.

Claims such as “heart healthy omega 3 and 6″ will still be able to be made even on cheap sun flower and vegetable oil based products.

When the new law came in in 2006 there was a transition period - so all claims that existed before the law could continue but that transition period expires on the 19th january 2010 - there is a rush to get legislation in place but are making a cods of it - technicla term in the fatty food science industry.

Rather than put “heart healthy omega 3″ on the label we want them to be able to put “high in omega 3″ but the only if they are the real omega 3s - the omega 3 from fish oil that deliver the cardiovascular benefits, the mental benefits.

If we do that then we give manufacturers the incentive to put good things into food - if they only put the cheap stuff in they shouldn’t be allowed to make the healthy claims.

Charity Gifts

Charity shops have for a long time been seen as “cheap second hand” shops often attracting donations of unwanted goods that are not really fit for re-sale but some members of the public believe they are doing good and not just avoiding time consuming trips to the local dump by dropping off black sack of mixed “stuff” that they are convinced somebody will want to buy.

The good stuff is often picked up for a song and immediately re-sold on e-bay types sites by folk with dubious morals - at the very least a donation of some of the profits  should be returned as a thank you gift to the charity.

More savvy charities are now encouraging and training their volunteers to idnetify the true potential of doanted goods and where appropriate include them in their online shops.  Online charity shops are being bookmarked by online shoppers that hope they will find specialist clothing, rare books and curiosities without the waiting and gambling of auction sites.

The benefit of attracting regular shoppers to charity sites is the potential to  spread the word of unusual charity gifts - to help those in most need.  The shop pages can carry important messages about disasters and relief , promotions about charity giving.

Charity Donation

The mainstay of many charities is the receipt of donations - either direct money or unwanted books and clothes that can be sold in charity shops to raise money to support the organisation’s work.

Some charity donations can be huge - corporate sponsorship of events such as the Flora London Marathon.  Medical equipement manufacturers and drup companies are increasingly looking to associate with healthcare organisations and their support ranges from financial support, donation of equipment or collaboration to produce literature and information that raises awareness.

Charity Volunteers

Perhaps one of the most important resources for many organisations is the dedication of volunteers - who offer their time and skills free of charge.

Volunteers are often deployed to fulfil mailings, complete administrative tasks and even promote awareness of the work of the charity to the public - a good example of this is the splendid efforts of medical professionals who took part in the hugely successful testing week.

Recently a new study revealed that people with higher diastolic blood pressure reading are more likely to have cognitive impairment and go on to encourage getting your blood pressure under control as that just might help reduce thinking problems prevent memory loss.

The research study reported finding a link between memory problems and with high diastolic blood pressure - the measurement of the pressure in your blood vessels in between heartbeats, and is the second number in a blood pressure measurement.

The study from the University of Alabama sampled almost twenty thousand people aged 45 and above.

The results held even when scientists considered other things that affect thinking ability and memory skills such as education and even whether or not they smoked.

For every 10 point increase in the diastolic reading, the chances of a person suffering from cognitive problems was increased by 7 per cent, according to the findings, published in the journal Neurology.

Dr Georgio Tsivgoulis, from the University of Alabama, who led the study, said:

It is of course possible that by preventing or treating high blood pressure, we could potentially prevent cognitive impairment, which can be a precursor to dementia.

More studies of blood pressure and memory loss

Researchers say they need to do more studies to confirm these findings but other research has shown high diastolic blood pressure leads to weakening of the small arteries in the brain.

Blood Pressure Testing Week 2009

Know Your Numbers runs  7 - 14th September 2009

Always keen to support the national awareness week for blood pressure testing this years nationwide event will see free blood pressure checks throughout the UK.  Testing stations, run by professionally qualified volunteers will open their doors to the public to take blood pressure readings and offer advice and information about high blood pressure.

Find your nearest free blood pressure check

To find your nearest Pressure Station, enter your postcode and click ‘Find nearest’!

If you want to speak to someone about blood pressure the bpassoc operate an information line - 020 8772 4994 which is available Monday to Friday. Of course it is likely that the volume of calls will increase during a successful “know your numbers” awareness week.

Know Your Numbers -100,000,000

36 years ago in 1973 Omron Healthcare manufactured and began selling blood pressure monitors - by the end of August 2009 they passed a significant milestone - 100 models sold in 100 countries totalling 100 million blood pressure monitors sold enabling people around the world to keep track of their blood pressure measurements. The latest range of Omron monitors include climate change beating solar powered machines and machines that directly link into diagnostic laptop computers. which relay information to health care professionals.

Know Your Numbers -  100 days

One hundred days until the climate change meeting in Copenhagen

Conveniently coinciding with the 10:10 campaign in which participants vow to reduce their  CO2 emissions byy 10% in 20010 the Copenhagen climate change pow wow is a hundred days away and environmental groups are preparing for this by supporting the 10 10 cliamte change effort

Actor Timothy West spoke to BBC Radio 4 about the importance of supporting blood pressure testing

The following is a transcript of Timothy’s  Radio 4 Appeal on behalf of the healthcare charity the Blood Pressure Association.

It was the perfect August Bank Holiday Cath and her husband Glen were driving to a country pub to have lunch - on the way they stopped for a newspaper, Glen stopped in the car.  As Cath left the shop she was startled by the sound of a blaring car horn - she looked up to see Glen slumped at the drivers’s seat, his head on the steering wheel.

Glen had died from hypertensive heart disease, a late complication of high blood pressure which he’d had unknowingly had for years - he was just 39.

Rugby mad Glen had seemed fit and healthy with a fantastic future ahead of him, yet appearances can be deceptive.

One in three have high blood pressure

Like me, Glen had high blood pressure, unlike me he was not fortunate enough to know it - you see it’s symptomless - a silent killer. One in three of you listening today will have high blood pressure yet a third of you who do wont even know it

I’m one of the lucky ones - I was diagnosed with high blood pressure during a medical before starting a film. I got the support I needed to bring my condition under control - that’s why, twenty years later I’m talking to you now.

A group of cardivascualr professors were frustrated at seeing endless strokes and heart attacks caused by uncontrolled high blood pressure and formed a healthcare charity awareness organisation for the public’s benefit. The charity takes blood pressure testing out onto the high street. Over the past nine years they’ve provided free checks to over a million people who might not otherwise have known their blood pressure. They also support thousands of people already diagnosed with the condition.

Prevent tragedies like this - its horrific to lose someone but when its preventable its heart breaking.

There are a number of common myths about high blood pressure and its treatment. The following information  tackles five of the most common.

Your blood pressure should be 100 plus your age

There is often a feeling that high blood pressure is just a natural part of ageing, and that as your age increases, so should your blood pressure. This is definitely not the case.

High blood pressure is a reading above 140/90 mmHg, whatever your age. It is not just a part of ageing, and it is certainly not inevitable.

We do not know exactly what causes high blood pressure, but we do know that your lifestyle has a lot to do with it. The less healthy a life you lead, the more likely you are to have high blood pressure. So over time, as you get older, the effects of an unhealthy lifestyle build up and raise your blood pressure to levels that are too high.

You’ll know if you have high blood pressure because you can feel it

High blood pressure will only occasionally cause symptoms when it is very high. In almost all cases, high blood pressure has no symptoms whatsoever.

There are around 16 million people with high blood pressure in the UK. Around a third of these people do not know they have it.

The only way to know if your blood pressure is too high, is to have it checked. That is why we recommend that everyone has their blood pressure measured regularly.

You can measure your own blood pressure without needing to use a stethoscope by using an automatic blood pressure monitor.

Only people who are stressed or “hyper” need to worry about their blood pressure

Anyone can develop high blood pressure. Leading a busy or stressful lifestyle doesn’t appear to make you more likely to develop high blood pressure than anyone else

Stress and anxiety will raise your blood pressure in the short term, but when you relax your blood pressure will go down again. The only way that a stressful lifestyle can raise your blood pressure is if you have a poor diet or aren’t getting enough exercise as a result of it.

If you have high blood pressure you can’t take any exercise

While you exercise, your blood pressure increases. Once you stop exercising, your blood pressure goes back down to its usual levels.

Some people think that this brief increase in blood pressure puts them at greater risk of a heart attack or stroke. For most people with high blood pressure, this is not the case. In fact, regular physical activity can help to lower your blood pressure.

If you have high blood pressure, you may find it useful to speak to your doctor or nurse before starting any new exercises. If your blood pressure is quite high (e.g. above 180/100mmHg) then they may prefer you to lower it with medicines before you start exercising.

High blood pressure causes heart attacks, low blood pressure causes strokes

The first part of this statement is certainly true: high blood pressure is a leading cause of heart disease and stroke.

However, low blood pressure does not increase your risk of having a stroke. In fact, the lower your blood pressure is, the lower your risk of heart disease or stroke.

If you have low blood pressure this should not usually be a cause for concern. However, if low blood pressure is causing you to feel faint or dizzy, speak to your doctor or nurse.

A study published in the European Journal of Cardiovascular Prevention and Rehabilitation looked at the blood pressures of more than 20,000 UK smokers and non-smokers. The researchers asked the participants if they had been previously told that they had high blood pressure and then measured their blood pressures.

The authors found that only half (51.3%) of the smokers who had high blood pressure had previously been told that they had it. This means that almost half of all smokers with high blood pressure (49.7%) were not receiving the treatment they needed to lower their blood pressure and risk of having a stroke or heart attack.

The researchers suggest that this might be due to the fact that smoking helps people to be thinner than their non-smoking counterparts. GPs may be more likely to test the blood pressures of overweight people since this naturally makes someone more likely to have high blood pressure.

The results of the study suggest that all people who smoke should have their blood pressures regularly tested to make sure that they receive the treatment they need. Established medical knowledge also recommends that anyone who does smoke and finds that they have high blood pressure should try to quit as soon as possible to rapidly lower their risk of stroke or heart disease.

You can really help your blood pressure health by working regular aerobic exercise into your routine and by this I don’t mean you have to start training for a marathon.

30 minutes of moderate exercise, such as brisk walking, jogging, cycling or swimming, five times a week is enough to make your heart and blood vessels more flexible and efficient, which helps to lower your blood pressure.

Exercise to avoid if you have high blood pressure

If you’ve got high blood pressure you’ll need to avoid exercise which involves short bursts of intensive activity, such as squash or weightlifting, which will raise your blood pressure and put unnecessary strain on your heart and blood vessels.

• 30 minutes of aerobic activity five times a week can lower blood pressure by 4-9mmHg.

Being active will also help you to keep to a healthy weight, which is good news for your blood pressure.

High blood pressure is a serious condition - it’s the major risk factor for stroke and heart attack - but there are so many ways to keep your blood pressure numbers to a healthy level, particularly through eating well and staying active.

Although many people with high blood pressure will need to take medication, eating healthily and reducing salt intake in particular can help medicines to work better, and can even reduce the amount of medicines needed.

Even people with healthy blood pressure numbers can make proactive choices - blood pressure tends to increase with age, so this will stand you in good stead for the future.

Eat your way to good blood pressure health:

What you eat and drink can play a major role in keeping your blood pressure healthy. In general, the healthier your diet is, the lower your blood pressure will be.

Salt is a key offender in raising blood pressure and most of us eat far too much of it - we should be eating less than 6g a day, but the majority of us are eating around 9g. All this extra salt makes our bodies hold onto excess water, which then raises blood pressure.

It’s not too hard to cut down on the white stuff - just try to shake less at the table and when cooking, and try to boost flavours with herbs and spices or seasonings like chilli, ginger or lemon juice instead.

But it’s also important to remember that around 80 per cent of the salt in our diets comes from manufactured foods, so beware the hidden salt in bread, breakfast cereals, and cheeses.

Healthy Eating Lowers Blood Pressure

• Cutting down on salt and eating no more than 6g a day could lower blood pressure by 2-8mmHg.

Getting your five a day or fruit and vegetables is also excellent for your blood pressure health. You’ll not only be getting essential vitamins, minerals and fibre, but fruit and veg also contain potassium, which can help to balance out the negative effects of salt.

Some fruits and vegetables - such as bananas, asparagus or spinach - are particularly rich in potassium, but eating the same foods all the time can be a bit dull, and different foods have different nutrients, so we’d recommend getting a good variety.

• Eating five, or ideally seven to nine, portions of fruit and vegetables a day can lower blood pressure by 7mmHg or more.

“Eating healthily and being active will also help you to keep to a healthy weight, which is good news for your blood pressure. And if you’re overweight a 10kg weight loss (i.e 22lbs) could help to lower your blood pressure by 5-10mmHg.”

A guide to blood pressure levels: Measure how healthy eating helps lower blood pressure.

One of the most common blood pressure questions is “what do the numbers mean?”

Less than 120/80mmHg - blood pressure is at the ‘optimal’ level so follow a healthy lifestyle to keep it that way

121/81 - 129/84mmHg - blood pressure is ‘average’ and you would benefit from lowering it

130/85 - 139/89mmHg - blood pressure is on the ‘high side of normal’ and should be lowered

140/90mmHg or above - if readings are consistently at or above this level you have high blood pressure, take action now to lower it