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Lazy people, rejoice.

You can now see your doctor and get that refill prescription all from the comfort of your own bed.

McCabes Pharmacy has announced their agreement with VideoDoc, a company who deliver diagnosis and a prescription to patients at home and we're pretty excited about it. 

VideoDoc is an online doctor service and each one is registered with the Irish Medical Council and has received remote services training so it's all legit. 

They are available for consultations online via the videodoc.ie website or through the videoDoc app.

So, where does McCabes come in all of this?

Basically, if you can't get to the pharmacy to collect your medicine,  videoDoc can send the prescription to McCabes Pharmacy who in turn will deliver the medication to the individual’s location of choice.

They offer the same day delivery in Dublin and a next day delivery service for anywhere else in Ireland.

Amazing, right?

“Our delivery service ensures that  patients never run out of much needed medication. videoDoc who provide online doctor consultations extend healthcare even further to those who might have mobility or scheduling issues,” said Cormac Loughnane, Superintendent Pharmacist of McCabes Pharmacy.

Mary O’Brien, Co-Founder and CEO of videoDoc, has said, ''I believe this is an example of how developments in technology can give people precious time back in their day.''

Social media is all here for it, with users tweeting, ''When video doc saves your life when you get tonsillitis at USI Congress'' and ''Great example of how tech can be leveraged to help the healthcare sector and specifically mental health.''

videoDoc is available seven days a week from 8am to 10am, to patients anywhere in Europe.

Plus, it's just 20 quid a visit. 

Right, we're off to download that app STAT.

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We’ve been wearing twice as much deodorant since this heatwave made an appearance. We love the soaring temperatures, but they have also left us melting from the moment we wake up until the early hours of the morning.

Being stuck on a packed Luas when it's 25 degrees outside isn’t a pleasant experience, especially when someone’s sweaty armpit is mere centimetres away from your face.

Gross encounters like this inspire us to be extra hygienic during the summer months.

Once we hop out of the shower in the morning we spritz ourselves with a florally scented deodorant.

However, experts have found that we have been applying deodorant the wrong way all this time.

Doctor Dawn Harper told The Sun that you should apply deodorant at night instead of in the morning. She explained that applying deodorant at night will give it time to dry on your armpits.

“Apply at night before going to bed to allow to dry fully. Leave on overnight and wash off any residue in the morning with soap and water.”

She added: "To get the best results you apply deodorant to completely dry skin."

The best piece of advice she could offer was to be diligent when purchasing deodorant. She said many people fail to buy antiperspirant deodorant and opt for fancy designs and flowery scents instead.

Antiperspirant deodorants stop you from sweating, whereas other sprays just mask the smell of sweat temporarily.

Applying your deodorant at night may be the right way, but we'll be applying deodorant on the hour every hour during this heatwave.

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Sleep! Don't sleep. Drink! Don't drink. Exercise! But not too much.

In the world we live in, it seems like every corner of the Internet is telling us something different. 

'Researchers' and 'scientists' who have been conducting studies for years on end will tell you the best way to live your life.

The best way to go to sleep at night.  The best way to eat your greens. The best way to have sex.

But, what do any of them know about you?

A recent article featured on Refinery29 brought up the issue of 'social jet lag'.

A research paper published in the science journal Sleep, said that sleeping in at the weekend or on days off is detrimental to your health.

"This routine is actually causing chronic fatigue and often triggers a terrible mood. Even worse, a new study reveals that this form of 'jet lag' can increase your risk of heart disease by 11 percent," explains R29.

I'm speaking for myself here when I say I couldn't be more delighted when I sleep in, and my mood is definitely boosted with an extra hour in bed.

The lead author of the study, Sierra B. Forbush, said: "These results indicate that sleep regularity, beyond sleep duration alone, plays a significant role in our health."

At first glance of this study, I would look away immediately. As I said above, I love nothing more than sleeping in at the weekend, and I bask in the glory of my bed when I have a day off.

And even though they are just my own views, a study published in New Scientist backs them up.

Just last month, the research paper found that brain cells ware out and can be destroyed if we're sleep deprived.

Experts suggested that lying in was a great way to combat this issue, which can lead to Alzheimer's disease and other neurological disorders.

So, who is right? Who should we believe? To sleep or not to sleep.

Alcohol is another tricky one. A study popped up this week claiming that "even moderate drinking can damage the brain."

It explains that even if you drink a mild amount of alcohol over the space of 30 years, the right side of your brain can shrink from its intake.

"The findings do contradict a common belief that a glass of red wine or champagne a day can protect against damage to the brain,” said one of the researchers.

However, another study published just last week said, "a glass of red wine every night may help people with their cholesterol and cardiac health."

A quick scan through EurekAlert, a science news website, shows similar views; 'Red wine compound linked to health!', 'Drinking with friends makes you happy!', 'Wine with dinner can improve the cardiovascular system!'

We're living in an age where people have the tools (hello, Internet) to voice their numerous opinions and 'findings', and while this can be a fantastic thing, it also lends itself to utter sh*te.

Something that is good for you may not be good for the person sitting beside you.

Sleeping in on Saturday morning is your saving grace, but could be Hell for your sister.

Drinking a glass of wine might calm you down, but make another person anxious.

I'm going to stop concentrating so much on what the Internet is telling me and concentrate more on what my body is telling me.

If I'm tired and want to sleep, I will sleep. If I'm sitting in on a rainy Tuesday night and fancy a glass of vino, I will drink it, happily.

While it can be great and beneficial to read these studies, believing every word will only send you into a spiral.

So, drink the wine, Sleep in. Eat chocolate. Listen to your body, and just do you.

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I must admit that I struggle to get through the day without my regular cup of coffee. I need that cup of joy to help wake me up in the morning, especially with a lengthy commute ahead of me.

I’m sure I’m not the only one who turns into an angry little gremlin without my caffeine fix, whether it’s a flat white from my favourite local cafe or a mug of instant coffee at 6 am.

I’m a true coffee addict and pride myself on being just like Lorelai Gilmore. “I need coffee in an IV” has become my new motto since I started working full time.

There are times when I do worry about my daily coffee consumption, but one study has certainly reassured me.

Researchers in Germany have discovered that drinking four cups of coffee a day is actually good for your heart.

The team shared that caffeine helps protect blood vessels.

The study, which was published in PLOS Biology, stated that caffeine boosts the production of the p27 protein that protects and regenerates heart cells.

"Our results indicate a new mode of action for caffeine, one that promotes protection and repair of heart muscle through the action of mitochondrial p27,” said study author, Professor Judith Haendeler.

"These results should lead to better strategies for protecting heart muscle from damage,” he added.

There are numerous other benefits when it comes to drinking a Cup of Joe such as boosting cognitive function and protecting against type 2 diabetes.

Experts recommend drinking two to three cups of coffee each day, or if you’re like me then feel free to channel your inner Lorelai Gilmore and drink all the coffee!

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Life doesn't get much better than Bey blasting, a couple of cocktails and soaking up the sun. 

However, what you mightn't be aware of is: melanoma is prominent in Irish society.

In fact, the National Cancer Registry Ireland reports that diagnoses of melanoma have more than trebled in Ireland in the last twenty years. (EEK)

To raise awareness of the skin cancer, Boots is giving us a helping hand to still be sun goddess, but take care of our skin too! 

Being the absolute lifesavers they are, Boots will be offering a mole scanning service.

To encourage a life-long habit to check your moles, the system will be rolled out in ten stores nationwide.

Boots engineered the check in conjunction with ScreenCancer UK.

The Boots Mole Scanning Service allows anyone aged 18 and over to have their moles or pigmented lesions scanned using a specialist device called a SIAscope.

Your scan will then be assessed by a dermatology specialist, and each person will receive a report based on the specialist assessment.

If any suspicious lesion is detected, the individual will be referred to their doctor or specialist for follow-on treatment.

Although you won’t get a skin cancer diagnosis from the service, it will help to identify any suspicious characteristics that may need more expert attention.

Melanoma has soared in Ireland and 10,000 cases are diagnosed each year.

However, if spotted early, up to 90 percent of cases are curable.

 

 

Included in the screening, you will also be provided with guidance on assessing your own moles using the ABCDE guide, and given further advice on staying safe in the sun.

You can use the guide to check yours before a more thorough screening in-store. Be sure to look out for:

  • A – Asymmetry: Irregular shape – the two halves should be symmetrical
  • B – Borders: Unclear, irregular or ragged boundaries against normal skin
  • C – Colour: Changes in colour – especially black, blue or uneven colours
  • D – Diameter: More than 5-6mm in diameter and changes in size
  • E – Evolving: Changes in shape, size and colour, itching or bleeding of existing moles, or a new mole.

As part of the service, people will also be provided with guidance on assessing their own moles using the ABCDE guide, and given further advice on staying safe in the sun.

The Mole Scanning service has been available in Boots pharmacies internationally since 2010.

They have scored in overall satisfaction as “good or higher” with 99 percent of respondents and 95 percent saying they would recommend the service to others. 

The Mole Scanning service costs €39 for one mole scanned, and €19 for each additional mole scan, up to a maximum of four moles.

The service will be available in the following Boots stores: St Stephen’s Green, Dublin City Centre, Swords, County Dublin, Castlebar, Co. Mayo, Shop Street, Galway city centre, Killarney, Co Kerry, Half Moon St, Cork, Letterkenny Retail Park, Athlone, Co. Westmeath, Portlaoise, Co. Laois and Wexford, Co. Wexford.

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Each of the 209 women or their next of kin, for those who have passed away, will receive €2000 in compensation.

The government's decision to offer the immediate payment was on the back of Dr Gabriel Scally's progress report.

On Tuesday, the Cabinet discussed the report and adopted the recommendation made by Dr Scally, to provide the money to the affected women. 

Dr Scally is chair of an independent team who are putting together an inquiry.

They are investigating why women were given a false, all-clear on their smear tests. 

The purpose of the payment was to remove any financial obstacles for those women who wanted to contribute to the inquiry.  

In a statement, the Minister of Health, Simon Harris said the compensation is solely to allow voices to be heard and would not impact anyone seeking further payment.

"Following the approval of Government, I am making arrangements for the ex-gratia payment as recommended by Dr Scally. This payment relates to addressing any financial obstacles women might encounter in having their voices heard as part of his work.

It would not be a bar to further payment in due course. I have also requested Dr Scally to identify arrangements that he could put in place as part of his inquiry to undertake the process of structured conversations."

Mr Harris also said the report found that consent forms at the time of smears are "a major strength" in the Irish healthcare programme. 

Additionally, the evaluation also identified areas of improvement for the service, as the Minister said: 

“He does make a number of important recommendations to improve the information provided to women, including strengthening the statements on the limitations of screening. I will immediately ask the HSE to implement the four recommendations related to this."

The report reviewed by the Cabinet is an updated version and is not yet completed. 

The final copy was due at the end of the month, however, it has been forecasted that there will be a delay.

The extra time comes as those affected were asked to come forward on a voluntary basis.

This means Dr Scally has not spoken to the majority of those impacted. 

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There are few things in life more satisfying than crawling into bed on Friday night knowing you'll get a well-deserved lie-on in the morning. 

And aside from being our saving grace at the end of a busy week, it now seems that those Saturday AM snooze-a-thons could actually be prolonging our lives. 

According to a study by Swedish and US researchers, people under 65-years-old are at greater risk of death if they get less than five hours sleep on the weekends. 

Published in the Journal of Sleep Research, the study was based on data collected from 30,000 participants over a 13 year period. 

Results showed that people who get less that five hours sleep throughout the week, but enjoyed some extra shut-eye on the weekends, had no heightened mortality risk.

However, that risk is increased if a person is getting consistently sleeping less than five hours, or more than nine hours per night. 

Researchers took various factors into account, such as gender, education, body mass index, severe disease, use of hypnotics (like sleeping pills,) as well as things like smoking, alcohol intake, physical activity, coffee intake and employment status.

As if we need another excuse to keep pressing that snooze button! 

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Polycystic ovary syndrome (PSOC) is a condition that affects one in five women on child-bearing age. 

Polycystic ovaries are ovaries containing a large number of harmless cysts that are no bigger than 8mm each. 

Those who suffer with the condition may also experience a various symptoms including irregular or no menstrual periods, heavy periods, excess body and facial hair, acne, pelvic pain, and difficulty getting pregnant. 

For years, scientists struggled to determine a an exact cause of PCOS, but a new study published in Nature Medicine has shone a light on the issue. 

A team led by Paolo Giacobini at the French National Institute of Health and Medical Research discovered discovered that levels of Müllerian hormone (AMH) were 30 per cent higher in pregnant women with PCOS than those without.

With a cause now more-or-less established, researchers are able to explore a whole range of opportunities with the hopes of finding a cure. 

Robert Normal, from the University of Adelaide, Australia, said: “It’s a radical new way of thinking about polycystic ovary syndrome and opens up a whole range of opportunities for further investigation.”

 

 

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We’re big fans of sweet potato at SHEmazing HQ and regularly chow-down on sweet potato fries and sweet potato soup. We’ve even been known to bake sweet potato brownies. But sweet potato ice-pops……well that’s a first for us.

Wellnice Pops, a Limerick-based company founded by best mates BJ and Trín, has introduced a full range of vegetable and fruit-based ice-pops, just in time for summer. Aimed at supporting Irish people increase their intake of nutrients and micro-nutrients, the sweet potato, apple and beetroot pop, cleverly named ‘Frost Beet’ is loaded with zinc and is a great source of folic acid. What’s more it counts just 28 calories meaning we’ve finally found the healthy but fun snack we thought would never exist.

There are four ice-pop varieties in the range, all made exclusively from cold-pressed vegetables and fruits, and literally nothing else, not even water. Packed full of Vit C, Vit K and more, the pops support time-poor, young professionals to get the nutrients we need whilst on-the-go.

Co-founder of Wellnice Pops and nutritionist BJ Broderick said: “A busy lifestyle can make it really difficult to absorb the nutrients and micro-nutrients we need just to function every day. Between coffee for breakfast, skipping lunch or just grabbing a sandwich, our bodies are regularly missing out on vital nutrition.

“We are particularly passionate about helping the Irish consumer understand their nutritional needs and hope that the range not only introduces the Irish consumer to a new way of getting their required ‘7-a-day’ but also introduces them to fruits or vegetables they may not have explored before.”

Co-founder of Wellnice Pops and engineer, Trín O’Brien added:  “We have created a range we’re really proud of – it is honest in its nutritional offering, delicious in taste and built with the noble purpose of getting Ireland eating more fruit and veg.”

You go girls!

The four ice-pops in the range are:

The Wellnice Lemon Sucker at 15 calories contains only lemon, pineapple and yellow pepper and provides 88% of the recommended daily intake of Vitamin C, vital for protecting and maintaining cells, healthy skin, bones and cartilage. Interestingly, the body doesn’t have the ability to store Vitamin C meaning it is needed every day.

The Wellnice All Hail Kale at 20 calories contains only kale, cucumber and apples and is high in both Vitamin C and Vitamin K, a nutrient that plays a role in regulating blood clotting, building strong bones and preventing heart disease.

The Wellnice Two Carat Diamond at 23 calories contains only carrot, orange and ginger and promotes normal vision,helps to protect the immune system and aids cell reproduction.

The Wellnice Frost Beet at 34 calories contains only beetroot, apple and sweet potato, is high in zinc and is a source of folic acid. Folic acid can defend against deficiencies such as anaemia and helps the body to keep producing new cells whilst zinc helps the immune system fight off invading bacteria and viruses and is needed by the body to make proteins and DNA.

Excuse us while we run to the shop to stock up!

For stockists and more information visit www.wellnicepops.ie. To join in the conversation or keep up to date with news and competitions, visit @wellnicepops or search #wellnicepops on social media.

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Thousands of people are set to gather at the Royal Kilmainham Hospital this weekend, May 12 and 13, to explore and enhance their nutrition, fitness, and mental health at WellFest.

WellFest, in association with KBC, is Ireland's largest health, fitness, and wellness festival. The event is sure to have a little something for everyone – including celebrity appearances! 

Former Big Brother presenter Davina McCall will be leading a barre box blend class and Q&A session. The mum-of-three, while still a fixture on the small screen, has also become a fitness guru. We can't wait to see what she brings to WellFest!

As well, for all you foodies out there, the festival will be packed with cooking demonstrations galore! Our stomachs are already grumbling thinking of all the nutritious nibbles we'll learn how to make.

David and Stephen Flynn, the brothers behind The Happy Pear, are set to have a live cooking demo, along with Irish model Roz Purcell and Ella Mills of Deliciously Ella.

Combining fitness and food, Joe Wicks will be leading a high-intensity interval training workout, along with a cooking demo and Q&A. Joe rose to fame with his cookbook Lean in 15, which has sold over 900,000 copies.

And for all you yoga nuts, international stars GypsyOn and Patrick Beach will be at WellFest, too!

Of course, mental health is a key element of wellbeing, so performance psychologist Gerry Hussey has specially curated the 'WellMind' area of the festival.

If you're hoping to get in on the fun, there's a limited number of day and weekend tickets left that can be found at WellFest's website.

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Feeling comfortable with our doctors is a key to ensuring we stay healthy and happy.

If it doesn't seem like they understand us, then there's the possibility that we won't open up about ailments that keep us from being well.

A recent study from the US has revealed that women with higher body weight are especially at risk of keeping away from the doctor. This avoidance happens because of past weight stigma and discrimination these women have experienced when visiting their GPs.

 

The Body Image-published study surveyed over 300 women, looking at the information used to determine their body mass index (BMI), which is weight in kilograms divided by height in metres squared. 

The researchers also asked the women about any times they'd experienced or felt weight stigma, body guilt, healthcare stress, body shame, and avoidance of healthcare.

Janell Mensinger, PhD, led the study coming out of Drexel University's Dornsife School of Public Health.

"What is important here is that women with higher body mass index tend to avoid healthcare and the reasons for that are often due to their experiences of weight discrimination," Mensinger, who is an associate research professor in the Dornsife School of Public Health, told Science Daily.

"We need to help healthcare professionals understand that seeing a provider is highly charged with stress and anxiety, and there are methods to reduce those feelings."

Mensinger and her team made a distinction between a 'weight inclusive approach' for doctors to use, which involves medical professionals ridding themselves of biases against patients with higher body weight, and a 'weight normative approach', which most US doctors use.

With this 'weight normative approach', doctors set benchmarks related to body size and often dispense unsolicited advice using this data.

"Weight is a data point, but that is it," Mensinger pointed out.

"Tracking how it changes might provide clues to things going on in someone's life and body, but it is much more complicated than we are made to believe."

 

Mensinger acknowledged that BMI is a problematic measure, as many others have noted. However, it was referenced in this study because doctors still use it as an indicator of health. 

"We worked in the reality of what is happening, not what should be happening," she said, "Of course, we wish BMI were not considered, but the aim of this study was to understand the mechanisms connecting an existing relationship that has long been established in healthcare settings."

The study found that the higher women's BMIs, the more they tended to avoid visiting the doctor.

"Experiences of weight stigma often lead to self-directed stigma," Mensinger observed, "Self-directed stigma tends to lead to body-related shame and guilt, which then leads to stress regarding the healthcare encounter. And people who are stressed about the encounters tend to avoid them."

In relation to how women are treated based on their BMIs, a 'weight normative approach' posits that BMIs of 25 or above are considered 'overweight'. Based on this, doctors often give unsolicited lifestyle advice.

Those with BMIs of 30 or more are recommended exercise regiments and calorie-restricted diets, with assumptions made about their level of activity and what they are eating.

Mensinger believes that the continued use of this approach is proving more harmful than helpful.

With this in mind, she stated, "We're talking about a vulnerable population and we're putting them at a greater risk. We need to be aware of these system-level problems that are keeping people from going to appointments that would be saving lives."

And while this study took place in the US, there is no doubt women around the world have felt this issue personally, as a stigma against higher body weight persists in many cultures.

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So, if you've ever been cheated on you'll know all to well the toll it can take on your general wellbeing. 

Sad, lonely, hurt and confused, you'll ask yourself if it was something you did?

Of course the answers is no, and according to a new study, even asking yourself this question could be effecting you physically as well as mentally.

Researchers from the University of Nevada, Reno, surveyed 232 third-level students who had been cheated in the last three months, with the aim of finding out how their behaviours and mental health had been affected by their partners infidelity.

Speaking to PsyPost, M. Rosie Shrout, lead author of the study, explained, “We wanted to know if this emotional and psychological distress leads them to engage in risky health behaviours, such as unprotected sex, drug use, alcohol use, binge eating, or not eating at all.”

She added, “We were also interested in whether perceptions of blame played a role in their psychological distress and risky health behaviours.”

Results found that having an unfaithful partner can significantly affect your behaviour, your view of cheating and above all, your ability to trust.

Researchers also found that those who are worse effected are more likely to turn to alcohol and drugs, or develop eating disorders.

“Being cheated on seems to not only have mental health consequences, but also increases risky behaviours,” Shrout said.

“We also found that people who blamed themselves for their partner cheating, such as feeling like it was their fault or they could have stopped it, were more likely to engage in risky behaviours.”

It seems that damaged self-esteem may lower ones inhibitions toward risky behaviours, which may ultimately lead to poor physical and mental health.

However, it's important to note that the average age of participants was 20-years-old, meaning the results may be different for older age groups.  

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