Tag Archives: death

Vitamins and supplements apparently do more harm than good

After being told for years that the best thing we can do for our health – in an instant – is to take a vitamin or food supplement, they pull the rug from under us and inform us that they could actually be doing more harm than good.

New research has resulted in scientists advising that there is little evidence to suggest that the pills do any good and that some may actually be causing serious harm. I bet that makes you feel great when you think about the amount you’ve taken over the years?

But here comes the worst of it, the study of 39,000 people has found multivitamins, vitamin B, folic acid, iron, magnesium and copper all increased the statistical risk of premature death.

Yes, they may only be small percentages but they’re still an increased risk.

The scientists have yet to discover why they increase the risk of premature death, but they may interfere with the body’s natural defences.

Jaakko Mursu, from the University of Eastern Finland, said: ‘Based on existing evidence, we see little justification for the general and widespread use of dietary supplements.

‘We recommend that they be used with strong medically-based cause, such as symptomatic nutrient deficiency disease.’

Other experts have claimed that most of the people were most likely taking the supplements for underlying health problems so were more likely to die early anyway.

This news certainly won’t be useful to the £675 million – a year –  industry of health supplements. Will this news deter you from taking them? If not, why not?

OMG! Jacko Gets Posthumous Cirque Du Soleil Show

Isn’t it about time we stopped cashing in on Michael Jackson’s death? It’s been almost a year since he passed away and the vultures are still circling, trying to squeeze every last penny out of his passing.

This time it’s the turn of acrobatic circus troupe Cirque du Soleil to step up to the plate as they have announced plans to pay tribute to the musical legacy of Michael Jackson in a new stage show.

The theatrical troupe will begin touring the U.S. with a live production featuring the Thriller hitmaker’s songs next year after signing a deal with the executors of the Jackson estate.

[picappgallerysingle id="8586096"]

The tour will be followed by a residency in Las Vegas in 2012 at a property owned by casino operator MGM Mirage, which will feature 3D technology. Jackson’s estate and Cirque du Soleil producers will each own 50 per cent of the project and will equally share production costs. The estate will also receive royalties from the use of Jackson’s music and other property.

The Jackson show isn’t the only specially-dedicated Cirque du Soleil production – the troupe has also performed tributes to fellow pop icons Elvis Presley and The Beatles; so, what do YOU think of the idea?

Ruth.x

Jan Moir On Stephen Gately’s Death – Agree Or Disagree?

Stephen Gately hasn’t been dead a week yet, but already people are huffing and puffing over the fact that his death appeared somewhat suspicious, and after Jan Moir seems to have angered half of Ireland with her article in The Daily Mail, it would be interesting to know what you think.

Twitter seems to be alive with people condemning Jan Moir’s article in The Daily Mail, as she writes; “All the official reports point to a natural death, with no suspicious circumstances. The Gately family are – perhaps understandably – keen to register their boy’s demise on the national consciousness as nothing more than a tragic accident.”

The thing is, why is it any of our business what went on during that night, we can make assumptions until the cows come home if we like, but the only people who really know what happened that night are Georgi Dochev and Andrew Cowles.

Stephen Gately and Andrew Cowles

Whilst we can poke the finger at the fact that Stephen and Andrew brought a man back to their apartment, would we have been writing about the news had Stephen still been alive? Probably not, so I don’t see how this could factor into the equation at all.

After The Sun reported that Georgi’s police statement said; ”Once at the residence, they were talking and they became intimate, until 5.30am.” it would appear that the guys had come home, carried on drinking and had a good time.

Had this been a same sex ‘threesome’ would we have still been ‘shocked’? I hope not, because this is the 21st century, and if we can’t handle gay threesomes, then I am pretty sure blokes should stop fantasising about sex with two women, because isn’t that still having a ‘gay’ encounter? Or do we look over that fact?

I think the problem here is that Jan Moir used phrases such as “And I think if we are going to be honest, we would have to admit that the circumstances surrounding his death are more than a little sleazy.” and “It is not disrespectful to assume that a game of canasta with 25-year-old Georgi Dochev was not what was on the cards.”

Yet, had Jan written this article about Katie Price and her new boyfriend Alex Reid bringing another man or woman back home with then after a night out, would we have all had a laugh at Katie’s expense and slapped it across the papers the next day?

Stephen Gately of Boyzone attends the UK Premiere of 'Up' on October 4, 2009 in London, England.

The main problem here is the way in which Jan Moir has put her opinion across, after all, we are entitled to share our opinion are we not? Good or bad, everyone has the right to say what they think. Perhaps a Daily Mail journalist should think twice before branding the dead popstar the “Posh Spice of Boyzone, a popular but largely decorous addition.” or describing him as “the group’s co-lead singer, even though he could barely carry a tune in a Louis Vuitton trunk.”

Yet, the fact that Jan points out that it does seem odd that Stephen – an otherwise healthy young man – died whilst asleep on the sofa, is something I’m not afraid to admit that I’ve found it hard to get my head around.

I mean, I just can’t believe that someone so young, could just die, just like that. And whilst we can ramble on and on about the presence of another man, the smoking of cannabis and the fact that *shock horror* he was gay; the family and the coroner have said that Stephen died of natural causes, and so we should respect his memory and let it rest. Right?

The point here is, whatever Stephen had been doing that night, it appeared to be consensual, and it is not for us to assume what went on behind closed doors, whilst we would all wish to know the truth, the family want us to believe that Stephen died from ‘natural causes’ and out of respect, shouldn’t we abide by that, regardless of what we might think?

Please share your opinions with me, I am keen to hear what you think of the Jan Moir article and whether or not you believe there to be more to the Stephen Gately story that meets the eye?