The most common cause of death is a disease of the circulatory system. With around 338,000 deaths in 2020, cardiovascular diseases, primarily ischemic heart disease and heart attacks, accounted for more than one third of the 985,500 deaths in Germany.

Cardiovascular diseases were also the leading cause of death in Europe. As early as 2013, around 644,000 people died from them in the European Union (EU). At the same time, France and Spain have low rates of fatal cardiovascular disease. The reasons for this could be a healthier lifestyle. Latvia, on the other hand, ranks first in Europe with a heart attack mortality rate of 461 per 100,000 inhabitants.

Coronary heart disease (CHD) is a chronic disease that ranks as the number one killer in Western industrialised countries, according to the WHO. Narrowed coronary arteries lead to circulatory disorders, which in the worst case can lead to a heart attack. A heart attack occurs when a coronary artery becomes blocked with a blood clot. As a result of the occlusion, part of the heart muscle is no longer supplied with oxygen.

40 percent of those affected die within the first day, almost half of them from sudden cardiac death. In the long term, myocardial weakness can develop as a result of scarring of the tissue, especially in the case of large myocardial infarctions.

That is reason enough to take a closer look. Even if the heart is in distress suddenly and completely unexpectedly during a heart attack, warning signals can often appear about four weeks beforehand, as scientists have discovered. Unfortunately, this is often ignored.

What are the first signs of a heart attack? 

The typical signs of a heart attack are: a strong feeling of tightness or pressure in the chest, stabbing, burning or pressing pain behind the sternum. Pain radiating to the left or right arm, back, neck or upper abdomen.

The people affected can be very restless (fear of death). The face is pale grey.

If blood flow is not restored within a few hours, some of the heart muscle tissue dies. Suddenly a person collapses, loses consciousness, his or her heart stops – sudden cardiac death occurs. It is estimated that around half of deaths caused by cardiovascular diseases can be attributed to sudden cardiac death.

To confirm the diagnosis of heart attack (myocardial infarction), doctors prescribe an electrocardiogram and analyse the electrical heart currents. “However, the main criterion to substantiate the diagnosis of a heart attack is the so-called troponin test”.

Detection with troponin parameter

Troponin is the most important parameter for detecting a heart attack. Compared to other parameters, the troponin value increases earlier, i.e. 3 hours after vascular occlusion, and remains measurable in the blood for several days. The higher the troponin value, the higher the probability of a heart attack.

Troponin is a protein that enters the bloodstream when the heart muscle is damaged and is consequently detectable in the blood.

Is the predisposition to a heart attack hereditary?

Genetic predisposition is one of the risk factors that cannot be influenced. In pre-disposed families, the risk of coronary heart disease and myocardial infarction is largely inherited. Here, controlling the risk factors is particularly important and effective, writes the Heart Foundation.

In a more recent study, most heart attacks were recorded in men between the ages of 68 and 76. In women, heart attacks occurred primarily between the ages of 76 and 84. But even young people can have a heart attack. Basically, the risk increases with age. However, it is possible to have a heart attack as young as 20 years old.

One reason may be the early development of arteriosclerosis. Ateriosclerosis is a vascular disease in which the arteries narrow due to deposits. This can reduce blood flow or, in the worst case, stop it altogether. In fact, in rare cases, it can occur between the ages of 20 and 30.

With around 300,000 heart attacks per year, the chance of survival is statistically around 85 percent. But about a quarter of heart attack patients who receive interventional treatment are no longer alive after five years.

In addition to the age of the patient and the severity of the infarction, long-term mortality also depends on the body mass index.

The insidious, silent heart attack

In the case of a silent infarction, the mortality rate is even higher because it is rarely recognised. With silent heart attacks, sufferers do not feel any clear symptoms, and this is what makes it so dangerous, as it is left untreated. In principle, silent infarction proceeds identically to symptomatic infarction – except that the usual complaints such as chest pain, tightness, shortness of breath, nausea and cold sweat are absent. As a result of circulatory disorders, parts of the heart muscle die. The risk of secondary diseases increases.

Rapid action is important

If a relative, colleague or someone who happens to be present shows signs of a heart attack, the following applies: Act quickly and calmly, but without losing time. Call the ambulance immediately (Tel. 112 or local emergency number) and also state your name. The probability of surviving a heart attack is greatest with immediate clinical treatment. Those who remain completely without medical help only have a chance of survival of around 40 percent.

Pay attention to the diet

If you get enough exercise, avoid stress, eat a balanced diet and keep an eye on your blood pressure, you are already doing a lot right. Cardiological screening is also useful to detect diseases such as cardiac insufficiency, high blood pressure or vasoconstriction at an early stage.

“Green tea can somewhat reduce the risk of heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure,” explains Prof. Hans Hauner. This can also be explained by the fact that green tea can positively influence the fat metabolism (lipid metabolism) as well as the sugar metabolism (glucose metabolism). The banana is a miracle cure in many ways, including for the heart. A banana (110 grams) contains 432 milligrams of potassium. Potassium lowers blood pressure, stabilises blood circulation and can thereby reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases.

A group of Australian scientists recently found that regular yoghurt consumption has heart-protective effects. Oatmeal also contains a lot of soluble fibre from whole grain oats, which reduces the amount of cholesterol absorbed by the body. This has been shown to help lower cholesterol and reduce the risk of heart disease.

Those who enjoy half a handful of nuts several times a week are very likely to reduce their risk of cardiovascular disease. This is because nuts provide beneficial fatty acids and contain heart-protective ingredients such as vitamin E, folic acid, dietary fibre and secondary plant compounds. Strawberries, raspberries, blackberries and blueberries are also good for the heart. According to studies, regular consumption of avocado has a positive effect on HDL cholesterol levels. The high content of unsaturated fatty acids is responsible for this.

Apples are good for the heart. The results of the study from the University of California were published in the winter issue of the Journal of Medicinal Food. The study shows that apples work just like red wine and tea: As antioxidants, they promote the breakdown of bad cholesterol (LDL), which leads to hardening of the arteries.

Zest for life is essential

Dietrich Andresen, Chairman of the German Heart Foundation and cardiologist in Berlin, makes an amazing statement that surprised us. To the question from “Welt”: What is your favourite piece of advice, he replies: “People should enjoy life a little more! There are studies that show that a manager is not the typical heart attack patient. Rather, it is more those who are dissatisfied with themselves. They are the vulnerable group. A lack of zest for life makes you ill – and encourages a heart attack. I therefore advise every patient: Keep your zest for life”.

That’s a nice way to conclude. Stay healthy and keep your zest for life.

 

Sources:

herzstiftung.de

Herz – Planet Wissen

Herzinfarkt – dzhk.de › herz-kreislauf-erkrankungen › herzinfarkt

Herzbewusst.www.herzbewusst.de › herzinfarkt

Netdoktor.de

 

 

 

“I don’t think I can cite any remedy,
that heals more surely than water.” (Pastor Sebastian Kneipp)

Sebastian Kneipp – Healing with water

Kneipp medicine (Kneipp therapy) is based on the concepts of Father Sebastian Kneipp (1821-1897) and is founded on the five pillars of lifestyle, water, exercise, nutrition and herbal medicine.

The interplay of these five principles can be used as both preventive and curative treatment. Kneipp is the namesake of Kneipp medicine, and it was only through him that the previously used hydrotherapy, the healing power of water, became popular. The Kneipp philosophy is more important today than ever.

In 1846 Kneipp fell ill with a lung disease. In 1848 he came across Johann Sigmund Hahn’s book “Instructions on the power and effects of fresh water on the human body”. For a while, Kneipp bathed in the ice-cold Danube two to three times a week, took a bath at home and poured water over himself. According to his own statements, he recovered thanks to the healing power of the water.

Daily healing water treatments thereby became an integral part of his everyday life. In 1886 Kneipp wrote his first major work, “Meine Wasserkur” (My water cure), in which he combined hydrotherapy by Johann Sigmund Hahn (a new edition edited by Eucharius Ertel) and herbal medicine. In 1894 Kneipp published his late work “My testament for the healthy and the sick”.

Sebastian Anton Kneipp made Bad Wörishofen in Bavaria the centre of his life and a Kneipp spa, which soon became known beyond national borders throughout Europe.

Kneipp was the first pop star of medicine

Even during his lifetime, Kneipp was something of a medical pop star. Even then, his healing successes by water attracted people from all over the world to Bad Wörishofen. The high nobility came to Kneipp in droves. Even today, Bad Wörishofen is considered the Mecca of all Kneipp fans from all over the world.

The healing power of water

Cold showers are healthy for the circulation: The cold gives your muscles an energy boost. This also applies to your heart, which boosts blood circulation. Cold showers are healthy for the skin and hair: The cold water causes the surfaces of the skin and hair to contract.

With regular use, very cool water acts as a remedy. It activates the metabolism, stabilises the circulation and stimulates the immune system.

The cold stimulus trains the vessels and strengthens the immune system, is effective against varicose veins, spider veins and swollen legs, tightens the skin when losing weight, especially cellulite. With Kneipp, we talk about warm and cold showers. The warm water should have a temperature of 34 to 38 degrees and the cold 8 to 12 degrees.

How do you Kneipp correctly?

Water treading is one of the best-known Kneipp treatments. According to kneippvisite.de, if done regularly, it helps to prevent infections. It is also said to have a balancing effect – calming in the evening and refreshing during the day. The blood circulation, especially in the fine capillaries, is promoted and the veins are strengthened by the cold water. Water treading improves arterial and venous circulatory disorders. This is how it works:

The stork walk according to Kneipp

In the “stork walk” through the cold water: With each step, the legs are lifted out of the water and submerged again until, after half a minute to a minute, a strong feeling of cold appears in the feet and lower legs. After water treading, just wipe off the water, put on socks and shoes and walk briskly at least until you feel warm again.

If you want to use water treading to promote sleep, it should be done immediately before going to bed. The rewarming begins when you cover yourself in bed. But beware, water treading should never be done with cold feet. If you have kidney or bladder problems, you must first consult your doctor.

The Kneipp arm bath

First immerse your right arm, then your left arm, in the cold water up to the middle of your upper arm and leave it in the water for 30 to 40 seconds or until you feel cold pain. But make sure you have a comfortable posture. Afterwards, just wipe off the water and put on clothes to warm up again, swinging your arms.

Cold arm baths strengthen the body’s defences and promote blood circulation in the arms. Blood flow to the heart muscle is stimulated. But be careful: Do not carry out the bath with cold hands. And for arterial circulatory disorders, heart disease or angina pectoris only use with your doctor’s permission.

The upper body wash according to Kneipp

Dip a cloth – cotton is best – in cold water and wring it out. Start on the outside of the little finger on the right arm and go up over the shoulder. Then wash the inside and switch to the left arm. Then wash your neck, chest and stomach, and finally your back. Keep the cloth freshly wet. Wash quickly (approx. one minute), do not dry off, warm up in bed. Do not use in the case of acute serious illnesses and clinical cases requiring surgery.

Caution: Even for small applications, if you have previous illnesses, ask your doctor first! Do not Kneipp if you have an open wound or arterial occlusive disease. Consult a doctor if your feet do not warm up again after a shower (suspected occlusive disease).

Kneipp is an intangible UNESCO cultural heritage

In 2015, UNESCO included Kneipp in its list of intangible cultural heritage as “traditional knowledge and practice based on the teachings of Sebastian Kneipp”.

Stay healthy and have fun when you Kneipp.

 

Important information
Our posts only contain general information and tips. They are not intended for self-diagnosis, self-treatment or self-medication and do not replace a visit to the doctor.

Sources:

bad-woerishofen.de/fit- gesund/kalteoberkoerperwaschung

Sebastian Kneipp: From my life, published by the Stamm-Kneipp-Verein, Bad Wörishofen 2012.

Bernhard Uehleke: Bad Wörishofen and Sebastian Kneipp 100 years ago. In: Würzburg Medical History Reports, Volume 14, 1996, pp. 441-447, here p. 441.

kneipp-verein-heilbronn.de/richtig-kneippen

Alfred Baumgarten: Sebastian Kneipp. Biographical study. Julius Becker, Berlin 1898. P. 69 et seq.

“Sebastian Kneipp”, Parish of Ottobeuren

domradio.de

Encyclopedia of medical history. 2004, p. 766).

 

 

Most recently, we have written here in this health blog about traditional Chinese medicine (TCM), the traditional medicine with the widest distribution. Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) combines many historically different Chinese forms of treatment as well as some diagnostic modalities. It is based on assumptions derived from Taoist philosophy. 

What is Shiatsu?

We stay in Asia, in Japan to be precise. Shiatsu is a Japanese form of massage with roots in traditional Chinese medicine. This is a massage art that can release blocked energy in the body by means of finger pressure and stimulate the body’s own self-healing powers. “Shiatsu” translated means “finger pressure”.

“Shiatsu was developed in Japan about 100 years ago. Traditionally, Shiatsu is performed on a clothed person on a futon. For about 40 years, Shiatsu has also been established in the West and developed in its own way.” (Source: GSD, Society for Shiatsu in Germany).

Shiatsu massage uses pressure from the palms, fingers, thumbs and elbows to act on specific areas of the body along the energy lines. This pressure point massage relieves tension, releases blockages and increases general wellbeing.. The relaxing and calming effect of the Shiatsu massage  unfolds particularly well in cases of stress as well as muscle and joint complaints in the shoulder, neck and back area.

Shiatsu as a massage technique focuses on life energy and the body’s self-healing powers. By activating the acupuncture points, the balance of life energy is restored. The self-healing powers of the body are activated.

Life energy Qi and the 12 meridians

When we are in good health, our life energy, called Qi, flows freely through the meridians that run throughout the body. A total of 12 main meridians are distinguished, each of which is assigned to a different organ or region of the body.

The 12 main meridians are divided into Yin and Yang. The Yin organs (kidneys, liver, heart, spleen and lungs) store, process and regulate pure energies. The Yang organs process impure substances such as undigested food, urine and waste. These are: Urinary system and gall bladder, stomach, small intestine and colon. Each Yin organ with its corresponding meridian is directly connected to the Yang organ and its meridians. The meridians of kidney and bladder, liver and gall bladder, spleen and stomach, lung and colon, heart and small intestine, pericardium and the so-called triple warmer form a meridian pair.

1. Kidney = Yin
2. Bladder = Yang
3. Liver = Yin
4. Gall bladder = Yang
5. Spleen = Yin
6. Stomach = Yang
7. Lungs = Yin
8. Large intestine = Yang
9. Heart = Yin
10. Small intestine = Yang
11. Pericardium = Yin
12. Triple warmer (extraordinary organ) = Yang

Shiatsu promotes health

Initial physical symptoms such as colds, headaches, muscle aches and digestive disorders can be signs of a Qi imbalance. The flow of life energy is disturbed by inappropriate lifestyles and diet, inactivity, emotional and physical stress. If the functions of our inner organs are blocked, this can lead to a wide range of illnesses such as circulatory problems, exhaustion, heart problems, sleep disorders, allergies, food intolerances, dental problems and menstrual disorders.

Shiatsu stimulates, harmonises the flow of Qi throughout the body and supports the functions of the autonomic nervous system such as digestion, sleep, circulation, breathing and menstruation. This, in turn, helps alleviate stress and stress-related ailments.

In Japan, Shiatsu is considered a health-promoting measure that promises to cure certain ailments.

Shiatsu – Treatment, teaching and practice

Shiatsu is also used for medical and health purposes and is taught in courses at professional schools and private institutes. Many representatives of the new Shiatsu style live outside Japan. Conceptual and practical development is currently taking place mainly in Western countries.

Since autumn 2015, Shiatsu has been a recognised method of complementary therapy. However, the costs are not covered by the health insurance. Shiatsu massages cost on average between € 55 to € 70 per hour.

Important to know: Shiatsu is not a regulated profession, therefore anyone may practise Shiatsu. The GSD (Society for Shiatsu in Germany) has developed high training standards for the practitioners it recognises. The training comprises 500 hours and extends over at least three years.

Caution is advised, however, when the measures of Shiatsu, such as for the treatment of intervertebral disc problems, recommend pressing around the lumbar spine, often using the full weight of the body. When the spine is manipulated, even the most benevolent tolerance of “alternative healing methods” ceases, writes the Süddeutsche Zeitung.

Alternatives to the classic Shiatsu treatment

Those who cannot or do not want to pay the high hourly rates can resort to Shiatsu massagers and Shiatsu cushions. In a traditional Shiatsu massage, pressure is applied to the tissues and muscles with the fingers or body weight, which is intended to loosen the muscles and relieve tension. Shiatsu massage devices also work according to this principle.

A Shiatsu cushion simulates the Japanese Shiatsu finger pressure massage with rotating, heated massage heads. If you press your neck firmly enough into such a pillow, the massage heads should press deep into the muscles, knead them and therefore provide pain relief. In fact, the spherical massage heads loosen up the muscles.

Neck pain is an alarm signal for stress

Being tense and stressed turn into tension and paralyse the neck and shoulder area. The Massage cushion NM 885 brings the necessary relaxation, very conveniently thanks to battery or mains operation. With three speed levels, the massage intensity can be easily regulated. The red light and heat function increases your well-being!

The MC 850 Shiatsu massage cushion offers a soothing Shiatsu massage for the shoulders, back, legs and neck. Thanks to the flexible upholstery, a particularly gentle massage is possible if desired. Two selectable speed levels and a switchable red light and heat function ensure an individually adjustable massage experience.

The MC 825 Shiatsu acupressure massage seat cover offers a relaxing Shiatsu massage for the entire back. With three selectable massage intensities and an integrated spot massage. The switchable red light and heat function provide additional relaxation.

The NM 890 neck massager pampers with an intensive Shiatsu massage that is specially adapted to the ergonomics of the neck area. With its kneading movement, the unique massage heads give you the feeling of a real massage – carried out by the hands of a real masseur.

On this page you will find all our high-quality neck massagers for moments of wellbeing in your own home.

In fact, pillow and neck massagers apply the pressure needed to relieve tension and adhesions. The wellness effect should not be underestimated either: The electric massagers stimulate the blood circulation of the skin and muscles. However: If the massage becomes painful, it should be stopped immediately.

Stay healthy and always relaxed!

 

Important information
Our posts only contain general information and tips. They are not intended for self-diagnosis, self-treatment or self-medication and do not replace a visit to the doctor.

Sources:

GSD, Society for Shiatsu in Germany

www.medicalnewstoday.com

Süddeutsche-Zeitung

Mylife

Yogaeasy

ndr.de

www.naturheilkunde.de

 

Cannabis is considered one of the oldest cultivated plants in the world and was already cultivated as a crop in Persia and China 12,000 years ago. In India, 5,000 years ago, hemp leaves were also placed on the wounds of injured warriors to relieve the pain.

The first writings on the medicinal use of cannabis, for which almost exclusively the female flowers of the hemp plant are used due to the high amount of cannabinoids contained in them, date back to a Chinese textbook on botany and the art of healing that is around 4700 years old.

The use within Indian culture gives evidence of the use of the psychoactive properties of cannabis. Cannabis is still used there today to support meditation. The hemp plant was described as sacred in the Vedas (India, 1500 to 1300 B.C.), but also in the Chu-tzu (China, circa 300 B.C.). Especially in Central Asia, some of the now rediscovered medicinal properties of the cannabis plant were already known, as evidenced by its traditional use for some neurological diseases.

CBD is the abbreviation for cannabidiol, a phytocannabinoid of the female hemp plant. So it occurs naturally in nature and, unlike the cannabinoid THC, is not intoxicating. CBD therefore does not fall under the German Narcotics Act.

CBD is therefore legal, unlike THC, and can be freely purchased without quantity restriction. Medical use of marijuana began when California became the first state to legalize marijuana for medicinal purposes in 1996, followed shortly thereafter by Alaska, Oregon, and Washington in 1998, followed by Maine in 1999.

Cannabidiol has many uses

The active ingredient cannabidiol can help with epilepsy, schizophrenic psychosis, stress, burn-out, sleep disorders, pain, inflammation, migraine, nausea and vomiting. Today, cannabidiol is also used for many other complaints, such as to alleviate neurological diseases (hysteria, headaches/migraines, tension), but also to treat malaria, rheumatism, gout, tetanus, rabies, spasms in children, delirium tremens.

It is also used as an analgesic for chronic pain or joint inflammation, to relieve muscle cramps, to help with loss of appetite, stomach aches, constipation, insomnia and to aid labour, providing relief for uterine conditions and menstrual cramps. It is also used to support substitution therapy for addiction to opiates and chloral hydrate and to treat glaucoma and asthma.

Animal studies have reportedly shown that cannabinoids inhibit tumour growth and metastasis, as well as inducing cancer cells to “commit suicide” (apoptosis). However, there have only been two studies on this so far, which means that much more research needs to be done here.

Hildegard von Bingen already knew about the power and effect of medicinal plants and wrote a lot about them. For coughs or other cold complaints, she recommended herbs such as lovage, liquorice, wild thyme or bergam (especially for colds).

In addition, according to Hildegard von Bingen, caraway, lavender and ground ivy should support the body in the fight against lung diseases or earache. In addition, according to Hildegard von Bingen, there are the essential oil drugs. However, these only include plants that contain the essential oils in very high concentrations.

The essential oil drugs are said to have the following effects, among others: anti-inflammatory, diuretic, antispasmodic, facilitate expectoration, strengthen the stomach, liver, gall bladder and intestines, combat pathogens of fermentation in the body and fight bacteria. Hildegard von Bingen was also impressed by cannabis: as a remedy for stomach pain or nausea.

Cannabis as medicine

For a long time, cannabis medicines were only approved in Germany for people with spasticity and multiple sclerosis. Since 2017, the  “Cannabis as Medicine” law has made it possible also to be prescribed cannabis medication for other serious illnesses. In exceptional cases, doctors may prescribe the pure flowers or cannabis preparations in the form of capsules, drops, oil or as a mouth spray.

Doctors prescribe cannabis products – such as dronabinol drops – to chronically ill patients who cannot tolerate common painkillers or for whom these no longer work.

Insurance companies cover the costs

“People who are seriously ill need the best possible care. This includes that the costs for cannabis as medicine for seriously ill people are covered by their health insurance if they cannot be helped effectively in any other way,” explains the former Federal Minister of Health Hermann Gröhe.

A change in the fifth book of the Social Code (SGB V) ensures this extended cost coverage: In the future, in addition to cannabis-based medicinal products, dried cannabis blossoms can also be reimbursed by statutory health insurance if they are necessary for therapeutic purposes. In future, state-controlled cultivation of cannabis for medicinal purposes is also to be possible in Germany.

However: According to the experience of many pain therapists over the past five years, cannabis is not the drug of first choice because it only helps some of the patients. Sometimes cannabis medicine works in the smallest doses, but often it just does not work.

It is not always possible for physicians to foresee who will be helped and who will not. According to a study, cannabis works best against nerve pain (neuropathy), that arises in the nervous system. Cannabis medicines also seem to be effective in multiple sclerosis, severe weight loss due to tumour disease (tumour cachexia) and in palliative medicine. According to experts, low doses of dronabinol drops, for example, can also be useful for older people with chronic pain.

Cannabis in sports medicine

In the meantime, cannabis has even found its way into sports medicine. The sports injuries that can be treated with cannabis vary from minor to severe depending on the activity and the athlete, but the most common are swollen and sore muscles, fractures, dislocated joints and head injuries.

Legalisation of cannabis

Now the traffic light government in Germany has decided to legalize cannabis. In a press conference, the government declared a corresponding plan that will now be sent to the EU Commission. If the EU Commission has no objections, the purchase and possession of between 25 and 30 grams of cannabis is expected to become exempt from punishment until 2024.

In our opinion, you can think what you want about that. Whether this is a good idea will probably only become clear in a few years. Cannabis use is associated with risks, especially among young people. As the brain is still developing, it can lead to permanent damage such as psychoses, depression and reduced intelligence, warns the AOK. 

Statistics on cannabis use

According to the results of the Alcohol Survey 2021 on alcohol, smoking, cannabis and trends of the Federal Centre for Health Education, the proportion of young people aged 12 to 17 who have used cannabis in the last twelve months before the survey has increased from 4.6% in 2011 to 7.6% in 2021.

Among young adults aged 18 to 25, a rebound in 12-month prevalence has been evident since 2008. In relation to all young adults, this amounted to 25 % in 2021 – in 2010 it was still 12.7 %. While the majority of users stick to experimental use, regular and frequent cannabis users represent the real risk group.

 

Important information
Our posts only contain general information and tips. They are not intended for self-diagnosis, self-treatment or self-medication and do not replace a visit to the doctor.

 

Experts on the topic

Dr. Maja Falckenberg, Outpatient Pain Clinic Alten Eichen
Hohe Weide 17B
20259 Hamburg
(040) 54 04 060

Dr. Jan-Henrich Stork, Centre for Pain Therapy
Chief physician
Anaesthesia and intensive care medicine
Krankenhaus Tabea GmbH & Co. KG im Artemed-Klinikverbund
Kösterbergstrasse 32
22587 Hamburg
www.tabea-fachklinik.de

 

Sources:

Wikipedia

cannabis-apotheke.de/die-geschichte-einer-kulturpflanze

bundesgesundheitsministerium.de

Brand EJ, Zhao Z. Cannabis in Chinese Medicine: Are Some Traditional Indications Referenced in Ancient Literature Related to Cannabinoids? Front Pharmacol.

ndr.ratgeber.de

AOK

 

 

Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) combines many historically different Chinese forms of treatment as well as some diagnostic modalities. It is based on assumptions derived from Taoist philosophy. TCM is the traditional medicine with the largest area of distribution, especially acupuncture is practised worldwide today. TCM spread especially in Vietnam, Korea and Japan. On this basis, special variants developed in these countries, such as Japanese Kanpō medicine.

The oldest basic medical works that are still in use today are attributed to emperors who are said to have lived several thousand years before Christ. Emperor Shennong is considered the legendary author of (medicinal) herbal medicine around 3700 BC. Around 2600 BC at the time of Emperor Huangdi, medicine named after Huangdi was created. The historical source material spans more than three millennia.

The five pillars of Traditional Chinese Medicine

TCM is based on many pillars, which together result in a complex healing system, including acupuncture and the process of moxibustion (heat treatment of the acupuncture points) based on it, pharmaceutics, nutritional science, meditative exercise techniques such as Tai Chi and Qigong as well as the Tuina massage. TCM is based on a philosophical approach. The principle of Yin and Yang is fundamental to Tai Chi and Qigong. They combine exercises for relaxed concentration with physical and breathing exercises.

Pillar 1: Acupuncture and moxibustion
Pillar 2: Medicines (CAT)
Pillar 3: Coordination exercises (Qigong and Taiji)
Pillar 4: Massage (Tuina)
Pillar 5: Nutrition

In Europe, the oldest occupation with Chinese medicine – with acupuncture and moxibustion – goes back to the end of the 17th century. New interest emerged in the West in the first half of the 20th century, and with the opening of the People’s Republic of China in the 1970s, the methods began to be transferred to North America and Europe under the term TCM.

From the 1950s onwards, TCM found increasing interest in Western cultural circles. In Germany, naturopathically oriented doctors and naturopaths had dealt with TCM for the first time. The works of Manfred Porkert, among others, have contributed to the spread of TCM. His “Clinical Chinese Pharmacology” of 1978, for example, offered for the first time a comprehensive description of Chinese medicines in a Western language.

With the political opening of China and the associated simplification of travel, acupuncture in particular has experienced a real boom since the 1970s. One of the great protagonists of TCM among those traveling to China at the time was the North American Ted J. Kaptchuk, whose 1983 book “The Web That Has No Weaver” contributed significantly to the popularity of TCM.

From a scientific point of view, the therapeutic effectiveness of many TCM treatment methods is disputed and many treatment methods are regarded as pseudoscientific.

In addition, the holistic approach of TCM cannot be empirically proven. It works with organ and functional circuits that differ significantly from scientific anatomy. While TCM is traditionally used primarily as a preventive measure for chronic diseases and pain, conventional medicine primarily tries to find the cause of the disease.

If it cannot eliminate the cause, it treats the symptoms. It is said that “conventional medicine treats diseases, TCM treats sick people”. One example: Often, pain in western medicine is merely suppressed with painkillers. In Chinese medicine, the wider-ranging cause is found out and not just the symptom treated. Supporters of traditional Chinese medicine criticise that conventional medicine is not very goal-oriented and that “evidence-based medicine” is often ineffective or does not take the person as a whole into account. Ultimately, as always, it should be a question of faith. The fact remains that both camps keep getting tangled up with each other.

In China, citizens can choose, which clinic they want to go to. For example, there are about 4,000 traditional Chinese medicine clinics, and 36,795 Western-style hospitals. TCM is a fully institutionalised part of Chinese healthcare.

In 2006, the TCM sector served over 200 million outpatients and about 7 million inpatients, accounting for 10% to 20% of health care in China. Since 2005, the Chinesische Naturheilkunde Akademie (CNA) e. V. has been successfully offering Master’s programs in the field of Traditional Chinese Medicine (TCM) in cooperation with the Guangxi State TCM University.

Health insurance only partially pays for TCM treatments

TCM is reported as the most commonly used alternative form of therapy in 100 WHO member states. In 13 WHO member states, TCM is covered by national health insurance. In Germany, TCM treatments usually have to be paid for by the patients themselves; only acupuncture is covered by the health insurance companies if indicated. Private health or supplementary insurances usually cover all or part of the costs. The best thing to do is to ask your health insurance company.

The cost of a treatment is within a manageable range of 40 to 120 Euro per appointment, depending on whether it is a TCM prescription, an acupuncture treatment, an initial history or second visit.

No clear verdict on Chinese phytotherapy

Chinese phytotherapy (herbal medicine) has been examined in scientific studies. A meta-analysis by the University of Bern in 2007 examined numerous studies on Chinese phytotherapy in comparison with those of conventional medicine. The authors conclude that bias is more pronounced in the Chinese studies and that it is not possible to make an authoritative judgement on the effectiveness of Chinese phytotherapy due to the very small number of high-quality publications.

TCM neurology/vegetative treatments are used for age-related complaints, fears, anxiety disorders, burnout, depression, epilepsy, exhaustion/lack of energy, facial paresis (facial paralysis), headaches, paralysis and sensory disorders, migraine, fatigue, multiple sclerosis, nerve pain (neuropathy, neuralgia), panic attacks, sleep disorders, dizziness, mental problems, stress and restlessness.

Only a doctor can decide

Only the doctor can decide on the actual indication after a corresponding diagnosis. Treatment with Chinese medicine/TCM is also possible for the following diseases: Achilles tendon pain (achillodynia), arthrosis, arthritis, disc damage, carpal tunnel syndrome, fibromyalgia, joint pain, gout, sciatica/ischialgia/lumbago, knee problems, muscle/soft tissue pain, osteoporosis, rheumatic diseases, back problems (cervical, thoracic, lumbar), shoulder-arm syndrome, tennis elbow and injuries.

Further treatments arise for cardiovascular, respiratory tract/ENT, eyes, urology, gynaecology, skin, gastrointestinal, listlessness, bladder infections, high blood pressure, concentration disorders, headaches, loss of performance and metabolism / hormones. However, these are by no means all fields of possible treatments with traditional Chinese medicine.

If you want to learn more, talk to your doctor.

 

Sources:

apotheken.de

World Health Organization: Legal Status of Traditional Medicine and Complementary/ Alternative Medicine: A Worldwide Review. 2001, S. 2

Wikipedia

Ute Engelhardt, Carl Hermann Hempen: Chinesische Diätetik. 3. Edition. Urban&Fischer / Elsevier, Munich 2006,

Richard Stone: Lifting the Veil on Traditional Chinese Medicine. In: Science. Vol. 319, Issue 5864, 8. February 2008, S. 709–710

Hard to swallow. In: Nature. Volume 448, No. 7150, 2007, p. 105–106

Traditional Chinese medicine. In: who.int. 20 October 2008

1. Shang, K. Huwiler, L. Nartey, P. Jüni, M. Egger: Placebo-controlled trials of Chinese herbal medicine and conventional medicine comparative study. In: International journal of epidemiology. Volume 36, Number 5, October 2007

WHO global report on traditional and complementary medicine 2019. WHO

1. Shang, K. Huwiler, L. Nartey, P. Jüni, M. Egger: Placebo-controlled trials of Chinese herbal medicine and conventional medicine comparative study. In: International journal of epidemiology. Volume 36, Number 5, October 2007

dw.com/de/quackery or alternative what is traditional Chinese medicine

Practice Prof. Hempen & Colleagues Munich Specialist Centre – Chinese Medicine
Franz-Joseph-Str. 38 80801 Munich

 

 

We have arrived in the depths of winter and the nights have become very long. You can ask yourself the question, how is our sleep actually doing? Do you sleep well? And another question arises: Is restful sleep now a luxury item?

It is now widely known that many people sleep badly and too little. Sleep is vital to our well-being and health. Too little or poor sleep has devastating effects on our mental health. In the future, sleep will become a central pillar of health care.

Scientists have studied the sleep patterns of 10,000 people for this purpose. The result: The optimum sleep duration is between seven and eight hours, but it can also be more.

Over the course of a lifetime, the average person spends about a third of their life in bed. In reality, however, quality sleep has become a rarity for many. New technologies, digitalisation, mobile forms of work and flexible lifestyles are really depriving us of healthy sleep. In our society, those who can work longer and harder than others and get by with very little sleep are even admired for that.

But that is robbing your own body: “In people, sustained intervals of total sleep deprivation of 72 hours can lead to severe psychological and emotional symptoms,” says Dr. Ebrahim, medical director of the London Sleep Centre.

“Decreased total sleep over a prolonged period of time (insomnia) leads to an increase in reported symptoms of anxiety, depression, and over a prolonged period of time, decreased immune response, as well as an increase in cardiac and metabolic disorders such as diabetes and obesity.”

Poor sleep also reduces the ability to learn, remember and perform, and contributes to the development of cancer. A 2021 study by the RAND Corporation put the economic loss from poor sleep at $411 billion in the United States alone — that is 2.28 percent of gross domestic product.

“I can sleep when I’m dead,” said Rainer Werner Fassbinder, who was only 37 years old. During a medical examination in 1969, Fassbinder was told that he had a weak heart and should not exert himself too much. That didn’t stop him from working like a maniac and sleeping only three or four hours a day. He lived as excessively as he worked. Fassbinder was a workaholic, even if the word wasn’t known during his lifetime. That was definitely not exemplary. And yet he is still considered a genius.

Now you would think society would have learned something from stories like these. But the obsession with work only really picked up speed in the 90s and has continued to this day.

Late risers are superior to early risers

Whoever is successful, sleeps at most five hours a day? In reality, only one to three percent of the population belongs to the so-called sleepless elite, who can get by with very little sleep and still be productive.

For everyone else, it should be at least seven hours per night on average. There should even be contemporaries who can easily sleep ten hours a day. Albert Einstein is said to have slept twelve hours a day. And in fact you can find real late risers even among the richest people in the world.

The body regenerates itself during sleep. Wounds are supposed to heal better, cells grow faster. People who sleep deeply and late are said to sleep like a log, like a baby, or like a groundhog.

And to clear up another prejudice: As the saying goes, the early bird catches the worm, but this is also a misconception. According to the latest findings, night owls are supposed to be more intelligent – at least if you transfer the proverb to humans. Current studies indicate that late risers could be superior to early risers in terms of intelligence, creativity and success at work, according to the Company health insurance funds (BKK).

Sleep is the best medicine

During sleep, our brain stores, filters and discards information from waking hours. Sleep is not only the best medicine, but also has a positive effect on the entire body. Sleep is a miracle cure and is unfortunately all too often underestimated. In the most important of all sleep phases, the deep sleep phase, our body and mind regenerate. Physically and psychologically, deep sleep is therefore also the most restful phase of sleep.

We need to get away from the 20th century workaholic culture that sleeps only to perform the next day, says K-Hole founder Seth Monahan. K-HOLE is a trend forecasting group based in New York. It was founded by Greg Fong, Sean Monahan, Chris Sherron, Emily Segal and Dena Yago.  “The insomniacs are the new smokers: haggard, pale, and responsible for unnecessary national healthcare costs,” notes Monahan.

A whole industry built around sleeping pills

The numbers speak for themselves: The American Sleep Association (ASA) reported that 35.3% of American adults sleep less than 7 hours in a 24-hour period, and that between 50 and 70 million adults suffer from insomnia. In all other nations, the situation is not likely to be any better.

“We want to appear busy, and one of the ways we express that is by announcing how little sleep we are getting,” sleep researcher and author Matthew Walker explained in an interview with vogue.de in “The Big Book of Sleep” in 2017.. “It’s a status symbol.” But instead of rethinking our obsession with productivity, we are now creating an entire industry around sleep aids – an industry estimated to be worth around €98.2 billion globally by 2025.

We should start making sleep a priority in our lives.

The luxury of a good night’s sleep

Sleep has become a commodity with its own market: a multi-billion dollar industry, writes the British Telegraph. The industry has long since discovered the business with sleep for itself. Items on offer include luxury mattresses, sleep apnea therapy devices, eye masks, aromatherapy oils, eiderdown covers and eiderdown pillows. Sleep Hackers are trying to tackle sleep with technology. They track sleep patterns with smart mattresses.

And the latest craze. The Neuroon smart sleep mask stimulates lucid dreams by triggering light flashes during the REM phase. It continues with sleep meditation and sleep tracking apps, pyjamas, bed linen and sheets made of organic silk, so “never sleepless again” thanks to stylish pyjamas?

And even sleeping pillows for the office and much more are available on the market today. In many homes, the bed has probably become the most expensive piece of furniture since the box spring trend swept across the globe from the USA a few years ago. The bed is said to have become the place of longing for the western world. Should all this be the luxury of a good night’s sleep?

Sleep becomes the key factor of success

In a guest commentary for “Welt-Online” Daniela Tenger and Karin Frick wrote: “Fighting fatigue: Sufficient rest is the basis of everything.” They write: “Sleeping a lot is becoming the new status symbol in the world of high achievers and managers.”

Long sleep becomes synonymous with ambition, creativity and success, the former cult of short sleep is exposed as macho behaviour. The commercial equivalent of such labels can be found in the luxury hotel industry, which entices its clientele with promises of exclusive sleeping experiences in tailor-made bed systems.”

Naps in between are also becoming very popular again. A short recovery time around the middle of the day is even said to be very healthy. It has also long been scientifically proven that a midday nap is an effective means of strengthening oneself efficiently for the second half of the day. So a pillow for the office actually makes sense.

Sleep well and stay healthy!

 

 

Sources:

Gottlieb Duttweiler Institute Study “The Future of Sleeping”

vogue.de, telegraph, welt

Now that it is significantly cooler outside and the wave of colds and flu is plaguing us, we should strengthen our immune system. In addition to a healthy diet, the immune system can be supported with a few simple measures. Sport and regular exercise, preferably in the fresh air, significantly strengthen the immune system. Studies show that active people catch colds far less often.

The wave of flu is in full swing and important medicines for children are now in short supply. Doctors are already warning of a delicate bottleneck in December. Anyone trying to get fever medicine for their sick toddler these days has a problem: Syrups and suppositories with the active ingredients ibuprofen or paracetamol are only sporadically available nationwide.

Painkillers suitable for children with the active ingredient ibuprofen can apparently not be ordered at the moment. Against the background of the flu season, which according to the Robert Koch Institute is currently gaining momentum, this could become a problem.

Doctors are already very worried about the period from Christmas onwards, as the wave of flu comes rolling in. Cough syrup, electrolyte solutions and certain antibiotics are also currently difficult to obtain, according to doctors and pharmacists.

According to the definition of the Robert Koch Institute (RKI), the wave of flu has already begun. Even though there have been recent warnings of a severe wave now looming: The RKI and other experts emphasise that the course of the disease cannot be predicted. However, according to the RKI, it is “conceivable” that an increased proportion of the population could be susceptible to the pathogens, as stated on the institute’s website.

“The number of deaths can vary greatly in the individual waves of flu, from several hundred to over 25,000 in the 2017/18 season”, notes the RKI. In Germany, flu vaccination is recommended for people over 60, pregnant women, chronically ill people, residents of old people’s homes and nursing homes and people at increased occupational risk.

According to the RKI, the number of infections during a wave of flu is estimated at five to 20 percent of the population, which corresponds to around four to 16 million people in Germany. Experts believe a so-called twindemic (twin wave) is possible – the joint occurrence of corona and influenza.

The predictive health analysis agency Airfinity has calculated that there could be around 18,000 simultaneous hospitalisations for Covid-19 and influenza at peak times early next year if the flu season is as severe as 2017/2018.

Prevention – Strengthen your immune system

If you want to prevent an infection with bacteria or viruses, you should strengthen your immune system. For example, zinc, vitamin C, vitamin D, green tea, ginger tea, cold facial showers, moist air – and singing protect against a cold, according to the NDR.

Let’s take a closer look: Why should zinc help? Zinc is said to be important for the immune system to form antibodies against pathogens, zinc is of great importance for the entire metabolism. It strengthens the immune system and is involved in cell growth.

After contact with a pathogen, a high dose of zinc (about 100 milligrams per day) can still prevent infection in some cases. The best sources of zinc are fruits like avocado with 0.64 mg per 100 g, dried figs with 0.55 mg, raspberries with 0.42 mg, and berries like blackberries with 0.53 mg. Bananas have slightly less with 0.15 mg and peaches with 0.17 mg. Fish, meat, dairy products and legumes also contain a particularly large amount of zinc.

Oats are also a significant zinc supplier: They contain 3.9 mg of zinc per 100 g, which is 39% of the reference amount for the daily intake of an adult. However, the body absorbs zinc more easily from animal foods than from plant sources.

Vitamin C against colds?

200 milligrams of vitamin C per day can weaken or shorten a cold. If taken after the onset of cold symptoms, however, vitamin C does not shorten the duration of the cold. A lot of vitamin C is contained in citrus fruits, for example, but taking vitamin C daily as a preventive measure cannot protect most people from colds. If the cold is already there, vitamin C has no effect on the cold. The recommended vitamin C intake for men is 110 mg/day and for women 95 mg/day. The recommended amount for pregnant women is 105 mg, and for breastfeeding women 125 mg per day.

Ginger tea kills the viruses in the throat

No wonder: Ginger has natural healing powers. Anyone who notices a sore throat can kill viruses with ginger tea – and thereby relieve the immune system of some of its work. This is because the gingerols contained in ginger tea activate the macrophages. Macrophages are the so-called “scavenger cells” of the immune system and are responsible for the destruction of invading viruses, bacteria and toxins as well as other pathogens. In the case of ginger, it is known that it has a certain effect against rhinoviruses, i.e. cold viruses. It is not pronounced, but it has been described. It is therefore conceivable that ginger has a local effect. The spicy root is one of the most popular home remedies to combat colds and sore throats. Ginger tea has an expectorant, anti-inflammatory and warming effect. Only if you are sensitive to spiciness should you not drink ginger tea.

Green tea can fight viruses in the mouth

Gargling with green tea is used in Chinese medicine to treat pathogens in the mouth. Green tea is good at actively fighting invading viruses. The cause is the tannins in green tea, which kill viruses in the mouth. Green tea also contains vitamin A, vitamin B and vitamin B12, and is also said to reduce the risk of cardiovascular disease.

The question of whether green tea helps with a cold can be answered with a yes, because it also relieves coughs and runny noses. Green tea also helps to lower cholesterol and also improve the ratio of “good” (HDL) to “bad” (LDL) cholesterol by reducing LDL levels.

Vitamin D: Compensate for the deficiency

A vitamin D deficiency can also lead to an increased susceptibility to infections. The cause is often too little sunlight in autumn and winter, as the body cannot produce vitamin D without sun. At least 30 percent of German people have too little vitamin D in their blood during the autumn and winter months. Vitamin D deficiency can cause fatigue, mood swings and cold symptoms.

A long-term vitamin D deficiency can be harmful to the health because the body needs the vitamin to incorporate calcium from food into bones and teeth. In winter, when the sun is low in the sky and the angle of incidence of the radiation is only around 45 degrees, there is almost no vitamin D production in the skin. Taking vitamin D tablets can be helpful and boost the immune system.

Our advice to you: Get out in the fresh air a lot in autumn and winter. In addition, the mucous membrane is often dried out in winter due to dry air. This hinders the immune cells at work. Lots of exercise in the fresh air is therefore important: This moistens the mucous membrane and dilates the blood vessels – the immune system becomes active and the risk of catching a cold is reduced.

Singing: Therapy for more antibodies

And now we come to a special piece of advice from the NDR.

Singing as therapy not only puts you in a good mood, but can also strengthen the immune system. Choir singers have been shown to have robust and strengthened airways – and increased antibodies in their saliva after singing. But you don’t have to join a choir now. Singing vigorously in the shower or on a walk in the woods should do the trick.

And if you do catch a cold, rest and relaxation, cold baths, throat compresses for sore throats, calf compresses for fever, inhalation for coughs and nasal irrigation for colds will help.

These were our tips on how to strengthen your immune system. But if you want to be on the safe side, a flu vaccination is the best thing. The likelihood of catching a cough, runny nose or other infection is very high this autumn and winter. It should also be remembered that the danger from the corona virus has not yet disappeared.

Stay healthy!

 

 

Sources:

RKI

NDR.de

Zentrum der Gesundheit

br.de

deutsche-apotheker-zeitung.de

 

Who doesn’t know them? Those “classic New Year’s resolutions” that we make year after year. For the past two years, we have foregone advice and New Year’s resolutions as a result of the gloomy times.  Now let’s get back to the subject.

“I’m really going to give up smoking next year,” or “Finally lose some weight! In 2023 I will finally be doing more sport!” More than half of Germans set new goals every year. 

According to a survey by Statista, German people want to focus on three important things in 2023. These are the results of a survey of a total of 351 respondents. 49% of Germans want to eat healthier. 48% of Germans intend to do more sport. 46% of Germans want to save more money in the new year.

Those were the resolutions for 2022

The most frequent resolutions for the year 2022 were less stress, more time for the family and friends, and climate-friendly behaviour. Every year, DAK-Gesundheit asks about the resolutions for the coming year and their implementation from the previous year. This is a representative population survey by Forsa and 1,005 people were interviewed.

According to the German Employee Health Insurance Fund (DAK), younger people in particular between the ages of 14 and 29 make resolutions for the new year and consciously set goals. With increasing age, resolutions are of less importance. It was noteworthy that: 60 percent wanted to act more environmentally or climate-friendly.

For the past five years, the desire to reduce mobile phone or computer use has been steadily increasing, states DAK. “30 per cent, two percentage points more than last year, have resolved to be online less in the future.”

But let’s be honest: How many of these dow we really achieve? According to statistics, two-thirds* of Germans promptly neglect their resolutions again. Goals that make one’s own behaviour more sustainable and the world a little better concern, for example, limiting one’s own consumption.

You will be more motivated to tackle a goal if you consider it meaningful. Only do things that you believe in yourself. While it is tempting to make big plans, it is often difficult to implement them. In times of climate change and increasing environmental awareness, sustainability is becoming more and more important to us.

Reason enough to make the new year a little more informal, feasible and sustainable. When it comes to holidays, you can implement many a good intention without sacrificing luxury or relaxing time-outs. With little effort, you can do something good not only for yourself, but also for your fellow human beings and the environment. We have come up with some smart ideas about how to make holidays sustainable in 2023.

Helping on holiday: Giving something back to the locals

There are countless ways to help people who are not as well off as we are. Be it monetary donations or donations in kind. And especially as we plan for the new year, we can give something back to the local community. In this way you can combine pleasant things with what is useful. Like a Caribbean holiday, for example.

Thanks to the Sandals Foundation’s partnership with “Pack for a Purpose”, guests at Sandals and Beaches resorts in the Caribbean can make a difference on their holiday. The initiative asks guests to pack important items such as school supplies, medical aids, hygiene articles or sports equipment back home to help provide for people in nearby underdeveloped regions of the holiday destination.

Heidi Clark, director of the Sandals Foundation, for example, is campaigning with the “Pack for a Purpose” program to ensure that holidaymakers support needy women when they visit Jamaica, Barbados or the Bahamas.

It is still difficult for local women to get hygiene products. The donated products are collected in the Sandals resorts and then distributed to local women’s centres.

Buy seasonal and local

The following recommendation is perhaps one of the best and easiest New Year’s resolutions: Buy regional and seasonal products more often. Anyone who eats seasonal and regional food can save a lot of CO², because vegetables and fruit that are grown in greenhouses or are even flown in from overseas have significantly higher CO² emissions than domestic potatoes, apples or carrots.

In this respect, the Baja Hotels in Sardinia can be taken as a model: Great value is placed on regionality here! The hotels work exclusively with craftsmen, artists and farmers on the island. Local and seasonal products are also served in the restaurants.

The island’s own winery, Lilliu, has also committed itself to this philosophy and works exclusively with the products that can be found in Sardinia. This is how the fine wines are produced without any chemical additives: no herbicides, no pesticides and no artificial fertilisers. Guests who wish to visit the winery can book a guided tour of the wine cellar followed by a tasting.

Avoid rubbish and enjoy the beauty of nature

Wouldn’t it be great if each of us picked up just ten things a year that were carelessly discarded in parks, on meadows or in the forest? Why not make that a resolution? Throw just two things found on the street into a bin every month and enjoy clean and plastic-free nature at the same time.

Belize, the second smallest country in Central America, is also dedicated to this commitment to nature. Off its coast lies the great Belize Barrier Reef, the second-largest reef system in the world, which is celebrating its 10,000th birthday this year. Belize wants to protect 30 percent of its sea area, with more than 10,000 square kilometres. Together with other efforts, such as the complete ban on single-use plastic, this has made Belize a pioneer in conservation in the Caribbean and even the world.

Finally, about mobile phone stress again

What was initially considered a technical achievement is now increasingly regarded as a source of stress: the mobile phone. Many find it stressful to be available everywhere and at all times. Social media has put the icing on the cake of permanently being available. Anyone who finds it difficult to switch off will find exactly the right travel destination at Hofgut Hafnerleiten in Bad Birnbach.

This refuge is an ideal place to go offline. Guests enjoy time out in the rooms, suites and themed cottages without internet, television or mobile phones and can thereby recharge their own batteries. Of course, no one has to do completely without Wi-Fi, which is available free of charge in the main building.

So where does the tradition of New Year’s resolutions come from?

The tradition of making New Year’s resolutions goes back over 4,000 years. Researchers found that the first people to make resolutions were also the first to celebrate a “new year” at all: the people of ancient Babylon. The idea of resolutions is therefore more than 4,000 years old. Good goals and wishes were sent to the gods at that time.

The ancient Romans also had a custom of making New Year’s resolutions. We have them to thank for the fact that the beginning of the year falls on the first of January, because this was introduced with the calendar change of Emperor Julius Caesar in 46 BC .

And since when has New Year’s Eve been celebrated?

The popular end-of-year festival has only had its name, New Year’s Eve, since the 16th  century, because in 1582 the last day of the year was moved from today’s Christmas Eve to December 31st, the anniversary of the death of Pope Silvester the First.

Even if the naming is of liturgical origin, then as now, New Year’s Eve was and is more of a secular than a church festival. For a long time, the Church in Rome even fought the celebrations of the citizens, who danced, ate and drank at the end of the year like no other day of the year. They declared the 1st of January a day of penance and fasting – in the hope of getting the population to worship, but without success. And that is how we continue to celebrate today.

We wish you all a healthy and sustainable 2023!

 

Sources:

sat 1de
DAK.de
Statista.de

The cold season is just around the corner and with it the high season for colds, sniffles, influenza and corona viruses. For two years, strict hygiene regulations were just as much part of everyday life as wearing masks, disinfection and keeping your distance.

After two years of pandemic, you can now take a proper sauna again. However, sauna operators have already announced price increases due to high energy costs. Even the Finns are said to take a sauna only once a week because of the energy crisis. Many people ask themselves whether saunas will soon become a luxury.

For the ninth time, Sauna Day was celebrated all over Germany. The motto this year is: “SAUNA. A healthy pleasure.” This is intended to focus on the positive health aspects of sauna bathing for the body and psyche. Sauna Day – every year on 24 September – is a joint campaign of the German Sauna Association and many sauna businesses.

With Sauna Day, the German Sauna Association launched a nationwide campaign day for public saunas in 2014, which is becoming increasingly popular with sauna operators and sauna guests as well as the media. “We’re in!” is therefore the motto for the start of the peak sauna season in autumn.

Motto of the year: “Medical Wellness”. With this year’s representative survey among sauna-goers, the association wanted to find out which aspects of sauna bathing are the most enjoyable.

The result shows that switching off and recovering from everyday life (52%) takes first place among German sauna guests. The alternation of hot and cold stimuli (18 %) takes second place among respondents. The third place in terms of mentions is shared by the feeling of bathing in the sauna unclothed and participation in experience-oriented show/event infusions.

Probably the best-known effect of sauna bathing is conditioning. The interplay of warmth and cold stimuli improves the blood circulation regulation of the skin and mucous membranes and strengthens the cardiovascular system.

Another positive effect: Although cellulite cannot be sweated away, the connective tissue can be strengthened by the intensive blood circulation and the skin can be tightened by the subsequent cooling. Toxins that can cause water retention are also flushed out through sweat.

Taking a sauna helps the psyche

Sauna helps against stress – both body and soul benefit from the relaxation the sauna offers. Studies provide evidence that taking a sauna properly leads to an increased release of the happiness hormones endorphin and serotonin. Thus, according to the studies, regular saunas help to improve the basic mood and can even contribute to the treatment of depression.

Take a sauna properly

To achieve a positive effect, up to three sauna sessions are recommended per week. For healthy people, there is nothing to stop them from even taking a sauna every day. However, it should be noted that if you visit the sauna several times a week, you should reduce the number of sauna sessions per day. After the last sauna session, you should drink enough, preferably water, to compensate for the loss of fluids.

By the way: Do not take a sauna on an empty stomach. It is better to eat something before going to the sauna so that the body is strengthened. After the sauna sessions, it is recommended to eat only light food such as salads, soups or fruits.

Under no circumstances should you go to the sauna if you have a fever, infections, acute attacks of rheumatism, inflammatory skin diseases, open wounds or cardiac arrhythmias that cannot be controlled. However, after a heart attack, in consultation with the cardiologist, sauna sessions can be used to prevent another heart attack.

Incidentally, it is a myth that you can lose weight by going to the sauna. A sauna session consumes about 20 kcal (by comparison: a bar of chocolate has at least  500 kcal). You can only lose weight with sport, exercise and a healthy diet.

Taking a sauna before exercise is not recommended. Experts agree that going to the sauna before training is counterproductive. This is because the enormous loss of fluid through sweating in the sauna has a negative effect on the functionality of the muscles and you are less efficient as a result.

Many sauna-goers make the mistake again and again of taking a cold shower immediately after leaving the hot cabin. It is more gentle on the circulation to first take a cool air bath for a few minutes.

Our advice is: Drink plenty of fluids before your first sauna session, do not eat heavy meals and – do not forget – be sure to take a shower. You should also be in good physical condition. In case of any questions, medical clarification is required in advance.

The most important types of sauna include the Finnish sauna, the Earth sauna, the Smoke sauna, the Infrared sauna, the Hammam, the Tepidarium, the Caldarium, the Irish heat bath, the Banya and the Bio sauna.

The Finnish sauna is probably the one we know best. The Finnish sauna is considered the most traditional form of sauna and is the first thing that comes to mind for many people when it comes to the topic of saunas. At the same time, with temperatures of around 90 to 100 degrees Celsius, this is the hottest of all sauna types.

The length of stay should be eight to a maximum of 15 minutes per sauna session. As water transports heat much better than air, people, at least most, can tolerate 90 degrees in the sauna just fine, while 90 degrees hot water would be extremely painful.

Sauna for heat sensitive people

A bio sauna is a gentle variant of the Finnish sauna. Here, a comparatively lower room temperature of about 55 degrees Celsius is generated with a combination sauna heater. On the other hand, the humidity is higher than in other types of sauna, at around 40 to 55 percent. It is important for sauna novices to have a mild temperature control, as in the hay sauna. There you should sit close to the entrance and on the lower steps in order to get back to the fresh air quickly if necessary.

By the way: Towels and the like are considered unhygienic in most saunas. Towels are therefore not permitted – except as something to sit on. The pores must be able to open during a sauna session. If the body is covered with a towel, this cannot be achieved.

Roman, Irish and Turkish steam baths

Finally, we recommend a visit to the steam bath to cleanse and moisten the mucous membranes and respiratory tract. The difference between a steam bath and a sauna is easily explained: The sauna is hotter, while the steam bath is more humid. During a steam bath, cramped muscles relax and the nerves are calmed. For rheumatic complaints and colds, the visit is particularly beneficial and relaxing. That is why a steam bath is also ideal for colds. A bath should last 10 to 15, maximum 20 minutes.

The Roman steam bath is considered the most popular steam bath of its kind because it only heats up to around 45 to 48 degrees. The steam bath has mild temperatures with extremely high humidity, which encourages you to sweat.

Sauna-goers also sweat in the Irish steam bath at relatively low temperatures of around 50 degrees. An Irish steam bath is a heat bath consisting of several warm and humid rooms. This form of heat bath has existed for around 150 years and was originally practiced in Ireland. A session in the Irish Steam Bath lasts several hours, so you should have plenty of time available.

The Hammam, also known as the Turkish sauna, is the bathing culture par excellence in the Arab world. The Hammam is considered one of the best-known types of sauna in the world. Originally from Turkey, the trend of this oriental steam bath has spread quickly and successfully. The Hammam is valued for its relaxing and vasodilating effects. It therefore relaxes the muscles and relieves pain and discomfort.

But there are risk groups who should not take steam baths. People with severe cardiovascular problems: As a steam bath beginner, with high blood pressure or a weak heart, the steam bath can be too much for your circulation. A stay in the Hammam serves to cleanse the body and relax at a pleasant 50 to 55 degrees and almost 100% humidity.

The Finns are the sauna world champions

Over three million saunas in a country of just 5.5 million people – the sauna has been firmly anchored in Finland’s cultural heritage for centuries. The diversity of the countless sauna variants seems unquestionable; smoke, ice or steam saunas are just a few of them.

The oldest public sauna in Finland is the Rajaportti Sauna

The sauna capital of the world, Tampere, is home to Finland’s oldest surviving public sauna – the Rajaportti Sauna. This is just one of over 50 saunas characteristic of the region. Opened in 1906, it is still largely unchanged today. Wrapped in a gentle steam, guests sweat here on wooden benches that are over 100 years old – and then jump into the nearby lake all year round.

We hope you have fun in the sauna!

 

Sources:

tagdersauna.de

kurz mal weg.de

 

The year is drawing to a close. Some want to be in the sun, but many are drawn to the mountains and the snow, or to a city break. We have taken a look around to see where there is some snow and where you can spend some pleasant days.

The view of the mountain ranges indicates the first signs of winter and the anticipation of snow-covered mountains, hills and sweeping meadow slopes increases with each passing day. Some want perfectly maintained slopes, while others prefer the peace and solitude of the mountains to get in shape on cross-country skis or snowshoes. Connoisseurs prefer to hike through the postcard landscapes, while adrenaline freaks let off steam with ice climbing. However, the reward in the form of physical well-being and feelings of happiness is common to all winter sports. We stay mainly in Europe in our exploration.

Biathlon in the footsteps of the pros in Bodenmais

After the European Championships in 2022, the winter sports elite will once again be in Bodenmais: From 9 to 14 January 2023, the IBU Cup Arber Biathlon will host the best athletes around the highest mountain in the Bavarian Forest. If you want to test your own skills, you can train in the combined discipline of cross-country skiing and sharp shooting in the local biathlon centre in the footsteps of Olympic champion 2022 Denise Hermann.

Winter joys in East Tyrol

Friends of alpine skiing enjoy reliable snow, extensive slopes, sunny slopes and guaranteed no waiting times at the lifts in seven winter sports resorts in East Tyrol. The prices in East Tyrol are also family-friendly: For example, there is a child tariff up to 18 years of age.

The “Ski Hit Osttirol” ski pass is valid for all seven ski areas. NEW in winter 2022/23: The Leppleskofel six-seater chairlift in St. Jakob in Defereggental. As the highest cable car in the region, it takes guests up to 2,683 metres in no time at all.

Information on the opening hours of the ski resorts, ski pass prices and details on the slopes can be found here. Extra tip for cross-country skiing fans: In the Obertilliach cross-country skiing and biathlon centre at 1,450 metres, the first trails have been open since the beginning of November.

Children have fun in the Hochzeiger ski resort in the Pitztal

The family-friendly Hochzeiger ski resort in Pitztal proves that skiing holidays with children don’t have to be expensive. Newcomers to the slopes between the ages of three and six take part in ski courses here free of charge. In addition to the mascot “Pitzi”, well-trained ski instructors from the Hochzeiger snow sports school accompany the little ones during their first attempts on skis, show them how to “ski like a pizza slice” and motivate them to take on new challenges.

What would you like in the afternoon? Explore the 40 kilometres of slopes in the ski resort together with your parents or would you rather go to the supervised children’s program and go snowshoeing, tobogganing and building snowmen with new friends?

Dates of the free ski courses: 9 to 27 January 2023 and 13 to 24 March 2023, Monday to Friday from 9:15 to 10:45 for early risers or from 11:00 to 12:30 for late risers (offer applies to overnight stays in Pitztal). The day pass is available for adults from 35 Euro.

Children under the age of ten who are travelling with a parent can use the cable cars and lifts for free with the Bambini Free Pass anyway. By the way: Youngsters can also learn to ski for free on selected dates in the Rifflsee ski resort and on the Pitztal Glacier.

Mild winters on La Palma

From June to September it is summer on La Palma. On the greenest island of the Canary Islands, temperatures are at their highest then, and classrooms in schools remain empty for over two months. The small coves, black sand beaches, as well as the natural pools of Charco Azul and La Fajana become the first port of call for anyone looking for refreshment.

But far be it for those who expect to see towel after towel on the beaches at this time of year. Temperatures of up to 23 degrees in December or up to 20 degrees in January hardly attract locals to the waves, but for travellers it is precisely this mild winter that is appealing.

Into the sun to Puerto Rico

With sparkling turquoise waters, golden sandy beaches, streets filled with lively music, culture and art, the Caribbean island nation of Puerto Rico is an ideal escape from the cold winter here. The Puerto Rican capital San Juan, the second oldest city founded by Europeans in the Americas, is particularly colourful.

In the middle of the city and yet far from the hustle and bustle, travellers will find picturesque beaches. The palm-fringed Condado Beach, for example, is located in San Juan’s trendy neighbourhood of the same name, with numerous shops and restaurants. Snorkelling enthusiasts explore Puerto Rico’s underwater world at Playa El Escambrón, protected by coral reefs, while surfers meet for surfing at Ocean Park Beach.

A city break in Helsingborg in Sweden

Helsingborg was originally a Danish city and is now one of the oldest cities in modern-day Sweden. Helsingborg and its surroundings are a pleasant mix of urban and idyllic atmosphere. Dunkers Culture House in the centre hosts (inter)national exhibitions, while Frederiksdal Open Air Museum and Sofiero Castle also invite visitors to linger outside. Sofiero, built in 1864 in the Dutch Renaissance style, is considered one of Sweden’s most picturesque castles.

Its green areas were awarded the title “Europe’s most beautiful park”. The coastal resort’s bathing areas are very popular all year round – for sunbathing and daydreaming in summer and for cold baths and saunas in winter, when the water temperature is only a few degrees above zero. Helsingborg has one of Sweden’s highest densities of pubs, in addition to a number of popular restaurants. There are also a variety of restaurants with food from all over the world. There are a number of pastry shops and cafés in Helsingborg, some of which have more than a hundred years of history. There are also three seaside bathing houses, located south of the Viking beach, which is very popular in summer. Incidentally, Ruben Rausing, the inventor of Tetra-Pak,  was born here.

Bratislava’s special places

If a city bears the nickname 72-hour city, one thing is clear: It is the ideal destination for a weekend trip. Located on the Danube, Bratislava not only has two river banks, but also many faces. In addition to popular sights such as the Old Town or Bratislava Castle, it surprises with a variety of unusual places and tours.

In the middle of Bratislava’s city centre there is an oversized, upside-down pyramid. Its interiors hide the best concert and recording studios in Slovakia. The concert hall also houses one of the largest organs in Central Europe with 6,300 pipes. Visitors can experience even more culture and art on a peninsula in the Danube.

This is where the Gallery of Modern Art is located: Danubiana. It combines modern architecture with exhibitions by leading international artists. The building is surrounded by an 8,000 square metre park in which a wide variety of sculptures are presented.

Horsky Park provides nature in the middle of the city. Located in the heart of Bratislava, it is an oasis of calm where you can hike along forest trails or just relax. A dinner in the UFO restaurant is a culinary experience of a special (or third) kind.

At the end of the famous Most-SNP bridge, guests take the lift to the very top, where the UFO restaurant is located 85 metres above the ground. With Mediterranean and Asian dishes on their plates, guests have the city at their feet.

Weekend planning made easy: With so many options, it’s not easy to keep track. On the 72-hour city website, travellers have the opportunity to put together their own personal plan. Depending on the travel group and preferences, very individual ideas and suggestions for the trip are created here. If the plan is decided, the Bratislava Card is the ideal complement for a visit to the city on the Danube. It offers, among many other discounts, free admission to 18 museums and galleries and free use of public transport.

In winter on Lake Maggiore

Lake Maggiore is world-famous for the blossom in its renowned parks. From March to October, the botanical gardens on the lake and its small islands are real attractions. How Lake Maggiore presents itself in winter, on the other hand, is only known to locals and insiders.

Especially during the quiet time of the year, you can let the authentic magic of the lakeside towns work enchant you. There is a lot to do here, such as strolling along the shore in mild temperatures, strolling through picturesque old town streets, going on a panoramic trip by boat, gondola, bike or train – or just going skiing for a few hours.

Winter holidays in the mountains

When the cold season sets in, the Tyrolean Lechtal offers unique conditions for climbing. Tons of ice grow down the cold rock, making formations ranging from sloping cascades to vertical columns.

In Austria’s smallest municipality Gramais in the Tyrolean Lechtal, adventure-seekers have the chance to go on guided tours to spectacular icefalls. Hubertus Lindner, a state-certified ski and mountain guide, offers appropriate training for both beginners and advanced skiers at his Lechtal Mountain School.

However, before the licensed guide and his group dare to climb the steep ice walls, the participants receive theoretical and practical basics in advance. Depending on their knowledge, there is an introduction or improvement in climbing technique, tour planning and avalanche knowledge are just as important.

About five minutes from the Lechtal Mountain School, there are three practice ice climbing walls where first skills are applied. There are other areas in the alpine terrain, where “Hubs” Lindner even has his huskies with him to help with the steeper ascents. For experienced climbers, the Ice climbing guided tour of the Lechtal Mountain School is also worthwhile.

We wish you a wonderful Christmas and winter holiday, and stay healthy.

 

 

It is also important to get enough exercise in winter. Regular physical activity is essential for the prevention of many diseases. It generally leads to better performance of muscles, heart and circulation. What strengthens the body relaxes the soul: Sport makes you feel optimistic, gives you a better body awareness and increases your self-esteem. Physical activity can therefore help with mood swings and depression.

Physical activity stimulates the production of happy hormones in the brain, which lifts our spirits. Endurance sports cause the release of endorphins, the associated feelings of happiness alleviate anxiety and increase well-being. Stress, tension, frustration and aggression are reduced. Activity strengthens self-esteem. Experts therefore recommend at least 150 minutes to 300 minutes of exercise per week.

Falling temperatures are often used as an excuse to skip outdoor sports, although calm endurance sports with an even effort level are ideal in winter. Even the tiresome winter blues can be alleviated through exercise and sport.

Anyone who does sports in winter also strengthens their immune system and suffers from fewer infections. Cross-country, hiking, walking, cross-country skiing, alpine skiing, tobogganing, snowshoeing and jogging are among the most popular winter sports in this country. You can really enjoy the winter with winter sports.

We have once again looked around at where you can spend beautiful winter sports days.

Winter hiking for body and soul in Tessin

Winter hiking in cold, clear mountain air is not only healthy, it’s also fun, keeps you in shape and lets your body and mind regenerate. In the snowy north of Tessin, unlike in the neighbouring Swiss cantons, there are no ski tourism hotspots, but small snow paradises with manageable ski areas, kilometres of cross-country ski trails and designated hiking trails.

The sustainable snow sport has long since found its way there and the selection of routes at every level of difficulty leads through varied terrain. A popular starting point is the Maggia Valley with the highest village in Tessin, Bosco Gurin at 1,504 metres. A picture-postcard landscape accompanies the tour through wild nature and whitewashed forests around the rustic village.

The signposted trails in the Bedretto Valley at the foot of the Gotthard Pass and in the Blenio Valley, which stretches between 1,400 and 2,200 metres above sea level and reaches from the Lukmanier Pass down the valley to Biasca, are considered no less beautiful. Since winter 2021/22, the almost six-kilometre-long circular route “Percorso Nara-Cancori” with the valley station in Leontica as the starting point has complemented the sun-kissed region.

Freestyle above the rooftops of Innsbruck on the Nordkette Skylinepark

In just 20 minutes you can get directly from the Innsbruck city centre to the 1,905 m high Seegrube, where the Nordkette Skylinepark is located. In a cool atmosphere above the rooftops of Innsbruck, the capital of Tyrol, the Nordkette Skylinepark has plenty in store for die-hard ski and snowboard freestylers.

The generous setup with kicker lines, industry tubes and down rails, among other things, requires a certain level of skill. “We would classify the level of the Skylinepark as ‘medium plus’.” This means that there are mainly medium-difficulty elements complemented by a few pro elements.

So the park is not necessarily suitable for beginners. “However, there is a kicker line on which simple jumps can be easily learned,” says Anna Geiger, Marketing Manager of the Innsbruck Nordkette runs. The highlight of the season is scheduled for spring, when Innsbruck’s snowboard elite will gather at the start of April 2023 at the Sane!  Spring Break on the Seegrube.

Exclusive winter experiences on the Turracherhöhe

Snowshoe hike, hut breakfast and First Ride on the slopes – all in one day. The morning hour trilogy is one of the exclusive winter experiences with which the “Piste butlers” of the Turracherhöhe spoil their guests.

That is because if you are on holiday on the high plateau between Carinthia and Styria, you don’t have to worry about the program. For more than 20 years, the Piste butler has been a real guarantee for VIP feeling.

From Monday to Thursday (26 December to 18 April) he shows visitors on foot, with snowshoes or on skis the most beautiful corners of the region and provides exclusive insights. How do the cable cars actually work?

What are typical local delicacies? And which is actually the most beautiful downhill run of the 43 kilometres of perfectly maintained slopes? The butler also always has a surprise in store for children, for example when they grill marshmallows with him over the open fire after a winter walk. Guests staying at Butler establishments can enjoy the free winter program and many other benefits. Registration is possible up to a few hours before the start, subject to availability.

Winter hiking in the mudflats on the North Sea

Ice-cold wind, glittering ice surfaces and the sandy ground crunching and cracking underfoot with every step. When the water is gone, the mudflats offer a world of wonders even in the cold season. What is one of the most popular holiday activities on the North Sea in summer – barefoot and with sunglasses – is also possible in winter:

Hiking in the mudflats. Equipped with a thick anorak, rubber boots and warm socks, the landscape of mud and silt with all the legacies of the sea can be experienced alone or in a group.

What does the lugworm do in winter, how do the mussels survive and where have all the crabs gone? If you want to know whether and how the animals in the mudflats survive the cold season, the best thing to do is to follow one of the mudflat guides, who also regularly invite you to expert trips to the mudflats between November and April. And with a bit of luck, one or the other mudflat resident can also be seen.

In the North Sea spa Cuxhaven, guided mudflat walks with different themes take place all year round. “With the tide to the mainland” or “Winter mudflat hike” are intensive encounters with the wintry tides. In the icy seascape you can go amber hunting and discover how much life there is in the ice-cold mudflats. “The mudflats are alive” shows the participants how lugworms, mussels and crabs survive the winter in the mudflats.

A trip to the mudflats should be made in the cold season as part of a guided mudflat hike. Those who prefer to go into the mudflats on their own can use the mudflat walking times, which are posted daily, as a guide. Then the rescue station in Duhnen is also manned, which monitors the mudflats off Cuxhaven with radar and provides rapid assistance in case of danger; nevertheless, a guided mudflat walk is recommended

Winter sports near Kitzbühel

Those who like to retreat to nature and idyll after an eventful day at the Hahnenkamm race in Kitzbühel – one of the most famous skiing events in the world – should spend the days between 16 and 22 January in the nearby Hohe Salve region.

With its charming accommodation and varied offers for individualists, the combination of adventure and relaxation is effortless: Simply board the exclusive ÖBB shuttle in Wörgl in the morning, get off directly at the Hahnenkamm station after just 30 minutes and get a taste of competition air.

Practical: The Kitzbüheler Alpen guest card, which holidaymakers receive free of charge at the accommodation, automatically serves as a ticket for local public transport. Nature lovers spend the afternoon, for example, in Kelchsau – a picturesque side valley of the Hohe Salve region with few people and many opportunities.

If you like, you can start a relaxing winter hike or cross-country skiing tour. Do you prefer to go higher? With its untouched slopes and fantastic views, the Kelchsau is considered an absolute insider tip for ski tourers.

We wish you a wonderful winter sports season.

 

Since December 2019, the “SARS-CoV-2” coronavirus (Severe Acute Respiratory Syndrome Coronavirus-2) has been spreading rapidly around the world. This infectious disease, popularly known as COVID or simply coronavirus, is mainly transmitted from person to person by inhaling particles containing the virus. Sufferers release these particles when coughing and sneezing, for example, but also when breathing or speaking¹ – in other words: The route of transmission – infection via airborne droplets.

Due to mutations in the virus, there are different variants of COVID, in which the transmissibility and the disease progression may differ.¹

Common symptoms include a cough, fever, runny nose, and sore throat, as well as an impaired sense of taste and/or smell.¹

Long-term health consequences have also been frequently observed following SARS-CoV-2 infection. The long-term consequences of SARS-CoV-2 infection are referred to as “long COVID.”²

“Long COVID”

The term “long COVID” is the generic term for long-term health consequences that may occur after SARS-CoV-2 infection. Long COVID includes health complaints that persist or emerge four weeks after the acute phase of illness. Complaints that persist for more than 12 weeks after infection with the virus and last for at least eight weeks are referred to as “post-COVID syndrome.”² According to a World Health Organization (WHO) study, common symptoms include “fatigue, shortness of breath, cognitive impairment, and other symptoms that generally affect everyday functioning.”³

In addition, long COVID patients frequently report respiratory problems, such as shortness of breath and coughing.^4/5

What helps to prevent or treat acute symptoms?

In addition to vaccination, maintaining social distance, ensuring good hygiene, wearing masks, ventilating indoor spaces regularly, and using the coronavirus warning app, humidification of the airways has also proven to be a promising preventative approach.⁶

In an international study, researchers found that dehydration of the upper airways increases the risk of developing respiratory diseases such as COVID-19, asthma and COPD, and inhaling a saline solution reduces the risk.⁶ Inhaling a saline solution also reduces the release of aerosols, thus reducing the viral load in exhaled air.⁷

Should respiratory illness occur despite preventative measures, respiratory symptoms such as coughing can be effectively treated with an appropriate inhaler. Please discuss treatment options with your doctor in each case.

The targeted use of inhalers helps to humidify and clear your airways, including when you’re out and about. Thanks to their rechargeable batteries, medisana’s powerful IN 530 and IN 605 inhalers are also perfect for using when you’re on the go.

They offer targeted treatment for diseases of the upper and lower respiratory tract through the nebulisation of liquids and liquid medications (aerosols). The compact inhalers can be used to inhale various aerosols, for example saline solutions, which moisten irritated mucous membranes, thus carrying away allergens and facilitating the typical coughing process. Medically prescribed inhalation solutions can also be used for the targeted treatment of certain diseases. The great advantage of this treatment is that the medication is administered exactly where its effect is needed, namely from the mouth-nose-throat area to the lungs. Thanks to their innovative micro-compressor technology, medisana’s IN 530 and IN 605 inhalers have a high degree of efficiency, and are particularly effective due to their high proportion of respirable aerosols.

In addition, the phenomenon of “silent hypoxemia” has also been observed in COVID-19/long COVID patients. Despite reduced oxygenation, patients do not feel short of breath. They can walk, enjoy themselves, eat, and drink without any problems and without noticing the decreased oxygen saturation in their blood. ⁸

A pulse oximeter can be used to quickly check whether your oxygen saturation and heart rate are within the appropriate range. Pulse oximeters are non-invasive and completely painless to use, meaning that you can take a quick reading at any time.

We recommend the medisana PM 100 connect pulse oximeter to measure blood oxygen saturation (Sp02%) and heart rate (pulse rate). Simply place the small, state-of-the-art pulse oximeter on the end of your finger. Within a few seconds, your heart rate and oxygen saturation will be displayed. Once you have measured your blood oxygen and pulse rate, the readings are sent via Bluetooth® 4.0 to the VitaDock+ app for iOS and Android and to VitaDock® Online, where you can store your personal health measurements and gain a better insight into your current state of health.

All medisana inhalers and the pulse oximeter are certified medical devices that are subject to strict requirements and regular inspections.

COVID-19 product recommendations

Preventative: Inhalers, RM 100 protective face masks (category FFP2)

During the infection: Inhalers (e.g. IN 605 inhaler, IN 530 inhaler), pulse oximeters, thermometers

 

 

 

 

List of references:

Source 1: https://www.infektionsschutz.de/coronavirus/fragen-und-antworten/ansteckung-und-uebertragung/#tab-3760-0

Source 2: https://www.rki.de/SharedDocs/FAQ/NCOV2019/FAQ_Liste_Gesundheitliche_Langzeitfolgen.html

Source 3: World Health Organization (‎2021)‎. A clinical case definition of post COVID-19 condition by a Delphi consensus, 6 October 2021. World Health Organization Regional Office for Europe. https://apps.who.int/iris/handle/10665/350195. Licence: CC BY-NC-SA 3.0 IGO

Source 4: https://www.infektionsschutz.de/coronavirus/basisinformationen/long-COVID-langzeitfolgen-von-COVID-19/#c15908

Source 5:  https://www.gesundheitsforschung-bmbf.de/de/long-COVID-und-atemnot-forschende-arbeiten-an-zuverlassigen-screening-methoden-14719.php

Source 6: George, C.E., Scheuch, G., Seifart, U. et al. COVID-19 symptoms are reduced by targeted hydration of the nose, larynx and trachea. Sci Rep 12, 4599 (2022). https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-022-08609-y

Source 7: https://www.lungenaerzte-im-netz.de/news-archiv/meldung/article/einfaches-inhalieren-kann-die-ansteckungsgefahr-mit-coronaviren-deutlich-senken/#:~:text=%E2%80%9EAlle%20in%20unserer%20Klinik%20behandelten,med.

Source 8: https://www.rki.de/DE/Content/Kommissionen/Stakob/Stellungnahmen/Stellungnahme-COVID-19_Therapie_Diagnose.html