Ginger: Helpful or harmful for the stomach?

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Ginger is one of the best-known remedies for relieving cold symptoms— it can actually kill the rhino virus that causes a cold. Plus, it’s been known to help with motion sickness and to calm an upset stomach. We checked in with our alternative medicine expert, The Medicine Hunter, for more:

“Ginger stimulates the production of bile and so as such it’s a beneficial digestive aid. But if you don’t have anything in your stomach— as it turns out this particular woman was drinking ginger tea on an empty stomach— it can sometimes cause… enough gastric stimulation that you can get some digestive distress,”  “It’s not a typical reaction. In fact, it’s rather uncommon, but it can happen.”

To avoid gastric upset while still getting anti-inflammatory benefits,  those with a sensitive digestive system have a bit of food in their stomachs and only drink modest amounts of ginger tea— one cup at a time.

Source : http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/07/26/ginger-helpful-or-harmful-for-stomach.html

 

Blood clot deaths tied to hours of daily TV time

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People who watch television for five or more hours a day have more than twice the risk of those who watch half as much TV to die of a blood clot in the lung, a large Japanese study suggests.

There are more than 200,000 cases of pulmonary embolism, which usually begins as a blood clot in the leg that travels to the lung, in the U.S. each year, according to the National Library of Medicine. It can permanently damage lung tissue, other organs, or cause death, but many people who have it have no symptoms.

Pulmonary embolism is less common in Japan than in Western countries, said study coauthor Dr. Hiroyasu Iso, professor of public health at Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, but Japanese people are becoming increasingly sedentary.

“We were surprised about the strength of the effect of television watching compared with the effects of advancing age, history of hypertension and diabetes mellitus, or body mass index in this study,” Iso told Reuters Health by email. “We speculated that leg immobility during television watching had increased their risk of fatal pulmonary embolism.”

In a number of studies of long haul travelers, the association between prolonged sitting and increased risk of pulmonary embolism did not vary by ethnicity, Iso said.

Other past studies have looked back at the lifestyle factors common to pulmonary embolism cases, but none had followed people over time to see if there was a link between their TV-watching time and their risk for embolisms, the study team writes in Circulation.

Between 1988 and 1990 Iso and colleagues asked more than 85,000 adults 40 to 79 years old in Japan how many hours they spent watching TV, then followed them for the next 19 years looking for deaths from pulmonary embolism. They also collected information on obesity, diabetes, cigarette smoking and high blood pressure, and tried to rule these factors out in the relationship between TV and blood clots.

Only 59 people in the sample died of pulmonary embolism, but compared to people who watched two and a half hours of TV or less per day, those who watched five or more hours were 2.5 times as likely to die of a clot.

Researchers calculated that among people who watched less than two and a half hours of TV, the rate of deaths from pulmonary embolism were 2.8 per 100,000 people per year, compared to a rate of 8.2 deaths per 100,000 per year for those who watched five or more hours daily.

Risk of pulmonary embolism death increased by 40 percent for each additional two hours of daily TV watching, they found.

“Time spent watching TV is a pretty reliable way to measure how much time people spend sedentary, or inactive,” said Dr. Christopher Kabrhel, an Associate Professor of Emergency Medicine at Harvard Medical School in Boston who was not part of the new study. “If being sedentary puts you at risk for pulmonary embolism, and I believe it does, then it likely also puts you at risk of death from pulmonary embolism, as this study showed.”

After TV watching time, obesity was the next most important factor predicting risk of death from pulmonary embolism, the authors found.

Since U.S. adults watch more TV than Japanese adults, the results may be even more important to Americans, the authors said in a statement accompanying the study.

“Nowadays, with online video streaming, the term ‘binge-watching’ to describe viewing multiple episodes of television programs in one sitting has become popular,” lead author Dr. Toru Shirakawa, a research fellow in public health at Osaka University Graduate School of Medicine, wrote.

Travelers on long plane flights and people watching TV for long periods of time can stand up, stretch, walk around, or tense and relax their leg muscles for five minutes to reduce the risk of blood clots, they wrote.

“The results do not seem to be country-specific,” Kabrhel told Reuters Health by email. “Being sedentary is bad for you wherever you live.”

Source: http://www.foxnews.com/health/2016/07/27/blood-clot-deaths-tied-to-hours-daily-tv-time.html

Mental illness: Could brain size be a risk factor?

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A study published in the journal PLOS Biology could explain why large brains are more vulnerable to brain disorders such as schizophrenia and Alzheimer’s disease.

Mammals exhibit an extensive range of brain sizes, reflecting their adaptation to the varied environments in which they live.

The cerebral cortex in all mammals is the thin layer of gray matter – neural tissue of the brain that is composed of nerve cell bodies and nerve fibers – that covers the brain.

Gray matter is responsible for processing information in the brain, including thoughts, high-level brain functions, such as storing and retrieving memories, calculating, language, and consciousness.

Comparing the cortical networks in the brains of mammals of differing sizes provides data on what features of the brain are preserved through evolution and what processing structures are unique to a particular species.

Zoltán Toroczkai, from the University of Notre-Dame, IN, Mária Ercsey-Ravasz, from Babes-Bolyai University, Romania, and Henry Kennedy, from the University Lyon, France, and colleagues previously combined tracing studies in macaques (which visualize connections in the brain) with network theory. The results showed that macaques’ cortical network is regulated by the exponential distance rule (EDR).

EDR describes a consistent relationship between distances and connection strength. EDR predicts that there are fewer long-range axons than short axons.

Although comparing cortical networks across species can be problematic, the researchers found that by using area tracing data from a macaque, a mammal with a large cortex, and a mouse, which has a significantly smaller cortex, they could introduce a standard model framework that enabled them to make comparisons.

The team used a general organization principle – based on an EDR and cortical geometry – to carry out comparisons within the same model framework.

Regardless of the differing cortex size between species and cortex organization, the researchers noted that all the statistical features of all cortical networks followed EDR.

Long-range connections weaker in primates’ brains than rodents’

In terms of the cortical areas examined by the tracing studies – such as visual cortex or auditory cortex – the closer the two areas were together, the more connections there were between them.

Although the cortical networks in primates and rodents are similar, the long-distance connections in the primates’ brains were considerably weaker.

Source: http://www.medicalnewstoday.com/articles/311844.php

Bolus and Basal Injections and What You Need to Know

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The bolus-basal insulin injection regime for those living with diabetes works like your body should, but may not be a suitable fit for everyone.

If you have insulin dependent diabetes, you’re very familiar with bolus insulin, the type of insulin that is short-acting, typically taken with meals. However, not as many people with diabetes are as familiar with the other kind, basal insulin or, for that matter, the bolus-basal insulin regime. Read on to learn the difference between bolus and basal injections and why a bolus-basal routine might be right for you.

The bolus-basal routine involves taking multiple insulin injections throughout the day. It requires the use of a longer acting form of insulin, basal insulin, to keep blood glucose levels stable through periods of not eating, where cells convert glucose into energy. Basal literally means “background” so this is the type of insulin that remains in the background of the bloodstream and is taken once or twice a day. Bolus insulin is the shorter acting insulin taken at mealtime to prevent rises in blood glucose levels as a result of eating.

The bolus-basal regime is an attempt to emulate how a completely healthy body would deliver insulin. The routine is applicable to people with both Type I and Type II diabetes.

Advantage

The main advantage of a bolus-basal regimen is that it allows you to fairly closely match how your own body would release insulin if it was able. Another big advantage is that it allows for greater flexibility when scheduling meals and for how many carbohydrates you can consume per meal since insulin is adjusted and injected throughout the day. This can be a large perk for adults with busy schedules and less control over meal times and type of food available.

Disadvantages

If there are advantages, there must also be disadvantages. One downside to the regime is that it requires more frequent insulin injections every day. This may be a bigger issue for some more than others, like children who must grow accustomed to the habit.

Of course, not every type of routine is right for everyone. Consult your doctor if you think the bolus-basal injection regime might work for you.

Source : www.diabetespharmacist.com

 

Pomegranate finally reveals its powerful anti-aging secret

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Intestinal bacteria transform a molecule contained in the fruit with spectacular results

Are pomegranates really the superfood we’ve been led to believe will counteract the aging process? Up to now, scientific proof has been fairly weak. And some controversial marketing tactics have led to skepticism as well. A team of scientists from EPFL and the company Amazentis wanted to explore the issue by taking a closer look at the secrets of this plump pink fruit. They discovered that a molecule in pomegranates, transformed by microbes in the gut, enables muscle cells to protect themselves against one of the major causes of aging. In nematodes and rodents, the effect is nothing short of amazing. Human clinical trials are currently underway, but these initial findings have already been published in the journal Nature Medicine.

As we age, our cells increasingly struggle to recycle their powerhouses. Called mitochondria, these inner compartments are no longer able to carry out their vital function, thus accumulate in the cell. This degradation affects the health of many tissues, including muscles, which gradually weaken over the years. A buildup of dysfunctional mitochondria is also suspected of playing a role in other diseases of aging, such as Parkinson’s disease.

One molecule plays David against the Goliath of aging

The scientists identified a molecule that, all by itself, managed to re-establish the cell’s ability to recycle the components of the defective mitochondria: urolithin A. “It’s the only known molecule that can relaunch the mitochondrial clean-up process, otherwise known as mitophagy,” says Patrick Aebischer, co-author on the study. “It’s a completely natural substance, and its effect is powerful and measurable.”

The team started out by testing their hypothesis on the usual suspect: the nematode C. elegans. It’s a favorite test subject among aging experts, because after just 8-10 days it’s already considered elderly. The lifespan of worms exposed to urolithin A increased by more than 45% compared with the control group.

These initial encouraging results led the team to test the molecule on animals that have more in common with humans. In the rodent studies, like with C. elegans, a significant reduction in the number of mitochondria was observed, indicating that a robust cellular recycling process was taking place. Older mice, around two years of age, showed 42% better endurance while running than equally old mice in the control group.

Human testing underway

Before heading out to stock up on pomegranates, however, it’s worth noting that the fruit doesn’t itself contain the miracle molecule, but rather its precursor. That molecule is converted into urolithin A by the microbes that inhabit the intestine. Because of this, the amount of urolithin A produced can vary widely, depending on the species of animal and the flora present in the gut microbiome. Some individuals don’t produce any at all. If you’re one of the unlucky ones, it’s possible that pomegranate juice won’t do you any good.

For those without the right microbes in their guts, however, the scientists are already working on a solution. The study’s co-authors founded a start-up company, Amazentis, which has developed a method to deliver finely calibrated doses of urolithin A. The company is currently conducting first clinical trials testing the molecule in humans in European hospitals.

Darwin at your service: parallel evolution makes good dinner partners According to study co-author Johan Auwerx, it would be surprising if urolithin A weren’t effective in humans. “Species that are evolutionarily quite distant, such as C elegans and the rat, react to the same substance in the same way. That’s a good indication that we’re touching here on an essential mechanism in living organisms.”

Urolithin A’s function is the product of tens of millions of years of parallel evolution between plants, bacteria and animals. According to Chris Rinsch, co-author and CEO of Amazentis, this evolutionary process explains the molecule’s effectiveness: “Precursors to urolithin A are found not only in pomegranates, but also in smaller amounts in many nuts and berries. Yet for it to be produced in our intestines, the bacteria must be able to break down what we’re eating. When, via digestion, a substance is produced that is of benefit to us, natural selection favors both the bacteria involved and their host. Our objective is to follow strict clinical validations, so that everyone can benefit from the result of these millions of years of evolution.”

The EPFL scientists’ approach provides a whole new palette of opportunities to fight the muscular degeneration that takes place as we age, and possibly also to counteract other effects of aging. By helping the body to renew itself, urolithin A could well succeed where so many pharmaceutical products, most of which have tried to increase muscle mass, have failed. Auwerx, who has also published a recent discovery about the anti-aging effects of another molecule in the journal Science, emphasizes the game-changing importance of these studies. “The nutritional approach opens up territory that traditional pharma has never explored. It’s a true shift in the scientific paradigm.”

Source: http://bit.ly/29DRnHW

Diabetic patients experience superior survival with less conventional CABG surgery

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Diabetic patients who undergo heart bypass surgery are living longer and have much better long-term outcomes when cardiothoracic surgeons use arteries rather than veins for the bypasses, according to a new study published online by The Annals of Thoracic Surgery.

Key findings in this study show more diabetic patients survive when only arteries are used for bypasses during coronary artery bypass grafting (CABG) surgery. Diabetic patients experience fewer long-term complications from total arterial revascularization (TAR)/CABG than from conventional CABG. TAR/CABG can be performed successfully by any well-trained cardiothoracic surgeon.

“Going into this study, we believed that diabetic patients would do better using total arterial techniques,” said James Tatoulis, MD, FRACS, from the Royal Melbourne Hospital in Australia. “But it was gratifying to actually prove it and also be able to document the significant magnitude of the difference.”

Dr. Tatoulis and colleagues in Melbourne examined more than 63,000 cardiac surgical cases from the Australian and New Zealand Society of Cardiothoracic Surgeons (ANZSCTS) Database. In their review, they identified 34,181 patients who underwent CABG surgery for the first time from 2001 to 2012. Of those, 2,017 were diabetic patients who had CABG using only arteries (TAR) and 1,967 diabetic patients who had conventional CABG, predominantly using veins.

This study showed that when TAR/CABG is used for diabetic patients, long-term survival improves significantly. For every 100 diabetic patients undergoing CABG surgery, four more will be alive at 10 years when arteries are used for the bypasses rather than just one arterial graft together with veins (82 vs. 78, respectively), explained Dr. Tatoulis.

A strong correlation exists between coronary artery disease (CAD) and diabetes. According to the American Heart Association, adults with diabetes are two to four times more likely to have heart disease than adults without diabetes. In addition, the American Diabetes Association estimates that 29.1 million Americans have diabetes, with 1.4 million more being diagnosed each year.

“With the incidence of diabetes increasing in the United States, happening together with the continued improvement in life expectancy, it is probable that there will be more and more diabetic patients requiring CABG surgery in the future,” said Dr. Tatoulis. “Thus, the superiority of TAR/CABG will assume progressive importance.”

Another important finding from the study was that TAR/CABG can be performed on diabetic patients without increasing the rate of complications, such as angina (chest pain), heart attacks, heart failure, and hospital readmissions.

CABG surgery has been performed for more than 50 years. In the US, it is one of the most common major surgeries, with almost 400,000 CABG surgeries performed each year, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

CABG surgery is designed to help restore blood flow to the hearts of patients with CAD. CAD is caused by a buildup of plaque (calcium, fat, cholesterol, etc.) in the walls of the arteries that supply blood to the heart and other parts of the body. During CABG surgery, a blood vessel is removed or redirected from one area of the body and placed around the narrowed area to “bypass” the blockages and restore blood flow to the heart muscle. This vessel is called a graft.

Dr. Tatoulis said the average conventional CABG surgery involves three to four grafts: one artery is usually used, along with vein grafts from the leg or thigh for the remaining new bypasses. In TAR/CABG surgery, only arteries are used.

Currently, only 5% of all patients in the US who undergo CABG surgery receive multiple arterial grafts, stated Dr. Tatoulis. “As a result, there is room for a much larger proportion of patients to have this type of coronary surgery and receive the benefits of a longer life, better quality of life, and reduced medical costs,” he said.

The study also confirmed that TAR is achievable and can be performed by any well-trained cardiothoracic surgeon. “TAR/CABG is definitely within each cardiothoracic surgeon’s ability and should be part of their repertoire,” explained Dr. Tatoulis

 

Source : http://bit.ly/29Iv6pl

9 sun-protective foods

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You may be surprised to learn that many common foods offer some protection to your skin from the potentially damaging rays of the sun, from the inside out. This SPF or sun protective factor aspect of foods has to do with the presence of certain antioxidant compounds. Plants produce antioxidants within their own tissues to protect their own cells from premature destruction, due to exposure to heat, light, air, moisture and time.

When we consume many of these plant-derived antioxidants, these natural agents provide protection to the cells of our bodies, including skin cells. By eating certain foods, especially those that are brightly colored, you can actually help to reduce damage to your skin caused by exposure to UVA and UVB rays from sunlight. Let’s consider some of the better sun protective foods.

Colored peppers

The red, yellow and orange peppers that look so beautiful and taste so sweet are colored by natural pigments called carotenoids. These antioxidants convert to vitamin A in the body, and help to protect skin cells by inhibiting the destruction of the thin lipid (fat) layer that surrounds skin cells.

Yellow summer squash
Cube it and put it on kebabs or brochettes, or just eat it in salads. Yellow summer squash derives its bright color from the protective carotenoids. Eat it because it tastes good- and provides solar defense.

Ripe red tomatoes

The natural antioxidant pigment lycopene gives the characteristic red color to ripe red tomatoes. This antioxidant is well known for providing protection to the prostate gland, helping to mitigate cases of BPH, benign prostatic hyperplasia, also known as enlargement of the prostate. But like other antioxidant compounds in foods, lycopene also protects skin cells from exposure to the sun.

Watermelon

Say ditto for watermelon, regarding lycopene. Watermelons get their red color from this pigment as well. When summer rolls around and the sun gets hotter and brighter, eat your share of watermelon to cool your skin cells.

Green tea

What doesn’t green tea do for health? It enhances cardiovascular function, demonstrates anti-cancer activity, supports the immune system, detoxifies the body, aids weight control, and also protects skin cells from exposure to UVA and UVB rays. The secret ingredients? Antioxidant compounds called polyphenol catechins provide super-powerful defense. You can’t go wrong drinking green tea every day.

Cocoa

Perhaps the healthiest substance you can put in your mouth after water, cocoa is the ultimate super-food, containing 712 compounds, many of which are potently antioxidant and skin-protective. The flavanols in cocoa provide profound protection for the heart, helping to greatly lower the risk of heart attack, stroke and high blood pressure. But the same compounds help to armor your skin cells. The news about cocoa seems to get better every day. Eat the real dark chocolate, consume whole, organic cocoa, and enjoy.

Blue and purple berries

What do blueberries, black currants, acai, cranberries, blackberries and elderberries all have in common? They are all rich in the potent purple pigments known as anthocyanins. These may be nature’s mightiest of all protective compounds, helping to reduce the risk of many chronic and degenerative diseases, and providing excellent SPF protection. Eat your berries because they are delicious, and enjoy the protection as part of the overall experience.

Turmeric root

This yellow root contains a profoundly beneficial compound called curcumin that possesses superior anti-inflammatory activity, aids the immune system, enhances the brain, and protects your skin. Curcumin from turmeric is a very popular anti-inflammatory remedy. You can sprinkle turmeric on food, cook with it, or use curcumin supplements.

Fin fish

The omega 3 fatty acids that have been proven to provide excellent protection for the heart also provide protection to skin. These agents are essential to overall health and well being, and also help skin cells to stay healthy. You can also take omega 3 fatty acid supplements derived from fish oil.

Just because certain foods provide protection from the harmful rays of the sun does not mean that you can eat some veggies and then go lie out in the sun all day. But it does mean that if you are exposed to the sun, you will have the protective activity of nature’s antioxidants working in your body to protect your skin from the inside out. Tan responsibly. Use sunscreen before going out in the sun, and enjoy a safe and happy summer season.

Chris Kilham is a medicine hunter who researches natural remedies all over the world, from the Amazon to Siberia. He teaches ethnobotany at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he is Explorer In Residence. Chris advises herbal, cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies and is a regular guest on radio and TV programs worldwide. His field research is largely sponsored by Naturex of Avignon, France.

Chris Kilham is a medicine hunter who researches natural remedies all over the world, from the Amazon to Siberia. He teaches ethnobotany at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, where he is Explorer In Residence. Chris advises herbal, cosmetic and pharmaceutical companies and is a regular guest on radio and TV programs worldwide. His field research is largely sponsored by Naturex of Avignon, France.

Read more at MedicineHunter.com.

 

Easy exercises to do with your baby

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Instead of trying to squeeze in a workout while your newborn is napping— and potentially skipping over any other responsibilities you have piling up— some women are working out with their children.

“If we incorporate our children into our fitness routine we’re killing two birds with one stone,” Andrea Van Zile, mother of 3-year-old Kaia, told FoxNews.com. “We are playing with our kids we’re engaging them in a physical way while exercising.”

Plus, working out with your children will teach them the importance of being active and how to incorporate movement in their normal routines.

Van Zile, who is a Pilates instructor at Vida Fitness and studio manager of SweatBox in Washington, D.C., suggested getting your pre-pregnancy body back with a mother-child workout that allows the little ones to imitate your movements and, if they’re feeling playful and jumping on you, can give you an even tougher workout.

Plank: There are two versions of this, depending on how strong you feel.

The first is to do a modified plank on your hands and knees. Start on your knees and come on to your hands on all fours. Make sure that your shoulders are directly over your wrists and that weight is evenly distributed between all your fingers. Push back into child’s pose and then up to all fours. Shift your weight forward so your chest reaches beyond your wrists and your hips are forward of your knees. Your knees and lower legs remain on the floor. Hold it for 30 seconds, then 60 seconds and then 90 seconds progressing yourself as you build strength and resting in child’s pose in between.

From there you can lead into the full plank, tucking yours under to straighten your legs, like the top of a push-up. Energetically push away from the mat and raise your back to the ceiling. Your tailbone should be tucked under so that your pubic bone is up toward your belly button. Pull your heels and crown of your head away from each other.

Your child can imitate you or hop on your back for some added weight.

Squats: Van Zile likes to do squats in front of a couch or chair so that she knows how low to go. Stand with your feet just wider than your hips with a tiny turnout of your toes. Pitch your body forward and sit back toward the couch, keeping your knees directly over your ankles. Push through your heels and stand all the way up, tightening your core and strengthening your posterior chain. Your child can hop on your back like a piggyback ride for some extra strengthening.

Scissors: Lie down on your back and curl your chest up so you’re on the tips of your shoulder blades. Send your feet to the ceiling keeping your tailbone heavy. Lower your right leg 45 degrees and slowly scissor back and forth between each leg for ten repetitions. If your child hops on, you can take them for a ride on your legs which is fun for them and gives you an added workout.

Van Zile noted that, before you make any lifestyle changes, especially after giving birth, consult with your doctor.

Source: Foxnews

World Autism Awareness Day 2016: What is autism and what causes the condition?

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There are more than 700,000 people in the UK living with autism – which is more than one in 100. World Autism Awareness Day is marked on 2 April to raise awareness of the condition and its impact on individuals and families. On the day, here are key facts, myths and statistics about the lifelong condition.

Although there is no cure for autism spectrum disorder, a better understanding of therapies, support and other interventions are available to help adults, children and their parents.

What is autism?

Autism is a condition that affects social interaction, communication, behaviour and interests. It is a spectrum disorder, which means that while autistic people share certain difficulties, the condition will affect individuals differently. Unless the right support is available or given, autism can have a profound and sometimes devastating impact on individuals and their families. The right support can make a huge difference to the lives of people with autism and those around them.

“Autistic people see, hear and feel the world in a different way from other people,” the National Autistic Society (NAS) states. “If you are autistic, you are autistic for life – autism is not an ‘illness’ and cannot be ‘cured’. Often people feel being autistic as a fundamental aspect of their identity.”

The NAS has recently launched a campaign called Too Much Information, to raise awareness of autism.

Mark Lever, chief executive of the National Autistic Society, said: “Autism is complex and autistic people and their families don’t expect or want people to be experts. But our research shows that when people recognise that someone is autistic, and understand the difficulties they face, they’re more likely to respond with empathy and understanding.”

What causes autism?

The exact causes are unknown, but research suggests a combination of genetic and environmental factors may be involved. The condition is not caused by a person’s upbringing or their social circumstances.

According to the NHS, most researchers believe a child’s genes inherited from their parents could make them more vulnerable to developing autism. Others believe an individual born with a genetic predisposition to autism only develops the condition if they are then exposed to specific environmental triggers, such as certain epilepsy medications.

A number of things have been linked to autism in the past, including the MMR vaccine. Various major studies worldwide have shown no evidence of a link between autism and the vaccine.

Source: ibtimes

Flesh-eating bug leaves man fighting for life after catching rare disease for second time in 12 months

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A flesh-eating bug has left a man critically-ill after attacking him for the second time.

Lee Murphy is today in hospital fighting off the killer condition a year after it first ravaged his body.

Fiancée Gaynor Chambers, 32, said: “I can’t believe this is happening all over again. It’s our worst nightmare come true.

“Lee is really struggling at the minute and has been in the operating theatre as they try to stop it spreading.

“We are engaged and were going to start trying for a family, now our whole world has fallen apart.”

It has been a nightmare 12 months for the 32-year-old former car salesman, from Stanley, who first contracted the flesh eating bug – necrotising fasciitis – this time last year, reports the Newcastle Chronicle.

Gaynor said: “Lee came in from work saying he had pulled a muscle in his leg. When we looked his right leg was starting to turn red, then it looked bruised.”

Realising there was something seriously wrong, the couple went to the University Hospital of North Durham where medics said the bug was stripping the skin off Lee’s leg, from his thigh to his foot.

Lee then spent five days in a coma before doctors were able to begin a series of skin grafts in a desperate effort to repair the damage.

A staggering 16 operations followed during the next few months.

Gaynor, of Consett, said: “He was just starting to recover well although he was struggling to walk a bit and was due another operation on his foot.

But, on Monday Lee’s worst nightmare started to happen all over again.

“The exact same thing happened,” said Gaynor. “I knew we had to get to hospital as soon as possible.

“They told us the bug had returned, this time on the back of his leg. It’s a complete and utter nightmare; they’ve even had to take some of the original skin grafts off.

Source: Mirror uk