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RedBranch are in the process of registering as a charity...can you help? We are looking for Board members, and assistance with fundraising. Lifestyle News Rising Obesity Levels: A Cancer Time Bomb Video Nasty: Too Much TV Affects Health Irish Cancer Cases Ahead of EU Average Sign up to the RedBranch email newsletter for regular updates on health issues, including practical tips for parents, teachers and schools. |
Newsletter June 2006Welcome to the RedBranch newsletter, where we bring health-related information to subscribers on a monthly basis. RedBranch are a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to positively influencing the modern lifestyle. We provide a free service in Irish schools. Irish Cancer Rates Set To RiseAccording to a recent report by the National Cancer Registry of Ireland (NCRI), cancer cases in Ireland will almost double by 2020. At present, roughly 25% of all deaths in Ireland are due to cancer. The NCRI expect the number of potentially fatal cancers to more than double in the next 15 years, and current exposure to risk will determine cancer incidence in 2020. In other words, your lifestyle habits now will have an effect on your cancer risk in 15 years time. For more information, and for some simple guidelines on reducing cancer risk in your family, click here. Benzene in Soft DrinksThe Food Safety Authority of Ireland (FSAI) detected excessive levels of benzene, a carcinogenic material, in two soft drink products sold in Ireland. The drinks, Diet Club Lemon and Rose's Diabetic Squash Concentrate, have been voluntarily withdrawn from sale. According to FSAI, the level of benzene detected did not constitute a health risk, but did exceed the guideline levels for the carcinogen. Nine percent of all soft drinks sampled in Ireland contained traces of benzene. Soft drink consumption has already been linked to type II diabetes, obesity, tooth decay and brittle bones...perhaps this is one more reason for our children to avoid soft drinks. Separate research in Canada, Australia and New Zealand also found excessive levels of benzene in certain soft drinks. For more information, click here. Soft Drinks Marketing in National SchoolsWe discovered that the Beverage Council of Ireland has been promoting an “educational” website for National School teachers. The site is called "liquids4life" and claims to educate children about the importance of liquids as part of a healthy lifestyle. The site is a thinly disguised marketing tool for the soft drinks industry, placing sugar laden fizzy drinks in the same category as water as a source of fluids. We think that this site is an insidious way of promoting unhealthy soft drink consumption in children. Funnily enough, there is no mention of benzene on the site. You can read more by clicking here. Fruit, Health and ChildrenIrish children do not eat enough fruit and vegetables for good health. According to World Health Organisation (WHO) estimates, inadequate intake of fruit and vegetables causes about 19% of gastrointestinal cancer and 31% of ischaemic heart disease... yet fruit and vegetable consumption in Irish children is particularly low. For more information on fruit and health, click here Why not make a difference by starting a fruit break in your child’s school? A fruit break is a short set break which allows children to eat fruit (or vegetables like carrots) in the classroom. Students ‘re-fuel’ with fruit during the morning or afternoon, which helps with performance and concentration as well as health. The fruit break usually takes place at the childrens' desk. Fruit Breaks encourage fruit and vegetable consumption in a positive way and reinforce the concept of healthy eating. School fruit breaks are a fantastic way of teaching children about healthy food – so why not start a school fruit break in your school? That’s what teachers and pupils in St Mochulla’s N.S. Tulla have done, with the assistance of RedBranch. If you’d like help starting a school fruit break, click on our free downloadable guide for more information, or contact us by phone or email. The NewsletterPlease let as many people as possible know about our newsletter and the work we do with schools. We operate on an extremely tight budget, and we can only change things with your help! If you would prefer not to receive future emails from us, simply email us and we will remove you from our distribution list.
Regards, The RedBranch Team
T: +353 (0)61 713 750
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Tel: +353 (0)61 713 750 email: info@red-branch.com RedBranch School Health Ltd, Sixmilebridge, Co. Clare, Ireland
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