With the dramatic increase in measles in Europe – a four-fold increase from 2016 to 2017, according to a recent report by the World Health Organization – and the urgent need for vaccines protecting against infections for which no vaccines currently exist, the European Commission has drafted a roadmap for ‘Strengthened cooperation against vaccine preventable diseases’ and aims to adopt a proposal by mid-2018 for a Council Recommendation on Strengthened Cooperation against Vaccine Preventable Diseases. In a new commentary on the roadmap, The European Academies’ Science Advisory Council (EASAC), and The Federation of European Academies of Medicine (FEAM) both believe that vaccination is an issue that must be addressed urgently and hence offer recommendations for improving the roadmap. The EASAC / FEAM commentary addresses vaccine coverage; vaccine hesitancy; vaccine availability; and new vaccine development.

In Ireland we have a lost tradition of singing for each other in our homes with family and friends.  The decline began during the 1930’s, when radios became more popular, closely followed by Television in the 1950’s and 60’s.  Nowadays, we can sit for hours watching a movie or listen to the radio in the car and though we may have gained a lot from all the advances in modern technology such as these, we may need to count what we have lost too.  

The risk of hypothermia is at its highest at this time of year and that risk is even greater for elderly people, as their lower metabolic rate makes it harder for their bodies to retain an ideal temperature. Also, they might not detect extreme cold as readily as others and could have chronic medical conditions which would exacerbate the onset of hypothermia. If you see signs of hypothermia in an elderly relative, keep them warm as best as you can and, if the situation seems serious, call the emergency services immediately.

Exercise is, in general, one of the best things you can do for your body. This remains true even in pregnancy, and ladies who are worried that it might negatively impact the baby should put their minds at ease – it can actually help your child. If there are no complications and your pregnancy so far has been comfortable, working out could help you feel better as long as health is your aim, rather than some extreme weight loss. Now is not the time for harsh diets and exhausting workouts, so approach this with the right mindset. Having said that, let’s talk a bit about what exercising during pregnancy can do for you.

The theme for this year's Galway Food Festival is planting seeds; it's about planting seeds of education and awareness; seeds of economic growth and development and getting back to our roots.  It's about the origin of our food. 

2018 is a great year for all things food related with Galway having been awarded the prestigous European Region of Gastronomy  Award.  This award presents Galway with a European platform to not only showcase Galway and the wonderful food produce, but also provides an opportunity to welcome European food tourists to our region to sample our foods.

This article is aimed at professionals working in health & wellness fields, such as fitness, acupuncture, massage and coaching, who are self-employed. As you collect sensitive personal data, it is important to protect yourself and your clients, and this article will guide you on how to prepare yourself.

We look at the steps involved in the implementation and the areas you need to consider, such as reviewing the information required on your intake assessment form, storing client notes, securing email and laptops, and we provide a sample data protection policy that you can use.

For people living with a chronic illness like arthritis or fibromyalgia, every day is a struggle. Daily tasks like showering, getting dressed or preparing meals that come so easily to most people are genuinely strenuous for ‘spoonies’, the informal name given to chronic illness sufferers.

This moniker owes to a stroke of genius from lupus patient Christine Miserandino and a visit to a café 15 years ago.

I had the pleasure of being invited to the 9th annual Irish Innovation Fashion Awards 2018 in the Galmont Hotel & Spa, Galway.   The awards are the only platform of its kind in Ireland, for young designers to showcase their work and get the recognition they truly deserve.    It also gives the designers visibility to a panel of fashion design experts.   

It is not good to have a cluttered and messy home, in fact it comes with lots of downsides, while keeping your home sparkling comes with so many upsides.

It is unhealthy to keep your home dirty. Here are few surprising health benefits of keeping your home clean:

The launch of Freshly Chopped Ireland at Galway Shopping Centre was a dazzling display of all things health and wellness.  In an age where people are demanding more nutritious fast food Chopped Ireland have certainly come up trumps to provide customers with just that - healthy fast food on the go.

RDent aims to meet the needs of all patients by providing General Dentistry Care, Emergency Dental Care and specialist Cosmetic Dentistry.

A specialist Oral Surgeon & sedation is available upon request by appointment only.

Tempus is a technology company that is building the world's largest library of molecular
and clinical data and an operating system to make that data accessible and useful. Its goal is to “propel the next breakthrough in healthcare”.

The reason?  To improve cancer patient outcomes. 

If you want a supplement that can increase your endurance and give you more energy for exercising, you should try adaptogens. What are adaptogens, you ask? They are herbs that assist your body in dealing with stress. When you are exercising, your body reacts as if it is under extreme stress: your blood pressure raises, your breath is constricted, and your adrenaline levels are raised. To protect your body and support faster reaction times, you can take adaptogens.

I’m not a proper grown-up- I don’t have things like a mortgage, maturity or health insurance.

I will trill out the party-line; “I am blessed to live in a country that has free healthcare.” Sure, aren’t there women in America giving birth on the doorsteps of hospitals for the want of health insurance? Feel free to continue adding to this sentiment for as long as you please.

I may not be a proper grown-up that has health insurance, but I am a proper grown-up that’s worked and paid taxes from the age of sixteen. Apparently, those taxes pay for things like state pensions, government chauffeurs and our public health care system. The Irish Health Service Executive has been met with less than stellar reviews during any time of my living memory, but in recent years it seems to have taken a massive hit. We have all heard about the colossal waiting times in A&E, that’s nothing new, but when patient care is suffering due to lack of attendance from staff, something is sorely wrong. True, staff are overworked and underpaid and are still only human after all, but is that really good enough when those under their care are largely at their mercy and not receiving even adequate treatment?