Herbal Remedies and Complementary Therapies in the News

Cannabis linked to prevention of diabetes

noreply@blogger.com (Karen O'Connor) — Wed, 15 May 2013 18:06:00 +0000

Smoking cannabis may prevent the development of diabetes, one of the most rapidly rising chronic disorders in the world.

If the link is proved, it could lead to the development of treatments based on the active ingredient of cannabis, tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), without its intoxicating effects.

Researchers have found that regular users of the drug had lower levels of the hormone insulin after fasting – a signal that they are protected against diabetes. They also had reduced insulin resistance. Cannabis is widely smoked in the United States with over 17 million current users of whom more than four million smoke it on a daily basis. In the UK latest figures show 2.3 million people used cannabis in the last year, but the numbers have declined in the last decade.

Two US states have recently legalised its recreational use and 19 others have legalised it for medical purposes by patients with one of several conditions including multiple sclerosis and cancer. THC has already been approved to treat the side effects of chemotherapy, nausea in cancer patients, anorexia associated with AIDS and other conditions.

Source - Independent

DANGER: Reading articles about health and disease can make you feel ill

noreply@blogger.com (Karen O'Connor) — Fri, 10 May 2013 14:58:00 +0000

Scare stories about illnesses may trigger symptoms in some people, according to a new study.

Researchers found that media reports about substances that are supposedly dangerous to health may cause ‘suggestible’ people to develop symptoms - even though there is no objective reason for them to do so.

Researchers studied the phenomenon known as electromagnetic hypersensitivity, which is associated with mobile phone use.

Doctor Michael Witthvft, of Johannes Gutenberg University in Germany, said: ‘There is a considerable body of evidence that electromagnetic hypersensitivity might actually be the result of a so-called “nocebo” effect. The mere anticipation of possible injury may actually trigger pain or disorders. This is the opposite of the analgesic effects we know can be associated with exposure to placebos.’ The study illustrates how media reports about health hazards may trigger or amplify 'nocebo' effects in some people.

Source - Daily Mail

Children who play outside have better eyesight than those who spend more time indoors

noreply@blogger.com (Karen O'Connor) — Tue, 07 May 2013 12:12:00 +0000

Children who spend more time playing outside are less likely to suffer from short-sightedness.

Two new studies have added to the body of evidence that daylight plays an important role in preventing the condition. It is not known why daylight is important but some experts believe levels of the brain chemical dopamine play a role. High levels of dopamine in the eyeball have been associated with a lower risk of short-sightedness.

Short-sightedness, or myopia, is an eye condition that causes a person to see things clearly close-up but struggle to see things when they are far away. In childhood it is correctable, but it is also linked to the development of severe forms of the eye disorder in adulthood, which increases the risks for potentially blinding diseases such as glaucoma and retinal detachment.

Research on short-sightedness is intensifying as the condition nears epidemic status in Asia and other regions, primarily in developed countries. Shockingly, it has increased by more than 65 per cent since 1970 in the U.S.. Although it often inherited, researchers are now assessing environmental factors to help explain why rates are rising so rapidly in some populations.

Source - Daily Mail

Healthiest children are those who eat the same as their parents

noreply@blogger.com (Karen O'Connor) — Tue, 07 May 2013 12:06:00 +0000

If you're ever tempted to give in to your children’s demands for chicken nuggets and chips for tea, bear this in mind.

Children who eat the same food as their parents rather than being indulged with 'kids' meals' are far more likely to have healthy diets, research has found. In fact, eating adult meals is the most important factor in determining whether a child's diet will be healthy - far more so than whether they snack between meals, skip dinner, or insist on eating in the living room in front of the television.

'Offering separate "children's food" for a main meal may often result in children missing out nutritionally, for example if vegetables are omitted,' said Valeria Skafida, a research fellow at the University of Edinburgh's Centre for Research for Families and Relationships. 'It is likely that in cases where children eat different foods, they are eating a less nutritious option.'

Source - Daily Mail

Nuts could be just as important for child bone health

noreply@blogger.com (Karen O'Connor) — Tue, 07 May 2013 12:01:00 +0000

Parents have long been advised to feed their children enough milk and other calcium-rich foods for good bone health, but new research has shown that pumpkin seeds, dark chocolate, salmon and almonds may be just as important.

The study, presented at the Pediatric Academic Societies annual meeting in Washington DC, found that foods rich in magnesium play an important role in building bones.

'Lots of nutrients are key for children to have healthy bones and one of these appears to be magnesium,' said lead author Steven Abrams, professor of pediatrics at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. 'Calcium is important, but, except for those children and adolescents with very low intakes, may not be more important than magnesium.'

While it is known that magnesium is important for bone health in adults, few studies have looked at whether magnesium intake is related to bone mineral content in young children.

Source - Daily Mail

Millions of us - including children - are wrongly labelled with psychiatric problems

noreply@blogger.com (Karen O'Connor) — Tue, 07 May 2013 11:48:00 +0000

From depression to anxiety and ADHD, more of us now suffer from mental health problems and need pills to treat them — or so we’re told. But in this shocking indictment of modern psychiatry, JAMES DAVIES suggests that this rise in mental illness is down to the greed of drug companies and the pursuit of medical status. The author is a psychological therapist who has worked for the NHS and the mental health charity Mind.

When I meet Sarah Jones, a mother of two and a care worker in West London, her love for her family and work clearly shine through. But when we talk about her seven-year-old son Dominic, she seems overcome with anxiety.

‘Dominic is a lovely boy, but last year he started getting agitated and aggressive. He was doing badly at school and then he got into a fight,’ she says. The school psychologist wanted Dominic to have a doctor’s assessment. After seeing the boy for 25 minutes, the doctor said he was suffering from attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD.

Source - Daily Mail

Drinking alcohol regularly could LOWER your risk of arthritis

noreply@blogger.com (Karen O'Connor) — Thu, 02 May 2013 11:28:00 +0000

Drinking alcohol in moderation could slash the risk of rheumatoid arthritis, according to new research.

Some regular drinkers were nearly half as likely to develop the crippling condition as teetotallers or those who rarely drank. Researchers discovered the connection after carrying out an extensive review of previous studies that looked into the role of alcohol and rheumatoid arthritis.

The results, published in the journal Rheumatology, suggest a few drinks a week could have a protective effect against a disease that affects around 600,000 people in the UK. Although the latest investigation did not look at the reasons why a regular tipple might offer some protection, earlier research suggested it could be because alcohol appears to dampen down inflammation in the body and also has a mild pain-killing effect.

Rheumatoid arthritis is triggered when the immune system, the body's in-built defence mechanism, goes into action unnecessarily, attacking joints and sometimes other parts of the body.

The reasons why remain a mystery but some evidence suggests exposure to mild infection may be enough to launch this over-reaction. As a result, joints become inflamed and swollen, causing pain or stiffness, and many sufferers also experience flu-like symptoms.

Source - Daily Mail

Can food make you angry?

noreply@blogger.com (Karen O'Connor) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:52:00 +0000

Feeling tetchy? Itching for a scrap? Maybe it's something you ate? I have long believed in "food swings"– ply me with sweets and jam puddings and I'm a different person to my salad-eating alter ego. It's not so much a sugar rush, like the ones that some parents of small children testify to (and which the jury is still out on), but more of a sugar slump.

A growing body of research indicates that what we eat may affect how angry we feel. Yet, for many, the food-mood link still has an aura of quackery. One recent University of California study showed that "greater trans fatty acids were significantly associated with greater aggression," says lead author and professor Beatrice Golomb. "Trans fats interfere with omega three metabolism" – and apparently, the brain's neuronsneed these essential fatty acids to keep us bright and snappy. Lack of omega three has already been linked with depression and antisocial behaviour, and according to some experts, it seems many of us post-industrialists have woefully omega-three-deficient diets.

Source - Guardian

Why asparagus is good for you

noreply@blogger.com (Karen O'Connor) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:44:00 +0000

When the first spears of English asparagus appear, we can wave a joyful goodbye to the freezing weeks that marked the "hungry gap" (the low point of the British horticultural calendar) and celebrate springtime proper – that revivifying time of year when the first flush of the new season's vegetables come on stream. Sweet and juicy, British asparagus is streets ahead of the jet-lagged, bitter‑tasting Peruvian spears that sit on supermarket shelves year-round, and it will usually knock the spots off the cheaper Spanish crop, which too often arrives dehydrated from its road trip across Europe.

Asparagus deteriorates faster than most vegetables, so the speed it reaches your plate is paramount to maintaining the nutritional value and flavour. Look out for tight green tips and stalks that are moist and sappy within – asparagus with a woody, puckered, bendy stalk is past its prime.

Why is asparagus good for me?

Asparagus is an impressive source of the B-complex vitamins needed to produce energy and maintain the nervous system. They also regulate homocysteine levels in our blood – a strong risk factor for heart disease. Asparagus provides a useful amount of vitamin K – essential for strong bones. Some research suggests a deficiency of vitamin K may be a factor in the development of Alzheimer's disease.

Source - Guardian

Two cups of coffee a day HALVES the risk of breast cancer returning.

noreply@blogger.com (Karen O'Connor) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:33:00 +0000

Drinking two cups of coffee a day could stop breast cancer recurring in recovering patients, new research has revealed.

Combined with the anti-cancer drug tamoxifen, coffee could halve the rate of recurrence of breast cancer, scientists have discovered. Researchers at Lund University in Sweden believe that coffee actually boosts the effect of the drug.

They looked at 600 breast cancer patients from southern Sweden over a five year period. About 300 of them took tamoxifen - a drug commonly prescribed after breast cancer surgery. Tamoxifen is an anti-oestrogen drug that is widely used to treat breast cancer. Many breast cancers rely on the female sex hormone oestrogen to grow.

Hormone-positive breast cancer cells have proteins which oestrogen attaches too. When it comes into contact with these proteins it fits into them and stimulates the cancer cells to divide so that the tumour grows.

Tamoxifen works by fitting into the oestrogen receptors and blocking the hormone from reaching the cancer cells. This means the tumour either grows more slowly or stops growing altogether.

Source - Daily Mail

Could picking your nose be GOOD for you?

noreply@blogger.com (Karen O'Connor) — Mon, 29 Apr 2013 14:26:00 +0000

A Canadian academic is encouraging his students to pick their noses in a bid to see if the habit has any health benefits.

Professor Scott Napper is requesting his pupils to investigate the possible health benefits of eating their mucous in a bid to understand the human immune system better. He believes that eating mucous in the nose may boost the immune system by introducing small and harmless amounts of germs back into the body. His theory follows others that suggest improved hygiene has led to an increase in allergies and auto-immune disorders.

His proposed study involves splitting his class into two. Half will eat their pickings whilst other will not engage in the antisocial behaviour. They will then observe how the immune system responds to the new habit.

Professor Napper said: ‘All you would need is a group of volunteers. You would put some sort of molecule in all their noses, and for half of the group they would go about their normal business and for the other half of the group, they would pick their nose and eat it. Then you could look for immune responses against that molecule and if they're higher in the bogy-eaters, then that would validate the idea.’

Source - Daily Mail

Datura inoxia

noreply@blogger.com (Karen O'Connor) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 13:56:00 +0000

Yet more evidence of our ignorance in the West. So much we don't know!

Datura inoxia , or night blooming moon flower, has many alkaloid poisons and nerve toxins that the Aztecs and native Americans used in medicine to heal wounds and block pain. Too much of the "medicine" results in delirium, bizarre behavior and amnesia. Still, it's an ornamental flower in many gardens!

https://plus.google.com/u/0/101978623215684492145/posts/B44U21JHrzN

One fizzy drink a day may raise diabetes risk by fifth

noreply@blogger.com (Karen O'Connor) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 10:45:00 +0000

Those who drank at least one 330ml can of pop, isotonic energy drink or other sugary soft beverage every day had a 22 per cent higher risk of developing type 2 diabetes, health researchers found.

This was partly down to their higher average body weight, but results suggested that other factors, such as higher insulin resistance, were largely to blame. Those who regularly drank artificially sweetened "diet" drinks were also at higher risk of diabetes, but this could be explained by their larger size, which is a key contributor to the disease.

Dr Dora Romaguera of Imperial College London, who led the study, said: "Given the increase in sweet beverage consumption in Europe, clear messages on the unhealthy effect of these drinks should be given to the population."

Source - Telegraph

Are soya beans the key to wrinkle-free skin?

noreply@blogger.com (Karen O'Connor) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:54:00 +0000

It has already been heralded as a natural wonder drug which stops the spread of cancer.

But now scientists have discovered that a substance found in soya beans could also be the answer to youthful, wrinkle-free skin.

Genistein, a natural plant-hormone in soya, has been found to boost the production of collagen, the protein which gives skin its strength and elasticity that depletes with age. In clinical tests, 53 per cent of women who used genistein said their skin felt firmer and appeared younger looking within just one month. It was so successful at reducing wrinkles that users dubbed it a ‘facelift in a bottle.’ Now British women are set to get their hands on the miracle serum when it goes on sale online in the UK for the first time later this month.

Formulated by Swiss cosmetic firm, Swisscode, genistein works by inhibiting the action of enzymes which reduce and degrade the production and quality of collagen and elastin – the protein which gives skin its elasticity - as the body ages. Blocking the enzymes also stimulates the production of new collagen.

Around 2,000 women, aged between 50 and 65 took part in a clinical trial in 2011. Photographs were taken of the ‘crow’s feet’ wrinkles around their left eye area and they were asked to apply two or three drops of genistein to the same area twice daily.

Source - Daily Mail

Eating nuts and spinach could reduce the symptoms of fatty liver disease caused by obesity

noreply@blogger.com (Karen O'Connor) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:50:00 +0000

Eating leafy greens, sunflower oils, nuts and spinach could alleviate the symptoms of liver disease, according to new research.

Scientists believe that eating foods which are high in vitamin E could reduce the symptoms of liver disease which has been brought on by obesity.

Dr Danny Manor, an associate professor at Case Western Reserve University School of Medicine in Ohio, U.S., said: ‘The implications of our findings could have a direct impact on the lives of millions of people who are at potential risk for developing obesity-related liver disease in their lifetimes.’

Dr Manor and his team studied a group of mice that were in the advanced stage of non-alcoholic steatohepatitis. Known as NASH for short, this is a common complication of obesity characterised by fat accumulation and inflammation in the liver. It is most common in people who are obese, have type 2 diabetes, have high blood pressure or high cholesterol.

It is the most severe form of non-alcoholic fatty liver disease and is a major cause of tissue scarring, known as cirrhosis, which leads to liver failure and may progress to liver cancer.

Source - Daily Mail

Mushrooms can provide as much vitamin D as supplements

noreply@blogger.com (Karen O'Connor) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:45:00 +0000

Mushrooms exposed to the sun can provide as much vitamin D as a health supplement, a study has found.

Researchers recommend people take the fungi out of their wrapping and leave them outside for half an hour before eating.

Much like our skin, mushrooms transform ultraviolet light from the sun into the vitamin and continue to do so even after they have been harvested. The nutrient is essential for the immune system, strong healthy bones and teeth and the absorption of calcium.

In the study, 30 adults were given a daily capsule for 12 weeks containing either 2,000 units of vitamin D, or sun-exposed mushroom powder with high-levels of the nutrient. At the end of the trial, there was no significant difference in the participants’ vitamin D levels.

'These results provide evidence that ingesting mushrooms which have been exposed to ultraviolet light and contain vitamin D2, are a good source of vitamin D that can improve the vitamin D status of healthy adults.

Source - Daily Mail

Could CHILLIS hold the key to curing migraines?

noreply@blogger.com (Karen O'Connor) — Thu, 25 Apr 2013 09:11:00 +0000

Chilli peppers are providing scientists with vital clues on how to cure migraines.

Research has found there are striking similarities between what happens in the brain during a migraine and the way skin reacts to having chilli oil rubbed into it. Now, scientists are using the way the body deals with chilli to develop migraine drugs.

They found that when chilli oil touches the skin, the capsaicin in the pepper causes the body to release calcitonin gene-related peptides, or CGRP, leading to an increase in blood flow to the affected area.

Biotechnology companies are now targeting a chemical released during a migraine that carries a 'pain' signal from nerve to nerve. By blocking a nerve receptor from receiving the message, these companies hope to develop drugs that prevent debilitating attacks.

One company developing a migraine drug is Amgen. To test the chilli theory, researchers injected the proposed drug under the skin of patients who had chilli oil on their skin. The drug blocked the CGRP that causes increased blood flow.

Source - Daily Mail

Green spaces boosts wellbeing of urban dwellers

noreply@blogger.com (Karen O'Connor) — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 13:33:00 +0000

Parks, gardens and green space in urban areas can improve the wellbeing and quality of life of people living there, says a University of Exeter study. Using data from 5,000 UK households over 17 years, researchers found that living in a greener area had a significant positive effect.

The findings could help to inform urban planners and have an impact on society at large, they said. The study is published in the journal Psychological Science.

The research team examined data from a national survey that followed more than 5,000 UK households and 10,000 adults between 1991 and 2008 as they moved house around the country. They asked participants to report on their own psychological health during that time to estimate the "green space effect". Dr Mathew White and colleagues at the European Centre for the Environment and Human Health found that individuals reported less mental distress and higher life satisfaction when they were living in greener areas.

This was true even after the researchers accounted for changes over time in participants' income, employment, marital status, physical health and housing type.

Source - BBC

Could carrots beat prostate cancer?

noreply@blogger.com (Karen O'Connor) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 10:34:00 +0000

Carrots are the new weapon in the war against prostate cancer, scientists have claimed.

A study led by Professor Norman Maitland at the University of York says a diet rich in Vitamin A could be the key to beating the disease because it makes it more treatable. The researchers have discovered that retenoic acid, a chemical made from Vitamin A, can reduce the ability of the cancer to invade surrounding tissue. Vitamin A can be found in foods such as carrots, sweet potatoes and leafy green vegetables such as kale.

Prof Maitland said: 'If the cancer is confined to the prostate it’s much more treatable with conventional medicine. This is about prevention rather than cure but it can stop the spread of cancer.

'We have found that specific twin genes are turned off in malignant prostate cancer stem cells. When we turn them back on using retenoic acid, the cancer becomes less aggressive. It has been known for many years that low vitamin A in samples of men’s blood is associated with prostate cancer, but nobody knew the mechanisms involved. This is an exciting new development which links an element from our diet to prostate cancer stem cells.'

Source - Daily Mail

Popular Chinese medicine used for migraines could be FATAL

noreply@blogger.com (Karen O'Connor) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 10:26:00 +0000

A herbal medicine used by alternative practitioners to treat migraines could be fatal. Zheng Tian Wan is unregulated but is available in the UK, and it has been linked to serious health complications and death, health authorities say.

The plant remedy contains aconite – a herb once dubbed the ‘Queen of Poisons’ by the ancient Greeks - and could be toxic for the heart and nervous system. The ingredient is on a UK list of restricted herbal ingredients and the Medicines and Healthcare products Regulatory Agency (MHRA) have issued a statement warning against using the product.

The MHRA said the issue came to their attention after a herbal practitioner supplied a patient the unlicensed migraine pills, which have not been tested for safety and quality. The agency said it has previously received three reports of suspected side effects to aconite.

One patient suffered kidney problems, a second was hospitalised after suffering dizziness and paraesthesia (pins and needles) and the third experienced palpitations, aches and pains with shortness of breath but recovered after stopping taking the product.

Andrea Farmer, Herbal policy manager at the MHRA, said in certain circumstances herbal medicines could be extremely dangerous: ‘Herbal medicines can have a very significant effect on the body.'

Source - Daily Mail

When arteries become clogged by traffic air pollution

noreply@blogger.com (Karen O'Connor) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 10:19:00 +0000

Living near a busy road can cause heart disease, research claims.

Long-term exposure to air particles from traffic pollution can cause clogging of the arteries, known as atherosclerosis, according to a study. Studying 5,000 participants with an average age of 60, researchers - who presented their findings at a conference in Rome, Italy - looked for a link between heart disease and proximity to major roads.

They determined that the closer you lived to heavy-traffic roads, the higher your level of calcium around the heart - potentially causing a condition known as aortic calcification. For every 300ft you are closer to major traffic, levels increased by 10 per cent, the study found.

Source - Daily Mail

Doctor warns against dementia screening

noreply@blogger.com (Karen O'Connor) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 10:14:00 +0000

The routine screening of all elderly patients for dementia would be a “disaster” as the stigma and anxiety caused by being diagnosed before symptoms appear could greatly outweigh any benefits, an expert has warned.

Screening is pointless in any case, because there is no treatment for dementia and no prospect of an imminent breakthrough, says Dr Chris Fox from the University of East Anglia’s medical school.

At present, routine screening does not take place in the UK, but some have called for it. A diagnosis can be made following cognitive tests and a brain-imaging referral.

But Dr Fox, who will speak at the TEDMED Live healthcare conference in Bristol later today, believes the risk of misdiagnosis is too high.

Source - Independent

Beetroot 'can lower blood pressure'

noreply@blogger.com (Karen O'Connor) — Thu, 18 Apr 2013 10:08:00 +0000

Drinking a cup of beetroot juice can lower blood pressure, researchers say.

Drinking 250ml (8oz) cut high blood pressure readings by 10mm of mercury (mmHg) in a study of 15 patients, bringing some into the normal range, the journal Hypertension reports. Most marked after three to six hours, the effect was detectable a day later. Scientists say the nitrate in beetroot widens blood vessels to aid flow. And many people with angina use a nitrate drug to ease their symptoms.

The researchers, from Barts and The London School of Medicine and Dentistry, who have been studying beetroot's blood pressure lowering effects for years, say more work is still needed. And they warn there could be one unexpected consequence of drinking beetroot juice - it can turn your urine pink.

Nitrate is found naturally in soil, where it is taken in by vegetables through the roots to help them grow.

Source - BBC

Why spring greens are good for you

noreply@blogger.com (Karen O'Connor) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:22:00 +0000

Spring greens – not to be confused with other green leaves that grow at this time of year – are the most biddable type of cabbage. Similar to a cos lettuce in shape, but looser in form, and without much of a heart, they don't have the fibrous crunch of round cabbages.
If you show them steam, or blanch them in boiling water, spring greens positively swoon. They have a silky-soft texture, and taste sweeter and fresher than the robust, hearted cabbages we associate with winter, so they fit well with lighter spring and summer cooking.
There's no need to chop them: you can just serve them whole. But if you roll up the leaves, shred them finely, then fry them, you get a dead ringer for the crispy seaweed served in Chinese restaurants.
Why are spring greens good for me?
You can't eat enough of them. Spring greens belong to the brassica family, whose prodigious health benefits are well documented. They provide you with a seriously useful amount of vitamin C, to support your immune system, and vitamin K, to build bone strength.
They also contain natural compounds, such as sulforaphane and indoles. A body of evidence suggests these plant chemicals have a significant anti-cancer action, and anti-inflammatory properties, which could help protect against heart disease and stroke. To make the most of the nutrients in spring greens, refrigerate them and eat as close to purchase as possible.

Source - Guardian

Can potassium cut your stroke risk?

noreply@blogger.com (Karen O'Connor) — Mon, 15 Apr 2013 15:17:00 +0000

If you want to reduce your risk of having a stroke, you might want to cut down on salt. But would you think about how much potassium you're eating? A series of studies in the BMJ show that reducing salt to 3g a day and increasing potassium-rich foods – fruit and vegetables are good sources – would help to prevent strokes by reducing high blood pressure. So should you ditch the crisps and grab a banana instead?
The solution
Potassium is a chemical that is essential for cells to work properly. It's particularly important in nerve and muscle cells but it is also essential to help keep the body's fluid balance in a steady state.
Low levels of potassium in the blood can cause weakness and muscle cramps. It is rare to get these problems from eating too little potassium; usually they're caused by medical conditions that make us lose potassium, through diarrhoea, kidney failure or excessive sweating.
But that's not to say that eating enough wouldn't have benefits. Hundreds of years ago we had diets that were rich in potassium and we would consume about 200mmol a day. This study suggests that many don't eat the government's recommended 90mmol a day. Some countries, the USA and Canada included, advocate 120mmol a day. As the amount of processed food we eat has risen and we consume fewer fruits and vegetables, so the amount of potassium we eat has fallen.
The BMJ research, which specifically looked at the effects of potassium on heart disease and stroke, suggests that a higher intake of potassium could cut the risk of stroke by 24%.

Source - Guardian