How to check your heart age, prevent the risk of stroke or heart attack and stay healthy

Health reporter(wp/es):

Do you know how old your heart is? To combat the risk of heart attack and stroke, Public Health England are urging people to take an online test to find out.

The test, which has been taken by almost two million people, looks at diet and lifestyle choices to assess the risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke.

PHE estimate that around 80 per cent of heart attacks and strokes in people under 75 could be prevented if their heart health was improved.

Here's everything you need to know about taking the online test, plus tips on how to keep your heart in tip-top condition:

How do I take the heart age test?

You can take the test by visiting the NHS on their website.

The test asks 16 physical and lifestyle questions and gives you an estimation of your heart age and a prediction of the risk of having a heart attack or stroke by a certain age.

How can I keep my heart healthy?

The NHS advises the following steps on making your heart healthier:

• Give up smoking: smoking is one of the main causes of coronary heart disease. A year after giving up, your risk of a heart attack falls to about half that of a smoker.
• Get active: Do 150 minutes of moderate-intensity aerobic activity every week.
• Manage your weight: stick to a healthy, balanced diet low in fat and sugar, with plenty of fruit and vegetables.
• Eat more fibre: aim for at least 30g a day. High fibre foods include wholemeal bread, bran, oats, wholegrain cereals, potatoes with skins on and fruit and veg.
• Cut down on saturated fat: eating foods high in saturated fat can increase the level of cholesterol in your blood, increasing your risk of heart disease.
• Get your 5 a day: fruit and veg are a good source of fibre, vitamins and minerals.
• Cut down on salt: avoiding eating foods high in salt to maintain a healthy blood pressure.
• Eat fish: eat fish at least twice a week, including a portion of oily fish. Fish such as mackerel, sardines, fresh tuna and salmon are a source of omega-3 fats, which can help protect against heart disease. 
• Drink less alcohol: Although it may not feel like it, alcohol still contains calories. Try to keep to the recommended daily alcohol limits to reduce the risk of health problems.
• Read the food label: when shopping, pay attention to the food labels for things like fat, salt and sugar content.

Hospitals could begin administering the cancer treatment to children within a matter of weeks

Health reporter(wp/es):

The head of the NHS England has hailed a new cancer treatment they will offer to children "game-changing."

The new ground-breaking treatment, called CAR-T, helps patients battling aggressive leukaemia where other drugs may have failed.

NHS England head Simon Stevens said an affordable price had been agreed with Novartis, the treatment's manufacturer and the NHS.

CAR-T currently has a list price of £282,000 per patient.

Hospitals could begin administering the drug to children within a matter of weeks.

But what exactly is CAR-T and how will the NHS be funding it? Here's everything you need to know:

How does CAR-T work?

CAR-T works by taking the patient's own white blood cells, re-engineering them in a lab to create ones that are able to fight cancer cells.

These new cells are then injected into the body, where they multiply.

As well as being used to treat leukaemia, there are also trials looking at CAR-T for myeloma and neuroblastoma, a rare cancer that affects particular nerve cells.

Can CAR-T cure leukaemia?

Leukaemia is an aggressive form of blood cancer caused by a rise in the number of white blood cells in your body.

CAR-T has been known to cure some patients, but it's a relatively new drug so there's no guarantee.

Will CAR-T cause side effects?

Again, because it's a new treatment, the side effects haven't been well documented.

However, according to Cancer Research UK, two possible known side effects include: cytokine release syndrome (fever, dizziness, difficulty breathing) and having no B cells or fewer B cells after treatment with CAR-T cells that target CD19.

How will the NHS fund the treatment?

The NHS has struck a deal with Novartis that means a CAR-T treatment called Kymriah for patients up to 25 years old who have advanced B-cell lymphoblastic leukaemia and has not been helped by other drugs.

This doesn't mean everyone under these circumstances will receive treatment, though.

Only about 15 of the estimated 400 children that are diagnosed with leukaemia every year in the UK could be suitable for the CAR-T treatment.

Berkeley says London housing market is lacking ‘urgency’

Business reporter(wp/es):

London's housing market lacks “urgency” as a cluster of headwinds dulls the market, housebuilder Berkeley warned on Wednesday.

The company, founded by housing market sage Tony Pidgley, is seeing subdued conditions in the capital although it stuck to its most recent profit guidance in its latest trading update. 

Berkeley blamed a combination of factors, exacerbated by Brexit and high stamp duty costs, for the malaise, hampering a “functioning” housing market.

The firm said: “In essence, this is a market that lacks urgency and London remains constrained by high transaction costs, restrictive income multiple limits on mortgage borrowing and prevailing economic uncertainty, accentuated by Brexit. 

“These headwinds affect all segments of the market from home movers to downsizers and investors alike. A functioning housing market, where good new development can deliver much-needed additionality across all tenures, requires conditions for growth and low barriers to entry which are currently absent from the housing market in London and the South-east.”

Its comments came as rival Barratt Developments posted a 9% rise in pre-tax profits to £835.5 million for the year to June, despite “continued headwinds” in the high-end central London market. 

Although Barratt has not bought any sites in central London since 2014, chief executive David Thomas said parts of the market, such as Nine Elms, were still struggling with oversupply. 

Barratt instead concentrated on more-buoyant markets on the outskirts of the capital.

It sold 17,579 homes last year, the highest for a decade.

Teenager fighting for life after being knifed repeatedly in York Way, north London

Crime reporter,London(wp/es):

A teenager has been left in a critical condition in hospital after he was stabbed in north London.

The male victim, believed to be 18, was found with stab wounds after an altercation in York Way, near Kings Cross, on Tuesday night.

The Metropolitan Police said officers were called to the scene at 10pm, although a group of suspects had fled.

The victim was rushed to hospital where he remained in a critical condition on Wednesday morning, a Scotland Yard spokesman said.

The incident comes amid a rise in violent crime in London and parts of the UK.

There have been nearly 100 homicides in the capital alone so far this year.

BBC news presenter passes away aged 40 after cancer battle

Pic:The presenter Rachael Bland has died aged 40  (Instagram )

Staff reporter(wp/es):

BBC news presenter Rachael Bland has died aged 40 following a battle with incurable breast cancer.

A post on Bland's official Twitter account from husband Steve and son Freddie, three, said: "Our beautiful, courageous Rachael died peacefully this morning surrounded by her close family.

"We are crushed but she would want me to thank everyone who took an interest in her story or sent messages of support. You'll never know how much they meant to her.

The mother-of-one revealed on Monday she had just days to live following her diagnosis in November 2016.

The 40-year-old presenter quoted Frank Sinatra as she said on Twitter on Monday: “In the words of the legendary Frank S – I’m afraid the time has come my friends.

"And suddenly. I’m told I’ve only got days. It’s very surreal. Thank you so much for all the support I’ve received.

"Debs and lozz will continue with the #youmebigc podcast. Au revoir my friends.”

Two days after sharing the heartbreaking news, the presenter's cancer battle podcast topped the charts. 

The BBC Radio 5 Live presenter also documented her journey on her blog Big C Little Me. 

She said that sharing her journey had been incredibly "cathartic." 

In an article in the Huffington Post, Ms Bland revealed that she had almost finished her memoir and had wrapped presents for her son to open on every birthday until he is 21. 

The BBC and her former colleagues have paid tribute to her online. 

BBC Director-General Tony Hall said: “Rachael was a popular and inspiring journalist. Everyone has been moved by her courage and dignity.

"She will be hugely missed by her many listeners and by staff across the BBC. Our sympathies go out to her family and many friends at this difficult time.”

Laura Bicker wrote: "Rachael Bland was a voice we all needed to hear. Bright, funny, feisty. She allowed us to have a frank conversation about cancer with those closest to us. Sending all my love to her family right now."