Coming up on
Carte Blanche Medical tonight (12 July, 2010):
Passive Exerciser
They were first developed for the Russian space flight programme to counteract bone and muscle wastage effects that take place in a zero-gravity environment.
Today, Whole Body Vibration Machines are a popular accessory at most gyms, and many people believe they can help them wobble their way into shape. They’re marketed as an easy way to fitness, removing cellulite while building muscle without much effort.
Carte Blanche Medical asks whether these machines have a place in an effective exercise regimen.
Producer: Modern Times
Prostate BrachytherapyBy far the most common cancer in men, prostate cancer is a diagnosis every man dreads.
Now there’s a little known, but highly effective procedure - combining the use of high tech scanners and computer software - to carefully place small pellets of radioactive material into the prostate. Over time, these radioactive seeds will kill the cancer.
Much quicker and less complicated than removing the entire prostate gland, Brachytherapy is fast becoming a viable option for men with localised prostate cancer. Carte Blanche Medical sees this internal radiotherapy in action.
Presenter: Derek Watts
Producer: Eugene Botha
Obstructive Sleep Apnoea Are you chronically tired and getting a bit tubby? You could have a condition that affects 5% of women and up to 25% of men. They literally stop breathing, wake up momentarily, snore, then fall asleep and start the process all over again - sometimes more than 60 times an hour.
Surprisingly, most sufferers don’t even know their sleep is disturbed. Called obstructive sleep apnoea, not only do sufferers feel fatigued, but some also gain excessive weight. There’s also increased risk of heart disease. Carte Blanche Medical puts an alert on the condition..
Presenter: Derek Watts
Producer: Susan Stos
Carte Blanche Medical is on M-Net on Mondays at 19h00.