Fish and chips are one of Britain's favourite takeaways and Friday is still the most popular day for eating this hot and nutritious national dish with its firm flakes of white fish in crisp golden batter. But for the growing number of those with Coeliac disease or gluten intolerance, a portion of fried fish from the local chippy is off the menu because of the wheat flour and baking powder used to make the batter. Responding to this, a number of fish and chip shops and restaurants offer the option of ordering the meal gluten-free, which is welcome. But -...

The Norwegian Heart and Lung Association wants parents to be aware of the dangers of dustmites in their children’s bedrooms and is using adverts showing teddy bears dressed as Hitler, Gaddafi and Kim Jong-il to get their message across. Photos: LHL Astm aog allergi/Kitchen Children’s soft toys are a natural hiding place for dustmites and other allergens which can be a major trigger for asthma and eczema. And because little ones spend an awful lot of hours asleep with their bedtime friends pressed to their nose and mouth, advertising copywriter Bendik Romstad said “By focusing on children’s bedrooms we want...

A UK-wide trial to work out which is the best treatment for chronic hand eczema is being coordinated by researchers from the University of Leeds. The ALPHA trial, funded by the National Institute for Health Research, is being led by Leeds’ Clinical Trials Research Unit with colleagues from Bradford Teaching Hospitals NHS Trust. It aims to work out which is the most effective hand eczema treatment in people over 18 who have failed to respond to steroid creams. The treatments to be compared in the trial are the tablet treatment Alitretinoin and an ultraviolet light therapy called PUVA, where the...