Amanda Spielman’s speech at the Wellington Festival of Education

Thank you for that kind introduction. It is an absolute pleasure to be back at Wellington for what I think is my fifth time, and for my second as Chief Inspector. Speaking here last summer was one of the highlights of my first year. That speech was a chance to set out what I want to achieve as Chief Inspector, and just as important, it prompted an enormous amount in the way of feedback, engagement and ideas. If I had any doubts that there is a real enthusiasm and appetite…

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Here’s How A Plant-Based Diet Can Benefits Diabetes Patients

Plant-based diets can be beneficial for diabetes as a new study has found that it may improve glycemic control, cholesterol and lead to weight loss in people with Type 2 diabetes. The researchers suggest that plant-based diets benefit both glycemic control and cardiovascular health because they are low in saturated fat, rich in phytochemicals, high in fibre and often rich in low-glycemic fruits and vegetables. “The link between diabetes and cardiovascular disease is strong. 60-70 per cent of people who have Type 2 diabetes die of heart disease,” said co-author…

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Are You A Helicopter Parent? Here’s How It Can Affect Your Kids

Do you hover around your children in everything they do and guide them? Beware, it can negatively affect your kid’s ability to manage his or her emotions and behaviour later, and may also affect his or her academics, according to researchers. Children whose parents showed “helicopter parenting behaviour”, which means constantly guiding children by telling him or her what to play with, how to play with a toy, how to clean up after playtime and being too strict or demanding, became defiant, others were apathetic and some showed frustration. These…

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Grandparents’ Exposure To This Plastic Chemical Could Up Autism Risk In Kids

Your exposure to a plastic chemical can affect the communications skills of your grandchildren, says a study over mice that found a link between early exposure to the chemical and the risk of autism. Bisphenol A is an endocrine disrupting chemical used in consumer products such as water bottles, dental composites among others and is known to affect the crucial stages of development. The study, published in the journal PLOS One, showed that mice pups whose grandparents were exposed to BPA, demonstrated different vocalisation patterns. “There are potential concerns that…

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Parkinson’s disease, this new virus could be the reason behind it

According to the study conducted by the American Society for Microbiology, bacteriophages play a certain role in the onset of Parkinson’s disease (PD). The researchers, led by George Tetz, showed that the abundance of lytic Lactococcus phages was higher in PD patients when compared to healthy individuals. This abundance led to a 10-fold reduction in neurotransmitter-producing Lactococcus, suggesting the possible role of phages in neurodegeneration. Comparative analysis of the bacterial component also revealed significant decreases in Streptococcus spp. and Lactobacillus spp. in PD. Lactococcus are regulators of gut permeability and…

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Extreme heat and cold could be the reason for increasing workplace accidents

Turns out, hot and cold weather has a major impact on your injuries at the workplace. According to a study conducted by the Barcelona Institute for Global Health, moderate and extreme ambient temperatures increase the risk of occupational accidents. The study analysed data on nearly 16 million occupational injuries that occurred in Spain over a 20-year period. Heat and cold are believed to be associated with a higher risk of occupational injury, but the existing scientific evidence consists of only a handful of studies with a small number of cases…

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