THERE is a growing trend towards giving young people their own space when it comes to health. The issues of embarrassment, empathy, and confidentiality are constantly raised when young people talk about the difficulties they face in getting the kind of health information and advice they really want, and centres such as the new one in Glasgow's Castlemilk aim to meet those issues head on.

The Health Spot opened this month in the community wing of Castlemilk Health Centre in Dougrie Drive, and was devised in consultation with local young people. It opens immediately after school on Wednesdays for two hours when no other services are operating at the centre, and it is facilitated by four young people to a background of user-friendly music, video, and computer games. Health profes-sionals are available to talk about the issues which are raised by the young clients, such as family and relationships, drinking, drugs, fitness, diet, and sex, and the atmosphere is relaxed and welcoming. The most important aspect of the Health Spot is that young people from the Castlemilk Youth Complex are able to take part in the planning and decision-making, along with their partners, the Castlemilk Partnership, Healthy Castlemilk, Greater Glasgow Health Promotion Department, and Family Planning.

IT'S that time of year again when antihistamine tablets are popped by an increasing percentage of the population to combat hayfever. A warning comes from the Human Psychopharmacology Research Unit at the University of Surrey that some antihistamine tablets can be as dangerous as alcohol, and that people taking them can be six times more likely to have a accident than when they are not on medication. If you suffer from hayfever, ask your doctor or local pharmacist for information on the potential sedative effects of some drugs you could be prescribed.

IF you have an intolerance of dairy produce, or simply don't like milk, or if you are trying to lower the fat content in your diet, you may be worried about the possibility of osteoporosis in later years. Foods which are calcium rich but low in fat include nuts, seeds, salmon, tofu, whole grains, pulses and leafy green vegetables. According to Patrick Holford's Optimum Nutrition Bible (Piatkus, #14.99), milk and cheese are not the good sources of calcium we have thought them to be, because the fat content interferes with the absorption of the mineral. If you drink skimmed milk, 46% of the calcium content will be absorbed. If you drink whole milk, only 26% is absorbed, while 40% of the calcium in kale would be absorbed, according to Holford.

Calcium also promotes a healthy heart and nerves, clots blood, contracts muscles, improves skin, bone, and teeth health, relieves aching muscles and bones, maintains the correct balance of acid-alkaline in the body, reduces menstrual cramps and tremors. You could be suffering from calcium deficiency if your suffer muscle cramps or tremors, insomnia or nervousness, joint pain or arthritis, tooth decay, or high blood pressure. Stress, too much tea, coffee or alcohol, too much fat, hormone imbalances, and lack of exercise hinder absorption.

Marian Pallister