Health & Fitness
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A third of over-50s ‘lonely’
A third of people in their 50s or above, and almost half of those over 80, suffer from feelings of loneliness, a study in the UK has found. Women were also more likely to experience loneliness than men, the report released by the Office for National...
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Sleep sounds 'boosted memory'
Memories can be boosted during sleep by playing sounds synchronised with brainwaves, a study has shown. The technique was used to help 11 slumbering volunteers remember word associations learned the evening before. Scientists used stimulating sounds...
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Genetic link to childhood obesity
According to The Telegraph, researchers found that 30 per cent of the difference between the body weight of one child and another can be explained by their genes. The study, carried out by University College London studied a random sample of 1.7...
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Nutrient found in red meat may damage heart
A red meat nutrient sold as a supplement for weight loss and muscle growth may damage the heart and arteries, new research suggests. Capsules of L-carnitine are widely available in health food stores and online. They are advertised as a fat-burning...
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Regulators block magic mushroom trial
The world’s first clinical trial designed to explore using a hallucinogen from magic mushrooms to treat people with depression has stalled because of British and European rules on the use of illegal drugs in research. David Nutt, president of the...
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Bird flu outbreak no cause for panic
A strain of bird flu that has been found in humans for the first time in eastern China is not a cause for panic, the World Health Organisation said yesterday, as the number of people infected rose to 21, with six deaths. The WHO praised China for...
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World dengue fever infections triple – experts
Around 390 million people are infected each year with dengue fever – the world’s fastest-spreading tropical disease – more than triple the current estimate by the World Health Organisation, experts said. The new finding, based on several years of...
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Reflexology effective pain relief
Reflexology may be as effective as painkillers, according to a scientific survey. Researchers at the University of Portsmouth have found that people felt about 40 per cent less pain, and were able to stand pain for about 45 per cent longer, when...
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Mutant gene cancer link probed
A faulty gene normally associated with breast cancer can lead to aggressive and deadly prostate cancer in men, research has shown. Prostate cancer spreads more quickly and is more likely to be fatal in men with a defective BRCA2 gene, a study found.
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Rosemary smell ‘may improve memory’
The smell of rosemary could boost your memory, researchers said. Aroma of essential oil from the herb could improve memory in healthy adults, according to researchers from the University of Northumbria. The smell may enhance the ability to remember...
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‘Skinny’ chocolate has half the fat
A Willy Wonka-style discovery could lead to ‘skinny’ chocolate bars made with fruit juice instead of fat. Scientists at the University of Warwick have come up with a way to cut half the fat from the confectionery while retaining its “chocolatey”...
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Potassium-rich food ‘a life saver’
Millions of lives could be saved every year if people ate more potassium-rich foods such as bananas and cut down on their salt intake, research suggests. People who have a high potassium intake have a 24 per cent reduced risk of stroke, according to...
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Benefits of brisk walks highlighted
Brisk walking reduces the risk of heart disease more effect-ively than running when the energy expenditure of both activities is balanced out. Researchers compared data from two studies of 33,060 runners and 15,045 walkers. Walkers experienced...
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Calcium reduces risk of kidney stones, even in non-dairy foods
Getting plenty of calcium from foods has been shown to lower the likelihood of kidney stones in those most at risk, but a new study makes clear the benefit isn’t just linked to milk products. In a large new analysis, men and women who consumed the...
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Vet before you sweat
We’re in the midst of gym peak season, and as those of us unready for the prying eyes that will greet us during our first barely-clothed steps onto the beach this coming summer realise, we’re nowhere near ready. Those love handles and muffin tops...
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Bipolar disorder
Twenty years ago, bipolar disorder was rare or virtually non-existent in children. In fact, it was not a phrase in common use in relation to adults either. More recently, we have heard of celebrities admitting to suffering the disorder, such as...
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Taking hold of our lives
Today’s increased opportunities have brought on more competitiveness, and the cutthroat society we live in has made stress a part of life. But psychotherapist Mariella Dimech tells Stephanie Fsadni we have choices and stress can be managed. The good...
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Balancing and healing
Ashley Ager Dimech takes the homeopathic perspective to treating stress and anxiety. The ultimate aim of homeopathy is, after all, to offer a natural and gentle aid that does not suppress any side effects, but can also work alongside conventional...
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A vicious cycle of stress, obesity and sleeplessness
Elka Pace looks into the link between chronic job stress, obesity and lack of sleep, which cause metabolic syndrome – a group of factors that, together, increase the risk of diseases. In today’s world, we are inundated with excessive workloads,...
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Lifestyle top tips
When our ancestors were faced with life and death situations, stress hormones would be released to make the heart pump faster, giving an instant energy boost to the body and brain. Known as fight or flight, these responses saved many lives back...
