Health & Fitness
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Painful itch of eczema sufferers
A fifth of people who suffer from eczema cannot resist the temptation to scratch an itch at least 10 times a day, a poll suggests. A survey of 500 sufferers in the UK found that 19 per cent scratch at least 10 times a day. A third of those...
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Drug patent case to help the poor
India’s highest court has rejected a drug firm’s attempt to patent a cancer treatment in a landmark decision that health activists said ensures poor patients worldwide will continue to get cheap versions of life-saving medicines. Swiss drugmaker...
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Experts fear UK women could be living with undiagnosed ovarian cancer
Women across the UK are being urged to check their family medical history, in light of a new study which shows widespread ignorance on the symptoms of ovarian cancer, one of the most deadly forms of cancer in women. The study also finds that a large...
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Nearsighted children may get worse in winter
Nearsighted children had their vision deteriorate faster when days were shortest and more slowly during the summer months, according to a Chinese study investigating whether daylight may slow the worsening of children’s vision. “Most likely it is...
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Childhood ADHD may lead to troubles later on in life
Nearly a third of people diagnosed as children with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) still have the condition in adulthood, according to a US study of thousands. The researchers, whose findings appeared in Paediatrics, also found that...
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Chewing gum aids concentration
Chewing gum really does help you concentrate, a recent study has shown. Volunteers were tested on their ability to spot odd-even-odd sequences in lists of numbers which were randomly read to them. They were quicker and more accurate at the task when...
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Exercise improves brain function
Lifelong exercise can lead to improved brain function in later life, a study has shown. People perform better in mental tests at the age of 50 if they have engaged in regular intense activity, such as playing sport, running, swimming or working out...
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Less-frequent Pap smears may miss cancer precursors
Certain types of abnormalities that can lead to cervical cancer may be missed when young women go years between Pap smears, according to a US study. Last year, the government-backed US Preventive Services Task Force said women under 21 don’t need to...
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Baldness linked to prostate cancer
Baldness is linked to an increased risk of prostate cancer in men of African descent, a study has found. The threat of advanced cancer rose with younger age and receding hairlines rather than thinning on the crown of the head. Men of African descent...
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New drug hope for autism
A drug that may reverse autism is to be tested on children with the condition, scientists have revealed. Preliminary results show that the drug, already used to treat sleeping sickness, corrects autism-like symptoms in mice. At the molecular level,...
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Health risks of obese mothers-to-be
Obese or overweight women are more likely to develop life-threatening health complications during pregnancy, research has revealed. Their risk of gestational diabetes was increased fourfold and they were also three times as likely to have a...
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Bowel cancer rates ‘soar among men’
Bowel cancer rates among men have soared by more than a quarter in the last 35 years, new figures have shown. In contrast, women have experienced a rise of only six per cent, according to the report from Cancer Research UK. Increasing rates of bowel...
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Eating oily fish 'can extend life'
Eating oily fish rich in omega-3 fatty acids can add years to your life, a study has shown. Higher blood levels of omega-3 reduce the chances of dying from heart disease by more than a third, according to the research. They cut the overall risk of...
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37% need painkillers to go to work
Almost two in five painkiller users need medication just so they can go to work, a British healthcare charity has said. Nuffield Health, the UK’s largest health charity, warned that long-term use of potentially addictive drugs is “commonplace” after...
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Autism risk not increased by early vaccines
There is no link between receiving a number of vaccines early in life and autism, researchers said. In a study slated to appear in The Journal of Paediatrics, researchers said there is no association between receiving “too many vaccines too soon”...
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Health effects of cellphone radio waves to be re-examined
US regulators are looking into how radio frequencies emitted by cellphones and other wireless devices affect people amid lingering concerns about the risks of cellphone radiation. The Federal Communications Commission said it is seeking comment from...
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Chinese herbs may reduce hot flashes
Women taking a Chinese herbal formula experienced less than half the number of menopausal hot flashes they had before the treatment, according to a study from Hong Kong. Among women taking an herbal mix called Er-xian decoction (EXD), the frequency...
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Is chocolate really a treat?
The pressure on parents to feed their children chocolate at Easter is enormous. It comes from television, grandparents, friends and children themselves, so is it any wonder good sense goes out the window? In a recent article from DietAssist, 5 Tips...
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The ABC of health
Back in the 1990s, in all their wisdom, a group of men in a rock band called REM memorably proclaimed that “everybody hurts”. A great song indeed, and however unfortunate this fact of life of which they spoke might be, few might argue with it. Yes,...
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The good news about chocolate
How is it possible that such a high-fat, sugar-laden treat can be good for you? The real answer is that not all chocolate is equal. Most research states that it is the dark chocolate, with at least 70 per cent cocoa solids, that is the better type...
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