Author Archive

LEGIONNAIRES’ DISEASE – THE POTENTIAL THREAT OF WINDSCREEN WATER

Tuesday, June 15th, 2010

A new study has revealed that motorists who do not use screen wash for their windscreen wipers are at risk of contracting the potentially fatal Legionnaires ‘disease.
According to the NHS website, ‘Legionnaires’ disease is a potentially fatal lung infection (pneumonia) that is caused by the bacteria legionella.
The condition is called Legionnaires’ disease because it was [...]

PARKINSON’S DISEASE - CAN YOUR COFFEE HABIT PROTECT YOU?

Friday, June 11th, 2010

New research indicates a twenty five per cent reduction in the risk of developing Parkinsosn’s disease among coffee drinkers.
Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurological condition – the second most common worldwide - for which the causes are uncertain, & there is currently no cure. Around one hundred & twenty thousand people suffer from the condition [...]

FOOD MILES – SOME CONSIDERATIONS FOR SUSTAINABILITY

Wednesday, June 9th, 2010

Just what is the real cost of some of the food we’re buying at our supermarkets?
Transporting food over long distances is not environmentally friendly. People are widely aware of this nowadays & many strive to buy locally, or at least from within the UK. Food miles could be significantly cut if we returned to eating [...]

CALCIUM SUPPLEMENTS – THE PROS & CONS

Friday, June 4th, 2010

The importance of calcium for our bones has long been publicized, but it seems that taking too much in the form of supplements can seriously damage our health.
Advertising calcium supplements for the prevention & treatment of osteoporosis - a condition where bones become so brittle that they break easily - has encouraged their widespread use. [...]

BREAST CANCER VACCINE – THE OUTLOOK

Thursday, June 3rd, 2010

The prospect of a vaccine that can give protection from breast cancer is an exciting one, but news of the new trials need to be tempered with a realistic outlook – there’s still a long way to go.
Each year more than a million women are diagnosed with breast cancer throughout the world. It is currently [...]

ACUPUNCTURE – SOME NEW INSIGHT INTO HOW IT WORKS.

Wednesday, June 2nd, 2010

Acupuncture has been regarded by many with scepticism. Now some new research evidences a scientific basis for its perceived beneficial effects.
Practiced throughout the world for around four thousand years since it was developed in China, the procedure of acupuncture involves the insertion of fine needles into the body at specific points. During a session that [...]

CAN BRUSHING YOUR TEETH REDUCE THE RISK OF DEVELOPING HEART DISEASE?

Saturday, May 29th, 2010

A new study published in the British Medical Journal looked at whether our teeth brushing habits are linked to the incidence of heart disease.
Over the past twenty years or so there has been an increasing interest in the possibility of there being a relationship between gum disease & heart disease. Experts don’t fully understand the [...]

RESUMING A SEX LIFE FOLLOWING HEART ATTACK – ARE PEOPLE GETTING THE ADVICE THEY NEED?

Friday, May 28th, 2010

Resuming sexual activity after having had a heart attack is perfectly safe for the majority of people, but unless this is discussed with patients by their doctor as part of the help & support they receive, they may worry about the possible consequences for their health.
Until recently little was known about what advice people receive [...]

SO HOW DO WE KNOW WHICH FISH ARE SUSTAINABLE?

Tuesday, May 25th, 2010

The majority of British consumers want to buy sustainably sourced fish, but the information currently available from retailers is confusing, says a new report from consumer watchdog, Which?
Greenpeace give a good & simple definition of sustainability for those who are unsure of exactly what the term means: ‘a particular seafood is sustainable if it comes [...]

HEARING YOUR MOTHER’S VOICE ON THE PHONE MAY BE ALMOST AS COMFORTING AS GETTING A HUG FROM HER.

Thursday, May 13th, 2010

In a new study published yesterday, scientists found that vocal contact between mothers & daughters did not differ significantly from physical contact in terms of the impact it had on comforting the children in stressful situations.
The study took place in America with sixty one female children, aged between seven & twelve, & their mothers. The [...]