Health and medical information

15.07.2010 How Superstition Improves Performance
Don't scoff at those lucky rabbit feet. New research shows that having some kind of lucky token can actually improve your performance - by increasing your self-confidence.

15.07.2010 Asthma UK Cymru Highlights Disabling Impact Of Severe Asthma
The serious and disabling impact of severe asthma is highlighted today as Asthma UK and the Severe Asthma National Network (SANN) launch a new report on the condition, called Fighting for Breath. The findings of the report are taken from England, Scotland and Northern Ireland and there are significant parallels with the situation in Wales, which are supported by testimonies from Welsh people with severe asthma.

15.07.2010 Lifelong Doubling In Death Risk For Men Who Are Obese At Age 20 Years
Men who enter adult life obese face a life-long doubling of the risk of dying prematurely, new research has found.

In a study presented at the International Congress on Obesity in Stockholm, researchers tracked more than 5,000 military conscripts starting at the age of 20 until up to the age of 80. They found that at any given age, an obese man was twice as likely to die as a man who was not obese and that obesity at age 20 years had a constant effect on death up to 60 years later. They also found that the chance of dying early increased by 10% for each BMI point above the threshold for a healthy weight and that this persisted throughout life, with the obese dying about eight years earlier than the non-obese.

29.01.2010 Sufferers Of Crohn's Disease May Benefit From Vitamin D Supplements

A new study has found that Vitamin D, readily available in supplements or cod liver oil, can counter the effects of Crohn's disease. John White, an endocrinologist at the Research Institute of the McGill University Health Centre, led a team of scientists from McGill University and the Université de Montréal who present their findings about the inflammatory bowel disease in the latestJournal of Biological Chemistry.

28.01.2010 Toilet Seat Dermatitis And How To Avoid It

A team of pediatricians writing in a leading journal this week suggest that a condition not seen for a long time in the US, toilet seat dermatitis, where skin irritations develop on the buttocks and posterior thighs from contact with toilet seats, could be making a comeback.

Articles

What Is Social Anxiety Disorder? What Causes Social Anxiety Disorder?

Social anxiety disorder or social anxiety is an excessive emotional discomfort, anxiety, fear or worry about social situations. The individual is exceptionally worried about social situations, being evaluated or scrutinized by other people - there is a heightened fear of interactions with others. Social anxiety disorder is sometimes referred to as social phobia. A phobia is an irrational fear of certain situations, objects or environments.

Insulin Pumps Might Have Slight Advantage In Type 1 Diabetes

A new evidence review suggests that using a pump to deliver insulin continuously - instead of taking three or more daily injections - might result in better control of blood sugar for people with type 1 diabetes.

Blood Pressure And Heart Disease Drugs May Help Fend Off Dementia, Including Alzheimer's Disease

Research published today on bmj.com reports that angiotensin receptor blockers are associated with a reduced risk of Alzheimer's disease and dementia. These drugs are normally used to treat high blood pressure and heart disease.

Stopping Post-Birth Bleeding: Misoprostol Tablets Can Be Used As An Alternative To Intravenous Oxytocin
Two articles published Online First and in The Lancet consider the use of misoprostol in tablet form for treatment of post-birth bleeding. They compare it with oxytocin and aim to define the potential roles of both drugs in treating excess bleeding after childbirth in different health care settings. Currently, Oxytocin is the gold-standard treatment for post-birth bleeding, but it requires refrigeration, intravenous infusion, and skilled health-care workers for optimum use.

Cell Phone Waves Protected Mice Against Alzheimer's, Reversed Memory Damage
An international team of researchers studying the long term effects of electromagnetic waves like those emitted by cell phones on mice were surprised to find they protected their brains against Alzheimer's and even reversed the memory damage caused by the disease.