Category: Features
Researchers find it helps to sleep off a cold
Old advices for colds often involve sleep, and this may be true. A good rest is said to impact immune responses – to internally fight germs and infections. Researcher Stoyan Dimitrov of the University of Tubingen, Germany advises proper sleep to help the immune system fight off a cold; Dimitrov’s team have recently found out […]
Loud music damages hearing faster, UN says millennials most at risk
The UN health agency advises against loud music that potentially damages hearing. The World Health Organisation (WHO) figure some 450 million people worldwide have debilitating hearing loss, and that number is expected to nearly double to 900 million by 2050 – about one in every 10 people. Dr. Shelly Chadha of WHO’s prevention of deafness […]
Singapore’s beaches harbour dangerous bacteria in its plastic wastes
There are millions of tonnes of plastic wastes in the ocean, and smaller plastics or microplastics are frequently mistaken as food by various marine organisms and add up in the food chain – potentially lethal to human and marine life. Marine scientists from the National University of Singapore (NUS) have recently found more than 400 […]
Yoga-based intervention helps with remission of RA
Rheumatoid arthritis (RA) is a chronic autoimmune inflammatory condition – when the immune system thinks the body’s own tissues are foreign and attacks them. It affects approximately 1.3 million US citizens, with no known cure. Various medications are available, but recovery depends on physiological and psychological factors, such as depression. Dr. Rima Dada, Ph.D., a […]
Empty calories in workplace foods, survey finds
A majority of foods eaten in US workplaces – whether purchased or free – are usually high in salt, fat and sugar. The easy but unhealthy options include pizza, soft drinks, cookies, brownies, cakes, pies or candy. A recent survey of about 5,000 working adults found that one in four obtained free food at work […]
Diabetics are more prone to fractures, study says
Diabetes has been linked to an increased risk of fractures. Both type-1 and type-2 diabetes involve failing insulin production, necessary to convert blood sugar into energy – the former typically develops in childhood or young adulthood, and the latter due to obesity and aging. Previous research is unclear on the exact role of blood sugar […]
Experts insist on early cancer detection for World Cancer Day 2019
Millions of cancer cases were recorded last year and many could have been preventable. But, barriers exist even as early action is proven to reduce the cost and complexity of cancer treatment, whilst improving patient survival rates and quality of life. In 2018, there were more than 18 million new cases of cancer diagnosed, of […]
Vaping may be precursor to tobacco use in teens
Adolescents who used e-cigarettes or tried vaping before trying any other tobacco product were more likely to be smoking traditional cigarettes sooner than those who had never tried any, a US study team reported in JAMA Network Open. Andrew Stokes, senior study author of the Boston University School of Public Health has said that it […]
Can you for go breakfast? Researchers say ‘maybe’
Breakfast helps to jump start the day for most, but not necessarily if you want to lose weight. While breakfast eaters consumed more calories per day and gained 1lb more than those who skipped it, a healthy breakfast has benefits: Can be a good source of calcium and fibre Improves concentration and attention levels, particularly […]
Expectant mothers must beware vs flu risk, says study
The flu virus is quite common and usually spreads via air droplets from coughing, sneezing or talking infected individuals; or picked up from surfaces like doorknobs, where these droplets can linger.Symptoms can include fever, cough, sore throat, runny or stuffy nose, aches and pains, chills and fatigue. The flu strain H1N1 can affect anyone, but […]
