App Helps Moms Know Their Babies' Needs When They Cry

An app that can differentiate between a variety of crying sounds made by babies has been developed by Taiwanese researchers.

E- Cigarettes Not Safer Than Tobacco Smoking

E- cigarettes have always been promoted as safer alternatives to traditional smoking which delivers nicotine by burning tobacco but a new study suggests vaping is no safer

Tell-Tale Signs You're Heading Towards Alcoholism

Many people with alcohol use disorder don't recognize they have a problem so, they hesitate to get treatment. I know it may not be easy to spot when your drinking has crossed from moderate social use to

Gonorrhea May Soon Become Untreatable

Gonorrhea may become untreatable because of an antibiotic-resistant strain that surfaced in England.

Coffee Improves Endurance During Exercise

Athletes who consume 3-7 mg of caffeine through coffee have an average improvement in endurance performance of 24%.

Brazil Warns Its Women Not To Get Pregnant

Brazil warns women not to get pregnant as zika virus is linked to rare birth defect. The zika virus, is borne by the Aedes aegypti mosquitoes and scientists believe the virus may cause a neurological disorder.

This Helps Regulate Alcohol And Sweet Cravings In Mammals

A liver hormone could help shut down cravings for sweets and alcohol.

Managing Headaches And Migraines In Children

Children get headaches and migraines too. In fact, 20% of adults who suffer from
headaches say their headaches started before age 10.

Omega 3 Linked To Lower Rheumatoid Arthritis Risk

Consuming more Omega 3 found in fish and fish oil supplements may decrease the chance of developing rheumatoid arthritis (RA) in people at risk of developing the disease.

What Are Your Treatment Options For Constipation?

I am sure you know what constipation mean. However, let me provide a definition.

Treating A Stomach Ulcer

The bacterium Helicobacter pylori is believed to cause most peptic ulcers. But only a minority of people infected with H. pylori develop ulcers.

Salmonella Can Survive In Cookies For Six Months

Salmonella is a bacteria that causes diarrhea , fever and abdominal cramps 12-72 hours after infection.

Eating Late At Night May Affect Learning: Study Suggests

Late night snacking may seem harmless but your memory and learning may be suffering.

'Christmas Spirit' Located In The Brain By Scientists

In a new study, neuroscientists use MRI scans to understand why, neurologically
speaking, some people are so into the holiday spirit, while others seem to lack it entirely.

Can't Sleep? Try These Tips Before Popping A Sleeping Pill

Your sleep schedule, bedtime habits, and day-to-day lifestyle choices can make an enormous difference to the quality of your nightly rest, if you find yourself tossing and turning every night.

Alcohol And Energy Drink: A Dangerous Combination

Energy drinks and alcohol are a wildly dangerous combination.

Alcohol is a depressant which means it slows down the brain’s functions and can act as a sedative. When you drink a lot of it, your words might slur and your reflexes become slower.

Cardiac Arrest Victims Ignore Early Warning Signs

 Sudden cardiac arrest may not always be so sudden. New research suggests a lot of people may ignore potentially life-saving warning signs hours, days, even a few weeks before they collapse.

Cocoa Helps Patients With Kidney Failure

Nutrients in cocoa can improve the heart health of patients with kidney failure.

Individuals who have problems with their kidneys are at risk of heart problems and are more likely to die from cardiovascular causes than from any other cause.

In a new study, doctors in Germany examined the effects of two nutrients found in cocoa: catechin and epicatechin. These
nutrientd are part of a group of compounds called flavanols. They are also present in tea and red wine.

According to the research published in the Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology, a group of 57 patients who were undergoing dialysis were given either a test beverage rich in cocoa flavanols (900 mg per day) or a control beverage without cocoa flavanols - but with the same nutritional content as the test drink in all other aspects.

Blood flow and blood pressure were dramatically improved in the group of patients who took the beverage rich in cocoa flavonols within a month, but there was no such effect in the control group.

The researchers however noted that these compounds found in cocoa beans, were largely absent from processed chocolates.

Vitamin D Deficiency Associated With Irritable Bowel Syndrome

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is a chronic
disorder of the gastrointestinal (GI) tract.

Symptoms of IBS include a combination of diarrhea or constipation, bloating, urgency (the need to use a restroom in a hurry), white or yellow mucus in the stool and the sensation of incompletely passing stools.

According to a new study published in the BMJ Open Gastroenterology, 82% of people with IBS lack vitamin D.

Dr Bernard Corfe who led the study said data from the research provides a new way to try to manage the condition.

Fish Oil Converts Fat Storing Cells To Fat Burning Cells

Japanese researchers found fish oil can convert some of the body's fat-storing cells into fat-burning cells.

Mice lab tests showed subjects who ate fatty foods infused with fish oil gained 5 to 10 percent less weight.

This finding can help in weight loss and
weight management.

The addition of fish oil to a healthy diet could help convert some of the body's fat-storing cells into fat-burning ones. 

Fish oil could be a strong player in the battle against the rising obesity epidemic.

Source: techtimes.com

Hot Flashes During Menopause Eased By Exercise

Hot flashes are characterised by feelings of intense heat and reddening of the skin. They are most common symptom of menopause.

To determine the impact of exercises on hot flashes, Dr. Helen Jones and her team from the Research Institute for Sport and Exercise Sciences at Liverpool John Moore
University, recruited 21 healthy symptomatic post-menopausal women.

One half of the women began gym based exercises, while the other half made no change to their daily routine.

After 16 weeks, the number and severity of hot flahes in both groups were determined.

In the exercise group, when hot flashes occurred, the amount of sweating was significantly reduced. Blood flow to the skin
decreased by 9% at the chest and 7% on the forearms. Blood flow in the brain was also minimized.

In contrast, very little difference in severity of hot flash was reported in the group that did not incorporate exercises into their daily routines.

More Evidence That Coffee May Reduce Mortality

A recent coffee related study suggests that drinking the beverage regularly could lower the risk of death from a number of causes, including heart disease and diabetes.

To reach their findings, Dr.  Erikka Loftfield and her team analyzed the self-reported coffee drinking habits and health of 90,317 adults who joined the Prostate, Lung, Colorectal and Ovarian Cancer Screening Trial between 1998-2001.

Participants were free of cancer and had no history of cardiovascular disease at baseline.

During an average 10 years of follow-up, 8,718 deaths occurred.

Compared with individuals who did not drink coffee, those who consumed four to five cups daily had the lowest risk of death from various causes, including diabetes, heart disease, respiratory diseases, influenza and suicide.










Source: medicalnewstoday.com

Restricted Meal Times Increase Appetite For Food

Rats with restricted feeding schedules learn to eat more, helped by the “hunger
hormone” ghrelin, according to new research from the University of Southern
California.

The insights, to be published in the journal eLife, could be valuable for helping the
researchers develop new effective weight-loss therapies.

In the study led by Scott Kanoski from the USC Dornslife College of Letters, Arts and Sciences, once the rats learn they have limited access to food, they are able to increase their food intake until it doubles.

Over several days, meal times were restricted to a daily four-hour window, followed by 20 hours with no food.
The hormone ghrelin allows the rats to reduce their feeling of fullness, so they
are gradually able to eat more.











Source: scienceblog.com

Kids Who Are Better At Tasting Sugar More Likely To Be Overweight

Contrary to the popular belief that obese children would need higher amount of sugar to get the same sweet pleasure as their leaner counterparts, it was found that children who could detect sugar even at very low concentrations, were more likely to be overweight.

Published in the journal Nursing Research, a total of 216 healthy 7 to 14-year-olds were monitored, with their responses to swirling water and sucrose (sugar) solutions around their mouths tested.

The surprising finding: higher body fat was linked to greater sugar sensitivity.

Men's Brains Age Faster Than Women's

A new study shows that the brain of men age faster than women's. A team of scientists found that in the brain of men, the gray matter declined faster than in women as they age.

Researchers at the University of Szeged scanned the brains of 103 adults and published their findings in the journal Brain Imaging and Behaviour.

Eating Pears Linked To Lower Risk Of Obesity- Study

A new study published in the journal Nutrition and Food Science found that
adults who consumed pears had a lower body weight than non-pear eaters, as well as were 35 percent less likely to become obese.

The study also revealed the rich fiber content of this fruit.

Carol O’Neil of the Louisiana State University who led the study said “We believe fiber intake may have driven the lower body weights that were seen in this study."

The study utilized nine years' worth of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey, which involved over 24,000 subjects 19 years old and above.

Eight-Year-Old Girl Diagnosed With Rare Breast Cancer Undergoes Mastectomy

Eight-year-old Chrissy Turner, who was diagnosed with a rare type of breast cancer underwent mastectomy on Monday Dec. 7.
The surgery was performed at Primary Children's Hospital in Riverton in Utah, where Chrissy is expected to be admitted for a couple more days.

She will have to regain her strength before she can be sent home. The girl's condition will have to be monitored closely even after hospital discharge to ensure that the cancer does not recur in the next few years.

"She's been really brave and this is a big person's surgery for such a little girl," said Chrissy's mother, Annette.

The surgery has paved the way for the little girl to avoid undergoing radiation therapy, which entails harsh chemicals that can deteriorate her health.

Secretory breast carcinoma is a benign type of cancer that occurs mostly in adult men and women, but may also develop in teenagers.

The disease usually has good prognosis.

Chrissy was diagnosed with the disease in November 2015. Before that, the child came up to her parents and reported a lump on her chest, which made her scared.
The parents accompanied their daughter for a medical consultation and to
the family's dismay, it was indeed cancer.

Battling with a cancer diagnosis is not new for the Turners. Chrissy's father has non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and the mother had cervical cancer.

Chrissy may opt to undergo a breast reconstructive surgery when she reaches puberty, but as of now, she is recuperating from the major surgical operation.











Rina Marie Doctor
Source: techtimes.com

Cancer: Overwhelmingly A Result Of Environmental Factors And Not Bad Luck

Earlier this year, researchers sparked a debate after suggesting two-thirds of cancer types were down to luck rather than factors
such as smoking.

The argument has been about the relative importance of intrinsic and extrinsic factors.

The team of doctors from the Stony Brook Cancer Centre in New York who conducted a new study published in the journal Nature said "External factors play a big role, and people cannot hide behind bad luck.

"They can't smoke and say it's bad luck if they have cancer.

"It is like a revolver, intrinsic risk is one bullet.

"And if playing Russian roulette, then maybe one in six will get cancer - that's the intrinsic bad luck.

"Now, what a smoker does is add two or three more bullets to that revolver. And now, they pull the trigger.

"There is still an element of luck as not every smoker gets cancer, but they have stacked the odds against them."

Kevin McConway, a professor of applied statistics at the Open University, said: "They do provide pretty convincing evidence that
external factors play a major role in many cancers, including some of the most common.

"Even if someone is exposed to important external risk factors, of course it isn't certain that they will develop a cancer - chance is always involved.

"But this study demonstrates again that we have to look well beyond pure chance and luck to understand and protect against
cancers."

Dr Emma Smith, from Cancer Research UK, said: "While healthy habits like not smoking, keeping a healthy weight, eating a
healthy diet and cutting back on alcohol are not a guarantee against cancer, they do dramatically reduce the risk of developing the disease."











James Gallagher
Source: bbc.com

Risk of Infertility, Earlier Menopause Increases With Active, Passive Smoking

It is well known that among other health problems, smoking increases the risk of lung cancer, heart disease, stroke.

Findings from previous research has also linked tobacco use with infertility and earlier menopause in women.

Published in the journal, tobacco control, a new study has associated passive smoking to an 18% greater risk of infertility.

Infertility was defined by the study as trying for at least 12 months to have a baby, seeking medical advice and the male partner not being a cause.

You May Become Temporarily Deaf While Focusing On A Task

Have you ever found it difficult to get the attention of someone engrossed in his smartphone, reading a book, playing a video game or watching TV? Don't worry, you have not been ignored -he probably just didn't hear you talking.

A new study in the United Kingdom revealed that concentrating and placing undivided attention into a visual task can make a person temporarily deaf to sounds coming from their environment.

Experts at the University College London called this deficit "inattentional deafness."

"You may think that the person is ignoring you," said Lavie. "But their brain just can't respond to your voice. So you shouldn't take
it personally."

This study is featured in the Journal of Neuroscience.








Alyssa Navarro
Source: techtimes.com

Applying Olive and Sunflower Oil To Baby's Skin May Do More Harm Than Good

Applying olive or sunflower oil to moisturize the skin of newborn babies is a common practice among midwives, but a new study in the United Kingdom revealed that doing so can actually cause damage to the skin's natural defenses and lead to health problems.

Researchers found that applying both oils to a healthy newborn's skin, can delay the development of the barrier that prevents water loss and protects against allergy and
infection.

 Findings from the study are featured in the journal Acta Dermato-Venereologica

Tea Or Coffee: Which Is Healthier?

This is a good question because it seems like every day there’s news about the health benefits of one or the other.

The truth is there isn’t a clear standout. Both of these uniquely healthy pick-me-ups have their own long list of health pros and cons.

Tea

The pros: Tea boasts a long list of health benefits. The rich antioxidants in tea fight inflammation, and have been shown to
help prevent blood vessels from hardening. Tea drinkers have a significantly lower risk of stroke and heart disease, and tea is known to boost brain health.

Regular tea drinkers also have higher bone density levels and slower rates of bone loss.
Overall it’s associated with anti-aging: research shows that the cells of regular tea drinkers have a younger biological age
than non-drinkers.

The cons: The first one is purely cosmetic—stained teeth.

Another is the potential impact on your iron levels due to tanins, a type of antioxidant that interferes with the absorption of non-heme, or plant-based iron from foods like greens and beans.

In one classic 1982 study drinking tea with a meal resulted in a 62 percent reduction in iron absorption compared to 35 percent for coffee.

Finally, if you’re sensitive to it, the caffeine in tea may also be a con, although the levels are lower than coffee. One cup or eight ounces of black tea contains 14-70 mg of caffeine, and green tea 24-45 mg, compared to 95-200 mg in the same sized portion of coffee.

Coffee

Pros: The good news about coffee just keeps on coming. A brand new Harvard study found that those who drink about three to five cups of coffee a day may be less likely to die prematurely from some diseases than those who drink less or no coffee.

A rich source of antioxidants, regular coffee consumption has also been linked to protection against type 2 diabetes, Parkinson’s, and certain cancers.

Cons: Natural substances in unfiltered coffee (meaning boiled or espresso) have been shown to raise cholesterol levels
slightly. Also coffee is more acidic than tea, so if you have stomach or digestive issues you may tolerate tea better.

Coffee has long had a reputation for bone issues, but it remains unclear how significant the effects are. One study found
that a high intake of coffee—four or more cups a day—reduced bone density by 2-4 percent, but the effect didn’t translate
to an increased risk of fracture.

The remaining cons of coffee are primarily tied to its caffeine content, which again is higher than in tea. Caffeine is a stimulant, so if you’re sensitive to it coffee may leave you feeling overly stimulated, jittery, and anxious. If you have high blood pressure, you should limit your caffeine intake because caffeine can cause a short, but dramatic spike in blood pressure.










Cynthia Sass
Source: foxnews.com

Farmers Urged To Cut Antibiotic Use

Farmers need to dramatically cut the amount of antibiotics used in agriculture, because of the threat to human health, a report says.

Some infections are becoming almost impossible to treat, because of the excessive use of antibiotics.

And more than half of those used around the world are used in animals, often to make them grow more quickly.

The Review on Antimicrobial Resistance called for new targets on the amount of antibiotics used.

The great threat of excessive antibiotics use in agriculture was highlighted in China last month.

Scientists warned the world was on the cusp of the "post-antibiotic era" after discovering bacteria resistant to the antibiotic colistin - the medication used when all others have failed.

It appeared to develop in farm animals before also being detected in hospital patients.









Source: bbc.com

The Reason Your Knuckles Crack

Radiologists believe they've figured out why knuckles crack, and the good news is the source of the noise does no immediate harm to your hand.

Ultrasound readings of people cracking their knuckles reveals a bright flash, "like a firework exploding in the joint," said lead
researcher Dr. Robert Boutin, a professor of radiology at University of California, Davis Health System.

The flash comes from a gas bubble forming in the joint.









Source: nim.nih.gov

Foods That Boost Brainpower

Eating well is good for your mental as well as your physical health. Just like the heart, lungs or muscles need nutrients, so also does the brain. But which foods are particularly important to keep our grey matter happy?

1. Wholegrains
Like everything else in your body, the brain
cannot work without energy. The ability to
concentrate and focus comes from the
adequate, steady supply of energy - in
the form of glucose in our blood to the brain. Achieve this by choosing wholegrains with a low-GI , which release glucose slowly into the bloodstream, keeping you mentally alert throughout the day. Opt for 'brown' cereals, wheatbran, granary bread and brown pasta.

2. Oily Fish
Oily fish contains EPA and DHA in a ready-made form, which enables the body to use it easily. The main sources of oily fish include salmon, trout, mackerel, herring, sardines, pilchards and kippers. Low DHA levels have been linked to a higher risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and memory loss.

3. Tomatoes
There is good evidence to suggest that lycopene, a powerful antioxidant found in tomatoes, could help protect against the kind of free radical damage to cells which occurs in the development of dementia, particularly Alzheimer's.

4. Pumpkin Seeds
Just a handful of pumpkin seeds a day is all you need to get your recommended daily amount of zinc, vital for enhancing memory and thinking skills.

5. Nuts
A study published in the American Journal
of Epidemiology suggests that a good intake of vitamin E might help to prevent cognitive decline, particularly in the elderly. Nuts are a great source of vitamin E along with leafy green vegetables, asparagus, olives, seeds, eggs, brown rice.









Source: bbcgoodfood.com