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Omega-3 fatty acids found in seafood improve brain function

Citing new evidence that the omega-3 fatty acids found in seafood improve brain function in middle aged people and actually lower the risk of mental impairment as people age, the U.S. Tuna Foundation (USTF) today reminded the public that canned tuna is not only good for your heart but is a tasty and affordable "brain food" for people of all ages.

17 Apr 2004

Second-hand smoke scars and affects healing

Researchers at the University of California, Riverside have found that breathing “second-hand” smoke reduces the speed at which wounds heal, leading to greater levels of scarring.

17 Apr 2004

Weight training women don't lose weight

Weight training offers many benefits, but by itself, it won’t burn enough calories to promote much weight loss, says the April issue of Mayo Clinic Women’s Health Source.

16 Apr 2004

£60 million boost for pregnant mums to reduce child poverty

Public Health Minister, Yvette Cooper, will today announce a £60 million boost to tackle child poverty in low income areas even before children are born. The money will extend Sure Start programmes to cover pregnant women and their partners for the first time alongside families with children under four-years-old.

16 Apr 2004

Lack of exercise causes physical and psychological setbacks

Use it or lose it, fitness experts tell us. Now a new study offers evidence that the adage really does ring true – that a lack of exercise can not only cause physical setbacks, but also psychological setbacks as well.

16 Apr 2004

Caffeine and children, some sound advice

Many adults are dependent on the caffeine in their morning coffee to get them going. But what about kids? Children who regularly drink soda, iced tea and other caffeine-containing beverages and foods may be getting too much. Find out how caffeine can be bad for your kids (and you) -- and how much is too much.

16 Apr 2004

Blood pressure testing in people under 35 often misdiagnosed

Doctors who routinely measure blood pressure in people under 35 are more likely to misdiagnose than to detect hypertension correctly, according to a study in this week's BMJ. This could lead to unnecessary lifelong treatment for many.

16 Apr 2004

Evidence suggests cutting back on state-sponsored smoking prevention campaigns could increase smoking rates

New evidence indicates that cutting back on state-sponsored smoking prevention campaigns could result in a sharp increase in smoking rates, particularly among adolescents, and should convince all states to protect these programs, according to the American Heart Association.

16 Apr 2004

Bad hygiene may be good for you

A group of scientists at The Scripps Research Institute have found a connection between poor T cell survival in the body and the development of autoimmunity.

16 Apr 2004

Three hours exercise reduces risk of breast cancer

Three hours of moderate exercise per week significantly reduced circulating estrogens in postmenopausal women, according to a new study published in the current issue of Cancer Research. The finding may explain why women who exercise regularly lower their risk for breast cancer.

16 Apr 2004

Decongestant may increase blood pressure

A common ingredient in over-the-counter decongestants -- pseudoephedrine -- may increase blood pressure and the risk of life-threatening or disabling strokes in susceptible patients, researchers at Vanderbilt University Medical Center have reported.

15 Apr 2004

Hugs and kisses halve risk of heart attack

Having a really close relationship with another person, whether it be friend, lover, or relative, can halve the risk of further heart attacks, suggests research in Heart.

14 Apr 2004

Women get better picture on hormone replacement therapy

Detailed results of the "estrogen-alone" study within the Women's Health Initiative (WHI), which was terminated in early March 2004, are providing some of the first answers to questions about the efficacy of estrogen alone to prevent chronic disease in healthy, postmenopausal women who have had a hysterectomy.

14 Apr 2004

Obese mothers increase likelihood of pre-eclampsia

A research team from the University of Glasgow has been awarded nearly £129, 000 by the British Heart Foundation (BHF) to investigate the cause of pre-eclampsia (PE), a condition that kills nearly 600 babies in the UK each year.

14 Apr 2004

Australian health heavyweight moves into China

Global health and security assistance provider MedAire, Inc. has signed a letter of intent with the Beijing International Heart Hospital (BIHH) to develop an integrated outpatient medical clinic and response center in Beijing.

14 Apr 2004

Stong evidence for lower penicillin allergic reactions

Researchers at the University of Pennsylvania School of Medicine have concluded the world's largest analysis of penicillin allergy due to re-prescription of the popular antibiotic.

14 Apr 2004

Cancer rates have decreased in men and remained stable in women

Data newly compiled by the American Cancer Society finds death rates for most major cancers continue to decline, but a growing and aging population continues to produce a rise in the total number of cancer deaths.

14 Apr 2004

NASA develops "Black Box" to monitor vital signs

When planes have a problem, analysts can usually figure out what went wrong. They simply check the plane's "black box," which records exactly what was happening to the plane at the time. Now, there's something similar for people. Under the leadership of NASA/Ames design engineer Carsten Mundt, researchers have developed a device that, Stanford electrical engineer and team member Greg Kovacs says, is a black box for human beings.

13 Apr 2004

Estrogen-alone hormone therapy had no effect on coronary heart disease risk

A large, multi-center heart disease prevention study, part of the Women's Health Initiative (WHI), found that estrogen-alone hormone therapy had no effect on coronary heart disease risk but increased the risk of stroke for postmenopausal women.

13 Apr 2004

Amount of adiponectin hormone lessens chance of heart attacks

Men with high levels of a Adiponectin hormone secreted by fat cells have a lesser chance of heart attacks, according to a new study that could lead to new ways to prevent and treat heart disease.

13 Apr 2004