Regular news and features on health, exercise, self-improvement, psychology, books, nutrition and medicine 
NUTRITION MATTERS: Tips for safe tippling
As the year-end holiday season approaches, moderation should be the watchword to avoid the ill effects of festive drinking, writes Celynn Erasmus
Sanofi cholesterol drug touted as potential $3bn blockbuster
Drug dubbed Alirocumab is part of group of biotech medicines known as PCSK9 inhibitors that offer new way of fighting build-up of artery-clogging fatty deposits
Why marriage is so good for hearts
More evidence has emerged that marriage may benefit overall health
‘Disgustologist’ digs deep into science of revulsion
Dr Valerie Curtis is among a growing group of scientists seeking to change that by establishing the importance of the science of revulsion, writes Kate Kelland
Study ties statin use to development of cataracts
Researchers say they can’t prove drugs caused eye condition, but found people who took statins were about 27% more likely to develop cataracts
Food expiration labels ‘are misleading’
People are throwing away billions of kilograms of food every year because they falsely believe ‘sell-by’ dates on packages indicate food safety, research has found
Looking for lessons in cancer’s ‘miracle’ responders
US doctor sets out to find out why some cancer patients beat the odds, living disease-free for many years, while many of their peers die
NUTRITION MATTERS: Some health foods not all they promise to be
Manufacturers often make claims about products’ health benefits, but learning more about what goes into food can help us make wiser choices, writes Ashleigh Caradas
Exercise may help alleviate symptoms of depression, study shows
Researchers found people who exercised experienced ‘moderate’ reduction in symptoms compared with those who did other activities, or received no treatment
Opinion
Keep your marbles in good working order
Marika Sboros
Memory loss is not inevitable — intermittent fasting and learning a new language can protect your brain from ageing, blogs Marika Sboros
All population groups at risk of hypertension, says doctor
Heart and Stroke Foundation CEO disputes statistician-general Pali Lehohla’s ‘dangerous’ comment that ‘disease of unhappiness’ affects mostly whites
Low testosterone poses health problems
Study shows that low production of the hormone can have many negative effects on the body including a reduction in strength, muscle size and lean mass
New study finds women benefit from annual mammogram in their 40s
Breast cancer study recommends screens should be done every year from age 40, but others suggest benefit is modest and downside must also be considered
E-cigarettes as good at helping smokers quit as nicotine patches
New research as found that the smokers using electronic cigarettes who fail to give up the habit are also more likely cut the amount of tobacco they use
Getting heart attack victims to hospital sooner should be priority, study shows
Good hospitals have cut the time taken for life-saving procedure to 90 minutes, and now the focus needs to shift to what happens before a patient arrives, experts say
Scientists still in the dark over deadly flu strain
Expert says it is still impossible to predict which strain will turn out to be a highly deadly one that readily spreads between people and becomes a pandemic outbreak
Opinion
Study finds many medicines are safe during breastfeeding
Genevra Pittman
Benefits of breastfeeding ‘outweigh most harm’ related to babies’ exposure to drugs, though paediatricians warn that no ‘blanket recommendation’ can be made
VITAL SIGNS: Avedia Energy CEO Atose Aguele is a true citizen of the world
Born in England, raised in Nigeria, schooled in the UK and US, and settled in Cape Town, Atose Aguele continues embracing opportunity, writes Marika Sboros
Depression with diabetes may speed mental decline
Researchers have seen significant differences between depressed and nondepressed diabetes patients in the erosion of a wide range of cognitive abilities
Men at much greater risk of sudden death during sports
Men who run, cycle or play other recreational sports are 20 times more likely to die from sudden heart problem than female recreational athletes, French study shows
Calls to redefine outdated cancer terminology
US institute, doctors urge new and personal approach for dealing with the disease, writes Marika Sboros
Study finds faulty ‘switch’ that could be at the root of schizophrenia
Scientists think poor reality testing may be due to faulty link between insula and cortex, in discovery that could lead to development of more finely targeted therapies
How smart eating can make your brain ‘bulletproof’
Poor diet can make it difficult to cope in a high-pressure work environment, but ABCs of brain food provide cerebral balance, writes Celynn Erasmus
Mixed safety report for diabetes medicines
Diabetes pills known as DPP-4 not associated with increased rates of pancreatic inflammation, cancer or heart attacks, as feared, but raise risk of heart failure
How ‘tricking your eyes’ can help you eat healthily
US specialist Dr Brian Wansink says healthy eating simply requires changing visual clues in an environment to help people make better food choices
Online tools may boost breast cancer patients’ mood, study shows
Women who create a personal website about their health report feeling less depressed, more positive and more appreciative of life
Diet trumps exercise, says famous trainer
The Biggest Loser’s Bob Harper says he no longer thinks you can ‘beat everything you eat out of you’, though he is still a big fan of a thorough all-round workout
Early treatment of rheumatic fever can prevent heart disease
Rheumatic heart disease, which begins with an untreated sore throat, is a leading cause of acquired heart disease in children and is most prevalent in poor communities
Women in rich countries benefit most from improving life expectancy
While women in poorer countries are living longer than before, they are likely to succumb earlier than their wealthier counterparts to chronic ailments, study finds
Lack of sleep tied to kids’ poorer academic performance
Brazilian researchers find, on average, children with symptoms of sleep disorders or sleep breathing disorders earn lower grades than those without
Centuries ago, Hippocrates knew that food is medicine, and medicine food
Book establishes link between nutrition and cancer, but does not take it beyond what is already known, writes Marika Sboros
For males, monogamy can have evolutionary benefits
Two studies show that by sticking to one female, males of many species, especially primates, can increase chances of siring many offspring who survive long enough to reproduce
Benefits of statins far outweigh risks, says diabetes doctor
Statins do not only lower cholesterol, they have another important function — stabilising plaque, says Larry Distiller, director of the Centre for Diabetes and Endocrinology
Digital autopsy could replace scalpel with a scanner
iGene 3D imaging software allows pathologists to do digital, minimally invasive postmortems that could complement or even replace ‘cruder’ methods
Cholesterol-lowering drug may have a dark side
Visiting Belgian specialist questions side effects of statins, opts for natural products, writes Marika Sboros
You may look younger after plastic surgery, but perhaps not more attractive
New study confirms that patients appear younger after facial plastic surgery, but their attractiveness ratings are little changed
Coffeeholics beware
The number of studies showing that coffee is good for you seem to be equalled by just as many that decry its meritsScreening encouraged for immune system nutrients in undernourished patients
Panel says undernourished patients should be routinely screened for deficiencies in key micronutrients involved in the immune system
Another fishy health story
Should men worry about research showing fish oils can significantly raise risk of death from prostate cancer? Probably not
Importance of oral health ‘often overlooked’ in SA
Poor mouth health is associated with many diseases, ranging from diabetes and heart disease to osteoporosis, yet it is often neglected, says dentistry expert
Study dashes hopes of lowering blood pressure with sunshine vitamin
Researchers in UK find blood pressure in group of elderly people unchanged after year of heavy vitamin D supplementation
Learning the language of food
Your food language has been shaped by many factors — and understanding them can help change unhelpful food habits, writes Nathalie Mat
- NUTRITION MATTERS: How to make your weekly trolley dash more bearable
- Fruits and veggies ‘lower chances of babies developing food allergies’
- NUTRITION MATTERS: Family, school and work all shape our food language
- Smoking shown to shorten life span after heart surgery
- HPV may increase risk of oesophageal cancer
- No medical benefit to ‘kindest cut’
- When a shave is too close for comfort
- Red light at night — sleeper’s delight
- Mindful doctors make better healers, research shows
- It’s all about the roll when choosing running shoes
- Later retirement linked to lower risk of Alzheimer’s, study shows
- What Singapore can teach SA about healthcare
- Alzheimer’s tied to less cancer, and vice versa
- Mental illness a threat to US’s future
- US mulls tightening rules on menthol cigarettes
- Older farmers who smoke may be at greater risk when using herbicides
- Self-care is a handy weapon in the fight against killer diseases
- Innovation in fertility medicine matures
- Saffron: a natural way to spice up low moods
- New low-cost screening may prevent birth defects in IVF babies
- Plant extract could offer protection from skin cancer
- Cocktail of legal ‘designer drugs’ on offer is cause for alarm, says UN
- Californian judge refuses to block teaching of yoga at public school
- Wait-and-see approach to prostate cancer ‘may fall short for black men’
- US opens a speed lane for modern medicines
- Research may prompt new approach to prostate cancer treatment
- No smoke, plenty of fire fuels e-cigarette debate
- Holy cow! Bovines have more to offer than their skin, meat and milk
- Exercise and vitamins C, D and E could hold the secrets to longevity
- Dying for pain relief: blending the art and science of medicine
- Multiple-sclerosis drug nears green light after pass-the-parcel marathon
- Improving kids’ diets is best bet to tackle obesity
- Red tape and fraud fear hamper research into heal-all stem cells
- Don’t let travelling wreck your health
- Protect yourself against side effects of heartburn medication
- FITNESS MATTERS: Hot ways to follow fitness goals in cold weather
- A knee-up for painful joints
- Home blood pressure monitoring may improve control
- Eating less meat could make for a longer life
- Fishy stories about health risks
- A new vision for treatment of eye cancer
- The politics and price of protection against Alzheimer’s
- Veggies: fresh versus frozen
- New research gets to root of greying hair
- New light on colour and fitness
- A new target for baldness remedies
- New US fitness centres cater to ageing baby boomers
- Cancer immunotherapy medicines could rake in $35bn a year
- Ancient wisdom that puts cancer cells in their place
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