Month: February 2019

A half-hour of morning exercise can help control blood pressure in overweight and obese people for the entire day, a new study finds. And for women in particular, adding frequent short breaks from sitting through the day can offer additional benefit, the Australian researchers said.   Reduction greater for women “For both men and women, the magnitude …

Brief morning exercise helps ease blood pressure throughout the day Read More »

The Mediterranean diet may do more than help you reach and maintain a healthy weight — new research suggests that women who follow it also lower their stroke risk. But men did not reap the same benefit from the diet, which concentrates on fish, fruits, nuts, vegetables and beans, and avoids meat and dairy products. …

Mediterranean diet may cut stroke risk for women, but not men Read More »

There are plenty of good reasons to seek a higher education, but avoiding Alzheimer’s disease probably isn’t one of them, new research suggests. The study found that a person’s level of education wasn’t related to the onset of memory and thinking (“cognitive”) troubles, or the rate at which dementia progressed.   A more definitive answer “Education is …

Education no match for Alzheimer’s Read More »

In Latin “sinus” means “curve” or “fold”. In medicine the word mostly refers to the four pairs of hollow cavities around our nose and eyes that are connected to the nose. Your (paranasal) sinus cavities are lined with soft tissue, which are coated with mucus that keeps the tissue moist and also traps bacteria. Air passing through …

Could allergies be causing your sinusitis? Read More »

There are some exercises that you just can’t get enough of. Three such examples: wall slides, thoracic rotations, and single-leg hip raises. Unusual names, yes. But while you may not be familiar with these moves, chances are you should be doing them every day, especially when it comes to office exercises. Why? Because they help offset the …

Do these three stretches to relieve those office chair pains Read More »

An overactive bladder is a common urinary condition which causes a sudden urge to urinate. It may be difficult to control the urge, and this may lead to involuntary urination, called urge incontinence. Urge incontinence may occur in anyone at any age, but is more common in women and the elderly. Although incontinence is not detrimental to …

New implant to calm an overactive bladder Read More »

Early detection is critical for most cancers and will increase your chance of survival. Skin cancer is no different, and during the summer months we should be especially aware of the risks and how to spot potentially malignant changes in moles. According to the Skin Cancer Foundation of South Africa, skin cancer can be divided into two …

Detect skin cancer early — here’s how Read More »

Forget the mellow slacker image – pot smoking might actually make men more potent. Men who’ve smoked marijuana appear to have significantly higher sperm concentrations than those who’ve never given it a try, a new study reports.   An observational study There’s also a potential link between pot use and testosterone, said senior researcher Dr Jorge Chavarro. …

Could a little dagga actually raise men’s fertility? Read More »

Cancer is debilitating and traumatic, and even more so in young children. Unfortunately, this is the reality in many families. Monday 4 February is World Cancer Day and this year the focus is on the importance of early detection – something that can drastically increase survival. South Africa has some of the lowest survival rates …

Here’s how to increase early detection of childhood cancer Read More »

The supply of donor organs for infants needing a heart transplant is critically low, but researchers have taken a first step toward using pig hearts to fill the need. The concept of using animal organs to save human lives has been around for years. With donor organs in short supply, the hope is that animal organs can …

Someday, a pig’s heart might save a child’s life Read More »