Health

An extract from a plant traditionally used in Chinese medicine may help suppress appetite and lose weight, new research says. The findings suggest that the compound extracted from the “Thunder God” vine could be developed into a drug for treatment of obesity. In the study, the compound was found to reduce food intake significantly and cause up to a 45 ...

The arrival of spring and summer means days at the pool, family picnics and other outdoor activities. Here are some tips from the American Heart Association to keep your family physically active in the warmer months. Hydrate! Drink plenty of water before, during and after physical activity to avoid dehydration. For low-calorie flavor, add slices of your favorite fruits such ...

Specialists have noticed a rise in eye infections among contact-lens wearers and are warning users to take extra care. Bacteria, fungi and micro-organisms can stick to contact lenses and cause pain, irritation and serious harm. So here are some of the risks, and the dos and don’ts: Don’t sleep with your lenses in Unless your optician has said you can, ...

In a trial, scientists tested a drink based on a green tea ingredient, L-Theanine, and found that it significantly reduces stress and cortisol levels in healthy and young adults. During a symposium at the Association for Psychological Sciences Conference, world-renowned researchers from Swinburne University in Australia announced the results of a randomized, double-blind, placebo-controlled crossover trial in which a beverage ...

A new research has suggested that school start time is associated with greater sleep duration which may help to alleviate current cases of insufficient sleep in US youths. The study found that students at schools with later start times were more likely to exceed the national recommendations for adolescent sleep duration. Specifically, the associations between school start time and lower ...

A new study has examined that people who have metabolic syndrome are likelier to die from cardiovascular disease than people without this condition, and having diabetes or high blood pressure worsens the risk. According to the study, the risk factors include abdominal obesity, high levels of fats in the blood called triglycerides, elevated blood pressure, high fasting blood sugar and ...

The chances of having a heart attack, stroke or dying young may be hidden in the palm of the hand, a study suggests. A trial on nearly 140,000 people in 14 countries, published in the Lancet, suggests grip strength is better than blood pressure at predicting risk. The international research team said it would be a “simple, inexpensive” tool for ...

The World Health Organisation is setting up a $100 million contingency fund to ensure that the UN agency will not be “overwhelmed” by a major crisis again as it was with Ebola. The WHO and Director-General Margaret Chan have come under fire for their slow response to West Africa’s Ebola epidemic, which began in Guinea in December 2013 but was ...

A new study has revealed that drinking fat-free or low-fat milk may delay the progression of osteoarthritis (OA) of the knee. The research also found that women who ate cheese saw an increase in knee OA progression, while yogurt did not impact OA progression in men or women. Lead author of the study, Bing Lu, said that milk consumption plays ...

Evidence backing the notion that electronic cigarettes are effective for long-term smoking cessation is lacking, finds a new study. Lead author Riyad al-Lehebi of the University of Toronto said that there were several other smoking cessation aids available that had more robust evidence base supporting their efficacy and safety, than e-cigarettes. The meta-analysis included four studies of the efficacy and ...