People are spending a fortune on probiotic drinks such as Actimel and Yakult together with supplements containing so-called good bacteria, However research has shown that they may be have no health benefits. The theory is that they replace or add to the beneficial bacteria in our guts. Trouble is...

Walking for half an hour a day combats ageing according to a research project at Aston University. It helps with obesity and diabetes, and relieves depression and anxiety. As a further benefit it also reduces the chance of hip fractures by up to 40%. Walking then, is better than running, pumping...

Commuters could cut their exposure to air pollution by using the side streets in major cities instead of the main roads. In a recent study conducted a Queen Mary Hospital .London it was found that this small change could have major benefits on your health. 28,000 deaths a year may be as a direct...

The secret to a long life is having a waistline no larger than half your height, scientists claim. A recent study has shown that those with a waist height ratio of 80% or more could reduce life expectancy by up to 20 years. So an average 30 year old with a height of 5ft10in should have a waist of...

Every so often you read a health article in the press which is blatantly obvious. The latest one is that people who spend their working day standing are more likely to live longer than couch potatoes. I wonder if some lucky scientist got a research grant to come to this conclusion!

There has been much talk recently about Statins, both in the press and on the radio. These chlolesterol lowering drugs are responsible for preventing heart disease in otherwise well people, and helping patients who are diabetic or who have suffered a cardiac event from suffering further...

Men with low sperm counts can now try a simple and, apparently effective way to boost their fertility. It has been found that an ingredient in cooked tomatoes, lycopene, can increase sperm counts. The recommended dose is a dessertspoonful of tomato puree a day. Certainly worth trying! Lycopene...

Do you want to lose weight at no cost, and save money at the same time? Then turn your thermostat down. Research has shown that if you are prepared to be a bit cold then your body will burn off calories faster to maintain your body temperature. You will also save on your heating bills. Is this...

Britons are in the grip of a vitamin D deficiency not seen since the early 20th century. Sunlight is the main source of vitamin D and we are not getting enough of it, especially children and pregnant women. We were told to apply high factor sunscreen before going out in the sun. Now Doctors are...

It would appear that the current wisdom of using margarine in place of butter has been overturned by research carried out In London. Butter is healthier! Apart from containing vitamins A C and D it is free from additives and can actually prevent heart disease when used in moderation. What...

It was reported in the news today that Ibuprofen can increase the risk of heart disease and stroke. This report needs careful reading beyond the headlines. In the trials, huge doses of Ibuprofen were given, and even then the risk only increased by less than 2%. Also bear in mind that the risk only...

Some recent research has found that a moderate amount of skin exposure to the sun can lower blood pressure and thus reduce the risk of heart disease. However, as we humans do not understand the term “moderate exposure”, and tend to overdo it in the sun, skin specialists are saying that the...

This is a condition where the immune system damages the gut wall in response to gluten in bread and cereals. It occurs in 1 in 100 people and is often misdiagnosed as IBS. If you suffer from diarrhoea, bloating and abdominal pain, it may be advisable to have a test for Coeliac disease. Coeliac...

You can drink one glass of wine a week without harming your baby. Research from University College London showed that children whose mothers drank less than two units of alcohol per week had less behaviour problems than those whose mothers abstained altogether. Also, boys whose Mums drank a glass...

TYPE 1 DIABETES: research has shown that this type of diabetes (Insulin dependent) can be caused by an immature immune system. If children are overprotected and not allowed to come into contact with everyday germs their immune systems do not get a chance to develop enough antibodies. If later on...

HOW TO LIVE LONGER: the three golden rules according to various research scientists: 1. Eating two portions of oily fish such as Mackerel a week extends lifespan by two years. 2. A diet that includes an ounce of walnuts twice a week can cut the risk of Diabetes by a qiarter. 3. Exercise brain and...

A stressful job could increase the risk of Alzheimer's disease in later life. A spokesman from Alzheimer's Research UK said that the experiments carried out on mice could not neccessarily apply to humans, but there has been some research which highlighted a possible link between chronic stress and...

The commonly used diabetes drug METFORMIN has been found to reduce the incidence of liver cancer by 78%, and pancreatic cancer by 46%. It can also reduce bowel cancer by half. Scientists have discovered that the hormone insulin tends to encourage these tumours to grow if the levels are too high....

It was reported in the Daily mail (Wed. March 13) that taking Viagra could help men lose weight. Apparently it works by converting “bad” white fat cells into “good” brown ones. White fat cells deposit themselves around the stomach and can lead to an increased risk of heart...

These, once life-saving drugs are becoming ineffective against the most commonly found bacteria. This phenomenon has come about because of over-use, and inappropriate use to treat infections that the body can fight on its own. Antibiotics are useless against the common cold or cough which are...