Health

Most of us are aware of the relationship between what we eat and good health, but do our food choices also affect the health of our environment? Reducing our emphasis on animal foods in favour of more plant-based foods is one way we can help to reduce our impact on the environment. This is partly […]

Research has shown that divorce and widowhood are detrimental to people’s long-term physical health, and getting re-married won’t help much. A study led by Professor Linda Waite of the University of Chicago examined the health histories of 8652 people aged between 51 and 61. Results showed that divorced people in the sample experience 20 percent […]

Doing the Downward-facing Dog pose may keep undesirable symptoms of menopause, like night sweats and hot flushes, at bay.

Doing the Downward-facing Dog pose may keep undesirable symptoms of menopause, like night sweats and hot flushes, at bay. In a study from India’s Swami Vivekananda Yoga Research Foundation, 228 perimenopausal and menopausal women aged 40 to 55 years were divided into two groups: one in which participants performed yoga exercises and meditation for eight […]

Want to zap zits, tame your tummy, or heal heel pain?Here are 10 trustworthy home remedies to beat your everyday health hassles. Zap those zitsApply a drop of tea-tree essential oil to blemishes three times a day to discourage infection and speed up healing. Research has found that 5 per cent tea-tree oil is as […]

Scientists in the US are working on a pill that could decrease the amount of fat stored in overweight people by almost half in just one week. Thus far, scientists at Indiana University have tested the drug on mice, finding that after seven days their body weight was decreased by a quarter and fat content […]

A 20-year study of monkeys in the US has found that reducing the kilojoule intake slowed the ageing process and increased their lifespan. The Wisconsin National Primate Research Center monitored 76 rhesus monkeys — 30 since 1989, and 46 since 1994 — to study what cutting their diet by 30 percent would do to them. […]

Spending time in nature has long been known to ease anxiety. Now a Kansas University study, reported in HortTechnology (18:563-568), proves that plants actually accelerate healing. The study, of 90 patients recovering from an appendectomy, found that those with potted plants in their rooms needed less pain medication, had lower blood pressure and reported experiencing […]

Men are usually pretty good at looking after their cars, their families and their mates. But sometimes they need a little more encouragement to look after their own health. So the aim of Men’s Health Week (June 15 – 21) is to raise the level of awareness about men’s medical issues, and encourage our fellas […]

The drug millions of Aussies are taking – what it does for weight, sex and you! More than 12 million anti-depressant scripts a year are prescribed in Australia – and rising. But are we taking mood-enhancing meds too far? Next time you’re at an office lunch, chances are at least one or more of the […]