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Image copyright GETTY IMAGES Physical and mental exercise has been found to be beneficial for our brains, but scientists have now found it could also improve the learning ability of our children . In a mouse study , researchers found the benefits gained from these activities were passed on to their offspring, despite not altering their DNA. Further research is needed to see if this replicates in humans. The German study is being published in the journal  Cell Reports. Exercise is recommended to keep the mind sharp in the over-50s and doing puzzles and brain training exercises has been found to delay the onset of dementia and reduce the risk of diseases such as Alzheimer's . Researchers from the German Centre for Neurodegenerative Diseases (DZNE) found that when they exposed mice to a stimulating environment in which they also had plenty of exercise, their offspring which they had later also benefitted. The younger mice achieved better results in tests that evaluat...

« Previous | Main | Next » A spoonful of sugar helps wounds heal faster Post categories: Pain ,  Sugar David Gregory Can sprinkling sugar into a wound speed up the healing process? The papers are today reporting on some new research we touched on back in August . When Moses Murandu was a child in Zimbabwe and gashed his leg his father sprinkled sugar into the wound when dressing it. Well now Moses is a senior nurse and lecturer at the University of Wolverhampton and he's been conducting clinical trials to see the impact sugar has when used as a dressing on infected wounds . He funded the initial study at Selly Oak on a few patients himself. Treating problems like open infected wounds and bedsores . And the results were so promising he's now been awarded £25,000 to expand the trial with up to 300 patients in different hospitals across the Midlands . His initial paper has also just been accepted for publication in...

    Scientists believe they have discovered a way to "steer" the immune system to kill cancers. Researchers at University College, London have developed a way of finding unique markings within a tumour - its " Achilles heel " - allowing the body to target the disease. But the personalised method, reported in Science journal , would be expensive and has not yet been tried in patients. Experts said the idea made sense but could be more complicated in reality. However, the researchers, whose work was funded by Cancer Research UK , believe their discovery could form the backbone of new treatments and hope to test it in patients within two years. They believe by analysing the DNA , they'll be able to develop bespoke treatment. People have tried to steer the immune system to kill tumours before, but cancer vaccines have largely flopped. One explanation is that they are training the body's own defences to go after the wrong target. The problem i...

Before you reach for that second piece of bread at dinner, consider this: the foods you are eating are showing up in your face as wrinkles, blemishes, bags and more. If you can identify and eliminate your skin-aging triggers, you are also able to heal your gut, stop the process of “digest-aging” and reverse these effects on your skin. As a naturopathic doctor , I noticed some secondary effects when treating my patients’ primary health concerns. Patients frequently came in for consultations and health advice on how to eradicate nagging issues, such as eczema . When discovering the root cause of chronic symptoms, I prescribed a lifestyle change, including foods to incorporate and to avoid, all according to the patient’s unique DNA . I realized that by applying these principles, my clients have since commented on the way their skin glows, increased levels of energy and an overall increased sense of well-being, which included a minimization of the originally treated ailmen...

Urinary incontinence is leaking of urine that you can't control. Many men and women suffer from urinary incontinence. We don't know for sure exactly how many. That's because many people do not tell anyone about their symptoms. They may be embarrassed, or they may think nothing can be done. So they suffer in silence. Urinary incontinence is not just a medical problem. It can affect emotional, psychological and social life. Many people who have urinary incontinence are afraid to do normal daily activities. They don't want to be too far from a toilet. Urinary incontinence can keep people from enjoying life. Many people think urinary incontinence is just part of getting older. But it's not. And it can be managed or treated. Learn more here. Talk to your doctor. Find out what treatment is best for you. Key Statistics A quarter to a third of men and women in the U.S. suffer from urinary incontinence. That means millions of Americans. About 33 million hav...

Aches and pains during pregnancy aren’t uncommon, but a new study suggests pregnant mothers may have cause to worry about headaches under certain circumstances. The researchers, from the Montefiore Health System and the Albert Einstein College of Medicine and Yeshiva University , have found that if a pregnant woman with high blood pressure and no history of headache then develops a headache that rapidly intensifies, she may be at risk for preeclampsia or other pregnancy complications. The research was published Wednesday in the journal Neurology , and the study authors said it is the largest study of its kind. "Our study suggests that physicians should pay close attention when a pregnant woman presents with a severe headache, especially if she has elevated blood pressure or lack of past headache history,” lead author Dr. Matthew S. Robbins , director of inpatient services at Montefiore Headache Center, chief of neurology at Jack D. Weiler Hospital of Montefiore,...

Is it really possible that half of the population older than 70 has chronic kidney disease ? International guidelines adopted in 2012 make it seem that way. They define the disease in terms of how efficiently kidneys filter the waste from our blood, a measure called the glomerular filtration rate . Healthy young people commonly have G.F.R. s of about 120. A G.F.R. lower than 60 or another marker of kidney damage (such as protein in the urine) for more than three months means chronic kidney disease. At which point, patients become scared. “When you’re told you have a disease, that’s a bad day,” said Dr. Ann O’Hare , a nephrologist at the University of Washington in Seattle who specializes in treating older adults. “Patients worry about dialysis , because that’s what they associate with kidney disease.” Chronic kidney disease causes no symptoms until its later stages, and most seniors with the diagnosis are told they’re at Stage 3, of five — sudden, unwelcome news. ...

For women with regular periods, abnormally heavy bleeding may be a sign of blood cancer, and although this symptom is rare, it shouldn't be missed, a new study says. Researchers reviewed information from about 2,000 young and middle-age women with leukemia who were diagnosed between 2002 and 2011. About 200 had abnormal vaginal bleeding, and for 19 of these women, this bleeding was what brought them to the doctor, and led to their cancer diagnosis. Typical symptoms of blood cancer, or leukemia, include fatigue, easy bruising or tiny red spots under the skin. But doctors usually do not think of vaginal bleeding as a sign of the condition, said study researcher Dr. Denise Nebgen, a gynecologist  and associate professor at the University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center. For this reason, doctors and patients may overlook heavy bleeding, mistaking it for a heavy period, Nebgen said. Many of the 205 women with uterine bleeding experienced heavy bleeding in the month o...

Ebola virus disease(EVD) or Ebola Heamorrhagic fever(EHF) Is a rare but deadly virus that causes bleeding inside and outside the body. The virus spreads through the body damaging the immune system and organs such as liver and kidney. Ultimately, it causes levels of blood-clotting cells to drop. This leads to severe, uncontrollable bleeding. Symptoms typically start two days to three weeks after contracting the virus, with a fever, sore throat, muscle pains, and headaches. Typically nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea follow, along with decreased functioning of the liver and kidneys. At this point, some people begin to have bleeding problems. How do you get Ebola?   The virus may be acquired upon contact with body, blood or bodily fluids of an infected animal (commonly monkeys or fruit bats)and man. Spread through the air has not been documented in the natural environment. Fruit bats are believed to carry and spread the virus without being affected. Once human infecti...