Healthy bacteria could prevent obesity

Healthy gut flora — microorganisms living in the digestive tract of animals — can reduce the risk of obesity, a study says.

The study, done on rats, showed that daily intake of a lactic acid bacteria, which has been given the name Lactobacillus plantarum HEAL19, appears to be able to prevent obesity and reduce the body’s low-level inflammation.

“Rats who…

Stressed? Drum it away

The high-energy beats of Western and African drums can reduce stress in younger people as they battle to make headway in the academic or professional world, says British music therapist Eleanor Richards.

“Lot of young people, who face stress in relationships and suffer from depression, try to heal with music. Most of these youngsters are studying and at the…

Presence of fat improves heart’s ability to pump

Stripping diets of fat may impair the heart’s ability to pump optimally, especially among patients suffering from cardiac failure.

Results from studies conducted by assistant professor of physiology and biophysics Margaret Chandler, Case Western Reserve University and others; show that a high-fat diet improved the heart’s ability to pump.

“Does that mean I can go out and eat my Big Mac after I have a heart attack,” Chandler asked. “No, but…

Protein linked with heart failure discovered

Researchers have discovered a protein switch which can trigger conditions culminating in heart failure, potentially opening the way for improved treatment.

A study shows that the absence of protein PINK1 causes heart cells to produce less energy, reports the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

This lack of energy causes some heart cells to die, forcing the remaining cells to work harder to keep the heart going. Consequently, the…

New blood test can predict how long one will live

A new blood test could help predict how long someone has to live, based on how fast they are ageing.

Researchers have developed the $700 test, which they say accurately measures the length of a person’s telomeres that is thought to be linked to longevity.

Telomeres are sections of DNA that cap the ends of chromosomes, protecting them from damage and the loss of cell functions associated with ageing. Shorter telomeres…

A British woman who can’t use electricity

London: A 55-year-old British woman is so sensitive to electricity that she cannot watch television, listen to the radio or talk on a mobile phone.Janice Tunnicliffe, a resident of Nottinghamshire, claims to suffer from an extremely rare condition called “electrosensitivity”.

She was struck with the illness after she received chemotherapy for bowel cancer three years ago. Tunnicliffe cannot use an electric kettle, and keeps her washing machine in a concrete outhouse.

She…

White teeth

For white teeth, mix baking soda in warm water and rinse the mixture. Scrub your teeth lightly after spitting

Honey

Smelling a jar of honey while having a breathless episode helps soothe those horrible asthma attacks

Stinky feet

For stinky feet, sprinkle the inside of your shoes with corn starch which absorbs moisture, keeping your feet drier

Lemon juice

Drink a glass of lemon juice in lukewarm water with honey after meals. It effectively relaxes indigestion and burning