Ducks Gassed in Thousands as France Fights Bird Flu Virus

Workers wearing masks and protective clothes gassed thousands of ducks in southwest France on Friday, in a massive cull that was ordered in an attempt to prevent a spread of the H5N8 bird flu virus. At one farm in the village of Latrille, in the heartland of duck and geese rearing country, 8,000 ducks were taken by hand and put in coloured metal containers where carbon dioxide was piped in to kill them, normally within seconds. In scenes reminiscent of apocalypse-themed movies, workers clad in head-to-toe protective suits, face-visors and…

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Smoking of Hookahs to be Monitored as Part of Anti-Tobacco Move: WHO FCTC

Aiming to curb consumption of tobacco among the youth at an early stage, the World Health Organisation Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (WHO FCTC) has urged its 180 member nations to monitor waterpipe (Indian hookah) tobacco use through a national surveillance system to cover all age groups. Strengthening the policies against tobacco consumption, the FCTC is also discussing banning the use of flavourings in waterpipe tobacco products. The FCTC — the world’s highest convention against anti-tobacco policies — is brainstorming and focusing on inclusion of awareness against waterpipe use in…

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Cranberries Squashed as Folk Remedy for Urinary Infections

Another folk remedy bites the dust. Cranberry capsules didn’t prevent or cure urinary infections in nursing home residents in a study challenging persistent unproven claims to the contrary. The research adds to decades of conflicting evidence on whether cranberries in any form can prevent extremely common bacterial infections, especially in women. Many studies suggesting a benefit were based on weak science, but that hasn’t stopped marketers and even some health care providers from recommending cranberry juice or capsules as an inexpensive way to avoid these uncomfortable and potentially risky infections.…

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Heart Failure Not as Life-Threatening as Heart Attack: Experts

Heart failure may be a serious health hazard but not life-threatening like a heart attack, health experts say. “Heart failure refers to the heart’s inability to circulate blood through the body. Blood flow is slower than normal, which compromises the blood flow to the vital organs of the body like kidneys, liver and brain, leading to the malfunction of these organs,” Subhash Chandra, Chairman, Cardiology, BLK Super Speciality Hospital, New Delhi, told IANS. Heart failure is not similar to a heart attack and it is important for people to understand…

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Exercise is good for your brain, as long as you don’t skip too many workouts: study

A new study finds that taking time off from working out can put an end to exercise’s benefits on the brain.  (AP Photo/Rodrique Ngowi) Think it’s OK to take a week off from working out? Think again … if you even can. A study published last month in Frontiers in Aging Neuroscience finds the benefits of exercise on the brain can fade after just 10 days. Previous studies have shown that exercise increases blood flow to the brain, which can create new neurons, increase volume in important places, and possibly…

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66% Indian Smokers View E-Cigarettes as ‘Positive Alternative’

Nearly 66 per cent of Indian smokers see e-cigarettes as a “positive alternative” to tobacco products, a new survey said on Thursday. In a first-of-its-kind survey of adult smokers in India conducted by non-profit organisation factasia.org, the researchers found that 69 per cent of Indian smokers would consider switching to e-cigarettes “if they were legal, met quality and safety standards, and were conveniently available”. The survey showed that a few smokers in India have tried them although more than a third — 36 per cent — express some level of…

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