Another reason not to smoke while pregnant

Women who smoke during pregnancy may be more likely to have children with kidney damage than mothers who steer clear of cigarettes, a study suggests. Smoking during pregnancy has long been linked to preterm and underweight babies and a wide range of birth defects. The current study offers fresh evidence that the kidneys are among the organs at risk for damage, said lead author Dr. Maki Shinzawa, a public health researcher at Kyoto University in Japan. “Cigarette smoking releases nicotine and other harmful or potentially harmful substances, such as nitrogen…

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New Way to Fight Therapy-Resistant Prostate Cancer Found

Scientists have identified a signalling circuit in cells that can be targeted to treat advanced prostate cancer in patients who are resistant to existing therapies. Prostate cancer is the second-leading cause of death after lung cancer in American men, researchers said. Currently, the most effective treatment for advanced prostate cancer is to deprive the cancer of what feeds it – androgen hormones, such as testosterone. However, almost all patients eventually develop resistance to this therapy, leaving doctors with no options to counteract the inevitable. The study at The Scripps Research…

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More Evidence That We Need To Stop Sitting So Much: Especially Men

If you have a desk job, it is pretty easy to spend most of your day on your bum. Even after you punch the clock, chances are there will be more time sitting between your commute and the nightly intake of your favorite shows. You know you should at least walk a bit more during the day. If you are like most people, it is difficult to get motivated. But recent research might push you in the right direction – especially if you are a man. In a study published…

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6 Home Remedies for Gas That Are Sure to Give Relief

A gassy stomach can strike anytime and can be very embarrassing, to say the least. It is actually quite a painful experience often leading to stomach cramps, bloating, heaviness and heartburn. Medically known as flatulence, it is a condition where excess gas gets collected in your digestive tract. But to deal with the problem, it’s first crucial to understand why it occurs. Gas can collect in your digestive system in two ways. While eating or drinking, you swallow the air that causes the oxygen and nitrogen to enter your body.…

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​You’re likely to live longer if your doctor is a woman

In a surprise finding, a team of Harvard University researchers has found that elderly patients treated by female physiciansare less likely to die within 30 days of admission, or to be readmitted within 30 days of discharge, than those cared for by male physicians. The study, published online in JAMA Internal Medicine, indicated that potential differences in practice patterns between male and female physicians may have important clinical implications. “The difference in mortality rates surprised us. The gender of the physician appears to be particularly significant for the sickest patients,”…

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To good health

Hiking, outdoor meditation, climbing mountains, swimming with sea turtles… being amid nature — the way we were born, was the diktat this year. The need to lighten the stress of electronics by going back to natural surroundings was felt by one and all. Adapt to stress 2016 was all about superherbs, with adaptogens leading the lobby. Maca, ginseng and moringa became the new must-haves and were used as garnish in salads, smoothies and soups. Adaptogens are herbal substances that help balance our adrenal response to the zillion odd stressors around…

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