Get well soon with flowering plants (31/12/2008)
Flowers or pot plants are a popular gift for people recovering from illness. Now researchers believe they may actually aid recovery, based on a study of people who’ d had their appendix taken out...
New treatment shows promise for kidney transplant patients (30/12/2008)
A cancer drug has been used successfully to treat patients in danger of rejecting their kidney transplants. The drug, bortezomib, reversed signs that people’ s bodies were rejecting the transplants, for six months or more. But the research is still in the very early stages...
Low vitamin D may increase chance of a caesarean delivery (23/12/2008)
Pregnant women who have too little vitamin D may be more likely to deliver their baby through caesarean section, according to a new study. But at the moment this is still only a theory. We do know, however, that vitamin D is important to mothers and babies in other ways, and doctors encourage pregnant women to take vitamin D supplements...
Good sleep linked to a healthy heart (23/12/2008)
A good night's sleep may be good for your heart, new research suggests. A study found a link between how long people slept at night and the health of the arteries taking blood to their hearts...
Can chemicals in olive oil help battle breast cancer? (22/12/2008)
Natural chemicals in extra-virgin olive oil can trigger the death of breast cancer cells in the laboratory, a new study has found...
Probiotics help prevent stomach upsets from antibiotics (22/12/2008)
We’ ve all seen ‘ probiotic’ drinks and supplements in the shops. But do they actually do any good? Researchers have taken a fresh look at the evidence to find out...
Medical myths exposed (18/12/2008)
Do you… blame your child's bad behaviour on too much sugar? Always wear a hat in cold weather, certain that you lose most heat through your head? Avoid eating after dusk in the belief that it stops you getting fat? If so, you’ re wrong on all three counts...
Combination treatment halves deaths from prostate cancer (16/12/2008)
Men with locally advanced prostate cancer have double the chance of surviving their cancer if they have radiotherapy as well as the standard hormone treatment, a new study shows. The study could change the way some men with prostate cancer are treated in future...
Video game improves mental agility in older people (10/12/2008)
If you think video games are merely mindless entertainment for teenagers, think again. A new study has found that a newer type of strategy-based game -- which rewards tasks like nation-building -- helped older adults stay mentally fit...
Could a common virus be linked to Alzheimer's? (09/12/2008)
New research has suggested a link between the herpes virus, which causes cold sores, and Alzheimer's disease in old age. But at the moment this is only a theory. Just because you get cold sores, it doesn’ t mean you will get Alzheimer’ s. We take a closer look at what the research really found...
