Eyes light 20/20 through new artificial crystalline lens
The first patients in Britain have had lens implants that gives them 'high definition' vision.The artificial lenses improves the wearers sight to such an extent that it is sharper even than the ideal 20/20.
Eye surgeon Bobby Qureshi, who led the pioneering team at Spire Gatwick Park Hospital, described the tecnique as a 'hugely signifcant development.'
'We have the potential here to change patients’ vision to how it was when they were young,' he said.
The process involves implanting the lens into the eye using the standard procedure for cataracts and then fine-tuning the focus.
The lens, made from a special light-sensitive silicone, is the first that can be adjusted after it has been implanted.
It is altered several times over a period of days and ultraviolet light is used on specific parts till it reaches perfect vision.
A final blast of light then permanently fixes the lenses’ shape.
'The change is so accurate that we can even make the lens bifocal or varifocal, so as well as giving them good vision at distance we can give them good vision for reading,' Dr Qureshi told Sky News.
'They won’t need their glasses at all.'
The lens is a permanent fixture that the makers claim will never need to be removed or replaced.
Gill Balfour was one of the first patients to receive the lens and used to have cataracts.
She said: 'It's absolutely incredible. To think it's been tailor-made for you, matching any imperfections. It's the way forward, isn't it?'
dailymail
Mushrooms and green tea may lower breast-cancer risk
A recent study reported in the International Journal of Cancer suggests that women who eat large amounts of mushrooms and drink a lot of green tea may be at lower risk for developing breast cancer.The research trial included more than 2,000 Chinese women, with 1,009 breast-cancer patients (aged 20-87) and an equal number of healthy women matched for age. Each woman completed a detailed dietary questionnaire citing specific foods consumed.
Do mushrooms and green tea affect breast-cancer rates?
The researchers found that the greater the mushroom consumption (both fresh and dried), the lower the breast-cancer risk. Those who ate the greatest amounts of fresh mushrooms (10 grams or more per day) were about 2/3 less likely than those who ate none at all to develop breast cancer. Subjects who ate 4 grams per day saw their breast-cancer risk fall by half.
Interestingly, the women decreased their risk even more if they also drank green tea daily. The breast-cancer risk of women who consumed both mushrooms and green tea was 11 percent, compared to 18 percent for women who didn't consume either food. The study used green tea, which is a "younger" tea but which still has caffeine.
No proof yet
While the researchers eliminated possible confounding factors, this study does not prove that mushrooms and green tea actually reduce a woman's chances of getting breast cancer.
Epidemiological studies, however, do show that in places where the Chinese people are still eating the traditional diet, breast-cancer rates are 4-to-5 times lower than those of most developed countries. (All bets are off if a Chinese woman has switched to eating a westernized diet.)
While this study has not nailed down a cause-and-effect relationship, it is the first to link high dietary consumption of mushrooms and green tea to reduced breast-cancer risk. In addition, those participants who ate at least 10 grams of mushrooms per day saw the greatest reductions in their risk. (See Mushrooms: The Ultimate Longevity Food.)
So eat some!
Half a cup of raw mushrooms weighs roughly 35 grams, so a little more than 1/8 cup of raw mushrooms a day (about 8 or 9 grams' worth) might just help reduce your breast-cancer risk. Even an 8-ounce cup of raw mushrooms would add up to only 10 calories; therefore, a big helping of these tasty fungi might also help you feel fuller and lose weight. Adding green tea may be a good idea, too. (See Go Green for Your Breast Health.)
If you're a mushroom-lover or willing to try them, here are some tips:
* Look for mushrooms that are firm, unblemished, and free of mold or surface moisture (but not dry).
* Store pre-packed containers of mushrooms in airtight plastic bags in the fridge, so they'll hold on to their moisture and won't spoil so rapidly.
* Place loose mushrooms in a paper bag and then in your fridge.
* Squeeze some lemon or lime juice onto raw mushrooms to help them retain their color.
health.yahoo
Eat more vegetables and less meat to long life
Reducing consumption of a protein found in fish and meat could slow the ageing process and increase life expectancy, according to the research. Scientists have long believed that an ultra low calorie diet - aproximately 60 per cent of normal levels - can lead to greater longevity.But now a team of British researchers have discovered that the key to the effect is a reduction in a specific protein and not the total number of calories. That means that by reducing foods that contain the protein - such as meat, fish and certain nuts - people should live longer wiuthout the need to cut down on meals.
Dr Matthew Piper, from the Institute of Healthy Ageing at University College London, said that a vegetarian diet could be one way to achieve the effect.
Studies in animals including monkeys have shown that reducing food intake can benefit health and increase lifespan.
Researchers have found that reducing calories by as much as 30 per cent could reduce risks of developing heart disease or cancer by half and increase lifetimes by nearly a third. The extreme diets - just above malnutrition levels - add an extra 25 years to the average life in Britain with the vast majority of people living to their 100th birthday
But in a series of new experiments on fruit flies, scientists discovered that simply varying the mix of amino acids in the diet affected lifespan.
Further study revealed that one particular amino acid, methionine, made all the difference.
Studies in animals including monkeys have shown that reducing food intake can benefit health and increase lifespan.
Researchers have found that reducing calories by as much as 30 per cent could reduce risks of developing heart disease or cancer by half and increase lifetimes by nearly a third. The extreme diets - just above malnutrition levels - add an extra 25 years to the average life in Britain with the vast majority of people living to their 100th birthday
But in a series of new experiments on fruit flies, scientists discovered that simply varying the mix of amino acids in the diet affected lifespan.
Further study revealed that one particular amino acid, methionine, made all the difference.
Although flies and people are very different, the researchers believe the effects are likely to be conserved throughout a wide range of different species including humans.
Dr Piper said: "It's not as simple as saying 'eat less nuts' or 'eat more nuts' to live longer - it's about getting the protein balance right, a factor that might be particularly important for high protein diets, such as the Atkins diet or body builders' protein supplements."
Methionine is essential to the formation of all proteins. It is naturally abundant in foods such as fish and meats as well as sesame seeds, Brazil nuts and wheat germ.
Humans have around four times more genes than the fruit fly, but both share many similar genes with basic biological functions.
Therefore, even though the fruit fly does not on the surface resemble humans, many findings about its basic biology can be extrapolated to humans.
Dr Piper said: "It's not as simple as saying 'eat less nuts' or 'eat more nuts' to live longer - it's about getting the protein balance right, a factor that might be particularly important for high protein diets, such as the Atkins diet or body builders' protein supplements."
Methionine is essential to the formation of all proteins. It is naturally abundant in foods such as fish and meats as well as sesame seeds, Brazil nuts and wheat germ.
Humans have around four times more genes than the fruit fly, but both share many similar genes with basic biological functions.
Therefore, even though the fruit fly does not on the surface resemble humans, many findings about its basic biology can be extrapolated to humans.
"This work was done on flies but similar results have been found in mice," said Dr Piper. "If it turns it has the same effect on humans, then the message is avoid high levels of methionine."
Telegraph
Red wine helps prevent tooth decay
But red wine could actually be good for your teeth, scientists have claimed.
They have found it contains chemicals that could ward off decay by stopping harmful bacteria from sticking to teeth.
The findings, due to be published in the journal Food Chemistry, suggest a daily glass of red could help to keep teeth healthy and reduce the need for fillings.
In contrast, a recent study showed white wine could damage dental health because its high acid content erodes the enamel that coats the surface of a tooth.
Red wine, when drunk in moderation, is already thought to have a protective effect against heart disease and some forms of cancer.
But in recent years, scientists have also been investigating whether it could help to prevent dental decay. Last year, a team of U.S. researchers discovered that chemicals found in large quantities in the discarded seeds and skins of grapes pressed to make wine blocked the ability of corrosive bacteria to bind with tooth enamel.
The most damaging bacteria, called streptococcus mutans, live in the mouth and feed on sugar in the diet. Once it sticks to the enamel, the organism triggers a process called demineralisation, where acid starts to punch holes in the teeth.
In the latest study, researchers at Pavia University in Italy exposed the bacteria to a small amount of red wine that had all its alcohol content removed.
This was so they could clarify if it was the alcohol, or something else in wine, that had a beneficial effect. The results showed harmful organisms were unable to cling to teeth or saliva once exposed to red wine. The scientists said the active ingredient was a group of compounds called proanthocyanidins, chemicals rich in antioxidants that are found mainly in grape skins.
However, the researchers are investigating whether the compounds can be extracted and used as a form of treatment on their own, as some wines contain sugars and acids that can also be corrosive to teeth. The Pavia University findings add to the list of potential benefits from red wine. Studies have suggested that it can also improve your brain power, boost your immune system, fight diabetes, obesity and the signs of old age.
Research conducted at Columbia University, New York, found that moderate drinkers or red wine score higher in mental acuity tests than those who never touch alcohol. The reason, discovered Dr Clinton Wright, professor of neurology at Columbia, is that resveratrol, found in grape skins, promotes healthy blood flow to the brain. And a study by scientists at King's College, London, published in November, found mounting evidence that chemicals found in red wine, called flavonoids, might protect against Alzheimer's disease. However, the consumption of too much alcohol is linked to high blood pressure, liver problems and infertility.
Dailymail
8 Reasons to Make Time for Family Dinner
Soccer practices, dance rehearsals, playdates, and other scheduling conflicts make family mealtime seem like a thing of the past. During the holidays, it gets even worse with parties, school events, and last-minute shopping trips. Suddenly, we’re feeding our kids breakfast bars during the morning commute, sneaking 100-calorie packs at our desks, and grabbing dinner at the drive-thru window.
Eating meals together goes beyond the opportunity for bonding and relaxing. And despite the feeling that there’s no time for such luxuries, 59% of families report eating dinner together at least five times a week—an increase from only 47% in 1998, according to the Importance of Family Dinner IV, a report from the National Center on Addiction and Substance Abuse (CASA) at Columbia University.
If you’re finding it difficult to get together with your family at the dinner table, here’s a little inspiration:
1. Kids might learn to love their veggies.
A 2000 survey found that the 9- to 14-year-olds who ate dinner with their families most frequently ate more fruits and vegetables and less soda and fried foods. Their diets also had higher amounts of many key nutrients, like calcium, iron, and fiber. Family dinners allow for both “discussions of nutrition [and] provision of healthful foods,” says Matthew W. Gillman, MD, the survey’s lead researcher and the director of the Obesity Prevention Program at the Harvard Medical School.
2. It’s the perfect setting for new foods.
Most likely, a 6-year-old is not one day going to decide she’d really like to try Brussels sprouts. Parents have to introduce new foods to children, who initially need a little guidance in making healthy choices. A family meal is the perfect opportunity for parents to expose children to different foods and expand their tastes.
In a 2003 study in the European Journal of Clinical Nutrition, children were offered some pieces of sweet red pepper and asked to rate how much they liked it. Then, each day for the next eight school days, they were invited to eat as much of the pepper as they wanted. On the final day, the kids were again asked to rate how much they liked it.
By the end of the experiment, the children rated the pepper more highly and were eating more of it—even more so than another group of children who were offered a reward for eating the pepper. These results suggest that a little more exposure and a little less “You can leave the table once you finish your broccoli!” will teach kids to enjoy new foods, even if they don’t like them at first.
3. You control the portions.
Americans spend more than 40% of their food budget on meals outside of the home. Eating out can be convenient but it’s also caloric—portion sizes in restaurants just keep growing! The average restaurant meal has as much as 60% more calories than a homemade meal. Studies show that when we are presented with more food, we eat more food, possibly leading to our expanding waistlines.
4. Healthy meals mean happy kids.
Studies have shown that kids who eat with their families frequently are less likely to get depressed, consider suicide, and develop an eating disorder. They are also more likely to delay sex and to report that their parents are proud of them. When a child is feeling down or depressed, family dinner can act as an intervention. This is especially true of eating disorders, says Dianne Neumark-Sztainer, PhD, a professor at the University of Minnesota’s School of Public Health, who has studied the impact of family meal patterns on adolescents. “If a child eats with his or her parents on a regular basis, problems will be identified earlier on,” she says.
5. Family dinners help kids “just say no.”
Eating family dinners at least five times a week drastically lowers a teen’s chance of smoking, drinking, and using drugs. Teens who have fewer than three family dinners a week are 3.5 times more likely to have abused prescription drugs and to have used illegal drugs other than marijuana, three times more likely to have used marijuana, more than 2.5 times more likely to have smoked cigarettes, and 1.5 times more likely to have tried alcohol, according to the CASA report “While substance abuse can strike any family, regardless of ethnicity, affluence, age, or gender, the parental engagement fostered at the dinner table can be a simple, effective tool to help prevent [it],” says Elizabeth Planet, one of the report’s researchers, and the center’s vice president and director of special projects.
6. Better food, better report card.
Of teens who eat with their family fewer than three times a week, 20% get C’s or lower on their report cards, according to the CASA report. Only 9% of teens who eat frequently with their families do this poorly in school. Family meals give children an opportunity to have conversations with adults, as well as to pick up on how adults are using words with each other, which may explain why family dinnertime is also thought to build a child’s vocabulary.
7. Supper can be a stress reliever.
Believe it or not, if you have a demanding job, finding time to eat with your family may actually leave you feeling less stressed. In 2008, researchers at Brigham Young University conducted a study of IBM workers and found that sitting down to a family meal helped working moms reduce the tension and strain from long hours at the office. (Interestingly, the effect wasn’t as pronounced among dads.) Alas, the study didn’t take into account the stress of rushing to get out of the office, picking up the kids, and getting a meal on the table.
8. Put a little cash in your pocket.
In 2007, the average household spent $3,465 on meals at home, and $2,668 on meals away from home, according to the national Consumer Expenditure Survey from the Bureau of Labor Statistics. When you take into consideration that the $2,668 spent on meals away from home only accounts for about 30% of meals (according to historical data), that’s about $8 per meal outside of the home, and only about $4.50 per each meal made in your own kitchen. You do the math!
from: health.com
Simple test may determine smokers' lung cancer risk
Overview
Smoking is a lot like Russian roulette: You never know who will end up developing lung cancer and who won't. But Dr. Jian-Min Yuan, as well as other researchers from the University of Minnesota, say they are one step closer to determining a smoker's risk for developing the disease. In a study, they tracked the carcinogen and nicotine levels in nearly 500 smokers through a simple urine test and discovered a link between the level of a specific carcinogen and lung cancer. Their findings were presented at the American Association for Cancer Research conference.
Questions and answers
Why did researchers track only the levels of one carcinogen?
We all know that tobacco smoke is bad: It's loaded with 60 different carcinogens, which cause all sorts of health risks. There is one carcinogen in particular that researchers suspected for years contributed to human lung cancer. But there were never any scientific human studies showing this relationship. This carcinogen is known as NNK. It releases into your body when you inhale smoke, quickly passes through the liver, gets metabolized and releases NNAL, a byproduct of NNK, into the bloodstream. University of Minnesota researchers were tracking the NNAL levels via urine samples.
How much did a person have to smoke to develop high levels of NNAL?
The exact amount is a little tricky to determine because a lot depends on how honest a person is about how many cigarettes he or she smoked per day. Additionally, the type of cigarette and how deeply a person inhales could affect the amount of carcinogens in the body. Researchers say a person with high levels of NNAL and high levels of nicotine (equivalent to smoking about a pack of cigarettes a day) is 8.5 times more likely to develop lung cancer compared with a smoker with lower levels. While the researchers point out that not everyone who has a high level of NNAL is going to develop lung cancer, it does help assign a number to a risk that was hard to quantify before.
Isn't smoking bad for you regardless? What is the benefit of having this type of information?
There is nothing healthy about smoking. Even if this test pegs you at low risk of developing lung cancer, it doesn't mean you won't develop a dozen other cancers commonly cause by smoking. If you smoke, the No. 1 thing you should do is quit. But that is easier said than done. If it were easy, 23 percent of adults in the United States would not smoke regularly. One benefit of knowing whether a smoker is at increased risk for lung cancer is for his or her doctor to mscreen the person regularly for abnormalities, in the hopes of catching the cancer early.
Lung cancer is but one consequence of smoking, so this type of testing is not going to fix everything. But as far as lung cancer goes, it may give people a better idea of when and how often to get screened.
Arcording CNN
3 Simple Ways to Have a Great Run
If you ever feel sluggish, achy, or winded when you run, surprise: The culprit is likely your posture. The right body alignment is the key to an efficient, injury-free, and fun workout. Follow our head-to-toe tips for conquering the top three posture mistakes, and you’ll be striding with ease.
Slumped shoulders
They slow you down and restrict breathing.
They slow you down and restrict breathing.
The fix
Think tall. If you start to slouch, take a deep breath (you’ll feel yourself straighten naturally) and roll your shoulders back. Stack your head, shoulders, hips, and feet so they’re aligned. And look ahead toward the horizon; your gaze will help you stay upright.
Stiff arms
Keeping them motionless prevents them from doing their job—propelling you forward—and saps precious energy.
Keeping them motionless prevents them from doing their job—propelling you forward—and saps precious energy.
The fix
Bend your elbows to 90 degrees, and tense and release your shoulders, arms, and hands to relax. Swing your arms like pendulums forward and backward from your shoulders, not side to side across your body.
Overstriding
Big steps can slow you down and cause injury.
The fix: Increase your stride rate and improve your efficiency by taking shorter steps more quickly, making sure your feet are directly under your hips (versus out in front of them) when they hit the pavement. Work on this a few times during each run.
Source from http://www.health.com/health
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