IMPROVING YOUR HEALTH LIFE

Vaginal mesh implants: Australia apologises for 'decades of pain' Image caption The health scandal has affected women around the world The Australian government has issued a national apology to women affected by a vaginal mesh scandal, acknowledging decades of "agony and pain". Mesh implants are at the centre of health scandal affecting women around the world, prompting lawsuits in the UK, US, Canada and Australia. In March, an Australian inquiry found that the devices had ruined many lives. The medical implants were used to treat pelvic organ prolapse and incontinence after childbirth. More than 700 women in Australia have joined a class action against one manufacturer, Johnson & Johnson, but lawyers say up to 8,000 women may have been affected. Health Minister Greg Hunt said on Wednesday: "On behalf of the Australian government, I say sorry to all of those women with the historic agony and pain that has come from mesh implantation which have l...

Shisha addiction may be stronger than cigarette addiction Not the healthy choice.  HelgaBragina/Shuttersto Smoking shisha is  very popular , particularly among young people. And despite what many people believe, it is highly  addictive . In fact, a drug commonly prescribed to help people quit smoking cigarettes doesn’t seem to work for shisha smokers, our  latest study  shows. Given that shisha is often smoked with friends and family, its addiction may be more than just physical. This strong social element to the addiction may be the reason the smoking cessation drug, varenicline, which is effective for cigarette smokers, doesn’t have the same effect on daily shisha smokers. Traditionally smoked by older men in the Middle East and South Asia, shisha has now gained popularity around the globe. Shisha cafes and bars have opened in most cities in Europe and the US in recent years. Flavoured brands, such as fruit shisha, have become particularly ...

Low-carb diets could shorten life, study suggests By Alex Therrien Media caption Taking out food groups not beneficial, says nutritionist A low-carb diet could shorten life expectancy by up to four years, a study suggests. Low-carb diets, such as Atkins, have become increasingly popular for weight loss and have shown promise for lowering the risk of some illnesses. But a US study over 25 years indicates that moderate carb consumption - or switching meat for plant-based protein and fats - is healthier. The study relied on people remembering the amount of carbohydrates they ate. 'Gaining widespread popularity' In the study,  published in The Lancet Public Health , 15,400 people from the US filled out questionnaires on the food and drink they consumed, along with portion sizes. From this, scientists estimated the proportion of calories they got from carbohydrates, fats, and protein. After following the group for an average of 25 years, researchers...

How much water should I drink a day? By  Kerry Torrens - Nutritional therapist What are the benefits of drinking water, how much should you drink per day, and what are the symptoms of dehydration? Discover the facts in our expert guide. When it comes to the optimum amount of water to drink each day, everyone seems to have a different opinion. So should we be drinking 6-8 glasses, two litres, or even more? Do other liquids besides water count? And what are the warning signs that you're drinking too little water? We asked registered nutritionist Kerry Torrens for her expert opinion.   What are the benefits of drinking water? When you stop to think that more than two thirds of your body is water, it's obvious how important it is to stay well hydrated. Hydration is needed for digestion, for our heart and circulation, for temperature control and for our brain to work well. Water is, without doubt, the single most essential component of the h...

We all need food every day, but our changing relationship with it through the years can have a big impact on our health. Share on Facebook Share on Twitter Share on Reddit Share on LinkedIn Share on Google+ Share by Email By Alex Johnstone   From  The Conversation Do you eat to live or live to eat? We have a complicated relationship with food, influenced by cost, availability and even peer pressure. But something we all share is appetite – our desire to eat. While hunger – our body’s way of making us desire food when it needs feeding – is a part of appetite, it is not the only factor. After all, we often eat when we’re not hungry, or may skip a meal despite pangs of hunger. Recent  research  has highlighted that the abundance of food cues – smells, sounds, advertising – in our environment is one of the main causes of overconsumption. Our appetite is also not fixed, it changes across our lifespan as we age. As Shakespe...