National hugging day: what are the mental health benefits of hugging?
(Olivia Petter/ The Independent) — It might sound simple, but the humble hug is more powerful than you think.
Hence why there is an entire day dedicated to hugging, and it happens every year on 21 January.
While National Hugging Day is primarily observed in the US, countries around the world participate in the celebrations, …
Researchers believe saliva testing could lead to early breast cancer detection
(CTV Montreal) — Quebec researchers are part of an international study that shows a simple saliva test could help predict a woman’s risk for the disease – a potential breakthrough in cancer screening.
The study started years ago, involving hundreds of scientists across the world, according to Jacques Simard, study co-author and Canada …
Less beef, more beans. Experts say world needs a new diet
(Candice Choi/ Associated Press) — A hamburger a week, but no more — that’s about as much red meat people should eat to do what’s best for their health and the planet, according to a report seeking to overhaul the world’s diet.
Eggs should be limited to fewer than about four a week, the report says. Dairy foods should …
Improve care and quality of life for dementia patients, expert panel urges
(Sheryl Ubelacker/ Canadian Press) — An expert panel has released a report outlining the best ways to tackle the growing incidence of Alzheimer’s and other forms of dementia among Canadians as a basis for the federal government’s long-promised national strategy on the progressive brain diseases.
The report by …
Men are more sensitive to pain than women
(Chrissy Sexton/ Earth.com) — Researchers at McGill University have discovered that men are more sensitive to pain than women. The study also revealed that men have a stronger memory of previous pain, and suffer more when a painful experience is repeated.
The findings, which were confirmed in both mice and humans, could lead …
How exercise burns belly fat
(All4Women) — You don’t have to do endless sit-ups to blast belly fat, but when starting an exercise programme, waist measurements trump the scale…
Research has found that, when you exercise, a signalling molecule called interleukin-6 works to reduce belly fat.
After following a 12-week long cycling exercise programme, obese …
Why exercise alone won’t save us
(Vybarr Cregan-Reid/ The Guardian) — This is the time of year when trainers are mined from under beds and gym kits are disinterred from the bottom drawer. Google searches relating to physical fitness peak in January. Many people even trawl the web to find out about “desk exercises” and “workouts on the go” in case they are too busy to use …
The long road to a new Canada’s Food Guide
(Kelly Crowe/ CBC News) — A rainbow of lively food illustrations hanging on the classroom wall — that’s how most Canadians remember Canada’s Food Guide.
But behind that brightly coloured document is a long history of political wrangling and industry lobbying — a tradition that continues today as Health Canada prepares …
Doctors say flu cases starting to surge, with children especially vulnerable
(Sheryl Ubelacker/ Canadian Press) — Cases of influenza are continuing to ramp up across the country, with kids and teens bearing much of the brunt of the dreaded winter bug, say infectious diseases experts, predicting that the peak of the annual sneezing-coughing-feeling-miserable season is likely still several weeks away. …