Energy drinks may make you five times more likely to have a stroke
(Lynne Walls/ Daily Mail) — Juggling a busy job and family life, Mark Horsman relied on a daily combination of eight cups of coffee and three cans of Red Bull to keep him going.
For three years, the construction manager from Brighton thought nothing of it. But one day, after downing two cans in a row, he was suddenly struck by a terrifying ‘booming’ …
Chronic fatigue: Overactive immune system ‘may trigger ME-like symptoms’
(Laurel Ives/ BBC Health) — An overactive immune system may help explain the cause of chronic fatigue syndrome, scientists from King’s College London have suggested.
Many sufferers of CFS, or ME, say their condition began with a challenge to their immune system like an infection.
The scientists studied 55 patients with …
19% of women, 13% of men report workplace harassment in StatsCan survey
(CBC News) — About 19 per cent of Canadian women and 13 per cent of men reported being harassed in the workplace, with the highest level of harassment in health-care jobs, according to Statistics Canada.
Verbal abuse was the most common form …
Heart attack risk is 37 per cent higher on Christmas Eve
(Linda Searing/ Washington Post) — Heart attacks are believed to be more common in times of heightened emotions, brought on by things such as sporting events, hurricanes and stock market crashes.
Now, add Christmas Eve to that list.
The risk of having a heart attack is 37 per cent higher on Christmas Eve, peaking at 10 p.m., according …
Crohn’s, colitis may be tied to prostate cancer
(Robert Preidt/ HealthDay) — Men with inflammatory bowel disease have a significantly greater risk of prostate cancer, a new study finds.
About 1 million men in the United States have inflammatory bowel disease, which includes Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis.
“These patients may need to be screened more carefully …
Crosswords and sudoku may not stop mental decline
(Reuters Health) — Mental engagement through problem-solving games like crossword puzzles, sudoku and brain teasers may not offset cognitive losses due to age-related dementia, a new study suggests.
Still, practicing these kinds of activities throughout life might boost mental ability and provide a higher starting point before …
Some hyperactive kids may have sleep apnea, not ADHD
(CTV News) — When Kian Yazdani was in Grade 1, it was clear something was wrong. He was often upset in the morning, and his teachers reported that he had angry outbursts at school.
Doctors suggested ADHD as the culprit, but Melody Yazdani wasn’t so sure. Noting that her son had dark circles under his eyes, she started doing her own research. …
Study links vitamin D-deficient older adults with greater risk of developing depression
(The Health Site) — A new study by researchers from The Irish Longitudinal Study on Ageing (TILDA) at Trinity College Dublin has shown for the first time in Ireland that a deficiency in vitamin D was associated with a substantial increased risk of depression (+75 percent) over a four-year follow up period.
The study has been published …
Scientists reprogrammed human skin cells into immune cells to fight cancer
(Jacob Banas/ Futurism.com) — Fighting cancer with the body’s own immune system is no easy task. Sometimes cancer may cause the dendritic cells to behave in unusual ways and not function properly. There’s also the chance your body might reject the treatment all together. By creating immune cells from a patient’s own body, the chance …