The earliest evidence of humans using plants or other natural substances as medicine goes back to the Neanderthals, 50,000 years ago. In northern Iraq, archaeologists found human remains buried with herbs now known to kill bacteria, and some of these herbs are still used by people in the region today. Honey The first written recipe […]
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During the 2014 epidemic we spoke to Dr Mohammad Maher Kutlan, a specialist in preventive medicine and epidemiology, to learn more about Ebola. What is Ebola, and why is there so much concern about it? It is a sudden, acute and severe viral infection of the whole body, endemic in Africa, especially tropical Central and […]
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Wasted medicine is a fundamental problem for the health sector, and patients suffer from it too. The problem has many sides. One is waste at home. For many patients, the dose they need does not match the amount in the pack, so they have to buy a whole pack, sometimes an expensive one, without needing […]
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Patients have lately been asking a lot about laser teeth whitening. We asked dentist and oral surgeon Dr Zeinallah Talal al-Qari to explain. Laser whitening uses high-energy light, from a halogen or plasma arc lamp, to release hydrogen peroxide molecules without irritating the tooth's nerve, she says. First a wax-like layer is applied to protect […]
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Heatstroke What it is: the result of exposure to high heat for several hours. Signs: First aid: Febrile seizures What they are: shaking movements with a fever above 40 °C, in children aged between 6 months and 6 years. Signs: a temperature of 40 °C and shaking movements. First aid: Normal vital signs By Ayat […]
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Much research around the world has found that foods made from soy may help stop breast cancer from spreading, a benefit specific to soy products. Soy products contain compounds called isoflavones, which resemble hormones in the human body. Scientists believe these compounds can limit the spread and growth of breast cancer, and that eating soy […]
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Ninth-grade students at a school in Denmark carried out an experiment that caught the attention of scientists around the world, and its results may make you think twice about filling your home with wireless devices. Five schoolgirls ran the experiment after noticing that sleeping with their mobile phones next to their heads made them less […]
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A stroke happens when blood cannot reach part of the brain, either because a vessel is blocked (a clot) or because a blood vessel in the brain bursts. Without quick treatment, the part of the brain starved of blood dies, which can cause disability or even death. Symptoms of a stroke include: Testing for a […]
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The company Bumbo has voluntarily recalled more than four million baby seats because they pose a danger and have caused many injuries, including skull fractures. The foam seat was involved in at least 50 accidents when placed on a raised surface since 2007, and in another 34 when one side of it was placed higher […]
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A new study suggests that women who sit for long periods are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes. Risk factors linked to diabetes, such as inflammation and insulin resistance, rose with long sitting in women, but no such link was found in men. Even women who did moderate or vigorous exercise were still at […]
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1. Twins and superstition Twins have always attracted more attention than other babies, and in some cultures they are viewed strangely: the mother of twins may be shunned or revered. In parts of India she was once considered unchaste, because a man was thought unable to father more than one child at a time. Some […]
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Many mothers worry about their child's thumb sucking. Modern medicine says the habit is normal if the child stops by the age of five. If it carries on beyond that age, it becomes a problem that needs treatment, because it harms the child both socially and physically. A child who keeps sucking their thumb may […]
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