New research sheds light on genes and jeans sizes. Your mother's body does not seal your fate Studies suggest that genes determine 80 percent of your weight and body shape, but environment and personal choices also play an important role, so you will not necessarily look like your mother in middle age. Your mother grew […]
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Coffee lovers can relax and pour another cup. A new study from the US National Cancer Institute suggests that men who drink six or more cups of coffee a day are 10% less likely to die than men who do not drink coffee, and women coffee lovers 15% less likely. The results of the 14-year […]
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Depriving your body of sleep also deprives your figure of its slimness. For your waistline, good sleep is no less important than a strict diet and exercise, or so researchers at the Mayo Clinic have confirmed. Most recommendations from specialist centres say adults should sleep between 7.5 and 9 hours a night, something only the […]
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Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) is one of the most common complaints. It is usually so mild that many people live with it without knowing they have it, but in many cases it can cause severe symptoms and intense pain. IBS has many causes, but most are directly linked to everyday habits, including: The main symptom […]
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The Mediterranean diet benefits not only people with metabolic syndrome but also people with a large waist, high cholesterol or triglycerides, or abnormal blood sugar or blood pressure, according to research published on 15 March 2011 in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology. The analysis combined the results of 50 studies of the […]
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Most people read "fat-free" as "good for you". In fact this is a misjudgement, because we hear so much about the benefits of cutting fat for weight loss and health. Cutting fat out of your diet does not make you lose weight, and cutting it for a long time does the body more harm than […]
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Southernwood (Artemisia abrotanum) is a medicinal herb grown as a strong seasoning with a taste reminiscent of wormwood. It is a medium-sized herb about a metre tall with long, narrow, branching leaves and a lemony scent. Its small yellow flowers open in July and August. The leaves and flowers are used fresh or dried and […]
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A study has found that eating more fatty food during pregnancy is linked to more obesity in children. Animal studies have shown that a high-fat, high-sugar diet in pregnancy increases oxidative stress (a build-up of free radicals), raising the offspring's risk of obesity and diabetes after birth. This study showed that giving the animals antioxidants […]
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In the world of sport, some people swear by water while others recommend energy drinks or special, magic mixtures. But the truth is that nothing so far beats milk. The best thing anyone can do after exercise is drink a glass of milk. Researchers have found that milk replaces the fluid and salts the body […]
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Allergan says its gastric band helps a much wider group of obese people lose weight, according to documents published on Wednesday. Allergan, the biggest maker of Botox (injections for wrinkles), breast implants and other cosmetic products, plans to market its Lap-Band to people who are less obese than current users, which could boost sales. Allergan's […]
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Many overweight people skip breakfast hoping to shed a few kilos. A recent study found that about 25% of American women skip breakfast to save the calories it provides and lose weight. Unfortunately, most of them gained weight instead, because they ate much more at lunch to make up for the hunger that built up […]
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Research now supports the belief that drinking extra water helps you lose weight. It is no surprise that this liquid, found everywhere in the world, can curb the appetite. A study at Virginia Tech put middle-aged and older people on a low-calorie, low-fat diet and split them into two groups. The only difference was that […]
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