Good news for all premiership goalkeepers – a recent study has indicated that people with fast reactions are likely to live longer than those less rapid. In fact, with evidence suggesting that those with slow reactions were 2.6 times more likely to suffer a premature death, the only risk factor that is greater to your health is smoking.

The findings point to a relationship between reaction times and intelligence – the faster you are the more intelligent you are so it would seem. This then leads to those with higher intelligence enjoying healthier lifestyles including better diets and more exercise.

To the layman it may seem a bit of a dubious chain of evidence. Though as I have the reactions of a drunken slug I would say that.

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A study of 650 people in South West England found that 36% of people diagnosed with type 2 diabetes were put on medication too early. The findings, announced to a Diabetes UK conference, found that many patients who are diagnosed are put on diabetes medication within 1 month of diagnosis. This despite guidelines recommending that initial treatment should focus on lifestyle change, including healthier eating and increased exercise.

Type 2 diabetes occurrence has soared over recent years as the population continue to get more overweight. While medication undoubtedly has its place in the treatment of diabetes, there are major concerns that too easily it becomes a first port of call – an easy option! Guidelines suggest that more focus should be made on the impact of lifestyle choices in causing diabetes, ensuring patients understand the importance of improving diet and exercising more often.

Simon O’Neill of Diabetes UK backs this up by saying:

“A healthy, balanced diet and doing physical activity should always be the foundation of good diabetes management.

“Type 2 diabetes is a progressive condition – the longer a person has diabetes, the more likely they are to need tablets, and eventually insulin.”

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New figures have shown that the amount of people to catch measles has risen by 36% in 2008. The rise from 990 cases in 2007 to 1348 in 2008 is largely due to the increasing amount of children who have not been fully vaccinated with combined MMR.

The MMR vaccine was at the centre of controversy when research suggested it was linked to an increased risk of autism. This research has since been discredited but the effects of the claims continue to be felt. Only around 78% of children are believed to have had the recommended second dose at the age of 5 and the vast majority of the outbreaks have been among those who are not vaccinated. With measles being so contagious this allows the infection to spread easily among those children who have not had MMR.

The good news for those who have yet to be vaccinated is that, according to immunisation expert Dr Mary Ramsay, it is “never too late” to get the MMR vaccine. Dr Ramsay also adds:

“Measles should not be taken lightly as you can never tell who will go on to develop the more serious complications of pneumonia and encephalitis”.

Even for those of you who have had your children vaccinated it’s not a bad idea to ensure your child has a strong immune system. KiddieBoost Natural Immune System Support for children is a natural remedy specifically designed to keep children healthy.  It naturally improves the immune systems of children to allow their body’s to fight disease and infection more effectively. Even if you’re not worried about measles it’s a great supplement to see off those winter colds!

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New research has shown that eating too much junk food not only affects your waist line, it can also affect your mental health. A new report has found that stuffing your face with foods rich in fat, sugar and cholesterol can increase your risk to developing Alzheimer’s disease, a dementia currently affecting over 400,000 people in Britain.

The research carried out in Sweden found that junk food altered the formation of a protein called tau which is prominent in Alzheimer patients, killing off brain cells. They also found an association between cholesterol levels and lower levels of a protein called arc, which is important for storing memories.

Researcher Susanne Akterin commented;

“we suspect that a high intake of fat and cholesterol, in combination with genetic factors, can adversely affect several brain substances, which can be a contributory factor in the development of Alzheimer’s,”

“All in all, the results give some indication of how Alzheimer’s can be prevented but more research in this field needs to be done before proper advice can be passed on to the public.”

It is already known that there is a direct link between being overweight and dementia in people over the age of 60, and this just adds yet more health risks to the ever increasing obesity problem.

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It seems that the affection we have have for our excess baggage around our mid-rift could be about to be soured. OK so we’re carrying a little extra weight – it’s just something to keep your partners hands comfortable right? Well not any more it seems – love handles now come with a health warning.

Although the relationship between waist line and health issues has been known for some time, a new study now enables us to have a far clearer picture. The study of almost 360,000 people from all over Europe declared waist size a very powerful indicator of health risk. Nothing new in that you may think, but the study does provide an intriguing way to quantify this risk.

Basically it boils down to this – for every excess 2 inches of love fat you carry the chance of you meeting your reaper early rise by between 13% and 17%. If you’re a man with a waist line of over 47 inches then you are twice as likely to die than a man with a waist line of 31.5 inches. For women similar statistics are found between women with a 39 inch waist and a 25.5 inch waist. It seems that the size of your waist influences the development of several chronic diseases, including heart disease and diabetes.

If you’re waist line is growing and the ‘love’ is getting greater then maybe it’s time to make a few adjustments. Otherwise you could literally find yourself loved to death.

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A study of 10 years old on the Isle of Wight has discovered that children who were breast fed for at least 4 months have a much stronger lung capacity than those who weren’t breast fed. Although as yet it is uncertain why this is, it has been suggested that the different mechanics and duration of sucking may be the cause. On average breast fed babies need to generate 3 times the suction power than those that are bottle fed, meaning that by default feeding also lasts much longer. This has opened up the possibility of changes in bottle design to copy the process.

Dr Elaine Vickers, from Asthma UK, said "While the results of the study don’t focus specifically on asthma, the researchers were able to demonstrate that children breast-fed for four months or longer had better lung function than those who weren’t breast-fed at all, or who were breast-fed for less than four months.

"We currently support advice from the Department of Health, which states that where possible, babies should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life."

Obviously not all mothers are able to breast feed so that is where new bottle designs become more important. The research team have already been reported to have approached a bottle manufacturer so future bottle feeding mothers can look forward to healthier lungs for their children.

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For migraine suffering women around the globe a silver lining has been revealed in the form of a breast cancer study in Seattle. It seems that women who suffer regularly from migraine headaches have a much lower risk to breast cancer.

The study of 3,412 women carried out by the researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle, suggests that the risk is lowered by as much as 30%. Though they do also warn that further investigation is still required into the results.

The connection it seems is to the fluctuation of hormone levels, conditions stimulated by events such as being pregnant or using the pill.

"This gives us a new avenue to explore the biology behind risk reduction" reported Dr Christopher Li.

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The child obesity problem in the UK has seemingly hit a new level with the news that schools now need to buy bigger desks as children get too big for existing classroom furniture.

A commission led by former cabinet minister Charles reported that children were now taller and heavier than ever before, requiring sturdier chairs and higher tables.

The issue of obesity isn’t the only health risk this raises though. Children being forced into under-sized chairs face added problems of back pain and low attention spans as discomfort becomes distracting. It’s clear that while children getting taller is only a problem for the furniture manufacturers, the weight issue is one more wide set in society.

If you are worried about your child’s weight then why not take a look at a homeopathic child weight loss formula such as JuniorSlim. JuniorSlim is a safe and effective remedy which will not only help control child weight, but will also support healthy digestive functioning while supporting the liver, kidneys and spleen.

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It seems that the list of things being affected by the credit crunch just goes on and on. Experts are now warning that investment in biotech firms is on the slow down, meaning there will less funding for the inventing and development of new drugs.

It’s not just the drug companies that are going to suffer from a lack of investment either. Most charities throughout the world expect to be hit by reduced donations as people feel the squeeze on the costs of living – as the old saying goes ‘charity starts at home’.

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It’s a fact that fat people cost health services worldwide millions, if not billions, each and every year. Relatively recent figures show that in central and eastern Cheshire (just one small part of the UK) the cost to the NHS in 2007 on treating weight related ailments was £111.4 million. Just imagine what that figure escalates to nationwide.

There is a very good reason why that figure is so high – being overweight is a common denominator in a whole host of health problems. High Blood pressure, heart disease, strokes, diabetes, breathing problems, joint pain and cancer are just a few of the increased risks anyone takes by letting their weight escalate. The trouble is so few of us realise it.

If you’re concerned with your weight take a look at our ‘Losing Weight Effectively‘ health article. It’s very basic but then so are most of the best health tips. And you never know – they might just save your life.

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