Healthwise    August 2010  

Healthwise is a regular column written especially for laterlife.com members and visitors. Welcome to healthwise 125.

For previous articles in the healthwise series visit 'More Healthwise'  

NEWS AND VIEWS
FROM THE WORLD OF MEDICINE AND HEALTH

We should all be delighted at the advances now being made by scientists, researchers and the medical profession. For 2010 we will continue to highlight some of the latest developments in health and medicine. 

Healthwise 125

More of us around

The number of people dying each year has reached a new low.
During the last ten years, the number of men passing away has fallen by 26 per cent, with a 22 per cent fall in women. These percentages are the lowest mortality rates since records began in 1841. Last year the number of registered deaths in England and Wales was 491,348, the first time the number has dropped below 500,000 since 1952.
Better food, lifestyles and health care are said to be contributing causes.

Brain fitness

A commercial computer game designed to boost visual perception has been shown to also improve memory in older adults.

The research, led by scientists at the University of California in San Francisco, was one of the first to measure both mental performance and changes in neural activity caused by a cognitive training programme.

After ten hours of training, the older participants not only improved their perceptual abilities but also increased the accuracy of their working memory by about ten percent, bringing them up to the level of younger adults.

Womb cancer hits a 30 year old peak

The number of women suffering from cancer of the womb has risen to an all time high, from 13 per 100,000 25 years ago to more than 19 per 100,000. Each year more than 7,500 women develop the disease. It is now the fourth most common cancer among British women.

Cancer Research UK say the rise could be due to the increase in obesity plus women having fewer or no children.

They say all women should be aware of the early symptoms of womb cancer which can include bleeding and abdominal pain.

Broccoli can help

It has been said for some time that broccoli seems to help reduce the chance of developing prostate cancer. Now scientists say they have identified the reason.

It seems a chemical in broccoli called sulforaphane counteracts a fault with the gene called PTEN which is involved in prostate cancer.

Mobile phone risk

A landmark £15 million study started in 1998 and involving scientists in 13 countries has concluded that people who regularly hold long conversations on mobile handsets are at greater risk of developing potentially fatal brain tumours.

The Interphone project, initiated by the International Agency for Research on Cancer, part of the UN World Health Organisation, came up with the conclusion after involving nearly 13,000 people to collect the data.

However, there is some doubt thrown on the studies as it is feared that the accuracy of the results could be undermined because people cannot always recall properly how often or long they used their handsets.

If in any doubt about any of the information covered in healthwise articles and it's relevance for you, consult your GP.

IN THE PREVIOUS EDITION

New hope for cancer sufferers
Trials at London’s Institute of Cancer Research have shown that a new drug Reolysin magnifies the effects of radiotherapy with quite dramatic results.

Magnificent Magnesium
Magnesium supplements have been shown to help with migraines.

Support stockings to combat DVT
Warnings have been issued for people to buy support stockings to counteract DVT in the correct size for their legs.

Treatment prolongs life of prostate cancer sufferers
A new medicine has been developed that can prolong the life of people suffering from advanced prostate cancer by around four months, one month longer than chemotherapy.

Theme park rides can damage hearing
Research from the Henry Ford Hospital in Michigan have round that today’s fast rides can cause damage to the ear drums.