Top Tips Archive

Health tips posted in 2006 and before. Hope you find them useful. Let us have your top health tip.

December 2006

Reasons to be tubby, part three

Too much food and too little exercise are the main reasons for being over-weight. But they're not the only ones. Here are a handful of other reasons relevent to the way we live today that it's worth knowing about. Click here for more.

November 2006

No such thing as a media-savvy smoker?

Here's a tip for anyone trying to discourage a teenager from smoking. This is typically a tough task and most programmes have failed. But now research from the University of Pittsburgh suggests that making teens more savvy about the subtle pro-smoking messages in movies and other media may reduce their likelihood of taking up the habit themselves. Kids don't like to be taken for fools or manipulated and the evidence is that the ones who understand more about how media and advertising images works are less likely to fall for them. At least in adolescence! 

October 2006

If you don't know the reason for 'roid rage now you may not be able to figure it out later

The apparent growth in the use of anabolic steroids has been in a lot of the newspapers and mags. The dangers of so-called 'roid rage - when users become very angry - have been reported but not the reasons. Research published in the Journal of Biological Chemistry suggests steroids trigger 'catastrophic' loss of brain cells. Normally, testosterone kills off old nerve cells but boosting testeosterone to excessive levels with steroids can make the cells suicidal. Now you know.

September 2006

The fruit and veg you need made easy

Try an organic vegetable box delivered to your home every week for as little as a fiver. It's as easy as getting your newspaper delivered and a great way of getting enough fruit and vegetables.

Because they're fresh and local, they have the maximum possible vitamins and nutrients. You'll also discover new veg and learn which foods are in season which time of the year. If there are some you don't like, just blend them for a soup.

Make sure the scheme is certified organic by the Soil Association or other member of the United Kingdom Register of Organic Food Standards (UKROFS). There are dozens of these schemes across the country.

August 2006

Sleeping with women is bad for the brain!

A night alone may not be a bad idea from time to time. Recent research at the University of Vienna showed that both men and women slept less well when sleeping together — regardless of whether they had sex or not.

Men thought they slept better with a partner but they were wrong. In fact, their stress levels were higher the following morning and their ability to perform simple thinking tasks was reduced as a result of lack of sleep. By contrast, the women appeared to sleep more deeply when they did sleep and their stress levels and mental scores did not suffer to the same extent.

One interesting side-effect of the experiment was that men appeared to remember their dreams best after sex.

July 2006

Think about becoming an organ donor and tell your friends and family

There is a serious and increasing shortage of organ donors in the UK. Last year over 400 people died whilst awaiting an organ transplant and there are currently over 6,500 seriously ill people on the waiting list for an organ donation.

Organ donation affects everyone. You are more likely to need a transplant than to ever be able to donate an organ But t present, over 40% of next of kin refuse consent for their loved ones' organs to be donated.

National Transplant Week 2006 is trying to combat this chronic shortage of donors. Only 22% of the population have currently signed the National Organ Donor Register, even though  the majority of the population support the idea. For more information and to sign up if you wish, clcik here.

June 2006

Just one cigarette today can make you an addict tomorrow

Top tip for teens. Just one fag when you're younger — even if it makes you puke and you never smoke another — could cause problems later on.

Scientists who studied over 2,000 11-16 year-olds discovered that a single cigarette has a 'sleeper effect' that can increase your chances of becoming a regular smoker later on. 'The results also indicate that prior experimentation is a strong predictor of taking up smoking later,' said Jennifer Fidler of University College London, who led the study. The scientists are not sure why a single cigarette has such an impact but they said the exposure to nicotine could change pathways in the brain which could make children more vulnerable to stress or depression, which can make them more likely to try it again.

May 2006

Early diagnosis is the key to skin cancer survival

Melanoma (Skin cancer), which is usually caused by over-exposure to the sun, is doubling every decade, according to the British Medical Journal. Deaths in men continue to rise. At the same time, survival rates  in the UK have improved by 30% since the 1970s. What's going on? There's only one thing between death and survival — early diagnosis. If you're concerned at all about your moles see your GP. Warning signs include: asymmetry, irregular borders and variations in colour. The other thing of course is to reduce the risk by covering up in the sun but you knew that bit already.

April 2006

Better safe than speedy

All the good advice and tips for jogging all boil done to one thing: don't get injured. More in Thoughts of a starting-over jogger.

March 2006

You must be 'quackers' to buy this online

We've written before about the risks of fake drugs on the internet. The latest wheeze is the bird-flu drug Tamiflu. 'There have been cases reported in counterfeit Tamiflu,' admitted Howard Zucker, the World Health Organisation's assistant director general for health technology and pharmaceuticals this month, though he wouldn't go into details. The WHO has estimated as many as 10% of drugs on the world market are mislabeled or fake and intends to set up an international expert group to raise awareness about fake drugs and to improve cooperation between governments, industry groups and international agencies.

Anyway, a recent review of flu studies in the  leading medical journal The Lancet found 'no credible evidence' for Tamiflu (or the other drugs studied) in avian flu or pandemic flu viruses.

February 2006

Take a Polo out on the road!

It goes without saying that driving when you're knackered is dangerous. However, new research suggests pleasant whiffs — particularly peppermint or cinnamon. — may delay fatigue and even reduce road rage and accidents. In the research in West Virginia, USA, the drivers who were given a snort of peppermint or cinnamon every 15 minutes enjoyed increased driver alertness and reduced fatigue, anxiety and frustration.

Given these results, lead researcher Dr Bryan Raudenbush said it was reasonable to expect that periodic sniffs of peppermint or cinnamon may produce a more alert and conscientious driver and minimize fatigue associated with long road trips. 'Mints or gums could also provide the same effects,' Raudenbush added.

January 2006

Can you see yourself not smoking?

Want to quit smoking? Imagine yourself doing it. According to a study in the Journal of Nursing Scholarship (Winter 2005), those smokers who went through 'guided-imagery therapy' were twice as likely to not be smoking two years later than those who had had regular counselling.

Guided imagery involves muscle relaxation and breathing exercises to calm and focus the mind. Participants are then led in seeing themselves in their mind's eye in a healthful state and performing specific activities, such as exercising, eating well - and not smoking.

Two years later, 26% of the smokers had quit, compared with 12% of those in the comparison group.

December 2005

Mum was right: Cold causes cold

Until now scientists have been pretty sceptical about old wives tales concerning the common cold. Research at The Common Cold Centre in Cardiff has found that sleeping infections can be woken up with a dose of cold or damp to the extremities — especially the nose or feet. (they discovered this by making volunteers sit with their feet in buckets of cold water.)

Professor Ron Eccles told The Times: 'Whe colds are circulating, many people are mildly affected but show no symptoms. But if they become chilled, this causes a constriction of the blood vessels in the nose and shuts off the warm blood that supplies the white blood cells that fight infection.' So wrap up well and think on. Warm socks and a scarf that covers the nose.

November 2005

Follow your common sense whatever the industry experts say

Common sense suggest we should be wary of radiation whatever the source. The mobile phone industry has always said we needn't worry. Now the truth may be a little nearer following a decision by the US Supreme Court that class actions (group lawsuits) against wireless telephone providers and manufacturers over radiation emissions should go ahead.

Health advocates have expressed concerns about radiation causing problems ranging from headaches to tumors. It's now down to the US courts following the filing of five class-actions seeking damages in state courts .

Firms like Nokia and Motorola had gone to the Supreme Court to try to prevent these actions. But if they're so confident of their case, what's the problem?

October2005

Still not convinced you need to exercise?

Another good reason to keep exercising. Half an hour twice a week in your 40s and 50s could reduce your risk of dementia by about 50%. (If you are genetically prone to Alzheimer's disease you could see a reduction of about 60%.) The evidence is the result of a Swedish study of 1,500 men and women. Nearly 200 of these developed dementia or Alzheimer's disease after the age of 65; they were far less likely to have been active in middle-age than those who did not succumb to dementia. The report appeared in Lancet Neurology. Don't believe in exercise? You must be out of your mind.

September2005

Looking for a healthier car?

If you're concerned about the health impact of cars on you, your family and the planet, you'll be interested in Ethical Consumer magazine's road test to find the healthiest, most environmentally-friendly chocie. They picked the G-Wiz electric car and the duel-feul cars the Honda Insight and Toyota Prius. Among regular petrol cars, the Insight and Prius also came out top along with the Smart City Coupe Hatchback. Top of the diesels were the Citroen C2 and C3 and the Renault Clio. (Diesels are not healthier than petrol vehicles, by the way. In many ways the particulates they emit are more dangerous.) More at Ethical Consumer. Other useful links: the low-carbon vehicle partnership, the vehicle certification authority (for a CO2 calculator) and the Environmental Transport Association.

August 2005

Don't be fooled by 'sugar-free' labels. Your body isn't.

An eight year study suggests that people who drink so-called diet drinks are more likely to be obese than people who drink the regular versions. It's partly down to self-deception - people think that if they choose a diet drink they can make unhealthy choices elsewhere - but also down to the way the body reacts. Artificial sweeteners are thousands of times sweeter than sugar and when your body tastes this super sweetness, it gets itself ready for a calorie-fest. When the expected party doesn't arrive it looks for the calories somewhere else and starts demanding other fattening foods.

May 2005

No need to bungee jump unless you really, really want to

Do men drive like nutters or go in for stunt skateboarding because they like it or because they think it attracts women? New research from Maine University, USA adds spice to the debate suggesting that women aren't too impresssed, quite the opposite. The men in the survey looking at people's attitudes to risky scenarios thought that women would be impressed by their confident recklessness but in fact the women chose the more cautious men. The other blokes were impressed though!

April 2005

The Dozy Dozen

If you dream of a good night's sleep, here's a compilation of our favourite sleeping tips from the last couple of years:

1. Get some natural sunlight everyday.
2. Take plenty of exercise during the day but avoid evening work-outs.
3. Avoid fags and excessive alcohol - a wee drink before bed might help. A skinful won't.
4. Keep off evening caffeine too - that means tea, coffee and hot chocolate. Have a nice camomile tea instead - even the sound of it makes me yawn - or a milky drink.
5. Monosodium glutamate - often found in Chinese food - will also keep you awake.
6. Stop work at least an hour before hitting the zeds.
7. Have a warm bath and listen to some relaxing music.
8. Get your partner to give you a massage.
9. Don't watch TV in bed or get involved in heated discussions!
10. Have sex - it's a drag but it's for the good of your health.
11. If you haven't dropped off after twenty minutes get up and do something else.
12. Get a comfy bed - before buying, lie on it in your usual sleeping position

More on sleep problems here.

March 2005

Why carrots can crack cancer

Scientists have long known that carrots appeared to protect against cancer. Now they know why. Research in Newcastle in Denmark has found that falcarinol, a natural pesticide in carrots, prevents tumours. The next step is finding our how much falcarinol is needed and if some carrots are better than others. All that and they help you see in the dark.

February 2005

The health-giving power of the happy hug

Researchers at the University of North Carolina have found that women's levels of oxytocin, a feel-good calming hormone that lowers blood pressure, go up when hugging and caressing in - and this is important - a non-sexual way. Just ten minutes of boyfriends or hubbies stroking their neck, back or hand or hugging them increased the female volunteers' oxytocin levels by up to 20%. Holding hands in not quite enough and it doesn't seem to work so well with men but, of course, you'll benefit anyway. A happier, healthier partner makes for a happier, healthier relationship and research shows that men in happy, healthy relationships are, er, happier and healthier. So go on, have a happy healthy hug.

January 2005

The meal that can reduce heart disease by 76%?

Docs in the British Medical Journal have compiled a so-called 'polymeal' which - based on the research available for each part of it - could reduce heart disease by up to 76% if eaten every day. You have to accept a lot of mathematical projections to buy all of this but as there are no obvious side-effects, according to the researchers, AND it's a pretty tasty combination of food - wine (150ml), fish, fruit and vegetables, garlic, dark chocolate and a handful of almonds - why not? The researchers estimate the polymeal costs about £15 a week and could add six years to your life. Click for more.

December 2004

Thinking on cannabis

British children and teenagers use cannabis more than young people in any other country in Europe according to the EU — 42% of British boys aged 15 have used the drug. This tip is mainly for them: A long-term study of over 2,500 14-24 year-olds published in this month's British Medical Journal has shown found that regular users of the drug in this age group were more to develop mental illness when older. The risk was even higher in people with a genetic predisposition for this sort of problem. Lead researcher Professor Jim van Os told the BBC that cannabis was not a good idea for these people: 'If there is a family or personal history of mental frailty - stay away form it!' Worth thinking about now. it may not be so easy later.

November 2004

Go easy on the air fresheners

They may freshen up the air but not your lungs or your state of mind. VOCs (volatile organic compounds) in air fresheners and aerosols are not good for you. In a survey at Brunel University, women exposed to air fresheners every day were 19% more likely to be depressed and 25% more likely to get headaches. No reason to assume blokes in the same position would react much differently. Babies living in households which used a lot of air-fresheners and aerosols were also sicker. VOCs include benzene which causes leukemia and xylene which makes you feel sick.

October 2004

Get the blues

The latest wonder food is the blueberry. It contains the antioxidant pterostilbene which, in rats, lowers 'bad' cholesterol and the fatty substances in the blood known as triglycerides more effectively than the drugs usually prescribed.

Dr Agnes Rimando, from the US department of agriculture, who led the most recent research, also reckons that pterostilbene may protect against cancer and diabetes. But she warns that, until studies have been done in humans, nobody know how many blueberries you might have to eat to get any benefit.

But why not tuck in anyway? Blueberries are good for the immune system, can prevent urinary tract infections and are a traditional cure for diarrhoea!  They're very popular in the US where the native Americans use them dry in soups and other dishes.

If you've only ever eaten blueberries in a muffin, try them fresh (It's not too late. The season lasts until October). You'll be surprised.

September 2004

Sleep, sex and survival: why you need to know your prostate

Prostate problems can play havoc with your sleep patterns, sex life and can kill. But they can usually be treated. The problem is a lot of us don't know what the prostate is or where to find it. And even if we do have the symptoms we're too shy to discuss our waterworks with a doctor. We must be mad. Sleep, sex and survival. There aren't many more important things in life.

The Time To Go campaign will tell you all you need to know about prostate problems. And if you don't know where the prosate is, our forthcoming Toolkit section, answering all your FAQs on the male tackle, will show you. You can then test yourself in the Prostate Penalty Shoot-out. In fact, why not test yourself now?

August 2004

Go for natural vitamins

Doubts over the effectiveness of supplements compared to natural sources of vitamin have long existed. Now a review of seven studies published since 1990 suggest vitamin E supplements may not be the natural anti-oxidant protecting against heart disease many believed. Vitamin E in the diet is thought to help prevent cholesterol from clogging arteries, said lead author Rachel Eidelman of the Agatston Research Institute in Miami Beach, Florida. But taking Vitamin E in supplement form did not appear to provide the same benefit. Natural sources of vitamin E include nuts and seeds (especially sunflower seeds, almonds, hazelnuts and pine nuts), broccoli and leafy green veg, sweet potato, oats and avocados.

July 2004

Good for whose health?

More and more people don't want to buy sports gear made in a sweatshop under near slave labour conditions, however cool the label. If you're looking for so-called ethical sports gear, check out the T-shirts at www.ethicalthreads.co.uk or www.gossypium.co.uk. How does it improve your health? Try it and see how it makes you feel.

June 2004

Check your ice cream brand

Summer's here but choose your ice cream with care. You run the risk not just of becoming an obesity statistic but getting cancer too. The big American brands are stuffed full of calories and saturated fats. In tests last year, a mint chip sundae made by Haagen Dazs was found to contain 1,270 caolries (and as much fat large T-bone steak with all the trimmings). Mr Whippy weighed in at 65 calories and 2g of fat. Read the product labels.

But how does being fat give you cancer?

The hormone insulin enables the body to extract the sugar from the blood. The more sugar to be extracted , the more insulin you need. The excess sugar can cause diabetes, and the extra insulin is poisonous causing havoc throughout the body. Too much of this poson can cause cancer, particularly in the bowel.

May 2004

Brain Food with Rice

When a bright yellow curry is placed in front of you, you might be a little concerned. There has, after all, been a lot of publicity about the excessive use of colourings in British restaurants. Some countries - but not the UK - have even banned colourants like tartrazine and sunset yellow which have been linked to hyperactivity in children, allergies and migraines. But the issue is not the colour, it's the quality of the ingredients. If that yellow colour is the result of turmeric, a spice in the ginger family, it could be good for you. Scientists from Italy and the University of California have identified curcurcin, a compund in turmeric, as a natural antioxidant which prevents the degeneration of the brain seen in conditions like Alzheimer's. Turmeric is found in most curries from the mildest Korma to the hottest Vindaloos. This could explain why the disease is relatively rare on the Indian sub-continent. According to the Pakistain Times, who reported the research enthusiastically, curry spices have other benefits. 'Experts say they aid digestion and help fight off nfections. Turmeric also helps to lower cholesterol and cut fatty deposits in the arteries.' They also said that 'tikkas can also soothe asthma and coughs and even help yoga fans because they help to stretch muscle ligaments.'

April 2004

Chocolate good for you? I should cocoa

Chocolate can reduce the risk of heart disease. But unfortunately not the old rubbish they generally use to make Easter eggs (and most British chocolate bars out of). You need small amounts - that's SMALL - of good-quality, dark chocolate, the sort that's popular in Europe. The chocolate must be high in cocoa — look for 70% plus cocoa solids. Cocoa flavinoids can reduce so-called 'bad' cholesterol and have twice the antioxidants of red wine and up to three times those found in green tea. Alternatively, have a cup of cocoa.

March 2004

Natural solutions to erection problems

Fact: it takes longer to get an erection as you get older so simply give yourself time. Don't assume it's not going to work just because your penis doesn't shoot up like a toddler on Christmas morning like it did when you were 18. Relax and it'll get there.

Drugs like Viagra work by allowing blood to flow into the penis more easily. Natural products like ginko, ginger and red pepper can do the same thing. They're available in health food shops. Saturated fats and cigarettes have the opposite effect so go easy on the fry-ups and quit the fags if you fancy a night of passion. Booze also effects performance - even just a couple of drinks.

(Source: The Doctor's Book of Home Remedies published by Rodale, £20)

February 2004

Check the labels for hidden salts

If you're cooking ready meals, check out the salt content. Many pre-prepared meals are doused in the stuff to put back some of the flavour that has been processed out. 

One supermarket shepherd's pie tested last year by the Food Standards Association contained nearly 6g of salt (or 98% of the adult daliy requirement). Even a lasagne marketed as 'good for you' contained 66% of the ADR.

Too much salt has long been known to contribute to heart problems and the latest research from Japan, where salt consumption is high, suggests it also causes stomach cancer. Men eating 12g of salt a day double their risk of the disease (to 1 in 500 a year.) The UK average is 9g - aim to get closer to six.

January 2004

Don't freeze out vegetables

The government is encouraging us all to eat five portions of fruit and vegetables a day. Good advice but not always easy to follow this time of the year. One way is to check out frozen fruit and veg.

Frozen vegetables have had a bad press but in fact they're less likely to be contaminated by pesticides than fresh produce. Fresh veg also lose nutrients through being transported - the longer the journey, the more you lose. Frozen veg are picked during their natural growing season and frozen immediately keeping in more of the goodness. In other words, if you can't buy fresh local produce, frozen might well be better than something that's come from the other side of the world.

Condoms - use it or lose her

If you're not the butch, hairy type, you might need to brush up on your condom unrolling technique. While in general women tend to choose more feminine-looking men as mates on the assumption - presumably - that they'll be more loyal, new research has found that women on the pill tend to go for the rugged, macho, square-jawed type. Perhaps when women know they can't get pregnant, they make more honest choices?

Bananas - eat now to avoid disappointment

It's one of the healthiest fruits around. Riper ones give instant energy and a serontonin surge which will lift your mood, firmer ones give a more gentle longer lasting boost. Good for stamina (eat half an hour after exercise) and a great source of potassium which is an essential counterbalance to the high sodium levels in the modern diet. But get them NOW. Scientists reckon a fungus could wipe them out within the decade.

Watching football can seriously damage your health

It's only a game. But admission to hospital for heart attack was up 25% after England lost on penalties to Argentina in the 1998 World Cup. And unlike the outcome that day, the result of the research is not based on an official's error. A similar study in Holland after the Dutch went out of Euro 1996 on penalties found the same thing. So should doctors be campaigning for a ban on penalty shoot outs or perhaps footie programmes should carry health warnings?Alternatively, we could just stop taking it so seriously. Read the full article in the British Medical Journal.

Forget the stake through the heart - did Dracula have prostate cancer?

Preventing prostate cancer is the latest health claim for garlic and onions. The US National Cancer Institute quizzed several hundred men on their diet and found that those who ate more than 10 grams (one-third of an ounce) a day of onions, garlic and chives were much less likely to be in the group with cancer. The benefits could be due to allium, the sulphur-based compound responsible for the smell.

If whinging house-mates and money-grabbing agents aren't enough…

Here's something else to think about when you move: where you live can make a difference to how long you live. A recent study found that on average men in Manchester live for 69.7 years compared to 79.6 years for blokes from North Dorset. Okay so we can't all move to Dorchester but it gives a new angle to the old house-hunter's mantra: location, location, location.

At last: beer is GOOD for you!

Apparently, it's the best source of a mineral essential for strong bones, silicon (especially now our tap water is treated with aluminium which removes silicon). The recommended daily amount is 30-40mg - a pint contains 40% of this. Of course, this good news about beer doesn't mean that all the bad news - makes you fat, makes your breath smell like Fido's and makes you feel like there's an orchestra of experimental jazz-drummers in your frontal lobe in the morning - is untrue. Shame.

Make sure you get your Corrie every week

No, not the soap, the herb: coriander.At this time of the year, its useful to know that it's excellent for fighting off viruses. It's pretty easy to get in supermarkets these days too.

Get a 'grippe' on yourself

French research shows that the cold and flu season - or la grippe as they call it - begins in earnest in the 40th week of the year - that's the start of October. You've been warned. Make sure you look after yourself. Read our FAQ on the common cold.

More madras - less mucus

It's the sart of the cold season again. Ifyou feel a bit sniffley, get down your local curry house pronto. A good curry might cure your cold. A good hot vindaloo or madras can clear the airways and stimulate the, er, nasal material, which traps cold and flu viruses according to Dr Ron Eccles of the Common Cold Centre in Cardiff.

Take Five

This is so easy, you'll think you've misread it. For five minutes a day, sit or, preferably, lie down. Listen either to your breathing or, if you prefer, some music but don't actually do anything. Relax. (Actually, it's not quite as easy as it sounds but if you manage it you will feel better.)

Ear's a chewing gum for swimmers

Would-be Ian Thorpe's should look out not only for bigger shoes but also for gum containing Xylitol, a natural sweetener from birch trees. As well as helping see off the streptococcus mutans bacteria that can cause teeth decay, Xylitol can also protect against the sourge of swimmers, ear infections.

A taste of honey

US research has found that honey is high in the antioxidant phenolics also found in bananas, strawberries and apples. Antioxidants can help protect against cancer and heart disease. Obviously honey is high in calories so don't eat more of it but, where possible, use instead of sugar or other sweetener.

Think positively - especially about ageing

US research based on data gathered in Ohio found that people who thought positively about life - people who disagreed, for example, with statements like 'things get worse as I get older' - lived on average 7 and a half years longer than more negative thinkers. More tips on positive thinking.

Play Bingo!

The much-maligned lucky numbers game originally invented for Italian aristocrats with time on their hands in the sixteenth century improves the accuracy and speed of your short-term memory according to University of Southampton study. House! 

Don't forget coffee

Coffee's had a bad press recently for both health and political reasons but according to the Faculty of Medicine in Lisbon, Portugal, three cups a day may reduce your risk of developing Alzheimer's disease by up to 60%.

Write away

OK, it's a blatant plug as the site editor wrote the article but it's too easy not to mention. Writing reduces stress and other symptoms of ill health - in studies in Texas, it even helped Americans come to terms with September 11. So get scribbling. Click here for more.

Secret summer scoffs

Beat hay fever by eating apples, onions, lollo rosso lettuces, endives and leeks - natural sources of antihistamine. To reduce the sun's harmful effect you need - as well as suncscreen factor 20 plus and a hat - foods rich in betacarotene like mango, carrots and apricots.

Older tips

These are the tips malehealth posted before its relaunch in June 2002. Well worth a look. Did you know, for example, that cannabis may increase your risk of heart attack, that eating herring may reduce the risk of cancer or that smokers are more likely to be impotent?