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The Irish Medical Times Blog: Health and Lifestyle

All entries for Health and Lifestyle

One in five Irish people 'not bothered' about health

A survey investigating the nation’s health habits has revealed that a worrying in five people “don’t bother much about health” - opting to take care of it once they get older. An overview of survey findings: · One in... Read more

Pregnancy causes forgetfulness? Maybe a myth

A new study in the British Journal of Psychiatry has found that no significant link between diminishment in cognitive function or memory in pregnant women. The authors have suggested that a preoccupation with memory loss, or the expectation of it... Read more

Sign up for the irish Heart Foundation's 10K Cupid's Dash - and find true love

From an Irish Heart Foundation press release on a 10K run for charity (and possibly a date) on February 13: Join Cupid’s Dash 10k Fun Run in aid of the Irish Heart Foundation which is taking place in Dublin’s... Read more

Want to raise awareness about prostate cancer? Take part in Movember

If you suddenly see a bunch of men walking around with moustaches this month, it might be because this November is actually Movember. What is Movember? Here's what they have to say for themselves: Movember is an annual, month-long... Read more

Lidl (the supermarket chain) donates €100,000 to the Irish Heart Foundation

The recession has hit the Irish Heart Foundation (www.irishheart.ie), which has been faced with cutting vital programmes for people and their families affected by heart disease and stroke. So, a supermarket to the rescue? Under Lidl's charity scheme, the... Read more

The Irish (1 in 6) are stressed and unhealthy: 10 pc rise in heartburn and indigestion

A study of irish people by the Gaviscon Heartburn and Indigestion Network - Gaviscon makes over-the-counter heartburn medication - has revealed a 10 per cent rise in heartburn and indigestion cases, and that 1 in 6 people admit they are... Read more

Man dies after inhaling nitrites as a sexual stimulant

The Irish Examiner reported (no link) this week that a 41-year-old man from Dublin died after inhaling nitrites as a sexual stimulant. His death was attributed to cardiac arrhythmia, which is a toxic effect of inhaling nitrites, especially in combination... Read more

Tips for people with asthma attending Electric Picnic

People with asthma and allergies who are attending Electric Picnic this weekend have been advised to be aware of the large number of triggers at outdoor music events that may affect them. Possible asthma triggers at festivals include weather changes,... Read more

Money, money, money, and maybe a cure for cancer

An interesting article in the New York Times about the investment pharmaceutical companies are pouring into cancer research, because the high prices the drugs can command make a good drug worth the gamble. Money has lured the companies into cancer... Read more

Temple Street charity bike gang to hit Route 66 again in 2010

Become a motorcycle god while making money for Temple Street Children’s Hospital, or just simply donate some money to a good cause – that’s the message from the “Irish 66ers” – a motorcycle good-stuff gang who journeys down the... Read more

Play an infuriating game while you have ten minutes free

Newcross Healthcare Solutions have developed a game called Emergency Surgery. It's a rather silly time waster that has absolutely no benefit to anyone who is not excessively bored. Yet, Newcross has done something rather deviant and made it an effective... Read more

Programme in US puts med students in nursing homes

Watch this interesting video about Kristen Murphy, a 38-year-old medical student in the US (studying to become a geriatrician) - who lived as a resident in a nursing home in order to better understand needs of the elderly.... Read more

Futuristic European brain stimulation project could have therapeutic applications for neurology

A consortium of European academic institutions and research groups are working on a four-year project to study and develop advanced, non-invasive computer-to-brain stimulation technology. We will probe the limits of non-invasive computer-to-brain interfaces by carrying out research using improved... Read more

Controversy over cancer stem cells and potential new therapies

From the New York Times: Many researchers believe that tumor growth is driven by cancerous stem cells that, for reasons not understood, are highly resistant to standard treatments. Chemotherapy agents may kill off 99 percent of cells in a tumor,... Read more

Book launch for former healthcare columnist Dr Juliet Bressan

Dr Juliet Bressan is launching her new novel, Entanglement (Poolbeg Press), this evening (August 13) in Chapters Bookstore, Parnell St, Dublin 1, at 6:30 p.m.... Read more

Vatican begins to stockpile black eldeberry to combat swine flu

The folks at Black Eldeberry want you to know that the Vatican has ordered triple the amount of black elderberry - 600 bottles compared to 200 bottles last year. "...showing that divine intervention may work miracles, but when it comes... Read more

To GPs: Interested in participating in a 24-hour BP study?

Take part in the RAMBLER II study (Role of Ambulatory Blood Pressure Monitoring in General Practice). This text has been taken from this week's Irish Medical Times. It follows an article, written by cardiologist Prof Eoin O'Brien, about the importance... Read more

The decline and eventual demise of the male species: a talk

This Wednesday night, Australian Scientist Prof Jennifer Graves will speak at the RCSI about the decline of the male species. Prof Graves's talk is entitled, The Decline and Fall of the Male Y Chromosome and the Future of Men.... Read more

Ireland is losing €750 million a year due to sick days caused by bad backs, arthritis, etc

A new European report on musculoskeletal disorders and the Irish labour market was been released. It's also been delivered to Government. Some key findings: Musculoskeletal disorders (MSDs), including back pain, work- related upper-limb disorder and rheumatic diseases including arthritis,... Read more

There’s no secret ingedient for ageing well

Photo: Dr Brian Lawlor, panel speaker at the RCPI Public Meeting, ‘Ageing Well – Ageing Positively’ Dr Diarmuid O’Shea, Consultant Geriatrician, speaking ahead of the RCPI Public Meeting, ‘Ageing Well – Ageing Positively’, that there’s no secret ingredient for... Read more

A website for dads in Ireland - will men read it?

Dad.ie is a website that was "conceived" in a "room filled with leaflets, posters and magazines all aimed at mums-to-be" - according to site founder and editor David Caren. The editorial picks at the moment cover issues like the... Read more

Half of people unaware of diet link to cancer

Research shows that almost half of people are unaware that eating an unhealthy diet increases their risk of developing cancer. According to the World Cancer Research Fund (WCRF), four out of ten people (41%) did not know that there is... Read more

Coffee 'can decrease dementia'

Those who drink coffee in midlife have a lower risk for late-onset dementia and Alzheimer's disease compared to those who drink little or no coffee, a new study claims.... Read more

Finger length associated with earning power

Scientists at Cambridge University discovered that City traders whose ring fingers are much longer than their index fingers make the most money, while those whose ring fingers are relatively short do the worst.... Read more

Drinking coffee 'can make you see ghosts'

People who drank more than seven cups of instant coffee a day were three times more likely to hallucinate – see ghosts, hear weird noises etc. – than those who took just one, a study found.... Read more

Good night's sleep prevents colds

Individuals who reported sleeping less than seven hours a night were 2.94 times more likely to develop a cold than those who slept eight hours or more, researchers found.... Read more

Man wants donated kidney back from wife

A man who donated his kidney to his wife eight years ago ">now wants it back after she cheated on him and filed for divorce. Ethics experts say no reputable surgeon would perform the operation. Richard Batista from Long Island... Read more

Rise in reports of 'Wii knee'

Two reports out of the UK seem to show that a rise in strains and sprains can be directly linked to the use of the Wii, usually by elderly folks who aren’t in the best of shape. The Daily Telegraph... Read more

Golf 'can damage your hearing'

Keen golfers are being warned by doctors that they could be risking their hearing for their sport. Players who use a new generation of thin-faced titanium drivers to propel the ball further should consider wearing ear plugs, experts advise.... Read more

Need to motivate moms

Prevention is not working but what is the key to sound eating? Mothers. Yes indeed, despite a flood of health information, U.S. surgeons generals' reports, and the Healthy People 2010 health promotion and disease prevention agenda laid out by the... Read more

No cure for hangovers

Don't believe a word. The hair of the dog does NOT work as a hangover cure. Nor do aspirin, bananas, or Vegemite, or water, or an old-fashioned fried breakfast. The horrible truth: there is no cure for a hangover.... Read more

Toilet seat danger to young boys - warning: a bit painful to read

An increase in heavy toilet seats are causing "an increase in penis crush injuries," according to the BBC.... Read more

A gene that makes people susceptible to placebo is discovered

Swedish scientists claim have discovered a gene that causes people with certain disorders to benefit more than others from placebos, it was reported in the Journal of Neuroscience. According to a New Scientist article, it is the gene for tryptophan... Read more

Happiness is contagious

The same team that demonstrated obesity and smoking spread in networks has shown that the more happy people you know - and the more happy people they know - the more likely you are yourself to be happy. And getting... Read more

What's the strangest way a patient has ever tried to describe a mild pinching sensation in his left shoulder?

Some patients can get a little creative when it comes to describing their symptoms. According to ER Stories, a medical blog in the US, patients can save themselves a lot of time and pain - and psych consults - by... Read more

If I had known what medical school would be like, I never would have done it

MedSchool Hell offers "101 Things You Wish You Knew Before Starting Medical School." Some good ones: 1. If I had known what it was going to be like, I would never have done it. 11. You won’t be a medical... Read more

The ad that has irked American mothers, and the spoof of it

Apparently mothers in the US do not care for the insinuation that their babies could in any way be worn as fashion accessories, and have lashed out at an ad by Motrin, a pain reliever. The backlash caused an immediate... Read more

The six habits of highly successful physicians

A columnist in the New York Times writes that good manners are among the most overlooked of skills in doctors. He offers a list of six habits that help you make a good first impression: • Ask permission to enter... Read more

How many shots of espresso would it take to kill you?

Energy fiend has a helpful death calculator for you: how man of a certain type of drink would it take to kill you, based on your weight. It would take about 170 espressos to kill me. That makes me feel... Read more

Does rainfall trigger autism?

An American study has found that children who live in areas with heavy precipitation when they are under three years of age have higher rates of autism, as IMT has reported in Clinical Times. The study was published in the... Read more

German haematologist may have found cure for AIDS

A German haematologist may have found a potential cure for AIDS, though the cost and complexity of the treatment makes unlikely it will be tried on a large scale. The breakthrough appears to be that Dr. Hütter, a soft-spoken hematologist... Read more

Health service taking a funding hit? Try a Big Red Ball

Here's a clip of a Thought Leader from Portland Oregon who's got the secret to business success. Health service not doing to well? Need more beds? Need more consultants, staff, etc.? Nope, you need a Red Ball. And you need... Read more

Scientists have created a brain with stem cells (sort of)

Japanese scientists have used stem cells to create viable brain tissue, Brain Stimulant tells us. These researchers were able to create brain tissue of the cerebral cortex. "This is the first time that such a large collection of brain cells... Read more

How to get copulating in time for Christmas and 100 other reasons I dislike psychology

Proceptivity is, among animals such as monkeys, is defined as "behaviour by the female that incites mounting by the male." In humans, it's defined as "behaviour that leads to copulation and thus conception." Psychologists, who exist in a nowhere state... Read more

The man who has not slept for 37 years

"When my children were babies, I'd hold them in my arms and watch them drift off peacefully - it was like watching a miracle." - Neil Epstein, in the Guardian. As an erstwhile and occasional insomniac (I hope the term... Read more

It's hard enough being a heavy-drinking, cigarette-smoking, overweight doctor

New research in the Scandinavian Journal of Work, Environment & Health looks at the effects of working more than 40 on-call hours a month on doctors. The study showed that doctors had a hard time coping with on-call duties while... Read more

Is autism a disability or an alternative lifestyle?

“I was interested in the liberatory, activist aspects of it - to do for neurologically different people what feminism and gay rights had done for their constituencies." This is a quote from an Australian woman, Judy Singer, who first put... Read more

Do patients turn you on? Often? Sometimes? Never?

A New York Magazine survey of 50 top doctors - so it's a year old, so what? - found that more than half (28) of those surveyed said doctors have God complexes, but when asked if they had God complexes... Read more

Major new development in our understanding of embryogenesis: the Digital Embryo

European researchers have created a three-dimensional, digital map of the the development of an embryo (a zebrafish embryo) over the first 24 hours of its life. Using a newly developed technology - a Digital Scanned Laser Light Sheet Microscope -... Read more

Urine screen for prostate cancer shows success in new research

The PCA3 test - a urine test for prostate cancer - has shown superior ability over PSA screening for predicting repeat prostate biopsy outcome, according to research published in the October 2008 issue of European Urology. Last year, these same... Read more

Tasmanian devils now endangered species because of contagious cancer

Viscera is not, of course, the blog of the Irish Veterinarian Times - so a link to a story about transmissable animal cancer in Tasmanian devils may not seem relevant. But: What about us? Humans have lots of MHC diversity.... Read more

People born during a recession live 15 months shorter - study

If you're born in an adverse economic climate, you have, on average, 15 months less to live than people born in more favorable times, according to research from the Free University of Amsterdam and the Centre for Economic Policy Research... Read more

HIV/Aids pandemic began 100 years ago - study

Evidence now suggests that the HIV/Aids pandemic started 100 years ago, according to research published in the October 2 issue of Nature. This is about 30 years earlier than previously thought. The growing urbanization of colonial Africa around the dawn... Read more

Irish breakfast cereals have more fat and sugar - and that's the way we like it

It might not be the best time to be an Irish child. After discovering that Irish breakfast cereals have higher fat, sugar and sodium levels than the same cereals in other countries, their parents may try to replace that box... Read more

Does 'bare below the elbows' help stop the spread of MRSA?

While there is no reliable evidence to show that bacteria on the clothes of healthcare professionals can spread infection of bugs like MRSA, there's also no evidence that it doesn't. The Well, from the New York Times, reports: If a... Read more

Plastic surgeons in UK speak out against 'anatomically incorrect' images

The British Association of Aesthetic Plastic Surgeons (BAAPS) has launched a campaign to rid advertising of promises of breasts they called "anatomically impossible" and lunchtime facelifts.... Read more

It's more dangerous to text and drive than to drink and drive - study

If you text and drive, your reactions times slow more than if you are drinking alcohol, or are under the influence of cannabis, according to a new study in the UK. According to the Irish Times: Reaction times deteriorated by... Read more

New type of genetic test for inherited breast cancer could slash cost and waiting times

Next year, women could buy a test to determine whether they have the gene mutations that increase the risk of breast cancer for less than the price of, oh, a pregnancy test.... Read more

Do you confuse your patients? Do they even know if they're confused?

Many patients do not understand their ED care or their discharge instructions, and most of them don't even know they lack that understanding, and show inappropriate confidence in their comprehension and recall, according to a study in the Annals of... Read more

'Very occasionally, following a stroke, a person's brain rewires itself'

Ken Walters, a man who thought his stroke was 'yet another wretched episode in the disaster that was my life', discovered that it gave him new abilities - and a compulsion to create art. According to Mr Walters, he had... Read more

Is pharmacology making us more moral?

A psychiatrist in Britain argues that we are already using drugs as a means of improving our future conduct: a subtle form of moral assistance. He writes that patients use drugs for prosocial reasons - hoping to do the right... Read more

Cannabis linked to psychosis onset at earlier age

New research published in the Journal of Clinical Psychiatry has claimed a strong link between cannabis use and the onset of psychosis at a younger age. The Results: Regarding the effect of cannabis use, a significant gradual reduction on age... Read more

Brush your teeth; your life may depend on it

Research shows that people with gum disease have a higher likelihood of heart attack and stroke, according to the Guardian. An unpublished study by New Zealand scientists claims that: the body's defences overreact to the threat of gum disease and... Read more

Until the first frost, beware the wasp...

“If you are faced with a wasp, don’t challenge it" - these are the words of a biologist and nurse in Ulster, Ms Sue McBean, who has developed a website to help people avoid wasp stings. She warns: It is... Read more

Steroid abuse acne scars are a real eyesore

Abuse of anabolic steroids for muscle enhancement has been linked to many unhealthy, not to mention aesthetically unappealing conditions – but photographs of the toll taken on a 21-year-old’s body in Düsseldorf, Germany should serve as a reminder of the... Read more

US lawmakers urged to lower alcohol drinking age

US lawmakers have been urged to respond to 'a culture of dangerous, clandestine binge-drinking' among young people – by lowering the legal drinking age. In a completely different direction to what is considered good policy on underage drinking here, the... Read more

Sex hormones increase heart disease risk for men

Sex hormones make men more at risk of developing, and dying from, heart disease – compared to women of a similar age. A University of Leicester-led study found that this “male disadvantage” links in with sex-specific effects of naturally occurring... Read more

California wine bar offers botox injections

What the rest of the world calls pathetic, California calls sophisticated fun: here's a video of people hanging out together in a wine bar on a nondescript suburban street in California, getting cosmetic touch-ups like botox and eyebrow-waxing.... Read more

What does it feel like to be old?

A training program called Xtreme Aging is helping people empathise with the elderly. Participants wear: distorting glasses to blur her vision; stuffed cotton balls in her ears to reduce her hearing, and in her nose to dampen her sense of... Read more

Researchers say woman may hold key to AIDS vaccine

An "elite suppressor" from Baltimore, USA, may reveal the secret to an AIDS vaccine, scientists have reported in the Journal of Virology. The woman, who was infected by her husband (who acquired HIV through IV drug use), naturally suppresses the... Read more

'Women on the pill are in a state of chemical castration'

The pill reduces women to mere instrument for the satisfaction of male desires; it can, directly or indirectly, be a cause of infertility, which can cause much heartache especially to women. The pill can also cause congenital abnormalities, including Down's... Read more

The one question everybody's asking about the Beijing Olympics

It's not whether Michael Phelps represents an "intermediate form" between today's human being and tomorrow's, though if he gets eight golds - which will give him 14 total - we might as well show him to the Creationists as proof... Read more

You're too sick to go to work, but you're a doctor, so you go anyway

Dr Jane Doe from Two Weeks on a Trolley is feeling sick. She's got two options - go in and make everybody else sick, or stay home and fall out with hospital management. There's got to be a better way,... Read more

Video game helps young cancer patients adhere to meds - research

Research published in this month's Paediatrics has found that playing a video game can help young people keep up with medications. You can download the game, Re-Mission, for free.... Read more

Prostate cancer body recommends against screening for men over 75

The US Preventive Services Task Force could not find adequate proof that early detection via PSA screening in men over 75 leads to fewer dying of the disease. They've recommended against routine screening. There's still a big debate in Ireland... Read more

The genetics of the seven deadly sins

Scientists have been debating whether gluttony is genetic, physiological, or sociological for quite some time. Now some scientists in North Carolina are arguing that sloth is in your genes. Wake me when they get to wrath.... Read more

Alzheimer's disease drug shows promise

A new drug may be a significant improvement in the treatment of Alzheimer’s disease and slow the progression of dementia, according to the Times.... Read more

Nobody is talking to the patients

A New York Times article on the collapse of the doctor-patient relationship.... Read more

Scientists argue the causes of 'imitative obesity'

Having fat friends may compel you increase your calories intake, according to a new study on obesity. The authors of the study argue that choices about appearance and other major decisions are determined by the choices others around you make.... Read more

Belfast scientist loses two years of research after laptops stolen

A Queens University scientist is asking thieves to return two laptops stolen from his office. They contain almost two years worth of research into the Respiratory Synsytial Virus (RSV), which is a potentially fatal illness in babies. Since it's highly... Read more

Alternative medicine: a 'massive social and intellectual fraud'?

The Guardian wonders if the discovery that Radovan Karadzic re-invented himself as a altmed healer might be a good time to discredit the whole industry. And how would you like to be the guy whose wife and daughters received massages... Read more

Gardai crackdown on 'sickies'

Rogue employees hoping to pull a sickie are logging on to a website, www.doctorsnotestore.com, which promises to deliver "authentic looking doctors sick certificates, written on official stamped notepaper, within 24 hours, for 29.99 euro." The Limerick Post reports that the... Read more

Scientists grow human blood vessels in mice

US scientists have grown human blood vessels in mice by implanting them with progenitor cells. Sensing a financial opportunity, I immediately went to Google to find out how to buy white mice. This is what I found. (Thanks to Medical... Read more

How far can we go with personalised medicine?

A PhD in Pharmacy talks about the "promise and the limitations of personalized medicine," on ScienceRoll.... Read more

Review confirms breast cancer self-exams have no effect on survival

There is still no evidence that monthly breast self-examination improves the chances of surviving breast cancer, but doing so does almost double the risk of undergoing biopsy, according to an update of a 2003 review on breast self-examination.... Read more

'Birthin doc' tells story of a patient's drug-free second birth

"I don't want to have the baby with my butthole up in the air," a patient tells Rural Doctoring. Thanks to Unprotected Text for the link.... Read more

Studies show concern over long-term use of bone-building drugs

A possible link between an unusual fracture pattern in the femur and long-term use of bisphosphonates has got doctors asking questions, according to the New York Times.... Read more

Beating couch-potatoism, one phone call at a time

Researchers have discovered that frequent phone calls telling people to stop watching tellybox and get off their a*se for a 10-minute walk actually works.... Read more

Pigs prevent Crohn's disease, sort of

Germans have long associated lack of hygiene with personal insults. If a German doesn't like you, he will call you a pig, or a goat. If he really doesn't like you, he will call you a goat pig. (In English,... Read more

Twins should be 'goal of IVF' - US fertility specialist

American IVF specialist Dr Norbert Gleicher has caused controversy at the European Society of Human Reproduction and Embryology's recent conference by arguing that twins should be the goal of IVF treatment, as it is no more dangerous than two single... Read more

Ten healthy foods you don't eat

Add turmeric to your scrambled eggs, sprinkle cinnamon on your coffee, and a handful of other ways to add new foods to your diet.... Read more

Medical myths: some you never heard of

Something to distract you on the weekend. Did you know: Intelligence and myopia go together because the growth of both the brain and the eyes has a common genetic base. Crucially, the genes responsible for myopia have to be turned... Read more

How much do you know about sexual health?

Did you know, for instance, that a pilot must wait four hours after taking Viagra before flying a plane? Take the Discover Health Sexual Health Quiz and learn what percentage of married women have sex two or more times a... Read more

'The market has failed pregnant women'

The creation of new drugs for pregnant women must not be left to the free market, the editors of PLOS Medicine write. An "analysis of the drug pipeline for obstetric disease between 1980 and 2007 found just 17 new drugs... Read more

How to make your kids eat vegetables

Don't hide healthy vegetables (like pureed spinach, broccoli, etc) in kid-friendly foods like peanut butter in order to get children to eat healthier. It could make them less likely to eat greens as an adult.... Read more

Doctors opt not to use electronic patient records

Even though doctors in the US who use electronic patient records say it has huge benefits for patients, less than one in five have switched from paper, according to a new study published online by the New England Journal of... Read more

Why your dreams are weird

When you dream, your brain retrieves images from the neocortex, not the hippocampus, a new study involving amnesiacs and the computer game Tetris has found. "When the brain is filing away the memories it needs to keep, it has to... Read more

It's not promiscuity, it's common sense

Why do women remain interested in uncommitted sexual relationships in countries where there is a high risk of contracting HIV/AIDS? It has something to do with the high rate of nonsexual diseases, and evolution, according to a study in Evolutionary... Read more

Doctors who prescribe placebos - a betrayal of trust?

Is a prescription of a placebo in the course of clinical care (not in clinical trials, of course) an inherent betrayal of the patient's trust, asks Brainblogger. My sense of it? A doctor betrays her own obligations as a physician... Read more

Confident children make healthier adults - research

A child who displays confidence is more likely to be a healthy adult, according to research in Psychosomatic Medicine. Those who believe they are largely in charge of their lives have an "internal" locus of control, while those who feel... Read more

The semen displacement device

Did you know that the penis "acts as a 'semen displacement device' and its shape has evolved in part to displace another man's semen"?... Read more

Yoga (and other stuff) may suppress prostate cancer gene

An intensive diet and exercise regime has shown an ability to suppress the prostate cancer gene in men with low-risk prostate cancer who declined immediate surgery, hormonal therapy, or radiation, according to a new study by a doctor and author... Read more

Will golf ever stop breeding fascinating inventions?

This is a portable toilet that looks like a golf club. It was invented by a Florida urologist. You don't actually play with it, so it shouldn't count against your club limit. Thanks to Gurublog for the link.... Read more

Can anti-drinking campaigns cause psychological harm?

Times advice columnist Dr Thomas Stuttaford, answering a question about alcohol abuse and multiple sexual partners, had this to say about anti-drinking campaigns: Immense damage can be done to the cause of encouraging sensible drinking by official campaigns, and those... Read more

It's not enough just to take care of patients

Does this doctor's disillusionment sound familiar? “I was naïve. When I was a resident I thought it was enough to take good care of patients. But the real world is totally different.”... Read more

Exercise at work

The Irish Heart Foundation's website has listed a few dozen exercises you can do at your desk: shakers, steppers, and strengtheners. According to the Foundation, employees who are inactive double their risk of developing coronary heart disease and are nearly... Read more

Singularity: the fusion of man and machine is now(ish)

Man and machine are already merging. But some scientists are now saying we're at the event horizon of a fundamental shift in the nature of existence, in which computers become part of our physical selves (like the Bionic Man, roughly)... Read more

A good reason to stop at the off license on the way home tonight

Red wine may slow ageing.... Read more

Using genetics to improve mental health treatment

Schizophrenia treatment has been vastly improved (i.e. personalised) by an increase in knowledge of genetics. The same may be true of treatment for depression and bipolar disorder, according to an article at PsychCentral.... Read more

Genetics societies unite!

As our genetic knowledge grows, so does the need to forge a broad consensus on the use, disclosure, and sharing of that knowledge, said Prof Wylie Burke, President of the American Society of Human Genetics. Read her address at the... Read more

Embryonic stem cell research upheld in world's largest Catholic country

Brazil's Supreme Court ruled last week that scientists can conduct embryonic stem cell research, according to the Associated Press.... Read more

What to do with a small amount of cancer

From the New York Times: "As biopsies of the lymph nodes grow more sophisticated and sensitive, oncologists and patients face the unsettling question of what to do with a little bit of cancer."... Read more

BBQ's new secret ingredient

Barbeque season looms, and with or without the appropriate weather, there’s a new ingredient that should grace the grill of every meat-eater with even the remotest interest in health: rosemary. Family doctors may soon be giving cooking tips, if research... Read more

Irish man prescribed cannabis for MS can't come home

A Galway man being treated for multiple sclerosis in Holland cannot return to his home in Ireland because of his pain-killing drugs. Mr Noel McCullagh, originally from Ballinasloe, has been legally prescribed cannabis under Dutch law, but if he returns... Read more

Actors' extreme weight changes need monitoring

Irish actor Colin Farrell is currently shedding weight for a role. A recent photo snapped in Spain shows an emaciated Farrell with hollowed cheeks, sunken chest and stick-thin legs. It is believed that he shed the weight for his latest... Read more

Explain a 'cybrid' to your friends

The Human Fertilisation and Embryology Bill, if it gets through British Parliament, will permit the creation of IVF-conceived children for the purpose of creating tissue-matches for sick siblings, and it will reduce the legal time limit on abortion from 24... Read more

The genetics of happiness

A recent article in Psychological Science has argued that subjective well-being (happiness and unhappiness) is linked to personality by common genes. Brain Blogger weighs in on it:... Read more

Peer training helps reduce teen smoking: Lancet

Peer trainers are more likely to encourage teenagers to quit smoking compared with a conventional teacher-led educational approach, according to an article in the Lancet. Listen to the podcast.... Read more

Genetic therapy for cancer

The Times on the refinement of cancer diagnosis through genetics.... Read more

Long-term use of ibuprofen protects against Alzheimer's: research

Long-term use of non-steroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) - particularly ibuprofen, has been linked to lower risk of developing Alzheimer's disease, according to research published in Neurology. Medical News Today has the full story.... Read more

Need a promotion? Get a facelift

A large number of corporate executives are choosing to get cosmetic surgery in order to be more successful - get promotions, land contracts, get a raise, compete with younger competition - according to Director. After all, "unattractive men earn 15... Read more

Obesity is a vicious circle, and other observations

Abdominal fat tissue produces a hormone that ultimately creates more fat cells, Canadian researchers have discovered. The bad news: your fat belly (if you have one) is making you fatter. The good news, if the discovery proves true, is that... Read more

Playing God and other accidental philosophies

Advice for junior doctors from a junior doctor: you may never know if you've made the right decision, and your conscience can never be taught to you.... Read more

Are you listening, Gay Byrne?

A common-sense idea to reduce drink driving was made at the Irish Medical Organisation's AGM recently, but it got no media attention: seize the cars of drunk drivers. While it may not end the hundreds of needless deaths on the... Read more

Women's rights? God's laws?

This article about illegal abortions in Kenya shows why we need rational debates about abortion and not emotionally charged rows. Think about why they happen and what the consequences are. Regardless of what side of the fence you are on,... Read more

What have Kylie and Portlaoise Hospital got in common?

Breast cancer misdiagnoses don't just happen in Midland Regional Hospital, Portlaoise. Pop queen Kylie Minogue, who received treatment for breast cancer in 2005 and 2006, revealed this week on Ellen DeGeneres's US daytime talkshow, Ellen, that the first doctor she... Read more

Nobody cares about underage smoking

Too few shops and licensed premises refuse to sell cigarettes to under-18s, a report by the Office of Tobacco Control has revealed. According to the OTC, almost one in two shop retailers and two in three licensed premises were willing... Read more

Big bellies in middle age lead to dementia: study

A new study has found that having a large belly in middle age increases the risk of developing dementia in old age. Researchers from the US and Sweden showed that overweight and obese people with large bellies have double or... Read more

A leech clinic will be opening in Foxrock in 3...2...1...

Demi Moore on the act of using blood-sucking leeches as a detox therapy: "You watch it swell up on your blood... then when it's super drunk it just kind of rolls over like it is stumbling out of the... Read more

And you thought Woody Allen's "Orgasmatron" was a joke

Scientists are working on ways to help train people to reach orgasm by letting them observe their own brain patterns, the Los Angeles Times is reporting. A pair of scientists also think they have discovered why people with severed spinal... Read more

Attractive women want it all

This is according to Evolutionary Psychology. So what else is new?... Read more

Is working good or bad for you?

The UK's Health Secretary is trying to reverse the sick-note culture, according to the Independent (UK). Alan Johnson said: "The evidence shows that far from being bad for health, work is generally good for people's health. In fact staying in... Read more

Lights at night linked to breast cancer

If you live on a street with lots of nighttime illumination, you are more likely to get breast cancer, the Washington Post is reporting. By overlaying satellite images of earth onto cancer registries, researchers discovered that women who "live in... Read more

Obesity, builders and quad bikes

Greed impacts on our health. No. Not over eating or over drinking. Private developers. Look at the myriad of new estates that have sprung up all over Ireland in the last 10 years of so, most of which have pretentious... Read more

Kendo vs fencing

The Guardian offers a detailed comparison of the health benefits of kendo vs fencing. This is a dilemma that has haunted me for as long as I can remember.... Read more

Nee naw, nee naw!

Bored? Need a break from the grind of nine to five? Wanna be an ambulance driver? Then click here to be transformed into an heroic paramedic, courtesy of the BBC.... Read more

You are too fat to eat here

Politicians in Mississippi have proposed a new bill that would make it illegal for restaurants to serve fat customers, MSNBC is reporting. If the bill becomes law, health inspectors will be able to revoke the license of any restaurant that... Read more

New obesity study: it's not your fault, again

Childhood obesity is not a result of lifestyle (ie diet and exercise) so much as genes, according to a study published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition. Researchers from University College London, who examined more than 5,000 pairs of... Read more

The walking wounded

This guy, about fiftyish and fairly well-dressed, was dandering through Dublin city-centre the other night carrying a cardboard box, which was nearly full with what appeared to be tins of beer. Nothing so unusual about that, except that, from each... Read more

An answer for the January blues?

Many moons ago our esteemed former news editor wrote a blog about a panda falling out of a tree. He managed to tenuously link it to health by suggesting that you could conduct an elementary form of psychoanalysis on people,... Read more

I like smoking in my car!

Sometimes journalists just hit the nail on the head. Earlier this year, Professor Luke Clancy, of the anti smoking organisation, ASH, called for smoking in cars to be banned. Following this, there were those who wholeheartedly agreed with him, and... Read more

Good news for docs, bad news for bus drivers

People who work routine jobs like driving buses are more likely to die before the age of 65 than architects, doctors, solicitors, etc., according to a report by the UK's Office for National Statistics. The BBC has reported, in my... Read more

No wonder I'm out of shape

Back at university, I used to swim competitively. I'd been at it for many years, since my pre-teens, and when I finally quit, I had truly burned out. I couldn't even look at a pool without feel nauseated, panicked, and... Read more

Mike Oldfield's Tubular Addiction

As an ex-smoker, one is subject to many other ailments – especially the dreaded ‘smug mug’ – that supercilleous expression that is the substitute for a cigarette hanging from the mouth. While the smoker exudes an air of coolness —... Read more

Night of the living drunk

The Evils of Alcohol, no. 99: getting drunk over Halloween and then passing out in public. A German man dressed as a Zombie was drunkenly returning home after a Halloween party when passengers on his train noticed him passed... Read more

Flip-flop fears

Beware flip-flops and sandals! Never mind the faux pas of wearing socks with these articles of clothing, there is more trouble afoot in the land of casual footwear.... Read more

Warning to tourists: avoid the hospitals (and the shops) but the pubs are great

Recently I was looking through the Lonely Planet's (aka the wanderer's Bible) newly updated guide to Ireland. The difference between the Lonely Planet books and many other travel guides is how they are not written by staff writers, or... Read more

Things to avoid at a beer festival: A. Being eaten by a bear

We, the authors of Viscera, have been slow to accept the argument that alcohol (even the tiniest amount, we're told, amounts to binge drinking), is the cause for all the world's evil.... Read more

OTC child medication debate gets louder

The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued an advisory to all parents to stop giving cough and cold medication to children under two years of age. The extreme step has been taken so the FDA can reassess... Read more

Drink or drugs? That is the question.

With a sore throat that was shooting pain into my left ear, I went out last Friday night to have a few pints of porter (five, to be exact) at the local GAA club where there was a bit... Read more

Scalpel! Suction! Renoir!

Photo courtesy of Julie70 Forget the Museum of Modern Art in Kilmainham or the National Gallery in Dublin city centre. If you want to appreciate art go to the Ulster Hospital in east Belfast. Come to think of it,... Read more

Popty Ping

Is the world going mad? This may or may not be true, but I was informed by a friend who has an eight-year-old son that his child is being taught a hybrid form of Irish. No longer it appears is... Read more

Help Eddie Gault now!

Would you expect to be diagnosed with bowel cancer and then sent home to wait for an appointment to see a consultant, with only paracetamol to ease your pain? Believe it or not, that is the disgraceful situation in... Read more

The invisible people

There was an interesting coincidence in the office this morning. (A place not regularly identified with the frequent occurence of interesting coincidences.) I received a newsletter from Age Action Ireland, which dealt with a few issues concerning our older... Read more

Educate and be damned

There is still an amazing amount of misconception in this country about emergency contraception, STDs and sexual health generally. A lot of people still think chlamydia is caused by promiscuity, or bad judgement. Many people think emergency contraception is... Read more