Behind the Headlines

Lifestyle/exercise

Emergency contraception: coil 99.9% effective

09 May 2012
fertility “The coil is a much more effective form of emergency contraception than the morning-after pill,” says the Metro.
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Tai chi and heart health in older people

05 Apr 2012
elderly couple holding hands “Practising the ancient art of Tai Chi can boost elderly people’s hearts,” according to the Daily Mail.
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Alcohol studied for its effect on sleep

17 Aug 2011
Alcohol glasses The Daily Express reported today that “a nap can be spoiled by a nightcap” and that “a wee dram before bedtime…causes insomnia and robs a night’s rest of its restorative powers”. This news story is based on...
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Exercise more and 'live longer'

16 Aug 2011
touching toes “15-minute of daily exercise is the ‘bare minimum for health’,” reported BBC News. It added that “just 15 minutes of exercise a day can boost life expectancy by three years, and cut death risk by 14%”.
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Brain size and daylight

27 Jul 2011
landscape - beach Scientists have revealed that “people have bigger brains the further north they hail from”, The Sun reported. However, it added, this has nothing to do with them being more intelligent than southerners, but because they have to cope with less light.
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Cranberry compared to antibiotics for UTIs

26 Jul 2011
stack of nespapers The Daily Telegraph reported that, “women who drink cranberry juice to ease urinary tract infections would be better off sticking to a low dose of antibiotics.”
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Bad sleep 'may impair memory'

26 Jul 2011
woman yawning “A continuous night's uninterrupted sleep may be the essential requirement for a good memory,” The Independent has reported. The newspaper added that it isn’t just the amount of sleep that is important for...
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Optimism 'reduces stroke risk'

22 Jul 2011
stack of newspapers “Being an optimist can cut your risk of stroke,” the Daily Mail has reported today. The newspaper says that looking on the bright side of things can have a direct positive effect on physical health. The news...
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Study of seven Alzheimer's risk factors

19 Jul 2011
elderly couple holding hands “Half of all Alzheimer’s disease cases could be prevented by lifestyle changes such as exercise, eating healthily and not smoking”, the Daily Mail has today reported. The newspaper says that...
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Passive smoking 'linked' to hearing loss in teens

19 Jul 2011
cigarette in ash tray The Daily Mail reports today that research has found that “teenagers exposed to secondhand smoke are twice as likely to suffer hearing loss”. It said that scientists think that passive smoking affects the blood supply...
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