Feeling positive when roused by the sound 73 per cent of Brits wake up of birds singing or waves crashing, rather than the harsh ring of their conventional alarm, according to research by Radox.
Rage harder, live longer
Letting off steam can add two years to your life, says a new study by researchers at the University of Jena. They found that keeping negative emotions under wraps could have serious physical and mental health implications, such as increased depression, raised blood pressure and cardiovascular disease. So make sure you express your feelings – it’s cathartic and your body will thank you for it. Grrrrr!
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HEALTH BULLETIN AVOID SMOKERS, STAY SANE
Avoid breathing second-hand smoke to reduce your risk of developing dementia. A new study by King’s College London and Anhui Medical University in China confirms the hypothesis that passive smoking is linked to the neurological disease. Six thousand people were assessed for dementia in relation to their exposure to passive smoke. At the end of the five-year study period, 10 per cent of participants had severe dementia, and these were the subjects who’d had the highest and most persistent exposure to passive smoke.
PUT HIM ON THE BABY DIET
Give your partner’s diet an overhaul if you’re trying for a baby. A diet high in saturated fats can reduce sperm concentration by 38 per cent and sperm count by 41 per cent, according to a new Danish study. Foods high in saturated fats include meat and dairy, which are also associated with high cholesterol levels. These could give him heart disease too.
HOW TO SPOT CANCER EARLY
Would you recognise a sign of cancer? According to a ‘Cancer Consciousness’ survey by AXA, 79 per cent of women associate a lump in their breast with breast cancer, but were unaware that persistent sores throats, diarrhoea and mouth sores are also symptoms. The survey also found that only three per cent of women check daily for anything unusual. To gen up on your cancer knowledge, visit cancer.org.
LEAF THAT BEATS DIABETES
We all like to munch on an olive – especially when nestling in the bottom of a nice Martini – but you shouldn’t overlook its leaf. Olive leaf extract has come up trumps in clinical trials as a treatment for pre-diabetics. The University of Auckland found a 12-week course of olive leaf extract improved insulin secretion by 28 per cent for people at risk of type-2 diabetes. Olive leaf extract is also a powerful antioxidant (400 per cent stronger than vitamin C) and immune booster, Try some for yourself with Comvita’s Olive Leaf Complex, £22.99 for 500ml; comvita.co.uk.
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