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Tag: Health

  • Heavy alcohol use changes adolescents’ brain

    Heavy alcohol use during adolescence alters the development of the brain, according to a recent study from the University of Eastern Finland and Kuopio University Hospital. Cortical thinning was observable in young people who had been heavy drinkers throughout their adolescence. The findings were published in Addiction. The study performed magnetic resonance imaging of the…

  • Extensive standing at work linked with low back and leg symptoms

    Standing for too long at work is associated with low back and leg symptoms, according to a recent systematic review, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine. The review was conducted to get a better understanding of recent initiatives that encourage office workers to use sit-stand desks and, more generally, encourage intermittent standing in…

  • Quitting smoking at any age associated with lower risk of death

    Smoking cessation reduces mortality at any age, according to a recent study published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. The study look at data on more than 160,000 people over the age of 70 in the US, who had completed a questionnaire on their smoking habits in 2004 to 2005. This group were followed up…

  • FHT Vice President contributes to article on ‘no more winter colds’

     FHT Vice President, Mary Dalgleish has written an article about the use of aromatherapy oils to help cure the winter cold. “Essential oils are aromatic plant extracts that can be easily added to a bath or gently inhaled, to boost the immune system and help ward off colds and flu during the colder months,” Mary…

  • Open access study on self-help techniques in support of natural childbirth

    Interventions during labour and childbirth are on the rise in most developed countries[1]. In addition, use of an epidural block, while providing pain relief, has been identified as a contributing factor to assisted births, including caesarean section. A randomised controlled trial recently published in the BMJ Open[1] evaluated the effectiveness of a birth preparation course,…

  • GP workload pressures undermining patient safety

    Eighty-four per cent of GPs in England believe that unchecked and growing workload pressures are ‘undermining their ability to provide safe and quality care’ to patients, according to the findings of a recent survey by the British Medical Association (BMA). More than 5,000 GPs responded to the survey, with more than half describing their daily…

  • Use of pain medicine differs between people with and without Alzheimer’s

    Approximately one third of people with Alzheimer’s disease use prescription medicines for pain after their diagnosis, reports a recent study conducted at the University of Eastern Finland. The use of analgesics was as common among people with Alzheimer’s disease as it was among those of the same age without the disease, but there were significant differences…

  • Wearing running shoes without cushioning may reduce injury risk

    Wearing running shoes without cushioning and landing on the balls of your feet puts less strain on the body, according to research from the University of Exeter. The study published in the Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise journal  was designed to measure the loading rate of runners (when their feet hit the ground),…

  • Making a case for walking

    A report on the benefits of walking has recently been published by Arup. The Cities Alive: Towards a Walking World report looks at the many ways walking could improve city life. The report suggests that while there are many health benefits, walking can also lead to economic benefits and reduce pollution significantly. Furthermore, urban spaces are made…

  • New resource launched to tackle loneliness in the UK

    The Campaign to End Loneliness has recently launched a practical guide to identifying and talking about loneliness, as more than a million people over the age of 65 are believed to suffer from chronic loneliness. Separated into three two core sections, the guide highlights key ways to successfully identify loneliness, including using a range of…

  • FHT Excellence Awards winner gives presentation in Parliament

    Member and FHT Excellence Award winner, Angela Green, and her colleague, Dr Anne Johnson, were recently invited to give a presentation about the complementary therapy service at Velindre Cancer Centre at an All-Party Parliamentary Group (PGIH) meeting.   Held on 18 October at the House of Commons and chaired by David Tredinnick MP, the meeting…

  • Exchanging sedentary behaviour for low-intensity physical activity can prevent weight gain in children

    As little as 10 minutes of high-intensity physical activity per day reduces the amount of adipose tissue and enhances cardiorespiratory fitness in 6-8-year-old children, according to a new study from the University of Eastern Finland. The higher the intensity of physical activity, the stronger the association with the amount of adipose tissue. Exchanging sedentary behaviour…