News & Lifestyle
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Bring Me Sunshine
Posted on 04/06/2008
Sunshine has had a bad press recently. However a new study shows that insufficient exposure to ultraviolet radiation may be an important risk factor for cancer in western Europe and North America. When US mortality rates for cancer were examined, it was found that a range of cancers of the digestive and reproductive systems in New England were close to double those in the south west US, despite only minor variations in dietary habits. Looking at 506 different regions of the US it was found that there was a close inverse correlation between cancer mortality and levels of ultraviolet B light. It is suggested that the protective effect of sunlight is a stimulus to the body to synthesise vitamin D. The strongest correlation with lack of sunlight was found with cancers of the breast, colon, and ovaries.
Forty Winks
Posted on 04/06/2008
The metabolic and endocrine hormonal changes resulting from sleep deprivation have a similar impact on the body to the ageing process and may increase the severity of age-related chronic disorders such as heart disease and diabetes, according to researchers at the US Department of Medicine in Chicago. Over the last hundred years, the average number of hours people spend asleep per night in the more developed countries has decreased from nine hours to seven-and-a-half hours. It is thought eight hours is the amount of sleep the average person requires for the body to be fully rested.
Exercise and Health
Posted on 04/06/2008
Walking is as effective as more vigorous exercise, for example running, in reducing the risk of heart attack and strokes for women. A study of 73,743 post-menopausal women from 50 to 79 years of age in the Women's Health Initiative Observational Study, found that brisk walking for about two and a half hours a week reduced the risk of heart disease and stroke by about one-third, whilst prolonged sitting increased the risk. (N Engl J Med 2002; 347:716-725).
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