Category: This Week In Wellness

TWIW 43: Long naps linked to stroke

This Week In Wellness people who nap longer than 90 minutes, people who sleep longer than 9 hours and people who sleep poorly are all at increased risk of stroke according to a study in Neurology, the online journal of the American Academy of Neurology. Whilst napping for less than an hour seemed fine, those… Continue reading TWIW 43: Long naps linked to stroke

TWIW 42: Man’s best friend linked to brain health

This Week In Wellness a study from Johns Hopkins Medicine suggests that kids exposed to dogs prior to the age of 12 were significantly less likely (as much as 24%) to develop schizophrenia later in life. Robert Yolken, M.D., chair of the Stanley Division of Pediatric Neurovirology and professor of neurovirology in pediatrics at the… Continue reading TWIW 42: Man’s best friend linked to brain health

TWIW 41: Alcohol recommendations reduced due to cancer links

This Week In Wellness, in what will not be a very timely announcement for many, the NHMRC’s new draft guidelines recommend that people drink “no more than 10 standard drinks per week” to reduce the health risks, especially cancer. The NHMRC have also retained the recommendation to not drink more than four drinks in one… Continue reading TWIW 41: Alcohol recommendations reduced due to cancer links

TWIW 40: Maternal fluoride intake linked to lower IQ in kids

This Week In Wellness JAMA paediatrics has published a study linking maternal fluoride exposure during pregnancy with lower IQ scores at 3 to 4 years of age. Fluoride has long been a hotly debated topic due to it’s potential neurotoxicity and that fast that the dosage when included in the water supply is hard to… Continue reading TWIW 40: Maternal fluoride intake linked to lower IQ in kids

TWIW 39: British Medical Journal takes on big pharma

This Week In Wellness An international team of researchers, clinicians, regulators, and citizen advocates from the British Medical Journal (BMJ) are launching a campaign to separate medicine from Big Pharma. Citing a 2009 Institute of Medicine report, that identified widespread financial conflicts of interest across medical research, education, and practice, the BMJ team say that… Continue reading TWIW 39: British Medical Journal takes on big pharma

TWIW 38: 41% of cancer caused by environment and lifestyle

This Week In Wellness a new study has estimated that almost 41% of cancers can be linked to lifestyle and environmental factors. The study, published in Canada by the Canadian Medical Association Journal (CMAJ) looked at 24 lifestyle and environment-related risk factors for cancer such as smoking, obesity, low fruit and vegetable intake, lack of… Continue reading TWIW 38: 41% of cancer caused by environment and lifestyle

TWIW 37: Australian teens amongst the least physically active in the world

This Week In Wellness a study published in The Lancet has ranked Australian teens 140th out of 146 countries for the physical activity of our teens. The study examined 1.6 million adolescent school students across 146 countries and compared them using the World Health Organisation’s physical activity guidelines that for this age group recommend a… Continue reading TWIW 37: Australian teens amongst the least physically active in the world

TWIW 36: Alternatives for colic?

This Week In Wellness a study reviewing the available evidence supporting complementary and alternative (CAM) therapies to help babies with colic has suggested that probiotics, fennel extract and spinal manipulation, do appear to help. The Systematic Reviews were published by researchers from the National Institute for Health Research (NIHR) at the University of Bristol and… Continue reading TWIW 36: Alternatives for colic?

TWIW 35: Getting dirty could reduce anxiety

This Week In Wellness research from the University of Adelaide suggests that microbes in dust may help improve gut health and by extension mental health. This contributes to a growing body of research linking time in nature with improved health outcomes. Especially from Japan where Forest Bathing or “shinrin-yoku”, which means “taking in the forest”,… Continue reading TWIW 35: Getting dirty could reduce anxiety

TWIW 34: Home birth just as safe for low risk mums

And This Week In Wellness a study in the British Medical journal analysing Australian births has suggested that for low-risk pregnancies birthing at home is just as safe and has a 6 times higher chance of resulting in a “normal birth”. Professor Caroline Homer, director of the UTS Centre for Midwifery, Child and Family Health… Continue reading TWIW 34: Home birth just as safe for low risk mums