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Brazil nuts can boost a woman's fertility:

Natural antioxidant found in nuts, red meat and seafood improves chances of conceiving

An element found in nuts, red meat and seafood could increase a woman's chance of conceiving.

Scientists found that selenium, a natural antioxidant, plays a crucial role in the early stages of conception - and of all foods, Brazil nuts have the highest level.

Selenium is crucial in the development of healthy ovarian follicles, which are responsible for the production of eggs in women.

Selenium - found in nuts, red meat and seafood - could be crucial in the development of healthy ovarian follicles, which are responsible for the production of eggs in women, research found

Melanie Ceko, from the University of Adelaide, who carried out the research, said: 'Selenium is an essential trace element found in protein-rich foods like red meat, seafood and nuts.'

'It is important for many biological functions, such as immune response, thyroid hormone production, and acts as an antioxidant, helping to detoxify damaging chemicals in the body.

'We've known for some time that selenium is important to men's fertility, but until now no one has researched how this element could be involved in healthy reproduction in women.'

Vision problems. Joint pain. Dementia... Is there anything fish oils can't beat?

They've already been shown to ease arthritic joints and be beneficial to the developing brains of children.

Now research has shown that fish oils can also help smokers kick the habit. Fish oils contain omega-3 fatty acids.

Current medical advice is to eat two portions of fish a week, including one portion of oily fish such as tuna or mackerel. Omega-3s are also found in leafy vegetables, wholewheat bread and walnuts. So what can they do for you – and is a supplement sometimes better? EVE McGOWAN spoke to the experts to find out…

Current medical advice is to eat two portions of fish a week, including one portion of oily fish such as tuna or mackerel

A boost for brain power

THE CLAIM

Omega-3 supplements for children – the modern-day alternative to cod liver oil – help their developing brains.

THE PROOF

Numerous trials have shown that they can improve the behaviour and learning of children with ADHD and learning disabilities. More recently, Dr Alex Richardson, at Oxford’s Centre for Evidence-Based Intervention, studied underperforming children aged seven to nine. After taking daily supplements for 16 weeks, their behaviour and reading improved.

SUPPLEMENT OR DIET?

Dr Richardson says: ‘Almost all the children failed to eat enough fish so supplements are a reasonable option.’

Preventing a heart attack

THE CLAIM

The rise of the 'Botox boob job': New treatment promises to boost your bust by a cup size...but it will cost you

Bust-boosting surgery has never been more popular, with more than 11,000 boob job operations taking place in the UK alone each year.

But not everyone wants to go under the knife, including some of the A-list clients who visit Harley Street medic Dr Neetu Nirdosh.

Instead of scalpels and implants, they are opting for a new treatment which has been dubbed 'the Botox boob job' and uses injectables to plump up the cleavage.

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New look: The 'Botox boob job' is said to boost the breasts by up to a cup size but only lasts for six months

'The Breastox- Botox is fast becoming the must have pre-red carpet procedure for my celebrity clients,' explains Dr Nirdosh.

'It is a knifeless instantaneous breast lift. This form of breast augmentation works best for those who are between a cup size A and C and is safer and quicker than regular surgery.'

The £1,000 treatment involves injecting Botox into the pectoral muscles which temporarily relaxes them, leaving the shoulder and surrounding chest muscles to take the strain.

As a result, breasts are lifted and look higher and firmer, although given Botox wears off, the effect lasts for a maximum of six months.

'There's no downtime, no reported side effects, no scars and it is virtually painless,' adds Dr Nirdosh.

'It takes less than 30 minutes and is the ideal treatment for women suffering from post-pregnancy droopy boobs, ageing, sagging breasts or a wrinkly bust line as a result of sun damage.

Popular: Botox is the most popular injectable in use in the UK and accounts for 45,464 treatments a year

Risky: Breast enhancement isn't without its risks as the recent PIP implant scandal demonstrated

'It is also good if you want a bit of extra support so you can go braless as many of my red carpet clients do.'

Traditional breast enhancement involves having a cut made either beneath the breasts or in the armpits and inserting a silicone implant between the breast tissue and the chest muscle.

Operations cost between £3,500 and £5,000 and, according to the NHS, complications can include infection, scarring and loss of sensation in the nipple.

24-HOUR BREAST IMPLANTS USE SALINE INJECTIONS TO TEMPORARILY BOOST YOUR BUST

For the girl who has too much $$$ to spend, and too few brains

Ever wish that you could have bigger boobs just for a day or two, so you can fit into that dress or simply see how big breasted woman are treated differently at a bar? Well the answer to your curiosities is here in the form of temporary breast enlargements.

Plastic surgeons have been injecting saline into women’s breasts to expand their size. The effect of the procedure only lasts around 24 hours, but it is much less risky or invasive than regular breast augmentation or enlargement surgery. The saline injections were originally meant as a way for women considering these types of surgeries to see how they might look with larger breasts. If a patient was unsure of committing to implants, some surgeons would also use the injections as a trial run to see if she liked having larger breasts.

According the New York Times, the saline injection procedure quickly took on a life of its own and is being requested for special events, parties, and vacations. However, these temporary improvements come with a steep price tag of $3,500 a procedure (though some costs are reported to be as low as $2,500), prohibiting many from opting for the quick fix. Read The Rest Here

Poor diet 'causes lifetime damage': Foods full of fat, sugar and salt change the way genes work, say scientists

The damage caused by unhealthy eating can last a lifetime – even after going on a diet, according to research.

Scientists suggest that foods full of fat, sugar and salt change the way genes work and even swapping them for fish, fruit and vegetables cannot turn back the clock.

Tests on mice found that those fed a junk food diet were still more prone to hardening of the arteries even after treatment because the function of genes, including those vital to the immune system, had been altered in a process known as ‘epigenetics’.

Bad diet: Foods full of fat, sugar and salt change the way genes work, scientists say

Researcher Erik van Kampen, of Leiden University, Holland, said: 'I hope this study demonstrates the importance of diet induced changes in the epigenome and encourages further research into the interaction between dietary patterns, DNA methylation and disease.'

Can Broccoli Chemical Cure Autism?

Brussels Sprouts (Photo credit: Wikipedia)

A chemical found in broccoli may point the way to a cure for autism. Scientists at the Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine found that sulforaphane, a chemical found in broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables, such as cabbage and Brussels sprouts, improved the classic symptoms of autism in teens and young men.

"We believe that this may be preliminary evidence for the first treatment of autism that improves symptoms by apparently correcting some of the underlying cellular problems," said Paul Talalay, M.D., professor of pharmacology and molecular sciences.

Read Latest Breaking News from Newsmax.com http://www.NewsmaxHealth.com/Headline/autism-sulforaphane-broccoli-cruciferous/2014/10/22/id/602465/#ixzz3H425GGx1
Alert: What Is Your Risk for a Heart Attack? Find Out Now

Are pills containing frozen POO the key to beating hospital superbug?

A deadly hospital superbug could be treated using capsules of frozen faeces from healthy people, a new study has found.

The gut infection Clostridium difficule (C. difficile) can be life-threatening, especially in the elderly.

But scientists in the US found introducing 'normal' gut bacteria from a healthy donor's excrement, rebalanced a C. difficile patient's system, curing their illness.

They successfully cured 18 of 20 patients who took part in the study at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston of their diarrhea, improving their condition.

A new study has found capsules of frozen facecal matter from healthy donors can cure C. difficile patients of their severe diarrhoea. Doctors in the US cured 18 of the 20 patients taking part in their research. (File picture)

In healthy people the bacteria C. difficile lies harmlessly in the gut. But the feared infection is caused when antibiotics upset the balance of the intestines. While natural bacteria that protect against infection are decimated by the drugs, C. difficile multiply. The result is severe diarrhoea, which can cause fatal complications, including swelling of the bowel from a build-up of gas.

The new research builds on a UK study published in 2012 where 'stool transplants' were used to restore the balance of the gut in mice suffering C. difficile.

But the methods used were invasive and presented problems for human patients.

The researchers developed a method whereby they could freeze healthy stool samples, enclosing them in capsules for patients to swallow.

Could symptoms of autism be improved by eating broccoli?

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Suforaphane - which gives broccoli its bitter taste - could help treat autism, a study found

Broccoli could hold the key to treating autism, research suggests.The chemical that gives broccoli its distinctive bitter taste made teenagers and young men with autism calmer and more sociable, a study found.

‘Remarkable’ improvements were seen in as little as four weeks and by the end of the study, some of those given a capsule a day felt able to look the researchers in the eye and shake their hand.

The finding suggests it may be possible to create a pill that gets to the root of autism for the first time.Existing drugs simply control symptoms such as aggression, hyperactivity or sleep problems, but do not address the underlying cause of the condition.

Researcher Dr Paul Talalay, a professor of pharmacology in the US who has spent the last 25 years researching nature’s medicine cabinet, said: ‘It was a small study but the effects were very, very large.

‘We believe that this may be preliminary evidence for the first treatment for autism that improves symptoms by apparently correcting some underlying cellular mechanisms.’

British experts described the research as ‘intriguing’ but said it is simply too early to say if broccoli is beneficial in autism.

The research, from the respected MassGen Hospital for Children and Johns Hopkins University, both in Boston, comes amid concern about rising rates of autism.

More than one in 100 British children has autism or a related condition such as Asperger's Syndrome - a 10-fold increase on 30 years ago.

Low-calorie sweeteners found in diet drinks RAISE the risk of obesity and diabetes by affecting how the body processes sugar

Low-calorie artificial sweeteners found in diet drinks actually 'raise the risk of diabetes and obesity'

Millions rely on them to help them stay thin. But low-calorie artificial sweeteners actually raise the risk of obesity, researchers fear.

The popular sugar alternatives found in diet drinks and in sachets in cafes and restaurants may also increase the odds of diabetes.

The sweeteners under the microscope are saccharin, which is found in Sweet’N Low, sucralose, which is found in Splenda, and aspartame, which is found in many diet drinks.

The Israeli researchers that ‘today’s massive, unsupervised consumption’ of artificial sweeteners needs to be reassessed.

The warning at a time when growing concern about the damage done by sugar is likely to mean more people are switching to artificial alternatives.

British experts urged caution, saying that much of the work was done in mice. But they also said that water is the healthiest drink.

The researchers, from the Weizmann Institute of Science, first showed that all three sweeteners made it more difficult for mice to process sugar.

This is known as glucose intolerance and is important because it raises risk of developing diabetes and obesity.

In a study of almost 400 people, the researchers linked artificial sweetener with being fatter and glucose intolerance.

And, worryingly, volunteers who didn’t normally eat or drink artificially-sweetened foods began to become glucose intolerant after just four days of consumption.

The numbers affected were small – just four out of seven men and women in the trial – but the research overall was judged significant enough to be published in Nature one of the world’s most prestigious scientific journals.

Other experiments suggested the sweeteners do the damage by altering type of bacteria in the gut.

While this might seem odd, some of the bugs that live naturally in our digestive system are very good at breaking down food.

If they thrive on artificial sweeteners, this could lead to more energy being extracted from food and more fat being stored – raising the odds of obesity.

Common diabetes drug metformin could cause thyroid and heart problems, experts warn

A drug widely prescribed to those with diabetes could cause thyroid, heart and a host of other health problems, a study has warned.

Metformin is commonly used to treat type 2 diabetes. It lowers blood sugar levels by reducing glucose production in the liver.

But new research, published in the Canadian Medical Association Journal, found the drug is linked to having an underactive thyroid.

The drug metformin - widely prescribed to treat type 2 diabetes - could cause heart disease and a host of other health problems, scientists have warned

An apple a day could keep obesity away: Granny Smiths promote friendly bacteria helping us feel fuller for longer

Granny Smith apples were found to contain high levels of a compound that promotes good bacteria in the gut, helping people feel fuller for longer

An apple a day keeps the doctor away, goes the saying.

But a new study has found more specifically, that a Granny Smith a day could be the key to preventing obesity.

The bright green, crisp variety helps people feel full, inhibiting the urge to eat.

They were found to promote friendly bacteria, which invokes the feeling of being full.

The study, published in the journal Food Chemistry, revealed that the non digestible compounds in the fruit, which include fibre and polyphenols, do not get broken down by stomach acid.

When they reach the colon they are fermented by bacteria in the colon which helps friendly bacteria in the gut to grow.

Scientists at Washington State University tested several different varieties of apple on mice, to see which caused the most growth of friendly bacteria.

Granny Smiths worked better than Golden Delicious, Gala, Braeburn and other popular varieties, they discovered.

The variety, known for its slightly tart flavour, had a particularly high fibre content and compounds like polyphenols which do not break down when eaten, they reported.

The team analysed mouse droppings after feeding the animals, some of which were obese, different types of fruit.

They discovered the balance of bacteria in the colon of obese people is often 'disturbed' in a way that can disrupt the metabolism and make people feel hungry.

It was revealed that the faeces of overweight mice that had eaten Granny Smith apples had changed and become similar to that of slim mice.

The discovery could lead to future treatments for weight problems.

Brazil nuts can boost a woman's fertility:

Vision problems. Joint pain. Dementia... Is there anything fish oils can't beat?

The rise of the 'Botox boob job': New treatment promises to boost your bust by a cup size...but it will cost you

24-HOUR BREAST IMPLANTS USE SALINE INJECTIONS TO TEMPORARILY BOOST YOUR BUST

Poor diet 'causes lifetime damage': Foods full of fat, sugar and salt change the way genes work, say scientists

Can Broccoli Chemical Cure Autism?

Are pills containing frozen POO the key to beating hospital superbug?

Could symptoms of autism be improved by eating broccoli?

Low-calorie sweeteners found in diet drinks RAISE the risk of obesity and diabetes by affecting how the body processes sugar

Common diabetes drug metformin could cause thyroid and heart problems, experts warn

An apple a day could keep obesity away: Granny Smiths promote friendly bacteria helping us feel fuller for longer

An apple a day could keep obesity away: Granny Smiths promote friendly bacteria helping us feel fuller for longer

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An apple a day could keep obesity away: Granny Smiths promote friendly bacteria helping us feel fuller for longer