Breast Cancer: A Weighty Problem

Need a little motivation to drop those extra kilos? Being overweight can raise the risk of breast cancer. And a new study from Boston’s Brigham and Women’s Hospital and Harvard University shows that losing weight, especially after menopause, may cut that risk.

Researchers tracked 87,143 women. Those who gained 10 kilos or more after menopause were 18% more likely to develop breast cancer than those who gained little or no weight. But those who lost 10 kilos or more after menopause lowered their cancer risk by 40%; those who were able to keep the weight off for at least four years cut it 60%. How can fat become fatal? It produces oestrogen, which can fuel breast cancer growth.

- Cynthia Dermody



Freshen Your Breath

Forget fancy mouthwashes and mini-mints. Keep your mouth clean with a healthy diet that will reduce the bacteria and plaque that cause bad breath.

Curd reduces plaque and gingivitis and stinky hydrogen sulphide. Eat plain curd made with low-fat milk and no sugar.
Pineapple contains bromelain, a digestive enzyme that acts as a natural cleanser.

Munching on raw vegetables increases saliva production, which helps wash food particles and acid from teeth. Drink lots of water to keep your mouth moist. Chewing sugar-free gum also stimulates production of saliva.

- Stephanie R. Kinnon



The Latest in First-Aid

You’re managing a healthy diet and you feel virtuous. Then you get pregnant and suddenly you’ve got a ferocious urge to eat chips, chocolate, sour foods—maybe even weird things like chalk or coal. Is your body trying to tell you something?

Do you know what to do in a medical emergency? Here are some up-to-date guidelines. Choking With the heel of your hand hit the person between the shoulder blades five times. Check the mouth quickly after each blow and remove any obstruction.

If this doesn’t work, stand behind the person, place a clenched fist above his or her navel and pull inwards and upwards. Check the mouth after each thrust. If the obstruction does not clear after three cycles of blows/thrusts, call an ambulance. Continue the cycle until help arrives.

Resuscitate if necessary. Anyone who has received abdominal thrusts should be seen by a doctor. Resuscitating adults Check if they are conscious by talking to them loudly and clearly and gently shaking their shoulders. If there’s no response, check for breathing: open the airway by placing one hand on the forehead and gently tilting the head back, then lift the chin. Look, listen and feel for breathing. If the person isn’t breathing normally, call an ambulance and begin chest compressions.

- For full details, visit the website redcross.org.uk



Room to grow healthy

If you have to be admitted in hospital, and you can afford it, choose a single room.

Patients who stay in private rooms are known to recover faster, so the Academy of Architecture for Health (in the USA) now recommends that all new hospitals be built with private rooms only.

“Single rooms are more efficient,” says Dr Dennis O’Leary of the Joint Commission on Accreditation of Healthcare Organizations. “They reduce medical errors and infections, and patients will probably get out of the hospital faster.”

- Stephanie R. Kinnon



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