MEDI WATCH

Big sellers

Amazonian health foods and anti-ageing drinks are likely to be big sellers on supermarket shelves next year, according to a British trend forecaster. Grooming products for ageing male baby-boomers are also among the top 10 growth areas predicted by Mintel. Beauty products and foods containing supposedly healthy botanical ingredients from the Amazon are becoming popular, Reuters reports. Mintel says consumers are more concerned about the world's natural resources and how goods are made.

Sweet news for the heart

A few squares of dark chocolate a day can almost halve the risk of heart attack in some people - and researchers at Johns Hopkins University have found out why: chemicals in cocoa beans have a similar biochemical effect to aspirin and can reduce the chances of blood-clotting. The study of 1,200 people found that a small amount of dark chocolate eaten regularly decreases the tendency of platelets to clot in narrow blood vessels, which can trigger heart attacks, the Guardian reports.

Magic of milk

And chocolate milk may be one of the most efficient drinks to recover after strenuous exercise. It proved to be far more effective than either fluid-replacement or carbohydrate replacement drinks in tests at Indian University. The study entailed athletes working out strenuously on an exercise bike, consuming one or other of the drinks, resting a few hours, then riding again to exhaustion. Over time, each athlete tried each type of drink, AP reports. After drinking chocolate milk, they lasted between 49 and 54 per cent longer on the second ride. The study was partly funded by the Dairy and Nutrition Council.

Secondhand smoke claim

Long-term exposure to second-hand smoke can cause breathing problems in otherwise healthy people, according to an 11-year Swiss study of almost 1,700 non-smokers. The University Hospitals of Geneva study found a strong link between exposure and developing a cough, and in those with bronchial hyper-reactivity or sensitivity, there was a link with wheezing, chronic bronchitis and shortness of breath, healthday.com reports.

Baby gets the massage

Gentle massage may comfort babies, ease their crying and help them sleep, according to British analysis of 23 clinical trials involving almost 600 healthy babies in China, North America, Britain and Israel. After rejecting all but nine of the trials because of possible bias, the University of Warwick researchers nonetheless found that massage appeared to be beneficial, probably because it appears to lower levels of stress hormones, Reuters reports. There was no evidence that massage helped with infant growth or development, and the researchers recommend further study or how often, when or for how long babies should be massaged.

Not such a thumb idea

A Washington lawyer has warned US companies they face workers' compensation claims for injuries caused by personal digital assistants (PDAs) such as the BlackBerry. The USA Today report also quotes a Cornell University ergonomics professor advising companies to train their employees how to use the devices properly. The American Physical Therapy Association recently recognised BlackBerry Thumb as an official workplace ailment. Meanwhile, the Hyatt hotel chain is offering a BlackBerry Balm hand massage in its North American spas because so many business travellers were complaining of hand and arm discomfort caused by over-use of PDAs, Reuters reports.

Jason Sankey is a tennis professional