https://www.scmp.com/rss/150443/feed en https://assets.i-scmp.com/static/img/icons/scmp-meta-1200x630.png https://www.scmp.com With so many varieties of cooking oil available, choosing the healthiest option is difficult. New studies make contradictory claims that can leave a consumer confused about the best choice, while health websites make assertions that sometimes have little real evidence to back them up. The good news is that all vegetable oil is cholesterol free – only animal products have cholesterol – and some contain the “good fats” MUFA and PUFA (mono- and polyunsaturated fats). Oils with high amounts of MUFA... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/2101665/five-healthiest-cooking-oils-you-can-buy-and-why-theyll-give?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/2101665/five-healthiest-cooking-oils-you-can-buy-and-why-theyll-give?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 08 Jul 2017 04:48:28 +0000 Most parents have done it at some point: calmed and comforted their children with sweets, ice cream or their favourite snack when they’re hurt or upset. “Of course it comes from the best intentions – no one likes to see their child experiencing emotional discomfort,” says Hong Kong-based eating behaviour coach Tatiana Kuvardina. “Parents are instinctively trying to help – to distract, to comfort, to replace pain with pleasure – and they are simply unaware that emotional feeding might have bitter... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/2096524/emotional-eating-why-we-shouldnt-comfort-or-reward-children?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/2096524/emotional-eating-why-we-shouldnt-comfort-or-reward-children?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Jun 2017 04:30:15 +0000 About 300 million people suffer from asthma globally, with 250,000 annual deaths traced to the disease. The number of people with asthma will grow by more than 100 million by 2025, according to The American Academy of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. So it’s not surprising that there’s an annual World Asthma Day dedicated to raising asthma awareness and care around the world. This year, it falls on May 2. According to the Hong Kong Asthma Society, about 10 per cent of children and 5 per cent of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/2089514/why-polluted-hong-kong-needs-better-programme-deal-asthma?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/2089514/why-polluted-hong-kong-needs-better-programme-deal-asthma?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 24 Apr 2017 09:02:34 +0000 Allergies affect up to 40 per cent of the world’s population, according to the World Health Organisation, and the proportion of sufferers in big cities and industrialised countries is rising. They can cause chronic illness and, in the case of some food allergies, can be fatal. More than one in two people in Hong Kong suffer from one or more allergic diseases, according to the Hong Kong Institute of Allergy, which will hold events to raise public awareness about allergies to mark World Allergy... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/2083807/worlds-growing-allergy-problem-how-find-out-if-you-have-one?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/2083807/worlds-growing-allergy-problem-how-find-out-if-you-have-one?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 02 Apr 2017 01:46:39 +0000 Cases of dementia, Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases are projected to hit 42 million by 2020, according to the World Health Organisation. Scientists are researching alternative treatments through nutraceuticals, including mushrooms. Mushrooms and their extracts appear able to tweak the body’s immune response and a number of edible mushrooms contain rare and exotic compounds that positively affect brain cells. In the study “Edible and Medicinal Mushrooms: Emerging Brain Food for... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/2079799/why-eating-mushrooms-good-your-brain-they-may-ward-effects?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/2079799/why-eating-mushrooms-good-your-brain-they-may-ward-effects?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 18 Mar 2017 04:32:10 +0000 Some parents aren’t sure when to keep sick children away from school and when it’s OK to send them back. While many schools in Hong Kong make it easy for parents to decide, with clear-cut rules on illness, a US-wide poll by the University of Michigan C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital found parents differ on how sick is too sick for class, or the importance of sick day consequences such as missing work or children missing tests. The findings were based on responses from 1,442 parents who had at least... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/2070366/when-keep-sick-children-away-school-what-hong-kong-parents?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/2070366/when-keep-sick-children-away-school-what-hong-kong-parents?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 13 Feb 2017 22:00:14 +0000 Eating more healthily in 2017 could be as easy as adding a handful of nuts to your diet each day. New research shows that people who eat at least 20 grams of nuts a day can cut their risk of coronary heart disease by nearly 30 per cent, cancer by 15 per cent and premature death by 22 per cent. The study was led by researchers from Imperial College London and the Norwegian University of Science and Technology. Co-author Dagfinn Aune from the School of Public Health at Imperial says: “We found a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/2063914/10-best-nuts-eat-why-theyre-so-good-you-and-alternative?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/2063914/10-best-nuts-eat-why-theyre-so-good-you-and-alternative?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Jan 2017 22:00:15 +0000 Question: Can apricot kernels, or xing ren in TCM, treat cancer? The straight answer: No The facts: it could be easily mistaken for an almond by its taste, look and smell, but an apricot kernel contains protein, fibre, and a high percentage of oil and amygdalin, a poisonous cyanogenic glucoside, also known as or laetrile or erroneously as vitamin B17. Used to flavour sweet Italian liqueur amaretto, apricot jams and amaretti biscottis, apricot kernels or ‘xing ren’ are also used in traditional... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/2061615/apricot-kernels-shouldnt-be-used-natural-treatment-cancer?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/2061615/apricot-kernels-shouldnt-be-used-natural-treatment-cancer?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 16 Jan 2017 21:48:11 +0000 It’s a vital vitamin that helps build strong bones, promotes calcium absorption, reduces inflammation, and modulates cell growth, neuromuscular and immune function. Now, new research adds to vitamin D’s myriad benefits: a healthy mind. Dr Mari Nerhus, of Norment Research Centre at the University of Oslo’s Institute of Clinical Medicine, and colleagues have found low vitamin D levels associated with increased disease severity in psychotic disorders, and increased negative and depressive symptoms.... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/2055129/can-low-levels-vitamin-d-cause-depression-doctors-not-yet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/2055129/can-low-levels-vitamin-d-cause-depression-doctors-not-yet?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 18 Dec 2016 08:01:06 +0000 Question: Should pregnant women get the flu shot? The straight answer: yes The facts: pregnant women are advised to stay clear of medications and vaccinations during their pregnancy. However, research findings show that the inactivated flu vaccine is beneficial to both mother and unborn baby, as it protects against infection during the first few months of life. Despite the research in its favour, most women are still wary of the flu vaccine. Dr Alexander Kenneth Doo, specialist in obstetrics and... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/2053193/should-pregnant-women-get-flu-shot-what-research-tells-us?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/2053193/should-pregnant-women-get-flu-shot-what-research-tells-us?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Dec 2016 21:33:16 +0000 Stressed out students and young professionals in Hong Kong are increasingly turning to herbal relaxation drinks that are said to help soothe body and mind but without a narcotic effect. Drinks such as Tranquini Positively Relaxed, Slow Cow and Xoco Blue are part of a relatively new but fast-growing segment of the beverage market in Hong Kong, positioned as a healthy alternative to soft drinks and an antidote to our always-on, caffeine-fuelled lifestyles. The drinks usually contain a combination... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/2051741/herbal-relaxation-drinks-we-sort-truth-hype-about-trendy?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/2051741/herbal-relaxation-drinks-we-sort-truth-hype-about-trendy?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Dec 2016 21:30:30 +0000 Question: do plants from the nightshade family cause inflammation and aggravate arthritis? The straight answer: no The facts: The Solanaceae family of flowering plants is often maligned for their supposed contribution to inflammation. More commonly referred to as nightshades, certain fruits (tomatoes, goji berries, gooseberries, etc), vegetables (peppers, potatoes, eggplants etc) and spices (cayenne and paprika) from this category produce solanine, an alkaloid compound that acts as a nerve... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/2047295/why-arthritis-sufferers-need-not-fear-nightshades-diet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/2047295/why-arthritis-sufferers-need-not-fear-nightshades-diet?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 19 Nov 2016 23:05:10 +0000 When 36-year-old Mindy Lim attended a week-long basketball technical camp, it wasn’t the gruelling schedule that bothered her. It was the rashes she developed on her thighs. The friction from the fabric of her pants caused an allergic reaction which she did not notice until much later due to the lack of sensation in her legs. Lim is a paraplegic. Most disabled people, like her, face challenges with their apparel. The lack of options poses daily hurdles. Allison Kabel, assistant professor of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-luxury/article/2017609/hong-kong-forefront-disabled-clothing-design-revolution?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/fashion-luxury/article/2017609/hong-kong-forefront-disabled-clothing-design-revolution?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 11 Sep 2016 04:30:30 +0000 Copper’s antibacterial properties make it much sought after in preventing the spread of bacteria, and the trace mineral is pivotal in the formation of red blood cells and maintaining cholesterol balance. As if that weren’t enough, copper just got an extra burnish with a recent study by scientists from the US Department of Energy’s Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (Berkeley Lab) and the University of California, Berkeley, who found that copper plays an integral role in metabolising fat. Lead... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/1991198/could-copper-be-new-fat-burner-foods-you-should-eat-get-your?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/1991198/could-copper-be-new-fat-burner-foods-you-should-eat-get-your?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 18 Jul 2016 21:04:27 +0000 Turmeric is popularly used to give curry a yellow hue, but in one restaurant in Hong Kong, the spice is being added to lattes – and consumers have reportedly been lapping it up. Peggy Chan, executive chef and managing director of Grassroots Pantry, says her restaurant on Hollywood Road sold an average of more than 50 turmeric chai lattes a day last winter. The popularity of the drink, she says, is related to an increasing awareness among people of what turmeric does for our health. The spice is... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/1983991/turmeric-wonder-food-should-be-every-hongkongers-cup-tea?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/1983991/turmeric-wonder-food-should-be-every-hongkongers-cup-tea?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 04 Jul 2016 02:00:09 +0000 If you’ve been ignoring pulses in your diet, now is a good time to appreciate them, considering the UN General Assembly has declared 2016 the International Year of Pulses. Pulses, the superfood to watch out for in 2016 Not only are they a good low-fat source of protein, minerals (such as iron and zinc) and B-vitamins such as folate, research suggests that their high fibre content can help lower bad cholesterol levels (LDL) and decrease the risk of heart disease and type 2 diabetes.  Lessons in... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/1956359/8-pulses-you-should-be-eating-why-theyre-good-you-and-how?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/1956359/8-pulses-you-should-be-eating-why-theyre-good-you-and-how?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 29 May 2016 22:00:49 +0000 If you think airline food tastes a bit "off", you're not the only one. The 10,000 taste buds in our mouth are able to differentiate between sweet, salty, bitter and sour on terra firma. But when we're up in the air, our sense of taste loses its bearings a bit. German researchers at Fraunhofer Institute found that the aircraft's cabin atmosphere - pressurised at 2,400 metres - combined with cool, dry cabin air - numbs about a third of our taste buds. The stagnant cabin tends to dry out the mucus... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/1850188/what-eat-and-drink-long-haul-flight-and-what-avoid?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/1850188/what-eat-and-drink-long-haul-flight-and-what-avoid?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Aug 2015 15:45:30 +0000 Quinoa vs brown rice The good news is they're both gluten free. While quinoa has double the fat content of brown rice, it also has more protein, fibre and a lower glycaemic index. Both grains contain bone-building magnesium, but quinoa has a higher percentage of it, as well as four times the immune-building iron. Brown rice has been promoted over white because it still contains the germ which houses much of the grain's nutrients and fibre. A cup of brown rice has 14 per cent of the recommended... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/1835685/superfood-fight-which-these-12-ingredients-best-your-health?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health-beauty/article/1835685/superfood-fight-which-these-12-ingredients-best-your-health?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Jul 2015 22:45:15 +0000 Osteoarthritis is one of the 10 most disabling diseases in developed countries today, affecting nearly one in 10 men and one in five women aged over 60. In most cases, the joint disease is diagnosed only in an advanced stage, when a patient is in pain. Earlier diagnosis might lead to better management and patient outcomes. A new fluorescent probe, devised by researchers from the Tufts University School of Medicine and the Sackler School of Graduate Biomedical Sciences at Tufts, could make the... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1763230/osteoarthritis-new-diagnostic-test-may-help-detect-it-earlier?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1763230/osteoarthritis-new-diagnostic-test-may-help-detect-it-earlier?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 Apr 2015 22:15:34 +0000 For five years Regine Gries welcomed 180,000 bedbug bites with open arms, quite literally. She was assisting her fellow biologist and husband Gerhard Gries at Simon Fraser University, Canada in his search to conquer the global bedbug epidemic. Since Regine is immune to the bites and suffers just a slight rash instead of the ferocious itching and swelling most people suffer, she became the "host". After years of research, the Gries, along with Robert Britton, a chemist at the university, and a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1704539/bedbugs-scientists-are-close-winning-war?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1704539/bedbugs-scientists-are-close-winning-war?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 08 Feb 2015 22:04:25 +0000 On a recent family holiday to Bali, Lindsey Price's 10-year-old daughter Lauren came down with a sudden high fever of 39 degrees Celsius on the second day of their trip. The family controlled the temperature with fever medication, but on the third day, Lauren began vomiting and collapsed. A local doctor recommended she have a blood test, which confirmed that Lauren had dengue fever. It's a common virus borne by female Aedes aegypti mosquitoes. Also known as break-bone fever because of its sudden... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1665483/dengue-fever-scare-hong-kong-family-highlights-rising-risk-disease?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1665483/dengue-fever-scare-hong-kong-family-highlights-rising-risk-disease?utm_source=rss_feed Sat, 20 Dec 2014 04:00:49 +0000 When Anne Clark, an Australian pharmacist in her mid-50s, consulted a surgical podiatrist in Perth for pain relief from bunions on her feet, his only prognosis was surgery. Having seen her mother suffer from a similar condition, and the after-effects of botched bunionectomies, Clark was averse to the procedure. That's when she started to research alternative cures for bunions, and chanced upon "microcurrent" therapy. Since it was unavailable in Australia, except for its use in beauty treatments... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/1657386/power-heal-microcurrent-therapy-trial?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/article/1657386/power-heal-microcurrent-therapy-trial?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 08 Dec 2014 09:45:50 +0000 As a mother screams on the delivery table, her newborn suddenly pops out and cuts the umbilical cord after googling how to do it on his father's tablet. The baby then grabs the nurse's phone and Instagrams a selfie, crawls to a laptop on the floor and signs into multiple social networking sites, and uses a GPS to find his way out of the hospital. This recent "Born for the Internet" ad campaign by mobile service provider MTS for its 3G Plus network is a bit extreme, but it's not uncommon these... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1513555/beware-negative-effects-too-much-screen-time-children?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1513555/beware-negative-effects-too-much-screen-time-children?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 May 2014 01:21:34 +0000 Dr Chu Chun-hung, a clinical associate professor in community and family dentistry at the University of Hong Kong's (HKU) faculty of dentistry, recalls the case of a young boy who drank only soft drinks. The boy had such severe dental erosion that his two front teeth required root canal therapy due to the irreversible damage. Chu says the boy was unaware that soft drinks, even those that are sugar-free, are acidic and therefore erode the structure of teeth. Added to that, the patient had used... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1476348/even-sugar-free-soft-drinks-erode-childrens-teeth?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1476348/even-sugar-free-soft-drinks-erode-childrens-teeth?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 14 Apr 2014 01:45:59 +0000 If a disease is highly treatable, even curable, you'd think sufferers would be doing all they can to rid themselves of it. But people who have gout, the world's most common form of inflammatory arthritis that often manifests in the big toe joint, don't seem to be getting cured. Rates of gout are soaring in Britain, with about one in 40 affected - the highest incidence in Europe. But treatment remains as poor as it was in the late 1990s, according to a study published in January in the Annals of... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1437220/gout-rise-sufferers-can-do-more-manage-condition?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1437220/gout-rise-sufferers-can-do-more-manage-condition?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 03 Mar 2014 01:49:27 +0000 As a teenager, Ar Tim had an operation to fix a recurring condition called pneumothorax, or collapsed lungs. She has also had surgery for scoliosis. Today, the 35-year-old is subjected to regular cardiovascular tests, as well as electrocardiograms, lung function tests, echocardiograms, regular follow-ups and X-rays of her spine, and occasional CT scans. All this is because Ar Tim has Marfan syndrome. It's a genetic disorder that causes defective connective tissues which hinder the body's normal... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1368777/lifelong-drug-therapy-key-coping-marfan-syndrome?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1368777/lifelong-drug-therapy-key-coping-marfan-syndrome?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 02 Dec 2013 04:50:09 +0000 Fourteen per cent of Hong Kong's population is aged 65 or older, a figure that is expected to increase to 30 per cent by 2040. With urbanisation and modernisation changing the roles of older people, seniors face a new set of pressures. Some older adults feel isolated by a greater focus on the individual. They feel they are cut off from younger members of the family who have different values, a greater affinity for global values compared to traditional values, and may not even share the same... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1334571/gerontology-counselling-lends-ear-aged?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1334571/gerontology-counselling-lends-ear-aged?utm_source=rss_feed Fri, 18 Oct 2013 09:45:15 +0000 In the early 1990s, the American Academy of Pediatrics launched a Back to Sleep programme that recommended placing babies on their backs in bed to reduce the risk of Sudden Infant Death Syndrome (Sids). Since then, the percentage of infants sleeping face-up has increased dramatically, and the overall incidence of Sids has more than halved. But placing babies in the supine position for long periods of time has led to an increase in positional plagiocephaly, commonly known as flat-head syndrome.... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1324431/facts-about-flat-head-syndrome?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1324431/facts-about-flat-head-syndrome?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 06 Oct 2013 16:00:00 +0000 The egg, both its yolk and white, is well known to be a nutritional powerhouse of protein, vitamins and minerals. But an almost invisible part of the egg - the membrane, the protective layer lining the inside of the shell - has lately attracted attention for its strength and durability. Scientists have found that the eggshell membrane is a completely natural source of many nutrients, such as hyaluronic acid, glucosamine, chondroitin, collagen and amino acids that play a vital role in providing... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1294439/pain-relief-eggshell?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1294439/pain-relief-eggshell?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Aug 2013 16:00:00 +0000 Fuelled by the desire for a perfect smile, the tooth whitening market has soared in recent years. There are now countless products available, like gum and toothpaste, as well as services offered by dentists, salons, spas and mall kiosks. But concerns are being raised about the safety of some dental bleaching treatments and products. This is due to the unsupervised and undiagnosed bleaching procedures being undertaken by non-dental professionals, and the introduction of at-home bleaching. For... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1286347/tooth-whitening-popular-procedure-it-can-be-harmful?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1286347/tooth-whitening-popular-procedure-it-can-be-harmful?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 21 Jul 2013 16:00:00 +0000 Thrombocytes or platelets are colourless blood cells that assist in blood clotting by forming plugs in blood vessel holes. A healthy person has between 150,000 to 400,000 platelets per microlitre of blood. However, chemotherapy, radiotherapy, dengue fever, chronic hepatitis, viral infection or imbalances in the immune system can cause a sub-normal platelet count. The telltale signs of thrombocytopenia are easy or excessive bruising, superficial bleeding into the skin that appears as a... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1234646/those-low-platelet-count-benefit-healthy-diet?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1234646/those-low-platelet-count-benefit-healthy-diet?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 12 May 2013 16:00:00 +0000 In a society obsessed with appearances, acne often influences a person's quality of life, leading to social withdrawal, anxiety, and sometimes depression. Treatment of the skin problem is therefore essential, and new research suggests that diet could play a bigger part than was thought. A recent study published in the Journal of the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics has determined that there is increasing evidence of a connection between diet and acne, particularly from high glycemic load diets... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1207804/fresh-hope-acne-sufferers?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1207804/fresh-hope-acne-sufferers?utm_source=rss_feed Sun, 07 Apr 2013 16:00:00 +0000 For many Asians, it's inauspicious to announce the news of a pregnancy before the end of the first trimester. There might be something in this: studies reveal that between 10 and 25 per cent of all pregnancies end in miscarriages during the first 13 weeks of pregnancy. Sandra Ng had a miscarriage in the fifth week of her second pregnancy. "It was extremely traumatic for me, more emotionally than physically. I still wonder, had I not told everyone prematurely, could it have been averted," she... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1086146/miscarriage-separate-myth-reality?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1086146/miscarriage-separate-myth-reality?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 19 Nov 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Sunlight gives us our daily dose of vitamin D, but overexposure to its ultraviolet rays can cause photo-ageing, skin cancer and immune suppression. Sunblocks and sunscreens can provide some protection, but there are concerns about the potentially dangerous ingredients in these products that could outweigh their benefits. Certain chemicals in sunscreens aggravate particular skin conditions, and can clog pores and cause skin allergies. Sunscreens with natural agents could prove safer and more... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1080835/herbal-sun-protection?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1080835/herbal-sun-protection?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 12 Nov 2012 16:00:00 +0000 With celebrities these days tottering around in seven-inch Christian Louboutin and Jimmy Choo "limo heels", lesser mortals are trying to follow suit at the cost of their sole well-being. Cramming your tootsies into vertiginous death traps is not a good idea. The feet are especially delicate, with 26 major bones, 30 joints and a complex web of nerves and tendons. Even at three inches high, heels increase the weight on the forefront of the foot by 110 per cent, displacing bones and tissue,... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1075376/women-get-feet-reshaped-fit-high-heels?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1075376/women-get-feet-reshaped-fit-high-heels?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 05 Nov 2012 16:00:00 +0000 As a child, Sally Gardner was likened more to a sieve than a sponge. More information was lost than retained, and she was called a problem child, unteachable and lazy. But there was a reason: Gardner had severe dyslexia, a lifelong learning disorder that typically manifests in reading, writing and spelling difficulties. According to the Health Department's Child Assessment Service, the prevalence of dyslexia among children is between 9.7 per cent and 12.6 per cent. The condition in about 70 per... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1051641/shorts-sally-gardner-and-dyslexia?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1051641/shorts-sally-gardner-and-dyslexia?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 01 Oct 2012 16:00:00 +0000 In 2008, the American animal rights organisation People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (Peta) announced a US$1 million reward to anyone who could use chicken cells to develop a marketable lab-grown meat by June this year. The contest deadline has been extended to January 1 next year because no one has succeeded as yet. But scientists are getting closer to producing the first test tube chicken nugget. According to Peta, "some promising steps have been made towards this technology, but we're... https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1039132/lab-grown-meat-could-prove-substitute-real-thing?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/lifestyle/health/article/1039132/lab-grown-meat-could-prove-substitute-real-thing?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 17 Sep 2012 16:00:00 +0000 Legend has it that the sea buckthorn was the preferred berry of Pegasus, the mythological Greek horse, for its flight-inducing qualities. A relatively recent entry to the list of 'rediscovered' foods, this unassuming orange berry, native to Europe and Asia, might not help lesser mortals like us take to the skies, but it's making its presence felt in the medical world for its health benefits. Sea buckthorn is available in the form of supplements, oils, essences, or even cosmetics. Its juice was... https://www.scmp.com/article/1007565/it-wont-help-you-fly-it-has-benefits?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/1007565/it-wont-help-you-fly-it-has-benefits?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Jul 2012 16:00:00 +0000 It's known by different names throughout the world - chai-yok in Korea, ratus in Indonesia, ganggang in Malaysia, bajos among Mayan healers and Venus smoke in North America. A centuries-old practice more common on the Asian subcontinent, steaming of the female genitalia over a pot of herb-infused boiling water is known for its curative effects on health and fertility. It is said to reduce stress, fight infection, clear haemorrhoids, regulate menstrual cycles and aid infertility, among other... https://www.scmp.com/article/1007567/when-smoke-gets-your-thighs?utm_source=rss_feed https://www.scmp.com/article/1007567/when-smoke-gets-your-thighs?utm_source=rss_feed Mon, 23 Jul 2012 16:00:00 +0000