Smoking may accelerate men’s hair loss

While Asian men generally have less trouble than Caucasians with the most common form of hereditary male baldness, smoking cigarettes may erase that edge, researchers said in a recent study. Smoking may destroy hair follicles, interfere with the way blood and hormones are circulated in the scalp or increase the production of estrogen, the researcher said. The study, published in the November issue of the Archives of Dermatology, recommended that men showing early signs of hair loss should be advised about the role smoking can play to prevent further progression.

Dangers of second hand smoking exaggerated: study

For long the perils associated with passive smoking have been cited as reasons to seek a complete ban on smoking in public places, but if a new study is to be believed the dangers of second had smoke have been exaggerated.
In a new study, long time American anti-tobacco activist and physician Dr Michael Siegal has expressed grave concern over the “obfuscation of facts” about second hand smoke.
“The inaccuracies lie in overstating the effect of a single, transient exposure to second hand smoke – a claim which cannot be validated by any scientific evidence,” he says in the study published in October 10.
Siegal contends that only repeated exposure to second hand smoke is likely to increase the risk of a heart attack for a non-smoker. “As far as the actual possibility of causing a heart attack is concerned, it is all the more likely. For the matter, even chronic exposure to second-hand smoke cannot cause a heart attack in a healthy non-smoker,” he said.
Drawing parallels between eating a single fatty meal and being exposed to second hand smoke for 20-20 minutes, he said, “the 30 and 20 minute claims were based on studies that observed merely ‘changes’ in the heart’s functioning”.

The Three Types Of Tears

Basal, the tears that keeps the eyes moist. Without them, blinking would feel like sandpaper scratching our eyes. We produce between five and 10 ounces a day.

Reflex, the tears that come from cutting onions or a finger in the eye.

Emotional, they are the only tears that dispel toxins.

Women produce 60 percent more prolactin – the same hormone used for breast-feeding – in their tears than man.

Crying is hard in space – gravity issues.

British psychologist John Siaboda concluded that the most tear-inducing musical passage of all time is the beginning of the third movement in Rachmaninoff’s Second Symphony.

Humans are the only animals known to cry, not counting Walt Disney cartoons.

Tear contains mucus, water and oil.

Our noses run when crying because tears drain into the lacrimal ducts inside our eyes and into the nasal cavity.

Can you drink too much water?

We’re always being told to drink water, especially when exercising. But new research shows that under certain circumstances extra water can do more harm than good: if you dilute yourself too much the sodium level in your blood can drop, possibly leading to lethargy, disorientation, seizures and respiratory distress.

Keep An Eye On Your Eyes

Yellow Eyes: Most eyes take on a yellow-brown tinge with age, though a diet high in fat and low in fruit and veg can make it worse. It won’t affect sight, but if it’s pronounced and affects the skin it could be jaundice. See your GP.

Foggy Sight: Could be an early sign of cataracts, opaque patches on the lens that are operable. Could also be glaucoma, pressure in the eye that can cause blindness if not picked up.

Puffy Eyes: Usually means something is irritating the eye, perhaps an allergy, or sometimes water retention. Can occasionally signal a thyroid problem. In which case the neck may swell up too.

Flashing Lights: Visual disturbances can be a sign of stress. But it can also be a warning of retinal detachment, so have an eye exam to rule that out.

Double Vision: Aside from alcohol, a common cause is untreated childhood squint. But if it appears in later life it could signal multiple sclerosis, stroke, a tumour or other disease.

Blurring: Long- and short- sightedness and astigmatism can all cause this, so you need glasses or a new prescription. But blurring can also be a symptom of high blood pressure or uncontrolled diabetes, or the beginnings of age-related macular degeneration: this comes to us all but can be slowed by taking a lutein supplement.

Sty: A harmless infection forming a small, often painful abscess at the base of an eyelash or inside the eyelid. Will usually disappear on its own, but can be treated with antibiotic ointment,

Floaters: Usually just a shadow cast by the natural proteins in your eye. But if you suddenly start seeing lots or they are coloured, the it could signal bleeding or a torn retina.

Aching Eyes: Probably caused by working close up or in front of a PC’s screen. Take regular breaks.

Red, gritty eyes: Could be an infection or allergy, but it may be a trapped lash or bit of make-up. See an optometrist. Contact lenses can be a cause too: daily disposables may help.

Take a Nap, Get Smart

Few of us get the recommended seven to nine hours of sleep a night, and many who have time to nap don’t, for fear of spoiling nighttime sleep. But American researchers say napping doesn’t make nodding off at night more difficult – and it may sharpen the mind.
Researchers gave 32 adults thinking and memory tasks over a four day period. On the third day, they were asked to try to nap between 2 and 4 pm. For another four days, they skipped the nap but took the tests. On the day of the nap and the following day, they did better on the tasks, and the daytime snooze had no effect on nighttime sleep quality or quantity.
“You have a biological sleep need for X hours. If you can sleep in the middle of the day, you need it,” says Dr Thomas Roth, a sleep-disorders specialist.

Buckling Knees affect even the healthy

People who have arthritis or who have had knee surgery often have a knee give way without warning. But researchers reported in a recent study that sudden buckling was fairly common even among people with no known knee problems. Writing in The Annals of internal medicine, the researchers said a study of more than 2,300 people middle age and older found that 12 percent had knee buckles in the previous three months. And more than one out of ten times, the buckling led to falls. In most cases, the problem occurred as people walked or went up or down stairs. So shifting weight appears to play a role, said the researcher. In people with arthritis, the tendency towards knee buckling and falls may explain why they are at higher risk for fractured hips, even when their hip bone density is not a problem, the study said.

Whole-grain cereal good for heart

Eating whole-grain cereals may significantly reduce the risk of heart failure, a US study suggests. The study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. The researchers studied the breakfast habits of more than 21,000 male doctors with an average age of 53.7 years for nearly 20 years. Over the course of the study, 1,018 of the men had heart failure. These were the men who ate no cereal. The ones who ate at least one bowl of cereal had the lowest incidence of heart failure.

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