MED-STYLE DIET HALVES LUNG DISEASE RISK:Eating a diet rich in Mediterranean foods halves the risk of developing serious lung disease, researchers have claimed.
Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) is an umbrella term for conditions such as emphysema and bronchitis. It leads to damaged airways, making it harder for people to breathe.
Smoking is the greatest risk factor for getting COPD, which experts predict will become the third leading cause of death worldwide by 2020.
Not all smokers develop the disease, however, which has led researchers to examine how genetic and environmental factors play a role.
Today, a study published ahead of print in the journal Thorax found that eating a diet rich in fruit, vegetables, whole grains and fish cut the risk of developing COPD in half.
Meanwhile, people who ate a Western-style diet were more than four times as likely to develop COPD.
'LIGHT' CIGARETTES ARE NO HEALTHIER:Low-tar or "light" cigarettes impair blood flow through the heart just as much as normal cigarettes, experts have warned.
Writing in the journal Heart, experts said they had studied comprehensively for the first time the cardiovascular effects of light cigarettes.
They found that blood pressure and heart rate both increased after lighting up, irrespective of the type of cigarette smoked. Blood flow through the arteries was also impaired in smokers of both light and normal cigarettes, they said.
BOB GELDOF TO RECEIVE FELLOWSHIP:The Royal College of Surgeons in Ireland (RCSI) will award Bob Geldof with an Honorary Fellowship at its annual Leadership lecture which will take place on May 24th.
Geldof, who will also deliver this year's lecture, will receive the fellowship in recognition of his humanitarian efforts in tackling world poverty. Since 1990, honorary fellowships have been conferred by RCSI on, among others, President Mary McAleese and Mary Robinson; Dr Garrett FitzGerald; Nelson Mandela; Seamus Heaney; Senator George Mitchell; and Seamus Mallon.
ASPIRIN CAN PREVENT BOWEL CANCER:An aspirin a day can keep bowel cancer away, a new study has shown.
Researchers found taking a daily dose of 300mg or more of aspirin for five years can prevent colorectal cancer later in life.
Incidence of bowel cancer was reduced by up to 74 per cent 10-15 years after the treatment was started.
The cancer typically takes at least 10 years to develop.
Except in special circumstances, doctors generally advise against long-term aspirin use because of the risk of serious side effects such as internal bleeding and stomach ulcers.
But the authors of the new study, reported in medical journal The Lancet, say in the case of people with a higher- than-average risk of bowel cancer the benefits may outweigh the risks.
Using aspirin for five years was found to reduce the subsequent incidence of bowel cancer by 37 per cent overall, and 74 per cent during the period 10-15 years after the trials started.
PURE JUICE NOT FATTENING:Contrary to popular belief, drinking pure 100 per cent fruit juice does not make young children overweight or at risk of becoming overweight, new research shows.
Inconsistent research findings have led to continued debate over the potential associations between drinking 100 per cent fruit juice, nutrient intake and overweight in children. In the study, researchers analysed the juice consumption of 3,618 children aged two to 11.
"The bottom line is that 100 per cent juice consumption is a valuable contributor of nutrients in children's diets and it does not have an association with being overweight," study chief Dr Theresa Nicklas said.
LUCENA INFORMATION EVENING:The Lucena Foundation is holding an information evening for parents and carers of children with depression on Tuesday, May 22nd, in its clinic at 59 Orwell Road, 7-8.30pm.
Admission is free but as numbers are limited you must register by e-mail marie.mccourt@sjog.ie or phone 01-4923596.