MORE DAIRY PLEASE: Higher dairy intake may lower the risk of type 2 diabetes, according to two large-scale studies in the United States.
In the study of over 40,000 men, those who had a dairy intake of four servings per day were found to have a 23 per cent lower risk of developing diabetes than those who consumed only half a serving of dairy products per day. An earlier study of 3,000 overweight young adults found that an extra serving of dairy products (which include milk, cheese or yogurt) per day reduced the risk of developing the pre-diabetes state of insulin resistance syndrome by 20 per cent.
The studies were reported in the study on Dairy Consumption and Risk of Type 2 Diabetes Mellitus in Men in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
• VOLCANIC WALKS: Walks in beautiful places around the world have become a staple of fundraising activities for many Irish charities. The National Children's Hospital, Tallaght is looking for recruits to participate on a walk in and around Mount Etna in Sicily, Italy from September 30th-October 7th. For more information and booking forms for the Mount Etna challenge, contact the NCH fundraising office on tel: 01 4142373.
• TRAIN TO BREATHE: T'ai chi is growing in popularity in this country with many people drawn to the calm meditation aspects of the repetitive series of movements. The exercises also help reduce backache, headaches, improve circulation and overall energy levels. A new course in t'ai chi combined with breathing techniques (known as the 18-Breath Exercise System) begins on February 15th at 7pm in the T'ai chi & quigong training centre, St Anne's Hall, Molesworth Lane, Dublin 2. Tel: 01 2847398 for more details. Cost €160 for 10 weeks.
• EPILEPSY RISK: Children who have migraine with aura (a feeling of disorientation) are at an increased risk of developing epilepsy, researchers from the US and Iceland report. However, they found no apparent relationship between seizures and migraine without aura. Migraine with aura accounts for only about 30 per cent of all migraines. Epidemiological studies have shown that the risk of migraine is about twice as great in adults with epilepsy as it is in those without.