Health

Science edged closer on Sunday to showing that an antioxidant in chocolate appears to improve some memory skills that people lose with age. In a small study in the journal Nature Neuroscience, healthy people, ages 50 to 69, who drank a mixture high in antioxidants called cocoa flavanols for three months performed better on a…

MANILA, Philippines – While the world is focusing on global hunger and malnutrition, another ugly “monster” has emerged. Obesity, a new form of malnutrition, has surfaced as an urgent challenge affecting several countries.

I’ve written several articles on how to live a healthy life. But this time, let me list down 10 unhealthy habits everyone should avoid. The numbers in parentheses refer to the approximate reductions in lifespan each bad habit entails.

An official of the Philippine College of Physicians (PCP) has underscored the need to enhance the Filipinos’ “health literacy” to improve the dismal health condition in the country.

“Every Filipino, regardless of status in life, should have equal access to healthcare. This is the essence of Kalusugan Pangkalahatan,” Secretary of Health Enrique Ona said.

Fears that the west African Ebola outbreak could spread to other continents grew on Wednesday (July 30) with European and Asian countries on alert and a leading medical charity warning the epidemic was out of control.

MANILA, Philippines–A group of health advocates has called on President Aquino to deal with the chronic shortage in healthcare workers, by strengthening the delivery of primary care.

In an earlier article, I wrote about “20 strategies to live longer.” This list includes stopping smoking, getting vaccinated, living a less risky life, exercising regularly, and eating fruits and oily fishes, among others. However, unknown to many readers, there are still more ways to add a couple of years to your life.

(Reuters Health) – With less sleep, normal aging-related structural changes in the brain progress slightly faster in middle-aged and older people, according to a new brain imaging study. Sleep troubles are more common with age, and shrinkage of certain brain structures is normal. But for the over-55 study participants, those changes could be seen accelerating…

Being fit physically and mentally are essential for one’s overall wellbeing. However, it is inevitable to feel under the weather. Getting sick generally causes emotional and financial concerns. There are times when one puts off going to the doctor or a hospital because of monetary obligations. This could jeopardize one’s health even more.

Prospects seem healthy for the Philippine healthcare sector especially with medical tourism being hailed as the next sunrise industry. Aside from well-trained doctors and medical staff with excellent English communication skills, the competitive cost of healthcare services are very attractive compared to neighboring countries like Japan, South Korea, Australia. No surprise therefore that one of…

Pakistan is one of three countries where polio is endemic Pakistan was close to eradicating polio 10 years ago. But conspiracy theories, a Taliban ascendancy and drive-by shootings of polio workers have reversed the gains. The BBC’s M Ilyas Khan reports from the frontline of the government’s war against the virus and the militants’ war…

According to the Center for Disease Control and Prevention, antibiotic resistance has been called one of the world’s most pressing public health problem and has become the office’s top concern.

LONDON (AP) — Air pollution kills about 7 million people worldwide every year, with more than half of the fatalities due to fumes from indoor stoves, according to a new report from the World Health Organization published Tuesday.

According to a World Health Organization report released today, around 1 in 8 of total global deaths – 7 million deaths annually – are as a result of exposure to air pollution.

Of the 1.4 million Filipinos with disabilities identified in the 2010 National Census, 14 percent – or over 200,000 people – had mental disability. But, once shunned by their own families and communities, largely because of ignorance and prejudice, who will take care of them? What legal and financial resources does the state have to…

Dentists, students and patients are being exposed to high levels of hazardous mercury vapors in dental schools and supply stores around the country, according to an environmentalist watchdog.

MANILA, Philippines – A survey conducted by regional insurance and financial giant AIA Group showed 96 percent of Filipino are concerned over increasing medical costs but only 16 percent are actually financially prepared for it.

(Reuters Health) – Older people who take blood pressure medications had more serious injuries from falls than those not taking medications, according to a new study. The added risk with blood pressure meds for falls that cause serious injury has been suggested before, but older people shouldn’t stop taking their medications based just on these…

For Dr. Bien Nillos, being healthcare provider in an environment with limited resources is a challenge. As part of Doctors to the Barrios (DTTB) Batch 23, Nillos was assigned as municipal health officer in Candoni, Negros Occidental, from 2007 to 2009, serving around 27,000 people scattered across a wide area which only has a small…

The biggest window of vulnerability to chemicals occurs in utero, during infancy and early childhood, experts say. (CNN) — The number of chemicals known to be toxic to children’s developing brains has doubled over the last seven years, researchers said. Dr. Philip Landrigan at Mount Sinai School of Medicine in New York and Dr. Philippe…

MANILA, Philippines — Bottoms up! After ranking 15th in the world’s top porn-watchers according to an adult website, Filipinos are now involved in another kind of bottom, shot glass bottoms.

Paris (AFP) – New cases of cancer will rise by half by 2030, reaching 21.6 million per year compared to 14 million in 2012, the UN said on Monday in a global analysis of the scourge.

MANILA, Philippines – Super Typhoon Yolanda almost wiped out parts of the Visayas last Nov. 8, putting the country’s public health system to a test. The world is watching how the Philippine government deals with the calamity, particularly in providing health care to the victims.

WASHINGTON — U.S. experts are raising the alarm over the spread of drug-resistant malaria in several Southeast Asian countries, endangering major global gains in fighting the mosquito-borne disease that kills more than 600,000 people annually.

MANILA, Philippines – Gabriel Casuga had always wanted to become a doctor. But not just any doctor. After watching on national television the life story of former Senator Juan Flavier – who himself was a doctor serving in the barrios (rural villages) prior to becoming Health Secretary – Casuga resolved to serve the barrios as…

(Reuters Health) – In a large new U.S. study, migraine headaches were found to be more likely to happen to people with lower household incomes, but tended to go into remission at the same rate for people at all income levels.

WASHINGTON DC – Young women who drink alcohol every day may be raising significantly their risk of breast cancer, according to US research published Wednesday.

My grandson missed his flight because of typhoon Maring. That was stressful. It almost dampened his perfect holiday with us. We devoted time and energy to be with him, particularly his lolo, who accompanied him in sight-seeing, snorkeling, diving, etc., except in one extreme activity — zip lining. Looking back, our children never experienced this…

You know that exercise and diet can help you lose weight. But did you know that there are certain foods that can help you lose weight easier and faster? If you’re concerned about gaining weight, then try to eat more of these diet-friendly foods in moderate amounts: