insert_link Health / Medical Eating leafy greens could be better for oral health than using mouthwash Eating nitrate rich vegetables like lettuce and spinach could hold the key to better oral health. BSIP/Universal Images Group via Getty Images Mia Cousins Burleigh, University of the West of Scotland and Siobhan Paula Moran, University of the West of Scotland Over half the adult population in the UK and US have gum disease. Typical treatments include mouthwash and in severe cases, antibiotics. These treatments have side effects, such as […] todayJanuary 31, 2024 15
insert_link Health / Medical Measles is on the rise around the world – we can’t let vaccination rates falter fotohay/Shutterstock Jaya Dantas, Curtin University In recent weeks a series of measles alerts have been issued around Australia, including in New South Wales, Victoria and Queensland, after the identification of a small number of cases in travellers returning from overseas. Meanwhile, places such as the United States and the United Kingdom have been contending with larger measles outbreaks. In fact, the World Health Organization reported a 45-fold increase in measles […] todayJanuary 31, 2024 14
insert_link Health / Medical Cancer Association of Namibia Expands Treatment Services to Weekends In a move to accommodate the growing number of cancer patients, the Cancer Association of Namibia has announced the extension of its cancer treatment services to include weekends at House Acacia, the interim home for cancer patients. Starting from February 1, 2024, this initiative aims to provide continuous care for cancer patients residing outside Windhoek who undergo treatment in the capital. CAN CEO Rolf Hansen highlighted the significant increase in […] todayJanuary 30, 2024 26
insert_link Africa Neglected tropical diseases persist in the world’s poorest places: four reads about hurdles and progress By Nadine Dreyer, via The Conversation It’s sobering to reflect that “neglected tropical diseases” are referred to as “neglected” because they persist in the poorest, most marginalised communities even after being wiped out in more developed parts of the world. A variety of pathogens, including viruses, bacteria, parasites, fungi and toxins, cause neglected tropical diseases, which include dengue, chikungunya, leprosy, lymphatic filariasis and yaws. They inflict tremendous suffering because […] todayJanuary 30, 2024 14
insert_link Africa Kenya’s healthcare workers abuse a third of teen mums from informal settlements – study By Anthony Idowu Ajayi, African Population and Health Research Center and Caroline W. Kabiru, African Population and Health Research Center Adolescent pregnancy is a global public health concern: in 2022, about 13% of girls and young women gave birth before the age of 18. Compared with women in their early 20s, adolescents are more susceptible to maternal deaths. Pregnancy-related complications are among the leading causes of death […] todayJanuary 30, 2024 36
insert_link Health / Medical Popularly known as ‘gas station heroin,’ tianeptine is being sold as a dietary supplement – with deadly outcomes Neptune’s Fix, a tianeptine-containing “Elixir” as it’s labeled, is one of the most common of these products. U.S. Food and Drug Administration C. Michael White, University of Connecticut The Food and Drug Administration is upping the urgency of its warnings for consumers to avoid purchasing or consuming tianeptine – commonly called “gas station heroin” – a synthetic drug typically sold in tablet or powder form and available for purchase online […] todayJanuary 30, 2024 13
insert_link Health / Medical Namibia observes World Leprosy Day World Leprosy Day is being celebrated today in the Zambezi region under the theme, " Beat Leprosy, End Stigma and Advocate for Mental Well-being". According to the Health Ministry, Namibia has achieved global leprosy elimination status since 2004, with less than one case per 10,00 population. Here is the Governor of the Zambezi Region, Lawerence Sampofu. todayJanuary 29, 2024 29
insert_link Health / Medical UK Government plans ban on disposable vapes The UK government is set to ban disposable vapes, as part of a drive to tackle the rising number of children vaping. Figures from the Action on Smoking and Health charity suggest 7.6 percent of eleven- to 17-year-olds now vape regularly or occasionally, up from 4.1 percent in 2020. Prime Minister, Rishi Sunak, says they are taking bold action to ban disposable vape. todayJanuary 29, 2024 20
insert_link Health / Medical Our sense of taste helps pace our eating – understanding how may lead to new avenues for weight loss A team of scientists uncovers a logic the brainstem uses to control how fast and how much we eat. Klaus Vedfelt/Getty Images Zachary Knight, University of California, San Francisco As a scientist who investigates hunger and weight control, I’m interested in the way our brains let us know we’ve had enough. As we begin to feel full, we slow down how quickly we eat. For decades, scientists have thought that […] todayJanuary 29, 2024 10
