In Brief
Dec 12, 2008
<b>Fish diet helps a child’s skin</b><br>Adding fish to a child's diet before the age of nine months could lessen the chances of developing eczema. Eczema is an inflammatory condition of the skin associated with itching. It is commonly associated with the presence of food allergy in children. Swe
Fish diet helps a child’s skin
Adding fish to a child's diet before the age of nine months could lessen the chances of developing eczema. Eczema is an inflammatory condition of the skin associated with itching. It is commonly associated with the presence of food allergy in children. Swedish scientists tracked the health of children in 5,000 families and concluded that early introduction of fish cut the risk by a quarter. The research was published in Archives of Disease in Childhood.
Hormone therapy cuts breast cancer risk
Giving hormone replacement therapy to women who are at a high risk of breast cancer could cut their chance of developing the disease by 42%. The hormone, oestrogen, has been feared to stimulate growth in cancer tumours but the latest research at the University of Toronto suggests the anti-menopause drug could drastically reduce the likelihood of developing breast cancer in those who carry a cancer-causing gene mutation. The new study, which is published online in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, said those drugs with oestrogen cut the cancer risk drastically.
Diabetes: Being too clean may be risky
Being too clean may increase the risk of diabetes, according to new research. Scientists have found evidence that "friendly" bacteria in the gut can help to stop the development of type 1 diabetes. The findings support a theory that a lack of exposure to bacteria and viruses may actually lead to an increased risk of diseases like allergies, asthma, and other disorders of the immune system. Exposure to some forms of bacteria might help to prevent the onset of type 1 diabetes, which often develops in childhood, where the immune system launches an attack on cells that produce insulin. A study by the University of Bristol, found that 80% of the mice raised in a completely germ-free environment, developed severe diabetes. But for those raised in a cocktail of the usual bacteria found in the gut, the incidence of diabetes fell dramatically. The study is published online in the journal Nature.
Adding fish to a child's diet before the age of nine months could lessen the chances of developing eczema. Eczema is an inflammatory condition of the skin associated with itching. It is commonly associated with the presence of food allergy in children. Swedish scientists tracked the health of children in 5,000 families and concluded that early introduction of fish cut the risk by a quarter. The research was published in Archives of Disease in Childhood.
Hormone therapy cuts breast cancer risk
Giving hormone replacement therapy to women who are at a high risk of breast cancer could cut their chance of developing the disease by 42%. The hormone, oestrogen, has been feared to stimulate growth in cancer tumours but the latest research at the University of Toronto suggests the anti-menopause drug could drastically reduce the likelihood of developing breast cancer in those who carry a cancer-causing gene mutation. The new study, which is published online in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, said those drugs with oestrogen cut the cancer risk drastically.
Diabetes: Being too clean may be risky
Being too clean may increase the risk of diabetes, according to new research. Scientists have found evidence that "friendly" bacteria in the gut can help to stop the development of type 1 diabetes. The findings support a theory that a lack of exposure to bacteria and viruses may actually lead to an increased risk of diseases like allergies, asthma, and other disorders of the immune system. Exposure to some forms of bacteria might help to prevent the onset of type 1 diabetes, which often develops in childhood, where the immune system launches an attack on cells that produce insulin. A study by the University of Bristol, found that 80% of the mice raised in a completely germ-free environment, developed severe diabetes. But for those raised in a cocktail of the usual bacteria found in the gut, the incidence of diabetes fell dramatically. The study is published online in the journal Nature.