Commonly prescribed sleeping pills are linked to manifold risk of premature death, says a study. These medications were also associated at higher doses with a 35-percent increased risk of cancer as compared with non-users, but the reason for this is unclear. Doctors led by Daniel Kripke of the Scripps Clinic Viterbi Family Sleep Center in La Jolla, California, looked at the medical records of more than 10,500 adults living in Pennsylvania who were … full story

People who suffer from psoriasis may want to pay extra attention to heart risks, since they may be at a greater risk for blocked arteries than those who don't have the skin disease -- although the risk increase is not that high, according to a U.S. study. And the longer patients have psoriasis, the higher their risks are, said researchers, whose findings were published in the American Journal of Cardiology. "One of the things that we've come to … full story

In a new study from a single California community, women who had been pregnant at least four times were less likely to die from cardiovascular disease than those who'd never been expecting. Researchers said that could be due to the protective effects of pregnancy-related hormones as well as the extra social support that comes with having more children - or the fact that women who are able to get pregnant more often are healthier to begin with. … full story

If you have chronic heart failure, being around a smoker may be bad for your physical and mental well-being, a new study suggests. Researchers found that of 205 non-smokers with heart failure, those who regularly breathed in secondhand smoke reported more problems in their day-to-day functioning -- physical and emotional. The findings, reported in the Archives of Internal Medicine, do not prove that other people's smoke was to blame. But they … full story

Obesity comes with plenty of health risks but there’s one that’s perhaps not so well known — increased risk of developing liver cancer. Now, a team of researchers have confirmed in mice that obesity does act as a “bonafide tumour promoter”, and they have backed it up with real evidence. “Doctors always worry about our weight, but the focus is often on cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, both of which can be managed pretty well with existing … full story

Like a spotlight that illuminates an otherwise dark scene, attention highlights specific details of our surroundings while shutting others out. A new study by Salk Institute for Biological Studies researchers shows that the superior colliculus, a brain structure known for its role in the control of eye and head movements, is crucial for moving the mind’s spotlight. Their findings add new insight to our understanding of how attention is controlled … full story

Poor kidney function could be an early warning of heart disease and stroke, two studies have found. In the first study, researchers from Taiwan and the US found that a low fluid rate through the kidneys was linked to a higher risk of stroke in later life. By analysing 33 studies involving more than 280,000 people they found that those with a glomerular filtration rate (test used to check how well the kidneys are working) of about half the normal … full story

The Best of the Balms Scratch, scratch, scratch, scratch. ''Kevin, stop that!'' Kevin looks up at you with a frown. Telling him to stop scratching his dry, chapped little arms isn't much help. What do you expect him to do? his frown seems to ask. Fortunately, there are several things you can do to soothe Kevin's chapped skin--and a dozen more things you can do to keep it from recurring. First, it helps to understand that water is what keeps the … full story

How was your sleep last night? I have heard that sleep number bed gives more comfort than the usual bed we use at home thus, producing a good night sleep. Good night sleep is as important as good nutrition and exercise to attain wellness. Sleep helps our body establish regular bio-rhythms that could lessen cancer risk and normalizes hormone metabolism. Did you know that by the time we are on our deep sleep all the things we learned during the day … full story

As a personal trainer, I get asked this question at least once a day, "Which the best exercises to get firm, flat and toned abdominals?" It's not an easy question to address, since there are hundreds of abdominal exercises. Let's face it. Our eyes gravitate towards a flat and well toned abdominal region. We all want that elusive flat, firm and enviable look of 'washboard abs'. The muscles of your abdominal region, and indeed the midsection aren't … full story