Drug addicts and their non-addicted siblings share certain features in the brain, suggesting a susceptibility to addiction is inherited but is also a flaw that can be overcome, scientists said on Thursday. Researchers who scanned the brains of 50 pairs of brothers and sisters of whom one was a cocaine addict found that both siblings had brain abnormalities that make it more difficult for them to exercise self-control. The findings increase understanding … full story

More than one in five people with heart disease aren't getting life-saving statin drugs despite guidelines saying they should, a new study shows. Researchers looked at nearly 39,000 people who had experienced a heart attack or undergone heart surgery, and found about 8,600 people weren't prescribed the cholesterol-lowering medications. Although there is still controversy over whether people should take statins to prevent heart attacks, research … full story

Being part of a stressful job can increase a person’s risk of developing asthma by 40 percent, reveals a new study. The research led by Heidelberg University in Germany tracked 5,000 men and women aged between 40 and 65 over eight years. They found that among those free of asthma at the start of the project, there was up to a 40 percent higher incidence of asthma eight years later if they suffered stress at work. The signs were long working hours, … full story

For decades doctors and pregnant women have relied on amniocentesis – taking a sample of DNA from the amniotic fluid – to diagnose certain disorders in unborn babies, despite the risk of triggering a miscarriage. Now scientists in Hong Kong have made a groundbreaking discovery which will make it possible for doctors to detect a whole range of genetic abnormalities in foetuses by simply testing the mother’s blood. The team at the Chinese University … full story

When the body fails to produce enough insulin or when the body cells do not respond to the insulin produced, glucose continues to stay in blood and in no time, the glucose level in blood soars, leading to diabetes. Diabetes may be categorized in to three main types. 1. Type 1 diabetes - This occurs when body fails to produce insulin. This type of diabetes can be tackled by injecting insulin. 2. Type 2 diabetes - This is the most widespread type. … full story

Buttermilk is produced by culture, the milk is turned into curd and then this curd is churned to produced buttermilk and cream. Buttermilk is very good for body and has more lactic acid and less fat as compared to regular milk. It is a very good carminative and digestive drink as described by Ayurveda. Buttermilk is useful in complicated digestive disorders and also in treating obesity. There is lot of misconception amongst people that buttermilk … 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

Crohns disease is an inflammatory bowel disease, the general name for diseases that cause swelling in the intestines. Because the symptoms of Crohns disease are alike to other intestinal disorders, such as bad-tempered bowel syndrome and ulcerative colitis, it can be hard to diagnose. Ulcerative colitis causes irritation and ulcers in the top coating of the lining of the large intestine. In Crohns disease, all layers of the intestine may be involved, … full story

There is a vast difference between depression in children and adults. Most of the time, parents do not notice emotional health in children. Diagnosing depression in children is also more complicated than diagnosing depression in adults. The physician needs to interview the parents to understand whether the condition can be classified as clinical depression or not. As parents are likely to be biased, diagnosis may require interviewing friends, school … full story

ADD/ADHD is a symptomatic label thats growing in popularity in epidemic proportions. The symptoms of ADD/ADHD have their roots in both medical and developmental causes. The main stream medical solutions seem to advocate drugging the individual typically with amphetamines, and amphetamine-like drugs which paradoxically slow down the brain processes. This appears to give the person added attention span while in actuality these drugs serve only to mask … full story