Health

Exercise can be such a chore for adults, but new research suggests there's a lot we can learn from young children. Experts claim those wanting to drop dress-sizes would be better off skipping for 15 minutes than running, with other old school work-outs like star jumps, hopscotch and skipping also proven to burn more calories and use more muscles than traditional ways of working out. Similarly, those that enjoy a brisk walk would only lose an average of 50 calories in quarter...

Robert Watkins works as part of Macmillan Cancer Support’s Financial Guidance Service, a specialist team that offers financial support to people affected by cancer. When you receive a cancer diagnosis, money should be the last thing on your mind. But costs like higher household bills or travelling to hospital appointments combined with the fact that many people need to give up work means that those diagnosed with cancer are on average an additional £570 worse off a month. Money worries...

Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a worry for all men and while most believe it’s an older man’s problem, it is actually quite common among younger men. In fact, 25 per cent of patients diagnosed with ED were under 40 in a 2013 study in the Journal of Sexual Medicine. Of this 25 per cent, almost half suffered from severe ED. ED can be a big problem, but what can you actually do about it? What are the facts? There are...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor Mercy Ships is an international charity which operates the world’s largest civilian hospital ship, the Africa Mercy, providing free healthcare services to those living in developing countries, namely in Africa, where the services of professional medical staff are most needed. The ship is currently docked in Madagascar, which is one of the world’s poorest countries with only 2 physicians and 3 hospital beds available for every 10,000 people. Founded in 1978, Mercy Ships has worked...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor When Kenny’s mum died of lung cancer in 2011, he made a pact to himself: to do something good in her memory. However, this well-meaning plan wasn’t without problems to be overcome. Kenny had low confidence and self-esteem - but he was determined. He wanted to stay true to his pact for his mum, who stood by him unconditionally throughout his chequered past. Kenny, a substance misuse support worker from Clapham, decided to volunteer for...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor A teenager with crippling phobia of needles was cured in time to get a lifesaving jab - thanks to HARRY STYLES. Beth Sansford, 15, refused to have all forms of injections - including the cervical cancer jab, which could have had worrying implications for her long term health. But now she is happy to go under the needle, after a hypnotherapist taught her to visualise her celebrity crush, the One Direction hunk. Beth, who has now...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor World Glaucoma Week, which runs 6-12 March 2016. It was set up to help raise awareness of glaucoma, the second most common cause of blindness in the world after cataract and the leading cause of irreversible sight loss. The condition affects 67 million people worldwide, of which 8 million have lost their sight completely. As well as raising awareness there also lies an important health message to ensure people book regular eye tests to monitor...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor After a young boy was tragically killed while out cycling his friend decided to do something positive and set up a fundraiser for him, which is so successful it has been rolled out across the UK. Tragically Daniel Climance was only eleven when he was killed on a bike ride with his brother and father in Purton, Wiltshire in June 2015. Eleven-year-old Callum Smart and his mum Claire wanted to ensure Daniel’s memory was kept...

By Joe Mellor, Deputy Editor As the old saying goes, March is a month without mercy. March is also Brain Tumour Awareness Month. And one particular type of brain tumour – a diffuse intrinsic pontine glioma – is one without any mercy at all. Indeed, it will take the life of the child who has the terrible misfortune to suffer this incurable, inoperable and terribly debilitating illness. The name itself is challenging. Basically, it is a cancerous tumour in the...