JEDDAH – According to a World Health Organization report recently issued on mortality statistics in Middle Eastern countries, Saudi Arabia has made several advances and achievements in improving the overall health of its citizens and residents over the past 20 years.  

 

One of the most important indicators of the level of child health and overall development in a nation is its mortality rate for children under the age of five years.

 

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Labels Now Warn of Less Sexual Desire; Ejaculation/Orgasm, Infertility Trouble

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Even Gentle Exercise can Help Protect the Brain and Memory in Old Age

As we age, we are more likely to suffer from memory problems and confusion following a physical injury or bacterial infection as our immune systems are weaker.

Now scientists believe exercise could provide the key to shielding older adults from this negative side-effect.

A team from the University of Colorado looked at the effects of running on a group of elderly rats, who were recovering from an E.coli infection.

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New Anticlotting Drug May Extend Heart Patients' Lives

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Protein recycling in the body could be a critical part of tumour formation, researchers believe.

A report in Science Translational Medicine showed that protein recycling was accelerated in more than 30 types of cancerous cell.

When scientists interrupted the process in mice with cancer, the tumours began to shrink.

The results were described as "exciting" and as a new target for drug development.

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For people with allergies and asthma, sometimes the very air they breathe can be bad for their health. That’s because a variety of pollutants in our air -- collectively called smog -- can aggravate asthma and allergy symptoms, leaving people with these conditions struggling to breathe.

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Experts share their advice about what to consider when choosing a calcium supplement.

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Bean sprouts and salad sprouts (file picture) It is believed the bean sprouts were produced in Germany

New data released in Germany strongly suggests that locally produced bean sprouts were, as suspected, the source of the deadly E. coli outbreak.

"It's the bean sprouts," said Reinhard Burger, head of Germany's centre for disease control.

Officials initially blamed the E. coli, which has killed 29 people, on imported cucumbers, then bean sprouts.

In another development, Russia agreed to lift its ban on imports of EU fresh vegetables in return for guarantees.

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Women who take high-dose vitamin pills could be reducing their chances of getting pregnant, a fertility expert has warned.

Ingesting large amounts of antioxidants like vitamins A, C and E, could impair ovulation, said Nava Dekel, a professor of biology.

She and colleagues at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Rehovot, Israel, drew their conclusions from a study which showed that ovaries exposed to large amounts of antioxidants were less likely to ovulate.

Antioxidants mop up molecules called reactive oxygen species (ROS) - 'free radicals' - which prompt inflammation and can damage cells.

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Infants and Young Children Who Get Too Little Nighttime Sleep May Have Increased Risk of Obesity, Study Finds

Infants and young children who don’t get enough sleep at night may be more likely to become obese before adulthood, a new study says.

And napping doesn’t seem to be the answer for children who get insufficient nighttime sleep, researchers say. The study appears in the September issue of Archives of Pediatrics and Adolescent Medicine.

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