Health Secret: Believe it or not!

• Parental divorce affects longevity 

Broken families can have devastating effects on child's long-term health. Parental divorce during childhood emerged as the single strongest predictor of early death in adulthood in the Longevity project, a US research study. Of course, you can’t rewrite your parents’ past. But if this applies to you, it can provide an added incentive to reduce the impact of the health risks that are within your control.

 

Parenting divorce

• Easter Island may hold an anti-ageing secret

A natural antibiotic found in the soil of Easter Island in the Pacific could be key to holding back the years. US scientists have found that rapamycin (after the island’s Polynesian name, Rapa Nui) has properties that may extend our average lifespan, and it could pave the way for the development of an anti-ageing pill for humans.

 

Health Secret: Easter Island

• Silk slows skin ageing

Sleeping on a luxurious silk pillowcase can iron out those wrinkles. While bedding made of cotton and synthetic fibres tends to absorbs moisture from the skin, natural silk has the opposite effect. It helps to lock in the moisture, helping to protect against lines and wrinkles.

 

Health Secret: Silk for anti-ageing

• Tango can help Parkinson’s

A US study found that twice-weekly tango lessons helped people with Parkinson’s disease to improve their balance and move more smoothly. The study supports other research suggesting that tango can help people with the disorder. If you have Parkinson’s, consider joining a local tango class.

 

Health Secret: Tango for Parkinson

• Seaweed could prevent tooth decay

Substances in seaweed may form the basis of a new generation of products that protect against cavities. This discovery was made by a team of researchers from Newcastle University in the UK working on new ways to keep the hulls of ships clean. They have found that an enzyme in bacteria called Bacillus lichenformis present in seaweed may counter the cavity-causing bacteria in dental plague. These enzymes may in the future be used in mouthwashes or toothpastes.

Health Secret: Seaweed for tooth