Health

People who suffer catastrophic brain injuries may recover their social skills quicker by stroking guinea pigs, research suggests. Traumatic brain injuries often affect a patient’s ability to feel empathy and express their emotions. But a study found allowing patients to stroke ‘cute animals’ – such as micro pigs, rabbits and donkeys – during rehabilitation sessions … Read more

A cancer vaccine that teaches the body to fight tumours has put three lymphoma patients into remission. The vaccine is injected directly into the tumour and teaches the immune system to destroy it, as well as seek other cancerous cells.  Researchers tested it on 11 patients with lymphoma and said some were in full remission … Read more

A mother-of-two has revealed how a hug with her son ended up saving her life after it revealed a cancerous lump on her breast. Emily Makin, from Wigan, lifted her arms to cuddle Harrison, now three, when she spotted a mass at the top of her right breast last summer. Initially thinking it was just … Read more

TV personality Gail Porter, it must be said, has been through more than her fair share of setbacks. At the height of her fame she famously lost all her hair, and was diagnosed with bipolar disorder and briefly sectioned only a few years later. In 2009 she lost her mum to cancer. One night last … Read more

Few of us give much thought to how we put one foot in front of the other, but scientists are investigating whether changing the way we walk can protect our physical and mental health. One promising focus is on how altering our gait can reduce our risk of knee arthritis. The most common type is … Read more

At crisis levels — that is how some experts describe the increase in the numbers of people being diagnosed with type 2 diabetes. New data published last week revealed there were more than 200,000 new cases diagnosed in England and Wales alone in 2017, the equivalent of one diagnosis every three minutes. ‘In an average … Read more

Research has linked being green-fingered to everything from higher vitamin D levels to lower blood pressure. And last month, a study in the journal Neurology listed gardening as one of a handful of activities that could lower the risk of dementia in old age. This is thought to be down to the combination of physical … Read more

They are typically taken by the health conscious with the hope of adding years to life. But a study found taking supplements has little effect and only nutrients found in foods can lower your chances of death. In fact, some supplements – such as calcium and vitamin D – were actually associated with a higher … Read more

Zapping the brains of older people can give them the memory of someone in their 20s. It takes only a weak electrical current to restore the thinking powers of people over 60, scientists found. The tiny pulses of electricity are thought to synchronise their brainwaves so their brain works more efficiently. Older people zapped with … Read more

A new treatment for slipped discs involves injecting a blob of gel containing alcohol into the spine. Marine contractor and father-of-two Robert Parke, 49, from Dumfries, was one of the first people in the UK to have it done. THE PATIENT Robert Parke, 49, has suffered crippling back pain since his teens When I was … Read more