Life Style

    Sleep disorder could be an early warning sign of dementia, scientists warn Sleep walking and/or talking (while annoying for bed-sharers) is rarely thought of as a cause for concern. However, new research from Canada now suggests that people who suffer from REM sleep behaviour disorder (RBD) a condition which causes the individual to physically move and engage in other activities associated with waking whilst asleep are more at risk of developing certain neurodegenerative diseases later in life. The study The research team called upon prior knowledge about the inner workings of the brainstem – a key region of the mind responsible for controlling dreams to examine how dreaming disorders such as RBD can affect our brains. Commenting on their findings, Dr John Peever, who led ...

    When you wake up late and you’re rushing out the door to work, there’s nothing more convenient than grabbing a banana for your breakfast. The old reliable banana is often consumed by people who are running late, or even those who are looking for something quick and easy to eat, but experts say it’s not such a good idea after all. Nutritional expert, Dr Daryl Gioffre explained why to Byrdie, revealing: They’ll give you a quick boost, but you’ll soon be tired and feeling hungry. Banana For Breakfast Dr Gioffre says that bananas are 25% sugar and are moderately acidic, meaning you’ll crash after experiencing a sugar high, and it won’t keep you full until lunch. He says that you should avoid eating bananas after a meal and if you’re having one as a snack, you should try to pai...

    A 100-year-old drug may help improve the symptoms for children with autism spectrum disorder (ASD), including improvements in language and social interaction, according to a small study. Researchers at the University of California San Diego School of Medicine explored how suramin, a drug developed to treat African sleeping sickness, affects the core symptoms of ASD which there are currently no treatments for. A previous study on mice showed a temporary reversal in symptoms of ASD, so the researchers went on to test the effect of the drug on humans. Their trial included 10 boys, ages 5 to 14 years, all diagnosed with ASD. Using diagnostic criteria, the researchers found that the most improved behaviors were related to social communication and play, speech and language, calm...

    Surely there's no age limit on jeans? They're timeless. Studies are a wonderful thing, without it we might not know important information such as the best time to book flights, the most unfaithful star sign and now, the exact time you should ditch the denim. According to a PUS (Possibly Unnecessary Study) the exact moment to get rid of those skinny jeans you’ve been hanging on to is when you blow out the candles on your 53rd birthday cake. The study, conducted by UK parcel delivery service CollectPlus, surveyed 2000 Brits who agreed jeans are reserved for the younger folk - younger being anyone aged 52 and under that is (feeling great right about now?). "It's surprising to see our research reveals that many people think jeans are the reserve of the younger generation, sugg...

    The movie Love and Saucers explores David Huggins’ tale of his out-of this-world romance with an ET. In the film, Huggins shows off his explicit paintings of his ‘alien lover’. One picture, which he called ‘Virginity Lost’, refers to the night he first claims he first had sex with Crescent, reports dailystar.co.uk. He described the alleged encounters as painful at first until they became lovers and even had a baby together. Huggins, who is actually married, says he has fathered several half-alien offspring to date – although it’s unclear whether he pays child maintenance towards them. He said: ‘I just lay down on the ground and she got on top of me. I have no idea why me. I just don’t know. ‘I don’t know much, but I do know for sure I lost my virginity to an extra-terrestr...

    When Carmen and Lupita Andrade were born, doctors said they only had three days to live. The conjoined twins, now 16, originally born in Mexico and now living in New Milford, Connecticut, defied those odds and lived far past doctors expectations. Health problems have emerged and placed the girls' futures at risk, but they tell the Hartford Courant they don't see the point in a surgery that could end up killing them. There's the whole psychological situation, Carmen says. Because we've been so used to, like, being together. I don't think there'd be, like, a point. The girls were brought to the U.S. by their parents, who sought medical expertise for their daughters condition. Each of the girls has a heart, a set of arms, a set of lungs and a stomach. Courant But, they share ...

    A study of people born with one hand suggests neuroscientists may have fundamentally misunderstood the way the brain is organised, a scientist has claimed. Dr Tamar Makin, of University College London, said the new theory if proved correct would have massive implications, adding it was mind-blowing to think that scientists could have been mistaken for so long. An international team of researchers from the UK, Israel, Canada and Switzerland used an MRI scanner to monitor the brains of people who were born with one hand as they performed everyday tasks like handling money or wrapping a present. They found the area of the brain associated with the missing hand was active when they used different body parts, such as the arm, foot and mouth. Importantly this happened when these...

    Morgan Mikenas, an Indiana-based fitness blogger, hasn’t shaved any of her body hair for a year, in a move that she hopes will empower other women. Mikenas, who goes by the Instagram name @i_am_morgie has posted several photos to the social media site, telling women they don’t need to shave their body hair unless they want to. By showing my body hair I hope to make an impact, Mikenas captioned a recent pic that highlights the hair on her legs. Stop listening to the voices that told us our whole life that we need to look a certain way to be valued, respected, attractive or healthy. It’s up to every person to decide what makes them feel most comfortable within themselves. Most of Morgan’s followers have embraced her body positive message, with one person commenting: Thanks f...

    A Turkish Airlines jet arrived at its destination with an extra passenger after cabin crew helped a woman give birth mid-flight. Nafi Diaby, suddenly went into labour while flying from Conakry, Guinea, to Ouagadougou in Burkina Faso. Unfazed by the on flight frisson, the crew coped admirably and the little girl, Kadiju, entered the world at 42,000 feet. Mother and baby were taken to hospital when the aircraft, a Boeing 737-900, landed. Both are reported to be doing well. This is not the first time this has happened. Flight crews are trained to deal with such emergencies. Kadiju’s place of birth, and ultimately her nationality, could be an interesting matter of debate. She could get her nationality from her mother or she could be classified as having been born in the countr...

    It’s important to know how to spot the symptoms if you are struggling to cope, and how to distinguish depression from other mental-health issues. Here’s a guide to how to tell if you are suffering from depression and how to get the help you need. I feel down at the moment, am I depressed? Most of us feel down from time to time, but mental health experts say you may be depressed if you feel low for more than two weeks. Head of information at mental health charity Mind, Stephen Buckley, told the M.E.N: If you’re feeling low for a couple of weeks or more without much change in mood, or such feelings return over and over again, this could be a sign of depression. Depression is a low mood that lasts for a long time, and affects your everyday life. What are typical symptoms of d...