Observations of bonobos in the Congo basin foraging in swamps for aquatic herbs rich in iodine, a critical nutrient for brain development and higher cognitive abilities, may explain how the nutritional needs of prehistoric humans in the region were met. This is the first report of iodine consumption by a nonhuman primate and it is published in the open access journal BMC Zoology.

Data from GPs and hospitals shows a three-fold increase in appointments for the condition in September.

Millions of people in the UK are putting their sight at risk by continuing to smoke, warn specialists.

A UK-wide inquiry is looking at how thousands of patients were infected with HIV and hepatitis C.

‘Back to school asthma’ — a seasonal peak in cases associated with the start of the school year in September — is linked to a tripling in the rate of family doctor (GP) appointments across England, reveals research published online in the Journal of Epidemiology & Community Health.

UK politicians (MPs) at Westminster are more likely to have mental health issues than either the general public or other people in comparable professions/managerial posts, suggest the responses to a survey of parliamentarians, published in the online journal BMJ Open.

Drug overdoses and suicide are common causes of death among women who die within a year of giving birth, a new study finds.

In fact, in the study based on data from California, these two causes accounted for nearly 20% of postpartum deaths from 2010 to 2012.

More than a million medical records

“These deaths are rare but devastating for families,” said study co-author Claire Margerison, an assistant professor of epidemiology and biostatistics at Michigan State University, in East Lansing. “We need to place more emphasis on prevention.”

For the study, Margerison and her colleagues analysed more than one million medical records from California hospitals.

While maternal death rates during and after pregnancy are rising nationwide, California is below the national average. Even so, drug overdose was the second-leading cause of death among California women in the first year after giving birth. Suicide ranked seventh.

Suicide and fatal overdoses were more common among white and poor women, the study found.

The data aren’t sufficient to identify trends but could inform future studies, the researchers said. The findings, however, might be a sign of what’s occurring across the country.

Although maternal death rates have dropped in California because of efforts to improve care, mental health and drug abuse continue to affect many new mothers.

Tip of the iceberg

Some of these deaths might reflect stigmas that stop women from getting help for mental health and drug problems, the researchers suggested.

About 75% of those who died had visited an emergency department at least once after giving birth, so the ER might be a place where these problems can be identified and treatment begun, the study authors said.

The majority of these deaths happened in the second half of the year after birth, which indicates that women should stay connected with addiction and suicide prevention programmes, Margerison said in a university news release.

“These deaths are likely just the tip of the iceberg in terms of substance use and mental distress,” she said. “We need to take the next steps to understand how to help women who experience these problems during and after pregnancy.”

The report was published online in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology.

^{Image credit: iStock}

If someone you know is struggling to keep track of their finances as they age, early dementia might be the culprit.

That’s the conclusion of researchers who tested 243 adults, aged 55 to 90, on their financial skills and performed brain scans to assess the build-up of beta-amyloid plaques, which are associated with Alzheimer’s disease.

A misperception

Some of the participants had no mental decline, some had mild memory impairment and some had been diagnosed with Alzheimer’s disease.

Specific financial skills declined with age and at the earliest stages of mild memory impairment, with similar declines in men and women, the study authors said.

“There has been a misperception that financial difficulty may occur only in the late stages of dementia, but this can happen early and the changes can be subtle,” said senior study author P. Murali Doraiswamy. He is a professor of psychiatry and geriatrics at Duke University, in Durham, North Carolina.

After accounting for education levels and other factors, the researchers found that the more extensive the amyloid plaques were, the worse a person’s ability to understand and use basic financial concepts or to complete financial tasks, such as calculating an account balance.

“The more we can understand adults’ financial decision-making capacity and how that may change with ageing, the better we can inform society about those issues,” Doraiswamy said in a Duke news release.

“Older adults hold a disproportionate share of wealth in most countries and an estimated $18 trillion in the US alone,” Doraiswamy noted.

Financial capacity test

“Little is known about which brain circuits underlie the loss of financial skills in dementia. Given the rise in dementia cases over the coming decades and their vulnerability to financial scams, this is an area of high priority for research,” Doraiswamy added.

Most testing for early dementia and Alzheimer’s disease focuses on memory, explained study author Sierra Tolbert, a Duke researcher.

A financial capacity test, such as the 20-minute one used in this study, could help doctors track a person’s mental function over time, Tolbert suggested.

“Doctors could consider proactively counselling their patients using this scale, but it’s not widely in use,” Tolbert said in the news release.

“If someone’s scores are declining, that could be a warning sign. We’re hoping with this research more doctors will become aware there are tools that can measure subtle changes over time and possibly help patients and families protect their loved ones and their finances,” Tolbert added.

The study was published online recently in The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease.

^{Image credit: iStock}

Even though asthma is common in the United States, there are many misconceptions about the respiratory disease, an allergy/immunology expert says.

“Asthma is a serious condition that affects more than 26 million Americans – more than 8% of the population,” Dr Todd Mahr, president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology, said in a college news release.

No cure for asthma

“One of the biggest dangers with asthma is that so many people who have asthma think it’s well-controlled, when it actually isn’t,” he said. “When people have good solid information about how to control their asthma and reduce symptoms, they are better able to live the kind of active lives they want.”

There is no cure for asthma, but there are ways to control it that enable asthma patients to do all the things they enjoy. These therapies include medications, immunotherapy and avoiding triggers.

Some people mistakenly believe that having asthma means not being able to exercise. But exercise boosts heart and lung strength and improves the immune system. Some exercises that work particularly well for people with asthma are swimming, walking, hiking, and indoor and outdoor biking, according to Mahr.

He noted that a number of elite athletes have asthma that’s well-controlled.

Don’t stop your medication

Many people also think that inhaled steroids used to treat asthma are the same as those used to build muscle. The steroids used to treat asthma are anti-inflammatory drugs, not hormones.

Another misconception is that asthma medications are habit-forming and dangerous. But that’s not true of any asthma medications used in the United States, Mahr explained.

It’s also not true that you can stop taking your asthma medications if you’re feeling good. You probably feel well because those medications are working, he noted.

But, Mahr added, you should not be using quick-relief medications if your asthma is under control. Use of those medications should be limited to times when you’re having trouble breathing or when preparing to exercise.

^{Image credit: iStock}

We’ve all been there – we pack a gym bag with the best intentions, only to drive straight home after work. Who wants to commit to a workout when you’re tired and starving, and when it’s winter and already dark outside?

The good news is that you don’t need a long workout to reap the benefits. The not-so-good news? Squeezing in these active minutes might require a bit of creativity and planning. Need more convincing? Researchers found that people who incorporate their workouts into their work day are usually more productive and alert.

We scoured Health24 to find the best tips on how to get in some exercise during the course of the day.

1. Exercise at your desk

If you are working in an open-plan office environment, you’re probably thinking, “There is no way I’m doing these.” But there should be no shame in office exercise. Who knows, you might even start a trend. These exercises are inconspicuous enough to do at your desk, yet effective for toning and stretching. If you really don’t want to be conspicuous, try and sneak into a deserted boardroom. These exercises include chair dips, core exercises, sitting on a Swiss ball instead of a chair and stretching. What are you waiting for? Read the article and get moving today.

2. Squeeze in a quick workout before or after work

If the desk-route is not for you, there are plenty of at-home workouts that are effective when paired with some intense, short bursts of cardio such as jump-rope, running on the spot or jumping jacks. You don’t require a gym or any equipment for these exercises. Simply change into some comfy clothes and do a quick workout before hitting the shower. Here are some guidelines to get you started:

The perfect 15 minute no-gym workout

The 15 minute-workout you can do in your lunch break

3. Hit the gym

If you do have a gym membership, don’t let it go to waste. If the gym is close to your office building, start going during your lunch break. If you choose a quick workout (use the guidelines above), you can be done and showered and ready for the second-half of the day within an hour.

4. Take a walk

Meeting a colleague or a friend during your lunch break? Grab a coffee on the go and take a walk around the block. Not only will you reap the benefits of some fresh air, but you will also get your heart rate up, which will help you to focus and concentrate on the conversation. Bear in mind, however, that the area around your office building might not be a safe walking environment – check out your surroundings and be vigilant at all times.

5. Factor your run into your work day

Training for your next race? Take your running clothes along to work and go for an hour-long run during your lunch break – that’s if you have shower facilities at your office.

6. Move more

Instead of emailing your colleague at the other end of the floor, get up and go to their desk instead. Take the stairs instead of the elevator, set a reminder on your phone or laptop to get up and move every hour, or go to the coffee shop around the block instead of the one in the lobby of your building. These little bursts of movement don’t seem like much, but they add up. Even small 10 minute bouts can be effective, according to Dr Michael V. McConnell, head of Cardiovascular Health Innovations at Verily Life Sciences.

7. Spread the inspiration

Rope in your colleagues and go for group walks, or organise a group walk or run after work. Not only will you get moving, but you will bond with your colleagues and build morale outside the boardroom.

^{Image credit: iStock}