It seems that the affection we have have for our excess baggage around our mid-rift could be about to be soured. OK so we’re carrying a little extra weight - it’s just something to keep your partners hands comfortable right? Well not any more it seems - love handles now come with a health warning.

Although the relationship between waist line and health issues has been known for some time, a new study now enables us to have a far clearer picture. The study of almost 360,000 people from all over Europe declared waist size a very powerful indicator of health risk. Nothing new in that you may think, but the study does provide an intriguing way to quantify this risk.

Basically it boils down to this - for every excess 2 inches of love fat you carry the chance of you meeting your reaper early rise by between 13% and 17%. If you’re a man with a waist line of over 47 inches then you are twice as likely to die than a man with a waist line of 31.5 inches. For women similar statistics are found between women with a 39 inch waist and a 25.5 inch waist. It seems that the size of your waist influences the development of several chronic diseases, including heart disease and diabetes.

If you’re waist line is growing and the ‘love’ is getting greater then maybe it’s time to make a few adjustments. Otherwise you could literally find yourself loved to death.

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A study of 10 years old on the Isle of Wight has discovered that children who were breast fed for at least 4 months have a much stronger lung capacity than those who weren’t breast fed. Although as yet it is uncertain why this is, it has been suggested that the different mechanics and duration of sucking may be the cause. On average breast fed babies need to generate 3 times the suction power than those that are bottle fed, meaning that by default feeding also lasts much longer. This has opened up the possibility of changes in bottle design to copy the process.

Dr Elaine Vickers, from Asthma UK, said "While the results of the study don’t focus specifically on asthma, the researchers were able to demonstrate that children breast-fed for four months or longer had better lung function than those who weren’t breast-fed at all, or who were breast-fed for less than four months.

"We currently support advice from the Department of Health, which states that where possible, babies should be exclusively breastfed for the first six months of life."

Obviously not all mothers are able to breast feed so that is where new bottle designs become more important. The research team have already been reported to have approached a bottle manufacturer so future bottle feeding mothers can look forward to healthier lungs for their children.

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For migraine suffering women around the globe a silver lining has been revealed in the form of a breast cancer study in Seattle. It seems that women who suffer regularly from migraine headaches have a much lower risk to breast cancer.

The study of 3,412 women carried out by the researchers at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Centre in Seattle, suggests that the risk is lowered by as much as 30%. Though they do also warn that further investigation is still required into the results.

The connection it seems is to the fluctuation of hormone levels, conditions stimulated by events such as being pregnant or using the pill.

"This gives us a new avenue to explore the biology behind risk reduction" reported Dr Christopher Li.

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The child obesity problem in the UK has seemingly hit a new level with the news that schools now need to buy bigger desks as children get too big for existing classroom furniture.

A commission led by former cabinet minister Charles reported that children were now taller and heavier than ever before, requiring sturdier chairs and higher tables.

The issue of obesity isn’t the only health risk this raises though. Children being forced into under-sized chairs face added problems of back pain and low attention spans as discomfort becomes distracting. It’s clear that while children getting taller is only a problem for the furniture manufacturers, the weight issue is one more wide set in society.

If you are worried about your child’s weight then why not take a look at a homeopathic child weight loss formula such as JuniorSlim. JuniorSlim is a safe and effective remedy which will not only help control child weight, but will also support healthy digestive functioning while supporting the liver, kidneys and spleen.

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It seems that the list of things being affected by the credit crunch just goes on and on. Experts are now warning that investment in biotech firms is on the slow down, meaning there will less funding for the inventing and development of new drugs.

It’s not just the drug companies that are going to suffer from a lack of investment either. Most charities throughout the world expect to be hit by reduced donations as people feel the squeeze on the costs of living - as the old saying goes ‘charity starts at home’.

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It’s a fact that fat people cost health services worldwide millions, if not billions, each and every year. Relatively recent figures show that in central and eastern Cheshire (just one small part of the UK) the cost to the NHS in 2007 on treating weight related ailments was £111.4 million. Just imagine what that figure escalates to nationwide.

There is a very good reason why that figure is so high - being overweight is a common denominator in a whole host of health problems. High Blood pressure, heart disease, strokes, diabetes, breathing problems, joint pain and cancer are just a few of the increased risks anyone takes by letting their weight escalate. The trouble is so few of us realise it.

If you’re concerned with your weight take a look at our ‘Losing Weight Effectively‘ health article. It’s very basic but then so are most of the best health tips. And you never know - they might just save your life.

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Although a link between breast cancer and alcohol consumption has been established for a number of years, it is reported that most women do not realise it. In an article by Rebecca Smith in the Telegraph she reports that 8 out of 10 women don’t know that alcohol is a cause of breast cancer, while just one large glass of wine a day increases your risk by a fifth.

Dr Sarah Cant, Policy Manager at Breakthrough Breast Cancer, said: "Drinking moderate or high levels of any type of alcoholic drink has many health consequences, including an increased chance of developing breast cancer.

"Although many factors might affect our risk of getting breast cancer, limiting how much we drink is one thing we can do to try to reduce that risk - it’s never too late to change your drinking habits."

If you like a tipple though it’s not all bad news. Students in the US are working on a beer that will actually protect you against cancer. Now there’s an education system that seems to be flourishing.

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Surfing the Internet may be good for brain stimulation but for those of you who like to gas on your mobile phone all day as well then maybe a change is needed. And ‘texters’ could suffer the same problems also.

It is being reported by the BBC that heavy mobile phone users are prone to rashes on their ears and faces due to allergic reactions caused by the nickel on handsets. And as the nickel is found in the casings and buttons it can have an effect on fingers too. With a nickel allergy being the most common contact allergy in the UK, there is the potential for an awful lot of ear scratching nationwide.

The good news is that there is a decent range of phones available that do not contain nickel. So if you  use your phone a lot and have constantly itchy ears or fingers now you know why. Get yourself to the phone shop and find one you like without nickel. If you want to read the rest of this story you can get it here.

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Superb news for those of us who utilise our employers liberal access to the Internet to the max. All in the name of work related research of course.

Research by a team at the University of California reports brain power boosts from Internet usage, especially among people at middle age and upwards. The research has indicated that web surfing stimulates the brain in areas of ‘controlled decision making’ and ‘complex reasoning’.

So now there’s no need to flash your sudoku book in public to show how clever you are. You can just surf the web on your iphone instead.

Lead researcher Professor Gary Small said: "The study results are encouraging, that emerging computerised technologies may have physiological effects and potential benefits for middle-aged and older adults.

"Internet searching engages complicated brain activity, which may help exercise and improve brain function."

As much as we love this concept - especially with the amount of time we seem to spend on the web these days - don’t forget that there are many other things you can do to improve and maintain mental health.

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A report in the International Journal of Clinical Practice has recently suggested that nearly 4 million people in the UK are at risk of heart disease unawares. Heart disease is one of the biggest killers in the UK and this news has re-enforced recent calls for national screening tests.

Although advances in medications for heart problems should suggest a lower risk to the population, the fact is that our ever worsening lifestyle choices are outstripping any progress being made in science. Coronary heart disease is now recognised as being one of the most common killers and is augmented by the increase in obesity, by the continual presence of smoking, and by people becoming less and less active. This doesn’t even take into account any hereditary aspect of heart problems.

If you are over-weight, eat poorly or smoke heavily you are more at risk than most people and should get a regular check. Even if you’re not aware of any heart problems and feel healthy it is always better to get checked out just in case. It’s a little known fact that for most people by the time they find out it’s too late.

You can find out more on this topic from our recent article ‘How to Keep a Healthy Heart‘.

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