Health scan

A snapshot of the current thinking in medicine, fitness and lifestyle trends that impact your life.

Night shifts increase the risk of Diabetes
Night shift workers may be more susceptible to developing type-2 or adult-onset diabetes, says a study published journal Sleep. It suggest that night work may impair glucose tolerance which can increase the risk of type-2 diabetes among shift workers. Peak glucose levels are usually 16% higher during one night of simulated shift work.

High style can be painful
Bags and heels are wrecking women’s health. High heels start hurting after 66 minutes and 48 seconds of wearing them, giving a new meaning to the term killer heels, says the UK College of Podiatry, which found that uncomfortable shoes cause foot problems in almost half of all women who wear them.

According to experts, the over-sized “it” bag of the kind often seen dangling from Victoria Beckham’s arm can lead to long-term tendonitis in the shoulder and an unbalanced posture. Carrying these bags in the crook of the elbow can lead to torn muscles and inflamed tendons, or “Poshitis” as it is known, thanks to its celebrity endorser.

Wearing high heels adds abnormal pressure to the lower back, leading to back pain and sciatica. As well as back pain, heels create 25% more pressure through the hips and knees due to extra strain.

Eating cheese fights cavities, gum diseases
Eating cheese — particularly as a snack — reduces the acids that cause cavities and gum disease, reports a study in the journal, General Dentistry. Cheese stimulates saliva production, which is the body’s way of keeping the mouth at a normal acidity level. The saliva helps remove any residue in mouth, and also provides a buffer against high acidity. Cheese also helps re-mineralise teeth surrounded by acid. The benefits remain the same irrespective of whether the cheese is no-fat, low-fat and regular.