Headaches and hangovers
Alcohol is the second most common cause of headache after stress at work, according to a new pain survey. Forty per cent of Irish people blame their headaches on the consumption of alcohol. In this festive season, it is a sobering thought that 49 per cent of men and 35 per cent of women suffer from hangover headaches. The highest incidence of alcohol-induced hangovers was found in 25-34 year-olds. Up to 57 per cent of this age-group suffer from hangover headaches. Pain-relieving tablets were found to be the most effective treatment for such headaches, followed by getting fresh air and/or taking a walk.
Meanwhile, for those attending Christmas parties, the standard advice goes a long way. For starters, don't drink on an empty stomach - high carbohydrate foods such as bread, pasta or rice help to slow down the absorption of alcohol. Drink plenty of water alongside alcoholic drinks as this dilutes the alcohol as it enters your system. Likewise, drink plenty of water the next day as alcohol has a dehydrating effect on your body; or try milk-thistle complex which is a recognised herbal cure for hangovers.
Supplements in pregnancy
New research suggests that dietary supplements during pregnancy could protect against leukaemia. A study from Western Australia has shown that folate and iron supplementation during pregnancy may be associated with a decreased risk of a form of childhood leukaemia called acute lymphoblastic leukaemia (ALL). The researchers assessed known and suspected risk factors in diagnosed children aged up to 14 years. There were 83 children in the study group and 166 controls matched for age and sex. Mothers who used folate and iron supplements in pregnancy had more than a 60 per cent reduced risk of having children who developed ALL; this protective effect was reduced to 25 per cent for mothers who only used iron supplements. Further analyses of folate use with or without iron showed the protective effect varied little according to how soon or for how long they were taken. The results, though unexpected, suggest that folate supplementation in pregnancy reduces the risk of common acute lymphoblastic leukaemia in the child. [Lancet December 7th 2001, pg 1935]
Crohn's and the calendar
Researchers in Denmark have found that there may be a link between developing Crohn's Disease and the month of birth. Looking at 627 people aged less than 21 years who developed Crohn's disease from 1977 to 1992, they found that the peak in births occurred in August and the trough in March. Previous studies have suggested that exposure to certain infections before birth or in early childhood may be important risk factors. If infectious agents potentially linked to Crohn's disease are common at particular times of the year, this seasonal variation may explain the pattern of certain birth months in the incidence of the condition. The findings of this study contrast with another study that reported slightly increased risk of Crohn's disease in those born in the first half of the year, but not the second half. [BMJ 2001; 323: 907]
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