Could laughter be the best way of improving memory? Older people had better short-term recall after watching comedy

• The stress hormone has a negative impact on memory, researchers found
• When a person laughs, they have lower levels of cortisol in their bodies

From tying knots in handkerchiefs to writing on our hands, we'll try anything to avoid forgetting something important. But a study has found that laughter could be the best way of improving memory.

U.S. researchers say older people are more likely to remember something if they have been laughing. This is because laughter reduces stress levels - and stress can have a negative effect on memory, ABC News reports.

Scientists at Loma Linda University, in California, asked 20 healthy adults to watch an amusing video for 20 minutes.

At the same time, another group were asked to sit calmly without watching a film. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2609427/Could-laughter-best-way-improving-memory-Older-people-better-short-term-recall-watching-comedy.html

Breast Cancer Checker

Breast cancer is now the most common cancer in Britain. Survival rates are better than ever, but the earlier the cancer is diagnosed, the better the chances of successful treatment.

Here is our at-a-glance animated guide to checking your breasts thoroughly.

Current advice is that women should 'get to know their breasts' and find out what's 'normal' for them, rather than checking breasts in a regimented and prescriptive fashion. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/breastchecker.html

Hi-tech plaster could change the lives of Parkinson's patients: Patch can read tremors and administer drugs to treat them

• The patch can be worn discretely on the patient's wrist
• It releases small, regular doses of drugs to control tremors
• This means there are no peaks and troughs in drug levels in the body
• It could also help people with multiple sclerosis and essential tremor

A hi-tech plaster that could revolutionise the lives of Parkinson's disease patients has been developed. The latest nanotechnology has been used to create a small patch that can read tremors associated with the disease and administer the appropriate amount of drugs to treat them.

Thinner than a small coin, it could be worn on the wrist and has potential uses for other motor diseases such as multiple sclerosis and essential tremor.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2605192/Hi-tech-plaster-change-lives-Parkinsons-patients-Patch-read-tremors-administer-drugs-treat-them.html

Want to stay sharp in old age? Look after the grandchildren - but only once a week

• Grandparents benefit from looking after children once a week
• Researchers found it increases mental sharpness, combating Alzheimers
• However if tasked with childcare five days a week it is detrimental

For most parents, having grandma take care of the children once in a while is a godsend.

But it seems she may not be sharing the benefits – at least not if she does it too often. Looking after the children for five days a week or more can make grandmas less mentally sharp, a study claimed yesterday.

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2600552/Want-stay-sharp-old-age-Look-grandchildren-week.html

Chin straps to keep your mouth shut. A wristband that gives electric shocks: They BOTH snore, so could this sleep starved couple find a cure?

• Louise Atkinson, 49 and husband John, 50, both snore heavily
• They both try different anti-snoring devices each night for a week

For nearly 20 years, my husband Jonathan and I have happily shared a marital bed — and with the late-night partying and early parenting years behind us, we should be getting the best sleep of our lives.

But we’re not. There’s a new interloper between our crisp cotton sheets — the sonorous rumble and snort of heavy snoring. From both of us.

I’m 49 and Jon, a design consultant, is 50. We’re not overweight, we’re healthy and fit, but the snorts and gasps have become ridiculous. It’s a race to hit the pillow every night, as whoever drops off to sleep first wins — leaving the other with no choice but to lie there and endure the cacophony.

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Keeping quiet: Louise and husband John are kept awake at night by the other's snoring

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2600997/Chin-straps-mouth-shut-A-wristband-gives-electric-shocks-They-BOTH-snore-sleep-starved-couple-cure.html

Pill to beat flu is a step closer after scientists discover 'Achilles heel' of the bug

• Scientists found that blocking molecule builds resistance against flu
• Mice which had PGE2 blocked were likely to survive deadly dose of H1N1
• If transferrable to humans, an anti-flu pill could be developed

Scientists may have found a way to banish flu, after developing a drug that saw mice unaffected by lethal doses of the virus. The drug blocks a molecule called PGE2, and saw mice survive a dose of H1N1 – also known as swine flu - after administration. This could see development of a pill to beat flu in humans, an illness which kills thousands every year. Read  more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2601728/Pill-beat-flu-step-closer-scientists-discover-Achilles-heel-bug.html

Make-up makeover: From perfumed hair lacquer and pat-on deodorant to sonic face brushes and dry shampoo, how beauty regimes differ 50 years on

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• In days gone by a girl would have to set aside hours for her beauty regime
• Perfumed talc, pat-on deodorant,  hair lacquer and cream rouge topped a lady's must-have list of products
• Today hi-tech sonic face cleansing brushes, dry shampoo, home waxing hair removal strips and anti-ageing serums are the products of the day

Back in the Swinging Sixties, getting ready was a bit of a chore. After scrubbing yourself in the bath with a bar of Pears soap, you might have doused yourself in talc, applied your pat-on deodorant and revamped your hairdo with a generous coating of hair lacquer.

These days it seems we’re too busy – and hi-tech – for all that faff, relying on quick-fix dry shampoo to freshen our hair, electric face cleaning brushes to buff our skin and anti-ageing serum to protect it. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2600194/Make-makeover-From-perfumed-hair-lacquer-pat-deodorant-sonic-face-brushes-dry-shampoo-beauty-regimes-differ-50-years-on.html

A glass of milk a day 'keeps arthritis at bay' - but only if you are a woman

• Daily low-fat milk lowers osteoarthritis in women's knees, study found
• Had little effect on men, cheese worsened symptoms for men and women
• Yoghurt made little difference in men and women, Boston medics found

A glass of milk a day could help stop women's knees from creaking, claim researchers.

A new US study found women who frequently drink fat-free or low-fat milk may have less osteoarthritis in the knee. But eating cheese increased the problem in women.

Drinking milk made little difference in men, and eating yogurt did not affect progression in men or women. Osteoarthritis (OA) Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2598423/A-glass-milk-day-keeps-arthritis-bay-woman.html

Has YOUR sex life gone off the boil? It's time to stop being lazy and start getting it on...(unless you want to lose your partner and die young)

• Not having sex increases chances of infidelity in relationships
• Research shows that skipping sex can even have an effect on our life span

Sex is an effort sometimes.

There isn’t a long-term couple alive who hasn’t tossed up a romp in the bedroom versus a takeaway in front of the telly and gone for the latter. But if you’re thinking of permanently trading sex for snuggles, think again.

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Couples who abstain from sex could be risking their mental and physical health

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-2594943/Stop-making-love-youll-DIE-sooner-Eight-things-happen-stop-having-regular-sex.html

Should YOU be eating 7-a-day? As it's claimed we need SEVEN - not five - daily portions of fruit and veg, two contrasting views...

Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-2594659/Should-YOU-eating-7-day-As-claimed-need-SEVEN-not-five-daily-portions-fruit-veg-two-contrasting-views.html