Could taking probiotics help the post-baby blues?

New study reveals taking a live bacteria tablet during pregnancy could HALVE a mother's risk of post-natal depression

• New research reveals the benefits of taking probiotics during pregnancy
• Probiotics are a live 'bacteria' that can be found in fermented foods
• Study points to a simple way mothers could manage their mental health
• The outcome of this trial suggests an alternative to traditional medications

Women at risk of depression while pregnant, or after giving birth, could benefit from increasing their intake of probiotics during pregnancy, according to a recent New Zealand study.

In Australia, figures show that depression can affect up to one in ten women while they are pregnant, and almost one in seven are affected during the first year after birth.

Researchers from the University of Auckland and the University of Otago surveyed a sample group of 423 women who were between 14 and 16 weeks pregnant.

Taking a probiotic tablet once a day during pregnancy and in the first six-months after birth halved a mother's risk of clinically significant anxiety, the research found. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-4990842/Taking-probiotics-pregnancy-helps-post-natal-depression.html

World's first child car seat with built-in airbags...

...that instantly inflate in the event of a crash launches globally

• System detects a collision in 0.05 seconds and instantly inflates a set of airbags 
• Bags in the shoulder pads of the harness protect toddlers' heads from impact
• The pads reportedly halve the forces of a crash on a child's neck and head
• The £550 ($730) device will be released in selected stores today

The world's first child car seat with built-in airbags is being launched worldwide today.
It detects a collision in 0.05 seconds and instantly inflates bags in the shoulder pads of the harness - protecting toddlers' heads from snapping forward.

The £550 ($730) device more than halves jerking forces on the neck and head compared to other forward-facing car seats.

The system will be released in selected stores worldwide, and is suitable for children from four months to four years of age.

The seat, which can be used facing forward or backward, can also be used in the front passenger seat, manufacturer Maxi Cosi said. Its shoulder pads automatically deflate one second after impact. In a frontal collision, children in forward-facing seats are at risk of severe spinal and neck injuries or traumatic 'chin-to-chest' strikes. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-4984606/World-s-child-car-seat-airbags-launched-UK.html

Firing a Nerf toy gun? Then wear goggles

Doctors warn over danger of foam darts and say users should protect their eyes in case of injury

• Doctors have now said Nerf guns are dangerous and children must wear goggles
• Experts said that the foam darts risked causing internal bleeding around the eye
• It comes after three patients in three months attended an eye hospital in London

For years Nerf guns have been a favourite with boisterous youngsters.

But now doctors say the toys, which fire foam darts, are dangerous – and users must wear protective goggles in case they are shot in the eye.

Experts said the darts risked causing internal bleeding around the eye as well as vision issues. 

It comes after three patients in three months attended Moorfields Eye Hospital in London after being shot in the eye with a Nerf gun from distances of 3ft to 26ft. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-4897460/Doctors-warn-danger-foam-darts.html

Do your health kicks always fail?

Experts break down the triggers that ruin get-fit regimes - and their step-by-step guide to achieving your goals

A study has found the average adult starts a new health kick every 3 months, but more than half give up within hours, and 60% say they never follow through. Here, nutritionist Rob Hobson and psychologist Dr Meg Arroll, of Healthspan, explain the classic triggers and how to overcome them to stay healthy.

The average health kick lasts less than 12 days, a study has found. 

Despite starting with good intentions of eating healthier food, exercising more often and cutting back on alcohol and smoking, the average adult will be back to their usual ways before two weeks has passed.

And more than half admit they have embarked on a health kick but given up within 24 hours.
But people's yo-yo health habit pattern is repeated four times a year, with the average adult trying a new regime every three months.

That amounts to the equivalent of eight years of a lifetime spent trying to stick with 252 different health kicks.

Feeling tired is the most common reason for quitting a health kick, followed by a stressful day at work and chocolate is the ultimate food we all fall off the wagon for. Read more: http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4888656/Experts-break-triggers-ruin-fit-regimes.html

How to stop snoring in just five minutes a day

Top ear, nose and throat consultant reveals the secret to a peaceful night's sleep in new book

Every night, in homes across the country, bedrooms reverberate with the trumpeting, whistling, whining and grunting of the nation’s snorers.

It’s a deafening cacophony that blights an estimated 60 per cent of the population — and their long-suffering partners — and fuels a lucrative and ever-growing trade in snore-busting gadgets and remedies.

But as anyone who’s tried the throat sprays, nasal dilators, jaw slings or mouth splints that claim to ease snoring will know, snoring is infuriatingly difficult to fix.

It is just one more insulting consequence of the ageing process, and therefore extremely common. But despite that, few people appreciate quite how debilitating it can be for your health and your relationships. Read more:  http://www.dailymail.co.uk/health/article-4889158/Snoring-stopped-five-minutes-day-exercises.html