HEALTH & WELLBEING

Tasmanian officials issued on Wednesday an alert over a virus that has infected racing and show pigeons in Victoria. The alert was over the risk of the Avian paramyxovirus being spread by the birds that cross the Bass Strait.

A review of the Australia’s food labelling laws early this year failed to recommend a mandatory traffic light system for unhealthy food, pointing out that the system should only be implemented on a voluntary basis.

The Obesity Policy Coalition says the new mobile app called Traffic Light Food Tracker will enable users to work around the food industry's hesitation in supporting traffic light labelling. Obesity Policy Coalition spokeswoman Jane Martin says the system has been shown to improve people's eating habits.

If you want to avoid nighttime heartburn then strictly follow this rule: refrain from eating three to four hours before going to sleep.

Researchers from the Victoria Department of Primary Industries have studied the DNA of five modern Tammar wallaby genes and reproduced a 60-million-year-old gene. The scientists will use the reproduced gene to develop a compound they plan to use to fight superbugs in hospitals.

Experts have found out a new and healthier way to cope with emerging food shortages. The solution is said to be rich in protein and calcium which will definitely meet the body’s demand for nutrients.

Australian scientists from the Centre for Cancer Biology at SA Pathology have discovered an inherited gene defect which predisposes some people to developing acute leukemia. Furthermore, individuals who are high risk of developing the disease are possible to be identified, monitored and treated much sooner.

“More needs to be done to prevent unexpected, unnatural or violent deaths in the mental health system - and to ensure grieving families and the public are told why such deaths are occurring, and at such a high rate.” said Colleen Pearce, The Public Advocate. The number of deaths in mental institutions called the state’s urgent attention.

Vampire bats and Malaysian pit vipers’ mouths are potentially lethal, producing life taking and life-saving substances according to Chron.com and AFP.

Mesoblast Limited (ASX: MSB) had received clearance to begin testing a drug that it says can improve the quality of life for patients suffering acute heart attacks.

We are our own worst beauty critic, appears to be an overwhelming truth in the research released by Dove today, as over 85% of Australian women agree to this. Women cited hatred and dislike for everything from the stomach and hips to the tips of their toes. Majority of women (88%) believed that the pressure to be beautiful is everywhere, and half of Australian women (50%) admits that the biggest influence is the pressure they exert upon themselves to look beautiful.

A study published in the Medical Journal of Australia today pinpoints home renovations as the reason for a new wave of cases of asbestos-related cancer.

Consumers will now be able to track fat and sugar content in their food when new mobile phone application launches in Melbourne on Monday.

About 1,200 McDonald's stores in Britain now have calorie counts on their menu board. The increasing number of overweight and obese Britons alarmed the government.

About 165 million Europeans or 38 per cent of the continent's population are suffering from mental ailments, according to a new study released by the Dresden University in Germany.

Dr. Kevin Buckwalter of Henderson, Nev., has a history of malpractice and shady dealings during the time when he still had a practice and a license to prescribe controlled substances.

September heralds the beginning of spring. Flowers are all in bloom, grass and leaves are greener and pollen abounds. Spring ushers in common illnesses like allergic rhinitis and bee stings.

There's nothing like a hurricane or power outage to make you appreciate the basic things. Like tap water.

The National Heart Foundation of Australia is urging people not to eat chocolate in the belief that it will reduce their risk of heart disease after new research claimed the sweet treat offered significant health benefits.

Our food blogger shares her thoughts after visiting the sustainable chain restaurant for the first time.

If you're one of the millions of Americans who is either unemployed or underemployed, then reducing your grocery bill is just one way to stretch your already limited budget.

As you exercise, the blood circulates throughout the body, bringing nutrients to all the organs and muscles. Exercise helps lymph fluids circulate through the body, which removes toxins and other harmful materials.

Muscles appear to droop as you get older because you begin to lose muscle around the age of 30. This decline in muscle ratio leads to appearance of flabby muscles and loose butt and thighs, not a pleasant sight for any women. Well, who wouldn't like the appearance of a toned fabulous butt?

Jennifer Aniston, Demi Moore and Alicia Keys are fronting the cover of Glamour this month, part of their combined efforts to help highlight breast cancer and the lives it touches.

A new engineered virus has shown that it can selectively target and destroy cancer cells in what researchers call a medical first.

A nationwide survey on cycling in Australia reveals that about 4 million people across the country ride the bicycle every week, and Victoria has the biggest number of active cyclists.

The array of undiscovered health benefits afforded by high vitamin D intake is vast thanks to several new studies linking deficiency in this important hormone to diabetes.

With more than one million Australians currently working abroad though job relocation, it has emerged that many employees being transferred overseas do so without appropriate health insurance.

A new pair of calorie-burning burning pants is causing a stir with Japanese men and women who want to lose weight.