HEALTH BRIEFS: 29 July 2013

NUTRITION BITE

MOTHERS of newborns should eat a good, old-fashioned bowl of porridge oats. It's rich in iron to replenish stores reduced during birth, high in fibre to support digestion and has good levels of protein to support recovery. It's also an excellent source of B vitamins and magnesium needed for energy production and mood balance

BREAKTHROUGH

When surgeons remove tumour tissue, they leave some healthy tissue to ensure all the cancer is removed.

Patients must remain under general anaesthetic for another 30 minutes while tissue samples are sent for analysis to check if the margin is clear.

A new technique based on an ''intelligent knife", called the "iKnife", removes the need for lab analysis, and delay, and helps avoid repeat surgeries.

IF YOU DO ONE THING

Cut out cold drinks. Fizzy drinks corrode tooth enamel permanently, the protective layer of the tooth.

Phosphoric and citric acid, common ingredients in cold drink, alter the pH balance in the mouth and cause tooth erosion over time. This, in turn, causes sensitivity.

BIZARRE

Researchers recently compared the expansiveness of someone's work space and the size of their car seat with their honesty and found that people who had larger work spaces and car seats were more likely to be dishonest.