HEALTH HINTS: Being unwell adds years to your face, new research shows
Poor health makes people look older, researchers have claimed.
In a study published in the British Journal of Dermatology, an independent panel was asked to look at photos of more than 2,500 participants who had agreed to hand over their medical histories, and then guess their age.
People who were thought to be older than their actual age were often people with cognitive problems, lung disease, the bone-thinning disease osteoporosis, cataracts, or age-related hearing loss.
Lead author Professor Tamar Nijsten from the Erasmus University Medical Center in Rotterdam said: “Factors that cause changes in tissue structures in the face also affect other tissues in the body. This is probably the best study to date showing that perceived age also reflects internal aging.’
In a study published in the British Journal of Dermatology, an independent panel was asked to look at photos of more than 2,500 participants who had agreed to hand over their medical histories, and then guess their age
Gyms that offer mind training
A chain of gyms has introduced hypnotherapy classes to help its members keep their New Year’s health resolutions.
Gymbox, which has ten offices across London, is now offering six-week “Commitment Therapy” courses that promise to “harness the subconscious” to “banish leaving the gym”.
A recent study found that 80 percent of people who made a New Year’s goal to get fit gave up in February.
Classes are led by Hannah Apperley, a life coach and hypnotherapist, and begin with a “sharing circle” where exercise goals are discussed before a 30-minute hypnosis session.
Gymbox, which has ten branches across London, is now offering six-week ‘Commitment Therapy’ courses that promise to ‘harness the subconscious’ to ‘banish leaving the gym’.
Dementia UK’s free helpline saw a spike in calls last January from concerned families asking for help after Christmas.
The charity’s latest figures show a 17 percent increase in the number of people calling their specialist nurses in January 2022 compared to December 2021.
Nearly 70 percent of the calls came from concerned children from someone who has either been diagnosed with the disease or is suspected of having it.
About 40 percent of callers wanted to know what support is available for people with dementia, while almost one in five wanted to get a diagnosis for themselves or a family member.
Group therapy of up to 20 people is just as effective as individual sessions at treating anxiety and depression, a study has found.
Researchers from the University of Manchester enrolled 156 people who had been referred for therapy. Half received individual sessions, while the rest received their treatment in a group setting. The study, published in the journal Cognitive Behavioral Therapy, found no difference in outcomes between the two groups.
The experts involved believe the findings could help break long NHS waits to see a therapist and offer people an alternative to conventional therapy.