Health Farm

Just
the good
stuff

PLANT POWER: Avocado – the high-fat fruit that does no evil

May 20, 2019 • 1 min read

Fat isn't the pot-bellied boogie monster running amok in western diets any longer. Nutritionists have turned the food pyramid on its head as carbohydrate-heavy diets are increasingly linked to obesity-related illnesses.

OF MICE AND MEN: Drugs that work for mice rarely work for humans. So why bother testing drugs on rodents?

May 20, 2019 • 1 min read

Most potential new drugs fail when they're tested on people despite showing great promise when earlier tested on rats and mice.

WEIGHT LOSS: New FDA-approved drug tricks body into feeling full

May 10, 2019 • 1 min read

Weight-loss drugs have potentially serious and sometimes embarrassing side-effects. Perhaps that’s why only a fraction of people who are overweight or obese use prescribed weight-loss medication.

SUPPLEMENTS: Go easy on the protein shakes

May 10, 2019 • 1 min read

Building a decent set of guns requires protein, but we might be overdoing the protein shakes – a global market worth $9.4 billion.

PLANT POWER: Broccoli – the cruciferous vegetable no one should push off their plate

May 10, 2019 • 1 min read

This little green tree of nutritional goodness is perhaps best known for making children screw up their noses and feign illness at dinner time. But parents should persevere and hold off dessert until every single green floret has gone down the hatch.

HOW ARE YOU FEELING? The world is sadder and angrier than ever, major study finds

May 10, 2019 • 1 min read

Feeling less happy, even miserable? You’re not alone. People worldwide are sadder, angrier, and more fearful. All three emotions are at record levels, according to Gallup's annual Global State of Emotions report.

LET’S EAT: Cardiologist adds caveat to ketogenic diet

May 10, 2019 • 1 min read

Switching to a ketogenic diet is a proven winner when it comes to losing weight. But is the high volume of fat that keto dieters must consume to tip their bodies into ketosis (when the body burns fat for energy) inviting other health risks?

SLEEP ON IT: Good-quality sleep is gravely underrated

May 02, 2019 • 1 min read

Chest-beaters who shout about sleeping when they’re dead are likely to find eternal resting peace earlier than the rest of us.

PLANT POWER: Ginger – mmmm, curative properties

May 02, 2019 • 1 min read

Medieval medicine men were on to something when they administered ginger to treat nausea, arthritis, migraines, hypertension… you name it. But it’s only recently that scientific studies have verified the pharmacological powers of ginger.

TRAINING TIP: Strength is good, power is better

May 02, 2019 • 1 min read

Power = strength x speed. Most gym goers focus on brute strength, adding weight to the bar as they get stronger. But new research shows good reasons to speed up your repetitions.