Health & Safety Best Practices

Alternative medicine

Not all practitioners agree on what constitutes alternative - some deny there is anything "alternative" about practices that predate many modern treatments.

Bloodborne/Communicable Diseases - for Paraprofessionals

How You can protect yourself — “Universal Precautions”

Clues to cause of long-term pain

Undamaged nerve fibres - not those that are injured - may cause long-term chronic pain, research suggests.

Computer Workstation E-Tool from OSHA

Coffee may reduce liver disease

Drinking coffee could reduce the risk of alcohol-related liver disease. A US study of 125,580 men and women over 20 years found a 22% reduced risk of developing alcoholic cirrhosis for each cup of coffee drank per day.

Computer Hazards

Recognizing and Preventing Computer-Related Health Problems

The Digestive System

Ever wondered what happens to your food once it passes your lips? Well, once you've taken a mouthful, your food embarks on an incredible journey...

Disease detectives - always on alert

Killer diseases have no respect for national or political borders. And, in an increasingly globalised world, there is no certainty about when or where they will strike - whether it is Sars or bird flu - bio-terrorism or natural disaster.

Epilepsy explained

Many people believe potentially harmful myths about epilepsy. Epilepsy comes in many forms and each person's experience is different. Dr Matthew Walker explains what epilepsy is, how it's diagnosed and treated, and offers advice on living with the condition.

Flu Shot "News Alert"

New Yorkers At High Risk Of Serious Illness From Influenza Should Get A Flu Shot To prepare for the coming flu season, the Department of Health and Mental Hygiene (DOHMH) urges New Yorkers at highest risk for serious illness or death from influenza (flu) to get a flu shot.

Green tea cuts fatal illness risk

Drinking green tea can substantially cut the risk of dying from a range of illnesses, a Japanese study has found. The research, which looked at over 40,000 people, found the risk of fatal cardiovascular disease was cut by more than a quarter.

Health Library

Health Topics on family, men's, women's, children's, senior's - etc.

The Heart

Scientists believe they have found some vital clues to how stress can trigger a heart attack in vulnerable patients. - A fingertip test could detect patients in the earliest stages of heart disease, US scientists have claimed.

How DNA works

'The key to life' DNA's double helix holds the key to life. The secret discovered by Watson and Crick in 1953 is that there are four possible types of rung on the ladder formed by the double helix.

Medical Notes

Medical notes: Here you will find links to the BBC News Online medical notes library. Click on any of them to find out more about your chosen topic.

Pregnancy: The Facts

TIMELINE: A week by week guide to what happens to mother and baby during pregnancy. Nine months: An overview PRE-NATAL: Minor complications & serious complications DURING LABOR: Pain relief & complications of labor POST-NATAL: Breast vs bottle.

Q&A: Mobile phone safety

There is growing concern over the safety of using mobile phones. BBC News Online examines the latest evidence and advice on keeping any perceived risks to a minimum.

Q&A: Stem cells

Stem cells are thought to hold huge potential for treating a wide range of disease and disability. Scientists around the world are working on techniques to refine stem cell therapy.

Q&A: Tackling growing obesity

The National Institute for Health and Clinical Excellence has published guidance on preventing and managing obesity in England.

Red Wine and Your Health

Scientists may have discovered the reason why red wine appears to protect the heart. Numerous studies have suggested that moderate alcohol drinking helps to reduce the likelihood of heart disease.

Stress

Stress is an unavoidable part of our lives-it is a natural response to environmental and social pressures. It has many causes; events-both desirable and dreaded, both large and trivial-can result in stress. Our responses to stress many be physical, psychological and or behavioral.

Structure of HIV

The 3D structure of the virus which causes Aids has been revealed for the first time, scientists say. The variable size and shape of HIV has made it hard to map, the team said in the journal Structure.

Stop the Pain

The wrong way to pick up any item is far away from the body. It is better to squat down to the item, hold it close to the chest and then stand, lifting with the legs, not the back.

Travel - Health

Fine your destination region for a brief overview of the diseases that are present in some or all of the countries there, and the vaccinations that may be required. Many countries in the same region have widely differing immunisation entry requirements

Why we get high cholesterol

Scientists have found clues to why people develop high cholesterol levels - an important cause of heart disease. Researchers in the United States have identified a protein which they say plays a key role in determining whether or not fatty substances and cholesterol build up inside the arteries.