Sore Throat? Drink More

People suffering from sore throats should drink as much as possible.

Doing so moistens the mucous membrane and keeps cold viruses from multiplying, according to the magazine Medicine Today, published by Cologne doctors’ organizations.

Especially useful are herbal teas or hot lemon juice. Other good household cures include gargling with salt water, or chamomile or sage tea.

If the pain lasts for more than three days, a doctor’s visit is recommended. That also applies if there are breathing troubles or exceptionally swollen lymph nodes. -dpa

Health Diets Means Fewer Wrinkles

People who eat lots of fruit and vegetables are likely to have fewer wrinkles, according to a new study. Even normal eaters can make their skin look younger by changing their diet to include lots of tomatoes and red paprika, the German magazine The Dermatologist said in its latest issue.

Free radicals- unstable oxygen molecules- are a major factor in premature skin ageing and skin cancer. Antioxidants contained in the body are supposed to stop free radical damage.

But the body cannot produce enough antioxidants on its own and has to make up for them with ingredients such as vitamin A, C, D and E as well as beta carotene. Vegetables such as carrots, tomatoes, paprika and kale contain plenty of antioxidants as does green tea.

A study conducted at the Berlin Charite hospital found that people with a high concentration of antioxidants in the skin look younger because they have fewer wrinkles, according to The Dermatologist. –dpa.

A Long Happy Life

Optimism, a balanced diet and a daily routine are the keys to a long and healthy life, according to scientific studies analyzed by a German women’s magazine.

Genetic factors account for longevity in only 25% of the world’s population. For the rest, it is way they live their lives, the magazine Fuer Sie (For Her) reported, quoting a Swedish study.

Regular working hours and bedtimes as well as daily routine are factors which help prolong life, the study showed

This was borne out on research conducted among monks and nuns by Professor Marc Luy from the University of Rostock in northern Germany.

If showed that people living a monastic life had a higher-than-average life expectancy, which Luy attributed to a lack of stress, working against the clock and the pressures of everyday life.

Stress, the magazine said, was one of the main causes of circulatory diseases.

A study of 1,000 senior citizens in the Netherlands showed that people who are optimistic get more out of life and also live longer.

One possible reasons is that those with a positive outlook are better able to deal with problems. People with a negative outlook are more susceptible to illness, the study showed.

A good diet was cited as the reason of high life expectancy on the Japanese island of Okinawa, where the world’s highest number of people over 90 live.

This was put down to a reduced intake of one-third less than the recommended 2,300 calories and meals that consists mainly of fish, vegetables and soy products. -dpa