All salt of the earth

Image: Carlos Porto / FreeDigitalPhotos.net

Both contain sodium and chloride, in the same ratio, so chemically there is almost no difference, according to Nutrition.about.com.

If you want to lower your sodium intake, replace table salt or sea salt with herbal seasoning blends.

Breakthrough of the week

European researchers claim they may be on the road to finding a malaria cure.

They believe they have identified a group of proteins (called protein kinases) which are essential for the malaria parasites to survive in the blood stream.

According to Andrew Tobin, professor of cell biology at the University of Leicester: "If we stop these proteins kinases from working, then we kill the malaria parasites."

Bizarre of the week

Smoking can make your nipples fall off, claims US plastic surgeon Dr Anthony Youn.

But this applies only to people who have undergone breast lifts to perk up their chests.

According to the surgeon, nicotine and carbon monoxide taken in during smoking can disrupt blood flow to different parts of the body, and so disrupts the healing process in breasts following surgery.

"I cringe every time I see a patient for a breast lift who is a smoker, because I'm afraid that despite my warnings, she will smoke before or after surgery and cause her nipples to turn black and fall off," the UK's Daily Mail quoted Dr Youn as saying.

One thing for your health

Traffic jams, job woes and visits from the in-laws can be very stressful.

The Harvard Medical School suggests that people suffering from stress must pay attention to what they are doing at the moment because the stress response begins in the brain.

This mindfulness can alleviate anxiety.

Mindful activities include walking, listening to music, or merely taking notice of what you are walking past.

Source: The Times