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Exercising is without a doubt good for our health. Not only does regular physical activity positively affect our body and psyche, it also reduces the risk of a variety of illnesses. But exercise also has its downsides. Injuries to ligaments, tendons, muscles and fractures are commonplace among professional and amateur athletes. This is usually due to insufficient warm-ups, overstraining, incorrect posture and too much external force. In competitive sports, soft-tissue injuries are particularly common. While the length of recovery is usually irrelevant in amateur sports, downtimes for professional athletes can have a significant effect on their career. In order to prevent this, athletes and…
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For a long time, hospital food did not receive the attention it deserved. But in recent years people have become more aware of the growing problems of malnutrition in hospitals. Especially elderly patients are at risk of malnutrition. Several studies have concluded that between 25% to 50% of them are already malnourished upon admission at the hospital and the longer they stay in inpatient care, the more their nutritional status worsens.
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Being overweight and obese presents serious health problems not only for adults, but also for children and adolescents. Epidemiological data of the past decades shows a continuous upward trend in the average weight in young people globally. So far, Europe and the United States of America have been affected most with 20 to 30% of children being overweight or obese. However, Asian, African and South American countries are also increasingly affected by this development. Being overweight at a young age is a risk factor that can cause many physical and mental issues. In addition to a genetic predisposition, the main causes of obesity include super- and malnutrition as well as a sedentary…
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Midwifery is one of the oldest professions in the world. Its origins can be traced back several millennia to ancient Egypt. In ancient Greece and Rome, midwives were of a high social standing and were mentioned in the writings of Greek scholars and in the Old Testament. One of the earliest midwifery texts is "Gynaikeia", a textbook written in the 2nd century by the Greek physician Soranos of Ephesus.
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For many cultures, eating three proper meals is part of their daily routine. Often these meals are supplemented by other snacks, so that many people regularly eat at intervals of only a few hours. But to what extent does this lifestyle correspond to human physiology?
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Over the past decades, children have been growing heavier all over the world. Today, between 20 and 30% of children in the US and Europe are overweight or obese. But child-obesity has also risen steadily in other regions of the world; an alarming trend, considering excessive weight at a young age has significant health consequences. Not only does it increase the risk of developing a variety of chronic diseases, but also that of social stigma and mental disorders. In addition to a genetic predisposition, the main causes include malnutrition, a sedentary lifestyle and the socio-economic environment.
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Not only do our genes and lifestyle, but also our immediate surroundings, contribute to the development of weight problems. A recent study by the Lancet Public Health of the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine found that an individual’s proximity to a sporting venue is reflected in their waist circumference, body mass index (BMI) and body fat percentage. During the four-year study, more than 500,000 British people were examined. The results were then compared with the data of the subjects’ place of residence. The study showed that those living more than one kilometer away from a sports field or gym had, on average, a larger waist circumference (+ 1.22 cm), a higher BMI (+ 0.57…
