Health

Updated: 06:12 EST

Breathtakingly intimate photographs capture childbirth

These are the winners of the International Association of Professional Birth Photographers' annual competition. The photos from the United States, Canada and Mexico capture everything - from water births to labor in the car; from crowning to holding the baby. Some show the spectators - an eyes-wide child peering as a man helps a woman deliver, or a midwife nonchalantly continuing as fluid sprays over him. One captures the moment a father, recently diagnosed with terminal brain cancer, holds his son in his arms for the very first time and speaks to him about the future.

The 'Autism Reality Experience', which will tour up and down the UK, uses special headphones, glasses and gloves to make it impossible for participants to concentrate.

Just 30 minutes of Zumba helps to burn 339 calories - the equivalent to a portion of fries from McDonald's. While a half-hour spin session can remove 270 calories, the same as a cheeseburger.

Researchers from the University of British Columbia have found that being deprived of vitamin A while still in the womb could sow the seeds for the development of Alzheimer's disease

In 2015, nearly 100,000 across the world underwent a labiaplasty, which involves trimming back the inner 'lips', figures from the International Society of Aesthetic Plastic Surgery showed.

Mother who had a deadly allergy to the cold is cured

Yvette Ramirez, from Houston, was 12 when she realised her rashes were being caused by the wind, air conditioning and even reaching into her freezer. Doctors diagnosed her with the potentially fatal cold urticaria which prevented her from going outside in the winter. Any sort of exposure to the cold air would trigger an outbreak of hives on her face, arms and body. During one of her worst reactions, she passed out for 12 hours after spending an hour outside in the cold air.

How Mary Tyler Moore championed diabetes research 

Among celebrities, there were none who did more to advocate for diabetes research than Mary Tyler Moore. The actress was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of 33 (pictured right). She became a a staunch champion who raised millions of dollars and lobbied several times before Congress for further funding (pictured left) before her untimely death.

Patients will be denied hip or knee replacements unless their pain is so severe they cannot sleep through the night. Health trusts have introduced the new rules to save millions each year.

According to dentists, skipping the twice daily cleanse can lead to all sorts of health issues such as loose teeth, bleeding gums and even coronary heart disease.

The study, by researchers at New York University, the University of Illinois, and Princeton University, found just a year earlier, at the age of five, there is no difference between the sexes (stock image).

The recipe for a Flu Fighting Tonic recipe contains six superfood ingredients, including trendy turmeric. Most of the ingredients contain antioxidants and boast impressive health benefits.

Eating three meals meals recommended by health gurus such as The Body Coach and Deliciously Ella, can add 1,096 extra calories to your diet than you would dining on fast food for a day.

Doctors save woman's life by removing her lungs for 6 days

Melissa Benoit (left), 32, had just hours to live when she was rushed to Toronto General Hospital with a severe infection in April. She was immediately placed on a ventilator to help her breathe as surgeons warned her only chance of survival was a transplant as her condition continued to worsen. Her organs began to fail after bacteria in her lungs became resistant to most antibiotics - causing her to go into septic shock. But in what is believed to be a world's first, doctors removed her lungs to try and eliminate the infection while waiting for donor organs to become available. And after just six days they found some, allowing for a successful transplant (right with her daughter Olivia).

A groundbreaking study by the University of North Carolina has used state-of-the-art technology to show why an acid trip lasts so long and what damage the brain has to inflict to end a trip.

Laura Munday, 19, from High Wycombe, was just 13-years-old when she developed anorexia. At her lowest she weighed just six stone, her hair was falling out, and her periods stopped.

A study from the Universite de Montreal in Canada found that teenagers who smoked pot before age 17 had difficulties with verbal abilities and cognitive abilities of learning by trial-and-error.

Researchers at the Salk Institute found that you should actually eat when you're sick because it will help prevent bacteria from spreading to other organs and make them transmit to other hosts quicker.

Often people have a habit of checking the time when their sleep is disrupted - but this is a mistake, says Dr Michael Breus, a member of the American Board of Sleep Medicine.

The trend of Americans consuming less sugar-sweetened beverages has recently plateaued. New data from the CDC showed two-thirds of US kids drink at least one sugary drink a day.

Brazilian girl with rare 5lb tumour growing from her face

Melyssa Delgado Braga (left), from Sao Paulo, Brazil, had what is believed to be one of the largest myxoma's ever recorded - weighing 5lbs. Doctors described the benign growth as 'almost like another head attached to her jaw'. It had displaced her tongue to the point that she was unable to eat and swallow - leaving her on the brink of being malnourished. However, surgeons warned that she would likely die because the treatment would be too much for her weakened immune system. But after becoming aware of her case thanks to a Facebook campaign, medics at the Louisiana State University donated their services for free (pictured right after surgery with her mother, Carol, 21).

After initial tests, doctors discovered a segment of the worm in his colon. But after delving further, the team at the PVS Memorial Hospital, India, found the entire worm curled in his small intestine.

College students who are iron deficient perform one grade worse than their healthy counterparts, scientists from the University of Nebraska-Lincoln and Pennsylvania State found.

The Royal College of Paediatrics and Child Health created a snapshot of child-health in the UK, ranging from obesity and breastfeeding rates to asthma, diabetes, epilepsy and child deaths.

A professor at Michigan State University found that students spent, on average, more than a third of class time searching nonacademic website and were more likely to receive low exam scores.

This is what the world looks like to the colourblind

Images released from Colblindor, a blog run by Daniel Flück from Zurich, give an idea what the four types of colour blindness people experience actually look like. Approximately one in 20 people suffer from colour blindness, a condition that makes the world a duller place. But if you have not got the condition, it might be difficult to imagine how the world looks through someone else's eyes. Pictured are how colours look for three different types of the condition. 'Normal vision' is shown top left as a reference.

Jamie Henley, 37, from Forney, Texas, was born with a port wine stain that covers half her face, neck, chest and back. It has eroded her gums and caused chronic abscesses - which can be fatal.

Dr. Thomy Kouremada-Zioga reveals the 'healthy' lifestyle changes that could be damaging your hair, including working up a sweat at the gym and missing out on vital nutrients by going vegan.

The household items covered in germs you never clean

From your hairbrush (right) to your toothbrush holder (inset), and even your tin openers and your phones, there are many things you should be cleaning in the home, but might be missing.

Up to one in 10 people in the UK will at some point battle anxiety or depression, which research for the first time shows raises the danger of death from bowel, prostate and pancreatic cancer.

Marylebone-based dentist Dr Richard Marques has shared his top tips for keeping teeth pearly white the natural way - without causing damage to your teeth (or your wallet).

The research published in the journal Obesity found the stress of cyber-bullying takes a potentially fatal toll on the health of overweight people.

Two Northumbria University students consume '300 coffees'

Sports science students Alex Rossetto, not pictured, and Luke Parkin, left, consumed double the lethal limit after volunteering to take part in the test at Northumbria University which aimed to measure the effect of caffeine on exercise. After a calculation error, the second year students were given 100 times the correct dosage, causing violent side-effects and them being admitted to hospital with 'life- threatening reactions' in March 2015. Prosecutor Adam Farrer told Newcastle Crown Court they should have been given 0.3g of caffeine, but were in fact given 30g. He said there is 0.1g in the average cup of coffee.

British researchers have found people who are night owls are more intelligent than those who go to bed and wake up early. They are also likely to earn more money.

Researchers from Goldsmiths, University of London looked into the links between naturist activities and how satisfied the participants' felt with their bodies and their lives in general.

Baby whose feet were the size of a penny was SAVED

Victoria Bradley, 37, from Liverpool, was told that her daughter, Francesca Bradley-Curran (pictured together inset), would likely die after she weighed just 1lbs 6oz (main) when she was born in April. Nurses even provided keepsakes of her tiny footprints as they didn't expect her to survive following her delivery just two days after the 24 week cut-off. But nine months on, doctors say she is a 'miracle' after she battled meningitis, sepsis and two collapsed lungs while in hospital.

A new report published in the Journal of Parasitology warns a parasite commonly found in cat feces alters the chemistry of the human brain, making it fertile ground for the disease to take hold.

Bulimia symptoms were significantly reduced by transcranial direct current stimulation, which lowered the urge to binge-eat by 31 per cent, King's College, London researchers found.

Men are programmed to store fat in their stomach, according to Dr Zhaoping Li, from the University of California, Los Angeles. While estrogen causes women to store theirs in the hips and legs.

A survey of nearly 7,000 British women aged between 16 and 74 found that those in their 50s and 60s are most likely to have painful sex - known as dyspareunia.

Experts believe the 14 percent increase in pregnant teens smoking tobacco is because the new laws for e-cigarettes have been more strictly enforced than the age limit on tobacco products.

Kerry Washington's trainer Julie Turner on her workout

LA based Julie Turner has a wealth of expertise in Pilates, ballet, modern and social dance, and yoga.  Her movement inspires physical health with emotional wellbeing, to improve quality of life.  With busy schedules, celebrities are often trained by Julie on movie and television sets, such as Bellamy Young and Kerry Washington.

No scientific evidence even exists to consider organic tampons, such as those sold by The Honest Company, as a safer alternative, says a gynecologist from Northwestern University.

Clinical trial offers hope to boy with Batten disease

Ely Bowman, three, was diagnosed with Batten disease in 2015. Suffers are eventually robbed of their ability to walk, talk, and move, and usually die by age 12. His older brother Titus (pictured left, in chair) died of the same disorder last year at age 6. But a new clinical trial could save Ely from suffering the same fate.

Formation of food preferences start in the womb, and the first months of life are crucial in developing eating habits, says Sophia Komninou, a child nutrition expert at Swansea University.

A study from the European Bioinformatic Institute has found that there is a genetic basis for why your health and well-being is influenced by your partner or roommate.

Data from 85,000 healthcare providers has has confirmed what many suspected: the number of doctor's visits related to IUDs has indeed gone up - a staggering 19 percent in two months.

Stanford University researchers created an algorithm for diagnosing skin cancer based on nearly 130,000 images. It was found to match the opinions of 21 registered dermatologists.

Some experts say Hershey's and other manufacturers put milk through a process called controlled lipolysis, which produces an acid that gives vomits its smell and acid taste.

Plight of first siblings in US born with rare dwarfism 

Kruz, three, and Paizlee, one, Davenport, from Alabama, were diagnosed with a rare form of dwarfism - two of only five cases in the entire US. The condition will cause their kidneys to fail and likely kill them before they're 11 years old. Now their parents are working to fundraise for a cure before time runs out.

The new drug developed by Washington University School of Medicine targets the 'tangles' that destroy nerve cells in the brain - leading to the memory loss and confusion that blights sufferers and their families.

Scientists at University College London believe the horse tranquilliser could help alcoholics and are trialling it on people who drink at least 17 pints of beer a week.

Philippa Thomson, 59, from North Berwick, Scotland, suffered from superior canal dehiscence syndrome for more than 10 years. It was triggered by a hole in her head, doctors discovered.

The smart dress has been developed by London-based wearable tech company, Cute Circuit, who unveiled their creaton at an event at the Trafford Centre in Manchester.

Personal trainer eats seven meals and 4,500 calories a day

Jon Woollard, 30, from Buckinghamshire, was 16 stone at his heaviest (left, in 2012) and struggled through years of yo-yo dieting before overhauling his diet and becoming a personal trainer. On a daily basis Jon gets through a staggering seven meals, totting up an intake of around 4460kcal - but says he's never looked better. He added:  'People should try to think more about what they're eating and how often rather than how much. Try and treat your body like an engine; without the right fuel you won't perform at your best.'

Health blogger Helen Foster has come up with six simple office exercises which if you do them everyday for a week, can help you burn an extra 1,170 calories.

Omega 3 fatty acids are essential for keeping our hearts healthy, and the best source of them is oily fish. Many choose to take supplements instead, but experts now say that could be pointless.

A Nobel Prize-winning molecular biologist and a health psychologist who’ve devoted years to understanding how you can slow ageing discuss sleep, food, yoga and inheriting wrinkles.

Pairing the chemotherapy drugs gemcitabine and capecitabine dramatically increases the chances of people with pancreatic cancer living at least five years, trial results have shown.

Wigan man bled to death after waiting hours for treatment

Richard Hansbury (left), 65, from Wigan, died after it took North West Ambulance Service two hours and 42 minutes to take him to a hospital three-and-a-half miles away (right, a breakdown of the incident). By the time Mr Hansbury had reached the hospital, after suffering a serious gash to his head, his blood pressure had dropped to a dangerously low level due to severe blood loss. He suffered three heart attacks and died less than three hours later. According to a report, on the day of Mr Hansbury's death, the service was ‘extremely busy’ and as many as 15 ambulances were stuck in queues at hospitals across Greater Manchester.

Reddit users revealed their tips and tricks to losing weight and staying in shape. Many shared simple diet tips, but one said their workout motivation came from a scene in the Lion King.

Nutritionist Cassandra Barns reveals the foods we need to eat for good digestion, which include exotic miso soup and Korean kimchi, a type of fermented cabbage.

Women who never have children are at far greater risk of suffering an early menopause, a major study by University College London and the University of Queensland, Australia, has found.

Some British health trusts are refusing to pay for carers to visit patients at home if it works out significantly cheaper to place them in residential care.

Dangers of Sean Spicer chewing 2.5 packs of gum by noon

Sean Spicer (pictured) loves chewing gum. The new White House press secretary is so hooked on Orbit Cinnamint sticks that he tears through two-and-a-half packs by noon. He swallows each piece whole. This all emerged in a profile of the then-political strategist in the Washington Post last year. Now that he is in the spotlight, the account of Spicer's peculiar habit has resurfaced. And, perhaps unsurprisingly, doctors wouldn't recommend it. 

NHS watchdog Nice said young people away from home for the first time must be 'taught the importance of hand washing' to curb infections. The organisation suggested 'educational' posters.

Researchers at the University of Kansas have found that broader smiles in marketing pictures are perceived as warmer but less competent than those with slight smiles.

All the major chains, including McDonald's, KFC and Burger King, have been told by the Food Standards Agency of the dangers of acrylamide on their potato and bread products.

Conjoined twins who shared spine are separated in New York

Ballenie and Bellanie Camacho, 11-month-old conjoined twins, were born joined at the hip (pictured left) - an extremely rare form of attachment. The girls from the Dominican Republic were successfully separated (pictured right) after months of preparation, in a complex 22-hour procedure at Maria Fareri Children's Hospital in New York.

Swiss scientists say that women are able to multi-task more than men due to the effect of oestrogen on the brain, which enhances cognitive control and ‘inhibits inappropriate responses.’

The Georgetown University Medical Center researchers found anxiety disorder patients had reduced stress-hormone responses to a stressful situation after taking a mindfulness course.

The 38-year-old sports reporter says she was diagnosed with cervical cancer in September 2016, and underwent emergency surgery.

A new Malyasian study has found that mushrooms could protect you from age-related diseases such as Alzheimer's because it is a food that stimulates the production of nerve growth factor in the brain.

A Swedish study found 15 percent of kids' toys contain endocrine-disrupting chemicals that increase one's risk of cancer, heart disease and obesity. Just 2 percent of sex toys tested positive.

A new study from Spain claims that high energy light emitting from digital screens is damaging our retinas and could lead to central blindness. Experts say it is paramount to prevent further damage.

Marlene Dominguez-Hicks died 2 weeks before due date

Marlene Dominguez-Hicks, 33, a doctor from Houston, collapsed at her home at 38 weeks pregnant from an uncommon form of heart failure during the last month of pregnancy known as peripartum cardiomyopathy. There were no risk factors that she suffered from aside from multiple pregnancies.

After reanalyzing their own findings, University of Washington researchers found that there's no point trying to exercise your way out of the menopause - your sleep will still be affected.

The drop in death rates is largely down to by gains made in Colorado, where deaths dropped as low as 10 per 100,000 people in some counties. But some counties in Florida still see closer to 200 per 100,000.

Caused by an impairment in brain activity, nicotine helps to speed up neurons in sufferers of the mental health condition, scientists from the University of Colorado Boulder have found.

Pregnant women who were deficient in vitamin B12, which is only found in animal products, had a 21 per cent increased chance of giving birth prematurely, Norwegian researchers found.

3 week old Seattle baby boy with EB loses 60% of his skin

A newborn has been diagnosed with an incurable disease that means even a cuddle could cause his skin to fall off. When Kahleel Clark-Smith was born on December 28, he already had some small blisters on his arm. Now at just three weeks old the little boy from Seattle, Washington, has lost 60 percent of his skin.

Children prefer their pets to their siblings and having a dog, compared to other pets, causes the least amount of conflict in a family. according to the University of Cambridge (stock image).

Nicole Kivitz, who works for French lingerie brand Chantelle, has revealed the simple trick that will reveal whether you are wearing the right bra size.

The trendy gadgets are simply generating 'fear and self-doubt' among the parents of healthy babies, child heath experts at the University of Pennsylvania argue.

Over the last two years, conference calls have helped many hundreds of clients to lose weight, says Kimberley Hoskins, a therapist based in Lincoln - who uses it to help 100 women each week.

Boy, 17, has a MELON-sized tumour removed from his nose

The unnamed 17-year-old (left), from New Delhi, India, is believed to be only the sixth ever recorded case of a juvenile nasopharyngeal angiofibroma in his nasal septum (pictured in a CT scan inset) in the world. After it had impacted his ability to breathe, eat and speak, surgeons decided to remove it (right). It took doctors hours to remove the growth, which was made up of blood vessels, from his nasal cavity. They were forced to lower his blood pressure to prevent any life-threatening bleeding, as high pressure can cause vessels to rupture.

Adriano Guedes was admitted to the James Paget Hospital in Norfolk following a stroke in August 2014. But he was removed after the hospital obtained a court order on January 10 this year.

Alisha Naylor visited the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital on Friday after two-year-old Jack had a fall. But she claims staff couldn't cope with the influx and made a string of errors.

Evidence says showering too much can damage the microbes that live on us. A tribe of Yanomami people in South America were found to have a much more robust microbiome than westerners (stock image)

Dr. Francesca Fusco, dermatologist at Wexler Dermatology, believes that adding sugar to your shampoo could leave you with cleaner, healthier hair.

Mother has brain tumour the size of a TENNIS BALL

A first time mum is fighting for her life after postponing treatment on a tennis ball-sized brain tumour - because it grew back while she was six months pregnant. Stephanie Parr, 36, from Derby, had previously been diagnosed with a brain tumour in 2012 but had surgery to remove it. However last year, at six months pregnant (inset) she found out it was back. She and husband Neil (left) are now raising daughter Lily-Rose (right) but say they are living an 'emotional rollercoaster'

From the self checkout screen at the supermarket to the coffee pot handle in the kitchen at work, five of the most germ infested surfaces you touch every single day have been revealed.

According to the experts, there are some simple facial massages you can do in just a few minutes every morning to de-puff, remove wrinkles and look younger in an instant.

People who can taste bitter foods very strongly have a powerful immune response against sinusitis, says Dr Andy Turnbull, a clinical research fellow of bitter receptors at Imperial College London.

Stress can actually be good for you if you manage it well. By protecting telemores - found at the end of DNA - you can make yourself more youthful and it's never too late to start.

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