Health Update.

Warning to mums

PHARMACISTS are spearheading a campaign to warn pregnant women about toxoplasmosis.

Toxoplasmosis is caused by a tiny parasite and is caught by eating anything infected. This could be raw or undercooked meat, unwashed or uncooked vegetables and fruit, unpasteurised goats' milk, or come from cat faeces or soil contaminated with cat faece s.

It can result in miscarriage, stillbirth or damage to the baby's brain or other organs.

Skin cancer alert

MEN are still ignoring warnings about skin cancer.

Research shows more than a third of men (37 per cent) didn't use a sunscreen and more than a quarter (26 per cent) got sunburnt last year.

Skin cancer is the second most common cancer in the UK with 40,000 new cases each year.

Mothers' guide

MUMS have got together to launch the new UK mums Online internet service.

The website takes the form of a monthly magazine and aims to provide a friendly, frank and funny guide to parenthood.

The website address is: http://www.ukmums.co.uk

Suncream offer

SUPERDRUG has slashed the price of suncream.

The chain's Moving On Up campaign allows shoppers to exchange old bottles of sun lotion in return for pounds 3 off Superdrug's Solait Factor 15 or above.

Link discovered

PVC link to testicular cancer: Scientists in Sweden have found that men with testicular cancer are TEN TIMES more likely to have worn PVC than healthy men.

Researchers believe chemicals called phthalates, often used to soften PVC, could be responsible.

Venom may be heart disease antidote: Deadly snake venom could one day be used to treat heart disease, strokes and even cancer. Viper poison contains disintergrins - toxins which disintegrate blood clots and stop cancer cells spreading.

Male cancer test close: Prostate cancer screening may be possible, thanks to a discovery by scientists at Harvard Medical School in the US.

Blood tests carried out on 304 men between the ages of 40 and 82, half of whom had prostate cancer, found those with cancer were four times more likely to have high levels of natural growth protein, ig.

Article from the June edition on Men's Health.