DESPITE the labour pains women endure, University of California researchers have shown mothers are more healthy in the long run than childless women.
The team found that childless women are 70% more likely to suffer from heart failure in old age compared to those with one child.
They postulated the effect is due to a spike in oestrogen levels during pregnancy which has a long term protective effect.
Carbonated soft drinks may be even worse for your health than first thought, with even the bubbles having a bad effect.
A university in the Palestinian West Bank studied 16 rats of the same weight, splitting them into four groups.
The first group were given just plain water, the second a sugary cordial with no gas; the third, a 'standard' carbonated soft drink containing sugar; and the fourth a 'diet' fizzy drink containing artificial sweetener.
Interestingly both groups of rats given fizzy drinks ate 20% more than those given flat beverages, apparently because the carbon dioxide boosted their appetites - contrary to the 'diet' image usually promoted for lo-cal sodas.
The British Soft Drinks Association downplayed the results, saying "we can't assume an outcome from a study on rats will be the same as with humans".
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