New test will diagnose diabetes 'years earlier' by examining compounds in the blood: Early warning could prevent complications including strokes 

The blood test being developed by scientists detects, the most common form of diabetes - type 2 -which accounts for 90 per cent of the more than three million Britons with diabetes. At the moment, the illness is diagnosed by testing for high sugar levels in the blood. But researchers from the University of Manchester and King’s College London say that by the time blood sugar is raised, some of the damage caused by the disease in its early stages has already been done.

Atkins or Weight Watchers? Doesn’t matter! It's sticking to the diet that counts, not the weight loss plan itself, study finds

Scientists at McMaster University in Ontario and the Hospital for Sick Children Research Institute in Toronto found little difference in weight loss between branded diets after 12 months.

Spinach helps you lose weight by curbing cravings for sweet treats and junk food

Researchers at Lund University in Sweden have found a spinach extract lowers food cravings by nearly 95 per cent and boosts weight loss by almost 43 per cent.

The woman with the 'biggest HANDS in the world': Three stone hands cause 59-year-old agonising pain - and doctors say the only cure is amputation

Duangjay Samaksamam, from Thailand, was born with a rare condition which causes vast amounts of fat deposits to be distributed across her arms and hands. Experts believe the 59-year-old is the only person in the world to suffer macrodystrophia lipomastosa from the shoulder to fingers in both arms. Moving can be very uncomfortable and even the simplest tasks, such as washing and combing her hair, are extremely difficult for Duangjay. For years she hid away, embarrassed about her condition but when she was 20 she was forced to come out of hiding to run the family shop. She has undergone a series of operations, but they have all failed. She said: 'Doctors said the only solution was to cut off my hands, if I wished to walk around freely. But I don't want to do that.'

Breakthrough hope for MS treatment as scientists discover how to 'switch off' autoimmune diseases 

Researchers at the University of Bristol have found a way of stopping cells from attacking healthy body tissue, and it is hoped the insight will pave the way for new treatments.

Man arrives at hospital for thumb surgery to be told he has CANCER

John Ward, 50, from Bispham, Lancashire was furious after being told that he had cancer during an appointment he thought was for minor surgery on his thumb.

Toddler who suffered SIX cardiac arrests before his first birthday is saved by a pioneering operation

Joshua Newman, one, of Chelmsford, Essex (pictured top right) is finally going home with his mother Suzy Newman (pictured top and bottom left) 22 weeks after he his ground-breaking operation. The toddler suffered six cardiac arrests before his first birthday, due to congenital heart disease. He had two holes in his heart and a narrowed aorta, meaning his heart was under too much pressure to pump blood around his body, leading to a potentially fatal cardiac arrest. He received had pioneering surgery at Royal Brompton hospital in London (pictured bottom right).

Do you need to cut your caffeine habit? Drinking more than three cups of coffee a day DOUBLES your diabetes risk

Italian researchers found those who regularly drink coffee increases the risk of prediabetes - early stage type two diabetes, in those adults who metabolise caffeine slowly and suffer hypertension.

Man confined to a wheelchair and told he'd never walk again after being diagnosed with a brain tumour defies the odds to become a personal trainer

Adam Low, 22, of Sunderland in Tyne and Wear, began suffering excruciating headaches as a child. After seeing a specialist he was rushed into surgery, which was successful in removing 90 per cent of the brain tumour. But the condition left him with double vision, no balance and unable to walk. Though doctors said he'd never walk again, his determination to play football with his friends meant he slowly taught himself to walk. Eventually he embarked on his dream career of being a personal trainer, and can now help others achieve their goals. He said: 'I’ve learnt to live with it and correct it and to just get on with it. Now the goal is inspire others to overcome their biggest challenges.’

Why you should take the stairs: Exercising for up to an hour a day 'halves the risk of heart failure'

Researchers from Uppsala University in Sweden found that the more active a person, the lower their risk of heart failure. NHS figures show heart failure affects around 750,000 people in the UK.

Boy, 10, who can barely walk due to condition which causes his vertebrae to dislocate is set to take part in 4k run

Dylan Marshall, 10, from Lynemouth in Northumberland (pictured left) was almost paralysed by rare spine condition. He says he hopes to win a medal in this weekend's 4km run even if he is last.

Young boy can literally be scared stiff by simple tasks including taking a bath after being diagnosed with extremely rare 'startle disease'

Jacob Madgin, 4, of Wallsend, North Tyneside (pictured left) stiffens up when he is shocked. Mother Lesley Madgin (pictured right) has to watch him constantly as he could stop breathing or choke. The family avoid anything that could trigger the condition, even splashing water on Jacob could make him seize up. Jacob also takes medication to relax his muscles. Children's charity Action for Medical Research are looking into the genes that cause the disease and said a genetic test to identify babies with the condition could be developed. His mother said: 'We just have to take it one day at a time, but Jacob has not got an awareness of danger and that makes it even worse.’

Obese man who dropped from 41 to 26st 'died after suffering brain damage during an operation to remove excess skin' 

Andrew Ross, 48, from Wythenshawe, suffered severe brain damage after he went into cardiac arrest as he was put to sleep before an operation to remove excess skin, an inquest has heard.

12,000 MORE patients are cut from GP lists in cost-saving drive by NHS managers - without family doctor being warned

GPs say distressed patients are turning up in waiting rooms demanding to know why they have been suddenly struck after failing to respond to a letter confirming their address.

The incredible moment a deaf 7-week-old baby hears for the FIRST TIME - and shares first ever smile with his emotional parents 

An Australian video has gone viral worldwide, capturing the special moment seven-week-old baby Lachlan hears for the first time and rewards his delighted parents with his very first smile.

The emotional moment an 87-year-old woman with Alzheimer's recognized her daughter - just for a few precious seconds

This is the tender moment when Kelly Gunderson's 87-year-old mother, from Georgia, United States realises that she is talking to her daughter despite suffering from Alzheimer's disease.

Student can frown, blink and cry again thanks to pioneering 'smile transplant' operation after her face was paralysed in car crash

Bethan Robertson-Smith, 29, who lives in St Andrews in Bristol received a complex 'smile transplant' in 2011 following a serious car crash which left her with a paralysed face (ileft). Although she was lucky to be alive, she said not being able to communicate using normal facial expressions was devastating. Her mother saw a surgeon explaining his first 'smile transplant' on TV, and so Ms Robertson-Smith opted to have the pioneering Labbe surgery to restore her grin (right) . She said: 'When I woke up I was like a small child. I had to learn to walk and talk and eat again. But my first words I spoke were "I can".'

Golf, gardening and holidays see skin cancer soar: Number of hospital admissions for disease up by 40% in four years 

Dr Chris Steele skin cancer story.
ITV's This Morning's show Dr Chris Steele reveals on air he has skin cancer, pictured at his home in Didsbury, Manchester.
Early stage skin cancer on Dr.Steele's leg.

Experts are particularly concerned about the high number of older men diagnosed too late with malignant melanoma, the deadliest form of the disease.

You CAN train your brain to like healthy foods: Researchers reveal diet that can kick junk food addiction

A stock photo of legs of overweight woman checking her weight on bathroom scales.

Tufts University researchers say it is possible to reverse the addictive power of unhealthy food while also increasing preference for healthy foods.

Super-fit McBusted star Harry Judd speaks out about the importance of heart health after being diagnosed with an irregular beat during marathon training

Harry Judd

McBusted drummer Harry Judd, was diagnosed with an ectopic heart condition last April, two weeks before he was due to run the Virgin London Marathon. Today the Strictly Come Dancing 2011 champion urged people to be more aware of their heart health, telling MailOnline: 'Staying fit and healthy is not just about exercise, it's a lifestyle thing.' He is backing a new heart rate monitor launched by Epson, which can be worn like a watch 24 hours a day. He added: 'While it was a scary diagnosis I was reassured, and the doctor told me I was ok to run the marathon.' He completed the 26.2 mile route in three-and-a-half hours raising more than £50,000 for the Teenage Cancer Trust and the Brain Injury Rehabilitation Trust.

When a tiny patch of scaly skin is the first sign of arthritis and heart problems

her doctor suggested it might be linked to the small patch of scaly red skin on her elbow

Standing at her shop counter, pharmacist Rosie Beaton, 35, who lives in Glasgow, was overwhelmed by a throbbing pain in one of her toes.

Secrets of an A-list body: Goldie Hawn's toned legs

Secrets of an A-list body: Goldie Hawn's legs

We reveal how to get the enviable physiques of the stars. This week: Goldie Hawn's legs.

Conjoined twin boys who share three legs, intestines, a bladder and genitals set to be separated during complex operation

Artur and Heitor Rocha, left and top right) from Bahia in Brazil were born joined at the pelvis and share three legs between them, intestines, a bladder, a liver and genitals. The five-year-olds will be separated at the hips, leaving both boys with just one leg each. Their third leg will be used for vital skin grafts. Artur will have two kidneys after the separation, while his brother will have just one. Doctors have warned the boys' parents Eliane, pictured left with her sons, and Rocha that only one of the boys will have genitals, meaning further reconstructive surgery will be needed. The boys have already undergone a procedure to start stretching their skin in preparation for their operations in the coming months, bottom right. Their mother, Eliane, said: 'I want their lives to be better, and I believe that day is coming.'

Does a man's right hand reveal his FERTILITY? Men with a long ring finger have bigger testicles, study claims

Researchers in South Korea say finger ratios on the right hand of males (shown) is an indicator of the size of their testicles. Men with larger testes were found to have longer ring than index fingers.

The horror of hospital food: After the Mail printed shocking images of hospital dinners, Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt vowed to act. But the crisis is bigger than he thinks

food served in hospitals

Michael Seres is a veteran of hospital wards. The businessman, 45, has suffered from Crohn's disease - inflammation of the gut - since the age of 12, and has been in and out of hospital ever since. 'I've had 25 operations, intestinal failure and, in 2011, I had a bowel transplant,' he says. Michael has learned the hard way that, if he doesn't take food, he may not eat. For Michael, diet is especially vital, as his condition means he does not absorb as many nutrients as he should. 'The quality of the food is shocking,' says Michael, from Radlett, Hertfordshire.

Forget the Mediterranean diet... go Nordic! Volunteers who followed Danish plan including high levels of fish lost three times as much weight as others 

BWPMRM Bacon rashers.

The key to the diet is only eating foods when they are in season and those who followed that diet lost three times as much weight as those eating typical fare such as meat balls, pizza and spaghetti.

Bone cancer victim, 21, opts for leg amputation after doctors warn it's her only hope of survival after disease spreads to her lungs

Sophie Walton, from Upminster, ( centre and right before she fell ill) was diagnosed with bone cancer in 2011 after spotting a lump on her foot (inset) months after breaking her leg. By the time the disease was detected it had already spread to her lungs, prompting doctors to warn the now 21-year-old her only chance of survival was to amputate her right leg below the knee (left). Without hesitation, Miss Walton agreed, saying: 'I had to give myself the best chance of survival.' In February this year, after the operation and subsequent drugs trial Miss Walton was given the all-clear.

The radical new way to treat asthma - have your tonsils out

Whenever Maximus Rashdi went to see his grandparents, he had to carry his inhaler with him

As a young child, whenever Maximus Rashdi, from St Albans, Hertfordshire, went to see his grandparents, he had to carry his inhaler with him.

ASK THE DOCTOR: Will my hernia kill me if it's not repaired?

A triple bypass five years ago means doctors are wary of putting William under anaesthetic

Dr Martin Scurr consults a patient who has been told they have a double hernia. But their surgeon says she is reluctant to operate on it.

Proof that the proton cancer cure Ashya's parents were fighting for CAN save lives

Eight year old Lucy Thomas at the age of six having proton beam therapy at Oklahoma Children's Hospital

Lucy Thomas, eight, from Ramsbottom, Greater Manchester, flew to the U.S. for the treatment while battling a rare type of head and neck cancer two years ago

Bubbles loaded with curcumin that could help to beat bowel cancer

While curcumin is not easily absorbed by cells in the colon, the bubbles are

Tiny fat bubbles loaded with popular curry ingredient curcumin may help fight colon cancer.

Cheerleading saved my life: Anorexic teenager whose weight plummeted to 5st makes remarkable recovery 

Lynne Lang, now 21, from Glasgow was diagnosed with the eating disorder in 2011. Within 18 months her extreme weight loss spiralled out of control and her weight fell to just five stone. In 2012 she was rushed to hospital because her low weight had put her body under such pressure that her heart almost stopped. She was banned from any physical activity- despite having been a keen cheerleader ever since she was young.

Sugar substance 'kills' good cholesterol raising the risk of heart disease 

Scientists at the University of Warwick have discovered that 'good' cholesterol is turned 'bad' by a sugar-derived substance, known as MG.

'Lucas is our gift from Oscar': Family's joy after baby boy is born four months after his big brother died 

Lucas Tasker was born two weeks ago, four months after his 14-month-old brother Oscar, from Coventry, died after he was born with the main arteries to his heart wired the wrong way around.

People always say to me, 'You're lucky you're skinny': Katie Hopkins piles on almost four stone to show overweight people their fat is their own fault

Outspoken Katie ballooned to 12 stone (right) after consuming more than 6,500 calories a day for three months. Her diet was the equivalent of 13 ready meals every 24 hours.

Pensioner bled to death in hospital after doctors FAILED to give her life-saving treatment

Shelia Barker, 70, (top right and bottom right) died after suffering a gastrointestinal bleed at The University of North Staffordshire. Hospital bosses have since admitted liability for her death. The great-grandmother was diagnosed with colitis - inflammation of the bowel - and prescribed a combination of drugs to treat the illness. But the hospital has since admitted doctors failed to give Mrs Baker a proton pump inhibitor tablet, which would have protected her stomach lining from being attacked by the cocktail of drugs. She died in her hospital bed after suffering the bleed. Her daughter Barbara Humphreys (left)has received a five-figure pay-out from the hospital. Chief executive Mark Hacket apologised to the family, adding: 'I wish to offer my profound apologies for the care Mrs Baker received.'

An apple and a half a day could reduce your chance of suffering a heart attack by 40% 

Researchers at Oxford University found eating a couple of pieces of fruit every day can help cut a person's risk of heart disease and stroke.

Electronic nose can 'sniff out' superbugs in patients' faeces 

Researchers from the University of Leicester have said the electronic nose could be attached to bedpan washers and could screen patients for C Diff by sniffing their faeces.

E-cigarettes 'contain higher levels of certain toxins than regular cigarettes' 

Researchers from the University of South Carolina said elevated levels of toxic metals found in e-cigarettes raise concerns, although overall they are still less harmful than normal cigarettes.

Just HALF of women can locate the vagina on a diagram of the female reproductive system

Women's cancer charity The Eve Appeal is promoting 'straight talking' about gynaecological health, after survey found a third of young women avoid going to their GP due to embarrassment.

Bullied teenager 'nearly died after steel bar inserted to disguise his sunken chest came within 1cm of his heart' 

Euan Russell, 18, from Northumberland, (inset) was rushed to the operating theatre (right) after doctors discovered his heart had started growing around a metal bar inserted to cover a dip in his chest (left). Euan was born with pectus excavatum - an abnormal development of the rib cage where the breastbone caves in. After being bullied at school, he opted to have a cosmetic procedure to correct the abnormality. But months later he was diagnosed with inflammation of the heart sac. A year after his operation Euan noticed his heart was making a strange noise, and he said doctors told him the metal bar had 'flipped' and his heart was growing around it. He said: 'My heart was growing around the bar and if it moved a centimetre to the right or to the left, I could have died.' He has since had the bar removed and has fully recovered. He added: 'I still have a dint in my chest but I cannot care less what it looks like now as I am lucky to be alive.'

Child cancer deaths are down by a fifth in the past decade thanks to better treatment 

A58WM5 sick child in bed feeling feverish

The steepest decline was in leukaemia, the most commonly diagnosed children’s cancer, where death rates have almost halved, dropping from around 100 deaths each year to around 55.

Woman died of brain haemorrhage after waiting SIX HOURS in A&E; for a scan that should have been done within an hour

Linda Lloyd died from a brain haemorrhage after a six hour wait in A&E

Linda Lloyd, 63, died of a significant brain haemorrhage after she waited more than six hours to receive a vital scan at Blackpool Victoria Hospital.

Drinking tea 'cuts risk of dying early by a quarter': Antioxidant ingredients in the drink are good for the heart 

A study of 131,401 people aged 18 to 95 attending the Paris IPC Preventive Medicine Centre found that drinking tea reduces the risk of dying from causes unrelated to the heart by a quarter.

'My hayfever turned out to be a brain tumour': Musician's headaches and droopy eye diagnosed as inoperable growth leaving her unable to walk

Beth Frazer, 20, from Valley on Anglesey (inset), blamed hayfever for her headaches and a droopy left eye (right), and was given remedies during three visits to her GP. But after her symptoms worsened, the musician endured rounds of tests. A brain scan revealed a growth in her brain, leading doctors to diagnose a pineal cyst tumour. Miss Frazer, a student at the University of South Wales, now requires round-the-clock care, the brain tumour having left her wheelchair bound and unable to walk (left). She said: 'I feel like a 90-year-old trapped in a 20 year-old's body. I feel like an old lady suffering with arthritis because sometimes my body is just so sore. My life is nothing like it used to be I was so independent before my diagnosis and now I have to rely on other people every day.'

'Remarkable' new heart drug will cut deaths by a fifth - and could be available as early as next year 

Research carried out on 8,442 patients with heart failure has achieved 'remarkable' results - proving that the drug not only helps people live longer, but keeps them out of hospital.

Skin cancer rates rising fastest in older men: Cases of melanoma have risen 12% each year in males over 60 

DCA52 - 20000913 - WASHINGTON, DC, UNITED STATES : Traces of recent skin cancer surgery remains on the face of US Senator John McCain (R-AZ) 13 September, 2000.  McCain returned to work as chairman of the US Senate Committee on Commerce, Science, and Transportation, hearing the marketing violence to children 13 September at the Capitol.   (ELECTRONIC IMAGE) EPA PHOTO AFP/PAUL J. RICHARDS/pjr/mc...POL...GOVERNMENT

Cancer awareness campaigns have focused too much on the young it would seem as older men and older women have the highest rates of the disease.

I survived brain op... but surgery may have left me with CJD: Mother of three told by hospital that she may have been infected by contaminated blood

Lorraine Walsh collapsed in 2008 at her west London home and underwent an operation for a brain aneurysm. She is one of 34 patients who had been operated on with possibly infected tools.

Labour pains: Ten of the funniest things ever said while a woman was giving birth

pregnancy

It's not a secret that labour can turn a woman into someone they never even knew existed...Whether you're cursing at your husband, your doctors or just to yourself, the experiencing of giving birth is something every mother can relate to.

Joan Rivers’ family consider lawsuit over botched procedure as doctors fear stroke could leave star ‘either a vegetable or in a wheelchair’

xx

The family of Joan Rivers are said to be considering legal action as doctors begin to bring the comedian out of a medically-induced coma but fear she could be left as a 'vegetable' or 'needing a wheelchair'.

Dozens of doctors accused of serious malpractice 'retire early to avoid disciplinary hearings' 

Conservative MP Stephen Barclay, pictured, has said he has obtained figures showing 39 doctors have removed themselves from the GMC register rather than face a disciplinary hearing.

Care home fined £85,000 after dementia sufferer was crushed to death by wardrobe

Claire Hughes, 64, who was 'obsessed' with dressing up in her old clothes, was found dead in her room at Chase Care Centre in Watford, Hertfordshire, after trying to gain access to them.

How to eat exhaustion away: In part two of our unmissable series on beating tiredness, a top GP reveals the three week diet plan that'll have you bouncing out of bed again 

Why is everyone so tired all the time? One of the country’s leading holistic doctors shows you how to conquer exhaustion by making small adjustments to your lifestyle. The trouble with takeaways, chocolate and a good night out is that they contribute not only to weight gain, but also to our collective exhaustion.

Boob it like Beckham: Pick your new designer breasts from 600 styles

Posh boobs: Victoria Beckham, pictured at Wimbledon with husband David, has reduced her surgically enhanced chest twice since first getting 34DD implants, and is now a natural looking 34A

The new range of implants capitalises on the desire for the ‘has-she-or-hasn’t-she’ looks of Victoria Beckham and Catherine Zeta-Jones.

I have been clinically depressed since I was 11...but I've never told Dad: Fifi Geldof reveals the trauma of her mental illness, her parents' divorce and death of sister Peaches

She is the daughter of one of the most famous men in the world, yet hates publicity. In her first ever interview Fifi Trixibelle Geldof (centre) reveals her lifelong struggle with clinical depression and how Robin Williams' suicide last month persuaded her to go public. The 31-year-old lost her mother Paula Yates (pictured together bottom left) as a teenager to a heroin overdose and her sister Peaches only five months ago to the same fate. She says she has battled alcohol and drug addictions in the past - yet she remains composed and is newly engaged with a steady job in PR. Despite her famous father Bob Geldof (pictured together in 1985 top left) she has managed to deliberately avoid the spotlight all of her life and refers to herself as the 'unknown Geldof'. When her mother died in September 2000 she drank to excess and dabbled in drugs before comfort eating propelled her to a dress size 20 - but today she is a measure of happiness. now she is determined to help others who feel the same way to speak out, rather than feel pressured into suffering alone. She is pictured right with her other sisters - Pixie and Tiger Lily.

'Viagra' on the NHS is rationed to one a week: Health managers in cost-cutting drive despite price of tablets falling 93% in a year 

NHS bosses have been accused of ‘rationing’ the amount of sex men with impotence problems can have. They have told doctors to prescribe no more than one pill of ‘generic’ Viagra a week.

'Seeing my own arm cut open? It was murder!': His novels are full of gory killings... but when Peter James had carpal tunnel surgery he just couldn't watch

Hand horror: Peter James couldn't bear to watch his carpal tunnel operation - but is typing at full speed again

Peter James, 65, from Sussex, creator of the Roy Grace Detective Superintendent series says his own operation for carpal tunnel syndrome was ‘stomach-churning’.

Lifesaving heart tests could be done from home - with a webcam that scans your face for tiny changes in skin colour 

A new procedure, which includes a 15-second face scan, is being developed at the University of Rochester in the U.S. which is capable of detecting tiny changes in skin colour.

Mother dismissed by GP as 'anxious first-time parent' discovers her son has a milk allergy when he starts CHOKING

Hayley Edwards, 31, from Wakefield, West Yorkshire, right, wants GPs better trained to spot milk allergies in babies after her son Nathan, left, developed one at just three week's old.

Our poor boy had scratched himself raw. It was like a scene form a horror movie: ITV weather girl Becky Mantin waged all-out war on her baby's severe eczema... and here is her five-point plan that can do the same for YOUR child

beck

The first inkling of a problem came when Rory, now almost four, was about eight months old: Little patches of dry, itchy, scaly skin appeared on the front of his feet, writes BECKY MANTIN. Months later, I found that he had scratched himself raw – blood on the toys, the cot, the walls. We bandaged his hands and he was prescribed stronger and stronger steroid creams, until he was put on steroid prednisolone.

Walking a mile each day 'cuts cancer death risk by half': Physical activity described as 'wonder drug' for breast and prostate patients 

A study by Walking for Health revealed physical activity as a ‘wonder drug’, with those diagnosed with breast and prostate cancers able to cut their risk of death by up to 40 per cent.

'Eczema was ruining our lives - we never slept': Mother at her wit's end with son's skin condition discovers cure that worked in just DAYS

ECZEMA BOY

EXCLUSIVE: Kimberley Wallwork, from Lancashire, would watch in despair every night as her son Oliver scratched his skin until it bled and then cried in pain. 'He would scratch his skin red raw (top right, inset) and wake up screaming every night - he was understandably incredibly grumpy,' says Kimberly, 26. 'This had been happening for two years and as a family, we were at our wit's end. As a mother, I felt helpless, exhausted and despairing. 'It felt like we'd tried everything.' It was only through sheer chance that she stumbled across a skincare range online which, to her relief, has cleared up her son's skin almost completely (bottom right). For the first time ever, four-year-old Oliver can now swim, sleep through the night - and his parents' life has improved too. It comes as a new poll revealed that 72 per cent of parents said their children with eczema have troubled sleep and 35 per cent said this then affected their behaviour at school.

Cat scratch leaves mother fighting for her life with a blood infection that caused her arm to balloon to twice its normal size

Lesley Pleasant, 57, from Shepton Mallet in Somerset was almost stuck in hospital for her daughter's wedding. Doctors advise paying attention to scratches, no matter how small.

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