Teenager whose right leg is TWICE the size of her left poses in a bikini to inspire body confidence in those with disabilities

Teenager Parkes Weber Syndrome sufferer poses in a bikini to inspire body confidence

Isa-Bella Leclair, 19, from Campbellton, New Brunswick, Canada, was born with Parkes Weber Syndrome, which causes an abnormally large number of blood vessels to form and limbs to swell (pictured left and centre). Her right leg grew to around 40lbs (18kg) - leaving her unable to play most sports or wear tight-fitting jeans. She is currently undergoing special massages and wears a compression bandage in order to reduce the swelling in her leg (she is pictured wearing a compression bandage, right). However, it has not stopped her from wearing her favourite clothes. Now, she has set Last month she won a title in a beauty pageant in her hometown of Campbellton, New Brunswick, Canada, which she hopes will raise further awareness about her condition. Isa-Bella said: 'My condition doesn't define me and there's no way I would let it stop me from wearing a cute swimsuit or a cute dress. For me confidence is the most important part because when people see someone confident in their body - even with a disability - they don't have pity but instead admiration.'

Here's how to make your fitness regime STICK: Forming a habit that's hard to break makes exercise automatic, experts say

To exercise more regularly, develop cues which trigger going to the gym automatically, and this will become a habit, researchers from Iowa State University found.

Eating too quickly, not enough sleep and counting calories: The ten hidden reasons your diet isn't working... and how to fix them

E5CM81 slimming woman body in panties with measure on white background

James Staring, personal trainer for Fit To Last, shares with FEMAIL the ten question we should be asking ourselves - and reveals his top tips for achieving the body we are striving for.

How smoking could raise the risk of psychosis: Nicotine may interfere with how brain responds to pleasure and reward, leading to serious mental conditions 

In a landmark study published today, British researchers from King's College, London, found nicotine in cigarettes interferes with the brain, which may trigger mental disorders.

Is the elixir of life as simple as two cups of tea? Daily cuppas 'can dramatically increase longevity in older women'

Women in their 70s and 80s lived longer if they had the equivalent of two cuppas a day, Australian researchers discovered. They were 40 per cent less likely to die during the five years studied than others.

Cancer rates in women increase THREE times faster than in men over the last 10 years

In women aged 15 to 49, breast, skin and cervical cancer were the most common, according to figures from the Office of National Statistics.

Diabetic? Blame your ANCESTORS: Poor diets generations ago can increase relatives' risk of obesity and type 2 diabetes today, study reveals

Scientists at the University of Sydney found people from developing countries who switch to a Western diet are at greater risk of obesity, and type 2 diabetes.

The woman who collapses when she LAUGHS: Funny films trigger rare condition leaving 44-year-old paralysed on the floor

Woman who collapses when she LAUGHS due to rare condition cataplexy

Tracy Herring, 44, of Sheffield suffers the rare condition cataplexy, which causes attacks of muscular weakness when she experiences heightened emotions, or finds something funny (she is pictured, left and right). If she laughs, she falls to the floor and the left hand side of her body becomes temporarily paralysed. It only lasts for a few seconds but is still frightening, she said. She was diagnosed in 2003, and has not seen a comedy film for fear of it causing her to collapse. 'I've missed out on lots of the big hits,' she admits. 'It's annoying when friends are saying,"Have you seen this film?" Of course I haven't.'

Antidepressants sweeping the nation: Three times as many British adults prescribed the drugs as those in troubled Greece, study finds 

Some nine per cent of adults in the UK have taken the pills in the last year, three times as many than the three per cent of adults who take antidepressants in troubled Greece.

Brave toddler survives major surgery to repair TWO holes in his heart... after they went undetected for the first year of his life

Leo Makin, 17 months, of Sunderland, had two holes in his heart that went undetected for the first year of his life. After undergoing major surgery he is doing 'absolutely fine' says mother Lauren Howat, 22.

Ambulance trusts warned to keep sat-navs up to date after delays in finding addresses led to TWO deaths 

Over the course of 18 months, 66 patient safety incident reports referred to sat-nav systems, with nine concerning new locations that had not yet been uploaded, according to NHS chiefs.

Watching your waistline? Fifteen easy-to-make summer cocktails that contain 150 calories or less revealed

Nothing beats a long, cool drink on a hot, sunny day, but your calorific drink could be wrecking your diet. FEMAIL reveals how to make 15 low-calorie cocktails.

Teenage mother spent birthday cash on private doctor to save unborn baby's life... after NHS told her to have an abortion because he had 'zero chance' of survival

Kayleigh Douglas, from Corby, Northamptonshire, was advised to terminate her pregnancy when she was 17. She refused and sought out a private consultant to help save son Bobby, now four.

Aspirin could do more harm than good for heart patients: Doctors told not to prescribe drug for life-threatening condition that causes heart to beat very fast

The National Institute for Health and Care Excellence has issued new guidance to GPs and hospital specialists telling them not to prescribe the drug for life-threatening condition atrial fibrillation.

Could the World Food diet help you beat disease? From Ethiopian wholegrains to heart-healthy Mediterranean feasts, experts reveals top tips from across the globe

Nutritionists reveal the World Food diet could help you beat disease

Red wine favoured by the French contains an ingredient which encourages the body to to make calorie-burning 'brown' fat. Chinese chopsticks stop a person eating too quickly, lowering their calorie intake. And Indian spices contain ingredients which aid digestion and soothe IBS. Here, nutritionists share other tips from foods around the globe...

How sunbathing is more dangerous than driving: Skin cancer kills thousands more people than car accidents each year, study finds

A new study has revealed skin cancer kills 25 per cent more people than car crashes in the UK, while in Australia that figure reaches 71 per cent, according to the latest figures available for 2012.

Desperate to banish your muffin top before hitting the beach? Chill out! Expert reveals top tips to banish stress AND that unsightly flab around the middle

EXCLUSIVE: Stress from late trains, missed appointments and infuriating colleagues, cause our body to release a hormone which triggers fat to gather around the stomach, says nutritionist Dr Marilyn Glenville.

Trip to dentist leaves man with a 90-MINUTE memory: Patient with bizarre form of amnesia is 'stuck in 2005' after a routine treatment

The details of the patient, known only as WO, have been released by clinical neuropsychologist Dr Gerald Burgess from the University of Leicester. Stock image is shown.

Deadly new virus that transfers to humans from SQUIRRELS kills three breeders scratched by the animals in Germany

A study found a previously unknown bornavirus was found in a squirrel and in brain samples from the three men, suggesting it had spread from the animal.

'Blonde or brunette, I love changing my wig to suit my mood,' says teenage alopecia sufferer, 18, who has embraced going bald

Alopecia sufferer embraces going bald after her hair fell out

Sian Pennant-Jones, 18, from Portishead, north Somerset, noticed bald patches appearing on her head during her exams, but put it down to stress. But huge clumps of hair began falling out (left) and within three weeks she was completely bald. She was devastated when doctors diagnosed her with alopecia totalis, and told she would need to wear a wig at 18-years-old. But she knew it would be difficult to perform her job as holiday club entertainer with a wig, as it might fall off during the show. Desperate not to give up her childhood dream of being on stage, her mother raised the £600 necessary to buy a brunette non-slip wig (inset). Miss Pennant-Jones said she now loves changing her hair colour according to her mood (pictured right in one of her blonde wigs). She said: 'I can just slip my wig on and go and now, as well as my expensive brown one for performing I've also got cheaper synthetic blonde ones which I can pick up for just £30. It means I can chop and change my colour as often as I like, depending on my mood. Losing my hair has brought a lot of advantages - I haven't looked back once!'

Cannabis breakthrough as scientists manage to SEPARATE the drug's medicinal benefits from its hallucinogenic effects

Scientists at the University of East Anglia and the University Pompeu Fabra hope the breakthrough will pave the way for safe cannabis-based therapies that have no mind-altering side-effects.

Miracle baby survives rare lung condition... thanks to Mr Tickle! Mother's voice 'soothes newborn following life-saving surgery helping settle her heart rate'

Ava Allen, from Sussex, wasn't expected to survive after doctors revealed she was suffering a rare lung condition. But after her mother read the Mr Men book she pulled through following a major operation.

Generation 'fat-blind': More than a third of obese teenagers think their weight is 'about right', study warns

Around 40 per cent of obese children incorrectly identified themselves as being the right weight, according to a study by Cancer Research UK.

The danger of online diagnosis: Millions of emergencies are MISSED through symptom checker websites, study warns

Scientists at Harvard Medical School in the US have warned one in eight emergencies are missed by the NHS Choices symptom checker website, casting doubt on the safety of the internet to spot illnesses.

Teenager's father saves her life after donating his kidney in pioneering transplant... despite the fact they AREN'T a match

Teenager's father saves her life after donating his kidney in pioneering transplant

Charlotte Archer-Gay, 15, from Romford, Essex, was forced to have her kidneys removed in 2013 after suffering renal failure. She needed dialysis 10 hours a day, which left her so tired she could only attend school part time and couldn't play her favourite sports. She was told she urgently needed a kidney transplant, but 21 family and friends were tested and nobody was suitable. As they began to fear the worst, a doctor said Charlotte could receive her father Richard Gay's kidney if her blood was cleaned of antibodies first (father and daughter are pictured, left). Four months after the transplant (she is pictured in hospital, right) and Charlotte says she has never felt better. Her father said: 'She's been through so much but she's absolutely thriving now. She can go out, see her friends and is free to live a normal teenage life.'

How skipping university is as deadly as SMOKING: School leavers aged 18 have 'same risk of early death as smokers'

An estimated 145,000 deaths could have been prevented adults who left school early had left at 18 - the same number of deaths that could have been averted if smokers quit, Colorado scientists said.

Could diabetes trigger DEMENTIA? People with type 2 suffer 'memory loss and declining decision-making skills'

Scientists at Havard believe people with type 2 diabetes lose brain power as their ability to regulate their blood sugar levels falls, resulting in memory loss and declining cognitive function.

Five children left 'screaming in agony' when they suffer severe burns from toxic hogweed plant found growing in park 

Annie Challinor, seven, was left with a permanent scar after her arm blistered when it touched a hogweed plant in Clifton Country Park, Salford. Four teenage boys were also burned.

Four out of four siblings develop same symptoms impairing their ability to walk and doctors have no idea what condition they're suffering from

Siblings have symptoms impairing their walking and doctors have no idea what's wrong

The four Herzfeld siblings, of Teaneck, New Jersey, have all inherited an unknown neurological disorder which has impeded their ability to walk easily. 18-year-old brother Tzvi has the worst symptoms, and now has to use a motor scooter to get around. The family has seen dozens of doctors, but after undergoing test after test, the family still doesn't know what the three sisters and their brother are suffering from.

Is your medication affecting your MORALS? Antidepressants make people behave selflessly, while Parkinson's drugs make you selfish, study claims

Researchers at University College London found that citalopram-takers were willing to pay almost twice as much to prevent harm to others than those given placebo drugs in an experiment.

'I wanted people to look at my body instead of my injury': Mother who had ear bitten off in violent attack reveals how disfigurement left her anorexic

Katie Price, 26, from Castleford, West Yorkshire, said she was so traumatised after the incident that she struggled to eat, shrinking from a size 16 to a size eight in three months.

Risk to baby from anti-depressants for mums-to-be: Prozac and rival Seroxat can increase change of some birth defects by up to three and a half times 

Researchers in Georgia found anti-depressants could cause problems for unborn babies including heart defects, brain problems and irregular skull shape - but experts stress the risk is still small.

Breast cancer breakthrough: Hormone in the Pill 'shrinks tumours in half of cases', say scientists

Half of breast cancer patients could benefit from having the widely available female hormone progesterone added to their treatment, scientists at the University of Cambridge said today.

'Snipers' bullets didn't scare me but cancer does': BBC star Sue Lloyd-Roberts, who has braved war zones, on her toughest fight yet

BBC's Sue Lloyd-Roberts who has braved war zones on her toughest fight yet

Intrepid BBC reporter Sue Lloyd-Roberts has faced war zones, bullets and even foreign prisons, but says her latest battle with an aggressive form of blood cancer is her most terrifying fight yet. Pictures: Left, Sue Lloyd-Roberts wearing her wig, after undergoing bouts of chemotherapy. Right: Sue wearing her turban, after losing her hair during cancer treatment.

Is your bag-for-life making you FAT? Shoppers using reusable bags 'feel virtuous, so treat themselves to junk food'

People who bring their own bags feel virtuous for being environmentally conscious and therefore treat themselves to fatty, salty or sugary foods, researchers from Harvard and Duke University found.

Childhood stress can make women FAT: Impact of divorce and deaths can fuel weight gain years later, claims study

Childhood may be a critical period for creating patterns that have a long-term impact on women's weight over time, according to a study by Michigan State University.

Can eating cherries banish your jelly belly? They can trim tummies, soothe exercise pain and even help you sleep

Burlat cherries.

At just less than 100 calories per serving, studies have revealed that cherries can trim our tummies, help to prevent heart disease, make exercise easier and even improve our sleep.

From eyelids glued shut to nasty infections... how eyelash extensions are a health hazard and could cause your natural lashes to fall out

With a huge trend for eyelash extensions, soaring numbers of people are visiting eye doctors with infections, Dr Robert Dorin, an expert based in New York, warns.

The life-saving little sister: Heroic four-year-old is set to save her big brother's life by donating her stem cells to help treat his rare blood disorder

Boy with Aplastic Anaemia will be saved by sister with donated stem cells

Scott Anderson, six, from Newcastle, was diagnosed with Aplastic Anaemia in May, after his parents noticed his body was covered in bruises. The condition means his bone marrow has stopped working and he is susceptible to catching infections that could kill him at any time. He is urgently in need of a stem cell transplant, and after his entire family underwent tests, Scott's four-year-old sister, Courtney, proved the perfect match (the pair are pictured, left and inset). In just a few weeks time, the siblings will go into the Great North Children's Hospital at the Royal Victoria Infirmary to undergo the transplant procedure that will change Scott's life. His mother, Sarah Anderson, 26, (pictured right with her children) said: 'Courtney knows she has to go into hospital to save her big brother's life. She would do anything for him.'

Have scientists found a cure for deafness? Gene therapy that restores hearing in mice could be used on humans in just five years

Scientists from the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology in Lausanne claim an injected virus could someday treat a hereditary form of human deafness.

The graphic that shows why BMI is useless: Scientists reveal how radically different body shapes can have the SAME readings

The graphic, by New York-based Body Labs, shows full-body scans of six people with the same BMI but different body shapes to highlight how BMI fails to take into account muscle and bone density.

Are fat people better at sniffing out food? Obese people 'imagine smells more vividly than their slimmer peers'

Scientists from Yale School of Medicine found differences in our ability to dream up odours - especially those that whet the appetite - may play a role in food cravings.

Baste blackheads in baking soda, munch marshmallows for a sore throat, and soak your feet in hot water to fight migraines: The top health hacks for everyday ailments

A number of health hacks can help with common health concerns. The gelatin in marshmallows coats sore throats, baking soda and toothpaste gets rid of blackheads and hot water helps with migraines

Made in Chelsea star reveals he's battling cancer: Moving blog reveals actor's gruelling leukaemia treatment... and his heartache at being left infertile at 28 

Made in Chelsea's Fabian Bolin reveals he's battling cancer in a moving blog

Fabian Bolin, 28, from Stockholm, who has starred in the TV show Made In Chelsea (pictured inset), was diagnosed with leukaemia on July 1. He is currently receiving chemotherapy treatment which doctors have said will wreck his immune system and leave him infertile (pictured left and right in hospital). He started a blog in which he writes frankly about how it felt to be diagnosed, and the gruelling nature of chemotherapy treatment. Since he launched his blog last weekend, it has gone viral and been shared thousands of times on social media sites. Writing in the blog, he said: 'I feel like it's unfair that I should have to go through this hell of a treatment, after fighting so hard to reach this stage in life and be on the cusp of fulfilling my acting dreams. But, I will not give up; I'm going to push myself through this in order to be able to continue to live the life that I love so much!'

Smoking, being overweight and failing to exercise 'cuts lifespan by 23 years'

The reduction in lifespan from a combination of diabetes, heart attack and a stroke is similar to that of people diagnosed with HIV, scientists from Cambridge University found.

Is stomach vacuuming the key to perfect abs? It's the fitness industry's best kept secret and now YOU can incorporate the breathing exercise into your workout 

Woman exercising on mat --- Image by © Tetra Images/Corbis

As Fitness Expert Rich Sturla explains, focussing on tightening the right stomach muscles with a simple breathing exercise will result in a smaller, flatter and more taut tum.

Can't resist a cigarette with your drink? Blame your mother! Gorging on junk food during pregnancy 'can shape child's taste for nicotine and alcohol', experts warn

Junk food appears to change an unborn child's brain, programming it to enjoy nicotine and alcohol together, researchers from Rockerfeller University found.

New virus 'causing alarming PARALYSIS in children across US is linked to polio', experts say

A newly-discovered virus called enterovirus C105 has been linked to paralysis in a six-year-old-girl, scientists at the University of Virginia School of Medicine discovered.

Couple with two sons spends $100,000 on SEVEN rounds of IVF to guarantee a baby girl - and even used contraception to ensure they didn't conceive another boy naturally 

Texas couple with 2 sons spends $100k on 7 rounds of IVF to get a baby girl

Rose Costa, 36, and Vincent Costa, 37, already have two teenage sons. But despite having no fertility issues, the Frisco, Texas residents used IVF to conceive a girl, using genetic testing to pick out female embryos. Now four months pregnant with a daughter that they have already named Olivia, Rose said that the six figures they splashed out on 'family balancing' was money well spent.

How junk food fools us into overeating: Scientists discover too much fatty food damages nerves in the stomach that tell us we're full

Researchers in Georgia, U.S., found an unhealthy diet can alter the balance of bacteria in the gut - encouraging those that thrive on fat to multiply and killing off others which prefer healthier food.

The rise of Viagra: Prescriptions for erectile dysfunction drugs soar by nearly 25% in 12 months

Prescriptions for antidepressants and diabetes drugs also rose this year compared to last, figures from the Health and Social Care Information Centre (HSCIC) show.

We're a nation of pill-poppers: Prescriptions up 50% in the past decade as one billion handed out a year and experts warn of harmful side-effects

Medical experts warn that the nation is becoming 'over-medicalised' as the increased demand for statins, painkillers, diabetes drugs and antidepressants, drives the rise.

'This is what a REAL post-baby body looks like!' Mother-of-three shows off her stretch marks and 'wobbly bits' to protest against images of famous beach-ready new parents

Sophia Cooper reveals what a post-baby body really looks like

Sophia Cooper, from Birmingham, posted a photograph of herself wearing a revealing crop top on Facebook. The 29-year-old post-natal fitness company owner admitted it was 'hard' to share the image.She wanted to reassure other mothers that it's okay not to have a six-pack.

Could a common heartburn drug cure TUBERCULOSIS? Prevacid offers 'excellent' hope of new treatment, say scientists

Swiss scientists screened a number of existing drugs to try and identify potential new treatments for TB, and discovered lansoprazole, marketed as Prevacid, could be an 'excellent' option.

Brain scans can reveal if teens are likely to develop drink problems and have risky sex

Researchers say the test could help predict how people will act in response to stress - and could even lead to new ways to detect depression, anxiety, and addiction.

I've done THREE MINUTES of exercise a week for two years and never been fitter! Vince initially scoffed at 'high-intensity' exercise. Now he says it's changed his life

'THREE MINUTES of exercise a week and never been fitter!' says Vince Graff

I first wrote about HIT in Good Health in February 2013. Back then, I embarked on an experiment. Overweight and unfit, I tried four weeks on a HIT regimen. Then I had six weeks off, doing no exercise at all (in order to bring my fitness level back towards where I'd started). Finally, I did a month of the Government's approved exercise schedule. The results of my experiments astonished me, writes VINCENT GRAFF.

NHS bullying is a threat to patients: Health ministers warning of 'toxic' culture after survey finds quarter of doctors, nurses and other staff have fallen victim

Lord Prior has told bosses they need to be 'pushing the panic button' and things have become so bad that they're being advised to be more like Asda, where people have pride in their work.

Malaria breakthrough: Targeting key protein 'kills the parasite and stops the disease', paving the way for new treatments

Scientists from the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine found by preventing the protein kinase from working, the malaria parasite was killed and the disease stopped in its tracks.

Teenagers who view US adverts for medical cannabis are TWICE as likely to try the drug, experts warn

Almost a quarter of teenagers in the study had seen at least one advertisement for medical marijuana, researchers from RAND, a nonprofit research organisation, found.

Inducing delivery of small babies before they reach full term 'could reduce the number of stillbirths' 

New evidence published by Cambridge University shows that the only way to reduce the risk of small babies being stillborn may be to induce the mother before the pregnancy has gone full term.

Cancer patient has his mouth and tongue rebuilt using tissue from his ARM... after a tumour the size of a plum is removed from his throat

NHS cancer patient has his mouth and tongue rebuilt using tissue from his ARM

David Barwell, of Nottingham, began feeling unwell in October, but doctors in Poland where he was living at the time, misdiagnosed his mouth cancer as an infection. In March he was finally diagnosed with T4 cancer - the most advanced stage of the disease, which means it has spread. He travelled back to the UK in a campervan to receive NHS treatment. Doctors at Nottingham University Hospitals removed a tumour the size of a plum from his throat and removed the bottom of his mouth and the lower part of his tongue (he is pictured, left, after the procedure). They then used tissue from his arm (pictured right) to rebuild his oral cavity and remodel his tongue. They hope the operation will allow him to eat, drink and speak again. In a note to surgeons at the hospital, Mr Barwell said: 'I am very grateful to Mr McVicar and his team for their help and support during this terrible illness. The treatment I have received has been first-class.'

Can YOU train your brain to lose weight? Play the online game that claims to help you shed 0.7kg in ONE WEEK

EXCLUSIVE: Exeter University and Cardiff University claim the game can help some people consume 220 fewer calories a day by helping them associate junk food with 'stopping'.

World Health Organisation is 'unfit to deal with global emergencies', says damning new report into its handling of the Ebola epidemic

An independent review has called for sweeping changes at the UN agency, warning 'the world simply cannot afford another period of inaction until the next health crisis'.

Could scientists REVERSE dementia? Blocking a protein that builds up in the blood 'helps combat memory loss'

Inhibiting a protein called B2M, which is involved in immunity, reversed the decline in thinking and memory associated with ageing, scientists from the University of California, San Francisco, found.

Simple heart scan 'can identify if patients are at risk of dying in the next 15 years', doctors say

Doctors from Emory University School of Medicine found a simple scan called a coronary artery calcification accurately predicted early death from all causes within 15 years.

Little girl, 3, saves the lives of two children by donating her organs after dying of an inoperable brain tumor 

Olivia Swedberg, 3, saves lives donating her organs after dying of brain tumor

Nebraska girl Olivia Swedberg was diagnosed with terminal brain cancer on May 7, and her parents decided that new life could come from their tragedy. As Olivia's condition started to deteriorate, they made the decision that her organs would be donated to two boys who would die without transplants. 'She is an amazing little girl and we will miss her so terrible, but I know that - I have renewed faith - I have seen God's hands work in this and how could I not move forward knowing what a miracle she was to these praying families,' Olivia's mother, Lauressa Swedberg, said.

How a juicy steak and an ice cream can stave off frailty in the elderly: Nutrient found in meat and dairy improves stamina

Carnitine helps muscles work more efficiently, increasing stamina. It could be given as supplements to the elderly to prevent them becoming tired, according to researchers from Duke University.

An apple a day keeps the FAT away: The 30 foods you should be eating if you want to lose weight

Experts say that foods such as almonds, peanut butter, red wine, and asparagus, all have properties which can eliminate hunger and speed up your body's fat burning power.

Doctors should refer patients to LAUGHTER classes, says mother who claims giggling has cured her asthma and depression

Asthma and depression can be cured by giggling claims Lynette Webbe

Lynette Webbe, 59, from Pill in Wales, suffered suffered asthma and chronic obstructive pulmonary disease for 6 years as she smoked since the age of 13. After losing her parents and sister as a teenager, she sunk into depression and drank to self-medicate. When searching for treatments for her depression, she came across laughter therapy classes. They involve giggling, storytelling, dancing and childsplay. She enjoyed them so much she trained to hold her own classes. And a year on, she says they have cured her respiratory problems as well as her depression (she is pictured, left and right). She said: 'I went for a check-up recently and was told that my health was much better and I believe laughter is the reason. It opens up the lungs, so I can breathe more easily, and gets endorphins pumping around the body. Physically I feel much better and leave my classes feeling amazing.'

Why women really ARE the stronger sex: Men have shorter lives because they are more prone to heart disease, claims study

A review of global data by the University of Southern California has found heart disease to be behind most of the excess deaths documented in adult men.

Toddlers cared for by their families have stronger language skills...but those left in crèches are better with their hands

Researchers at Maynooth University showed language skills are the only area in which children who are cared for by their own extended family outperformed others by the age of three.

McDonalds introduces new digital menu boards making it harder to judge how many calories are in meals

New digital menu boards rolled out in700 McDonald's restaurants around Australia could be in danger of breaching advertising standards for making the energy content of food harder to see.

One in three women admit to binge-drinking during pregnancy: Experts call for new guidelines advising no alcohol at all following findings

Cambridge University researchers found 33 per cent of British women admitted to drinking the equivalent of two-thirds of a bottle of wine in a single sitting - at least once during their pregnancy.

Incredible moment newborn who died for 10 minutes 'came back from the dead': Baby girl finally gasps for breath after her traumatic birth

Baby girl Lilia Fynn pronounced dead 'came back to life' after 10 MINUTES

Amy Fynn, 32, of Chesterfield, South Yorkshire, was devastated when her daughter was born lifeless. She was rushed to be resuscitated, and 'came back to life' after ten minutes, with doctors later telling Mrs Fynn and her husband Liam, 28, (pictured right), that she had been technically dead for nine and a half minutes. Lilia was put in an incubator to cool her body, in order to prevent brain damage, but her parents were warned a brain injury was likely. Lilia (pictured left with her mother) was later diagnosed with cerebral palsy, and physiotherapists say it is unlikely she will be able to learn to walk. But he parents say despite this, she 'loves to smile'. Mrs Fynn said: 'Through all of this, the one thing she does do is smile. She loves laughing and having fun, she just needs people to help her do so.'

Smoking not only causes wrinkles, it makes ACNE worse too, say scientists 

The researchers, from the Harrogate District Foundation Trust, said they hope the findings will provide an extra incentive for people prone to acne to quit smoking.

Why so many pills are TOO BIG to swallow: And why it's safe to crush or cut up some - but not others 

A stock photo of woman taking a spoonful of pills.

It is dangerous to assume you can break up big pills to make them easier to swallow - or more palatable mixed with food.

Could a nose ring help beat snoring? Matchbox-sized device pumps air into the nose continuously throughout the night

A stock photo of a frustrated woman covering ears with pillow while man snoring in bed

It has been designed to help sleep apnoea, where the tissues in the throat collapse repeatedly during the night, blocking airways for up to ten seconds at a time.

'People still call me names': Teenager left horribly burned by a house fire as a baby reveals pain of cruel bullies branding her 'Freddy Krueger' because of her scars

Chantelle Ryan, burned by house fire, branded 'Freddy Krueger' by cruel bullies

Chantelle Ryan (left), 19, from Burnley, Lancashire, is looking forward to starting a hair and beauty course and having her first child this autumn, after years of feeling ashamed of her appearance. The blaze, in August 1997, was sparked by an electrical fault and a burning ceiling tile fell into Chantelle's cot (pictured inset with her mother Roseann). During primary school (right), Chantelle had to endure cruel taunts and the nickname 'Freddy Krueger' for her burn scars.

Anxiety is HEREDITARY: Brain scans reveal anxious parents are more likely to have nervous and depressed children

The study from the University of Wisconsin-Madison reveals how a brain circuit linked with anxiety, involving three specific brain areas, is inherited by studying 600 young rhesus monkeys.

Low testosterone levels increases a man's risk of suffering depression, study finds

Men referred to a doctor because of low hormone levels had had much higher rates of the mental illness than the general population, researchers from George Washington University found.

Patient death rate 8% higher at weekends: Lower numbers of staff in hospitals on Saturday and Sunday reduce patients' likelihood of walking out alive

Patients admitted to hospital for emergency treatment at weekends are 8 per cent more likely to die than those who arrive on a weekday, research suggests.

Get active, stop smoking, stay slim and drink in moderation to HALF your risk of heart failure  

Scientists at Tufts University in Massachusetts said those volunteers who adopted four or more of the healthy behaviours they studied were half as likely to have heart failure as those living unhealthy lives.

After EIGHT agonising miscarriages in just 2 years, 27-year-old realises her dream of becoming a mother... THREE times over

Woman who suffered EIGHT miscarriages has three children naturally

Andrea Henry, 27, from Nottingham (pictured left), suffered eight miscarriages in the space of two years, leaving her physically and mentally broken. She was diagnosed with debilitating ovarian cysts, and urged by doctors to have her organs removed. Feeling so heartbroken by the failed pregnancies, she took their advice and booked herself in for the operation. But when it finally came to having the procedure, she ran away from hospital at the last moment, unable to give up hope of one day having a baby. Incredibly, eight years on, she has stunned medics after giving birth to three healthy children, Cayden-Lee, seven, Jessica, five, and Thomas, three (pictured top and bottom, right). She said: 'I am so glad I didn't go ahead with the sterilisation as planned. Now when I cuddle my three beautiful children, I'm reminded of what miracles they are.'

ME AND MY OPERATION: Op to ease creaky knee using a slice of someone else's hip!

FML - Peter Childs
Peter has had a new type of surgery to correct his arthritic knee. He had it last September. It is a bone wedge straightening his leg. It means he can go back to playing tennis and he plays at a pretty high level.
Photo credit : Chris Winter

Donor bone is now being used to treat knee arthritis. Peter Childs, 62, a company director, from Iver, Buckinghamshire, tells ADRIAN MONTI how the procedure has given him a new lease of life.

Experts say it's safe. So why is this incontinence op leaving many women in such agony? 

FML - Kath Sansom
Kath suffered stress incontinence after having a baby, she underwent an op she was told would be v low risk to fix it, by inserting a vaginal mesh into her. It went wrong, leaving her in terrible pain. She is leading a campaign against these ops.
Photo credit : Chris Winter

In March, Kath Sansom, 47, from Cambridgeshire, had an NHS operation that she was told would be quick and easy and would banish the stress incontinence she'd suffered since 2007.

More than 1,000 doctors convicted of sexual offences, drug dealing and fraud are still allowed to practise across the UK 

The new figures show that a total of 360 doctors currently on the General Medical Council register have been convicted of drink-driving. Others have been in court for fraud, assault and even sex offences.

Drunken stumble 'saved my life', says 25-year-old after doctors reveal her back pain was actually an aggressive bone cancer

Doctors reveal woman's back pain was actually an aggressive bone cancer

Claire Burgess, 25, from Accrington, Lancashire, fell over on a night out and was forced to go to the GP with back pain. After being referred to a physiotherapist, she was diagnosed with Ewing's Sarcoma, an aggressive form of bone cancer. She underwent chemotherapy immediately (pictured top and bottom right) but it didn't work. She had to take the agonising decision to take part in a stem cell drug trial, which left her infertile. But now, five years later, she is still cancer free (pictured left), and is planning her wedding to fiancé James, and the couple hope to adopt a child next year. Ms Burgess said: 'It was amazing when I met James, I told him about my diagnosis and he was so supportive. We are getting married next month and plan to adopt a child next year so we can complete our family.'

Daily glass of grapefruit juice 'protects against heart disease', study finds 

Scientists in France found half a pint of grapefruit juice a day, which is packed with health-boosting chemicals known as flavanones, was enough to help keep a person's heart healthy.

From oversized handbags to constricting corsets... the five fashion trends that are terrible for your HEALTH

Naomi Braithwaite, from Nottingham Trent University, reveals how corsets, favoured by Kim Kardashian, stilettos and oversized handbags, are among the fashion trends compromising our health.

The 52-year-old who really DOES look like she is in her twenties: Mother says sunscreen and coconut oil are secret to her very youthful look 

Leeds mother, 52, who looks like she's in her twenties on how she stays youthful

EXCLUSIVE: Pamela Jacobs, 52, from Leeds says the secrets of her enduringly youthful looks include healthy eating, regular exercise and using coconut oil for cooking and for moisturising her skin. Mrs Jacobs, who has a 21-year-old son named Marley, also exfoliates every other day, uses an overnight face mask once a week and enjoys a soak in a 'detoxing' bath full of Himalayan pink salt every seven days. She says there are no real downsides to looking youthful, apart from occasionally being mistaken for her son's girlfriend.

Do you have blue eyes? You're more likely to be an alcoholic: Those with light coloured irises are more partial to a drink

Parts of genes that determine eye colour line up along the same chromosome as the genes related to excessive alcohol use, University of Vermont.researchers discovered.

Fat doctors 'should be struck off for setting a bad example to their obese patients', weight-loss expert tells NHS chief

TV presenter Steve Miller told MailOnline he has written to the NHS chief executive Simon Stevens calling for him to get tough on obese GPs, in a bid to crackdown on the obesity epidemic.

How to treat your teeth like a DENTIST: Don't brush up and down, use strawberries to whiten, and NEVER chew gum for more than 10 minutes

Many of us are brushing our teeth all wrong - at the wrong time of day, going too quickly and using outdated tools, according to Dr Uchenna Okoye, a smile director for Oral B.

Want to lose weight? Go VEGAN! Cutting out all animal products is 'better than other weight-loss plans,' say scientists

Doctors in Taiwan reviewed 12 different diet trials and found those who eliminated all animal products lost on average 2.5kg - more than 5lbs - more than non-vegetarian dieters.

How a man's hand may reveal his dating personality: If his index finger is shorter than his ring finger he's more likely to pay for dinner, study finds

Men's dating personality can be revealed through his index finger and testosterone

Men exposed to more testosterone in the womb are more likely to carry out behaviours to impress their potential mates, researchers from the University of Montreal found. The research also revealed the finger ration means a man is also more likely to go to the gym, wear stylish clothes and wear aftershave. In addition he may tend to make more effort to go out to meet women, and his sex drive may be higher.

Hope for breast cancer patients: Eradicating a single protein in the blood could stop the disease in its tracks, scientists say

The discovery could help develop drugs to stop the growth of tumours and identify those patients most at risk of their disease spreading, researchers from the University of Leeds said.

Can autism be diagnosed by a child's sense of SMELL? Children with the disorder continue to sniff a bad odour for longer than those without

The test could help diagnose autism in children just a few months old, much earlier than children are currently diagnosed, researchers from the Weizmann Institute of Science, in Israel, said.

Could a new jab PREVENT HIV? Vaccine 'completely protects against the virus and could have an enormous impact,' say experts

Positive results of trials in monkeys triggered the pharmaceutical company to begin trials in humans, according to researchers at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center, Boston.

Want to stop jet lag ruining your holiday? Eat a salad, ditch the coffee, meditate and resist the temptation for an in-flight tipple, says expert

The term is synonymous with sleep deprivation, but it's negative impact has far-reaching health implications. Here sleep expert Dr Nerina Ramlakhan shares her top 10 tips to beat jet lag...

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