The AnswerBank Articles

I recently gave up smoking and have found (not through overeating) that I have put on more than half a stone. Can anyone tell me why and how do I lose it

asks Stephanie: A. There are a few reasons why you can put weight on after you stop smoking. For a start, nicotine has the ability to take the edge off your appetite - smokers tend to have a cigarette01:00 Mon 22nd Oct 2001

Does Jennifer Aniston's 'high protein, low carb' diet really work

asks sportyA. You're talking about Dr Atkins New Diet Revolution, which has also been used by Geri Halliwell, Renee Zellweger and Minnie Driver. It's claimed that you can lose weight if you eat a very01:00 Mon 15th Oct 2001

I get a lot of headaches and use paracetamol - can I overdose by taking it a lot

asks sporty:A. If taken properly, paracetamol is not toxic and side effects are extremely rare. There is no evidence to show that taking paracetamol for long periods causes any liver damage, and you01:00 Mon 15th Oct 2001

Some quick questions

How many did you get right Q. True or False: there are over 200 bones in the human body A. It is true. Q. How many different tastes can your tongue distinguish A. Five: sweet, salt, sour,01:00 Wed 10th Oct 2001

Do identical twins have identical fingerprints

asks ChopperA. No, they don't. Fingerprints are unique to every person - no two individuals have the same fingerprints, palm prints or footprints. These areas of the body are covered in tiny ridges01:00 Mon 15th Oct 2001

Who is entitled to a flu jab

asks Modge: A. This winter, it's predicted that a particularly virulent strain of flu will hit the UK. It's similar to the 'Sydney' strain which hit two years ago and killed more than 20,000 people01:00 Mon 08th Oct 2001

What exactly is t'ai chi

asks pathfinderA. T'ai chi (or t'ai chi ch'uan) is a type of martial art which uses breathing techniques and a slow-moving, graceful sequence of dance-like movements and postures (called the form).01:00 Mon 08th Oct 2001

Is there such a thing as the male menopause

asks johnjo: A. The jury's still out on that one. Why Do you think you may be going through one Well, you know... A touch of the old mid-life crisis... That's what they used to call the assortment01:00 Mon 08th Oct 2001

Could I get rid of my wrinkles with Botox injections

A. Well, they're used by 4,000 British women each month - including Patsy Kensit and Bonnie Tyler - so presumably there's something in it. Q. How does it work A. Botox is a purified protein toxin,01:00 Mon 01st Oct 2001

What is the supplement Garum Armoricum and where can I get it

asks Pathfinder: A. As its name suggests, this supplement is an elixir used in Roman times. However, it originated with the druids in Armorica (ancient Brittany). Q. What is it made of A. The guts01:00 Mon 01st Oct 2001

Would inhaling pure oxygen from a canister help me study for exams

asks Adryley:A. In the heavy pollution of Los Angeles and cities of the Far East, oxygen bars are popular. They're harder to find in the UK, but you can buy pure oxygen in canisters - you get about01:00 Mon 01st Oct 2001

I think I might be suffering from seasonal affective disorder - is there anything I can do

asks admason:A. Seasonal affective disorder - or SAD - affects around one person in five in the UK as the evenings grow shorter. It can range from a mild 'winter blues' to a seriously disabling01:00 Mon 24th Sep 2001

How can you tell if you've got chlamydia

asks Sander A. Chlamydia (Chlamydia trachomatis) is a sexually transmitted infection that can damage fertility in men and women. Recent estimates show that nearly one in ten sexually active young01:00 Mon 24th Sep 2001

If adults are constantly stressed out by today's pressures, how are they affecting children

asks PDTVA. The charity Work-Life Balance says that one on five British children has a stress-related illness. Q. What form does their stress take A. In the more extreme cases it takes the form of01:00 Mon 24th Sep 2001

Does where you live influence your levels of happiness

asks Jarnorld:A. Yes it does. Ed Diener, a psychologist with a special interest in 'subjective well-being' (happiness to you and me) at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, discovered that01:00 Mon 17th Sep 2001

I keep reading that some fats are good for you - which are they

asks mayastar:A. When you're constantly warned about the dangers of eating too much fat, you'd be inclined to think that all fats are bad - they aren't. In fact, you need to have fat in your diet. 01:00 Mon 17th Sep 2001

What causes high blood pressure and what does it do to the body

asks Ksail: A. Your blood pressure depends on how vigorously your heart is pumping blood around your body, and how narrow or relaxed your blood vessels are. High blood pressure - or hypertension -01:00 Mon 17th Sep 2001

Now that more and more women are going to work, are men doing more of the housework

asks Modge:A. Erm, no. The biggest-ever study of male behaviour (carried out by the Office of National Statistics recently) shows that your average male does about as much housework as he did 30 years01:00 Mon 10th Sep 2001

Which is cheaper/more ecologically sound - disposable or washable nappies

asks tonyb:A. Disposable nappies are convenient, quick and easy to use, and they are used by most mothers now. However, updated versions of the old Terry nappies are becoming more and more popular01:00 Mon 10th Sep 2001

What's the problem with having the vaccinations for measles, mumps and rubella separately

asks admason:A. A survey for the Today programme on Radio 4 recently demonstrated that there is still widespread alarm about the triple (MMR) vaccine against measles, mumps and rubella. Two-thirds of01:00 Mon 10th Sep 2001