A new technique has been developed at Singapore's National University Hospital to detect cancer in its early stages, researchers said on Saturday.

The hospital is conducting a trial involving 58 patients, 12 of whom are receiving treatment after the "optical biopsy" diagnosed them with early-stage cervical cancer.

The technique detects pre-cancers or collections of a few hundred malignant cells among millions of healthy cells.

Apples – The old saying really is true. An apple a day keeps the doctor away, and maybe even some damaging diseases. Apples are beneficial on so many different levels. They pack more Vitamin C than an orange and they are full of antioxidants that will help your body stay healthy. With so many different varieties, it’s easy to pick and choose the flavor that’s perfect for you. Try eating a few slices of apple as an after-dinner snack, or add it to your salad for a bright kick.

Flaxseed – This ancient grain is extremely beneficial, particularly to women who suffer hormone imbalances. As little as two tablespoons a day can help maintain bone health and cut your risk of breast cancer. Make sure you grind it properly before eating, so that you can properly digest it. Flaxseed is great on salads, or even sprinkled into a healthy shake. Some people even find that it adds a delightfully nutty flavor to their morning coffee.

About 30,000 children in India are born with cleft lip every year in India and only less than 50 per cent of them reach for treatment, eminent plastic surgeon and director cleft and craniofacial centre Sri Ramachandra Medical College and Research Institute, Jyotsna Murthy said.

Smokers eager to cut the risk of dying early from tobacco-related illnesses must quit completely, researchers said on Tuesday, because cutting down -- even by half -- is not enough.

"Smokers should quit -- you can't give your health a better present than to quit smoking," said Dr Kjell Bjartveit, former director of the National Health Screening Service, in Oslo.

So, you think you lead a healthy lifestyle, eat the right stuff, exercise adequately and look after your skin. Stop and take a closer look. Are you doing things that could inadvertently damage your skin? These silent killers may be the reason your appearance is lacklustre despite your best efforts.

1. Not drinking enough water

This is perhaps the most repeated advice and the least followed. Your body needs at least two litres a day to remove toxins from your system, partly through your kidneys and partly through your skin. Lacking this, toxin build-up will affect your skin as well as your general health, making you tired and dull. Keep that bottle on your desk, and drink!

People who have more children may have a shorter life span than those with few kids and the risks are particularly high for mothers, says a new study.

Researchers led by Dustin Penn and Ken Smith of University of Utah looked at case studies of 21,000 couples living in Utah between 1860 and 1985, who bore a total of 174,000 children.

They found that the couples had an average of eight children each, but family size ranged from one to 14 or more children.

- Just replace some of the high calorie foods you eat with fruits, vegetables and other water dense foods* that keep you just as full.

- We know it sounds too good to be true, but new research conducted at Pennsylavania State University suggests it is possible to lose weight by making small changes in your diet.

- The rationale behind eating water dense foods is that whatever you eat can go out of the system very fast. Example an apple which has 98 per cent liquid and very few calories. A sweet of the same size will have 20 times more calories.

ACNE (PIMPLES) Acne is a common problem faced by almost all teen-agers and youth. What is acne and why do we get them. Acne is actually caused because of hormone imbalance. Your skin breaks out because of a hormone called testosterone. Both men and women have testosterone in their systems. In fact, did you know that in order to make testosterone, boys bodies have to make female hormones first?