Heart of the matter Sunscreen test

AFTER the Costas’ recent un­springlike weather, you might be bemused to learn that skincare specialists agree you should be wearing sunscreen yearround.

It is important to apply it even when indoors, explained Dr Elizabeth Hale, senior vice­president of the Skin Cancer Foundation, as UVA rays can penetrate glass.

The experts also recommended a broad­spectrum sunscreen with an SPF of at least 35, protecting against the UVB rays that cause sunburn and play a role in developing skin cancer, and UVA rays leading to skin damage along with ageing and wrinkles.

After they were asked to plunge their hands into icecold water to assess their pain tolerance, researchers found that the most active could keep their hands in the water 16 seconds longer than the sedentary group.

Even those in the light activity category, who walked or cycled, withstood the discomfort for seven seconds more than the sedentary group.

“This suggests that regular physical activity can help to improve pain tolerance, just as the so ­ called ‘runner’s high’ after a jog can make discomfort seem less painful,” said Dr Anders Arnes who led the study.

A STUDY in Portugal found that women have less chance of surviving a heart attack than men.

“Females are at a particularly high risk of a poor prognosis,” said Dr Mariana Martinho from Hospital Garcia de Orta in Almada.

Women could be in greater danger of dying after a heart attack because they tend to have them when they are older than men, and consequently are in poorer health, Dr Martinho pointed out.

In the UK, the British Heart Foundation warned that thousands of women are at risk of being misdiagnosed and less likely than men to receive rapid life­saving treatment and medication helping to prevent a second heart attack.