The Korea Herald

Cancer mortality rate in rural areas higher than in cities: report

Nov 30, 2014

The number of people living in rural regions who succumb to cancer is 1.36 times greater than that in cities, a report by a public health agency said Sunday. The report showed the so-called age standardized death rate for people dying of cancer and other related diseases living in cities fell to 16.88 people per every 100,000 checked in 2011 from 17.97 in 2008. The corresponding figure rose to 2...
Plantar fasciitis

Nov 27, 2014

The foot carries the load of the whole body. It is said that the feet carry a total load of 15 tons when you walk 1 km. A 60 year old person would have walked approximately 160,000 km in their lifetime, which is four times longer than the circumference of the Earth. The feet are therefore very important, but are under constant stress. Heel pain is a very common symptom. It is more common in peo...
Pneumonia patients on the rise in Korea

Nov 27, 2014

The number of pneumonia patients has increased 9 percent in the last four years, according to the country’s Health Insurance Review and Assessment Service. The lung disease was the fifth most common cause of death for South Koreans in their 70s, and the fourth-biggest cause of death among those in their 80s. “The statistics show that more elderly people should be informed about the disease as w...
U.S. study says elderly should take cholesterol-lowering statins

Nov 27, 2014

WASHINGTON (AFP) ― Nearly everyone aged 66 to 75 should consider taking cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins to reduce their risk of heart attack and stroke, new guidelines said. A total of 97 percent of people in the age group, and 100 percent of men, should be on the medication even if their cholesterol levels are normal, according to a study published in JAMA Internal Medicine, a journal...
Benefits of vitamin D tests unproven

Nov 27, 2014

WASHINGTON, (AFP) ― Experts said Monday that regular tests for vitamin D levels were not proven to be beneficial or harmful, despite previous research warning of damaging effects of vitamin D deficiencies in adults. Studies have found that low levels of the vitamin can increase the risk of bone fractures, heart disease, colorectal cancer, diabetes, depression, Alzheimer’s disease and death. But...
Seoul to send 10 medical workers to Ebola-hit Sierra Leone in Dec.

Nov 26, 2014

South Korea plans to send its first batch of 10 medical personnel to Ebola-hit Sierra Leone in mid-December as part of global efforts to contain the deadly virus, the government said Wednesday. The team of four doctors and six nurses will depart Seoul on Dec. 13 for Worcestor, north of London, where they will receive safety education from Dec. 15-20, according to a joint statement by the foreign...
Civic groups urge setup of state AIDS sanatorium

Nov 26, 2014

Local civic groups called on the government Wednesday to expand treatment opportunities for AIDS patients in the country in an effort to alleviate some of the stigma surrounding the disease. A coalition of 11 human rights groups said, of the 1,300 rehabilitation centers in the country, none currently accepts AIDS patients. "The health ministry should build a state-run sanatorium where AIDS pati...
Cancer leading cause of death among Seoulites last year

Nov 26, 2014

Cancer was the leading cause of death among the citizens of Seoul last year, claiming more than 13,000 lives, data from the city government showed Wednesday. According to the data, 42,063 Seoulites died last year, the highest number of annual deaths since the city government began tracking related data in 1983. Last year also marked the highest death rate of 420.1 per every 100,000 citizens. A ...
Stroke prevention and emergency management

Nov 13, 2014

Cerebrovascular disease and stroke (the most well-known type of cerebrovascular disease) is one of the main causes of death in Korea. Its incidence increases with sudden cold weather and in the winter. The incidence of stroke is increasing in Korea, whereas that of Western countries and Japan is decreasing significantly. The reason for this is that Koreans have many risk factors for stroke that ...
Gene study boosts interest in heart drug

Nov 13, 2014

Scientists have discovered gene mutations that give people naturally lower cholesterol levels and cut their risk of heart disease in half. That discovery may have a big implication: A blockbuster drug that mimics these mutations has long been sold without evidence that it cuts the chance of heart disease. Results of a large study that looked for that evidence will be revealed on Monday. The dru...
Obsession

Oct 23, 2014

Mr. A, who lives in my neighborhood, is known to be extremely punctual. He’s even more punctual than the German philosopher, Kant was. The security guards in the apartment complex tell the time of the day by seeing Mr. A come to and from work. He is always extremely neat in his appearance. His hair is oiled, shiny and perfectly parted. He often checks the mirror to make sure that his tie is perf...
Vegan croissants, gluten-free pasta: Europe wakes up to fussy eating

Oct 23, 2014

VILLEPINTE, France (AFP) ― Once firmly entrenched in their traditional gastronomy, consumers in gourmet havens like France and Italy are slowly starting to demand gluten-, dairy- and meat-free diets as environmental and health concerns kick in. No-allergen pasta, vegan croissants, meatless hamburgers ― “free-from” food is one of the leading trends at this week’s SIAL international food fair outs...
[Graphic News] 1 in 4 Korean boys suffers from obesity

Oct 12, 2014

One in four South Korean male children aged 5 to 17 are obese, a rate that is higher than the OECD average, according to the nation’s Health Ministry. According to the ministry, 25 percent of young male Koreans are obese, compared to the OECD average of 23 percent. The ministry announced the statistics using Organization of Economic Cooperation and Development data from no earlier than 2010. “...
How healthy lungs can bring longevity

Oct 9, 2014

Dr. Seo Hyo-seok shares his vision of the future of Korean traditional medicine
Parkinson’s disease

Oct 9, 2014

Parkinson’s disease is a degenerative disorder of the central nervous system due to the death of dopamine-generating cells in the substantia nigra of the brain. While tremor at rest, bradykinesia, muscle stiffness and postural reflex impairment are the four most common symptoms of Parkinson’s disease, the disease commonly causes various other symptoms. Parkinson’s disease is primarily diagnosed ...