On your bike

As little as 20 minutes a day on an exercise bike can be better than angioplasty for older men with angina, according to a study published in the journal Circulation. Cardiologists at Leipzig University found that nearly 90 per cent of men over 70 who cycled daily for a year avoided a heart attack or other serious event; only 70 per cent of men on traditional treatment did so.

Work balance

Extroverts are better at balancing their work and home lives. Researchers reporting in the Journal of Vocational Behaviour found that outgoing, talkative people could find more positive connections between family and work life — for example, saying that work made them more interesting to live with. Anxious people were more likely to report a work-home conflict.

Gout patient

Milk is good for gout, says The New England Journal of Medicine. Researchers at the Massachusetts General Hospital found that drinking one to five glasses of low-fat milk reduced the risk of the disease by 43 per cent. Red meat and seafood increased the risk but beans, peas, mushrooms, spinach and cauliflower were given the all-clear.

Stress and MS

Could serious stress be a risk factor for multiple sclerosis? A study in Neurology found that people who lose a child are 50 per cent more likely to develop MS. The Danish researchers say that this is one of the most stressful things that can happen in a society with low infant mortality.

Doctor's orders

Tae up t'ai chi to improve all-round health. The journal Archives of Internal Medicine reports myriad benefits, including improved flexibility, balance control, cardiovascular fitness and reduced anxiety, pain, falls and stress.

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