In our pick of top health stories this week, how the Atkins Diet could be used to fight epilepsy, doctors can detect heart disease in your handwriting, and a plaque-seeking dental probe.
Can Atkins help fight epilepsy?
The Atkins Diet, used by millions to lose weight, is being tested as a way to reduce epileptic seizures.
In previous studies, some patients were able to reduce their medication after being put on the diet.
The low-carb, high-fat diet causes ketosis - where the body burns fat instead of sugar. It seems ketone fats, the waste products left after the fat is burned, build up and inhibit seizures, although exactly how is unknown.
In a new trial in India, 100 epileptic children will be restricted to a carbohydrate intake of 10g a day. Fats such as cream, butter and oils will be encouraged, and proteins such as cheese, fish, eggs, chicken and soya products unrestricted. Calcium and multivitamin supplements will be provided.
However, experts warn that until proper clinical trials establish that this approach is beneficial, patients with epilepsy should not try it for themselves.
Heart warning in your handwriting
Could your handwriting reveal your likelihood of having a heart attack?
New research suggests that the writing of people with heart disease is visibly different. It's thought that these differences could indicate stress leading to heart malfunctions, according to graphologist Christina Strang. She compared handwriting samples of 61 heart patients with those of 41 healthy people at Poole Hospital.
When writing, we all rest the pen for milliseconds in the course of a stroke. Strang's research showed twice as many 'resting dots' in the cardiac group. She says this is because every disease distorts the basic rhythm in the way our systems function - even in the way we write.
The discovery will be developed into a tool to help cardiologists spot potential dangers.
Magic wand to save your teeth
A new dental probe can identify plaque build-up in the mouth before it is visible to the human eye. The toothbrush-sized device, which has a blue light at its tip, shows any plaque as a red glow.
It is hoped the probe, which can be used at home, will help people tackle plaque and prevent the need for dental work.
A number of different plaque-revealing tablets are available from High Street pharmacies. These contain a colour dye that stains any plaque left on the teeth after cleaning. However, these often stain the mouth and taste unpleasant.
The new device, developed by Liverpool University and produced in collaboration with healthcare developer Inspektor Research Systems, based in the Netherlands, has none of these side-effects.
Users must wear special red filter glasses, so they can spot the affected areas as they shine the probe in the mouth before brushing. It is not yet known when the probe will be available.
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