Welcome to Fitmodo, your regular weekly round up of the news you need to know to keep your earthly form in top shape — from fitness advice to breakthroughs in medical research.
This week: medicinal marijuana is legalised in Australia, all the details on Garmin’s Vivofit 3 and Vivoactive HR and an inhaler that can fit in your wallet.
Australian Researchers Find Pancreatic Cancer Is Four Separate Diseases
An international team led by Australian researchers has studied the genetics of pancreatic cancer, revealing it is actually four separate diseases, with different genetic triggers and survival rates, paving the way for more accurate diagnoses and treatments.
The significant findings also include 10 genetic pathways at the core of transforming normal pancreatic tissue into cancerous tumours. Some of these processes are related to bladder and lung cancers, opening up the possibility of using treatments for these cancers to also treat pancreatic cancer.
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Link Found Between Stressed Dads And High Blood Sugar In Kids
A new study shows mouse fathers under psychological stress were more likely to have offspring with high blood sugar compared to their unstressed counterparts.
In a study appearing in Cell Metabolism, researchers link this difference to an epigenetic change in the stressed dad’s sperm — a change that they could prevent by blocking the father’s stress hormones. The study adds to growing evidence that a male’s life experience can be passed down through more than his genetic code alone.
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Medicinal Marijuana Is Now Legal In Australia
The Narcotic Drugs Amendment Bill 2016, seeking to establish licensing and permit schemes for the cultivation and production of cannabis and cannabis resin for medicinal and scientific purposes, has passed both houses of parliament today.
A “state or territory government agency” will be authorised to undertake cultivation and production of cannabis and manufacture of medicinal cannabis products. An amendment will also be made to the Therapeutic Goods Act 1989.
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Garmin’s Vívofit 3 And Vívoactive HR Australian Pricing And Availability Announced
With smartwatches and phones gaining activity tracking capabilities, dedicated fitness trackers have needed to find new gimmicks to stay relevant. Batteries that lasted a full year without charging was a great start, as is the Move IQ technology in Garmin’s new vívofit 3 that can recognise your different activities.
Although the vívofit 3 appears to have a smaller backlit display than its predecessor, it’s still water-resistant to a depth of 50m, has the same audible and visual alerts when the wearer is inactive for too long and tracks the usual basic fitness metrics like steps, calories and estimated distance.
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This Ultra-Thin Inhaler Can Fit In Your Wallet
Fashion-conscious asthmatic readers will be excited to know that a new ultra-thin inhaler is on the horizon. Though it’s still in the testing phase, the prototype looks cool. It’s designed to carry six doses of medication, but still fits in the credit card compartment of a wallet.
This is the iWheeze. Just kidding, it’s called Bloom, but it is clearly inspired by the sleek, portable gadgets that are designed to be carried around inconspicuously. It’s roughly the size of a credit card — 54mm by 85mm. To use, asthma sufferers would pre-load it with the metal canister that comes with a traditional asthma inhaler.
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Binge Drinking Is Putting Australian Women At Risk Of Depression
Sixteen per cent of young Australian women have been classified as “extremely frequent” binge drinkers and may be increasing their risk of depression, according to new research from the University of Newcastle (UON).
Jennifer Powers from UON’s Research Centre for Generational Health and Ageing said her findings provide further evidence of the need for new prevention strategies to curb binge drinking in adolescence
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Also catching our eye:
- Lifehacker Australia takes a look at how strength training really does help your running.
- Business insider Australia have a handy guide on how to get a better night’s sleep.
- If you’re looking for inspiration, Popsugar Australia have you covered. Here is how to spend the next 24 hours living healthily.