ISLAMABAD (Online) - All pregnant women should be given vitamin D supplements to safeguard their babies life, as lack of it could be life-threatening for a newborn. Researchers say women who do not have enough vitamin D can experience complications in pregnancy which could be life-threatening for a newborn. It could also lead to the development of diseases such as rickets and other deficiency linked conditions. Elina Hypponen, from the University College London Institute of Child Health, said providing women with daily supplements would reduce related serious risks to their babies. The incidence of vitamin D deficiency in pregnant women in Britain is unacceptably high, especially during winter and spring. This is compounded by a lack of exposure to sunlight and the limitations of an average diet to meet the optimal need. In the most severe cases, maternal vitamin D deficiency can be life threatening to a newborn. We believe that the routine provision of a daily supplement throughout pregnancy would significantly decrease the number of mothers who are clearly vitamin D deficient, reducing related serious risks to their babies, she added. Acupuncture helps chronic heart patients in exercising Acupuncture can help chronic heart patients tolerate exercises well, says a clinical pilot study. Patients with chronic weakness of the heart muscle, one of the most frequent diseases and cause of death in Europe, suffer from a reduction in work capacity. Shortness of breath and fatigue brought on by physical exercise are other signs of the disease. The needles do not increase the hearts pump function, but they seem to influence skeletal muscle strength and thus can increase the distance that heart patients can walk. The research team was headed by Johannes Backs, physician at the Department of Internal Medicine III (Cardiology, Angiology, and Pneumology) of Heidelberg University Hospital, Germany. The results of the clinical study, which was conducted with a comparison group treated with placebo acupuncture using dull needles, have been published in the journal Heart. Scientists examined patients with heart failure who were treated with the conventional medications and were in stable condition, said a statement of Heidelberg University. Besides, patients in the acupuncture group were given 10 sessions of acupuncture focusing on the acupuncture points which boost general strength according to traditional Chinese medicine. Olive oil protects against breast cancer: Study Adding olive oil to ones daily diet could help keep breast cancer at bay. The findings show that the Mediterranean oil mounts a multi-pronged attack on the tumours, stunting their growth, driving their cells to implode and protecting against potentially-cancerous damage to DNA. Spanish scientists from the Universitat Autnoma de Barcelona conducted experiments on rats, which showed that olive oil thwarts a gene that drives the growth of breast tumours. It also protects DNA from damage that can lead to cancer. According to researcher Eduard Escrich, only long-term use will give results and recommends adding 50 ml, or 10 teaspoons of high quality, extra-virgin olive oil in daily diets. Another Spanish research has found that apart from cutting risks of breast cancer, olive oil turns down genes linked to hardening of arteries and heart disease. Knowing which genes can be modulated by diet in a healthy way can help people select healthy foods, said Maria Isabel Covas, a researcher of the Insitut Municial dInvestigacio Medica in Barcelona. Gerald Weissmann, editor-in-chief of the journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology (FASEB), which published the finding, said: This study is ground-breaking because it shows that olive oil and a Mediterranean diet affect our bodies in a far more significant way than previously believed. The Mediterranean diet has previously been credited with protecting against all major diseases including cancer, heart disease, Alzheimers and Parkinsons.