For 24 hours, Hamilton Loeb lay unconscious inside a cold blue suit that put his brain on ice. Four times, his heart had stopped beating and he was shocked back to life. Then doctors essentially refrigerated him, in a bid to avert the brain damage that too often cripples survivors of cardiac arrest.
Genentech says eye drug improves vision
Genentech Inc., the No. 2 U.S. biotechnology company, on Monday said its experimental drug Lucentis, used to treat the leading cause of blindness in older adults, was shown to significantly improve vision in an ongoing late-stage trial.
Virus Kills Three Transplant Recipients
An organ donor who was exposed to a common rodent virus, possibly from a hamster, passed the disease to four transplant patients, three of whom died, officials said Monday.
Summary Box: Three People Dead of Virus
WHAT HAPPENED? An organ donor who was exposed to a common rodent virus called LCMV, possibly by a hamster, passed the disease to four transplant patients. Three died.
Health Tip: Suffering from Canker Sores?
Canker sores are shallow, painful sores in your mouth. They are usually red or may sometimes have a white coating over them. You might get them on the inside of your lips, the inside of your cheeks or under your tongue. Canker sores are different from fever blisters, which usually are on the outside of your lips or the corners of your mouth.
If you have small canker sores, you can treat them at home, according to the Academy of Family Physicians. You can try taking ibuprofen (e.g., Advil) or acetaminophen (e.g., Tylenol) for pain. Other medicines, such as Anbesol, Oragel, Orabase and Zilactin-B, might keep your canker sores from becoming irritated by eating, drinking or brushing your teeth. These medicines can be put right on the sore.
You can also mix equal amounts of milk of magnesia and Benadryl allergy liquid. After it is mixed, you can swish a teaspoonful in your mouth for about one minute and then spit it out.
If you do this every four to six hours, your canker sores may hurt less. In addition, some people think that sucking on zinc lozenges, taking vitamin C or vitamin B complex, using a sage-and-chamomile mouthwash, or taking a lysine supplement helps their canker cores heal faster.
If your canker sores are large, last longer than a week, or are so sore that you can't eat, you should make an appointment to see your doctor.
Health Tip: Getting Rid of Dandruff
If dandruff is the only thing standing between you and a nice black shirt or sweater, you're not alone.
At any one time, millions of Americans have this chronic scalp disorder, which is marked by itching and excessive flaking of the scalp -- and embarrassment.
The good news is that dandruff can usually be controlled. Mild cases may need nothing more than daily shampooing with a gentle cleanser. And stubborn flakes often respond to medicated shampoos.
What's more, researchers have identified a yeast-like fungus that may cause or aggravate dandruff, a discovery that may lead to better treatments and even to a whole new wardrobe.
You can't prevent dandruff, but the Mayo Clinic says you can take steps to reduce your risk of getting this surprisingly persistent condition:
- Learn to manage stress. Stress affects your overall health, making you susceptible to a number of conditions and diseases. It can even help trigger dandruff or exacerbate existing symptoms.
- Shampoo often.If you tend to have an oily scalp, daily shampooing to remove the excess oil may help prevent dandruff.
- Cut back on styling products. Hair sprays, styling gels, mousses and hair waxes can all build up on your hair and scalp, making them oilier. Some people may even develop allergies to various hair-care products.
- Eat a healthy diet. For overall good health, include plenty of fresh fruits and vegetables, whole grains, and small amounts of lean protein in your diet.
- Get a little sun. Sunlight may be good for dandruff. But because exposure to ultraviolet light damages your skin and increases your risk of skin cancer, don't sunbathe. Instead, just spend a little time outdoors. But wear sunscreen on your face and body.
Loving Partners Help Men Battle Prostate Cancer
Having a supportive partner greatly improves quality of life for men with prostate cancer, a new study finds.
Researchers Pinpoint Brain's Sarcasm Sensor
Oh yeah, right!
Drunkeness Triples College Kids' Auto Injury Risk
Falling from heights, getting into car accidents or becoming sexualized victimized: A new study confirms that college students who get drunk at least once a week put themselves at much higher risk of serious injury or death from events like these than those who shy away from excessive drinking.
Topical Cream Helps Women With Arousal Disorder
Femprox topical cream seems to help women who have female sexual arousal disorder, according to preliminary research.
Journal Editors Call for Clinical Trials Registry
Editors of some of the world's leading medical journals have banded together to demand that researchers register key information on their clinical trials in a central public registry.
Secondhand Smoke Increases Heart Risks
The average nonsmoker walking into a smoke-filled room might not think short-term exposure to cigarette smoke will affect them.
Incontinence Drug Reveals New Benefit
The commonly prescribed incontinence drug trospium chloride may benefit patients in a whole new way, researchers report.
Food Fact:
Rejoice, cocoa nuts!
Choose the right chocolate treat, and you can have all the flavor you savor with next-to-no fat. Three tablespoons of cocoa powder (the equivalent of 1 oz. of chocolate in flavor intensity) has only 1.5 grams of fat. By comparison, a 1-oz. square of premium unsweetened chocolate has 16 grams of fat. In addition, cocoa's main fat, stearic acid, may be heart-healthy. Our bodies convert it to a monounsaturated fat. Limit any chocolate that adds "hydrogenated oils," which add cholesterol-raising fats to the mix.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Home sweat home.
A home gym can remake your body and save money -- if you know how to use it. For home exercise programs to succeed, you need to treat a room in your home like your own private health club. When you enter the room you have entered the gym. Be sure to establish a training time that you will stick to keep all other activities OUT of the room.
FAQ of the day:
Does variety in exercise matter?
Miavita Scientific Advisor Steve Blair of the Cooper Institute for Aerobic Research says: I advise exercisers to engage in at least one aerobic activity and do some resistance exercise for musculoskeletal fitness, along with stretching to maintain joint flexibility. If there's one routine you like to do again and again in each category, that's OK. If you like to do different aerobic and musculoskeletal exercises at different times, all the better. What really counts is to find the exercise program you like enough to stick with over time. Keep it up, and you'll reap the incredible benefits that come from a fit, active way of life.
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