Workplace Solvent Linked to Immune System Disorders
The industrial solvent trichloroethylene (TCE) may cause immune system changes in workers exposed to the chemical, Italian researchers conclude.
CT Scans, MRI Not to Blame For Rising Health Costs
Many health-care industry experts have placed some of the blame for soaring health-care costs on the increasing expense of hi-tech diagnostic imaging tests, such as CT scans and MRI.
Summary Box: West Nile Virus
VIRUS DAMAGE: A study to be released this summer indicates about 10 percent of people who contract West Nile virus develop polio-like paralysis or severe muscle weakness.
Cult-Like Lure of 'Ana' Attracts Anorexics
They call her "Ana." She is a role model to some, a goddess to others - the subject of drawings, prayers and even a creed. She tells them what to eat and mocks them when they don't lose weight. And yet, while she is a very real presence in the lives of many of her followers, she exists only in their minds.
Some West Nile Survivors Turn to Advocacy
Soon after Jack Raney recovered from a West Nile infection that left him comatose for several days, he began his campaign against a disease that stole everything from his job to games of catch with his three kids.
Italy to open skin bank for high-risk workers
Italian researchers are creating what they say is the world's first skin bank for fire-fighters, steelworkers and others at high risk of being burned in accidents.
System Lets Parents Spy on Kids' Lunches
As Garin Hughes picks through his school-lunch burrito and unidentifiable apple-pear dessert, he has a secret. Hidden underneath the eighth-grader's right leg is a chocolate cookie in shrink-wrapped plastic. That's for dessert. In the past, his parents had no clue when he bought a treat at school. Now, thanks to a new school-lunch monitoring system, they can check over the Internet and learn about that secret cookie.
Telling anorexics about bone harm may spur change
Informing young women with anorexia about their future risk of developing the brittle bone disease osteoporosis may lead some to make healthy changes, such as increasing their calcium intake, new study findings suggest.
Trauma common feature of American Indian life
More than two-thirds of American Indians are exposed to some type of trauma during their lives, a higher rate than that seen in most other Americans, new research reports.
Viagra useful for ED in men with MS
Erectile dysfunction (ED) is a common problem for men with multiple sclerosis and now new research indicates that Viagra (sildenafil) is an effective and well-tolerated treatment for erectile difficulties in such patients.
Cancer seen in family members of asbestos workers
People who were exposed to asbestos through a family member who worked with the material appear to run the risk of developing the asbestos-related cancer mesothelioma many years later, a new study suggests.
Home test spots breathing trouble in heart failure
Overnight home monitoring can detect sleep-related breathing disturbances in people who suffer from heart failure, new research shows. This is important because treating these breathing disorders may improve their heart condition.
Food Fact:
Dr. red pepper?
Peppers rank surprisingly high on the list of healing foods. For instance, hot chile peppers contain capsaicin, a compound that acts as an anticoagulant and may help prevent heart attacks and strokes caused by blood clots. A half-cup of chopped red bell peppers provides 141mg of vitamin C and 4,250 IU of vitamin A -- more than an adult's daily needs for both. And whether they're mellow and sweet or fiery hot, all peppers are all good sources of potentially cancer-fighting antioxidants, especially vitamin C.
Fitness Tip of the day:
On-the-job training.
Make your workstation a "workout station" -- our tips show you how. Simple objects such as staplers and tape dispensers can be used as weights to perform simple exercises at your desk. Perform curling and pressing movements while seated in your chair. Make sure to get up every 30 minutes or so to stretch your legs and back.
FAQ of the day:
When did garlic get its heart-healthy reputation?
Even ancient man suspected garlic was good for the heart. Dioscorides, the Roman who codified Greek herbal medicine in the first century A.D., wrote in his "Materia Medica" that garlic "clears the arteries." The ancient Indian Ayurvedic text "Charaka Samhita" holds that garlic "maintains the fluidity of the blood, strengthens the heart and prolongs life." But it's only in the past few decades that garlic's effect on blood cholesterol, blood clotting and other heart disease risk factors have been systematically studied.
Tuesday, May 31, 2005
Monday, May 30, 2005
Health Headlines - May 30
Happy Memorial Day!
Depression Treatment Device Sparks Debate
A tiny device about the size of a pocketwatch has treated hundreds of depression patients in clinical trials across the country. It's on the verge of being the first depression treatment device to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Researchers Use Maps to Research Obesity
When obesity researchers at the University of Pennsylvania were looking to prevent obesity among schoolchildren, they turned to an unexpected group of experts: mapmakers. The university's Cartographic Modeling Laboratory got to work, drawing maps of the neighborhoods around five Philadelphia elementary schools. What resulted were not ordinary street maps. Rather, they were maps showing "food opportunities."
Feds Examine Impotence Drug-Blindness Link
Federal health officials are probing reports of blindness among dozens of men who used Viagra and other impotence drugs - but at the same time cautioning that the vision loss can be linked to the same illnesses that lead to impotence.
Lust Strikes Both Genders Daily
Thirty-seven times per week: That's how often a young man's thoughts turn to palpable sexual desire, according to a new survey of almost 700 American adults.
Even Kids Aren't Safe From Skin Cancer
As the summer season kicks off with the long holiday weekend, kids across the United States are preparing for months of outdoor fun, from planning a tree fort to shopping for bikinis.
Give Stress a Holiday
Hectic lifestyles and anxiety may be an unavoidable fact of modern life, but it's important to manage stress to prevent or reduce stress-related health problems.
Call-In Center Aims to Prevent Sex Abuse
By giving pedophiles and at-risk offenders a phone-in resource center, Stop It Now! is trying to change the public perception and approach to dealing with child sexual abuse. It's a mission the group has been on since it was started 13 years ago - trying to shift the focus of child sexual abuse from solely a criminal justice matter to a public health problem.
Sex Offenders Get Medicaid-Paid Viagra
Nearly 800 convicted sex offenders in 14 states got Medicaid-funded prescriptions for Viagra and other impotence drugs, according to a survey by The Associated Press.
Cough Medicine Compound May Fight Fibromyalgia
The common over-the-counter cough medication dextromethorphan may help people with fibromyalgia, according to a small study by University of Florida researchers.
The study of 14 women with fibromyalgia and 10 women without the disease found dextromethorphan appears to temporarily reduce the intensity of "wind-up," a cascading pain response to minor, repetitive physical touch, which is symptom of the syndrome.
The study appears in the May issue of the Journal of Pain.
The Florida study did not establish guidelines for clinical use of dextromethorphan. However, the findings do suggest it may eventually provide an option for treating fibromyalgia and other conditions that cause heightened pain sensitivity, the researchers said.
"I think it's one piece of the mosaic. We currently have no single therapy in chronic pain that has a big effect. So what this really means for chronic pain patients is that they need to use a whole host of different interventions to decrease the pain they have. And in this, dextromethorphan may have a role in the future," study principal author and rheumatology expert Dr. Roland Staud, an associate professor of medicine, said in a prepared statement.
However, he cautioned that fibromyalgia patients should not self-medicate by taking cough syrups that contain dextromethorphan.
Fibromyalgia, an incurable illness that causes stiffness, fatigue, muscle aches and sleep disturbances, affects about 10 million Americans, mostly women. The underlying cause is unknown and current treatments include pain medication, stretching, exercise, sleep management and psychological support.
Food Fact:
Coffee on the dark side?
If p.m. coffee leaves you too perky to sleep, try cutting it off earlier rather than cutting it out completely. Coffee's stimulatory effects usually take 6 - 8 hours to wear off, so consider your bedtime when you reach for an afternoon or evening cup. The effects -- it can exacerbate insomnia, nervousness, anxiety and even panic attacks -- may last longer in women taking oral contraceptives and in older people. But coffee isn't a demon, either. Short-term studies have found that a cup's worth -- 100mg -- can increase self-confidence, energy and motivation to work.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Battling exercise "burnout."
To keep your enthusiasm up, it may pay to put a few exercises down for a while. Changing your exercise program every couple of months may help beat boredom. Besides, after a while, your body adapts to the exercise stressors your current program had introduced, and craves new challenges.
FAQ of the day:
What's the healthiest way to handle garlic and onions?
The way you handle garlic and onions affects their health-protective compounds. The more you cut, chop, smash or otherwise disturb raw onions or garlic, the more compounds they will release. If you're going to cook garlic, for example, it's a good idea to smash or chop it about 10 minutes before.
Depression Treatment Device Sparks Debate
A tiny device about the size of a pocketwatch has treated hundreds of depression patients in clinical trials across the country. It's on the verge of being the first depression treatment device to be approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.
Researchers Use Maps to Research Obesity
When obesity researchers at the University of Pennsylvania were looking to prevent obesity among schoolchildren, they turned to an unexpected group of experts: mapmakers. The university's Cartographic Modeling Laboratory got to work, drawing maps of the neighborhoods around five Philadelphia elementary schools. What resulted were not ordinary street maps. Rather, they were maps showing "food opportunities."
Feds Examine Impotence Drug-Blindness Link
Federal health officials are probing reports of blindness among dozens of men who used Viagra and other impotence drugs - but at the same time cautioning that the vision loss can be linked to the same illnesses that lead to impotence.
Lust Strikes Both Genders Daily
Thirty-seven times per week: That's how often a young man's thoughts turn to palpable sexual desire, according to a new survey of almost 700 American adults.
Even Kids Aren't Safe From Skin Cancer
As the summer season kicks off with the long holiday weekend, kids across the United States are preparing for months of outdoor fun, from planning a tree fort to shopping for bikinis.
Give Stress a Holiday
Hectic lifestyles and anxiety may be an unavoidable fact of modern life, but it's important to manage stress to prevent or reduce stress-related health problems.
Call-In Center Aims to Prevent Sex Abuse
By giving pedophiles and at-risk offenders a phone-in resource center, Stop It Now! is trying to change the public perception and approach to dealing with child sexual abuse. It's a mission the group has been on since it was started 13 years ago - trying to shift the focus of child sexual abuse from solely a criminal justice matter to a public health problem.
Sex Offenders Get Medicaid-Paid Viagra
Nearly 800 convicted sex offenders in 14 states got Medicaid-funded prescriptions for Viagra and other impotence drugs, according to a survey by The Associated Press.
Cough Medicine Compound May Fight Fibromyalgia
The common over-the-counter cough medication dextromethorphan may help people with fibromyalgia, according to a small study by University of Florida researchers.
The study of 14 women with fibromyalgia and 10 women without the disease found dextromethorphan appears to temporarily reduce the intensity of "wind-up," a cascading pain response to minor, repetitive physical touch, which is symptom of the syndrome.
The study appears in the May issue of the Journal of Pain.
The Florida study did not establish guidelines for clinical use of dextromethorphan. However, the findings do suggest it may eventually provide an option for treating fibromyalgia and other conditions that cause heightened pain sensitivity, the researchers said.
"I think it's one piece of the mosaic. We currently have no single therapy in chronic pain that has a big effect. So what this really means for chronic pain patients is that they need to use a whole host of different interventions to decrease the pain they have. And in this, dextromethorphan may have a role in the future," study principal author and rheumatology expert Dr. Roland Staud, an associate professor of medicine, said in a prepared statement.
However, he cautioned that fibromyalgia patients should not self-medicate by taking cough syrups that contain dextromethorphan.
Fibromyalgia, an incurable illness that causes stiffness, fatigue, muscle aches and sleep disturbances, affects about 10 million Americans, mostly women. The underlying cause is unknown and current treatments include pain medication, stretching, exercise, sleep management and psychological support.
Food Fact:
Coffee on the dark side?
If p.m. coffee leaves you too perky to sleep, try cutting it off earlier rather than cutting it out completely. Coffee's stimulatory effects usually take 6 - 8 hours to wear off, so consider your bedtime when you reach for an afternoon or evening cup. The effects -- it can exacerbate insomnia, nervousness, anxiety and even panic attacks -- may last longer in women taking oral contraceptives and in older people. But coffee isn't a demon, either. Short-term studies have found that a cup's worth -- 100mg -- can increase self-confidence, energy and motivation to work.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Battling exercise "burnout."
To keep your enthusiasm up, it may pay to put a few exercises down for a while. Changing your exercise program every couple of months may help beat boredom. Besides, after a while, your body adapts to the exercise stressors your current program had introduced, and craves new challenges.
FAQ of the day:
What's the healthiest way to handle garlic and onions?
The way you handle garlic and onions affects their health-protective compounds. The more you cut, chop, smash or otherwise disturb raw onions or garlic, the more compounds they will release. If you're going to cook garlic, for example, it's a good idea to smash or chop it about 10 minutes before.
Sunday, May 29, 2005
Health Headlines - May 29
Hundreds of Sex Offenders Got Viagra Via Medicaid: Report
Nearly 800 convicted sex offenders in 14 states got prescriptions for Viagra and other impotence drugs that were paid for by the federal Medicaid program, according to a survey by the Associated Press.
Most of the cases were in New York, Florida and Texas, the news service said.
According to the AP survey, the states that provided registered sex offenders with the impotence drugs are Florida, 218 cases; New York, 198; Texas, 191; New Jersey, 55; Virginia, 52; Missouri, 26; Kansas, 14; Ohio, 13; Michigan, seven; Maine, five; Georgia, three; Montana, three; Alabama, two; and North Dakota, one.
New York was the first state to discover that Medicaid had paid for Viagra prescriptions for sex offenders. That revelation prompted the federal government to order states to stop the coverage for these felons, the AP said.
Racial Disparities Highlight Access to Pain Care: Study
Twenty percent of Americans with chronic pain have never seen a doctor for their pain and only 5 percent have consulted a pain specialist, a new study finds.
And Hispanics are less likely to seek treatment for chronic pain than white or black Americans. Chronic pain was reported by 35 percent of Caucasians, 39 percent of African-Americans, and 28 percent of Hispanics, the survey revealed.
"The remarkable finding that about one-third of the Caucasians, African-Americans and Hispanics who were initially contacted for the study reported persistent pain for at least three months during the past year confirms the magnitude of pain as a national public health problem," said Dr. Russell Portenoy, chairman of Pain Medicine and Palliative Care at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City, and lead author of the study.
An estimated 50 million people in the United States struggle with chronic pain, according to the American Pain Foundation.
Hispanics were significantly less likely to have met with a physician for pain (70 percent) than Caucasians (84 percent) or African-Americans (85 percent), and were more likely than the other two groups to treat their pain without the help of a medical professional, the study found.
Hispanics were also less likely to have medical insurance (62 percent) than Caucasians (84 percent) or African-Americans (78 percent). When asked whether financial concerns ever prevented them from seeking pain treatment, Hispanics (47 percent) were significantly more likely than Caucasians (32 percent) or African-Americans (34 percent) to agree.
The study appears in the May issue of the Journal of Pain.
Chemical in Plastics May Impair Male Sex Development
Chemicals called phthalates commonly used in vinyl and other plastic products may interfere with the normal development of baby boys' genitalia, University of Rochester scientists concluded from new research.
The chemicals are also found in some perfumes, soaps, makeup, paints, and pill coatings, according to a report in Friday's San Francisco Chronicle. Twenty-one percent of sons whose mothers' urine contained significant levels of phthalates had complications, including incomplete testicular descent and a smaller penis, versus 8 percent of other boys, the newspaper said.
The European Union has banned the chemicals and the California legislature is debating a measure, opposed by the chemical industry, to do the same, the newspaper said.
The researchers, noting that their study involved a relatively small sample of 134 babies aged 3 months to 24 months, recommended more research involving a larger pool of participants.
The study is published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.
Low Response Found in Medicare Drug-Coverage Test
If an initial test run of next year's Medicare drug coverage launch is any indication, only 40 percent of low-income people eligible will sign up for the plan, the Associated Press reported.
The government's recent test mailing of applications to 2,050 Medicare recipients was meant to gauge whether people could successfully complete and return the application. Only two in five did so, and that was only after the government called the recipients on the phone, the wire service said.
A spokesman for the agency that oversaw the mailing, the U.S. Social Security Administration, said about 25 percent who didn't return the application believed their income exceeded the limit. Another 25 percent said they already had prescription drug coverage, and the remainder either didn't remember getting the application or lost it, the spokesman said.
The benefit is valued at about $2,300 per year per recipient, the wire service said.
FDA Approves Kidney Disease Drug
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug to treat a common complication of chronic kidney disease.
Secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) occurs when the kidneys can no longer regulate vitamin D levels. This can cause damage to the bones, heart, muscles, and nerves if left untreated.
Abbott Laboratories said Friday that its Zemplar (paricalcitol) capsules were approved to prevent and treat SHPT. An injected form of the drug was approved in 1998.
The company cited National Kidney Foundation estimates that 20 million Americans have chronic kidney disease, and as many as 8 million may be candidates for the new treatment.
Risks of Weight-Loss Surgery Can Impede Treatment
The risks of weight-loss procedures collectively known as bariatric surgery are leading some insurers to cut back on coverage for the operations, making it difficult for some obese patients to obtain the treatments, The New York Times reported.
Well-publicized success stories among celebrities and the not-so-famous may have spurred more than 145,000 obese Americans to have the procedures last year, at an average cost of $25,000 each, the newspaper said, citing the American Society for Bariatric Surgery.
But one in 20 patients experiences serious complications, including heart attack and stroke. A recent study found that the death rate for the most common type of bariatric surgery -- gastric bypass -- was one in 200, the newspaper said. That's a higher death rate than for people who have a procedure to open clogged arteries known as coronary angioplasty, the Times said.
For thousands of Americans, these weight-loss procedures have reversed debilitating conditions and led to a much improved quality of life. But with malpractice premiums soaring, some surgeons have stopped performing the operations, and some insurers have stopped covering them, the newspaper said. This is making it difficult for some patients to obtain the surgery.
Some 5 million Americans classified as obese may be candidates for the procedures, the Times said.
Food Fact:
Chew on this.
If you visit the candy machine, sticking with gum may help you control calories. At 5 - 10 calories a sugar-free stick, it's a good alternative to hard candy, which is loaded with sugar and can contain up to 50 calories per little piece. And how many of us ever stop at one? One more bonus: Getting your jaw moving to chew burns about 12 extra calories per hour!
Fitness Tip of the day:
Don't just stand -- stretch!
It's easy to fit stretching into your day; try these 3 tips. Practice some stretches while waiting in shopping lines. Simple neck and shoulder rolls are a great way to release stress and relax tight muscles. And make use of the stairs -- a great tool for stretching out your calves. How important is it to stretch? The American College of Sports Medicine has added stretching to its fitness recommendations.
FAQ of the day:
Does garlic lower blood cholesterol?
Studies differ over garlic's effect on blood cholesterol. While earlier studies were optimistic, more recent ones have not shown that garlic powder supplements effectively lower blood cholesterol. Few studies have looked at fresh garlic, either raw or cooked. Whether or not garlic lowers cholesterol, it has other benefits, such as inhibition of blood clots, that earn it a place in a heart-friendly diet.
Nearly 800 convicted sex offenders in 14 states got prescriptions for Viagra and other impotence drugs that were paid for by the federal Medicaid program, according to a survey by the Associated Press.
Most of the cases were in New York, Florida and Texas, the news service said.
According to the AP survey, the states that provided registered sex offenders with the impotence drugs are Florida, 218 cases; New York, 198; Texas, 191; New Jersey, 55; Virginia, 52; Missouri, 26; Kansas, 14; Ohio, 13; Michigan, seven; Maine, five; Georgia, three; Montana, three; Alabama, two; and North Dakota, one.
New York was the first state to discover that Medicaid had paid for Viagra prescriptions for sex offenders. That revelation prompted the federal government to order states to stop the coverage for these felons, the AP said.
Racial Disparities Highlight Access to Pain Care: Study
Twenty percent of Americans with chronic pain have never seen a doctor for their pain and only 5 percent have consulted a pain specialist, a new study finds.
And Hispanics are less likely to seek treatment for chronic pain than white or black Americans. Chronic pain was reported by 35 percent of Caucasians, 39 percent of African-Americans, and 28 percent of Hispanics, the survey revealed.
"The remarkable finding that about one-third of the Caucasians, African-Americans and Hispanics who were initially contacted for the study reported persistent pain for at least three months during the past year confirms the magnitude of pain as a national public health problem," said Dr. Russell Portenoy, chairman of Pain Medicine and Palliative Care at Beth Israel Medical Center in New York City, and lead author of the study.
An estimated 50 million people in the United States struggle with chronic pain, according to the American Pain Foundation.
Hispanics were significantly less likely to have met with a physician for pain (70 percent) than Caucasians (84 percent) or African-Americans (85 percent), and were more likely than the other two groups to treat their pain without the help of a medical professional, the study found.
Hispanics were also less likely to have medical insurance (62 percent) than Caucasians (84 percent) or African-Americans (78 percent). When asked whether financial concerns ever prevented them from seeking pain treatment, Hispanics (47 percent) were significantly more likely than Caucasians (32 percent) or African-Americans (34 percent) to agree.
The study appears in the May issue of the Journal of Pain.
Chemical in Plastics May Impair Male Sex Development
Chemicals called phthalates commonly used in vinyl and other plastic products may interfere with the normal development of baby boys' genitalia, University of Rochester scientists concluded from new research.
The chemicals are also found in some perfumes, soaps, makeup, paints, and pill coatings, according to a report in Friday's San Francisco Chronicle. Twenty-one percent of sons whose mothers' urine contained significant levels of phthalates had complications, including incomplete testicular descent and a smaller penis, versus 8 percent of other boys, the newspaper said.
The European Union has banned the chemicals and the California legislature is debating a measure, opposed by the chemical industry, to do the same, the newspaper said.
The researchers, noting that their study involved a relatively small sample of 134 babies aged 3 months to 24 months, recommended more research involving a larger pool of participants.
The study is published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives.
Low Response Found in Medicare Drug-Coverage Test
If an initial test run of next year's Medicare drug coverage launch is any indication, only 40 percent of low-income people eligible will sign up for the plan, the Associated Press reported.
The government's recent test mailing of applications to 2,050 Medicare recipients was meant to gauge whether people could successfully complete and return the application. Only two in five did so, and that was only after the government called the recipients on the phone, the wire service said.
A spokesman for the agency that oversaw the mailing, the U.S. Social Security Administration, said about 25 percent who didn't return the application believed their income exceeded the limit. Another 25 percent said they already had prescription drug coverage, and the remainder either didn't remember getting the application or lost it, the spokesman said.
The benefit is valued at about $2,300 per year per recipient, the wire service said.
FDA Approves Kidney Disease Drug
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug to treat a common complication of chronic kidney disease.
Secondary hyperparathyroidism (SHPT) occurs when the kidneys can no longer regulate vitamin D levels. This can cause damage to the bones, heart, muscles, and nerves if left untreated.
Abbott Laboratories said Friday that its Zemplar (paricalcitol) capsules were approved to prevent and treat SHPT. An injected form of the drug was approved in 1998.
The company cited National Kidney Foundation estimates that 20 million Americans have chronic kidney disease, and as many as 8 million may be candidates for the new treatment.
Risks of Weight-Loss Surgery Can Impede Treatment
The risks of weight-loss procedures collectively known as bariatric surgery are leading some insurers to cut back on coverage for the operations, making it difficult for some obese patients to obtain the treatments, The New York Times reported.
Well-publicized success stories among celebrities and the not-so-famous may have spurred more than 145,000 obese Americans to have the procedures last year, at an average cost of $25,000 each, the newspaper said, citing the American Society for Bariatric Surgery.
But one in 20 patients experiences serious complications, including heart attack and stroke. A recent study found that the death rate for the most common type of bariatric surgery -- gastric bypass -- was one in 200, the newspaper said. That's a higher death rate than for people who have a procedure to open clogged arteries known as coronary angioplasty, the Times said.
For thousands of Americans, these weight-loss procedures have reversed debilitating conditions and led to a much improved quality of life. But with malpractice premiums soaring, some surgeons have stopped performing the operations, and some insurers have stopped covering them, the newspaper said. This is making it difficult for some patients to obtain the surgery.
Some 5 million Americans classified as obese may be candidates for the procedures, the Times said.
Food Fact:
Chew on this.
If you visit the candy machine, sticking with gum may help you control calories. At 5 - 10 calories a sugar-free stick, it's a good alternative to hard candy, which is loaded with sugar and can contain up to 50 calories per little piece. And how many of us ever stop at one? One more bonus: Getting your jaw moving to chew burns about 12 extra calories per hour!
Fitness Tip of the day:
Don't just stand -- stretch!
It's easy to fit stretching into your day; try these 3 tips. Practice some stretches while waiting in shopping lines. Simple neck and shoulder rolls are a great way to release stress and relax tight muscles. And make use of the stairs -- a great tool for stretching out your calves. How important is it to stretch? The American College of Sports Medicine has added stretching to its fitness recommendations.
FAQ of the day:
Does garlic lower blood cholesterol?
Studies differ over garlic's effect on blood cholesterol. While earlier studies were optimistic, more recent ones have not shown that garlic powder supplements effectively lower blood cholesterol. Few studies have looked at fresh garlic, either raw or cooked. Whether or not garlic lowers cholesterol, it has other benefits, such as inhibition of blood clots, that earn it a place in a heart-friendly diet.
Saturday, May 28, 2005
Health Headlines - May 28
Blood Breakthrough Might Improve Cancer Care
Boosting the supply of oxygen to tissues in need could help improve wound healing, lead to better blood substitutes, and even help with cancer treatments. Now a team of Duke University researchers believe they've found a safe way of doing just that.
Nicotine Patch Giveaway Helps Smokers Quit
A pioneering program that gave a free nicotine patch to any New Yorker who asked for one has helped a lot of smokers to quit, New York City health officials say.
Gene Could Cause Rare, Fatal Epilepsy
In what could be an important discovery, scientists say mutations in a gene regulating the protein laforin can cause Lafora disease, a severe, inherited form of epilepsy that results in death by age 30.
Does Size Matter? Most Romantic Partners Say 'No'
A survey of 50,000 American adults finds 70 percent of female respondents desiring more ample or rounder breasts -- even though the majority of male respondents say they are perfectly happy with their partner's breast size.
FDA Probes Reports of Vision Loss Linked to Impotence Drugs
U.S. health officials said Friday that they were investigating rare reports of vision loss among men using the impotence drugs Viagra, Cialis and Levitra.
Virtual Vehicles Teach Teens Highway Safety
Could time spent in a high-tech "driving simulator" help teens become safer drivers?
Chronic Coughing Takes Emotional Toll
Coughing that can last for months or years is strongly linked to depression, researchers report.
Subliminal Smiles Can Sway You
Subliminal images of smiling faces may make consumers more willing to try new things, new research suggests.
Kidney Disease Drug Approved in Capsule Form
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug to treat a common complication of chronic kidney disease.
Non-Surgical Treatment Boosts Liver Cancer Survival
Radiofrequency ablation therapy, a minimally invasive treatment that uses a tiny needle to fry or freeze tumors, is helping extend the survival of patients with inoperable liver cancer, researchers report.
New Hope Against Chronic Pelvic Disease
Researchers say they've identified protein biomarkers for the chronic, painful pelvis disorder interstitial cystitis (IC), a finding that could lead to the first definitive test for this disease, and also to new treatments.
Feds Looking Into Blindness-ED Drug Link
Federal health officials are probing reports of blindness among dozens of men who used Viagra and other impotence drugs - but at the same time cautioning that the vision loss can be linked to the same illnesses that lead to impotence.
Alabama May Ban Unhealthy Food in Schools
The chicken legs won't be so crispy at the cafeteria, forget about the bubbly sodas to wash them down - and don't even think about skipping gym class.
Food Fact:
Miso hungry!
This fermented soybean paste packs a lot of flavor in a very small quantity. The Japanese staple is usually made from a combination of soybeans and rice, although additional soybeans or barley may be used in place of the rice. Miso is usually sold in pint-sized recloseable plastic tubs at large supermarkets, whole foods stores and Asian markets. Refrigerated miso will keep for several months. Miso is very high in sodium, so use it sparingly in soups, marinades and salad dressings.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Don't discount fitness.
Can't fit exercise into your schedule? Here's how to exercise when you shop, and buy a little extra time! Mall walking makes exercise feel less like a chore and more a part of daily life. When the weather is bad walk laps with a friend around your area mall -- a great cardiovascular workout. To find a mall-walking program in your area, contact the management office of your local mall.
FAQ of the day:
Do I really need a "cooldown" after a workout?
Cooling down after a workout is even more important than the preworkout warm-up. During a cooldown, blood slowly returns from the extremities to the heart, capillaries return to normal dilation, and your respiration and heart rate slow down. If you skip your cooldown, you risk light-headedness and muscle spasms. It's also harder on your heart to go suddenly from 60 to zero. Walk slowly at the end of a run, do a few slower minutes on the stair climber or bike, and remember to stretch.
Boosting the supply of oxygen to tissues in need could help improve wound healing, lead to better blood substitutes, and even help with cancer treatments. Now a team of Duke University researchers believe they've found a safe way of doing just that.
Nicotine Patch Giveaway Helps Smokers Quit
A pioneering program that gave a free nicotine patch to any New Yorker who asked for one has helped a lot of smokers to quit, New York City health officials say.
Gene Could Cause Rare, Fatal Epilepsy
In what could be an important discovery, scientists say mutations in a gene regulating the protein laforin can cause Lafora disease, a severe, inherited form of epilepsy that results in death by age 30.
Does Size Matter? Most Romantic Partners Say 'No'
A survey of 50,000 American adults finds 70 percent of female respondents desiring more ample or rounder breasts -- even though the majority of male respondents say they are perfectly happy with their partner's breast size.
FDA Probes Reports of Vision Loss Linked to Impotence Drugs
U.S. health officials said Friday that they were investigating rare reports of vision loss among men using the impotence drugs Viagra, Cialis and Levitra.
Virtual Vehicles Teach Teens Highway Safety
Could time spent in a high-tech "driving simulator" help teens become safer drivers?
Chronic Coughing Takes Emotional Toll
Coughing that can last for months or years is strongly linked to depression, researchers report.
Subliminal Smiles Can Sway You
Subliminal images of smiling faces may make consumers more willing to try new things, new research suggests.
Kidney Disease Drug Approved in Capsule Form
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved a drug to treat a common complication of chronic kidney disease.
Non-Surgical Treatment Boosts Liver Cancer Survival
Radiofrequency ablation therapy, a minimally invasive treatment that uses a tiny needle to fry or freeze tumors, is helping extend the survival of patients with inoperable liver cancer, researchers report.
New Hope Against Chronic Pelvic Disease
Researchers say they've identified protein biomarkers for the chronic, painful pelvis disorder interstitial cystitis (IC), a finding that could lead to the first definitive test for this disease, and also to new treatments.
Feds Looking Into Blindness-ED Drug Link
Federal health officials are probing reports of blindness among dozens of men who used Viagra and other impotence drugs - but at the same time cautioning that the vision loss can be linked to the same illnesses that lead to impotence.
Alabama May Ban Unhealthy Food in Schools
The chicken legs won't be so crispy at the cafeteria, forget about the bubbly sodas to wash them down - and don't even think about skipping gym class.
Food Fact:
Miso hungry!
This fermented soybean paste packs a lot of flavor in a very small quantity. The Japanese staple is usually made from a combination of soybeans and rice, although additional soybeans or barley may be used in place of the rice. Miso is usually sold in pint-sized recloseable plastic tubs at large supermarkets, whole foods stores and Asian markets. Refrigerated miso will keep for several months. Miso is very high in sodium, so use it sparingly in soups, marinades and salad dressings.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Don't discount fitness.
Can't fit exercise into your schedule? Here's how to exercise when you shop, and buy a little extra time! Mall walking makes exercise feel less like a chore and more a part of daily life. When the weather is bad walk laps with a friend around your area mall -- a great cardiovascular workout. To find a mall-walking program in your area, contact the management office of your local mall.
FAQ of the day:
Do I really need a "cooldown" after a workout?
Cooling down after a workout is even more important than the preworkout warm-up. During a cooldown, blood slowly returns from the extremities to the heart, capillaries return to normal dilation, and your respiration and heart rate slow down. If you skip your cooldown, you risk light-headedness and muscle spasms. It's also harder on your heart to go suddenly from 60 to zero. Walk slowly at the end of a run, do a few slower minutes on the stair climber or bike, and remember to stretch.
Friday, May 27, 2005
Health Headlines - May 27
New Meningitis Shot Ready for Children
High school freshman Leslie Meigs has a simple message for kids about the scary disease that struck out of the blue and within hours almost killed her: Get the new meningitis shot. Children who are 11 to 12, students entering high school and college freshmen headed for dorm life should be vaccinated, federal health officials and the American Academy of Pediatrics announced Thursday.
Health Tip: When Babies Spit Up
Many adults complain about gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), but what happens to babies who have this?
For them, it's called "spitting up," and they may not even be aware of it. Babies spit up when they've eaten too much or when they're burped.
It happens when milk or solid food in the stomach comes back up into your baby's esophagus. It can also happen when your baby is drooling.
The American Academy of Family Physicians suggests you:
* Feed your baby by placing him or her in an upright position. If you bottle-feed your baby, burp him or her every three to five minutes. Avoid laying your baby down following a feeding.
* Some babies also spit up less if they are given less milk at each feeding, but are fed more often.
Health Tip: Do You Have a Cracked Tooth?
You bite down and feel a sharp pain. It quickly disappears, or you just ignore it.
Later on, however, you begin to avoid certain foods or chew only on one side of your mouth. If this sounds familiar, you may have a cracked tooth.
A tooth may crack because of a variety of factors: chewing on hard objects, from ice to hard candy; an accident or blow to the mouth; grinding or clenching your teeth; uneven chewing pressure; stress on a tooth; loss of the tooth structure through wear, large fillings or other restorations; exposure of tooth enamel to temperature extremes, such as eating hot food and then drinking iced water; and brittleness of teeth that have gone through root canal treatment.
According to the American Dental Association (ADA), depending on the size or location of the crack, treatment may vary from bonding to root canal. A severely cracked tooth may have to be extracted.
To prevent cracked teeth, the ADA urges regular dental checkups. Going to the dentist regularly allows him or her to diagnose and treat problems in their early stages.
If you do experience pain, avoid chewing on that side of the mouth, and call your dentist.
Secondhand Smoke Threatens IVF Success
Women hoping to conceive through in-vitro fertilization may want to steer clear of secondhand smoke, a new study finds.
Fish Oil Fights Smog's Effect on Heart
Daily supplements of fatty acid-rich fish oil may counteract the effects of air pollution on the heart, researchers report.
Protein Clue Could Help Fight Cancer
In a finding that could have important implications for cancer research, scientists report that the protein ATF2 -- already recognized for its role in gene regulation -- also helps initiate cellular DNA repair.
Deadlines, Transitions Heat Up Emotions
Overworked, on-the-go, stressed Americans, you're not alone: A new study finds that time constraints and impending deadlines encourage emotional highs and lows.
Words Sharpen Visual Memory, Study Finds
Language may be a "glue" helping children and adults cement their visual memory of objects in the natural world, researchers conclude.
Witnessing Violence Can Trigger Violent Behavior
Can exposure to gun violence make you more likely to participate in violence?
Corticosteroids May Be Harmful for Head Injury
Corticosteroids shouldn't be used to treat people with head injuries, according to the final results of a British study published online Thursday in the journal The Lancet.
Adenoid, Tonsil Removal Improves Childhood Asthma
Removal of both the tonsils and adenoids may ease asthma symptoms in children, a new Yale University study suggests.
U.S. Smoking Rates Continue to Drop
The number of U.S. adults who smoke continues to decline, federal health officials reported Thursday.
Asthma Tied to Irregular Periods
While the exact causes of asthma remain elusive, a new study suggests the condition may be more common in women with irregular periods.
U.S. unprepared against new flu -experts
The United States still has no licensed vaccine to prevent avian flu and has nowhere near enough drugs to treat the sick if there is an epidemic, experts told Congress on Thursday.
Teens who experience violence likely to be violent
New study findings provide scientific proof for what some have already deduced: teens exposed to violence are more likely than their peers to become involved in violence in the future.
Food Fact:
Tempeh -- jewel of the Southwest?
It may sound like a town in Arizona, but it's actually the meatiest of soy foods. Chewy and full-flavored, tempeh is made from whole soybeans, which means it's loaded with beneficial soy isoflavones. Tempeh slices easily, holds its shape during cooking and loves a good marinade.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Carry that weight?
How much should you be lifting? Here's a good rule of thumb. When you can perform 12 to 15 reps using excellent form, it's time to increase the weight used by 5%. In weight training, always use weights you can handle. Remember, we are training our bodies not our egos.
FAQ of the day:
Why warm up before a workout?
During a warm-up, your body gradually prepares to bring extra blood and oxygen to the muscles during your workout. Your heart and respiration rate slowly increase, capillaries dilate and blood supplies flow to your extremities, which will need extra oxygen to fuel your muscles when you pick up the pace. The added heat and blood flow allow muscles to become more compliant, and thus less prone to injury. Finally, a proper warm-up is likely to improve your performance.
High school freshman Leslie Meigs has a simple message for kids about the scary disease that struck out of the blue and within hours almost killed her: Get the new meningitis shot. Children who are 11 to 12, students entering high school and college freshmen headed for dorm life should be vaccinated, federal health officials and the American Academy of Pediatrics announced Thursday.
Health Tip: When Babies Spit Up
Many adults complain about gastroesophageal reflux (GERD), but what happens to babies who have this?
For them, it's called "spitting up," and they may not even be aware of it. Babies spit up when they've eaten too much or when they're burped.
It happens when milk or solid food in the stomach comes back up into your baby's esophagus. It can also happen when your baby is drooling.
The American Academy of Family Physicians suggests you:
* Feed your baby by placing him or her in an upright position. If you bottle-feed your baby, burp him or her every three to five minutes. Avoid laying your baby down following a feeding.
* Some babies also spit up less if they are given less milk at each feeding, but are fed more often.
Health Tip: Do You Have a Cracked Tooth?
You bite down and feel a sharp pain. It quickly disappears, or you just ignore it.
Later on, however, you begin to avoid certain foods or chew only on one side of your mouth. If this sounds familiar, you may have a cracked tooth.
A tooth may crack because of a variety of factors: chewing on hard objects, from ice to hard candy; an accident or blow to the mouth; grinding or clenching your teeth; uneven chewing pressure; stress on a tooth; loss of the tooth structure through wear, large fillings or other restorations; exposure of tooth enamel to temperature extremes, such as eating hot food and then drinking iced water; and brittleness of teeth that have gone through root canal treatment.
According to the American Dental Association (ADA), depending on the size or location of the crack, treatment may vary from bonding to root canal. A severely cracked tooth may have to be extracted.
To prevent cracked teeth, the ADA urges regular dental checkups. Going to the dentist regularly allows him or her to diagnose and treat problems in their early stages.
If you do experience pain, avoid chewing on that side of the mouth, and call your dentist.
Secondhand Smoke Threatens IVF Success
Women hoping to conceive through in-vitro fertilization may want to steer clear of secondhand smoke, a new study finds.
Fish Oil Fights Smog's Effect on Heart
Daily supplements of fatty acid-rich fish oil may counteract the effects of air pollution on the heart, researchers report.
Protein Clue Could Help Fight Cancer
In a finding that could have important implications for cancer research, scientists report that the protein ATF2 -- already recognized for its role in gene regulation -- also helps initiate cellular DNA repair.
Deadlines, Transitions Heat Up Emotions
Overworked, on-the-go, stressed Americans, you're not alone: A new study finds that time constraints and impending deadlines encourage emotional highs and lows.
Words Sharpen Visual Memory, Study Finds
Language may be a "glue" helping children and adults cement their visual memory of objects in the natural world, researchers conclude.
Witnessing Violence Can Trigger Violent Behavior
Can exposure to gun violence make you more likely to participate in violence?
Corticosteroids May Be Harmful for Head Injury
Corticosteroids shouldn't be used to treat people with head injuries, according to the final results of a British study published online Thursday in the journal The Lancet.
Adenoid, Tonsil Removal Improves Childhood Asthma
Removal of both the tonsils and adenoids may ease asthma symptoms in children, a new Yale University study suggests.
U.S. Smoking Rates Continue to Drop
The number of U.S. adults who smoke continues to decline, federal health officials reported Thursday.
Asthma Tied to Irregular Periods
While the exact causes of asthma remain elusive, a new study suggests the condition may be more common in women with irregular periods.
U.S. unprepared against new flu -experts
The United States still has no licensed vaccine to prevent avian flu and has nowhere near enough drugs to treat the sick if there is an epidemic, experts told Congress on Thursday.
Teens who experience violence likely to be violent
New study findings provide scientific proof for what some have already deduced: teens exposed to violence are more likely than their peers to become involved in violence in the future.
Food Fact:
Tempeh -- jewel of the Southwest?
It may sound like a town in Arizona, but it's actually the meatiest of soy foods. Chewy and full-flavored, tempeh is made from whole soybeans, which means it's loaded with beneficial soy isoflavones. Tempeh slices easily, holds its shape during cooking and loves a good marinade.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Carry that weight?
How much should you be lifting? Here's a good rule of thumb. When you can perform 12 to 15 reps using excellent form, it's time to increase the weight used by 5%. In weight training, always use weights you can handle. Remember, we are training our bodies not our egos.
FAQ of the day:
Why warm up before a workout?
During a warm-up, your body gradually prepares to bring extra blood and oxygen to the muscles during your workout. Your heart and respiration rate slowly increase, capillaries dilate and blood supplies flow to your extremities, which will need extra oxygen to fuel your muscles when you pick up the pace. The added heat and blood flow allow muscles to become more compliant, and thus less prone to injury. Finally, a proper warm-up is likely to improve your performance.
Thursday, May 26, 2005
Health Headlines - May 26
Texas Woman Has Identical Quadruplets
Shelley Breedlove used to tease her mother about not being able to tell her apart from an identical twin sister. Now, as a new mother, Breedlove has her own identity crisis: identical quadruplets.
Health Tip: Dealing with Restless Leg Syndrome
Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a common neurological disorder characterized by unpleasant sensations of the legs, and an urge to move them for relief.
Individuals affected with the disorder describe the sensations as pulling, drawing, tingling, pins and needles, prickly, and sometimes painful feelings that are usually accompanied by an overwhelming urge to move the legs. Movement provides temporary relief from the discomfort.
Because RLS is a lifelong condition for which there is no cure, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) suggests some methods for temporary relief:
* Massage and application of cold compresses
* Medications such as temazepam, levodopa/carbidopa, bromocriptine, pergolide mesylate, oxycodone, propoxyphene, and codeine
* Correction of iron deficiency may improve symptoms for some patients.
Because symptoms are intensified by inactivity and lying down, RLS patients often have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. Left untreated, RLS causes exhaustion and fatigue, which can affect occupational performance, social activities and family life.
Health Tip: What to Watch Out For in Tanning Booths
Tanning booths may be contributing to the meteoric rise in skin cancers seen worldwide.
Especially troubling is the increasing incidence of melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, say doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital and Health System.
While tanning outdoors is distinctly unhealthy, tanning beds may be even worse because people have a false sense of security from the sun tan parlors. These establishments generally use the longer wavelength ultraviolet A, which doesn't show a visible burn until very high doses.
People think it is safer, but in fact, the longer wavelength penetrates much deeper, hitting the blood vessels, causing a decrease in immune function.
So, the next time you think about getting that "healthy glow" from a tanning bed, it may not be so healthy.
Many Heart Attack Patients Have Metabolic Syndrome
Nearly 50 percent of heart attack patients have a constellation of common risk factors known as "metabolic syndrome," putting them at increased risk for heart failure, French researchers report.
Study: Most Overactive Bladder Is Treatable
Urinary incontinence, which strikes one in every six adults and increases with age, is largely fixable, experts report.
Addiction Woes Haunt the Homeless
Psychological distress and functional impairments worsen the longer homeless addicts remain on the streets, a new study finds.
Shark Cartilage Fails as Cancer Therapy
America's interest in shark cartilage as a cancer therapy began in 1993 after a TV report on Cuban research that claimed patients with advanced cancer went into remission after treatment with the compound.
'Bad' Metabolism Could Damage Arteries
Inefficient metabolism within blood vessels may help drive atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, a new study suggests.
International Adoptees At Lower Risk of Behavior Problems
Children adopted from other countries are well-adjusted and have fewer behavioral problems than domestically adopted children, according to a Dutch study.
Depressed Heart Surgery Patients Face Higher Mortality Rates
Heart patients suffering from depression seem to be at a higher risk of death within five years of their surgery than non-depressed patients, a new study suggests.
Statins May Help Prevent Colon Cancer
Patients taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs may also be protecting themselves from colorectal cancer, researchers report.
Immune Drug May Fight Crohn's Disease
A drug called immune factor GM-CSF stimulates a specific part of the immune system and could help improve Crohn's disease symptoms, according to researchers.
Bypass Beats Stents for Heart Surgery
A major long-term study of patients treated for coronary artery disease finds that those who undergo bypass surgeries do much better than those who have an artery-widening procedure involving a stent -- a wire-mesh tube used to prop open blocked vessels.
Food Fact:
Thrilla in vanilla
In low-fat desserts, high-quality vanilla can make you a champ. Vanilla imparts a warm, rounded flavor of its own and serves as a backdrop for other spices. Its quality is crucial in low-fat desserts, because without a lot of fat the other flavors stand out more. Avoid imitation extracts; they simply taste bad. Buy vanilla extract that is labeled "pure." Or better yet, make your own: Slit 4 whole vanilla beans lengthwise, place in a jar, cover with vodka or brandy, and let steep for at least 2 weeks.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Exercise? It's in the bag.
Road trips won't stop you from exercising -- if you know what to pack. Find a little room in your suitcase for exercise tubes, a great compact tool for weight training and resistance exercises when away from home or your gym. If you travel a lot, ask a fitness pro to design an on-the-go exercise program.
FAQ of the day:
Are walking shoes a waste of money?
To find the right shoe, start with knowledgeable salespeople. If someone suggests a shoe designed for another sport as a walking shoe, move on. Ask a salesperson to measure your feet every time you buy new walking shoes -- foot size and width can change over time. Try on shoes after you've exercised and your feet are at their largest. Put on the socks you normally wear when you're walking. Make sure the shoe fits in the heel -- many women mistakenly choose shoes that are too small just because they feel secure in the heel as they walk. Replace walking shoes every 500 miles, or about twice a year.
Shelley Breedlove used to tease her mother about not being able to tell her apart from an identical twin sister. Now, as a new mother, Breedlove has her own identity crisis: identical quadruplets.
Health Tip: Dealing with Restless Leg Syndrome
Restless leg syndrome (RLS) is a common neurological disorder characterized by unpleasant sensations of the legs, and an urge to move them for relief.
Individuals affected with the disorder describe the sensations as pulling, drawing, tingling, pins and needles, prickly, and sometimes painful feelings that are usually accompanied by an overwhelming urge to move the legs. Movement provides temporary relief from the discomfort.
Because RLS is a lifelong condition for which there is no cure, the National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS) suggests some methods for temporary relief:
* Massage and application of cold compresses
* Medications such as temazepam, levodopa/carbidopa, bromocriptine, pergolide mesylate, oxycodone, propoxyphene, and codeine
* Correction of iron deficiency may improve symptoms for some patients.
Because symptoms are intensified by inactivity and lying down, RLS patients often have difficulty falling asleep and staying asleep. Left untreated, RLS causes exhaustion and fatigue, which can affect occupational performance, social activities and family life.
Health Tip: What to Watch Out For in Tanning Booths
Tanning booths may be contributing to the meteoric rise in skin cancers seen worldwide.
Especially troubling is the increasing incidence of melanoma, the most deadly form of skin cancer, say doctors at Johns Hopkins Hospital and Health System.
While tanning outdoors is distinctly unhealthy, tanning beds may be even worse because people have a false sense of security from the sun tan parlors. These establishments generally use the longer wavelength ultraviolet A, which doesn't show a visible burn until very high doses.
People think it is safer, but in fact, the longer wavelength penetrates much deeper, hitting the blood vessels, causing a decrease in immune function.
So, the next time you think about getting that "healthy glow" from a tanning bed, it may not be so healthy.
Many Heart Attack Patients Have Metabolic Syndrome
Nearly 50 percent of heart attack patients have a constellation of common risk factors known as "metabolic syndrome," putting them at increased risk for heart failure, French researchers report.
Study: Most Overactive Bladder Is Treatable
Urinary incontinence, which strikes one in every six adults and increases with age, is largely fixable, experts report.
Addiction Woes Haunt the Homeless
Psychological distress and functional impairments worsen the longer homeless addicts remain on the streets, a new study finds.
Shark Cartilage Fails as Cancer Therapy
America's interest in shark cartilage as a cancer therapy began in 1993 after a TV report on Cuban research that claimed patients with advanced cancer went into remission after treatment with the compound.
'Bad' Metabolism Could Damage Arteries
Inefficient metabolism within blood vessels may help drive atherosclerosis, or hardening of the arteries, a new study suggests.
International Adoptees At Lower Risk of Behavior Problems
Children adopted from other countries are well-adjusted and have fewer behavioral problems than domestically adopted children, according to a Dutch study.
Depressed Heart Surgery Patients Face Higher Mortality Rates
Heart patients suffering from depression seem to be at a higher risk of death within five years of their surgery than non-depressed patients, a new study suggests.
Statins May Help Prevent Colon Cancer
Patients taking cholesterol-lowering statin drugs may also be protecting themselves from colorectal cancer, researchers report.
Immune Drug May Fight Crohn's Disease
A drug called immune factor GM-CSF stimulates a specific part of the immune system and could help improve Crohn's disease symptoms, according to researchers.
Bypass Beats Stents for Heart Surgery
A major long-term study of patients treated for coronary artery disease finds that those who undergo bypass surgeries do much better than those who have an artery-widening procedure involving a stent -- a wire-mesh tube used to prop open blocked vessels.
Food Fact:
Thrilla in vanilla
In low-fat desserts, high-quality vanilla can make you a champ. Vanilla imparts a warm, rounded flavor of its own and serves as a backdrop for other spices. Its quality is crucial in low-fat desserts, because without a lot of fat the other flavors stand out more. Avoid imitation extracts; they simply taste bad. Buy vanilla extract that is labeled "pure." Or better yet, make your own: Slit 4 whole vanilla beans lengthwise, place in a jar, cover with vodka or brandy, and let steep for at least 2 weeks.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Exercise? It's in the bag.
Road trips won't stop you from exercising -- if you know what to pack. Find a little room in your suitcase for exercise tubes, a great compact tool for weight training and resistance exercises when away from home or your gym. If you travel a lot, ask a fitness pro to design an on-the-go exercise program.
FAQ of the day:
Are walking shoes a waste of money?
To find the right shoe, start with knowledgeable salespeople. If someone suggests a shoe designed for another sport as a walking shoe, move on. Ask a salesperson to measure your feet every time you buy new walking shoes -- foot size and width can change over time. Try on shoes after you've exercised and your feet are at their largest. Put on the socks you normally wear when you're walking. Make sure the shoe fits in the heel -- many women mistakenly choose shoes that are too small just because they feel secure in the heel as they walk. Replace walking shoes every 500 miles, or about twice a year.
Wednesday, May 25, 2005
Health Headlines - May 25
Nitric Oxide Test Helps Monitor Asthma
Within a few years, doctors may have a new tool to help assess the severity of your asthma, which will help them better predict your need for inhaled corticosteroid medication.
Why Patients Fail to Take Their Medicines
Within six months of starting medications to reduce their high blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels, one in three patients tracked in a new study failed to take those medications as prescribed, researchers report.
Erectile Trouble May Signal Heart Disease
Many men with erectile dysfunction may face an even tougher health problem: heart disease.
Hair Dye Cleared of Cancer Risk
The millions of people with faux hair color can breathe a sigh of relief: New research from Spain suggests that hair dye does not appear to increase the risk of cancer.
A Better Way to Diagnose Heart Disease?
New high-tech computerized X-ray scans may help heart patients avoid invasive tests to determine whether they have serious cardiovascular disease, German researchers report.
Suicidal Thoughts, Attempts Remain Unchanged in U.S.
A decrease in suicides in the United States since the early 1990s has not been matched by a drop in suicidal behaviors, a new study finds.
Exercise Boosts Breast Cancer Survival
If you have breast cancer and have undergone treatment for it, there's one more thing you can do to increase the odds you'll survive the disease: exercise.
Laughter-Induced Asthma No Joke
There's nothing funny about this: Laughter can cause an asthma flare-up.
Plus-Size Instructor Urges Yoga for All
As Megan Garcia prepares to do a twisting yoga pose, she reminds her students to lift their bellies up and over their legs. Wearing a one-piece purple leotard, she's not shy about the love handles around her waist or the extra flesh on her thighs.
Rodent Virus Now Linked to Six Deaths
At least six deaths of organ transplant patients have now been linked to a rodent virus, raising questions about whether others may have gone undetected and whether the germ also could spread through blood transfusions.
Defibrillator Maker Didn't Reveal Problem
The maker of an internal heart defibrillator acknowledged it waited three years before telling some 24,000 patients and their doctors about an electrical problem that caused a small fraction of the implanted devices to short-circuit.
U.S. suicides fall but ideas of suicide don't
The proportion of U.S. adults contemplating or attempting suicide stayed about the same over the last decade, while the availability of treatment increased and the actual suicide rate fell, a study said on Tuesday.
Breast cancer patients should walk to live -study
Women with breast cancer who walk at least an hour a week have a better chance of beating the disease than those who don't exercise at all, researchers said on Tuesday.
Food Fact:
Like buttermilk...
Despite its rich-sounding name, buttermilk is tremendous for low-fat cooks. Today's commercial buttermilk is made from skim or low-fat milk that has healthful bacteria added to it, which thickens the milk and gives it a pleasant dairy tang. Use buttermilk in salad dressings, low-fat biscuits and muffins, or in our favorite, buttermilk mashed potatoes. But what about that name? It's a relic of the past, when buttermilk was the liquid left after churning butter.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Mirror, mirror...
Ever wonder why health clubs have all those mirrors? No, it's not for vanity's sake! The mirrors are there to assure you're maintaining proper form when exercising. You're not being a narcissist when you position yourself in front of the mirror; pay careful attention to see you're doing the exercise right. If you are uncertain as to how to perform an exercise, don't hesitate to ask for help.
FAQ of the day:
Does "spot reducing" really work?
Miavita Scientific Advisor Steve Blair of the Cooper Institute for Aerobic Research says: While specific exercises have specific effects -- for example, a leg press on a weight machine will improve strength and endurance of the involved muscles -- fat isn't selectively metabolized by exercise. The possible exception is "abdominal obesity," the "apple shape" common in men and some women. There is some evidence that exercise effectively targets this "visceral fat" associated with a high risk of heart attack and Type 2 diabetes. Generally speaking, as you burn more calories than you consume, you will burn fat from all over your body. Focus on a balanced exercise program for both aerobic and musculoskeletal fitness, which can give you a strong, healthy, fit body, no matter what its shape.
Within a few years, doctors may have a new tool to help assess the severity of your asthma, which will help them better predict your need for inhaled corticosteroid medication.
Why Patients Fail to Take Their Medicines
Within six months of starting medications to reduce their high blood pressure and lower cholesterol levels, one in three patients tracked in a new study failed to take those medications as prescribed, researchers report.
Erectile Trouble May Signal Heart Disease
Many men with erectile dysfunction may face an even tougher health problem: heart disease.
Hair Dye Cleared of Cancer Risk
The millions of people with faux hair color can breathe a sigh of relief: New research from Spain suggests that hair dye does not appear to increase the risk of cancer.
A Better Way to Diagnose Heart Disease?
New high-tech computerized X-ray scans may help heart patients avoid invasive tests to determine whether they have serious cardiovascular disease, German researchers report.
Suicidal Thoughts, Attempts Remain Unchanged in U.S.
A decrease in suicides in the United States since the early 1990s has not been matched by a drop in suicidal behaviors, a new study finds.
Exercise Boosts Breast Cancer Survival
If you have breast cancer and have undergone treatment for it, there's one more thing you can do to increase the odds you'll survive the disease: exercise.
Laughter-Induced Asthma No Joke
There's nothing funny about this: Laughter can cause an asthma flare-up.
Plus-Size Instructor Urges Yoga for All
As Megan Garcia prepares to do a twisting yoga pose, she reminds her students to lift their bellies up and over their legs. Wearing a one-piece purple leotard, she's not shy about the love handles around her waist or the extra flesh on her thighs.
Rodent Virus Now Linked to Six Deaths
At least six deaths of organ transplant patients have now been linked to a rodent virus, raising questions about whether others may have gone undetected and whether the germ also could spread through blood transfusions.
Defibrillator Maker Didn't Reveal Problem
The maker of an internal heart defibrillator acknowledged it waited three years before telling some 24,000 patients and their doctors about an electrical problem that caused a small fraction of the implanted devices to short-circuit.
U.S. suicides fall but ideas of suicide don't
The proportion of U.S. adults contemplating or attempting suicide stayed about the same over the last decade, while the availability of treatment increased and the actual suicide rate fell, a study said on Tuesday.
Breast cancer patients should walk to live -study
Women with breast cancer who walk at least an hour a week have a better chance of beating the disease than those who don't exercise at all, researchers said on Tuesday.
Food Fact:
Like buttermilk...
Despite its rich-sounding name, buttermilk is tremendous for low-fat cooks. Today's commercial buttermilk is made from skim or low-fat milk that has healthful bacteria added to it, which thickens the milk and gives it a pleasant dairy tang. Use buttermilk in salad dressings, low-fat biscuits and muffins, or in our favorite, buttermilk mashed potatoes. But what about that name? It's a relic of the past, when buttermilk was the liquid left after churning butter.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Mirror, mirror...
Ever wonder why health clubs have all those mirrors? No, it's not for vanity's sake! The mirrors are there to assure you're maintaining proper form when exercising. You're not being a narcissist when you position yourself in front of the mirror; pay careful attention to see you're doing the exercise right. If you are uncertain as to how to perform an exercise, don't hesitate to ask for help.
FAQ of the day:
Does "spot reducing" really work?
Miavita Scientific Advisor Steve Blair of the Cooper Institute for Aerobic Research says: While specific exercises have specific effects -- for example, a leg press on a weight machine will improve strength and endurance of the involved muscles -- fat isn't selectively metabolized by exercise. The possible exception is "abdominal obesity," the "apple shape" common in men and some women. There is some evidence that exercise effectively targets this "visceral fat" associated with a high risk of heart attack and Type 2 diabetes. Generally speaking, as you burn more calories than you consume, you will burn fat from all over your body. Focus on a balanced exercise program for both aerobic and musculoskeletal fitness, which can give you a strong, healthy, fit body, no matter what its shape.
Tuesday, May 24, 2005
Health Headlines - May 24
Patients Iced Down to Avoid Brain Damage
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:
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.
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.
Monday, May 23, 2005
Health Headlines - May 23
Eye Allergies Cause Corneal Transplant Failures, Study Says
Transplanting the cornea is difficult enough, but researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center report they have found that eye allergies may make transplanting the Cornea close to impossible.
"We found that the immune system's response to corneal transplants was profoundly elevated in mice with allergic eye disease, resulting in the rejection of 100 percent of the corneal grafts," Dr. Jerry Niederkorn, the study's senior author said in a press release. "This was in sharp contrast to the 50 percent rejection rate that occurred in the mice without allergic eye disease," he added.
The study appears in the June edition of the Journal of Immunology.
The reason for the overwhelming rejection of the delicate corneal membrane may have to do with the way the immune system in the eye reacts not only to the new cornea but also to allergies already there, the researchers say.
Ragweed pollen was used in the right eyes of the study animals. When the corneas were transplanted, the allergic mice had a rejection rate twice as fast as the control group.
The scientists then transplanted corneas in the left eyes, which did not have any allergies, but the rejection rate was still the same.
"The allergist and ophthalmologist need to work as partners in managing the allergic patient who is destined to receive a corneal transplant," Niderkorn concluded.
Connecticut Expected to Enact Tough Anti-Junk Food Law for Schools
At least 17 states have attempted banning junk food and soda in schools in the past, but the results have been mixed. Now, Connecticut is very close to passing the most sweeping restrictions every attempted on high-calorie, high-fat food and drink in the nation.
The reason many advocates of healthier food in school lunchrooms will be watching the Connecticut project so closely is because it is so broad, the Associated Press reports. It applies to every grade and every school where food is sold, the wire service says. "Connecticut would be the first state to apply those standards to high schools," the A.P quotes Margo Wootan, director of nutritional policy for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, as saying.
The legislation has already passed Connecticut's assembly. It will be debated this coming week in the state Senate, where it is also expected to pass. According to the wire service, the new law would ban soda and junk food in cafeterias, vending machines and school stores. It also requires 20 minutes of physical activity outside of gym for children in kindergarten through fifth grade.
Anti-Depression Implant Device Nears Approval Despite Questionable Results
An implantable device called a vagus nerve stimulator may soon receive government approval for treating people with severe bouts of depression.
But test results indicate that its effectiveness is far from certain, the New York Times reports.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has already approved the implant device for the treatment of epilepsy, the newspaper says. The nerve stimulator is a pacemaker-like device, implanted in the upper chest, with wires leading to the brain. The problem, the Times says, is that clinical trials have shown that the nerve stimulator was no more effective in fighting severe depression than a placebo procedure, in which the machine was implanted but never activated.
In fact, the newspaper says, most patients who pay up to $15,000 for the device show no mood improvement at all. A few do, but not enough to necessarily warrant FDA approval, the Times quotes one expert as saying.
"I've never seen anything quite like this," Dr. Peter Lurie, deputy director of health research at Public Citizen, told the newspaper. Public Citizen is a nonprofit group that monitors government agencies and their relationships private industry. "What we could be ! setting ourselves up for is an epidemic of implantation of a device with no proven effectiveness."
The vagus nerve stimulator is manufactured by Houston-based Cyberonics Inc., whose stocked has fluctuated while waiting for a final decision from the FDA.
FDA Warns About Street Use of Cough and Cold Drug
A drug commonly found in over-the-counter cold and cough medicines may be the cause of five recent deaths when offered in a powdered form sold in capsules on the street.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning about synthetically produced dextromethorphan (DXM), saying it is working with law enforcement officials to warn the public about abuse of the the drug's powdered form.
"Although DXM, when formulated properly and used in small amounts, can be safely used in cough suppressant medicines," the FDA says in a news release, "abuse of the drug can cause death as well as other serious adverse events such as brain damage, seizure,loss of consciousness, and irregular heart beat." The agency says that DXM has gradually replaced codeine as the most widely used cough suppressant used in over-the-counter cold and cough remedies.
Calling the trend of finding more DXM being sold in the powdered form "disturbing," the agency has issued the DXM alert and offered a link to its over the counter drug alert Web site.
Bush Vows Veto of Stem Cell Legislation
President George W. Bush said Friday that he would veto legislation being considered by the House of Representatives to ease restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.
"I have made very clear to the Congress that the use of taxpayer money to promote science that destroys life in order to save life, I am against that," Bush told reporters in the Oval Office before meeting with Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, according to a Bloomberg news report. "If the bill does that, I will veto it."
The U.S. House will vote as early as next week on two competing bills governing stem-cell research. One proposal, written by Delaware Republican Mike Castle, would remove the limit on the number of embryonic stem-cell lines eligible for federal research funding. The measure has 202 co-sponsors and could pass the House with 218 votes. The other proposal, sponsored by New Jersey Republican Christopher H. Smith with 41 co-sponsors, would encourage research on umbilical cord blood stem cells by establishing a national system of cord-blood banks.
The President's vow followed word out of Britain that Newcastle University scientists have successfully created Britain's first cloned human embryo -- an early stage embryo cloned from a human cell using nuclear transfer.
Last August, the same team of scientists became the first in Britain to receive a license for human cloning. The Newcastle researchers' goal is to eventually develop insulin-producing cells that could be transplanted into people with diabetes, the Associated Press reported.
Cloned human embryos are used to supply stem cells that may offer a way to repair spinal cord injuries and heal numerous diseases.
And the White House reaction also followed the announcement Thursday that a team of South Korean scientists had found a way to accelerate the creation of human embryonic stem cells.
Food Fact:
Zest for life.
Don't toss away that orange peel -- it may help protect you against cancer. Grated citrus zest -- the outmost layer of the peel, not the white pith -- includes compounds may provide health benefits, such as inhibiting development of some cancers and lowering cholesterol. Scrub the rind with warm water and a drop of soap before starting to grate. Press a piece of wax paper onto the grater to make clean-up easier; the zest accumulates on the paper instead of getting stuck in the holes of the grater. Best of all, you can use the zest for a flavor boost in low-fat baked goods, pilafs, salad dressings, marinades and fruit salads.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Uncover hidden muscles.
The key to six-pack abs is not 500 sit-ups a day; it's skipping the excess calories. Improved muscle definition comes from losing body fat, not from increasing muscle size. For a healthy lean body, you need to find a balance between exercise and diet. Weight training will condition the muscle, but unless you address your total calorie intake, all that hard work will be hiding under a layer of fat.
FAQ of the day:
What's the "best" exercise?
Miavita Scientific Advisor Steve Blair of the Cooper Institute for Aerobic Research says: Instead of looking for the "best" exercise, think about the best reasons to exercise. Take weight control. If you burn more calories than you consume you'll lose weight. It doesn't matter if you do it by running, washing your car or digging in your garden. Likewise, your heart and muscles aren't picky about the activity you choose; they'll be happy whether you choose to jog or play tennis. What matters is the regular physiological stress placed on the various body systems, which results in improved fitness. Even the "best" exercise program is worthless if you won't do it. A "lesser" program that you follow regularly is much better for you than no exercise at all. The bottom line is to find any activity you enjoy that gets you up out of your chair and moving. The best exercise is the one that you like to do!
Transplanting the cornea is difficult enough, but researchers at the University of Texas Southwestern Medical Center report they have found that eye allergies may make transplanting the Cornea close to impossible.
"We found that the immune system's response to corneal transplants was profoundly elevated in mice with allergic eye disease, resulting in the rejection of 100 percent of the corneal grafts," Dr. Jerry Niederkorn, the study's senior author said in a press release. "This was in sharp contrast to the 50 percent rejection rate that occurred in the mice without allergic eye disease," he added.
The study appears in the June edition of the Journal of Immunology.
The reason for the overwhelming rejection of the delicate corneal membrane may have to do with the way the immune system in the eye reacts not only to the new cornea but also to allergies already there, the researchers say.
Ragweed pollen was used in the right eyes of the study animals. When the corneas were transplanted, the allergic mice had a rejection rate twice as fast as the control group.
The scientists then transplanted corneas in the left eyes, which did not have any allergies, but the rejection rate was still the same.
"The allergist and ophthalmologist need to work as partners in managing the allergic patient who is destined to receive a corneal transplant," Niderkorn concluded.
Connecticut Expected to Enact Tough Anti-Junk Food Law for Schools
At least 17 states have attempted banning junk food and soda in schools in the past, but the results have been mixed. Now, Connecticut is very close to passing the most sweeping restrictions every attempted on high-calorie, high-fat food and drink in the nation.
The reason many advocates of healthier food in school lunchrooms will be watching the Connecticut project so closely is because it is so broad, the Associated Press reports. It applies to every grade and every school where food is sold, the wire service says. "Connecticut would be the first state to apply those standards to high schools," the A.P quotes Margo Wootan, director of nutritional policy for the Center for Science in the Public Interest, as saying.
The legislation has already passed Connecticut's assembly. It will be debated this coming week in the state Senate, where it is also expected to pass. According to the wire service, the new law would ban soda and junk food in cafeterias, vending machines and school stores. It also requires 20 minutes of physical activity outside of gym for children in kindergarten through fifth grade.
Anti-Depression Implant Device Nears Approval Despite Questionable Results
An implantable device called a vagus nerve stimulator may soon receive government approval for treating people with severe bouts of depression.
But test results indicate that its effectiveness is far from certain, the New York Times reports.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has already approved the implant device for the treatment of epilepsy, the newspaper says. The nerve stimulator is a pacemaker-like device, implanted in the upper chest, with wires leading to the brain. The problem, the Times says, is that clinical trials have shown that the nerve stimulator was no more effective in fighting severe depression than a placebo procedure, in which the machine was implanted but never activated.
In fact, the newspaper says, most patients who pay up to $15,000 for the device show no mood improvement at all. A few do, but not enough to necessarily warrant FDA approval, the Times quotes one expert as saying.
"I've never seen anything quite like this," Dr. Peter Lurie, deputy director of health research at Public Citizen, told the newspaper. Public Citizen is a nonprofit group that monitors government agencies and their relationships private industry. "What we could be ! setting ourselves up for is an epidemic of implantation of a device with no proven effectiveness."
The vagus nerve stimulator is manufactured by Houston-based Cyberonics Inc., whose stocked has fluctuated while waiting for a final decision from the FDA.
FDA Warns About Street Use of Cough and Cold Drug
A drug commonly found in over-the-counter cold and cough medicines may be the cause of five recent deaths when offered in a powdered form sold in capsules on the street.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning about synthetically produced dextromethorphan (DXM), saying it is working with law enforcement officials to warn the public about abuse of the the drug's powdered form.
"Although DXM, when formulated properly and used in small amounts, can be safely used in cough suppressant medicines," the FDA says in a news release, "abuse of the drug can cause death as well as other serious adverse events such as brain damage, seizure,loss of consciousness, and irregular heart beat." The agency says that DXM has gradually replaced codeine as the most widely used cough suppressant used in over-the-counter cold and cough remedies.
Calling the trend of finding more DXM being sold in the powdered form "disturbing," the agency has issued the DXM alert and offered a link to its over the counter drug alert Web site.
Bush Vows Veto of Stem Cell Legislation
President George W. Bush said Friday that he would veto legislation being considered by the House of Representatives to ease restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.
"I have made very clear to the Congress that the use of taxpayer money to promote science that destroys life in order to save life, I am against that," Bush told reporters in the Oval Office before meeting with Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, according to a Bloomberg news report. "If the bill does that, I will veto it."
The U.S. House will vote as early as next week on two competing bills governing stem-cell research. One proposal, written by Delaware Republican Mike Castle, would remove the limit on the number of embryonic stem-cell lines eligible for federal research funding. The measure has 202 co-sponsors and could pass the House with 218 votes. The other proposal, sponsored by New Jersey Republican Christopher H. Smith with 41 co-sponsors, would encourage research on umbilical cord blood stem cells by establishing a national system of cord-blood banks.
The President's vow followed word out of Britain that Newcastle University scientists have successfully created Britain's first cloned human embryo -- an early stage embryo cloned from a human cell using nuclear transfer.
Last August, the same team of scientists became the first in Britain to receive a license for human cloning. The Newcastle researchers' goal is to eventually develop insulin-producing cells that could be transplanted into people with diabetes, the Associated Press reported.
Cloned human embryos are used to supply stem cells that may offer a way to repair spinal cord injuries and heal numerous diseases.
And the White House reaction also followed the announcement Thursday that a team of South Korean scientists had found a way to accelerate the creation of human embryonic stem cells.
Food Fact:
Zest for life.
Don't toss away that orange peel -- it may help protect you against cancer. Grated citrus zest -- the outmost layer of the peel, not the white pith -- includes compounds may provide health benefits, such as inhibiting development of some cancers and lowering cholesterol. Scrub the rind with warm water and a drop of soap before starting to grate. Press a piece of wax paper onto the grater to make clean-up easier; the zest accumulates on the paper instead of getting stuck in the holes of the grater. Best of all, you can use the zest for a flavor boost in low-fat baked goods, pilafs, salad dressings, marinades and fruit salads.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Uncover hidden muscles.
The key to six-pack abs is not 500 sit-ups a day; it's skipping the excess calories. Improved muscle definition comes from losing body fat, not from increasing muscle size. For a healthy lean body, you need to find a balance between exercise and diet. Weight training will condition the muscle, but unless you address your total calorie intake, all that hard work will be hiding under a layer of fat.
FAQ of the day:
What's the "best" exercise?
Miavita Scientific Advisor Steve Blair of the Cooper Institute for Aerobic Research says: Instead of looking for the "best" exercise, think about the best reasons to exercise. Take weight control. If you burn more calories than you consume you'll lose weight. It doesn't matter if you do it by running, washing your car or digging in your garden. Likewise, your heart and muscles aren't picky about the activity you choose; they'll be happy whether you choose to jog or play tennis. What matters is the regular physiological stress placed on the various body systems, which results in improved fitness. Even the "best" exercise program is worthless if you won't do it. A "lesser" program that you follow regularly is much better for you than no exercise at all. The bottom line is to find any activity you enjoy that gets you up out of your chair and moving. The best exercise is the one that you like to do!
Sunday, May 22, 2005
Health Headlines - May 22
Anti-Depression Implant Device Nears Approval Despite Questionable Results
An implantable device called a vagus nerve stimulator may soon receive government approval for treating people with severe bouts of depression.
But test results indicate that its effectiveness is far from certain, the New York Times reports.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has already approved the implant device for the treatment of epilepsy, the newspaper says. The nerve stimulator is a pacemaker-like device, implanted in the upper chest, with wires leading to the brain. The problem, the Times says, is that clinical trials have shown that the nerve stimulator was no more effective in fighting severe depression than a placebo procedure, in which the machine was implanted but never activated.
In fact, the newspaper says, most patients who pay up to $15,000 for the device show no mood improvement at all. A few do, but not enough to necessarily warrant FDA approval, the Times quotes one expert as saying.
"I've never seen anything quite like this," Dr. Peter Lurie, deputy director of health research at Public Citizen, told the newspaper. Public Citizen is a nonprofit group that monitors government agencies and their relationships private industry. "What we could be ! setting ourselves up for is an epidemic of implantation of a device with no proven effectiveness."
The vagus nerve stimulator is manufactured by Houston-based Cyberonics Inc., whose stocked has fluctuated while waiting for a final decision from the FDA.
FDA Warns About Street Use of Cough and Cold Drug
A drug commonly found in over-the-counter cold and cough medicines may be the cause of five recent deaths when offered in a powdered form sold in capsules on the street.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning about synthetically produced dextromethorphan (DXM), saying it is working with law enforcement officials to warn the public about abuse of the the drug's powdered form.
"Although DXM, when formulated properly and used in small amounts, can be safely used in cough suppressant medicines," the FDA says in a news release, "abuse of the drug can cause death as well as other serious adverse events such as brain damage, seizure,loss of consciousness, and irregular heart beat." The agency says that DXM has gradually replaced codeine as the most widely used cough suppressant used in over-the-counter cold and cough remedies.
Calling the trend of finding more DXM being sold in the powdered form "disturbing," the agency has issued the DXM alert and offered a link to its over the counter drug alert Web site.
Bush Vows Veto of Stem Cell Legislation
President George W. Bush said Friday that he would veto legislation being considered by the House of Representatives to ease restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.
"I have made very clear to the Congress that the use of taxpayer money to promote science that destroys life in order to save life, I am against that," Bush told reporters in the Oval Office before meeting with Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, according to a Bloomberg news report. "If the bill does that, I will veto it."
The U.S. House will vote as early as next week on two competing bills governing stem-cell research. One proposal, written by Delaware Republican Mike Castle, would remove the limit on the number of embryonic stem-cell lines eligible for federal research funding. The measure has 202 co-sponsors and could pass the House with 218 votes. The other proposal, sponsored by New Jersey Republican Christopher H. Smith with 41 co-sponsors, would encourage research on umbilical cord blood stem cells by establishing a national system of cord-blood banks.
The President's vow followed word out of Britain that Newcastle University scientists have successfully created Britain's first cloned human embryo -- an early stage embryo cloned from a human cell using nuclear transfer.
Last August, the same team of scientists became the first in Britain to receive a license for human cloning. The Newcastle researchers' goal is to eventually develop insulin-producing cells that could be transplanted into people with diabetes, the Associated Press reported.
Cloned human embryos are used to supply stem cells that may offer a way to repair spinal cord injuries and heal numerous diseases.
And the White House reaction also followed the announcement Thursday that a team of South Korean scientists had found a way to accelerate the creation of human embryonic stem cells. They were able to grow 11 new batches of stem cells that, for the first time, genetically matched injured or sick patients, the AP reported.
The same research team created the world's first cloned human embryo last year.
Heart Attack Patients Often Struggle With Depression: Study
One in five patients hospitalized for heart attack suffers from major depression. What's more, these patients may be more likely than other heart attack patients to need hospital care again within a year for a cardiac problem, and three times as likely to die from a future attack or other heart problems.
Those findings are contained in a report released Friday by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
The review suggests that 60 percent to 70 percent of people who become depressed when hospitalized for a heart attack continue to suffer from depression for one month to four months or more after discharge.
The researchers also found that, during the first year following a heart attack, those with major depression can have a delay in returning to work, poorer quality of life, and worse physical and psychological health.
On the plus side, the reviewers found that both counseling and certain antidepressants are effective at reducing symptoms of depression in patients following a heart attack.
"This report provides the scientific evidence clinicians need to know about the prevalence of depression in heart attack survivors, how depression affects these patients, and the need to treat the disease early," said AHRQ Director Dr. Carolyn M. Clancy in a prepared statement.
Too Much TV, Too Little Sleep Linked to Childhood Obesity
Getting less than 10.5 hours of sleep per night and watching more than eight hours of TV a week are among eight key factors that increase the risk of obesity in young children, says a U.K. study in the British Medical Journal online edition.
The other key factors identified by University of Glasgow and Bristol researchers were: birth weight; parental obesity; size in early life -- measured at eight and 18 months; rapid weight gain in the first year of life; rapid catch-up growth up to two years of age, and early development of body fatness in pre-school years.
The findings from this study of 9,000 children support the theory that early life environment can influence obesity risk, the study authors said. They way that these factors may increase the risk of obesity is complex, BBC News Online reported.
Many interventions designed to prevent obesity have been unsuccessful, the researchers noted.
Food Fact:
Got your bacteria?
Yogurt is crawling with bacteria -- and the more of it you eat, the better. Be sure to buy yogurt with a seal that guarantees it has live, active cultures. These cultures -- especially acidophilus and bifida -- colonize the lower intestines with beneficial bacteria while muscling out disease-causing bacteria. Eating yogurt may help prevent diarrhea in people taking antibiotics. Yogurt is easy to digest, especially for those who are lactose-intolerant, and is an excellent source of calcium, protein, riboflavin (a B vitamin), vitamin B-12 (which may be low in vegetarian diets) and vitamin A. To avoid unwanted saturated fat, choose nonfat or low-fat yogurt.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Water on the knee?
Here's a tip for anyone whose exercise routine is hindered by sore knees. A water aerobics class is a perfect way to exercise while minimizing stress on your joints. The water provides a fair amount of resistance, yet at the same time it provides a vital protective cushion for sore joints.
FAQ of the day:
Should I worry about eating proteins at each meal?
Pairing foods to provide all essential amino acids at one meal is no longer considered critical for vegetarians. Plant proteins are not as complete in all essential amino acids as animal proteins, so it became common advice for vegetarians to eat a food low in one essential amino acid in tandem with another that was high in that particular amino acid. But as scientists learned more about protein metabolism, they discovered that the body maintains a pool of amino acids it draws from to fill any gaps from meal to meal. There's no need to worry about matching foods at meals, as long as you eat a varied diet. Soy foods in particular are excellent sources of essential amino acids.
An implantable device called a vagus nerve stimulator may soon receive government approval for treating people with severe bouts of depression.
But test results indicate that its effectiveness is far from certain, the New York Times reports.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has already approved the implant device for the treatment of epilepsy, the newspaper says. The nerve stimulator is a pacemaker-like device, implanted in the upper chest, with wires leading to the brain. The problem, the Times says, is that clinical trials have shown that the nerve stimulator was no more effective in fighting severe depression than a placebo procedure, in which the machine was implanted but never activated.
In fact, the newspaper says, most patients who pay up to $15,000 for the device show no mood improvement at all. A few do, but not enough to necessarily warrant FDA approval, the Times quotes one expert as saying.
"I've never seen anything quite like this," Dr. Peter Lurie, deputy director of health research at Public Citizen, told the newspaper. Public Citizen is a nonprofit group that monitors government agencies and their relationships private industry. "What we could be ! setting ourselves up for is an epidemic of implantation of a device with no proven effectiveness."
The vagus nerve stimulator is manufactured by Houston-based Cyberonics Inc., whose stocked has fluctuated while waiting for a final decision from the FDA.
FDA Warns About Street Use of Cough and Cold Drug
A drug commonly found in over-the-counter cold and cough medicines may be the cause of five recent deaths when offered in a powdered form sold in capsules on the street.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has issued a warning about synthetically produced dextromethorphan (DXM), saying it is working with law enforcement officials to warn the public about abuse of the the drug's powdered form.
"Although DXM, when formulated properly and used in small amounts, can be safely used in cough suppressant medicines," the FDA says in a news release, "abuse of the drug can cause death as well as other serious adverse events such as brain damage, seizure,loss of consciousness, and irregular heart beat." The agency says that DXM has gradually replaced codeine as the most widely used cough suppressant used in over-the-counter cold and cough remedies.
Calling the trend of finding more DXM being sold in the powdered form "disturbing," the agency has issued the DXM alert and offered a link to its over the counter drug alert Web site.
Bush Vows Veto of Stem Cell Legislation
President George W. Bush said Friday that he would veto legislation being considered by the House of Representatives to ease restrictions on federal funding for embryonic stem cell research.
"I have made very clear to the Congress that the use of taxpayer money to promote science that destroys life in order to save life, I am against that," Bush told reporters in the Oval Office before meeting with Danish Prime Minister Anders Fogh Rasmussen, according to a Bloomberg news report. "If the bill does that, I will veto it."
The U.S. House will vote as early as next week on two competing bills governing stem-cell research. One proposal, written by Delaware Republican Mike Castle, would remove the limit on the number of embryonic stem-cell lines eligible for federal research funding. The measure has 202 co-sponsors and could pass the House with 218 votes. The other proposal, sponsored by New Jersey Republican Christopher H. Smith with 41 co-sponsors, would encourage research on umbilical cord blood stem cells by establishing a national system of cord-blood banks.
The President's vow followed word out of Britain that Newcastle University scientists have successfully created Britain's first cloned human embryo -- an early stage embryo cloned from a human cell using nuclear transfer.
Last August, the same team of scientists became the first in Britain to receive a license for human cloning. The Newcastle researchers' goal is to eventually develop insulin-producing cells that could be transplanted into people with diabetes, the Associated Press reported.
Cloned human embryos are used to supply stem cells that may offer a way to repair spinal cord injuries and heal numerous diseases.
And the White House reaction also followed the announcement Thursday that a team of South Korean scientists had found a way to accelerate the creation of human embryonic stem cells. They were able to grow 11 new batches of stem cells that, for the first time, genetically matched injured or sick patients, the AP reported.
The same research team created the world's first cloned human embryo last year.
Heart Attack Patients Often Struggle With Depression: Study
One in five patients hospitalized for heart attack suffers from major depression. What's more, these patients may be more likely than other heart attack patients to need hospital care again within a year for a cardiac problem, and three times as likely to die from a future attack or other heart problems.
Those findings are contained in a report released Friday by the federal Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality.
The review suggests that 60 percent to 70 percent of people who become depressed when hospitalized for a heart attack continue to suffer from depression for one month to four months or more after discharge.
The researchers also found that, during the first year following a heart attack, those with major depression can have a delay in returning to work, poorer quality of life, and worse physical and psychological health.
On the plus side, the reviewers found that both counseling and certain antidepressants are effective at reducing symptoms of depression in patients following a heart attack.
"This report provides the scientific evidence clinicians need to know about the prevalence of depression in heart attack survivors, how depression affects these patients, and the need to treat the disease early," said AHRQ Director Dr. Carolyn M. Clancy in a prepared statement.
Too Much TV, Too Little Sleep Linked to Childhood Obesity
Getting less than 10.5 hours of sleep per night and watching more than eight hours of TV a week are among eight key factors that increase the risk of obesity in young children, says a U.K. study in the British Medical Journal online edition.
The other key factors identified by University of Glasgow and Bristol researchers were: birth weight; parental obesity; size in early life -- measured at eight and 18 months; rapid weight gain in the first year of life; rapid catch-up growth up to two years of age, and early development of body fatness in pre-school years.
The findings from this study of 9,000 children support the theory that early life environment can influence obesity risk, the study authors said. They way that these factors may increase the risk of obesity is complex, BBC News Online reported.
Many interventions designed to prevent obesity have been unsuccessful, the researchers noted.
Food Fact:
Got your bacteria?
Yogurt is crawling with bacteria -- and the more of it you eat, the better. Be sure to buy yogurt with a seal that guarantees it has live, active cultures. These cultures -- especially acidophilus and bifida -- colonize the lower intestines with beneficial bacteria while muscling out disease-causing bacteria. Eating yogurt may help prevent diarrhea in people taking antibiotics. Yogurt is easy to digest, especially for those who are lactose-intolerant, and is an excellent source of calcium, protein, riboflavin (a B vitamin), vitamin B-12 (which may be low in vegetarian diets) and vitamin A. To avoid unwanted saturated fat, choose nonfat or low-fat yogurt.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Water on the knee?
Here's a tip for anyone whose exercise routine is hindered by sore knees. A water aerobics class is a perfect way to exercise while minimizing stress on your joints. The water provides a fair amount of resistance, yet at the same time it provides a vital protective cushion for sore joints.
FAQ of the day:
Should I worry about eating proteins at each meal?
Pairing foods to provide all essential amino acids at one meal is no longer considered critical for vegetarians. Plant proteins are not as complete in all essential amino acids as animal proteins, so it became common advice for vegetarians to eat a food low in one essential amino acid in tandem with another that was high in that particular amino acid. But as scientists learned more about protein metabolism, they discovered that the body maintains a pool of amino acids it draws from to fill any gaps from meal to meal. There's no need to worry about matching foods at meals, as long as you eat a varied diet. Soy foods in particular are excellent sources of essential amino acids.
Saturday, May 21, 2005
Health Headlines - May 21
Some Eating Disorder Web Sites Discourage Recovery: Study
A visit to a typical "pro-ana" Web site -- an online forum for anorexics -- tells a disturbing story. Photos of rake-thin women are everywhere; a shot of one emaciated model, her bones protruding, is emblazoned "Feel Sexy, Join [the] ProAna Movement."
Was Ear Disorder's Link to Pregnancy a Nazi Plot?
For the last 66 years, doctors have been taught that pregnancy can worsen a hearing-loss disease in women.
Booze, Smoking Open Lungs to Pneumonia
Heavy-drinking smokers have a new reason to kick both habits: A study in rats finds that exposure to cigarette smoke exacerbates alcohol's effect in speeding the dangerous bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae toward the lungs.
Narcotic Painkillers Work Best on Elderly
Daily aches and discomfort may become more common with age, but elderly Americans shouldn't have to increase their dosage of narcotic pain relievers to keep up with the pain, researchers report.
Tracking the Lyme Bug's Every Move
Scientists have gleaned new insights into how the Lyme disease bacteria invades the human body.
High-Risk Types Not Heeding Skin Cancer Warnings
People at high risk for deadly melanoma skin cancer are no more likely to protect themselves against the sun than other people, Canadian researchers report.
Chickens to Be Used to Detect West Nile
Sentinel chickens will be used throughout North Dakota as a warning system for West Nile virus, the state Health Department says.
Arizona Declares Whooping Cough Outbreak
The Arizona Department of Health Services has declared a statewide outbreak of whooping cough and has requested money to buy booster vaccines and antibiotics to fight the contagious disease.
Miss. Patients Face Transplant Obstacles
Adult Mississippi Medicaid patients who need liver or lung transplants are being told they might not get the lifesaving organs they need unless they move to another state and sign up for Medicaid there.
Surgeon Goes From 'Brilliant' to Banned
As a young surgeon in upstate New York, Jayant Patel was a rising star, called "brilliant" by the doctors who trained him.
Nearly 1 in 10 Ga. Deaths Obesity-Related
Being overweight contributes to nearly one in 10 deaths in Georgia, a state health study found. Obesity has been climbing about 3 percent each year among Georgia adults and nearly 60 percent of adults were either overweight or obese in 2002, according to the study by the Georgia Division of Public Health.
Bush would veto House bill on stem cells
President Bush threatened on Friday to veto legislation that would loosen restrictions on government funding of embryonic stem cell research and expressed concern about human cloning research in South Korea.
Rifaximin protects against Montezuma's revenge
The antibiotic rifaximin seems to be effective for preventing travelers' diarrhea, not just for treating the problem, according to a new report.
Food Fact:
Go with the grain.
Older women who eat the right amount of whole grains cut their risk of a fatal heart attack significantly. At ages 55 - 69, women who eat whole grains for at least three of their daily carbohydrate servings were found to be in better heart health during the next 10 years. Whole grain breads, crackers and cereals -- made from grains that have not been stripped of their bran and germ -- protect against heart disease and diabetes. It's unclear which part of the whole grain -- the fiber, the vitamin E, the folate, the magnesium or some of the health-protective phytochemicals -- provides the health benefits. Read labels carefully. Look for "whole-grain" or "whole-wheat flour" as the first or second ingredient.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Prestretch routines.
Do you know the one thing you should always do before stretching? To prevent injury you should perform at least 10-15 minutes of cardiovascular exercise (walking, biking) prior to stretching. Never stretch a "cold muscle" -- one that does not have sufficient blood flowing through the tissue to be stretched.
FAQ of the day:
Does fiber prevent colon cancer?
Many studies find a link between higher fiber intake and lower colon cancer risk, but not all do. It's possible that it's the cancer-fighting phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables rather than the fiber that are most protective. But one thing seems clear: People who eat more fiber-rich fruits and vegetables have much lower risk of colon cancer.
A visit to a typical "pro-ana" Web site -- an online forum for anorexics -- tells a disturbing story. Photos of rake-thin women are everywhere; a shot of one emaciated model, her bones protruding, is emblazoned "Feel Sexy, Join [the] ProAna Movement."
Was Ear Disorder's Link to Pregnancy a Nazi Plot?
For the last 66 years, doctors have been taught that pregnancy can worsen a hearing-loss disease in women.
Booze, Smoking Open Lungs to Pneumonia
Heavy-drinking smokers have a new reason to kick both habits: A study in rats finds that exposure to cigarette smoke exacerbates alcohol's effect in speeding the dangerous bacteria Streptococcus pneumoniae toward the lungs.
Narcotic Painkillers Work Best on Elderly
Daily aches and discomfort may become more common with age, but elderly Americans shouldn't have to increase their dosage of narcotic pain relievers to keep up with the pain, researchers report.
Tracking the Lyme Bug's Every Move
Scientists have gleaned new insights into how the Lyme disease bacteria invades the human body.
High-Risk Types Not Heeding Skin Cancer Warnings
People at high risk for deadly melanoma skin cancer are no more likely to protect themselves against the sun than other people, Canadian researchers report.
Chickens to Be Used to Detect West Nile
Sentinel chickens will be used throughout North Dakota as a warning system for West Nile virus, the state Health Department says.
Arizona Declares Whooping Cough Outbreak
The Arizona Department of Health Services has declared a statewide outbreak of whooping cough and has requested money to buy booster vaccines and antibiotics to fight the contagious disease.
Miss. Patients Face Transplant Obstacles
Adult Mississippi Medicaid patients who need liver or lung transplants are being told they might not get the lifesaving organs they need unless they move to another state and sign up for Medicaid there.
Surgeon Goes From 'Brilliant' to Banned
As a young surgeon in upstate New York, Jayant Patel was a rising star, called "brilliant" by the doctors who trained him.
Nearly 1 in 10 Ga. Deaths Obesity-Related
Being overweight contributes to nearly one in 10 deaths in Georgia, a state health study found. Obesity has been climbing about 3 percent each year among Georgia adults and nearly 60 percent of adults were either overweight or obese in 2002, according to the study by the Georgia Division of Public Health.
Bush would veto House bill on stem cells
President Bush threatened on Friday to veto legislation that would loosen restrictions on government funding of embryonic stem cell research and expressed concern about human cloning research in South Korea.
Rifaximin protects against Montezuma's revenge
The antibiotic rifaximin seems to be effective for preventing travelers' diarrhea, not just for treating the problem, according to a new report.
Food Fact:
Go with the grain.
Older women who eat the right amount of whole grains cut their risk of a fatal heart attack significantly. At ages 55 - 69, women who eat whole grains for at least three of their daily carbohydrate servings were found to be in better heart health during the next 10 years. Whole grain breads, crackers and cereals -- made from grains that have not been stripped of their bran and germ -- protect against heart disease and diabetes. It's unclear which part of the whole grain -- the fiber, the vitamin E, the folate, the magnesium or some of the health-protective phytochemicals -- provides the health benefits. Read labels carefully. Look for "whole-grain" or "whole-wheat flour" as the first or second ingredient.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Prestretch routines.
Do you know the one thing you should always do before stretching? To prevent injury you should perform at least 10-15 minutes of cardiovascular exercise (walking, biking) prior to stretching. Never stretch a "cold muscle" -- one that does not have sufficient blood flowing through the tissue to be stretched.
FAQ of the day:
Does fiber prevent colon cancer?
Many studies find a link between higher fiber intake and lower colon cancer risk, but not all do. It's possible that it's the cancer-fighting phytochemicals in fruits and vegetables rather than the fiber that are most protective. But one thing seems clear: People who eat more fiber-rich fruits and vegetables have much lower risk of colon cancer.
Friday, May 20, 2005
Health Headlines - May 20
Group Urges More to Check Vascular Health
A doctor's group is hoping to persuade more Americans to check on the health of their arteries and veins. While most know heart disease is the leading cause of death among Americans, and many Americans regularly check their blood pressure, less attention is paid to vascular disease.
Colon Cancer Test Misses Growths in Women
A widely used screening tool for colon cancer, sigmoidoscopy, misses precancerous growths in almost two-thirds of women — a disturbing failure rate twice as high as the one seen in men, a government-backed study found.
Type 2 Diabetics Battle Blood Sugar Woes
A dismal two-thirds of the nation's 18 million Type 2 diabetics don't have their blood sugar under control, putting them at high risk of the disease's nastiest complications, even death. Yet most are unaware they're doing so poorly, frustrated diabetes specialists said Wednesday.
Mass. Lawmakers Reject Stem Cell Ban
Lawmakers Thursday rejected Gov. Mitt Romney's amendments to a stem cell research bill — including a proposed ban on using cloned embryos for the purpose of obtaining stem cells to use in treating disease.
Health Tip: Working on Occupational Asthma
Occupational asthma is generally defined as a lung disorder caused by inhaling fumes, gases, dust or other potentially harmful substances while "on the job." Up to 15 percent of asthma cases in the United States may be job-related.
Health Tip: Avoid Getting Sick from Pet Turtles
Did you know that the sale of most turtles less than four inches long has been banned in the United States since 1975?
Drug Helps Target Prostate Biopsies
The drug dutasteride, currently used to treat enlarged prostate, may improve the accuracy of prostate biopsies, researchers report. It may even help doctors reduce the number of biopsies needed for diagnosis in patients suspected of having prostate cancer.
Beating Cancer Brings New Battles
For some of the 10 million Americans who have survived cancer, life can be bittersweet. Their everyday concerns focus not just on whether the disease will recur, but also on psychological issues, fears about sexual impairment and financial worries.
Science Sniffs Out the Secrets of Scent
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet -- or would it?
Vitamin E May Ward Off Parkinson's
Leafy greens, whole grains, nuts and other foods rich in vitamin E may help prevent Parkinson's disease, according to a new review of eight studies.
Blacks Have Higher Death Rate from Stroke
Racial and regional disparities in stroke prevalence and stroke-related death persist in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
New Embryonic Stem Cell Lines Created
In a scientific triumph as notable for its ethical implications as its novelty, researchers in South Korea have used DNA from people suffering from injury or disease to create 11 embryonic stem cell lines that can now be used to study human frailties in the laboratory.
Obesity Ups Risk for Colon, Throat Cancers
Obesity is associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer, while obesity and smoking both raise the odds for throat malignancies, two new studies find.
Food Fact:
Rind-boggling.
Juicy, red watermelon is not only delicious, it may help men avoid prostate cancer. As long as you spit out the seeds, watermelon is the biggest supplier among fresh fruits and vegetables in the antioxidant lycopene, which is believed to play a big role in the prevention of the killer disease. Antioxidants such as lycopene work in your body by disarming free oxygen radicals, which are thought to contribute to the development of many cancers. A 2-cup serving of watermelon contains 15 - 20 milligrams of this vital plant pigment. Other sources include tomatoes, red grapefruits and guavas.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Drink up.
By the time you feel thirsty during a workout, you may already be dehydrated! Your body requires constant hydration during exercise. Drink at least 8 oz. of water every 15 minutes while you are exercising.
FAQ of the day:
Do I need fiber in my diet?
While psyllium-based supplements can help relieve constipation, and have been shown to reduce high blood cholesterol, dietary changes have the same benefits. Better yet, if you get your fiber from whole foods -- whole grains, fruits and vegetables -- you'll get hundreds of health-protective compounds that your fiber supplement won't provide.
A doctor's group is hoping to persuade more Americans to check on the health of their arteries and veins. While most know heart disease is the leading cause of death among Americans, and many Americans regularly check their blood pressure, less attention is paid to vascular disease.
Colon Cancer Test Misses Growths in Women
A widely used screening tool for colon cancer, sigmoidoscopy, misses precancerous growths in almost two-thirds of women — a disturbing failure rate twice as high as the one seen in men, a government-backed study found.
Type 2 Diabetics Battle Blood Sugar Woes
A dismal two-thirds of the nation's 18 million Type 2 diabetics don't have their blood sugar under control, putting them at high risk of the disease's nastiest complications, even death. Yet most are unaware they're doing so poorly, frustrated diabetes specialists said Wednesday.
Mass. Lawmakers Reject Stem Cell Ban
Lawmakers Thursday rejected Gov. Mitt Romney's amendments to a stem cell research bill — including a proposed ban on using cloned embryos for the purpose of obtaining stem cells to use in treating disease.
Health Tip: Working on Occupational Asthma
Occupational asthma is generally defined as a lung disorder caused by inhaling fumes, gases, dust or other potentially harmful substances while "on the job." Up to 15 percent of asthma cases in the United States may be job-related.
Health Tip: Avoid Getting Sick from Pet Turtles
Did you know that the sale of most turtles less than four inches long has been banned in the United States since 1975?
Drug Helps Target Prostate Biopsies
The drug dutasteride, currently used to treat enlarged prostate, may improve the accuracy of prostate biopsies, researchers report. It may even help doctors reduce the number of biopsies needed for diagnosis in patients suspected of having prostate cancer.
Beating Cancer Brings New Battles
For some of the 10 million Americans who have survived cancer, life can be bittersweet. Their everyday concerns focus not just on whether the disease will recur, but also on psychological issues, fears about sexual impairment and financial worries.
Science Sniffs Out the Secrets of Scent
A rose by any other name would smell as sweet -- or would it?
Vitamin E May Ward Off Parkinson's
Leafy greens, whole grains, nuts and other foods rich in vitamin E may help prevent Parkinson's disease, according to a new review of eight studies.
Blacks Have Higher Death Rate from Stroke
Racial and regional disparities in stroke prevalence and stroke-related death persist in the United States, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
New Embryonic Stem Cell Lines Created
In a scientific triumph as notable for its ethical implications as its novelty, researchers in South Korea have used DNA from people suffering from injury or disease to create 11 embryonic stem cell lines that can now be used to study human frailties in the laboratory.
Obesity Ups Risk for Colon, Throat Cancers
Obesity is associated with an increased risk of colorectal cancer, while obesity and smoking both raise the odds for throat malignancies, two new studies find.
Food Fact:
Rind-boggling.
Juicy, red watermelon is not only delicious, it may help men avoid prostate cancer. As long as you spit out the seeds, watermelon is the biggest supplier among fresh fruits and vegetables in the antioxidant lycopene, which is believed to play a big role in the prevention of the killer disease. Antioxidants such as lycopene work in your body by disarming free oxygen radicals, which are thought to contribute to the development of many cancers. A 2-cup serving of watermelon contains 15 - 20 milligrams of this vital plant pigment. Other sources include tomatoes, red grapefruits and guavas.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Drink up.
By the time you feel thirsty during a workout, you may already be dehydrated! Your body requires constant hydration during exercise. Drink at least 8 oz. of water every 15 minutes while you are exercising.
FAQ of the day:
Do I need fiber in my diet?
While psyllium-based supplements can help relieve constipation, and have been shown to reduce high blood cholesterol, dietary changes have the same benefits. Better yet, if you get your fiber from whole foods -- whole grains, fruits and vegetables -- you'll get hundreds of health-protective compounds that your fiber supplement won't provide.
Thursday, May 19, 2005
Health Headlines - May 19
Use of Foster Kids in Experiments Varies
Current regulations are adequate to ensure that foster children enlisted in federal medical experiments are protected, a Bush administration official said Wednesday.
Colon Cancer Test Misses Growths in Women
A widely used screening tool for colon cancer, sigmoidoscopy, misses precancerous growths in almost two-thirds of women — a disturbing failure rate twice as high as the one seen in men, a government-backed study found.
Health Tip: Keeping Skin Moist
The belief that skin is the outer reflection of a person's inner being may explain why Americans spend millions of dollars on moisturizers and other cosmetics.
Health Tip: Coping with Hair Loss
Alopecia, the medical term for hair loss, typically is permanent and can be attributed to heredity.
Genes May Influence Breast Milk Nutrition
A woman's genes, not just her diet, may influence the nutritional composition of her breast milk, claims new research.
HRT May Help Heart, Swedish Research Suggests
In findings that seem to contradict major U.S. research, heart specialists in Sweden report that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may help improve cardiac function in postmenopausal women.
Grapefruit May Bring Sweet Relief Against Ulcers
Grapefruit seed extract contains powerful antioxidants that may help heal stomach ulcers, according to a Polish study presented Tuesday at the Digestive Disease Week 2005 conference in Chicago.
Babies at Celiac Disease Risk Should Wait for Wheat
New parents with a family history of either celiac disease or type 1 diabetes should be very careful about when they introduce wheat into their baby's diet, a new study suggests.
Supplements May Cut Thyroid Cancer Risk From Radiation
People exposed to radioactive iodine 131 in childhood have an increased risk of thyroid cancer, but this risk may be lowered with both iodine deficiency and supplementation, according to a study in the May 18 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Most Type 2 Diabetics Aren't Managing Their Disease
Despite the national epidemic of type 2 diabetes, two out of three Americans with the disease don't meet the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists' target for blood sugar goals.
Booze May Hit Women's Livers Harder
A study in rats suggests that females metabolize alcohol differently in their bodies and may be more susceptible to alcohol-related liver damage than males, especially if they also consume a high-fat diet.
Umbilical Cord Stem Cells May Save Infants
Umbilical cord blood stem cells can help save infants with the fatal genetic disorder Krabbe disease, researchers report in the May 19 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
New Kidney Test Can Predict Heart Risk
A new test of kidney function may be a better indicator of impending cardiovascular problems such as heart attack, stroke and overall death risk in elderly patients, a new study suggests.
Food Fact:
Billions and billions served.
We're not talking about Big Macs; it's the number of people around the world who eat tofu. Tofu is an excellent source of protein and health-supportive soy isoflavones. It's also an excellent starting point for culinary creativity. Tofu comes in a range of densities: silken, soft, firm and extra firm. Firm or extra-firm tofu holds its shape when sliced. Use it for stir-fries, stews and braises. Soft and silken tofu is creamier. When pureed, tofu adds richness to dips and dressings like hummus and baba ghanoush. Smoked pressed tofu is very convenient -- it can be sliced and eaten as is in salads or sandwiches, or cooked in stir-fries and braises, and it comes in several flavors. Look for plain smoked, Thai seasoning, barbecue or lemon-garlic at your supermarket or whole-foods store.
Fitness Tip of the day:
We've got your back!
Back feeling sore after exercising? Take our tip to relieve tension. If back muscles become tight and sore after exercise -- a common feeling -- a great way to relieve this stress is to lie on the floor with a tennis ball between your back and the floor and give yourself a massage.
FAQ of the day:
What's the best breakfast cereal?
Oddly enough, not necessarily the one with the most fiber. Breakfast cereals range from 0 to 14 grams of fiber. But you'll want one that not only contains whole grains, but has little sugar; is fat-free or low in fat; and is moderate in sodium.
Current regulations are adequate to ensure that foster children enlisted in federal medical experiments are protected, a Bush administration official said Wednesday.
Colon Cancer Test Misses Growths in Women
A widely used screening tool for colon cancer, sigmoidoscopy, misses precancerous growths in almost two-thirds of women — a disturbing failure rate twice as high as the one seen in men, a government-backed study found.
Health Tip: Keeping Skin Moist
The belief that skin is the outer reflection of a person's inner being may explain why Americans spend millions of dollars on moisturizers and other cosmetics.
Health Tip: Coping with Hair Loss
Alopecia, the medical term for hair loss, typically is permanent and can be attributed to heredity.
Genes May Influence Breast Milk Nutrition
A woman's genes, not just her diet, may influence the nutritional composition of her breast milk, claims new research.
HRT May Help Heart, Swedish Research Suggests
In findings that seem to contradict major U.S. research, heart specialists in Sweden report that hormone replacement therapy (HRT) may help improve cardiac function in postmenopausal women.
Grapefruit May Bring Sweet Relief Against Ulcers
Grapefruit seed extract contains powerful antioxidants that may help heal stomach ulcers, according to a Polish study presented Tuesday at the Digestive Disease Week 2005 conference in Chicago.
Babies at Celiac Disease Risk Should Wait for Wheat
New parents with a family history of either celiac disease or type 1 diabetes should be very careful about when they introduce wheat into their baby's diet, a new study suggests.
Supplements May Cut Thyroid Cancer Risk From Radiation
People exposed to radioactive iodine 131 in childhood have an increased risk of thyroid cancer, but this risk may be lowered with both iodine deficiency and supplementation, according to a study in the May 18 issue of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute.
Most Type 2 Diabetics Aren't Managing Their Disease
Despite the national epidemic of type 2 diabetes, two out of three Americans with the disease don't meet the American Association of Clinical Endocrinologists' target for blood sugar goals.
Booze May Hit Women's Livers Harder
A study in rats suggests that females metabolize alcohol differently in their bodies and may be more susceptible to alcohol-related liver damage than males, especially if they also consume a high-fat diet.
Umbilical Cord Stem Cells May Save Infants
Umbilical cord blood stem cells can help save infants with the fatal genetic disorder Krabbe disease, researchers report in the May 19 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.
New Kidney Test Can Predict Heart Risk
A new test of kidney function may be a better indicator of impending cardiovascular problems such as heart attack, stroke and overall death risk in elderly patients, a new study suggests.
Food Fact:
Billions and billions served.
We're not talking about Big Macs; it's the number of people around the world who eat tofu. Tofu is an excellent source of protein and health-supportive soy isoflavones. It's also an excellent starting point for culinary creativity. Tofu comes in a range of densities: silken, soft, firm and extra firm. Firm or extra-firm tofu holds its shape when sliced. Use it for stir-fries, stews and braises. Soft and silken tofu is creamier. When pureed, tofu adds richness to dips and dressings like hummus and baba ghanoush. Smoked pressed tofu is very convenient -- it can be sliced and eaten as is in salads or sandwiches, or cooked in stir-fries and braises, and it comes in several flavors. Look for plain smoked, Thai seasoning, barbecue or lemon-garlic at your supermarket or whole-foods store.
Fitness Tip of the day:
We've got your back!
Back feeling sore after exercising? Take our tip to relieve tension. If back muscles become tight and sore after exercise -- a common feeling -- a great way to relieve this stress is to lie on the floor with a tennis ball between your back and the floor and give yourself a massage.
FAQ of the day:
What's the best breakfast cereal?
Oddly enough, not necessarily the one with the most fiber. Breakfast cereals range from 0 to 14 grams of fiber. But you'll want one that not only contains whole grains, but has little sugar; is fat-free or low in fat; and is moderate in sodium.
Wednesday, May 18, 2005
Health Headlines - May 18
Three Drugs Show Promise Against Bowel Disease
The estimated 1 million Americans plagued by inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may have three promising new treatment options on the way, according to research presented May at the Digestive Disease Week 2005 conference in Chicago.
Colonoscopy Can Miss Some Cancers
Colonoscopy may be the best way to detect colon cancer and remove suspicious growths, but the procedure can still miss some cancers, Canadian researchers report.
Non-Stick Teflon Stents Saving Lives
Frying pans, spatulas and artery-opening devices called stents may soon have something in common: Teflon.
Breast Shield Cuts CT Scan Radiation
It may sound like something designed for the U.S. Space Shuttle, but researchers say a new radiation-absorbing shield lowers potentially harmful rays to the breast during chest CT scans by 43 percent to 73 percent -- without affecting the quality of the diagnostic image.
Fancy Blood Tests Won't Predict Lung Clot Risk
Elaborate blood tests that look for genetic and biochemical abnormalities do nothing to predict whether someone who has had a life-threatening blood clot of the lung will have another, Dutch physicians report.
Chemotherapy Combo Poses Grave Risks
A study involving two chemotherapy drugs used in combination to treat breast cancer was halted after two patients died and one suffered a serious complication, French investigators report.
Psoriatic Arthritis Added for Remicade Treatment
Add psoriatic arthritis to the diseases and conditions the drug Remicade (infliximab) is approved to treat.
Science Moving Closer to Plague Vaccine
American scientists say they've taken a step toward developing a vaccine against the plague, an ancient disease that could pose a new threat in the age of bioterrorism.
Vitamin D May Help in Prostate Cancer
Men dying from prostate cancer may be able to extend their lives, thanks to a potent form of vitamin D developed at Oregon Health & Science University.
Breast Cancer Study Halted After Deaths
A study in which women with breast cancer were given two chemotherapy drugs simultaneously was cut short after the combination contributed to the deaths of two patients and caused life-threatening complications in an alarming number of others.
Antidepressants Can Affect Newborns
Women who take Prozac or certain other antidepressants late in pregnancy raise the risk that their babies will suffer jitteriness, irritability and serious respiratory problems during their first couple of weeks, researchers say.
Experts Debate Study on Fat, Breast Cancer
Low-fat diets modestly helped women cut their chances of a recurrence of breast cancer, the first experiment to put this to the test concludes.
Study: Herb Helps Curb Binge Drinking
A group of 20-something drinkers seemed to lose the urge to binge-drink when they took pills made from kudzu, that ubiquitous vine that blankets the South, researchers reported.
Food Fact:
Tea for tumors.
Research shows one kind of tea can be up to 100 times more potent at blocking growth of cancer cells than another. While all tea (green, oolong or black) contains antioxidant compounds called catechins that protect against cancer (especially of the lung, breast, colon, stomach and skin) by neutralizing free radicals, green tea contains about 7 times more catechins than black tea. Green tea also has unique catechins that block an enzyme involved in breast, prostate and colon cancers. Green tea is 10 to 100 times stronger than black tea in blocking the growth of cancer cells. Catechins also prevent heart disease and stroke, primarily by defending against the harmful effects of artery-clogging LDL cholesterol.
Fitness Tip of the day:
If the shoe fits...
Choosing the right type of shoe for your activity is only a start to avoid foot pain. A good fit is essential to providing comfort and preventing injury. When buying shoes, look for knowledgeable salespeople and be sure to have your feet measured -- size and width can change over time. For the best fit, try on shoes after you've exercised and your feet are at their largest, and be sure to put on the socks you normally wear.
FAQ of the day:
What is a "serving?"
All the nutrition information on a food label is based on one serving, the amount most typically eaten of that food. For example, a serving of salad dressing is 2 tablespoons. These serving sizes are not necessarily the amount you eat at a typical meal. Take breakfast cereal. The box may define a serving as one cup, but if you typically pour twice as much into your bowl; that's two servings, which means you'll be taking in twice the calories listed. Always consider the portion size when you read the nutrition information on the label.
The estimated 1 million Americans plagued by inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) may have three promising new treatment options on the way, according to research presented May at the Digestive Disease Week 2005 conference in Chicago.
Colonoscopy Can Miss Some Cancers
Colonoscopy may be the best way to detect colon cancer and remove suspicious growths, but the procedure can still miss some cancers, Canadian researchers report.
Non-Stick Teflon Stents Saving Lives
Frying pans, spatulas and artery-opening devices called stents may soon have something in common: Teflon.
Breast Shield Cuts CT Scan Radiation
It may sound like something designed for the U.S. Space Shuttle, but researchers say a new radiation-absorbing shield lowers potentially harmful rays to the breast during chest CT scans by 43 percent to 73 percent -- without affecting the quality of the diagnostic image.
Fancy Blood Tests Won't Predict Lung Clot Risk
Elaborate blood tests that look for genetic and biochemical abnormalities do nothing to predict whether someone who has had a life-threatening blood clot of the lung will have another, Dutch physicians report.
Chemotherapy Combo Poses Grave Risks
A study involving two chemotherapy drugs used in combination to treat breast cancer was halted after two patients died and one suffered a serious complication, French investigators report.
Psoriatic Arthritis Added for Remicade Treatment
Add psoriatic arthritis to the diseases and conditions the drug Remicade (infliximab) is approved to treat.
Science Moving Closer to Plague Vaccine
American scientists say they've taken a step toward developing a vaccine against the plague, an ancient disease that could pose a new threat in the age of bioterrorism.
Vitamin D May Help in Prostate Cancer
Men dying from prostate cancer may be able to extend their lives, thanks to a potent form of vitamin D developed at Oregon Health & Science University.
Breast Cancer Study Halted After Deaths
A study in which women with breast cancer were given two chemotherapy drugs simultaneously was cut short after the combination contributed to the deaths of two patients and caused life-threatening complications in an alarming number of others.
Antidepressants Can Affect Newborns
Women who take Prozac or certain other antidepressants late in pregnancy raise the risk that their babies will suffer jitteriness, irritability and serious respiratory problems during their first couple of weeks, researchers say.
Experts Debate Study on Fat, Breast Cancer
Low-fat diets modestly helped women cut their chances of a recurrence of breast cancer, the first experiment to put this to the test concludes.
Study: Herb Helps Curb Binge Drinking
A group of 20-something drinkers seemed to lose the urge to binge-drink when they took pills made from kudzu, that ubiquitous vine that blankets the South, researchers reported.
Food Fact:
Tea for tumors.
Research shows one kind of tea can be up to 100 times more potent at blocking growth of cancer cells than another. While all tea (green, oolong or black) contains antioxidant compounds called catechins that protect against cancer (especially of the lung, breast, colon, stomach and skin) by neutralizing free radicals, green tea contains about 7 times more catechins than black tea. Green tea also has unique catechins that block an enzyme involved in breast, prostate and colon cancers. Green tea is 10 to 100 times stronger than black tea in blocking the growth of cancer cells. Catechins also prevent heart disease and stroke, primarily by defending against the harmful effects of artery-clogging LDL cholesterol.
Fitness Tip of the day:
If the shoe fits...
Choosing the right type of shoe for your activity is only a start to avoid foot pain. A good fit is essential to providing comfort and preventing injury. When buying shoes, look for knowledgeable salespeople and be sure to have your feet measured -- size and width can change over time. For the best fit, try on shoes after you've exercised and your feet are at their largest, and be sure to put on the socks you normally wear.
FAQ of the day:
What is a "serving?"
All the nutrition information on a food label is based on one serving, the amount most typically eaten of that food. For example, a serving of salad dressing is 2 tablespoons. These serving sizes are not necessarily the amount you eat at a typical meal. Take breakfast cereal. The box may define a serving as one cup, but if you typically pour twice as much into your bowl; that's two servings, which means you'll be taking in twice the calories listed. Always consider the portion size when you read the nutrition information on the label.
Tuesday, May 17, 2005
Health Headlines - May 17
Lower Doses of Chemo Effective in Children
Lower doses of chemotherapy appear equally effective in treating many children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and may help reduce the number of long-term side effects, new study results suggest.
Moderate Exercise May Lower Risk for Ovarian Cancer
Moderate, but not vigorous, physical activity appears to lower the risk for ovarian cancer, Canadian researchers have found.
Lifestyle Changes Can Curtail Cancer's Return
Simple lifestyle measures may reduce the risk of recurrence of certain types of cancer.
Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs May Protect Against Cancer
The cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins, used by many to protect against heart disease, may also guard against several kinds of cancers.
Alcoholism-Linked Brain Damage Hits Women Sooner
Brains scans suggest women may be neurologically more vulnerable to alcohol than men.
Study: Acne Treatment Won't Trigger Depression
New research appears to refute well-publicized reports linking the use of the prescription acne drug Accutane to depression and suicide among teens.
Prescription Reflux Drugs Beat OTC Remedies
Over-the-counter (OTC) medications are less effective than prescription drugs in fighting chronic acid reflux, according to a new international study.
Failed Lung Cancer Drug May Fight Breast Tumors
The lung cancer drug Iressa may one day have a role to play in treating breast cancer patients.
Antidepressants Linked to Increased Bleeding
Commonly used antidepressants such as Paxil, Zoloft and Prozac appear to be linked to an increased risk of abdominal bleeding, researchers reported Monday.
Child Cancer Survivors Have Other Problems
Two out of three children who beat cancer go on to develop other chronic health problems, ranging from heart disease to blindness, because of radiation and other treatments that saved their lives, new research finds.
Study: 18 Pct. of Adults Obese in Ireland
Ireland is quickly growing fat on its economic success, a report on the country's obesity problem found Monday. The National Taskforce on Obesity, formed by the government in March 2004, found that 57 percent of Ireland's adults were overweight, including 18 percent who were obese.
Experts Debate Study on Fat, Breast Cancer
A new study seems to suggest that low-fat diets can help prevent a return of breast cancer in certain women, but many specialists disagreed with the conclusions, saying other factors might have played a role.
Drug's Effect on Cancer Stuns Doctors
No one could have been more surprised than the doctors themselves. They were just hoping to relieve the symptoms of a deadly blood disorder — and ended up treating the disease itself. In nearly half of the people who took the experimental drug, the cancer became undetectable.
Drug That Treats Diarrhea May Prevent It
A drug already used to treat that tourist nightmare — traveler's diarrhea — may also prevent it without causing the antibiotic resistance that can eventually make medicines ineffective, new research suggests.
Food Fact:
Soymilky way.
A splash of soy milk on your breakfast cereal may help lower your cholesterol. According to the FDA, 25 grams of soy protein, or about four daily servings, is a good part of a dietary plan for a healthy heart. One cup of soymilk has 6.25 grams. Calcium-fortified soymilk is sold in supermarkets and whole foods stores. It's available in plain, vanilla, chocolate or strawberry flavors. Not all soymilk is calcium-fortified, however, so check labels. You can also use soymilk in custards, baked goods and other desserts -- just as you would with regular dairy milk.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Food for thought.
If weight loss is part of your plan, you've got good reasons to watch your portions. Don't deny yourself your favorite foods, but don't go overboard, either. Keep track of what you eat and each day focus on small successes. They can add up to a new you, and a lifetime of feeling better about yourself and your weight.
FAQ of the day:
What's a Daily Value?
The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) and a related number, the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs), are suggested intakes of nutrients based on age and sex. They do not appear on food labels, but they were used to develop the Daily Values you see on a label. The Daily Value is a single number for everyone that is set high enough to ensure that the vast majority of people get enough of each nutrient. It's the best general guide for the public.
Lower doses of chemotherapy appear equally effective in treating many children with acute lymphoblastic leukemia (ALL) and may help reduce the number of long-term side effects, new study results suggest.
Moderate Exercise May Lower Risk for Ovarian Cancer
Moderate, but not vigorous, physical activity appears to lower the risk for ovarian cancer, Canadian researchers have found.
Lifestyle Changes Can Curtail Cancer's Return
Simple lifestyle measures may reduce the risk of recurrence of certain types of cancer.
Cholesterol-Lowering Drugs May Protect Against Cancer
The cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins, used by many to protect against heart disease, may also guard against several kinds of cancers.
Alcoholism-Linked Brain Damage Hits Women Sooner
Brains scans suggest women may be neurologically more vulnerable to alcohol than men.
Study: Acne Treatment Won't Trigger Depression
New research appears to refute well-publicized reports linking the use of the prescription acne drug Accutane to depression and suicide among teens.
Prescription Reflux Drugs Beat OTC Remedies
Over-the-counter (OTC) medications are less effective than prescription drugs in fighting chronic acid reflux, according to a new international study.
Failed Lung Cancer Drug May Fight Breast Tumors
The lung cancer drug Iressa may one day have a role to play in treating breast cancer patients.
Antidepressants Linked to Increased Bleeding
Commonly used antidepressants such as Paxil, Zoloft and Prozac appear to be linked to an increased risk of abdominal bleeding, researchers reported Monday.
Child Cancer Survivors Have Other Problems
Two out of three children who beat cancer go on to develop other chronic health problems, ranging from heart disease to blindness, because of radiation and other treatments that saved their lives, new research finds.
Study: 18 Pct. of Adults Obese in Ireland
Ireland is quickly growing fat on its economic success, a report on the country's obesity problem found Monday. The National Taskforce on Obesity, formed by the government in March 2004, found that 57 percent of Ireland's adults were overweight, including 18 percent who were obese.
Experts Debate Study on Fat, Breast Cancer
A new study seems to suggest that low-fat diets can help prevent a return of breast cancer in certain women, but many specialists disagreed with the conclusions, saying other factors might have played a role.
Drug's Effect on Cancer Stuns Doctors
No one could have been more surprised than the doctors themselves. They were just hoping to relieve the symptoms of a deadly blood disorder — and ended up treating the disease itself. In nearly half of the people who took the experimental drug, the cancer became undetectable.
Drug That Treats Diarrhea May Prevent It
A drug already used to treat that tourist nightmare — traveler's diarrhea — may also prevent it without causing the antibiotic resistance that can eventually make medicines ineffective, new research suggests.
Food Fact:
Soymilky way.
A splash of soy milk on your breakfast cereal may help lower your cholesterol. According to the FDA, 25 grams of soy protein, or about four daily servings, is a good part of a dietary plan for a healthy heart. One cup of soymilk has 6.25 grams. Calcium-fortified soymilk is sold in supermarkets and whole foods stores. It's available in plain, vanilla, chocolate or strawberry flavors. Not all soymilk is calcium-fortified, however, so check labels. You can also use soymilk in custards, baked goods and other desserts -- just as you would with regular dairy milk.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Food for thought.
If weight loss is part of your plan, you've got good reasons to watch your portions. Don't deny yourself your favorite foods, but don't go overboard, either. Keep track of what you eat and each day focus on small successes. They can add up to a new you, and a lifetime of feeling better about yourself and your weight.
FAQ of the day:
What's a Daily Value?
The Recommended Dietary Allowances (RDAs) and a related number, the Dietary Reference Intakes (DRIs), are suggested intakes of nutrients based on age and sex. They do not appear on food labels, but they were used to develop the Daily Values you see on a label. The Daily Value is a single number for everyone that is set high enough to ensure that the vast majority of people get enough of each nutrient. It's the best general guide for the public.
Monday, May 16, 2005
Health Headlines - May 16
Trampoline Injuries Soar
Emergency room visits due to trampoline injuries have almost doubled since the early 1990s, new research shows.
Pediatricians Add Value to Parenting Classes
Parents of toddlers exhibiting disruptive behavioral problems can benefit from short education classes held in their pediatricians' offices, according to a preliminary study.
Melanoma Survival Rates Haven't Budged in 30 Years
Despite dramatic advances in the fight against many types of cancer, one form of the disease seems to have eluded almost all attempts at treatment.
Drug Used for Symptoms Attacks Disease Too
Doctors were just hoping to treat symptoms when they gave people with a deadly blood disorder a drug to reduce the need for transfusions. To their astonishment, signs of the disease itself disappeared in nearly half of them.
Glaxo delays cancer drug filing for year
GlaxoSmithKline Plc's experimental cancer pill lapatinib is effective as a first-line breast cancer treatment, but regulatory approval will not be sought before late 2006 or early 2007 after more data is collected, the company said on Sunday.
Some in U.S. get delayed cancer care-studies
Many U.S. cancer patients are getting delayed or substandard care for their disease and are dying earlier as a consequence, according to several studies released on Sunday.
Bike Polo a Popular Alternative Sport
For those tired of zoning out on a stationary bike for exercise, a twist on one of the world's oldest sports might be the answer.
Study: Glaxo drug effective in breast cancer
GlaxoSmithKline Plc's experimental cancer pill lapatinib is effective as a first-line breast cancer treatment and applications for regulatory approval will be delayed until late 2006 or 2007 after more data is collected, the company said on Sunday.
Germany's Merck hails cancer drug trial results
Trials show that Merck KGaA's newly launched cancer drug Erbitux slows the spread of rectal and colon cancer and enables more patients to have surgery, the German drug and chemical company said late on Saturday.
Junk Food Outlets Crowd Inner-City Schools
Numerous outlets selling sugary or greasy foods are just a minute's walk away from most elementary schools in East Harlem, New York City, say the authors of a Mount Sinai School of Medicine study.
More Sleep-Caused Infant Deaths Preventable
Putting your baby to sleep on its back -- a proven strategy to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) -- isn't always enough to reduce the risk of infant death.
Food Fact:
Tater gallery.
A surprisingly small serving of sweet potatoes meets your entire daily needs for vitamin E. Most vitamin E-rich foods, such as vegetable oils, nuts and avocados, contain a hefty dose of fat, but just 2/3 cup of sweet potatoes provides 100% of your daily vitamin E needs, and it's virtually fat-free. A medium sweet potato has just 118 calories, and its orange-hued flesh is rich in cancer-fighting beta carotene. Sweet potatoes also contain vitamin B6, potassium, iron and fiber -- pop one in the microwave for a great late afternoon snack.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Crunch time.
Great abs gives you more just a flat stomach. Here's how to get them. Develop your abdominal muscles by starting with basic sit-ups (knees bent) and work your way up to using an incline bench or ball. This powerful core of muscles provides strength for all of your other activities.
FAQ of the day:
Why do food labels say "Less than" for some nutrients?
Eating too much of certain nutrients -- total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium -- may increase your risk of developing heart disease, so their Daily Value is given as an upper limit not to be exceeded, rather than an amount you should try to achieve. There's no problem if you exceed the Daily Value for fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron or calcium.
Emergency room visits due to trampoline injuries have almost doubled since the early 1990s, new research shows.
Pediatricians Add Value to Parenting Classes
Parents of toddlers exhibiting disruptive behavioral problems can benefit from short education classes held in their pediatricians' offices, according to a preliminary study.
Melanoma Survival Rates Haven't Budged in 30 Years
Despite dramatic advances in the fight against many types of cancer, one form of the disease seems to have eluded almost all attempts at treatment.
Drug Used for Symptoms Attacks Disease Too
Doctors were just hoping to treat symptoms when they gave people with a deadly blood disorder a drug to reduce the need for transfusions. To their astonishment, signs of the disease itself disappeared in nearly half of them.
Glaxo delays cancer drug filing for year
GlaxoSmithKline Plc's experimental cancer pill lapatinib is effective as a first-line breast cancer treatment, but regulatory approval will not be sought before late 2006 or early 2007 after more data is collected, the company said on Sunday.
Some in U.S. get delayed cancer care-studies
Many U.S. cancer patients are getting delayed or substandard care for their disease and are dying earlier as a consequence, according to several studies released on Sunday.
Bike Polo a Popular Alternative Sport
For those tired of zoning out on a stationary bike for exercise, a twist on one of the world's oldest sports might be the answer.
Study: Glaxo drug effective in breast cancer
GlaxoSmithKline Plc's experimental cancer pill lapatinib is effective as a first-line breast cancer treatment and applications for regulatory approval will be delayed until late 2006 or 2007 after more data is collected, the company said on Sunday.
Germany's Merck hails cancer drug trial results
Trials show that Merck KGaA's newly launched cancer drug Erbitux slows the spread of rectal and colon cancer and enables more patients to have surgery, the German drug and chemical company said late on Saturday.
Junk Food Outlets Crowd Inner-City Schools
Numerous outlets selling sugary or greasy foods are just a minute's walk away from most elementary schools in East Harlem, New York City, say the authors of a Mount Sinai School of Medicine study.
More Sleep-Caused Infant Deaths Preventable
Putting your baby to sleep on its back -- a proven strategy to reduce the risk of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) -- isn't always enough to reduce the risk of infant death.
Food Fact:
Tater gallery.
A surprisingly small serving of sweet potatoes meets your entire daily needs for vitamin E. Most vitamin E-rich foods, such as vegetable oils, nuts and avocados, contain a hefty dose of fat, but just 2/3 cup of sweet potatoes provides 100% of your daily vitamin E needs, and it's virtually fat-free. A medium sweet potato has just 118 calories, and its orange-hued flesh is rich in cancer-fighting beta carotene. Sweet potatoes also contain vitamin B6, potassium, iron and fiber -- pop one in the microwave for a great late afternoon snack.
Fitness Tip of the day:
Crunch time.
Great abs gives you more just a flat stomach. Here's how to get them. Develop your abdominal muscles by starting with basic sit-ups (knees bent) and work your way up to using an incline bench or ball. This powerful core of muscles provides strength for all of your other activities.
FAQ of the day:
Why do food labels say "Less than" for some nutrients?
Eating too much of certain nutrients -- total fat, saturated fat, cholesterol and sodium -- may increase your risk of developing heart disease, so their Daily Value is given as an upper limit not to be exceeded, rather than an amount you should try to achieve. There's no problem if you exceed the Daily Value for fiber, vitamin A, vitamin C, iron or calcium.
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