Monthly News Archives



		Many Kids Too Fat By Preschool Far too many kids are fat by preschool, and Hispanic youngsters are most at risk, says new research that's among the first to focus on children growing up in poverty. Snoring Haunts Millions Those nocturnal snorts, whistles and wheezes can actually cause serious problems -- for your health and your relationships if your snoring keeping others awake at night. Body Vibration Platforms Tone The Body Vibration exercise platforms are the hottest trend that seem to promise increased body tone with very little effort. The Importance of Smell Day to day life for the thousands of people with anosmia (lacking a sense of smell) spells trouble. Your Belly Size Increases Your Heart Disease Risk The more your belly sticks out, the greater your risk of developing heart disease, a new study shows. Stomach Drugs 'Weaken Bones' Long-term use of some of the most common drugs prescribed to tackle stomach acid problems may be weakening people's bones. Acupuncture Alone May Not Ease Depression Acupuncture on its own does not appear to be an adequate treatment for depression, research shows. Psychological Treatments Improve Outcomes For Back Pain Sufferers Psychological interventions for chronic low back pain are effective, a new review of studies has found. Not only do these approaches improve psychological outcomes such as depression and health-related quality of life, they also reduce patients' experience of pain. Fish Oil Boosts Hand-Eye Coordination Toddlers whose mothers took fish oil supplements during pregnancy tended to have better hand-eye coordination than children whose mothers didn't take the supplements, a new study found. Optimists May Have Longer Lives Optimists may enjoy longer lives than people with a dimmer outlook on the future, a long-term study suggests. Christmas Goodies Pack on the Pounds Oh, those holiday pitfalls: a martini and a handful of Chex mix at the office party, Grandma's fruitcake, the plate of gingerbread cookies from your neighbor. Eating all those goodies will definitely cost you. Stressed Out? Grab Your Husband's Hand For Instant Relief If you're a woman stressed out from work, holiday shopping, the kids or even too much traffic, grab your husband's hand for instant relief. Teens Using Medicines To Get High Teens increasingly are getting high with legal drugs like painkillers and mood stimulants, and they're turning to cough syrup as well, says a recent government survey. Sudoku Anyone? Limber Brain Keeps Seniors Sharp In an indication that the brain like the body needs exercise in old age, researchers reported that older people given training in mental functions stayed sharper for years afterward. Scientists Link Weight To Gut Bacteria Researchers found a strong connection between obesity and the levels of certain types of bacteria in the gut. That could mean that someday there will be novel new ways of treating obesity that go beyond the standard advice of diet and exercise. Less Sugary Drinks During Childhood May Cut Disease Risk Symptoms of heart disease and diabetes usually seen in adults are increasingly being found in adolescents according to a longitudinal study, which suggests that reducing the intake of sugar-sweetened beverages during childhood may lessen the risk of chronic disease in later life. Olive Oil May Hinder Cancer Process People who use plenty of olive oil in their diets may be helping to prevent damage to body cells that can eventually lead to cancer, new research suggests. Why Teens Do Stupid Things Teenagers do crazy things. They take drugs, have unprotected sex, ride with drunken drivers, and pretend to be asleep when it's time to do the dishes. Epidural During Labor May Hinder Breastfeeding Some women who get epidural anesthesia during childbirth may have difficulty with breastfeeding in the short- and long-term, a new study suggests. Protective Effect From Alcohol Seen In Head Injury Alcohol is to blame in many accidents that cause major head injuries, but it also might help people survive after they get hurt, researchers said. Eli Lilly Covered Up Health Risks For Top Selling Drug For A Decade Drug giant Eli Lilly has engaged in a decade-long effort to play down the health risks of its top-selling medication, the schizophrenia drug Zyprexa, The New York Times reported. Diabetes Breakthrough In a discovery that has stunned even those behind it, scientists at a Toronto hospital say they have proof the body's nervous system helps trigger diabetes, opening the door to a potential near-cure of the disease that affects millions of Canadians. Human Sense Of Smell Very Accurate New olfactory research suggests that when it comes to tracking scent at ground-level on open terrain, the average human's sense of smell is stronger than most people believe. Young People Who Cook At Home Eat Better Young adults who frequently make their own meals have much healthier diets than their peers who never set foot in the kitchen, a new study shows. It's True: Eating Slowly Means Fewer Calories At your meals, slow down and savor every bite, and you'll likely eat less food and slash the number of calories. How To Heal Wounds Quickly Insulin is a hormone known primarily for regulating sugar levels in the blood, yet researchers at the University of California, Riverside, recently found that applying insulin directly to skin wounds significantly enhanced the healing process. Circumcision Reduces HIV Rates U.S. researchers in Africa said that they found that circumcision is such a good defense against HIV infection that they shut down two studies early, and instead offered all participants a chance to be circumcised. Frequent Weighing Linked To Teen Eating Problems Teenage girls who keep close tabs on their weight may be more likely to take up unhealthy weight-control habits, a new study shows. Inkjet Printer Grows Human Tissue An inkjet device that prints tiny �bio-ink� patterns has been used to simultaneously grow two different tissues from the stem cells of adult mice. Surgeons could one day use the technology to repair various damaged tissues at the same time, the researchers say. Exercise Cuts Breast Cancer Risk Postmenopausal women who engage in more vigorous physical activity seem to have a lower risk of breast cancer. The beneficial effect was most pronounced for estrogen receptor positive/progesterone receptor negative tumors, which are generally more aggressive. Obese Men, Girls Can See Unusual Testosterone Levels Obese men often experience a sharp decline in testosterone levels while obese girls show much higher levels of the sex hormone than girls of normal weight, according to recent scientific research released. Go for Gifts That Get Kids Hopping This Christmas, experts are advising that Santa skip the video games and bring kids toys that exercise more than just their thumbs. Hour Of Daily Exercise Cuts Bowel Cancer Risk Whether it's jogging around the park, pumping iron or swimming, an hour of vigorous exercise a day can lower the risk of bowel cancer, a study said. Tea Extracts Repair Radiotherapy Skin Damage Findings from a new study confirm that tea extracts applied to the skin promote the repair of damage from radiotherapy, and shed light on the mechanisms involved in the injury. Infant Car Seats Might Pose Breathing Risks Babies should not be left alone to sleep in car safety seats, especially if they were born prematurely, New Zealand pediatricians report. Parents Key to Protecting Teen Drivers Parents could be doing more to cut the teen death toll on the country's roads, a new report finds. More Corruption By Drug Companies Evident In a rare federal prosecution, a leading government Alzheimer's researcher was charged with a criminal conflict of interest for performing lucrative private drug company work that overlapped his official duties. Treating Workers' Depression Helps Companies' Bottom Line Employers would save themselves money by implementing programs to spot and treat depression in workers, a new U.S. study finds. Underweight Women More Likely to Miscarry Women who are underweight before they become pregnant are 72 percent more likely to suffer a miscarriage in the first three months of pregnancy, according to a study from the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine. Weight Training Helps Women's Bones Long-term weight training may help women's bone and metabolic health by promoting increased production of growth hormone, new research suggests. Blood Pressure Often Higher in Boys Than Girls Boys are much more likely than girls to have higher systolic blood pressure, which could explain why men have higher rates of hypertension than women, Canadian researchers report. Anorexics, Bulimics Are Learning Methods Online Young sufferers of anorexia and bulimia who try to hide their eating problems from their parents and doctors are turning to a growing number of Internet chat rooms dedicated to perpetuating their illness. Onions, Garlic Linked To Lower Cancer Risks People who flavor their diets with plenty of onions and garlic might have lower odds of several types of cancer, a new study suggests. Fast Food In Children's Hospitals A Bad Lesson Fast food outlets are common inside children's hospitals, leading more patients to consume hamburgers and fries and encouraging them to view the fare as healthier than it probably is, a study said. Workouts Help Ward Off Cancer's Return For cancer survivors, exercising and maintaining a healthy weight are important factors in preventing malignancy's return, at least for some forms of the disease. The Unhealthy Mass Marketing of Soy Soy drink--popularly known as soy milk--is a lactose-free dairy substitute made from processed soybeans. Manufacturers are now aggressively marketing this imitation food with everything short of a soy mustache campaign, putting it in gable-top cartons and placing it right next to dairy products in the refrigerated sections of grocery stores. Drug Industry Ties Common On Hospital Boards A survey of hospital review boards that watchdog experiments on patients shows that one in three members takes money from companies that make drugs and medical devices that come under study. What's more, many of those with conflicts rarely or never disclose their financial ties, researchers found.