Monthly News Archives



		Dairy Product Tied To Having Twins A diet high in dairy products can greatly increase a woman's chances of having twins, research suggests. Parents Key to Helping Kids Cope with Violence Parents who live in neighborhoods where violence is common can play an important role in helping their children cope with what they witness and experience, new research shows. Early Stroke Cause 'Discovered' A rare genetic disorder is the cause of some strokes in young people, German researchers have said. Scientists Probe Secrets of Kids' TV TV- and video-watching toddlers learn best from onscreen characters that directly relate to and interact with kids, U.S. research suggests. 7-Up Ad Claims Soda is '100 Percent Natural' Amidst the juices and waters you might choose when looking for a healthy beverage, you probably wouldn't think to grab a soda to satisfy that thirst. But can you? Canadians Healthier Than Americans You can add Canadians to the list of foreigners who are healthier than Americans. Americans are 42 percent more likely than Canadians to have diabetes, 32 percent more likely to have high blood pressure, and 12 percent more likely to have arthritis, Harvard Medical School researchers found. That is according to a survey in which American and Canadian adults were asked over the telephone about their health. Insight Into The Anti- Cancer Effect Of Exercise The anti-cancer effects of exercise are due to increases in a protein that blocks cell growth and induces cell death, according to Australian researchers. Bird Flu Threat More Overreaction Than Anything Else For months, the warnings have been relentless: Bird flu could jump species and kill tens of millions of people, a pandemic to rival the 1918 Spanish flu. But not everyone is convinced, however. Skeptics say the warnings are just a lot of hype, scare talk that does more harm than good to the public health. Music 'Can Reduce Chronic Pain' Research has confirmed listening to music can have a significant positive impact on perception of chronic pain. Examining The Need For Prostate Cancer Treatments Most men diagnosed with low-grade prostate cancer may not need radical treatments such as surgery or radiotherapy, which can have serious side effects, British researchers said. Soft Drinks: Poison In A Can This poison goes by many brand names, such as Coca Cola and Pepsi. Generically, this poison is on the market in formulations known as soda, pop, and soft drinks. There is little doubt that long-term consumption of these beverages is like a slow poison that will eventually destory your health. More Suspicious Results On The Benefits Of Alcohol The Lancet recently reported that any heart gains from drinking alcohol in moderation are likely outweighed by the harm. Now Danish research shows that drinking alcohol every day may not protect womean against heart disease at all. One-Third of U.S. Adults Diabetic or Pre-Diabetic The number of Americans diagnosed with type 2 diabetes has now topped 19 million, and a new study says a third of adults with the disease don't even know they have it. Cognitive Therapy Improves Irritable Bowel Syndrome Four sessions of cognitive behavioral therapy, combined with a take-home workbook, result in a greater than 70 percent improvement in symptoms of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) compared with patients relegated to a waiting list, according to a study presented at Digestive Disease Week 2006. Just Two Drinks A Week May Lower Unborn Child's IQ For pregnant women, even a few alcoholic beverages per week during the first or second trimester can have harmful consequences on the cognitive development of the unborn child. Sleeping May Help Keep You Thin A good night's sleep may not just leave you feeling refreshed - it may also help to you keep trim. One "Puff" Is All It Takes To Hook Kids On Smoking Children who try just one cigarette are twice as likely to take up smoking as those who have never tried it, a study funded by Cancer Research UK suggests. Lemonade Prevents Kidney Stones Drinking lemonade could help prevent painful kidney stones, new research shows. ADHD Drugs Send Thousands To ERs Accidental overdoses and side effects from attention deficit drugs likely send thousands of children and adults to emergency rooms, according to the first national estimates of the problem. Biological Clock Ticks For Men Too A man's fertility appears to decline after the age of 40, in much the same way that a woman's ability to conceive fades after 35, according to French researchers. Chocolate May Boost Brain Power Chocolate lovers rejoice. A new study hints that eating milk chocolate may boost brain function. Artificially Sweetened Booze Make You Drunk Faster Alcoholic drinks mixed with artificial sweeteners get you drunker, new research finds. St. John's Wort Could Ease Bladder Woes The herbal supplement St. John's wort may help control pain linked to hypersensitive bladder disorders such as interstitial cystitis (IC), according to a new study involving rats. Air Pollution Boosts Death Rates People with heart failure, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, diabetes, and inflammatory diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis face a higher risk of death when exposed to particulate air pollution -- commonly known as soot -- for one year or more, a new study suggests. Broccoli, Cauliflower Prevent Cancer Need another reason to eat vegetables? A new study at Rutgers shows that certain vegetables � broccoli and cauliflower, in particular � have natural ingredients that may reduce the risk of developing hereditary cancers. Overusing Migraine Meds May Alter Hormone Function People with chronic migraines who overuse pain relievers may have abnormalities in certain hormonal responses, a small study suggests. Cancer-Causing Benzene Found in Drinks A government analysis of more than 100 soft drinks and other beverages turned up five with levels of cancer-causing benzene that exceed federal drinking-water standards, the Food and Drug Administration said. More Evidence Exercise Prevents Cancer Two studies recently published have shown that exercise can protect against skin and bowel cancer, and they have identified new mechanisms that could be responsible for this effect. Moms Should Lose weight Before Getting Pregnant A Second Time Doctors should advise overweight moms considering another pregnancy to take off extra weight first because they are at greater risk of having big babies, a new Saint Louis University study finds. Why High-Protein Meat May Curb Appetite A new appetite-controlling pathway that responds to molecules found in meat has been discovered in the brain. This brain signal system is triggered by specific amino acids and may lead to new ways of helping obese people lose weight, researchers say. Doctors Fail to Manage Patients' High Blood Pressure Even though nearly two-thirds of patients with uncontrolled high blood pressure had high or very high cardiovascular disease risk and risk factors, nearly a third of their primary care doctors felt the patients did not need a change in their treatment, Spanish researchers found. Spirituality May Help Lower Blood Pressure Religion and spirituality may have a positive effect on blood pressure, according to a study of more than 5,300 black Americans. Drug Company Funding May Bias Clinical Trials In a revealing look at the impact of funding on medical research, a new study found that clinical trials funded by drug companies and other for-profit entities were more likely to report positive findings than similar trials funded by nonprofit groups. Caffeine Helps Breathing of Premature Babies Caffeine therapy for the first few days of life helps resolve breathing difficulties in babies born prematurely, according to a report in this week's New England Journal of Medicine. Carcinogens From Parents' Smoking Found In Their Babies' Urine When mom or dad puffs on a cigarette, their infants may inhale the resulting second-hand smoke. Now, scientists have detected cancer-causing chemicals associated with tobacco smoke in the urine of nearly half the babies of smoking parents. Stress May Be Good For The Unborn Moderate stress during pregnancy does not harm the unborn child but can instead aid its later advancement, US research suggests. Low Work Status, Job Worries Boost Depression Risk Being low on the totem pole at the workplace increases the risk that a woman will develop symptoms of severe depression, a new study from Denmark shows. Multimedia Babies: Good News, Bad News They're bombarded with electronics starting in infancy, from the new "Sesame Street" for 6-month-olds to game-playing laptops for toddlers. But when does being a multimedia youngster help � and when does it hurt � children's malleable brains? Walking Test Helps Predict Lifespan An elderly person's ability to walk a quarter-mile is an important predictor of their future health and even how long they will live, new research shows. Are Bananas Going Extinct? Go bananas while you still can. The world's most popular fruit and the fourth most important food crop of any sort is in deep trouble. Its genetic base, the wild bananas and traditional varieties cultivated in India, has collapsed. Bullying Keeps Overweight Kids From Exercise Overweight kids who could benefit from sports and regular exercise are often discouraged from doing so by taunts and bullying, a U.S. study finds. Aging Baby Boomers Are Hitting The Gym People 55 and older make up the fastest-growing segment of gym and health club members, and they now account for about a quarter of all memberships, according to the International Health, Racquet & Sportsclub Association (IHRSA), the trade association that promotes health clubs. Work, Motherhood A Healthy Combo For Women Juggling a career along with being a wife or partner and parent may help to keep women healthy, scientists said. Genes' Role in Cancer May Be Overestimated Looking for genes that could boost a person's general risk for cancer is not likely to reap great rewards, new research concludes. Many 'Floss' With Dangerous Items Over 60% of people are risking their oral health by using whatever is closest to hand to remove food from between their teeth, a survey found. We Know the Facts, But Do We Practice Them? Many of us understand what it takes to eat and exercise�to maintain�healthy diets. Most of us are aware that fruits and vegetables are the healthiest of all�foods. We know that steaming vegetables is the most nutritious way to whip up meals for our families.�But are we following this knowledge?� Smoking, Obesity Pose Risks For 80 Million Americans More than 80 million American adults are smokers, obese or both and face an increased risk of poor health and an early death, researchers said. Teen Athletes Have Healthier Eating Habits Teens who participate in sports have better eating habits than their peers who do not, a new study shows. Here Comes The Sun Debate Sun exposure can cause cancer. Sun exposure might prevent cancer. People who wear sunscreen probably lower their risk of skin cancer and wrinkles. People who wear sunscreen remain at risk for skin cancer and wrinkles. All of the above statements are true, and some have received wide publicity, but the mixed message worry skin doctors. Women 'Sense Qualities In A Man' Women are fine tuned subconsciously to detect the qualities they are looking for in a man - just by looking at his face, US research suggests. US Warns Of 'Global Meth Threat' The US authorities have warned that the addictive drug methamphetamine has become a "global threat". Growth Hormone, Insulin May Be Key To Longevity A number of studies have shown that restricting calories increases the lifespan of animals, but the biological basis for this has remained elusive. A new report hints that growth hormone, as well as insulin, are key factors in the life-extending effects of calorie restriction. Melatonin Supplements May Promote Daytime Sleep Melatonin, a hormone involved in the regulation of the sleep/wake cycle, may help night shift workers get more rest during daylight hours, according to the findings of a small study published in the journal Sleep. Melatonin, which is released by the brain primarily during the hours of sleep, is also available as an oral supplement. "Simple" Measures Could Prevent 2 Million Baby Deaths Two million babies each year die on the day they are born in developing countries due to a lack of simple measures such as providing tetanus immunization and skilled midwives, the Save the Children charity said. Tap Water May Raise Bladder Cancer Risk Pooled data from six case-control studies suggest that higher consumption of tap water-based drinks may slightly increase the risk of bladder cancer among men. Most Prefer To Be Jobless Than Fat More than half of Americans say they'd rather lose their jobs than get fat. Cancer Agent Mysteries Revealed Scientists have cracked the structure of an essential part of an enzyme believed to play a key role in the development of many cancers. Childhood Obesity Leads to Adolescent Obesity Overweight children are often said to have baby fat that will disappear as they get older, but a new British study suggests this is a myth. Family Illness, Death May Be Harder On Women A serious illness or death in the family may take a greater toll on women's health than men's, research findings suggest. Research Shows Anticipating Pain Hurts Anyone who's ever taken a preschooler to the doctor knows they often cry more before the shot than afterward. Now researchers using brain scans to unravel the biology of dread have an explanation: For some people, anticipating pain is truly as bad as experiencing it. Perfectionist Fathers Can Reinforce Eating Disorders Perfectionist fathers can reinforce disordered eating among college-age young people already preoccupied over their physical looks and subject to the demanding expectations of peers and media, according to a Penn State study. Parents Hold the Key to Child's Healthy Weight Childhood obesity is growing at an alarming rate, but experts say parents are more powerful than they imagine at helping kids fight the problem. Mothers Small At Birth Tend To Have Small Babies Mothers who were small as newborns are more likely than other mothers to have small infants themselves, according to Swedish researchers. Clean That Computer Keyboard You might want to add "clean the computer keyboard" to your daily chores, based on a new study. Suicide Risk Linked To Month Of Birth People born in spring or early summer in the northern hemisphere have a 17 percent increased risk of committing suicide than those with birthdays in the autumn or early winter, researchers said. Children 'Failed' Over Nutrition The world is failing children by not ensuring they have enough to eat, says the UN Children's Fund (Unicef). Diabetes Raises Early Death Risk Younger people with Type 2 diabetes are three times more likely to die early than those of the same age without the disease, a study suggests. Take Care of Baby Before Conception Women should take stock of their health before trying to get pregnant, and improve it if necessary, say new government recommendations on "pre-conception care." Autism Parents Allege CDC Cover-Up Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) conspired to cover up information linking vaccines to developmental disorders in children, organizations representing parents of autistic children allege. ADHD Drugs Can Stunt Growth A new review of past studies on the effect that attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) drugs have on children's growth concludes that the drugs do, in fact, suppress growth to some degree. Activity Police Encouraging Active Patients Pediatric Organizations want to turn children's doctors into activity police, encouraging them to routinely monitor how active patients and even their parents are each day to help conquer obesity. Babies Born By C-Section Miss Immune System Trigger A messy birth could be good for the baby's digestion. So say researchers in Germany, who have found evidence that baby mice squeezing through the birth canal swallow bacterial molecules that help their gut grow healthily. The finding suggests that kids born by caesarean might miss out. Forearm Support May Spare Desk Workers Some Pain Equipping office desks with a simple forearm support may help prevent the pain that can come with long days at a computer, new research suggests. More Evidence Seatbelts Save Lives Even when they make it to the emergency room alive, car crash victims who weren't wearing seatbelts are far more likely than belt users to die, study findings show.