Monthly News Archives



		Cranberry Juice Prevents Urinary Tract Infections While it's been folk advice for years, a new study appears to confirm what many women think they already know--drinking cranberry juice can reduce the chances of getting repeated urinary tract infections. Weather Conditions Trigger Migraines Suffer from migraine headaches? You may want to pay more attention to the weather report, a new study says. Jogging May Strengthen Bones A weekly jog around the park may not put an individual into the same league as Michael Johnson or other Olympic runners, but it may help keep bones healthy, new study findings suggest. Little Change in Healthcare Use in 40 Years Despite tremendous upheaval in the financing and delivery of healthcare in the US, Americans' use of health services has changed little since John F. Kennedy was president, a new study finds. Protein Identified as Heart Risk Factor Researchers have identified a new coronary risk factor: high blood levels of an inflammation-related molecule called C-reactive protein (CRP). And they say that risk can be reduced by taking one of the statins, the drugs that cut heart risk by lowering cholesterol levels. Researchers Make Cancer Advancement Scientists have created mice that are immune to some of the most common types of breast cancer, a development they say brings science a step closer to developing drugs to precisely block the spread of breast cancer in humans. Better Computing Key To Genetic Breakthroughs Rival computer makers IBM and Sun Microsystems Inc. have created an open computing platform to try to help genetic researchers sift through the piles of paralyzingly complex genetic data being amassed, a biotechnology industry conference in San Diego, Calif., heard on Tuesday. Diet & Exercise Help Elderly Diabetics Jewett Pattee was a self-described ``physical mess'' before the age of 50. He smoked a pack of cigarettes a day, drank excessively, suffered from spinal arthritis and ate whatever he pleased. Remolding Your Memory Because your brain is constantly stitching and restitching memories together, your "memory" of something that never happened can be tweaked until you think it did, says new research. Protein May Link Obesity To Diabetes An overproduction of a protein used by pancreatic cells to measure blood sugar may explain why those who are overweight are at risk for type II diabetes, a study in mice suggests. Are Breast Self-Exams More Harm Than Good A review involving nearly 500,000 women contends that there's no difference in dying from breast cancer between women who examine their own breasts and those who don't. Further, it says, going through the routine could cause you harm. Controlling Blood Sugar Keeps Arteries Healthy People with type 1 diabetes may be able to substantially decrease their risk of heart disease by maintaining tight control over their blood sugar, researchers said here on Sunday. Take Sleep Seriously While we struggle to stay on appropriate diets and take great pains to squeeze exercise into our busy days, many Americans pay little attention to another health issue of critical importance -- sleep. Charity Says European Govt. Fails Cancer Patients European governments are failing cancer patients because prolonged national reimbursement procedures mean new anti-cancer treatments become available too late for many, the Cancer Research Campaign (CRC) warned on Sunday. Aspirin Could Preserve Sight in Diabetics People with diabetes have many blood clots in the tiny blood vessels of the retina, researchers have found. Based on their findings, they suggest that drugs to dissolve blood clots could help prevent a type of eye damage common in diabetic patients. Education Eases Lower Back Pain Public education campaigns about low back pain can remedy people's misconceptions about the ailment, Australian researchers report. Diet Linked to One in Three Cancers Almost one in three cancers could be prevented through healthier eating, a major international conference heard this week. Maintaining Memory Is memory loss an inevitable part of aging? Can something be done to prevent it? Absolutely. Here are some tips to help maintain good memory as you age. Fighting Aids May Cost $9B The world's poorest countries will soon need $9.2 billion a year to deal with AIDS, a study concludes - $4.4 billion to treat people with the illness and $4.8 billion to prevent new infections. Elevated PCB Levels Blamed For Mental Decline For the first time, researchers have found that adults with high blood levels of polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) may have more memory and learning problems compared with people with lower blood levels of the chemicals. Study Finds Ginseng Has No Mood Boosting Effects Despite claims that ginseng has mood-enhancing properties, researchers conducting a study found no evidence that the herbal supplement can enhance mood in healthy young adults anymore than a sugar pill. Premature Babies At Risk for Academic Problems Up to one third of premature babies will go on to experience academic difficulties in school, study findings suggest. Women Mentally Sharper Than Men In Old Age Very old women appear to have better mental abilities than their male counterparts, even after taking into consideration education and other factors that affect mental performance, also known as cognitive function, researchers report. High Bone Density Linked To Breast Cancer Risk While older women with naturally greater bone mineral density are at lower risk of hip fractures, they have nearly three times the risk of breast cancer as women with frailer bones, new study findings suggest. Calcium Debate Rages On Although a new study tries to settle the debate over which kind of calcium supplement works better, don't hold your breath for the final word on the issue. Physician Benchmarks Improve Diabetes Care Diabetic patients have a better chance of receiving good care when their physicians get feedback on how the care they provide stacks up against top performers, researchers reported last week in The Journal of the American Medical Association. Physician Benchmarks Improve Diabetes Care Diabetic patients have a better chance of receiving good care when their physicians get feedback on how the care they provide stacks up against top performers, researchers reported last week in The Journal of the American Medical Association. Healthy Diet, Healthy Heart In findings that underscore the importance of eating healthy for long life, two new studies reveal that fruits, vegetables and a diet low in fat can protect against heart disease. Lutein May Fight Heart Disease Lutein, an antioxidant nutrient already linked to eye health, may help prevent the hardening and narrowing of arteries that can lead to heart attack and stroke, according to a new report. Vitamin May Speed Oxidation A new study confirms laboratory findings that suggest vitamin E can promote oxidation in the human body under certain conditions--specifically, in smokers eating a diet high in polyunsaturated fat. Better Diet May Help Prevent Breast Cancer A diet rich in fruits and vegetables may reduce a woman's risk of developing breast cancer, according to researchers from New York University and the International Agency for Research on Cancer in Lyon, France. Blood Pressure, Cholesterol Linked To Alzheimers It's common knowledge that high cholesterol can lead to heart disease, and uncontrolled high blood pressure can lead to stroke. But researchers are now linking these conditions to Alzheimer's disease as well. Vitamin C Can Damage DNA Although vitamin C is an essential defender of body cells, the vitamin can also play a ''dual role'' and, at times, actually damages cells' genetic material, new research suggests. Investigators say their findings could help explain why high-dose vitamin C has so far failed as an experimental cancer therapy. Needle-Free Diabetes Therapy Has Setback A year ago, Canadian researchers announced a landmark treatment for Type I diabetes that freed a small group of patients from daily insulin shots for as long as a year. Feds Begin To Crack Down On Internet Supplement Companies The Federal Trade Commission (FTC) Thursday announced a crackdown on six dietary supplement companies that the agency alleges have been making false and potentially dangerous claims about products on the Internet. Diabetes May Impair Mental Function In Elderly Elderly women who suffer from type 2 diabetes may be at risk of developing memory problems, results of a study suggest. New Gene Suspect In Breast Cancer California researchers have added another gene to the short list of those known or suspected of affecting the risk of breast cancer. Height Linked To Longevity Being tall may make it easier to score baskets and look good in certain clothes. But statistical analyses show that taller people, on average, also tend to live longer lives than shorter people. Sleep Apnea Linked To Alzheimers A gene already linked to the risk of Alzheimer's and cardiovascular disease is also closely associated with sleep apnea, scientists report. Pollution Linked To Heart Attacks High levels of air pollution can trigger heart attacks in at-risk people exposed for even a short time, a study has found. A Buffet May Be Too Appetizing The more isn't the merrier when it comes to food. If you've got variety on your plate, you're probably going to eat too much, say University of Buffalo scientists. Babies Listen To Babble If you think your baby's listening to everything -- the dog barking, the radio blaring, the kettle whistling -- but you, you could be right. Carpal Tunnel Risk Low in Computers Users Office workers stuck in front of a computer all day may be able to pound away on their computer keyboards without fear of carpal tunnel syndrome, according to researchers from the Mayo Clinic, in Scottsdale, Arizona. Many Diabetic Deaths Avoidable Two out of three diabetes-related deaths could be avoided if people were diagnosed with the disease sooner and received better treatment, a UK charity said Monday. Dream Recall Often Imperfect Are we reliable witnesses to our own dreams? Not very, according to research presented here at the annual meeting of the Associated Sleep Societies. More Nurseries Putting Babies To Sleep on Backs A greater number of newborn nurseries are following national guidelines aimed at reducing the rate of sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) in the US, researchers report. Pumping Iron Helps Women With the Battle of The Bulge Women gearing up to wage war on fat may want to arm themselves with a set of weights in addition to a pair of running shoes, a new study suggests. Diabetics Have a Much Higher Risk of Death Diabetics--regardless of their age or income--are at much greater risk of dying during a given time period compared with those without the condition, UK researchers said on Thursday. Seatbelts Help Prevent Death in SUV Rollovers Sports utility vehicle (SUV) drivers who buckle up have a good chance of staying alive in the event of a rollover, according to a new report on seat belt effectiveness conducted by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA). Research Shows Tumor- Suppressing Protein Action Keeping the tumor-suppressing protein p53 in the cell's nucleus is critical for helping it repair cancer-causing DNA damage. Now scientists say that the same factors that cause DNA damage also change p53 in a way that keeps it at the damage site. Adults Should Monitor Kids Tooth Brushing Many young children who consider brushing their teeth a chore may try to avoid it at all costs. But few succeed, according to the results of a recent survey. Clues To Your Back Pain Diagnosis Not all back pain is treated equally. How do you know if your problem is in your muscles or your discs? Obesity Tops Smoking As Risk Obese adults have more chronic health problems than smokers, heavy drinkers or the poor, according to a study released Wednesday. Utah Probes 90,000 Medical Errors State officials began a push for more reporting of medical information by releasing a report Wednesday that listed 90,000 mistakes made in treating Utah hospital patients over five years. Heart-Cells Discovery Gives Hope Challenging decades of medical dogma, researchers have discovered that damaged hearts can repair themselves by growing brand-new muscle cells. U.S. Surgeon General To Release Report on Sexuality Surgeon General David Satcher said Tuesday he will release a major report on sexuality in America by the end of June. Weight Training To Maximize Your Workout It's the time of year for sculpted muscles on the beach. How do you begin to get that physique you always dreamed of using weights? For The Love of a Good Bowel Movements Yes, no one likes to talk about it, but regularity is very imporant to health. Failure to regulate bowel activity is one of the most common complaints of older persons and this problem applies even to individuals who are otherwise quite active, consider themselves well, and suffer from very few illnesses. So, why does it happen? And what can we do about it? Cancer Declines Overall, But Some Types Increase Over much of the 1990s, deaths from cancer declined slightly in the US, but the number of Americans diagnosed with certain cancers--including breast, skin and liver cancer--inched up, according to the federal government's annual report on cancer trends. Low Hormone Doses Work A major study funded by the top seller of a hormone therapy for menopause finds low doses of estrogen and progestin worked as well as higher doses, with fewer side effects. Child's Snoring May Undermine Intellectual Growth Study Finds Young children with snoring problems may have academic difficulties into their teens, even after the snoring has stopped, study findings suggest. Lack of Iron May Cause Learning Disability In a study that may help to explain why boys tend to outsmart their female counterparts in math class by the time they reach high school, US researchers have found that iron deficiency may affect children's ability to understand math problems. What's Meningitis, and Who's at Risk Crowds of people in Ohio waited to get antibiotics as a precautionary measure against a strain of meningitis that has killed two teens, and has left a third in serious condition. Avoiding Prescription Drugs Do you take prescriptions for high blood pressure, asthma or diabetes? There may be alternatives. What is Sedentary Death Syndrome? Being fat and out of shape now has a name - sedentary death syndrome. A professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia said he invented the term to drive home his point that, in the United States, even the Grim Reaper is flabby. Researchers Report Key Aging Gene You may think that you can't teach an old dog new tricks. But a new study says people can take control of their lives, even at 50, and age well. Scientists Differentiate Cancers By combining gene technology and high-speed computers that learn as they go, scientists have determined a way to tell the difference among several childhood cancers that appear similar. Oversized Heart Chamber Result of Obesity Obesity is a predominant factor contributing to enlargement of the upper-left chamber of the heart, a known risk factor for heart disease and death, a team of Canadian researchers reports.