Monthly News Archives



		Documentaries Show Alarming Plastic And BPA Pollution Destroying Our Oceans Some reports estimate that there has been a 90 percent increase in the density of plastic pollution in our oceans over the past decade. More than a third of the garbage found usually consists of fragments of melted plastic, food wrappers, bottle lids and cotton buds. An eye-popping 46,000 pieces of plastic float on every square mile of ocean! Humans toss another 2.5 million pieces into our oceans hourly. Memory Training Improves Intelligence A new study has found that it may be possible to train people to be more intelligent, increasing the brainpower they had at birth. Dangers Lurk For Some Lasik Eye Surgery Patients, Clearer Warnings Necessary In fury and despair, patients harmed by Lasik eye surgery told federal health advisers of severe eye pain, blurred vision and even a son's suicide. The advisers recommended that the government warn more clearly about the risks of the hugely popular operations. Study Challenges The Notion That You Can Be Fat and Fit New research challenges the notion that you can be fat and fit, finding that being active can lower but not eliminate heart risks faced by heavy women. Chocolate Cuts Diabetes Risk Chocolate Cuts Diabetes Risk Scientists are to investigate whether eating chocolate can reduce the risk of heart disease in women with diabetes. Health Canada Resorting To American Tactics To Outlaw Natural Health Products A new law being pushed in Canada by Big Pharma seeks to outlaw up to 60 percent of natural health products currently sold in Canada, even while criminalizing parents who give herbs or supplements to their children. Will You Be Misdiagnosed? How frequently do doctors misdiagnose patients? While research has demonstrated that the great majority of medical diagnoses are correct, the answer is probably higher than patients expect and certainly higher than doctors realize. Genetic Study Suggests Humans Near Extinction 70,00 Years Ago Human beings may have had a brush with extinction 70,000 years ago, an extensive genetic study suggests. The human population at that time was reduced to small isolated groups in Africa, apparently because of drought, according to an analysis released. Higher Doses of Vitamin D Needed to Prevent Cancer Experts are increasingly pushing for higher daily recommended intakes of vitamin D, saying that while current amounts may prevent signs of deficiency, they are insufficient to provide a protective benefit against cancer. The Six Principles of Green Living There�s something to be said for striving to live a Green life, because ultimately living by Green principles can be far more satisfying than grabbing whatever you can while the getting�s good. A Global Food Crisis Is Upon Us The first global food crisis since World War II is upon us and already threatening 20 million of the world�s poorest children. Daily Decisions Make Mush of Your Mind Woe to the caffeinated, for gone are the days of simply grabbing a coffee. Today's order requires surviving a gauntlet of choices: Latte or Americano? Flavored or plain? Cream and sugar? Small, medium or large? And the list goes on. Mother's Diet Influences Infant Sex New research by the Universities of Exeter and Oxford provides the first evidence that a child's sex is associated with the mother's diet. The study shows a clear link between higher energy intake around the time of conception and the birth of sons. The findings may help explain the falling birth-rate of boys in industrialised countries, including the UK and US. The Loss Of Biodiversity Is Leading To A Sick World The world risks wiping out a new generation of cures for diseases if it fails to reverse the extinction of thousands of plant and animal species, experts warned. Culture Affects How We Read Faces How people read facial expressions of others says a lot about their cultural upbringing, a new study suggests. While Americans home in on a central figure, Japanese take in facial expressions of an entire group to gauge a person's emotional state. Boring Jobs Really Do Numb The Mind Boring jobs turn our mind to autopilot, say scientists - and it means we can seriously mess up some simple tasks. Some Exercise Truths and Myths Some exercise folklore, such as the runner's high, is eventually proved. But far more common are the persistent myths. Scientists Agree That Electromagnetic Fields Pose a Threat to Your Health Electricity has become an integral part of our lives, with electromagnetic fields (EMFs) all around us. Electricity certainly makes our lives easier in many ways. Is it possible that electricity is also making our lives shorter? Feeding On Demand Superior: Short Breastfeeds 'Best For Baby' Giving regular, short breastfeeds is more beneficial than the "baby-led" method, a British study suggests. Dark Chocolate Lowers Cholesterol The results of a University of Illinois study have demonstrated an effective way to lower cholesterol levels � by eating chocolate bars. Migraine Frequency Linked With Women's Risk Of Cardiovascular Disease New research shows women who have weekly migraine are significantly more likely to have a stroke than those with fewer migraines or no migraine at all, but those with lower migraine frequency may face increased risk of heart attacks. A New Plot Is Underway To Destroy The Nutritional Value of Fresh Produce There's a new plot underway to sterilize your food and destroy the nutritional value of fresh produce. The players in this plot are the usual suspects: The USDA and the American Chemical Society -- a pro-chemical group that represents the interests of industrial chemical manufacturers. Vitamin D Also Prevents Artery Disease In addition to all the health enhancing powers of Vitamin D, now scientists have found that it may also protect against an artery disease in which fatty deposits restrict blood flow to the limbs. Men More Forgetful Than Women Men are more likely than women to have problems with memory and other thinking skills, symptoms considered to be an early stage of dementia, research suggests. Manage Arthritis With Diet and Exercise A healthy joint consists of strong bones, each with a healthy complement of cartilage, to ease the friction between the ends of the bones when movement occurs. But overuse and nutritional imbalances can lead to a breakdown of the cartilages, leading to painful friction. This is when arthritis occurs. The Fat Around Your Waist Could Be Making You Hungrier The extra fat we carry around our middle could be making us hungrier, so we eat more, which in turn leads to even more belly fat. Drug Companies Secretly Influence the Content of Medical Literature Pharmaceutical companies regularly carry out every aspect of a study on their products, then solicit academics to put their names on the final papers in order to disguise their involvement, according to an essay published in the journal PLoS Medicine. Canada Could Become The First Country To Label Bisphenol-A (BPA) As Toxic The Canadian government is said to be ready to declare as toxic a chemical widely used in plastics for baby bottles, beverage and food containers as well as linings in food cans. Scientists Continue To Use Junk Science To Negate The Effectiveness Of Vitamins The latest attack on vitamins A, C, E, selenium and beta-carotene comes from the Cochrane Library, a widely-read source of information on conventional health matters. Little Evidence Prostate Screening Saves Lives The prostate cancer death rate in the US has fallen since screening became more common, but that does not prove such tests are needed, a study argues. The Future of Food There is a revolution happening in the farm fields and on dinner tables. A revolution that is transforming the very nature of the food we eat. Sex Researchers Report On Different Experiences Involving Sexual Desire A study by researchers at the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender, and Reproduction at Indiana University finds that men report a variety of different experiences involving sexual desire and arousal. The Earth's Life Support Systems May Be Past The Point Of No Return The United Nations has issued a report warning that global climate change and other environmental destruction is rapidly pushing the planet's life support systems past the point of no return. Choosing The Right Type of Air Purifier We worry much about the air pollution outside our homes. Some types of air purifiers are effective in eliminating certain kinds of pollutants. It is therefore important that you first determine which pollutants you want to get rid of before buying a unit. Mainstream Media Coverage Of Breast Cancer Continues To Ignore Prevention News coverage of breast cancer focuses too much on treatments and not enough on prevention, a trend that could prove risky in the long run for many women, say researchers at Michigan State University. Are Flowers Losing Their Smell? Spring's bloom may not smell so sweet anymore, as pollutants from power plants and automobiles destroy flowers' aromas, a new study suggests. Babies' Sleep Linked To Childhood Obesity A new Harvard study finds that babies and toddlers who sleep fewer than 12 hours daily are at greater risk for being overweight in preschool, startling evidence that the link between sleep and obesity may affect even very young children. What We Consume Affects Our Risk Of Cancer A healthy diet and lifestyle protect against a wide range of diseases, and new research presented at the American Association for Cancer Research 2008 Annual Meeting, shows that cancer is no exception. Exercise During Pregnancy Leads To Healthier Moms And Babies Studies have shown that exercise has a positive effect on mothers-to-be, and no detrimental impact on their developing offspring. A new study further extends the knowledge of research in this area and has found that not only do women benefit from exercise in pregnancy, but their fetuses do too. Mixed Martial Arts Training May Be Good For Your Children Mixed Martial Arts is no more dangerous than other sports where injuries occur. The fact is, the health benefits of being involved in such sports greatly outweigh the risk of harm from injury. Macadamia Nuts Are Part Of A Heart Healthy Diet Macadamia nuts included in a heart healthy diet should be included among nuts with qualified health claims, according to researchers. How Fast You'll Age Is Written In The Bones Perhaps the aging process can�t be stopped. But it can be predicted, and new research from Tel Aviv University indicates that people may live longer and lead healthier lives as a result. Anticipating A Laugh Experience Reduces Our Stress Hormones Researchers have found that the anticipation of a positive humorous laughter experience also reduces potentially detrimental stress hormones. Phytochemical-Rich Foods, Such As Blueberries Reverse Deficits In Memory If you are getting forgetful as you get older, then a research team from the University of Reading and the Peninsula Medical School in the Southwest of England may have good news for you. Backpack Straps Decrease Blood Flow May Result In Loss of Fine Motor Control Typically backpacks are loaded with almost one-fourth of children's body weight (22 percent) and worn with only one strap.�Last year, a team of physician researchers examined the effect heavy-loaded backpack straps can have on children. Not All Trans Fats Are Bad Contrary to popular opinion, not all trans fats are bad for you. University of Alberta researcher Flora Wang found that a diet with enriched levels of trans vaccenic acid (VA) -- a natural animal fat found in dairy and beef products -- can reduce risk factors associated with heart disease, diabetes and obesity. Electromagnetic Waves Can Find You By Your Sweat Ducts Our skin may contain millions of tiny "antennas" in the form of microscopic sweat ducts, say researchers in Israel. In experiments, they found evidence that signals produced by bouncing electromagnetic waves off the tiny tubes might reveal a person's physical and emotional state from a distance. Some Facts About The Pasteurization and Homogenization of Dairy Products The popular milk campaign has been very successful in reversing declining milk sales in recent years. Common teaching is that milk is a "perfect food," for building strong bodies in children and preventing osteoporosis as we age. The modern dairy products that are available in most supermarkets are nothing like the unpasteurized, unhomogenized milk of yesteryear, however. Today's milk looks the same, but it is not the same product. What Makes Us Fall In Love? What makes us fall in love? Is it lust, mutual interests, shared life goals, or something much more intangible? Recent research suggests the latter. Teens With A TV In Their Bedroom Less Likely To Engage In Healthy Habits University of Minnesota School of Public Health researchers have found that older adolescents who have a bedroom television are less likely to engage in healthy activities such as exercising, eating fruits or vegetables, and enjoying family meals. Components In Red Wine And Tea Help Regulate Blood Sugar Components in red wine have been shown to protect people from heart disease, even when they follow a diet high in saturated fat, and the healing powers of tea are becoming the stuff of legend. Soy Industry Promotes Health Myths to Sell More Soy Products Author Kaayla T. Daniel is challenging what she calls the myth that soy prevents breast cancer. "The soy industry consistently plays down the evidence that soy can promote breast cancer" she states. Mothers' Diet Linked To Baby's Obesity Mothers' Diet Linked To Baby's Obesity Pregnant and lactating rats fed on a diet of hydrogenated fat during pregnancy and lactation had babies who were fatter than rats fed a normal diet, according to new research. Your Daily Coffee May Protect Your Brain Coffee may cut the risk of dementia by blocking the damage cholesterol can inflict on the body, research suggests. Can Images of Alluring Females Really Encourage A Man To Buy? Attractive women plus cool cars equal brisk sales for auto dealers as men snap up those cars, prompted�or so advertising theory goes�by the association. But is the human male really so easily swayed? Can the irrelevant image of an alluring female posing by the merchandise actually encourage a heterosexual man to purchase it? Reducing Your Exposure To Electro Smog May Improve Your Health Referred to as "electro-smog" by some, the danger of magnetic, electric, radio (microwave), ground current, and high frequency radiation is that it is mostly invisible until great damage is done. Here are 15 ways to reduce your exposure. Brain's 'Sixth Sense' For Calories Discovered The brain can sense the calories in food, independent of the taste mechanism, researchers have found in studies with mice. Their finding that the brain�s reward system is switched on by this �sixth sense� machinery could have implications for understanding the causes of obesity. Common Organic Compound In Many Household Products Poses Health Risks Bisphenol A, a chemical that leaches into food and beverages from many consumer products, causes normal, non-cancerous human breast cells to express genes characteristic of aggressive breast cancer cells. That's the finding of a "Priority Report" in the latest issue of the journal Cancer Research. Thinness Is Largely Inherited Your friend can eat whatever she wants and still fit into her prom dress, but you gain five pounds if you just look at that chocolate cake. Before you sign up for Weight Watchers and that gym membership, though, you may want to look at some recent research from Tel Aviv University and save yourself a few hundred dollars. Health Benefits Lacking On Drinking Lots Of Water A recent look at what is known about the health effects of drinking water reveals that most supposed benefits are not backed by solid evidence. The findings indicate that most people do not need to worry about drinking their recommended 8 glasses of 8 ounces (�8x8�) of water per day. Subcutaneous or Visceral Fat: Which Fat Matters Most To Your Health? There are millions of adults globally that are overweight or obese. The battle of the bulge is a unique challenge for both sexes looking to achieve weight management goals. Perhaps, an increased understanding of the etiology of the different sources of fat may help guide the dieter to achieving a successful end result. Medication Makes Alzheimer's Worse Anti-psychotic drugs commonly given to Alzheimer's patients often make their condition worse, a UK study suggests. Best Sex is Short and Sweet A survey of experts yields good news for anyone who thought their sexual efforts didn't last long enough. Good sex typically lasts 13 minutes or less, not counting foreplay. Tai Chi Helps Diabetics Tai Chi exercises can help people with type 2 diabetes control their condition, research suggests. How You're Being Fooled By Coloring Ingredients Made From Petrochemicals Have you ever wondered why companies use artificial colors? You might think it's because they want to make their food look good, but there's another reason -- a far deeper reason.