Monthly News Archives



		Rapid Muscle Contractions Up Weight Loss U.S. researchers found the benefits of exercise for weight loss could be increased by using rapid -- or explosive -- muscle contractions. Arthritis Drugs Linked to Slight Skin Cancer Risk People taking rheumatoid arthritis drugs such as etanercept (Enbrel) or infliximab (Remicade) may be at a slightly increased risk for skin cancer, researchers report. Lung Disease Rates 'On The Rise' Rates of incurable lung disease are higher than previously thought, a study across 12 countries suggests. World Facing 'Arsenic Timebomb' About 140 million people, mainly in developing countries, are being poisoned by arsenic in their drinking water, researchers believe. Stressed-Out Moms Carry Babies on the Right Can spotting unhealthy levels of stress in a new mother be as simple as seeing which arm she uses to carry her baby? Not All Risk Is Created Equal A camper who chases a grizzly but won't risk unprotected sex. A sky diver afraid to stand up to the boss. New research shows that not all risk is created equal and people show a mixture of both risky and non-risky behaviors. Hospital Practices Affect Long- Term Breastfeeding Success A new study in Birth: Issues in Perinatal Care suggests that implementing 5 breastfeeding-friendly practices in hospitals following birth can significantly improve long-term breastfeeding success. Nearly two-thirds of mothers who engaged in all 5 supportive practices were still breastfeeding 4 months after going home. Don't Stress Out -- It Could Cause Alzheimer's High stress levels may contribute to memory loss among people at risk for developing Alzheimer�s disease. High-fat Diet Linked to Increased Breast Cancer Risk A diet high in fat significantly increases a woman's risk of developing invasive breast cancer, according to a study conducted by researchers at the National Cancer Institute in Bethesda, Maryland, and published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. Married Men Do Less Housework Than Live-In Boyfriends The age-old stereotype that women do more housework than men has gotten more credibility with a George Mason University study co-written by sociologist Shannon Davis. Using Virtual Reality To Study Bodily Self-Consciousness A group of neuroscientists and a philosopher have devised a series of novel experiments using virtual reality that could shed light on decades of clinical data pointing to cognitive and perceptual mechanisms involved in humans� concept of self. Non-medicinal Interventions Highly Effective For ADHD 5 year study, most ambitious of its kind, identifies effective strategies for decreasing aggressiveness and improving behavior. 100-Pound Weight Loss Possible With Behavioral Changes And Without Surgery Dr. James Anderson, a weight loss researcher, led a nine-year study of patients who have lost 100 or more pounds. Such weight loss can be achieved by following an intensive behavioral program. This method is significantly safer than undergoing bariatric surgery to achieve similar weight loss results. Study Supports Link Between Diabetes, High-Fructose Corn Syrup Researchers have found new evidence that soft drinks sweetened with high-fructose corn syrup (HFCS) may contribute to the development of diabetes, particularly in children. Cancer Could Be Prevented Worldwide With More Exposure To Sun and Vitamin D A new study looking at the relationship between vitamin D serum levels and the risk of colon and breast cancer across the globe has estimated the number of cases of cancer that could be prevented each year if vitamin D3 levels met the target proposed by researchers. Why Do Girls Prefer Pink? A little girl's love of all things pink may not be entirely due to marketing by clothes and toy firms say researchers. Protect Our Children: Prohibit Junk Foods In Schools In spite of the child obesity epidemic, purveyors of junk food increasingly are able to use public schools as a platform for their marketing campaigns. In effect, the junk food lobby has latched onto the compulsory school laws as a way to corral a captive audience of impressionable children. Dark Chocolate Reduces High Blood Pressure Cocoa reduces high blood pressure but tea does not, according to a study published in the Archives of Internal Medicine. Brains Learn Better At Night If you think that the idea of a morning person or an evening person is nonsense, then postgraduate student Martin Sale and his colleagues from the University of Adelaide have news for you. Seniors Have Sex Into 70s, 80s An unprecedented study of sex and seniors finds that many older people are surprisingly frisky � willing to do, and talk about, intimate acts that would make their grandchildren blush. Secret to Overcoming Shyness Revealed The next time you're invited to a party but afraid to go, try approaching this: shyness may affect up to 40 percent of the population, but it doesn't have to be a life sentence. Hypertension: A World Problem The biggest problem for controlling hypertension (high blood pressure) is compliance with prevention and treatment. Soccer Burns More Fat Than Jogging Sports scientist Peter Krustrup and his colleagues from the University of Copenhagen, found that results from a study show that soccer practise is better in a number of ways over jogging. Light Exercise Just Doesn't Cut It To be healthy, you really do need to break into a sweat when you exercise, say experts. Revealing Estrogen's Role In Obesity New research on the effects of the female sex hormone estrogen in the brain lend credence to what many women have suspected about the hormonal changes that accompany aging: Menopause can make you fat. Broccoli Boosts The Immune System A compound found in broccoli and related vegetables may have more health-boosting tricks up its sleeves, according to a new study led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley. Darker Fruits Fight Cancer The compounds which give certain fruit and vegetables their dark colour may contain powerful cancer fighting properties, US research suggests. Even Low Levels Of Weekly Exercise Lower Blood Pressure Even low levels of weekly exercise drive down blood pressure and boost overall fitness, suggests a small study in the Journal of Epidemiology and Community Health. Loneliness Is Bad For Your Health Two University of Chicago psychologists, Louise Hawkley and John Cacioppo, have been trying to disentangle social isolation, loneliness, and the physical deterioration and diseases of aging, right down to the cellular level. Are Too Many People Being Diagnosed As 'Depressed?' Are too many people now diagnosed as having depression? Two experts give their views in this week�s BMJ. Even A Small Belly Can Increase The Risk Of Heart Disease, Scientists Warn Research from the University of Texas found large waist measurements, relative to hip size, were linked to early signs of heart disease. What's Your Ideal Body Weight? Some women say they would need to lose�about 38 pounds to reach what they consider an ideal size, and more than half want to get down to a size 8 or smaller, despite 12 being�average, a new survey says. Mainstream Media Continues To Distort The Truth About Antioxidants Following a recent announcement of a new study showing the phenomenal benefits of antioxidants for preventing heart disease in women, the mainstream media rallied behind a blatantly false distortion of the study designed to convince the public that vitamins E and C are somehow useless. Fat 'Crucial' In Children's Diet While parents may be increasingly worrying about childhood obesity, they must ensure their offspring eat enough fat, research from the US urges. Plain Soap As Effective As Antibacterial But Without The Risk Antibacterial soaps show no health benefits over plain soaps and, in fact, may render some common antibiotics less effective, says a University of Michigan public health professor. Memories You Want To Forget Are The Hardest Ones To Lose Painful, emotional memories that people would most like to forget may be the toughest to leave behind, especially when memories are created through visual cues, according to a new study by the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. Craving For Junk Food 'Inherited' Mothers who eat junk food during pregnancy may be condemning their children to crave the same diet, according to animal tests. Simulated Relationships Offer Insight Into Real Ones Is it me, or are you a less than ideal partner? For psychologists studying how people manage romantic relationships, that’s not an easy question to answer. What if one of the partners is deeply afraid of intimacy? Could she be acting in ways that undermine the relationship? Or is her partner contributing to the problem? Conventional Cancer Therapy Inevitably Leads To Recurrence One of the most common problems in cancer patients who choose to undergo conventional cancer therapy is recurrence. They might think they have beaten their cancer with chemotherapy, radiation, and surgery, only to find a few years later that tumors have spread into other tissues -- usually the lungs, brain, or even the reproductive organs. Major Study Finds Good News About Vitamins E and C A new study has found that natural vitamin E and vitamin C can significantly reduce the risk of several cardiovascular diseases. Pollution Causes 40 Percent Of Deaths Worldwide About 40 percent of deaths worldwide are caused by water, air and soil pollution, concludes a Cornell researcher. Such environmental degradation, coupled with the growth in world population, are major causes behind the rapid increase in human diseases, which the World Health Organization has recently reported. Omega-3 Fatty Acids: A Way To Improve Heart Health While a heart-healthy diet has become synonymous with plenty of fruits and vegetables and little fat and cholesterol, there's more to the story. Omega-3 fatty acids should be part of a heart-healthy diet, too, according to the August issue of Mayo Clinic Health Letter. Grape Juice May Protect Against Breast Cancer While factors like age and heredity contribute significantly to a woman�s likelihood of contracting breast cancer, lifestyle and nutrition choices may also play a role. One dietary choice that may help provide protection against breast cancer is a glass of 100 percent grape juice made from deep purple Concord grapes. Expressing Gratitude Towards Spouse Leads To A Successful Marriage A successful relationship depends not just on how partners divvy up the household chores, but also on how they express gratitude. Childhood Obesity Leads To Greater Risk Of School Absenteeism In the first study of how weight may affect school attendance, researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and Temple University have found that overweight children are at greater risk of school absenteeism than their normal-weight peers. Feminine Guys Better For Long-Term Relationships Women see masculine-looking men as more unsuitable long-term partners but men with more feminine features are seen as more committed and less likely to stray, researchers said. Diet Foods Will Lead Children To Obesity Diet foods and drinks for children may inadvertently lead to overeating and obesity, says a new report from the University of Alberta. Using A Microwave Oven Destroys The Nutritional Value Of Your Food Microwave ovens heat food through a process of creating molecular friction, but this same molecular friction quickly destroys the delicate molecules of vitamins and phytonutrients (plant medicines) naturally found in foods. Study Examines Effect Of Chemicals In Baby Foods A new EU-funded study on infants will examine the impact on the health of newborns of chemicals currently found in baby foods. Why Guilt Doesn't Work A new study by two Universities examines repeated impulsive behavior despite the presence of guilt � important research underscored by the increasing prevalence of binge drinking, obesity, and credit card debt. Parents' Depression Weighs On Children A parent�s struggle with stress or depression can lower a child�s quality of life -- and it could hinder an overweight youngster�s attempts to lose weight, too, University of Florida researchers say. Baby Milk Ads 'Should Be Banned' A coalition of charities is demanding baby milk be treated like tobacco and subjected to a total advertising ban. Green Tea Helps Skin Diseases Green tea could hold promise as a new treatment for skin disorders such as psoriasis and dandruff, Medical College of Georgia researchers say. Fat Is The New Normal In The U.S. American women have gotten fatter as it has become more socially acceptable to carry a few extra pounds, according to a new study. Internet Chats: The New Frontier Of Psychotherapy A group of investigators of the University of Heidelberg has published a controlled study on a new modality of treatment based on internet chat, in the July issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. Sex Abstinence Programmes Do Not Work Sex abstinence programmes do not stop risky sexual behaviour or help in the prevention of unwanted pregnancy, a research team has concluded. Anorexia Nervosa: More Common Than Previously Thought Experts say that anorexia is often devastatingly chronic and carries high mortality rates. However, these views are highly biased. A study recently conducted in Finland among young women uncovers a completely different side to anorexia. Hostility And Anger Linked To Depression A new study links hostility, anger and depression to heart disease in men. But some cardiologists aren�t yet ready to recommend anger-management classes to at-risk patients. Schizophrenia Improved By Exercise Dr. Anthony Hannan, along with Dr Caitlin McOmish, Emma Burrows and colleagues, characterised a genetically altered mouse and discovered that it had schizophrenia-like behaviours, including learning and memory problems, the inability to process complex information, and abnormal responses to particular sensory stimuli. Broccoli 'Stops' Prostate Cancer Eating broccoli and cauliflower regularly reduces the risk of deadly prostate cancer, say US researchers. Why Do People Have Sex? Many scientists assume people have sex for simple and straightforward reasons such as to experience sexual pleasure or to reproduce, but new research at The University of Texas at Austin reveals hundreds of varied and complex motivations that range from the spiritual to the vengeful. Watch Out for Key Signs Of Apendicitis How does a child�s doctor decide whether to schedule an emergency appendectomy to surgically remove a presumably inflamed appendix � a procedure that carries its own risks like any surgery � or wait and observe what could be a ticking time bomb that could rupture and kill the patient in a matter of hours? Daily Consumption of Wine or Beer Linked To Bowel Cancer A daily pint of beer or a large glass of wine raises the risk of bowel cancer by about 10%, research suggests. Prescribing Antibiotics To Children Causes Drug Resistance Regular prescribing of antibiotics to children in the community is sufficient to sustain a high level of antibiotic resistance in the population, warn experts in a study published on bmj.com yesterday.