Health News Roundup

Health News Stories - July 7, 2007

Health News Stories - July 6, 2007

Health News Stories - July 5, 2007

Health News Stories - July 3, 2007

Health News Stories - July 1, 2007

Health News Round Up - June 29, 2007

Global Warming Will Cause More Summer Deaths
Ivanhoe Newswire (Ivanhoe Newswire) -- More people are expected to die during the summer months due to global warming.
kxan.com

Some High-Carb Diets May Boost Women's Heart Risk
By Kathleen Doheny , HealthDay Reporter FRIDAY, June 29 (HealthDay News) -- Diets high in processed carbohydrate-rich foods could boost a woman's risk for heart...
woodtv.com

Opening of Kidney Arteries Brings Dangers
By Ed Edelson , HealthDay Reporter FRIDAY, June 29 (HealthDay News) -- Angioplasty and stenting can open blocked kidney arteries, but the procedure also throws off...
woodtv.com

Woman Meets Blood Donors Who Saved Her Life
Bonfils Blood Center set up a rare meeting Thursday between a new mother who needed blood during a delivery to survive and the people who donated.
news4colorado.com

Some Wonder If Diabetes, Cleanliness Are Related
In Colorado, the number of children diagnosed with diabetes has spiked 60 percent in the last 20 years and now some researchers say it might be because they are too clean.
news4colorado.com

Agriculture NGO Group Attacks Biofuels
A Spanish agriculture group said the push for biofuels is causing more environmental and social damage than previously thought....
postchronicle.com

New Mexico To Let Patients Grow Marijuana
New Mexico officials say patients will be allowed to grow their own cannabis plants when the state's medical marijuana laws goes into effect Sunday....
postchronicle.com

U.S. hospital, doctor visits balloon, survey finds
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Hospital and doctor visits in the United States have surged by 20 percent in the past five years and the most commonly prescribed medications are antidepressants, according to statistics published on Friday.
reuters.com

Helium-oxygen mix helpful in COPD
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Breathing a mixture of helium and oxygen is beneficial in people suffering with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, Canadian researchers report based on a study they conducted.
reutershealth.com

Being heavy may be protective in heart disease
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - The "obesity paradox" lives on: In a look-back at a group of adults with suspected or known coronary artery disease, underweight adults had an increased risk of death, whereas overweight and obese adults had a lower risk of death, compared with normal-weight adults.
reutershealth.com

Insurers get tough as obesity levels rise
LONDON (Reuters) - A growing number of people with common medical conditions are being refused life cover, as soaring obesity levels hit insurers.
reutershealth.com

Depression may speed bone loss in older women
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Depressed older women appear to lose bone at a faster rate than their non-depressed counterparts, new research shows.
reutershealth.com

Adequate sun exposure no guard against low vitamin D
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - In many people, vitamin D levels can remain low despite abundant exposure to sunlight, research shows.
reutershealth.com

Obesity epidemic not tied to drop in smoking rate
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - Decreasing rates of cigarette smoking are not the reason for rising rates of obesity in the US, a researcher from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, National Center for Health Statistics, Hyattsville, Maryland, has concluded.
reutershealth.com

Money issues strain marriage after prostate cancer
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - For men with prostate cancer, lost work income and increased health care costs can have a damaging effect on their marriage, Swedish researchers report.
reutershealth.com

Dementia not clearly linked to car crash risk
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People in the earlier stages of dementia may have diminished driving skills, but it's not certain that they actually have a higher accident rate, according to a new study.
reutershealth.com
Exercise key in control of type 2 diabetes: study
NEW YORK (Reuters Health) - People with type 2 diabetes may go a long way in managing their condition if they take up regular exercise, a new research review shows.
reutershealth.com

Thrombosis risks double after 4-hour travel: study
GENEVA (Reuters) - The chances of developing deep vein thrombosis double after traveling for four hours or more, the World Health Organization (WHO) said on Friday in a study estimating one in 6,000 long-haul passengers is at risk.
reutershealth.com

Late-starters can benefit from healthy habits: study
WASHINGTON (Reuters) - Even in middle age, adopting a healthy lifestyle can lower the risk for heart disease and premature death within years of changing habits, researchers reported on Thursday.
reutershealth.com

Brazil Offer More Birth Control Options To The Poor
In a country that is the world's largest Roman Catholic nation, the government of Brazil announced that it would be adding the "morning after" pill to its birth control program for the poor. The government hopes to shrink unplanned pregnancies among the lower class and keep women from resorting to drastic measures in the conservative country that has banned abortion.
AllHeadlineNews.com

Stem Cells Help Urinary Incontinence?
Title: Stem Cells Help Urinary Incontinence? Category: Health News Created: 6/29/2007 Last Editorial Review: 6/29/2007
medicinenet.com

4 Health Habits Cut Heart Disease
Title: 4 Health Habits Cut Heart Disease Category: Health News Created: 6/29/2007 Last Editorial Review: 6/29/2007
medicinenet.com

Fragile X Study May Hold Autism Clue
Title: Fragile X Study May Hold Autism Clue Category: Health News Created: 6/29/2007 Last Editorial Review: 6/29/2007
medicinenet.com
FDA Blocks Some Fish From China
Title: FDA Blocks Some Fish From China Category: Health News Created: 6/29/2007 Last Editorial Review: 6/29/2007
medicinenet.com

It's Never Too Late to Get Healthy
Title: It's Never Too Late to Get Healthy Category: Health News Created: 6/29/2007 2:00:00 AM Last Editorial Review: 6/29/2007
medicinenet.com

Health Highlights: June 28, 2007
Title: Health Highlights: June 28, 2007 Category: Health News Created: 6/29/2007 2:00:00 AM Last Editorial Review: 6/29/2007
medicinenet.com

Health News Round Up - June 17, 2007

When taking vitamins, moderation the key
"Do you want Ford or Cadillac vitamins?", I asked readers in a previous column. It triggered many requests, revealing much confusion about vitamins.

Some readers had stopped taking vitamin E due to scary headlines. Others had tossed out calcium as being ineffective. Still others wondered if it's possible to get too much of a good thing, and where to obtain more information on vitamins.

Vitamins essential to complete diet
Are you taking a dietary supplement that contains a vitamin that is not really a vitamin? Vitamin terminology using obsolete names or just creative license is a common marketing gimmick.

Before vitamins were discovered, scientists thought that the body only required the "macronutrients" protein, carbohydrate, fat and water.

Sausage Makers Add a Little Aloe Vera to Recipe
Gas up the grill, it's time for some aloe vera sausage. That's right, there is now aloe vera flavored sausage and it comes from an unlikely place.

Where do they come from? Germany. Some sausage makers have decided to mix it up a bit and add some really strange flavors.

Aloe Vera Gel is Good for Sunburns
The summer sun can be shining down hard but if you are outside having fun you may not notice or care if your skin is burning. The sun can burn you in a short amount of time depending on the weather and climate. When you go outside it is best to wear some form of protection on your skin. There are times when protection is not available or you forget to put some on. Then you can get a sun burn.

Organic Certification Received For Aloe Vera Farm In Liberia
Eco-Logica has renewed the organic certification for the Aloe vera L. grown at Finca Sabila, Carrington's Costa Rica farming operation.

Health News Round Up - October 18, 2006

Flu Shot Supply to Grow

Although some doctors say that they have yet to receive them, the CDC says that the supply of flu vaccines is growing and that doctors that don't have them should receive them soon.

US Federal health officials said that enough flu vaccine would be availably by the end of November - enough to immunize children and adults in time to contend with the flu season peak, which occurs in February.

Intererstingly, many doctors are saying that while chain stores have already received the vaccines, they themselves have not.

Marijuana-Like Compound May Slow Alzheimer's

A new study presented at the annual meeting of the Society for Neuroscience has found that marijuana may help slow the progress of Alzheimer’s disease.

The study also suggests that the drug "Ecstasy" may yield insights into Parkinson’s disease.

Staying Up Too Late Linked to Childhood Obesity

A new study suggests that rising obesity rates among children may be due to too little sleep.

According to the study, children these days are getting fewer hours of sleep than they did in the past - which is also less sleep than they need. Getting too little sleep can be disruptive to hormones that help control weight gain.

Why are kids sleeping less these days?

The study suggests that there are many factors driving lack of sleep, including distractions such as computer games, mobile phones, the Internet, excessive television viewing, and other things that both encourage staying up late at night and that disturb or affect the quality of their sleep.

Beyond that, more and more children are growing up as "couch potatoes", which leads to sedentary lifestyles, which leads to obesity.

Health News Round Up - October 17, 2006

Benefits of Eating Fish Outweigh Risks

According to two recently published studies, people should continue to eat fish and include it as part of a healthy diet even though other studies have suggested that eating fish brings along with it certain health risks.

The Institute of Medicine conducted a review of relevant literature on fish and health, and it found that a healthy adult can consumer up to 12 ounces of fish per week.

In another study published by the Journal of the American Medical Association, a similar conclusion was reached.

In this second study, researchers estimate that eating one to two servings of fish per week may reduce the risk of heart attack by about a third. However, the Institute of Medicine does not link heart attack prevention and fish as strongly as the second study.

Fish is a good source of lean protein and good omega-3 fatty acids. 

Hair Can Be Used to Identify Eating Disorders

Researchers at Brigham Young University have reported that human hair records nutritional and dietary information over time and can be used to provide doctors with a more accurate picture of what somewhat with suffering from an eating disorder is actually eating.

Thus, doctors now have objective information about diet, when before they had to rely on information provided by patients, which can be unreliable.

Vitamin D Retards Progression of Breast Cancer

Researchers in London have found additional evidence that suggests that Vitamin D may help protect against breast cancer progression.

Serum levels of 25-hydroxyvitamin D, the major circulating form of vitamin D, were significantly higher in patients with locally advanced or metastatic breast cancer compared with those who had early-stage disease, according to a study reported online in the Journal of Clinical Pathology.

"Whatever the cause for the change in vitamin D levels, it can potentially have a marked effect on gene transcription and therefore on cellular phenotype," wrote Carlo Palmieri, M.B., B.S., Ph.D., of Imperial College London, and colleagues. "Lower serum vitamin D levels might therefore have some causative role in the progression from early-stage to advanced disease."

Good Reason to Stop Smoking: 25% of Smoker Get Lung Disease

A new study has found that approximately one out of four long-term smokers will develop the incurable lung condition COPD, or chronic obstructive pulmonary disease.

COPD is a term that describes and encompasses many conditions that make it difficult to breathe, including bronchitis and emphysema.

The message is clear - smoking is dangerous and unhealthy - so stop smoking.

Health News Round Up - October 16, 2006

New Treatments Offer Hope for Heat Trauma Victims

Targeted electrical brain stimulation may help head trauma victims that are in a state of semi consciousness. Doctors theorize that this type of stimulation may be able to restore at least some of the patient's abilities to communicate and function normally.

So far, the new technique has been tried on one patients. In that case, it apparently did, indeed, restore the patient's ability to function and communicate.

If the results of the experiment pan out, doctors say that this technique would go along way in helping get thousands of patients stuck in semi-consciuss states to states of greater awareness, eventually enabling them to function normally.

Body Mass Index and Obesity

For a long time BMI, or Body Mass Index, has been used to determine obesity. A BMI of 25 or more means you are overweight, thirty or more means you are obese and 40 or higher indicates severe obesity.

However, BMI is not completely accurate and is only a rough guide for gauging how close or far you are from optimum weight. So next time you undertake a BMI calculation, please take it for what it's worth.

New Zealand Hospitals Caught Off Guard by Superbug

A flesh eating superbug has been spreading in New Zealand after it killed three patietns at a hospital located in Christchurch, New Zealand.

This is the first time such a superbug has affected more than one patient.

However, after authorities identified a link between the deaths of three older patients at Princess Margaret Hospital, they moved to contain the superbug.

Specifically, new admissions have been suspended, visitors are under restrictions and hospital staff are using additional safety gear. In addition, both patients and staff have been given antibiotics to ward off infection.

Sex Lessons for Chinese Prostitutes

Health authorities in China's Heilongjiang province have been giving safe sex lectures to local prostitues in an effort to curb the spread of disease. However, local residents and local police have condemnded the practice, saying that they are essentially santioning an illegal activity.

According to the Harbin Daily, the disease prevention and control center of Harbin had organized a lecture last Wednesday on AIDS and safe sex for more than 50 women involved in the city's sex trade.

The lecture, two hours in length, covered AIDS prevention, the importance of using a condom and how to use one properly, and for the first time allowed the sex workers to discuss their occupation openly.

At the end of the lecture, center staff distributed boxes of condoms for free, and gave them the center's phone number in case they have questions or problems in the future, reported Xinhua.

Those against this say that it sanctions an illegal practice. Those who support such educational campaigns say that sex workers are among the most vulnerable segments of society, and that to ignore them would be completely irresponsible.

As for the sex workers, they say they are completely in favor of such lectures and information dissemination.

Medicare chief Mark B. McClellan Says Drug Costs Down

Outgoing Medicare chief Mark B. McClellan says that Medicare prescription drug benefits will cost the US federal government approximately $30 billion this year. However, as large as that may seem, he says it is significantly less than the $43 billion originally projected.

He says that the lower cost is a reflection of several factors, including slower growth in drug spending, fewer people than expected enrolling in new coverage, and cheaper than anticipated premiums.

McClellan, 43, is returning to the private sector after serving 2 and a half years as administrator of the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

Health News Round Up - October 13, 2006

E. Coli Recently Found in
Spinach is Linked to Cattle Feces

Federal and state authorities investigating the recent outbreak of E. Coli in spinach say that they have found a genetic match of the bacterium in cattle feces near one of the suspected farms supplying tainted spinach.

This represents a major breakthrough for investigators. In the past they have never been able to find matching E. Coli samples in an environment so close to where the tainted product was being grown.

Overall, it represents a step forward in tracking the spread of potentially deadly bacterial strains in the public food supply.

Cases of West Nile Virus May Be Spreading

The mosquito borne diseases are no longer confined to relatively small geographic areas. Increasing, experts say, they are finding their way to large metropolitan areas.

Keep Excess Weight Off by Checking Daily

A new study suggests that stepping on a scale every day to check your weight can help people who want to lose weight keep it off. How? By giving the issue top-of-mind status and allowing them to adjust their eating and exercise habits accordingly.

Naturally, the key is to using the information that the scale provides you with rather than just noting it.

Many Will See Medicare Drug Premiums Rise

According to congressional Democrats, a large portion of middle class seniors will see their Medicare drug premiums rise by about 13%.

This is contrary to the Bush administration's announcement that Medicare prescription premiums would remain stable over the next year.

Although both sides may have a political axe to grind, some independent experts do agree with the Democratic assessment, saying that seniors using the most popular type of Medicare prescription covered (a stand-alone drug plan) will face significant increases next year. However, to avoid this, they can switch to more economical plans, say the experts.

Bird Flu Study Shows Surprising Findings

A new study suggests that it may be possible to "kick-start" people's natural protections against bird flu. This would be useful because it would go a long way in preventing illness and worse in the event a worldwide outbreak of bird flue occurs sometime in the future.

How would this be done?

Scientists say that by giving people shots of a bird flue vaccine in advance would introduce people's immune system to a new type of flu. Then, if a pandemic were to occur, people so vaccinated would only need a booster shot of a strain-specific vaccine, which would significantly cut the time needed from inoculation to immunity to occur.

US Congress Urged to Act on FDA Safety Reforms

Members of a drug safety advisory panel, along with editors at a major medical journal, called on the US Congress to improve the FDA's (US Food and Drug Administration) oversight of medicines on the marketplace.

The journal in question, New England Journal of Medicine, urged the Congress to instituted the recommendations made by an Institute of Medicine panel to improve drug safety.

"We face a mounting public health crisis in drug safety, and definitive action must be taken ... The IOM committee's report is a crucial starting point," the editors wrote.

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month

Breast cancer risk is higher for girls who live on farms
A new study (available from the Annals of the New York Academy of Sciences) says tht women and girls who work on farms are more likely to get breast cancer. In fact, the Canadian study says that female farm workers are three times as likely as their non-farm counterparts to develop breast cancer.

The regular spraying of chemicals to control weeds and pests on farms may explain the link, says the study. In addition to pesticides, farms are also home to other environmental contaminants, like diesel fumes, antibiotics and growth hormones, all of which could contribute to the higher cancer rates.

Health News Round Up - October 11, 2006

Difficulty Staying "Green"

The recent spinach E. coli scare, and not the lettuce recall, has made it difficult for some consumers to continue their "green" diets. In fact, some report that eating salad has become a "daring" act since the September 15 nationwide outbreak of E. coli.

And while spinach has been deemed safe for the menu again, many people we spoke to are still avoiding it. And even though lettuce, for the most part, has been considered safer than lettuce (because of limited distribution), many of those people shying away from spinach are also forgoing lettuce - at least for the time being.

Time will tell how long it takes for consumers to open up once again to two very healthy greens - spinach and lettuce.

Research Suggests a Link
Between Skin and Coronary Diseases

According to the Journal of the American Medical Association, the immune response that causes psoriasis may also clog arteries, causing heart attacks.

Thus, the study says, those with psoriasis may have an elevated risk of heart attacks.

Psoriasis is a chronic, inflammatory skin condition marked by reddish lesions that can become covered with silvery scales. This, they say, is triggered by an immune system that is not functioning properly.

Psoriasis affects approximately 2% to 3% of Americans with about 150,000 new cases medically diagnosed each year.

Scotland's Outlawing of
Smoking in Pubs Pays Dividends

Scotland outlawed smoking in pubs and just weeks later since the enactment, pub employees are reporting improvements in breathing related problems. In fact, the report, which comes from Ninewells Hospital and Medical School, Dundee, Scotland, shows a 26% decline in various respiratory related symptoms.

The conclusion is clear - those who stop smoking and those who reduce their exposure to smokers will enjoy a healthier life.

New Gel May Offer Instant Bleeding Control

According to researchers at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), a new gel is being developed that would effectively stop the bleeding from a wide assortment of open wounds. In fact, the researchers describe the gel as being clear and once applied to an injury will stop bleeding immediately or within 15 seconds of application.

The gel creates a barrier of peptides, tiny pieces of protein, when applied to a wound.

According to the researchers, it may be applied externally on the skin, or even on bleeding internals during surgery.

Another one for medical technology!