While the FDA dithers and the chemical industry stalls, now’s the time for you to act by reducing your and your family’s exposure to the toxic chemical bisphenol A, commonly referred to as BPA. That’s because the results of the first major epidemiologic study looking at the potential health effects of BPA in humans, published in the September 17, 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) , found a significant relationship between the amount of BPA that people had in their body (as measured by its excretion in their urine) and the occurrence of cardiovascular disease, diabetes (type 2 or what’s typically called adult onset diabetes) and abnormalities of liver enzymes (suggesting some type of liver damage). And while a study of this type cannot prove causality (that BPA actually caused these problems), it comes on the heels of many previous studies showing the […]
Original post by natalieb and weightlossopinions.com
The New York Times has initiated some controversy with its July 24, 2008 article entitled “What’s Lurking in Your Countertop?” The article reports on the finding of worrisome levels of radiation being emitted from some granite countertops that were tested in a few homes. But the controversy is not whether granite countertops emit any radiation, but how much and if some pieces are more radioactive than others.
That’s because granite naturally contains some uranium, which is radioactive and which decays into radon that can also be released (radon is the second leading cause of lung cancer). It’s generally thought, however, that the amounts contained in most countertops are very small and not enough to pose a significant health hazard. Most experts agree that this amount of radiation exposure is insignificant in comparison with the “normal” background radiation we are all exposed to all the time from […]
Original post by natalieb and weightlossopinions.com
In an unprecedented and controversial move, Dr. Ronald B. Herberman, director of the University of Pittsburgh Cancer Institute, has issued a memo warning of the potential risk of long-term cell phone use and cancer. Although numerous studies have found no link between cell phone use and cancer, Dr. Heberman noted that he is aware of more definitive data, compiled by the World Health Organization, which is currently unpublished, and which may not be published in the near future.
Because of this publication delay, Dr. Heberman believes it to be of critical importance to release now, a list of 10 precautionary steps that people should follow in order to reduce their risk of adverse health effects from cell phone use. “Really at the heart of my concern is that we shouldn’t wait for a definitive study to come out, but err on the side of being safe rather than sorry […]
Original post by natalieb and weightlossopinions.com
I’m a regular blood donor and so I was pleased to read about the results of a study that should put to rest one of the myths about blood donation that keeps some people from giving. This is the false belief that frequent blood donation might lead to an increased risk of cancer. Proponents of this concept have argued that since the routine removal of blood leads to routine renewal of that blood, these extra cell divisions could lead to a higher risk of a mutation occurring in one of the new cells, which could, theoretically, lead to a blood cell cancer. But a large study has found the opposite to be true.
The study was reported on April 8, 2008 in the online version of the Journal of the National Cancer Institute. It looked at about 11,000 regular blood donors who had developed a cancer during […]
Original post by admin and weightlossopinions.com
Recently, we’ve received a number of inquiries about whether there’s an increased risk of breast cancer in women who drink water from plastic water bottles, especially from those bottles that might have been left in a hot car. The assertion is that the heat in the car causes the plastic bottle to release harmful chemicals into the water, which is then consumed leading to inadvertent ingestion of potential carcinogens. This claim has been the subject of many waves of e-mails that get forwarded around the Internet, but which never come with any background or supporting information.
Some Web sites, like Snopes.com, have debunked these e-mails as nothing more than either a hoax or an urban legend. The origin, they say, is from overblown media reports of a master’s thesis written by a University of Idaho student whose research has never been confirmed and whose findings and conclusions have […]
Original post by admin and weightlossopinions.com
All women go through menopause and some 75 percent of them experience hot flashes, which are also called hot flushes, and are known more technically as vasomotor symptoms. Most hot flashes are mild to moderate in intensity and they typically stop occurring after a time (usually within six months to two years), with or without therapy (although the exact timing cannot be predicted). Some women experience severe symptoms that prompt them to seek treatment. It is also estimated that some 50 to 75 percent of women use some form of alternative treatments for their symptoms, including soy products, herbal products (especially black cohosh), vitamin E and acupuncture. For most of these therapies, there is little scientific evidence to prove they work. In many cases, however, the data are conflicting and many women do report symptomatic relief.
Black cohosh is derived from the plant Cimicifuga racemosa also […]
Original post by admin and weightlossopinions.com
