It’s not often that I recommend natural remedies because there’s rarely any scientific evidence that they work better than a placebo. But when there’s data supporting their use I’m all for it. Such is now the case in the treatment of irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) as shown by a review of research recently published in the British Medical Journal. Turns out that two of the best treatments for IBS, peppermint oil and fiber, are old-fashioned, inexpensive and widely available over-the-counter (OTC). And I don’t mean that these are just two of the best natural remedies or two of the best OTC remedies, they are two of the best remedies period.
The research review found three IBS treatments to be consistently better than placebo. In addition to peppermint oil and fiber, the anti-spasmodic scopolamine (also called hyoscine), a natural product derived from certain plants, is also effective […]
Original post by natalieb and weightlossopinions.com
Have you heard of the National Children’s Study (NCS), an ambitious new research undertaking that will examine the effects of environmental influences on the health and development of 100,000 children from before birth to age 21? It’s already been 10 years in the making and will finally begin enrolling pregnant women in January 2009. That means it’ll take more than another two decades to complete, at an estimated cost of some $3.2 billion. But because the study will follow children over time, it will uncover and report different information as the children are born and as they age.According to a recent National Institutes of Health press release “[B]ecause the study will enroll pregnant women and, in some cases, women who are not yet pregnant, study scientists hope to identify a range of early life factors that influence later development. ‘With more than 100,000 participants, we believe […]
Original post by natalieb and weightlossopinions.com
Add Web searching to the list of mental activities like crossword puzzles that are thought to keep the aging mind engaged and healthy. Why? Take a look at the pictures below of two functional MRI (fMRI) brain scans. The one on the left shows brain activity while reading a book, while the one on the right shows brain activity while doing an Internet search. The differences are obvious and dramatic and the implication is that Web searching can be good for your mental health.
UCLA Newsroom - http://newsroom.ucla.edu/portal/ucla/srp-view.aspx?id=34812
At least that’s the conclusion of researchers at UCLA’s Semel Institute for Neuroscience and Human Behavior who studied 24 volunteers between the ages of 55 and 76. According to their press release, “[T]he study results are encouraging, that emerging computerized technologies may have physiological effects and potential benefits for middle-aged and older adults,” said principal investigator Dr. […]
Original post by natalieb and weightlossopinions.com
St. John’s wort, an herb long thought to be effective for the treatment of depression, is used widely in many countries for this purpose and is available over-the-counter in the United States (but not approved by the FDA as an antidepressant). But clinical studies have sometimes yielded conflicting results, in part because of variations in study designs (such as the exact definition of depression) as well as variations in the preparation of the herbal extract and the dosages used. But a new meta-analysis has reviewed 29 separate studies involving nearly 5500 patients and found that, overall, St. John’s wort was more effective than placebo and similar in efficacy to both older antidepressants (such as those called tricyclics of which amitriptyline is typical) and newer ones (such as those called selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors, or SSRIs, of which Prozac and Celexa are typical). Most of the patients studied […]
Original post by natalieb and weightlossopinions.com
Election day, Tuesday, November 4, is fast approaching and I encourage everyone to register and vote in this historic presidential election. But a new study has found that if you drive on election day during voting hours, you should exercise extra caution. That’s because, as strange as it may seem, there’s an 18 percent increased risk of dying in a motor vehicle accident during voting hours on a presidential election day than on a non-election day. The research was published in the October 1, 2008 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.
The researchers examined all eight presidential elections since 1976 and found a consistent pattern of increased fatalities on election days across the decades. They compared the number of traffic accident-related fatalities on presidential election Tuesdays with the numbers on the Tuesdays before and after, which served as controls. On average, there were […]
Original post by natalieb and weightlossopinions.com
The world mourns the loss of Paul Newman, a great actor, philanthropist and humanitarian. He was the embodiment of the Yiddish word “mensch,” meaning a person of great character, integrity and honor. And while it has been widely reported that his death was due to lung cancer and that he was, formerly, a heavy smoker, whether his lung cancer was caused by smoking is unknown. What is known is that smoking greatly increases one’s risk of lung cancer. But what’s also known is that up to 15 percent of lung cancer deaths occur in people who have never smoked. Moreover, lung cancer in never smokers is, according to the Lung Cancer Alliance, “the sixth biggest cancer killer in the United States.”
Over 215,000 people in the U.S. will be diagnosed with lung cancer in 2008 and the majority will die within 12 months. More people die […]
Original post by natalieb and weightlossopinions.com
Many HealthTalk members, visitors and readers of this blog will be interested in an upcoming and unprecedented primetime, commercial-free, TV fundraising event this Friday night, September 5, 2008. The event is called “Stand Up To Cancer,” and the following information was taken verbatim from the Stand Up to Cancer Web site.
“On September 5, 2008 (8 p.m. EDT and PDT) ABC, CBS and NBC will donate one hour of simultaneous commercial-free primetime for the nationally televised fundraising event aimed at rallying the public around the goal of ending cancer’s reign as a leading cause of death. The special will feature stars from film and television who will perform as well as present filmed content giving viewers insight into cancer. Various screening tests will be demonstrated in novel and entertaining ways. Network news anchors Charles Gibson, Katie Couric and Brian Williams will report on potentially life-saving research, speaking with both patients and […]
Original post by natalieb and weightlossopinions.com
The FDA has granted approval of Cimzia [certolizumab pegol] as the fourth biologic agent for the treatment of Crohn’s disease. Cimzia, like Remicade [infliximab] and Humira [adalimumab], is an antibody that blocks the action of TNF (tumor necrosis factor), a pro-inflammatory chemical known to play a central role in causing the pathology of a variety of inflammatory disorders including Crohn’s, ulcerative colitis, rheumatoid arthritis, and psoriasis. Tysabri [natalizumab], the fourth biologic for Crohn’s, is also an antibody, but it works by blocking the action of certain types of white blood cells that are involved in the inflammatory process.
Cimzia [certolizumab pegol] received approval for treating adults with moderate to severe Crohn’s disease who have not responded to conventional therapies.
All biologics approved for Crohn’s disease must be given by injection. Remicade and Tysabri are given by IV infusion while Cimzia and Humira are given by subcutaneous injection. Humira […]
Original post by admin and weightlossopinions.com
Results of a poll released in March showed that many Americans have trouble paying for their medicines and that they sometimes don’t take them as prescribed because of their cost. The poll, conducted by USA Today newspaper, the Kaiser Family Foundation and the Harvard School of Public Health, found that 50 percent of Americans take at least one prescription medication daily and that 19 percent are taking four or more prescription drugs. But four out of ten people said that it’s at least somewhat of a problem to pay for the medicines with 16 percent saying it’s a serious problem. Moreover, three in ten didn’t fill at least one prescription during the two years prior to the survey because of cost and 23 percent said that they have cut pills in half or skipped doses in order to make them last longer.
Unfortunately, there’s nothing I can do […]
Original post by admin and weightlossopinions.com
If you are a parent of a child with a diagnosis of bipolar disorder or ADHD, you might be interested in looking at the PBS Frontline program called “The Medicated Child.” Since the program already aired, you might be able to catch a rerun by checking your local PBS station, but the easiest way to view it would be online, for free, at any time of the day or night. Just go to the Frontline website for the episode of the Medicated Child. There you will find a wealth of information and can watch the entire program. Frontline is one of the best programs on TV today and I recommend it highly.
Here are the first two paragraphs verbatim from the Introduction page of this show’s website:
In recent years, there’s been a dramatic increase in the number of children being diagnosed with serious psychiatric disorders and prescribed […]
Original post by admin and weightlossopinions.com
