Loneliness is just as unhealthy as smoking

By Cathy Gulli - Wednesday, September 17, 2008 at 4:43 PM - 5 Comments

Loneliness can hurt like hell. A new book by researchers at the University of Chicago says that loneliness, like pain, is an important signaller to people about the danger they’re in. They found that loneliness is just as bad for your health as smoking, obesity or high blood pressure. 

If you think you’re safe from loneliness because you have lots of friends, guess again. Surprisingly, the number of intimate contacts a person has in their life does not determine their likeliness to feel lonely; it’s more about how positive their relationships with others are. 

And if you’re feeling lonely today, the research suggests you’re likely to feel even more lonely in a year. The best way to overcome that awful feeling is to start volunteering as a way of socializing with others in a positive realm.

Have a look of this video. The lead researcher explains.

The Gold Standard of Cancer Treatment

By Alex Shimo - Monday, September 15, 2008 at 6:54 PM - 6 Comments

Anyone who’s had a brush with cancer is probably well-aware of the PET scan fiasco in this country. To sum up, the technology is accepted as the gold standard for diagnosing cancer everywhere in the world but in Ontario. In Canada’s most populous province, and in much of the country, it can be
difficult to access the high-tech scanners. [Blame the cash-strapped health
care system].

Anyway, a ground-breaking study, published in The Journal of Nuclear Continue…

Another use for Viagra?

By Alex Shimo - Thursday, August 28, 2008 at 6:18 PM - 0 Comments

The multifarious uses of Viagra have been trickling out for quite some time now. Studies have linked the wonder-drug to a number of disparate health benefits, including reducing jet leg, helping with altitude sickness Continue…

HRT rehabilitated?

By Alex Shimo - Thursday, August 21, 2008 at 7:12 PM - 0 Comments

Hormone Replacement Therapy was considered a bit of a wonder drug during the 90s. It was said to improve your sex life, slow aging and eliminate those embarrassing post-menopausal hot flashes. Then the health concerns surfaced: a number of studies showed it increased the incidence of strokes, breast cancer and heart attacks. Needless to say, the drug dramatically fell from favour.

A new study published today may make some preliminary steps towards rehabilitating it. After a year on the drug, women reported better sexual functioning, fewer hot flushes (9 % v 25 %), night sweats (14% v 23%) aching joints and muscles (57 % v 63 %), insomnia (35% v 41%) and vaginal dryness (14% v 19 %). However, they also reported more breast tenderness (16% v 7%) and vaginal discharge (14% v 5%). Other menopausal symptoms, such as depression and overall quality of life weren’t that different. Continue…

Face/Off

By Alex Shimo - Thursday, August 21, 2008 at 6:36 PM - 0 Comments

A study released today in the Lancet looked at how two people reacted to face transplants. One 30-year old Chinese man had been attacked by a bear and the other 29-year old a large tumor which was severely disfiguring his jaw.

What’s interesting is that in both cases, their new faces nearly separated away from the existing skin. In the bear attack patient, the body’s immune system rejected the face after three, five and seventeen months after transplantation. Luckily these rejections were controlled by immunomodulatory drugs or the application of a steroid. No infection.

In the second case, the person’s body rejected the new face after one month and again after two months. He caught an infection from the donor face, but it was cleared up with heavy medications. Continue…

Fruit juice can block some pills, new study shows

By Kate Lunau - Tuesday, August 19, 2008 at 6:14 PM - 0 Comments

Drinking a glass of orange juice in the morning seems like a healthy idea—but if you’re taking prescription drugs, it could be just the opposite, according to a new study. University of Western Ontario professor David G. Bailey has shown that grapefruit and some other juices—including orange and apple—can decrease the absorption of certain drugs, in some cases destroying their effectiveness altogether.

In this study, Bailey recruited healthy volunteers to take the antihistamine fexofenadine (also known as Allegra), washed down with either one glass of grapefruit juice; water containing naringin, which gives the juice its bitter taste; or plain water. When the drug was taken with juice, only half of it was absorbed compared to when it was taken with water. Bailey says naringin blocked the drug from moving from the small intestine into the bloodstream.

It isn’t Bailey’s first foray into this type of research; he announced almost 20 years ago that grapefruit juice could boost levels of felodipine, a high-blood pressure drug in the body, causing it to concentrate in the blood stream. While controversial at the time, it’s now an accepted fact and even bears a name: the “Grapefruit Juice Effect.” (Today, nearly 50 drugs carry warning labels for this.)

But while that study showed grapefruit juice can boost absorption of some drugs, potentially leading to overdose, his latest research suggests it can have the opposite effect on some other medications.

Bailey’s press release notes that grapefruit, orange and apple juices have been proven to lower the absorption of anticancer agent etoposide; some beta blockers, which are used to treat high blood pressure; cyclosporine, which is taken to prevent the rejection of transplanted organs; and some antibiotics, too. But “we don’t [yet] know all the drugs affected,” he admits.

The bottom line: talk to your doctor before mixing juice and prescription medications. And when in doubt, drink water.

The Healing Power of Hope

By Alex Shimo - Monday, August 18, 2008 at 7:19 PM - 0 Comments

Another victory for the power of positive thinking. Hope is a good way of combating depression, according to a study by the University of Alabama at Birmingham. The scientists, Jennifer Cheavens and Laura Dreer, found surveyed almost 100 patients who were going blind, along with their caretakers. Hope not only protected against depression, it helped the caretakers, who are more likely to experience depression when caring for someone with the same condition. Hope, they said, differs from optimism: it’s about about having specific goals, and the motivation to achieve them. It’s not innate, but something that can be taught.

Stress can worsen allergies, new study shows

By Kate Lunau - Friday, August 15, 2008 at 10:39 AM - 0 Comments

Stress doesn’t just make your palms sweat and your heart beat faster—according to new research, it can cause your allergies to act up, too.

In a new study, researchers from Ohio State University recruited 28 men and women who suffered from hay fever and seasonal allergies, and tested their allergic reactions using a standard pin-prick test. To induce stress in the test subjects, researchers asked them to give a 10-minute speech before a panel of evaluators, then solve math problems without paper or pen. To cap it off, they then had to watch their performance on videotape. For the low-stress test, they read from a magazine and then taped themselves reading the material aloud. Researchers measured their allergic reaction through the appearance of “wheals”—raised wounds on the forearms.

“The wheals on a person who was moderately anxious because of the experiment were 75 per cent larger after the experiment, compared to that same person’s response on the day when they were not stressed,” says Ohio State researcher Jan Kiecolt-Glaser, according to ScienceDaily.

Test subjects who were highly stressed, meanwhile, had wheals that were twice as big after the stress test, compared to when they were more relaxed.The next day, they were also four times more likely to have a more prominent reaction.

The surprising truth about DIY medicine

By Alex Shimo - Thursday, August 14, 2008 at 4:04 PM - 0 Comments

Online pharmacies tend to get a bad rap. Some sell fake medicines; others peddle you drugs you don’t need. However, a new study from the University of Utah found that online prescribing was actually better than traditional medicine for the sample group.

Confused? The researchers analyzed the data from 1,000 persons. All were men with sexual problems, and half went to a family doctor and the rest to www.kwikMed.com, which has a contract with the state of Utah to provide erectile-dysfunction drugs.

The experiences of both were compared through the patient medical records, according to what sort of information they received, whether the prescription was appropriate, and how well the patient was questioned to classify their medical problem.

According to the study, Continue…

Worst health headline ever

By Cathy Gulli - Thursday, August 7, 2008 at 5:07 PM - 0 Comments

Or at least the funniest headline for a health article ever.

Eventually everyone will be fat?

By Cathy Gulli - Thursday, August 7, 2008 at 2:25 PM - 0 Comments

By 2048, all American adults will be overweight if trends of the last 30 years continue, according to the U.S. Agency for Healthcare Research and Quality. Is this alarmist, or just alarmingly possible?

What women aren't talking about

By Cathy Gulli - Thursday, August 7, 2008 at 1:54 PM - 0 Comments

When it comes to women’s health, topics that go undiscussed often relate to one of two things: intimate body parts or intimate relationships.

First case in point: There’s a fascinating recent study by the American Sociological Association showing that women who have been diagnosed with breast cancer often face a double burden—the disease and then its impact on loved ones. They struggle to relinquish the role of caregiver, can’t bring themselves to talk about their own fears and needs, and all that limits their opportunities for receiving support from others. This, obviously, can make treatment and recovery all the more difficult for them.

Then there’s this news from the Mayo Clinic, which found that many women have never been screened for colorectal cancer, even though it’s the third biggest cancer killer among females after lung and breast cancer. One of the biggest reasons is that women think of it as “a man’s disease.”

The message is clear, even if we don’t want to admit it. All kinds of cancer happens to all kinds of people. It could happen to you. Get tested and get help however and from whomever you can.

Why Our Brains are Too Big

By Alex Shimo - Tuesday, August 5, 2008 at 6:57 PM - 0 Comments

New research suggests that some neurological diseases, like schizophrenia, might be a by-product of our brain evolving to thier current size.

The research was done in collaboration from scientists from Cambridge, Leipzig and Shanghai. They were led by Philipp Khaitovich, from the Max-Planck-Institute for Evolutionary Anthropology.

The scientists compared human brains with chimpanzee and rhesus monkeys, healthy gray matter against those with schizophrenia.

They found that the genes that were altered during schizophrenia, especially the ones related to energy metabolism, were the ones that changed during evolution. The rapid growth of our brains, and the energy required to sustain that brain power, may have pushed our craniums to the limit of their capabilities, conclude the scientists.

For some smokers, addiction could be genetic

By Kate Lunau - Tuesday, August 5, 2008 at 5:00 PM - 0 Comments

Ever wondered why some people gag on their first-ever cigarette, while others are instantly hooked? Some people, it seems, are genetically predisposed to develop a smoking addiction after just one smoke. Manipulating such responses could help wean smokers off the habit—and prevent would-be smokers from starting at all.

Continue…

9 Hangover Myths

By Alex Shimo - Friday, August 1, 2008 at 5:30 PM - 0 Comments

Some of these hangover tips are merely common sense, but it’s still pretty useful. Hmm…I wish I’d read this a week ago…

Soak it up

By Cathy Gulli - Friday, August 1, 2008 at 1:22 PM - 0 Comments

It’s barbecue season, and given that we’re heading into the Civic holiday (and that the Canadian National BBQ Championships are this weekend in Whistler), this study strikes me as especially appropriate. 

If there was ever a reason to marinate meat before throwing it on the spit (besides delicious aroma), the Journal of Food Science has one: it’ll cut cancer-forming compounds that are produced during grilling by more than 70 per cent.

The researchers found Caribbean spice blends to be the most effective type of meat marinade.

No word on whether soaking marshmallows in, say cinnamon and maple syrup, pre-bonfire would be good too. But graham cracker and chocolate is recommended.

Prostates are sexy too

By Cathy Gulli - Monday, July 28, 2008 at 5:09 PM - 0 Comments

Breast cancer is sometimes referred to (aptly if crassly) as the sexy cancer—the one that gets all the money and attention. Besides ribbons, you can find pens, mugs, clothing and journals in that ubiquitous pink.

But over the last couple of weeks another type of cancer or two has caught my eye.

There’s “The Underwear Affair” campaign for “cancers below the waist.”

And I just came across Pints for Prostates, which organizers say is “designed to reach men through the universal language of beer.”  

Let’s hope this is even more effective than it is amusing. 

Bridal gifts: eight new boobs for the price of four

By Cathy Gulli - Friday, July 25, 2008 at 3:50 PM - 0 Comments

In anticipation of my wedding last autumn, friends and I indulged in garden variety spa treatments: facials, massages, manicures, pedicures. We had our hair and makeup done by pros on the big day. I gave my bridesmaids silver nugget-and-crystal bracelets made by a local artist. Ya know.

Turns out we had nothing on these bridal parties. 

Then again, four boob jobs for the price of two sounds like a great deal if that’s what you’re in the market for.

Maybe to celebrate the birth of their children, or say, turning 50, some women will throw vagina rejuvenation parties.

Toxic Laundry Detergent

By Alex Shimo - Thursday, July 24, 2008 at 5:57 PM - 0 Comments

The University of Washington has released an alarming study on laundry products and air fresheners. Professor Anne Steinemann tested six top-selling products, and found they all had at least one toxic or hazardous chemical. Five of the six had carcinogenic chemicals. What’s more, all of the products failed to mention the hazardous ingredients on their labels.

The chemicals included acetone, the active ingredient in paint thinner and 1-4 dioxane, which has been listed as a carcinogen in the State of California.

Steinemann, a professor of civil and environmental engineering at the University of Washington, said she decided to study these products because she knew several people who had gotten sick from air fresheners and laundry detergent. “I wanted to know, ‘What’s in these products that is causing these effects?’”

The study was to raise public awareness about exposure to potentially hazardous chemicals, Steinemann says. But if you found these results worrying enough to try and boycott any of those carcinogenic products, you’re out of luck. The professor has chosen not to release the names of any of the products tested. Instead, she recommends avoiding air fresheners altogether.

New wrinkle treatment

By Alex Shimo - Monday, July 21, 2008 at 5:40 PM - 0 Comments

If you have about $2,000-$5,000 to spare, a new study says carbon dioxide resurfacing is a good treatment for your wrinkles. Scientists from the University of Michigan found that 45 per cent of patients had Continue…

Mosquito Needles

By Alex Shimo - Friday, July 18, 2008 at 2:47 PM - 0 Comments

Diabetics and trypanophobics around the world can unite with a new scientific discovery that eliminates the pain of having an injection. Scientists in India and Japan have invented a micro-needle that is 15 x smaller than conventional needles. It has diameter of 60 microns, compared to 900 microns for regular hypodermic devices. The new needle mimics the way a female mosquito sucks blood. [Male mosquitos don't suck blood, but live off nectar; the female uses the protein in blood to produce eggs]. The female  flexes and relaxes certain muscles in its proboscis to create suction that draws blood into its mouthparts.

The new biocompatible microneedle, designed by Suman Chakraborty of the Indian Institute of Technology in Kharagpur and Kazuyoshi Tsuchiya of Tokai University in Kanagawa is based on the same principle.

In this case, the sucking action is provided by a microelectromechanical pump, which works using a piezoelectric actuator attached to the needle.

Made of titanium, the new invention is long enough to reach 3 mm deep into human skin, which is the depth needed to reach superficial capillaries. It could be used to draw blood, inject drugs, and as a glucose-level monitor for diabetics.

Menthol cigarettes target teens, study finds

By Kate Lunau - Friday, July 18, 2008 at 11:59 AM - 0 Comments

teen smoking

New research from the Harvard School of Public Health suggests that tobacco companies used menthol—an additive that can help mask the harsh taste of cigarettes—to hook younger smokers.

“For decades, the tobacco industry has carefully manipulated menthol content not only to lure youth but also to lock in lifelong adult customers,” said Howard Koh, associate dean for Public Health Practice at HSPH and co-author of the paper, titled “Tobacco Industry Control of Menthol in Cigarettes and Targeting of Adolescents and Young Adults,” which will be published in the Sept. edition of the American Journal of Public Health (and is now available online).

Continue…

You Can Judge a Drink By Its Cover

By Alex Shimo - Monday, July 14, 2008 at 7:34 PM - 0 Comments

The taste of bottled mineral water depends its journey through different rocks and minerals. And while taste matters, so too does touch, according to a study by Maureen Morrin, a professor of marketing at the Rutgers School of Business. Studying the responses of 1,000 men and women, she found that people would rate the taste of the water according to the container holding it. When served in a firm cup, people would find it more tasty, compared to a flimsy one. Continue…

A world of diseases

By Alex Shimo - Wednesday, July 9, 2008 at 3:35 PM - 0 Comments

This site is a brilliant idea.

It’s a web site where you can monitor outbreaks of diseases as they happen. This automated system scours news services and online discussion forums, pooling information about emerging health threats worldwide.

Created by researchers at Children’s Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School, the data mining site aims to pinpoint potential disease outbreaks in local pockets before government and other health agencies realize they are threats.

“We hope that HealthMap will be able to identify outbreaks before traditional organizations become aware of them,” says John Brownstein, co-founder of HealthMap and an assistant professor at the Informatics Program (CHIP) at Children’s Hospital Boston. “The program is tracking in over 200 countries currently, and this helps to monitor the global impact of infectious diseases.”

Having scoured the site, it seems that Canada is a little low on disease outbreaks; we have only 24 compared to Vietnam’s 31 and the United States sizable 242 disease alerts. This isn’t really a serious criticism; but what is pertinent is the quality of information on the site. Continue…