Rita Jenkins is a health journalist for Daily News Central an online publication that delivers breaking news and reliable health information to consumers healthcare providers and industry professionals.
Yoga practice helps middle-aged people lose weight and keep it off suggest new studies. The subjects who were of normal weight at the age of 45 and did not practice yoga consistently gained about 10 pounds over the next 10 years while those who performed regular yoga routines lost 3 pounds during that same 10-year period -- a difference of 13 pounds.
Patients who believe in the effectiveness of their pain medication will experience greater relief finds a new study. Previous research has shown that the brain responds physically during the placebo effect but this study is the first to pinpoint a specific mechanism that triggers the physical response. "This deals another serious blow to the idea that the placebo effect is a purely psychological not physical phenomenon."
The common practice of requiring physicians-in-training to work many double and even triple shifts results in performance reductions equivalent to the effects of drinking several ounces of alcohol. Thirty-four pediatric residents completed standardized tests following relatively light or heavy schedules and their responses after putting in long hours were equivalent to their performance after consuming three to four alcoholic drinks.
Children who have symptoms of Attention Deficit/Hyperactive Disorder (ADHD) actually may be sleep-deprived research suggests and doctors should consider that possibility before prescribing Ritalin and other ADHD drugs. Sleepy children might engage in excessive motor activity in order to stay alert. This could explain the effectiveness of stimulants that increase activity in the central nervous system.
Ischemic stroke, which results when a blood clot travels to the brain, is more likely to occur on days when the air contains a larger concentration of particulate matter. The air pollution in question includes particles smaller than 10 micrometers in diameter from car and truck exhaust, power plants and refineries. The final analysis demonstrated a 1.03 percent rise in ischemic stroke on the days with the highest pollution measures.
Viagra, which millions of men take for erectile dysfunction, reduces the effects of hormonal stress on the heart by half, according to a new study. These findings are believed to be the first confirmation in humans that Viagra has a direct effect on the heart. Related studies in mice suggest that Viagra also may prevent and reverse the long-term effects of chronic high blood pressure on the heart.
For years, there has been concern that antibiotics are overprescribed, and with good cause. Despite clear guidelines calling for prior testing, physicians prescribed antibiotics in 53 of sore throat cases in children, says a recent study. This represents significantly more prescriptions than warranted for actual rates -- 15 to 36 -- of strep throat among kids with sore throat. And almost half of those prescriptions were given without a test.
Of the seven million worldwide cancer deaths reported in 2001, 35 percent were attributable to nine well-known behavioral and environmental risk factors. The nine risk factors are overweight and obesity; low fruit and vegetable intake; physical inactivity; smoking; alcohol use; unsafe sex; urban air pollution; indoor smoke from household use of coal; and contaminated injections in healthcare settings.
Rats given varying doses of aspartame -- the second most widely used artificial sweetener in the world -- experienced a statistically significant increase in the incidence of malignant tumors, lymphomas and leukemias in a recent study. The effects were observed at a daily dose of 20 milligrams per kilogram (mg/kg) of body weight -- which is less than the current acceptable daily intake for humans.
Stop hating your body, stop counting calories and stop using food for purposes other than to satisfy hunger, and you'll be healthier and slimmer. That, in a nutshell, is the argument in favor of "intuitive dieting," or letting your body tell you when, what and how much to eat. Dieting doesn't result in long-term weight loss and contributes to food anxiety and unhealthy eating practices, and can even lead to eating disorders.
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