iHealthBulletin News

Dark chocolate - new study on how it reduces stress

Doctor Z — Thu, 12 Nov 2009 04:45:07 +0000

The “chocolate cure” for emotional stress is getting new support from a clinical trial published online in ACS’ Journal of Proteome Research. It found that eating about an ounce and a half of dark chocolate per day (40 grams per day) for two weeks reduced levels of stress hormones in the bodies of people feeling [...]

Higher phosphorus blood level indicator of atherosclerosis risk

Doctor Z — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:57:55 +0000

Higher blood levels of phosphorus are linked to increased calcification of the coronary arteries — a key marker of heart disease risk, according to a study in an upcoming issue of Clinical Journal of the American Society of Nephrology (CJASN). “This may help to explain why even early-stage chronic kidney disease (CKD) is associated with [...]

Shock-wave therapy helps heal unhealed broken bones

Doctor Z — Tue, 10 Nov 2009 12:53:39 +0000

AAOS.org - When fractured bones fail to heal, a serious complication referred to as “nonunion” can develop. This occurs when the process of bone healing is interrupted or stalled. According to a new study published in the November 2009 issue of The Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery (JBJS), certain cases involving nonunions respond very [...]

Low-fat diet, not low-carb, improves mood over time

Doctor Z — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:38:34 +0000

JAMA / Archives - After one year, a low-calorie, low-fat diet appears more beneficial to dieters’ mood than a low-carbohydrate plan with the same number of calories, according to a report in the November 9, 2009 issue of Archives of Internal Medicine. Obese individuals who lose weight tend to have an improved psychological state, including a [...]

Overweight as teenager doubles risk of multiple sclerosis in women

Doctor Z — Mon, 09 Nov 2009 23:33:55 +0000

AAN.com - Teenage women who are obese may be more than twice as likely to develop multiple sclerosis (MS) as adults compared to female teens who are not obese, according to a study published in the November 10, 2009 issue of Neurology®, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology. The research involved 238,371 women [...]

Healthier home - dealing with dampness, poor HVAC systems, carpets

Doctor Z — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:58:39 +0000

Damp environments, poorly maintained heating and air-conditioning systems and carpeting may contribute to poor indoor air quality, according to experts at the annual meeting of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) in Miami Beach, FL. Americans spend about 90 percent of their time indoors, where they are repeatedly exposed to indoor allergens [...]

Keep homes warm enough for better health

Doctor Z — Sun, 08 Nov 2009 23:54:02 +0000

Being warm enough at home might lead to better health, according to a new review appearing online in the American Journal of Public Health. Hilary Thomson, of the Medical Research Council’s Social and Public Health Sciences Unit in Glasgow, Scotland, and her colleagues combined the results of 40 studies from the 1930s through 2007. Improvements in [...]

Folic acid supplement in late pregnancy may increase child’s asthma risk

Doctor Z — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:57:52 +0000

Adelaide.edu.au - Researchers from the University’s Robinson Institute have identified a link between folic acid supplements taken in late pregnancy and allergic asthma in children aged between 3 and 5 years, suggesting that the timing of supplementation in pregnancy is important. Associate Professor Michael Davies says that folic acid supplements – recommended for pregnant women to [...]

Red reflex eye test recommended for all newborns

Doctor Z — Sat, 07 Nov 2009 23:53:44 +0000

With the number of premature births and medically fragile infants now increasing in the U.S., a basic eye exam, including a red reflex test, should be given to all infants shortly after birth, reports Angela Buffenn, M.D., M.P.H., Director of the Orbit and Eye Movement Institute at The Vision Center of Childrens Hospital Los Angeles. “Advances [...]

Diet soda and salt can hurt kidney function in women

Doctor Z — Fri, 06 Nov 2009 23:34:08 +0000

Women who consume a diet high in sodium or artificially sweetened drinks - such as diet soda - are more likely to experience a decline in kidney function, according to two papers presented at the American Society of Nephrology’s 2009 annual meeting in San Diego, California. Julie Lin MD, MPH, FASN and Gary Curhan, MD, ScD, [...]