Blog

July 2, 2008

Watermelon: A Natural Viagra?

Don’t be fooled by this headline from WebMD Health News reporting a researcher who says that watermelon may be a natural Viagra. My Take?

July 2, 2008

Tai chi helps older adults get good night’s sleep

Reuters Health is reporting a study in the journal Sleep that found that regular practice of tai chi, a Westernized version of the ancient Chinese martial […]

July 2, 2008

Smokeless tobacco ups oral cancer risk 80%

Reuters is reporting that World Health Organization’s cancer agency is concluding that using chewing tobacco and snuff is less dangerous than cigarettes, which is linked to […]

July 2, 2008

Green tea protects against heart disease

Reuters has published a story about Greek researchers who say a few cups of green tea each day may help prevent heart disease. The study, published […]

July 2, 2008

New York City restaurants go trans-fat-free

Reuters is reporting that New York City’s ban on trans-fats in restaurants, which took full effect on Tuesday, is the first of its kind among major […]

July 2, 2008

Report Suggests 85% of Sunscreens May Not Live Up to Marketing Claims

In its new report, the nonprofit Environmental Working Group says that 85 percent of sunscreens either inadequately protect from the sun’s rays or contain ingredients that […]

July 2, 2008

Exercise recommendations may not curb kids’ weight

Reuters Health is reporting on a UK study that suggests health experts generally recommend that children get at least one hour of moderate exercise each day. […]

July 2, 2008

Most people do not need colon cleansing (colonics)

A Los Angeles Times health column advises people not to believe that “our bodies [are] awash in ‘toxins,’… and that we should therefore go to dramatic […]

January 19, 2012

Only SOME zinc supplements have the dose proven to shorten colds

Can zinc supplements shorten colds and reduce the progression of advanced macular degeneration? “Yes, but not all supplements provide a dosage that has been proven effective.” […]

January 20, 2012

Normalizing blood pressure in middle age reduces lifetime risk for heart disease, stroke

HealthDay reports, “Blood pressure changes in middle age can affect your lifetime risk for heart disease and stroke,” according to a study published in Circulation.

January 20, 2012

Treating high blood pressure in the elderly helps prolong life

MedPage Today reports, “Older patients with isolated systolic hypertension gained an extra day of life expectancy for every month of treatment with diuretic-based stepped care, according […]

January 22, 2012

Should early “prostate cancer” NOT be called “cancer”?

The AP reports that a team of “specialists convened recently by the National Institutes of Health say it’s time to strip the name ‘cancer'” from low-risk […]

January 23, 2012

How to avoid airborne infections on planes

Scott McCartney writes in the Wall Street Journal “The Middle Seat” column about how to avoid contracting airborne infections during air travel.

January 23, 2012

How parenthood makes life meaningful and how marriage makes parenthood bearable

When Baby Makes Three, the 2011 State of Our Unions report from the National Marriage Project and the Institute for American Values, relies on nationally representative data to […]