Health News
Let them eat snail: Nutritional giant snails could address malnutrition
A nutritionist in Nigeria says that malnutrition and iron deficiency in schoolchildren could be reduced in her country by baking up snail pie. She explains snail is not only cheaper and more readily available than beef but contains more protein.
When East meets West: Why consumers turn to alternative medicine
Alternative health remedies are increasingly important in the health care marketplace. A new study explores how consumers choose among the many available remedies.
Antifibrotic effects of green tea
Scientists examined the protective effect of green tea extract on hepatic fibrosis in vitro and in vivo in dimethylnitrosamine (DMN)-induced rats. Their study demonstrates that green tea administration can effectively improve liver fibrosis caused by DMN, and may be used as a therapeutic option and preventive measure against hepatic fibrosis.
Yoga Boosts Heart Health
Heart rate variability, a sign of a healthy heart, has been shown to be higher in yoga practitioners than in non-practitioners, according to new research.
Green Tea Shows Promise As Chemoprevention Agent For Oral Cancer
Green tea extract has shown promise as cancer prevention agent for oral cancer in patients with a pre-malignant condition known as oral leukoplakia, according to researchers.
Researchers Find Yoga May Be Effective For Chronic Low Back Pain In Minority Populations
Researchers have found that yoga may be more effective than standard treatment for reducing chronic low back pain in minority populations.
Tai Chi Exercise Reduces Knee Osteoarthritis Pain In The Elderly, Research Shows
Researchers have determined that patients over 65 years of age with knee osteoarthritis who engage in regular Tai Chi exercise improve physical function and experience less pain. Tai Chi is a traditional style of Chinese martial arts that features slow, rhythmic movements to induce mental relaxation and enhance balance, strength, flexibility, and self-efficacy.
Iranian Scholars Share Avicenna's Medieval Medical Wisdom
For pulmonary ailments, certain medieval physicians had a useful medical textbook on hand offering detailed information remarkably similar to those a modern doctor might use today.
Biofield Therapies: Helpful Or Full Of Hype? Review Looks At Reiki, Therapeutic Touch And Healing Touch
Biofield therapies -- Reiki, therapeutic touch and healing touch -- are promising complementary interventions for reducing the intensity of pain in diverse conditions, anxiety for hospitalized patients and agitated behaviors in dementia. A review of the science behind biofield therapies has now been published.
Herbal Tonic For Radiotherapy? Gingko Biloba Tree May Protect Cells From Radiation Damage
Antioxidant extracts of the leaves of the Gingko biloba tree may protect cells from radiation damage, according to a new study. The discovery may one day be used to help reduce side effects in cancer patients undergoing radiotherapy.
Aerobic Exercise No Big Stretch For Older Adults But Helps Elasticity Of Arteries
Just three months of physical activity reaps heart health benefits for older adults with type 2 diabetes by improving the elasticity in their arteries -- reducing risk of heart disease and stroke, researchers say.
Brain-damaged Children Often Have Cold Feet
Many wheelchair-using children with neurological disorders have much colder hands and feet than other children, and most receive no special help even though they have had these problems for a long time.
Calculate Benefit Before Dialysis For Frail Elders, Experts Urge
Kidney specialists should weigh the potential quality of life for frail elders with end-stage renal disease in opting for dialysis over more conservative therapies, a nephrologist and a palliative care specialist suggest in an editorial.
Chinese Herbal Medicines For Preventing Diabetes In High Risk People: Still Not Enough Hard Scientific Evidence
More research is required to establish whether Chinese herbal medicines can reduce the likelihood of developing diabetes, according to researchers. Although herbal medicines are widely used in Asian countries to treat pre-diabetes (impaired glucose tolerance or IGT), the precursor of the disease, researchers say there is still not enough hard scientific evidence to confidently recommend their use.
Alternative Medicine Use Increasing For Patients Suffering With Chronic Rhinosinusitis
A new study suggests that a growing segment of patients are turning to complementary and alternative medical therapies to help treat the symptoms of chronic rhinosinusitis.
Tai Chi May Be An Effective Treatment For Dizziness, Balance Issues
Tai Chi, a form of Chinese martial arts often practiced for its health benefits, may be an effective treatment option for patients who suffer from dizziness and balance disorders (also known as vestibular disorders).
Strategies For Reducing Painful Breast Cancer Drug Side Effects
New research has identified patterns that may help breast cancer patients at risk of serious joint pain from aromatase inhibitors. In a recent study, researchers found that estrogen withdrawal may play a role in the onset of arthralgia during treatment: Women who stopped getting their menstrual periods less than five years before starting breast cancer treatment were three times more likely to experience these pains than those who reached menopause earlier.
New Evidence That Green Tea May Help Improve Bone Health
Researchers are reporting new evidence that green tea -- one of the most popular beverages consumed worldwide and now available as a dietary supplement -- may help improve bone health. They found that the tea contains a group of chemicals that can stimulate bone formation and help slow its breakdown.
Common Pain Cream Could Protect Heart During Attack, Study Shows
New research shows that a common, over-the-counter pain salve rubbed on the skin during a heart attack could serve as a cardiac-protectant, preventing or reducing damage to the heart while interventions are administered.
Model Backs Green Tea And Lemon Claim, Lessens Need To Test Animals
An animal study has shown that adding ascorbic acid and sugar to green tea can help the body absorb helpful compounds and also demonstrates the effectiveness of a model that could reduce the number of animals needed for these types of studies.
LED Light And Green Tea Cream Smooth Facial Wrinkles
Scientists are reporting a major improvement in their potential new treatment for facial wrinkles that could emerge as an alternative to Botox and cosmetic surgery. The noninvasive technique combines high-intensity light from light-emitting diodes (LEDs) and a lotion made of green tea extract. It works 10 times faster than a similar anti-wrinkle treatment that uses LEDs alone, the researchers say.
How To Boost Value Of Alzheimer's-fighting Compounds
The polyphenols found in red wine are thought to help prevent Alzheimer's disease, and new research has shown that some of those compounds in fact reach the brain.
Acupuncture May Bring Relief For Common Condition In Women, Study Suggests
Polycystic ovary syndrome, a common condition among women, can be relieved by the use of acupuncture and exercise, a new study by researchers in Sweden suggests.
In Vitro Fertilization Less Successful With Alternative Fertility Treatments
The common belief is that it won't hurt to try alternative fertility treatments before reverting to in vitro fertilization (IVF). But a new study finds that the success of IVF treatment is 30 percent lower among women who have used alternative medicine. The researchers included over 700 IVF users over a 12-month period. Women who had first tried a combination of alternative treatments, such as reflexology, acupuncture, or herbal and aromatherapy, had significantly lower pregnancy rates after IVF treatment.
Scientists Help Explain Effects Of Ancient Chinese Herbal Formulas On Heart Health
New research suggests that ancient Chinese herbal formulas used primarily for cardiovascular indications including heart disease may produce large amounts of artery-widening nitric oxide.
New 'Biofactories' Produce Rare Healing Substances In Endangered Devil's Claw Plant
Deep in Africa's Kalahari Desert lies the "Devil's claw," a plant that may hold the key to effective treatments for arthritis, tendinitis and other illnesses that affect millions each year. Unfortunately, years of drought have pushed the Devil's claw toward extinction, so scientists are scrambling to devise new ways to produce the valuable medicinal chemicals of the Devil's claw and other rare plants.
Regular Yoga Practice Is Associated With Mindful Eating
Regular yoga practice is associated with mindful eating, and people who eat mindfully are less likely to be obese, according to a new study.
White Tea Could Keep You Healthy And Looking Young
Next time you're making a cup of tea, new research shows it might be wise to opt for a white tea if you want to reduce your risk of cancer, rheumatoid arthritis or even just age-associated wrinkles. Researchers tested the health properties of 21 plant and herb extracts. They discovered all of the plants tested had some potential benefits, but were intrigued to find white tea considerably outperformed all of them.
Black Tea May Fight Diabetes
Long known for its antioxidants, immune boosting and, most recently, antihypertensive properties, black tea could have another health benefit. Black tea may be used to control diabetes, according to a new study.
Synthetic Derivative Of Kudzu Vine Can Reduce Drinking And Prevent Relapse
Kudzu extracts have been used in Chinese folk medicine to treat alcoholism for about 1,000 years. Daidzin is an anti-drinking substance in kudzu. A synthetic form of daidzin, called CVT-10216, can successfully reduce drinking and prevent relapse in preclinical rodent models.
Practice Guidelines For Nutrition Care For Patients With Spinal Cord Injury
The American Dietetic Association has published new evidence-based nutrition practice guidelines for registered dietitians on nutrition care for patients with spinal cord injury.
Chinese Acupuncture Affects Brain's Ability To Regulate Pain, UM Study Shows
Acupuncture has been used for over two millennia in East-Asian medicine to treat pain. Using brain imaging, researchers have provided novel evidence that traditional Chinese acupuncture affects the brain's long-term ability to regulate pain. Their findings show acupuncture acts as more than a placebo, and can activate receptors in the brain that process and dampen pain signals.
Workplace Yoga And Meditation Can Lower Feelings Of Stress
Twenty minutes per day of guided workplace meditation and yoga combined with six weekly group sessions can lower feelings of stress by more than 10 percent and improve sleep quality in sedentary office employees, a pilot study suggests.
Americans Spent $33.9 Billion Out-of-pocket On Complementary And Alternative Medicine In One Year
Americans spent $33.9 billion out-of-pocket on complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) over the previous 12 months, according to a 2007 government survey. CAM is a group of diverse medical and health-care systems, practices, and products such as herbal supplements, meditation, chiropractic and acupuncture that are not generally considered to be part of conventional medicine.
Antioxidant In Substance From Honeybees May Protect Athletes From Overheating
A compound from honeybees known as propolis, the substance bees use to seal their hives, may protect against heat stress in athletes, according to a new article.
Green Tea: Mixed Reviews For Cancer Prevention
Lifestyle choices are pieces of the cancer prevention puzzle, but exactly which steps to take remain unclear, even to scientists. Still, more and more individuals are incorporating small changes into their daily routine -- such as drinking green tea -- in hopes of keeping cancer risk at bay. Is it working? A large new review of studies that examined the affect of green tea on cancer prevention has yielded conflicting results.
Chinese Herbs May Relieve Endometriosis Symptoms, Review Finds
Chinese herbal medicine may relieve symptoms in the treatment of endometriosis. A systematic review found some evidence that women had comparable benefits following laparoscopic surgery and suffered fewer adverse effects if they were given Chinese herbs compared with conventional drug treatments.
Non-drug Interventions May Comfort Children Having An Anesthetic
Parental acupuncture, clown doctors, hypnotherapy, low sensory stimulation and hand-held video games are promising non-drug interventions that are likely to help reduce children's anxiety during the onset of their anesthetic.
New Evidence That Vinegar May Be Natural Fat-fighter
Researchers are reporting new evidence that the ordinary vinegar -- a staple in oil-and-vinegar salad dressings, pickles, and other foods -- may live up to its age-old reputation in folk medicine as a health promoter. They are reporting new evidence that vinegar can help prevent accumulation of body fat and weight gain.?nbsp;
Pain Of Dysplasia In Dogs Relieved With Gold Treatment, Study Shows
Many animals and people experience chronic joint pain. In dogs, a common source of joint pain is hip dysplasia, a developmental defect of the hip joint. Implantation of gold into the soft tissues around the hip joints of dogs with dysplasia can relieve pain and lessen stiffness for several years.
For Women With Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome, Acupuncture And Exercise May Bring Relief, Reduce Risks
Exercise and electro-acupuncture treatments can reduce sympathetic nerve activity in women with polycystic ovarian syndrome, according to a new study. The finding is important because women with PCOS often have elevated sympathetic nerve activity, which plays a role in hyperinsulinemia, insulin resistance, obesity and cardiovascular disease. The study also found that the electro-acupuncture treatments led to more regular menstrual cycles, reduced testosterone levels and reduced waist circumference.
How Adolescent Girls Manage Stress
Greater influence over everyday life, emotional support, and cultural and recreational activities help to enable teenage girls to withstand stress.
Tai Chi Benefits For Arthritis Shown
Tai chi has been found to have positive health benefits for musculoskeletal pain. The results of the first comprehensive analysis of tai chi suggest that it produces positive effects for improving pain and disability among arthritis sufferers.
Meditation May Be An Effective Treatment For Insomnia
Meditation may be an effective behavioral intervention in the treatment of insomnia, according to new research.
Ginkgo Reduces Neuropathic Pain In Animal Studies
An extract of ginkgo biloba shows scientific evidence of effectiveness against one common and hard-to-treat type of pain, according to animal data.
Many Breast Cancer Patients Take High Doses Of Antioxidants Despite Possible Consequences
A new study finds that many women with breast cancer take antioxidant supplements while undergoing cancer treatment, even though the consequences of doing so are unknown.
Label For First Homoeopathic Product May Be Illegal, Warns Senior Scientist
The labeling for the first homoeopathic product to get a license from the UK Medicines and Healthcare Products Regulatory Agency should be illegal, because they breach Unfair Trading regulations, argues a senior scientist.
Tai Chi Improves Pain In Arthritis Sufferers
The results of a new analysis have provided good evidence to suggest that tai chi is beneficial for arthritis. Specifically, it was shown to decrease pain with trends towards improving overall physical health, level of tension and satisfaction with health status.
