Health News Tidbits

Health News Tidbits – December 2003

CDC Says Flu Vaccine Not Foolproof -
According to a statement last week by Centers for Disease Control Officials, this flu season, which has already killed several children and elderly, could be worse than usual, in part because this year's vaccine does not match the strain doctor's are seeing so far.
Centers for Disease Control

Epsom Salts May Protect Premature Babies -
According to Australian researchers, Epsom Salts (magnesium sulfate) given to women about to deliver extremely premature babies help reduce brain damage and death among infants. Statistics taken from sixteen hospitals in Australia and New Zealand involving 1,062 women showed that children of the women given the salts as opposed to the placebo had a 17 percent reduced risk of death and cerebral palsy. JAMA 11/25/03

Morning Exercise Makes Sleep Easier -
Scientists at the Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center in Seattle found that older women who often have trouble sleeping had fewer complaints if they stretched and/or exercised in the morning. The women, ages 50 to 75, who exercised in the AM averaged 70% better sleep and women who stretched in the AM averaged 30% better sleep. Journal Sleep November

Painkillers Cause Kidney Damage -
Too many painkillers can damage some people's kidney's permanently. Overuse was defined as taking two doses of full strength aspirin or extra strong paractemol every day. The advice from scientists is do not take analgesics unless you really need them, especially if you have any kidney issues.
American Society of Nephrology 11/24/03

Sugary Foods May Increase Birth Defects -
US Researchers compared the diet of 454 mothers of children with neural tube defects like spina bifida, with 462 mothers who had healthy babies. They found the risk of defects doubled in women who ate copious amounts of high sugar foods - and among obese women it quadrupled. The belief is that the sudden release of large amounts of glucose may interfere with the development of babies in the womb - in particular the bone around the spinal column.
American Journal of Clinical Nutrition 11/24/03

Sun Protects Against Cancer -
Staying out of the sun completely may increase your chances of developing cancer, according to a study published in this weeks British Medical Journal. The study warns against people taking this advice to the extreme. Lack of sun can reduce levels of vitamin D, which may increase the risk of cancer. Experts say 10 to 15 minutes of sun daily, weather permitting, is ideal.

Daily Vitamins May Prevent Vision Loss -
If every American at risk for age-related macular degeneration (AMD) took daily supplements of antioxidant vitamins and zinc, more than 300,000 people could avoid AMD-related vision loss over the next five years, according to a 4,757 person study sponsored by the National Eye Institute and performed by Johns Hopkins researchers. Taking the nutrients lowered risk of progressing to advanced disease by 25 percent, and reduced risk of vision loss by 19 percent. Archives of Ophthamology, Nov. 2003, Vol. 121, pages 1621-1624

Brisk Walk Can Strengthen Heart -
A study of obese adults showed that moderate exercise was enough to raise the heart beat to recommended levels for positive impact. Brisk walking for thirty minutes effectively worked the heart to the level that strenuous exercise would not be required.
Annual Meeting of the American Heart Association 2003

Senate Bans Antibiotic Chicken in School Lunches -
The amendment, proposed by Senator Hillary Clinton, was added to the 2004 Agriculture appropriations bill forbidding the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) from buying chickens for the federal school lunch program that have been injected by antibiotics called fluoroquinolones. The amendment was spurred on by the fact that overuse of antibiotics in animals are creating resistant bacteria rendering the same antibiotics used in humans useless. USDA.gov

Hot Cocoa May Prevent Heart Disease -
Because of hot cocoa's high antioxidant content (more than tea or red wine), it may be the most effective antioxidant to date in preventing chronic diseases such as heart disease. Phenols, the antioxidant most notably associated with health benefits, were found to be the most abundant in cocoa.
Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry 12/3/03

'Kids Foods' Bad for Health -
The Consumer's Association says that many foods that are geared towards children have high levels of salt and sugar and are harmful to their health. The association specifically targeted foods aimed at seven to ten year-olds. In addition, manufacturers use misleading images on their products, suggesting they have more of a main "healthy" ingredient than they actually do. Officials at the European Union are demanding a change in manufacturing practices. BBC Online 11/5/03

Pomegranate, Grape, and Citrus Extracts May Prevent Skin Cancer -

These common fruit extracts may help prevent sun-related damage that causes skin cancer from the pigment in their skin and high antioxidant content. Cosmetic companies are already adding these extracts into their sunscreen products. American Association for Cancer Research 10/30/03

HOME