Health News

April 28, 2006

A study in male fertility shows that a contraceptive pill for men may not be as far fetched as people may think.

According to the study of a drug that may serve as a potential birth control pill for men, men regained their full potential to reproduce after only a few months of no longer taking the drug.

The male pill has always been tied to fears that it could lead to long-term damage to a male's ability to reproduce. The male pill could be a possible substitute for a vasectomy and may have as big an impact as the female birth control pill did 50 years ago.

April 25, 2006

According to a recent Canadian study, women who drink milk while pregnant are more likely to have heavier babies. But the study does not suggest that a heavier baby is necessarily a heavier one.

In the study, reported in the April 25 issue of the Canadian Medical Association Journal, researchers found that babies born to mothers who drank milk were slightly heavier than those born to those who avoid drinking milk during pregnancy.

Babies born to women who drank milk during pregnancy were slightly but statistically insignificant heavier than those born to mothers who avoid drinking milk.

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April 19, 2006

Two recent government-funded studies found no evidence that dental fillings containing mercury can cause brain damage or other neurological problems in children. Children with silver fillings were no more likely than other kids to suffer such problems according to researchers.

Some experts found the findings very reassuring. But the studies are unlikely to end the fierce debate over the long-term effects of what are known as amalgam fillings, and some advocates bitterly accused the researchers of conducting unethical experiments on children.

Amalgam fillings, also called silver fillings, are made of mercury and other metals and have been used by dentists for 150 years. But their use has dropped in recent years as more and more doctors switch to resin composite fillings, which are considered more appealing because they are white.

Some advocacy groups and dentists have long contended that the mercury in fillings can leach into the body and cause harmful neurological effects, including autism.

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April 7, 2006

If you are looking for a way to shed some pounds pine nuts may be the answer. A new study suggests that a compound in Korean pine tree nuts acts as an appetite suppressant.

The lipids in pine nuts can help create the feeling of fullness, which may potentially help a person consume fewer calories. Combined with a weight management program the pine nuts may help people naturally control their appetite.

The oil in the pine nuts appeared to promote the release of cholecystokinin (CCK) and glucagon-like peptide (GLP-1), two gastrointestinal hormones that are known to send "satiety signals" - i.e. signals that the stomach is feeling full - to the brain.

In general, pine nuts are a good source of protein and healthy fats, particularly for vegetarians. The Korean pine nut is unique in that it contains much higher levels of the healthy polyunsaturated fats than do other nuts.

April 6, 2006

Today a group in Congress plans to introduce a bill that would prohibit the sale of certain fatty and sugary foods in schools. The bill would require higher nutritional standard for all foods sold on school premises including cafeterias, vending machines, snack bars, school stores and school events. The bill being presented as an amendment to the National School Lunch Act.

The bill is receiving strong bipartisan support and would be an effective way to implement nutrition requirements on a national level. With childhood obesity at an all time high, this bill would be one attempt to help curb the childhood obesity epidemic affecting the United States.

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April 5, 2006

According to two new studies, both cinnamon and cloves offer health benefits such as increasing insulin production and lowering cholesterol. These health benefits are especially beneficial to people who suffer from heart disease and diabetes or are at risk for developing diabetes.

Previous research that suggested cinnamon has the ability to lower triglycerides, cholesterol and glucose levels by 10 percent to 30 percent. This new study offers additional support to the previous study.

Researchers found that cinnamon increases levels of three important proteins crucial to promoting normal insulin-signaling processes, a healthy inflammatory response, and efficient glucose transportation throughout the body.

Cloves were also proven to be a "super food." At the end of the study, regardless of the amount of cloves consumed, all those who ingested cloves showed a drop in glucose, triglycerides and LDL ("bad") cholesterol levels. Those who did not ingest cloves experienced no changes.

Although these common spices offer health benefits, doctors suggest seeking a means of consuming these spices other than in their powder form. Cinnamon in powder form is rendered ineffective by contact with saliva, and its lack of solubility in water can result in an unwanted build up of the spice in the body. Better ways to consume cinnamon would be using cinnamon sticks in hot water or cinnamon capsules that contain the cinnamon extract.

April 4, 2006

A scientific review in Nutrition Reviews suggests that a vegetarian diet is highly effective for weight loss. Vegetarian populations tend to be slimmer than meat-eaters. Vegetarians also experience lower rates of heart disease, diabetes, high blood pressure, and other life-threatening conditions linked to obesity. The new review, compiling data from 87 previous studies, shows the weight-loss effect does not depend on exercise or calorie-counting, and it occurs at a rate of approximately 1 pound per week.

The authors found that the body weight of both male and female vegetarians is, on average, 3 percent to 20 percent lower than that of meat-eaters. Vegetarian and vegan diets have also been put to the test in clinical studies, as the review notes. The best of these clinical studies isolated the effects of diet by keeping exercise constant. The researchers found that a low-fat vegan diet leads to weight loss of about 1 pound per week, even without additional exercise or limits on portion sizes, calories, or carbohydrates.

April 3, 2006

The regular consumption of green or black tea could help prevent Alzheimer's and other degenerative brain diseases. The benefit of tea comes from two tea extracts and their main constituents, called catechins, and how they affect dying nerve cells.

Beta amyloid is a protein fragment that accumulates in the brain forming hard plaque. When amyloid plaque accumulates between nerve cells (neurons) in the brain, it degrades those nerve cells and leads to Alzheimer's disease. The catechins found in green and black teas have been found to help prevent the death of neurons in the brain and offer protection.

This new study, published in the European Journal of Neuroscience, is the first to show beneficial effects of tea on Alzheimer's.