How to Prevent Heartburn

Overweight people tend to be the ones with digestive issues. "Increasing body mass index is associated with increased reflux, especially in the case with truncal obesity: big bellies," Dr. Alexander says. The best lifestyle adjustment you can make is to cut down on fatty foods and lose weight. Exercise is important, he says, but certain exercises, like riding a bike bent over, aggravate reflux. Work out in a way that feels comfortable to you.

Stock Your Medicine Cabinet

If you know you get heartburn, don't wait until the telltale signs arrive before popping a pill. Proton pump inhibitors, some of which are available over the counter like Prilosec OTC, are the more potent acid blockers, but they take a while to start working. "Those are medicines to use to prevent reflux," Dr. Alexander says. For quicker relief, over-the-counter antacids like Maalox and Tums buffer the acid in your esophagus, but they only last for a few minutes, Dr. Alexander says. Histamine 2 (H2) blockers like Zantac and Pepcid block acid after about 20 minutes and can suppress acid from 6-12 hours. "Pop a Tums as well as a Pepcid to control it right away," Dr. Alexander says.

Read more: Your Guide to a Happy, Healthy Tummy

Strategize On Sleep

What's the worst time to start counting sheep? Directly after a big, boozy meal. "People tend to get heartburn when they overeat and lay down," Dr. Alexander said. Wait at least a couple hours before sleep, he says, or take an H2 blocker before you go to bed on the nights you eat late.

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Health Tip: Prevent Food Cross-Contamination

HealthDay – 2 mins 52 secs ago (HealthDay News) -- Some food allergies are so severe that exposure to even a trace of certain foods can trigger a severe allergic reaction.

One way to reduce the risk of a severe reaction is to avoid cross-contaminating foods to which a person is overly sensitive with other foods.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics offers these guidelines:

Thoroughly wash all pots, pans and utensils with soap and water before use.If cooking two meals (one for someone with a food allergy), cook the allergen-free meal first and keep it covered and away from other food.Thoroughly wash hands with soap and water before serving an allergen-free meal.Be careful not to allow any allergens to touch allergen-free utensils, dishes or foods.

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Health Tip: Help Prevent Malnutrition in Seniors

HealthDay – 1 hr 4 mins ago (HealthDay News) -- Seniors are particularly vulnerable to malnutrition, so caretakers must ensure that the elderly get enough carbohydrates, proteins, vitamins and minerals.

The American Academy of Family Physicians offers this advice:

Provide plenty of healthy foods and snacks.Flavor foods with fresh herbs and spices, avoiding salt.Offer prepackaged supplements, such as nutrition shakes.Promote daily exercise, even a little bit, to help stimulate appetite and promote strong bones and muscles.Plan social activities centering around meals and exercise.

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Many Medicaid Patients Skip Drugs That Could Prevent Heart Trouble

HealthDay – 1 hr 22 mins ago FRIDAY, July 20 (HealthDay News) -- Many Medicaid recipients with chronic health conditions that can lead to heart disease -- diabetes, high blood pressure and high cholesterol -- do not take their prescribed medications, a new study has found.

The researchers said failure to take medications leads to higher costs of care and an increased risk of hospitalization and even death.

They looked at 2008 and 2009 data from more than 150,000 Medicaid patients in New York City, aged 20 to 64, and found that only 63 percent of those with the three chronic conditions took their prescribed medications. Older patients and white and Asian patients were most likely to take their medications, while black and Hispanic patients were least likely.

"The outcome of this study is concerning, as it shows a large number of people with chronic conditions that lead to cardiovascular disease aren't taking prescribed medications, which could prevent a potential stroke or heart attack," lead author Dr. Kelly Kyanko, an instructor in the department of population health at the NYU Langone Medical Center, said in a center news release.

"We hope these findings will help local health authorities in the New York City area address this problem by creating programs to increase adherence rates, specifically in patient populations most at risk," Kyanko added.

The study was published online recently in the Journal of Urban Health.

"We believe that patients and their doctors can work to improve medication adherence through simple measures such as switching to once-a-day or combination pills, keeping a pill box and obtaining 90-day refills instead of 30-day refills for medications they take on a regular basis," Kyanko said.

High-risk patients may require more intensive interventions, such as working with a nurse or pharmacist to ensure they take their prescribed medications, she added.

Cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death both in New York and in the United States, according to the release.

More information

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention outlines ways to prevent heart disease.

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FDA OKs 1st Pill to Help Prevent HIV

A bottle of antiretroviral drug Truvada is displayed at Jack's Pharmacy on Nov. 23, 2010 in San Anselmo, California. (Justin Sullivan/Getty Images)

The Food and Drug Adminstration today announced the approval of the first drug for use in people who are not infected with the human immunodeficiency virus (HIV), to prevent its transmission, which some are calling a landmark in the fight against AIDS.

The drug, Truvada, is actually a combination of two medicines and is manufactured by Gilead Sciences, Inc. of Foster City, Calif. While Truvada has been approved since 2004 as a treatment for those already infected with the HIV virus, this is the first time any drug has been approved for pre-exposure prophylaxis, or PrEP.

The study that led to the drug's approval found the risk of transmission among men who have sex with men decreased more than 40 percent. Furthermore, it showed a decrease of more than 70 percent in risk of transmission among heterosexual couples in which one partner was infected with HIV but the other was not.

"Truvada should not be used alone for preventing infections," cautioned Dr. Debra Birnkrant, director of the Division of Antiviral Products at the FDA's Center for Drug Evaluation and Research. "However, when used in combination with other prevention methods, such as safer sex practices, counseling, and regular testing to determine infection status, Truvada is effective in reducing the risk of transmission."

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FDA approves first pill to help prevent HIV

The Food and Drug Administration on Monday approved the first drug shown to reduce the risk of HIV infection, the latest milestone in the 30-year battle against the virus that causes AIDS.

The agency approved Gilead Sciences' pill Truvada as a preventive measure for healthy people who are at high risk of acquiring HIV through sexual activity, such as those who have HIV-infected partners. The decision comes less than two weeks after the agency approved another landmark product: the first over-the-counter HIV test that Americans can use in the privacy of their homes.

The two developments are seen as the biggest steps in years toward curbing the spread of HIV in the U.S., which has held steady at about 50,000 new infections per year for the last 15 years. An estimated 1.2 million Americans have HIV, which develops into AIDS unless treated with antiviral drugs. And it's estimated that one-fifth, or about 240,000 people, are unaware that they are infected.

"I think the combination of self-testing and a medicine that you can take at home to prevent infection could mean a whole new approach to HIV prevention that is a bit more realistic," said Dr. Demetre Daskalakis of New York University's Langone Medical Center, who served on the FDA panel that recommended approving Truvada. While a positive step forward, Daskalakis added that Truvada would likely be unavailable for many people without health insurance, who often face the greatest risk of acquiring HIV.

Researchers had long sought to create a pill that could help stem the epidemic. Public health advocates said Monday that Truvada represents a major breakthrough, both as a medical therapy and as a means of expanding other preventive measures. Patients who get a prescription for Truvada will be expected to take part in a comprehensive HIV prevention plan, which experts say will enhance the drug's impact.

"It really marks a new era in HIV prevention because in adding Truvada as a prevention strategy, what comes with it is expanded access to HIV testing, condoms and preventive counseling and support," said James Loduca, vice president of the San Francisco AIDS Foundation.

But HIV experts have raised concerns that patients might not use the drug correctly. Dr. Tom Giordano of Baylor College of Medicine said Monday the drug must be taken every day to be effective, and would be most effective for a relatively small group of people.

"It's been most effective in people who are at very high risk and are able to take the drug on a regular basis," said Giordano, who served on the FDA panel that recommended approving the drug. "When you really boil it down that's going to be a relatively focused population, but it's an important population to treat."

The drug's label carries a warning that people should be tested to make sure they don't have HIV before starting Truvada. Patients who already have the virus could develop resistance to the drug, making their disease more difficult to treat. The label also warns of side effects, including kidney and liver problems.

Gilead Sciences Inc. has marketed Truvada since 2004 as a treatment for people who are already infected with the virus. The once-a-day pill is a combination of two older HIV drugs, Emtriva and Viread.

Starting in 2010, studies showed that the drug could prevent people from contracting HIV when used as a precautionary measure. A three-year study found that daily doses cut the risk of infection in healthy gay and bisexual men by 42 percent, when accompanied by condoms and counseling. Last year, another study found that Truvada reduced infection by 75 percent in heterosexual couples in which one partner was infected with HIV and the other was not.

Because Truvada is on the market to manage HIV, some doctors already prescribe it as a preventive measure. FDA approval will allow Gilead Sciences to formally market the drug for that use, which could dramatically increase prescriptions.

Truvada's groundbreaking preventive ability has exposed disagreements about managing the disease among those in the HIV community. Groups including the AIDS Healthcare Foundation asked the FDA to reject the new indication, saying it could give patients a false sense of security and reduce the use of condoms, the most reliable preventive measure against HIV.

But FDA scientists said Monday said there was no indication from clinical trials that Truvada users were more likely to engage in risky sexual behavior.

"What we found was that condom use increased over time and sexually transmitted infections either remained at baseline levels or decreased," said Dr. Debra Birnkrant, FDA's director of antiviral products. "So in essence, we don't have any strong evidence that condoms were not used or there was a decrease in condom use."

Gilead Sciences said Monday that it would keep the pill at its current price, nearly $14,000 per year. Even at that price, HIV physicians said the drug could be cost effective if it prevents people from contracting the virus.

"It is expensive, but on the other hand it's far cheaper than a lifetime of HIV treatment," said Dr. Joel Gallant of Johns Hopkins University School of Medicine. "So if there are people who will not use condoms but are willing to use this, then for those people it's cost effective."

The lifetime cost of treating one person diagnosed with the AIDS virus has been estimated at more than $600,000.

The decision by the FDA on Truvada follows its approval of the OraQuick test earlier this month. The test, which detects the presence of HIV in saliva collected using a mouth swab and returns a result within 40 minutes, is aimed at people who might not otherwise be tested. The FDA has said the test is not 100 percent accurate.

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Gilead wins first approval of drug to prevent HIV

Reuters – 21 hrs ago (Reuters) - Health regulators for the first time approved using an HIV drug to prevent infection in people who are at high risk of contracting the virus that causes AIDS.

Gilead Sciences Inc's Truvada was approved for people who are not yet infected but may engage in sexual activity with HIV-infected partners, a concept known as pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP).

Truvada, which combines two anti-HIV drugs in one pill, is already approved in combination with other antiretroviral agents to treat patients 12 years of age and older who are infected with the virus.

Under the new Food and Drug Administration approval Truvada taken daily, is to be used along with safer sex practices, risk reduction counseling and regular HIV testing to reduce the risk of sexually acquired HIV infection in adults deemed to be at high risk.

"Today's approval marks an important milestone in our fight against HIV," FDA Commissioner Margaret Hamburg said in a statement.

Every year, about 50,000 U.S. adults and adolescents are diagnosed with HIV infection, Hamburg said. "New treatments as well as prevention methods are needed to fight the HIV epidemic in this country."

A landmark study published in 2010 found that giving a daily dose of Truvada to men who have sex with other men could reduce HIV infection rates by 44 percent.

The use of combination therapies for people already infected with HIV has turned the virus that was once a sure death sentence into a condition people can live with for many years.

Meanwhile, researchers have been working for decades to come up with a vaccine that would prevent the virus from infecting people only to be disappointed time and again. A 2009 clinical trial in Thailand was the first to show it was possible to prevent HIV infection in humans, and more powerful vaccines using HIV-fighting antibodies are being studied amid renewed optimism that a vaccine may be within reach.

Debra Birnkrant, director of the Division of Antiviral Products at the FDA, said the federal government has a goal of a 25 percent decrease in HIV infections in the United States by 2015, and added that responsible use of Truvada for prevention could help achieve it.

In a conference call with reporters, Birnkrant was asked if the drug might give people a false sense of security that could tempt them to stop using condoms or otherwise engage in unsafe sex.

"We are concerned about risk-taking behavior, however, the (clinical) trials did not bear that out," she said. In one U.S. trial involving 400 men who have sex with other men, she said there was not an increase in unsafe sex.

"The hope is the right messages will get out and Truvada will be used properly," she said.

As part of the approval, the FDA is strengthening the warning label on the drug to make sure physicians screen individuals to ensure they are not infected with the HIV virus before prescribing the medication as a preventive measure, and at least every three months during use.

The approval comes with a risk mitigation program that includes training and education to assist prescribers in counseling people considering Truvada as a prophylaxis.

As a condition for approval, Gilead is required to collect samples from individuals who acquire HIV while taking Truvada and to evaluate them for potential resistance to the drug. It is also required to collect data on pregnancy outcomes for women who become pregnant while taking Truvada as prophylactic.

Gilead's shares closed up 1.5 percent at $51.94 on Nasdaq.

(Reporting by Toni Clarke in Boston and Ransdell Pierson and Bill Berkrot in New York; Editing by Maureen Bavdek, Bernard Orr)

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FDA Approves 1st Pill to Help Prevent HIV Infection

HealthDay – 16 hrs ago MONDAY, July 16 (HealthDay News) -- For the first time, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has approved the use of a pill to help prevent HIV infection in uninfected, high-risk people.

"

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Pills to prevent HIV raise many questions: studies

"A pharmacist shows anti-retroviral drugs in 2006 at the Mildmay Centre in Seguku, near Kampala, Uganda. Various trials examining the use of anti-retroviral drugs in healthy heterosexuals as a way to prevent HIV have shown drastically different results, research showed Wednesday. (AFP Photo/Stuart Price)" title

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HIV Drug May Prevent Bone Marrow Transplant Complication

HealthDay – 1 hr 3 mins ago WEDNESDAY, July 11 (HealthDay News) -- An HIV drug significantly reduced the risk of graft-versus-host disease, an all-too-common complication in blood cancer patients following bone marrow transplants, new research finds.

Bone marrow is the spongy tissue inside the bones that contains immature cells, or stem cells. In an "allogeneic" bone marrow transplantation, also called a stem cell transplant, a patient's own stem cells and immune system are wiped out by chemotherapy and radiation. Then, the patient receives the transplant, or bone marrow, from a closely matched donor.

The treatment is used for several types of blood cancers, including lymphoma and leukemia.

But a common complication of a bone marrow transplant is graft-versus-host disease. It occurs when transplanted immune cells attack patients' healthy tissue, a complication that can be minor or life-threatening.

"Graft-versus-host disease affecting the skin, liver, gut and other organs is a dreaded complication of allogeneic stem cell transplantation either from a related or unrelated donor," said one expert, Dr. Jasmine Zain of NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City. "The rates are 35 percent with related donors and up to 57 percent by day 100, even in reduced-intensity transplants," added Zain, who is director of the Bone Marrow Transplant Program and assistant professor in the division of hematologic malignancies and medical oncology at the center.

The study was conducted by a team at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine and included 38 patients with several types of blood cancers. The cancers included acute myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, lymphoma and myelofibrosis. All of the patients were given the drugs tacrolimus and methotrexate, which suppress the immune system and are a standard treatment to prevent graft-versus-host disease.

The patients were also given a 33-day course of the HIV drug, maraviroc, beginning two days before their transplant.

None of the patients treated with maraviroc developed graft-versus-host disease in the gut or liver within the first 100 days after their transplant. The liver and gut are the most serious locations for the complication, the researchers noted.

After six months, 6 percent of these transplant patients developed severe graft-versus-host disease compared to 22 percent of a group of similar patients who weren't treated with the HIV drug.

In addition, fewer in the group given the HIV drug developed graft-versus-host disease in their liver or gut compared to those given the standard treatment.

One year following transplant, about 15 percent of patients given the HIV drug developed severe graft-versus-host disease compared to 29 percent of patients who received standard therapy.

The study was published in the July 11 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Researchers explained that the HIV drug redirects these immune cells without having to suppress patients' immune systems. Because their immune systems aren't compromised by the drug, patients should be less vulnerable to infections and to a relapse of their cancer.

"It appears that our new approach allows us to prevent some patients from developing

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Health Tip: Help Prevent Drowning

HealthDay – 1 hr 2 mins ago (HealthDay News) -- Drowning is the fifth-leading cause of unintentional death in the United States, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The CDC offers these suggestions to help reduce the risk of drowning:

Adults should always carefully supervise children around any body of water -- including a bathtub. Avoid any distractions, such as reading or talking on the phone.Everyone should always swim with a buddy.Everyone should take formal swimming lessons, especially young children.Anyone with a seizure disorder should be carefully supervised around water.Always wear a life jacket when on a boat.Always build a barrier around pools to protect children, even if they know how to swim.Don't substitute water toys for life jackets.Never drink alcohol while boating, swimming or supervising children in the water.Never let children hold their breath for an extended period under water.

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HIV Drug May Prevent Bone Marrow Transplant Complication

HealthDay – 1 hr 2 mins ago WEDNESDAY, July 11 (HealthDay News) -- An HIV drug significantly reduced the risk of graft-versus-host disease, an all-too-common complication in blood cancer patients following bone marrow transplants, new research finds.

Bone marrow is the spongy tissue inside the bones that contains immature cells, or stem cells. In an "allogeneic" bone marrow transplantation, also called a stem cell transplant, a patient's own stem cells and immune system are wiped out by chemotherapy and radiation. Then, the patient receives the transplant, or bone marrow, from a closely matched donor.

The treatment is used for several types of blood cancers, including lymphoma and leukemia.

But a common complication of a bone marrow transplant is graft-versus-host disease. It occurs when transplanted immune cells attack patients' healthy tissue, a complication that can be minor or life-threatening.

"Graft-versus-host disease affecting the skin, liver, gut and other organs is a dreaded complication of allogeneic stem cell transplantation either from a related or unrelated donor," said one expert, Dr. Jasmine Zain of NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City. "The rates are 35 percent with related donors and up to 57 percent by day 100, even in reduced-intensity transplants," added Zain, who is director of the Bone Marrow Transplant Program and assistant professor in the division of hematologic malignancies and medical oncology at the center.

The study was conducted by a team at the University of Pennsylvania's Perelman School of Medicine and included 38 patients with several types of blood cancers. The cancers included acute myeloid leukemia, myelodysplastic syndrome, lymphoma and myelofibrosis. All of the patients were given the drugs tacrolimus and methotrexate, which suppress the immune system and are a standard treatment to prevent graft-versus-host disease.

The patients were also given a 33-day course of the HIV drug, maraviroc, beginning two days before their transplant.

None of the patients treated with maraviroc developed graft-versus-host disease in the gut or liver within the first 100 days after their transplant. The liver and gut are the most serious locations for the complication, the researchers noted.

After six months, 6 percent of these transplant patients developed severe graft-versus-host disease compared to 22 percent of a group of similar patients who weren't treated with the HIV drug.

In addition, fewer in the group given the HIV drug developed graft-versus-host disease in their liver or gut compared to those given the standard treatment.

One year following transplant, about 15 percent of patients given the HIV drug developed severe graft-versus-host disease compared to 29 percent of patients who received standard therapy.

The study was published in the July 11 edition of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Researchers explained that the HIV drug redirects these immune cells without having to suppress patients' immune systems. Because their immune systems aren't compromised by the drug, patients should be less vulnerable to infections and to a relapse of their cancer.

"It appears that our new approach allows us to prevent some patients from developing

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Pills to prevent HIV raise many questions: studies

"A pharmacist shows anti-retroviral drugs in 2006 at the Mildmay Centre in Seguku, near Kampala, Uganda. Various trials examining the use of anti-retroviral drugs in healthy heterosexuals as a way to prevent HIV have shown drastically different results, research showed Wednesday. (AFP Photo/Stuart Price)" title

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Higher Doses of Vitamin D Prevent Fractures in Older Women

HealthDay – 4 mins 43 secs ago WEDNESDAY, July 4 (HealthDay News) -- In the latest study to look at the effect of vitamin D on fracture risk, Swiss researchers found that taking more than 800 international units (IU) of vitamin D daily could reduce the risk of hip fractures in older women by 30 percent.

"Vitamin D supplementation is effective in fracture reduction, including hip fractures," said study author Dr. Heike Bischoff-Ferrari, from the Center on Aging and Mobility at the University of Zurich and Wald City Hospital, also in Zurich.

"However, dose matters, as we saw this benefit only at the highest intake level of greater than 800 IU per day, and no dose below 792 IU per day reduced fracture risk," she said.

If everyone took more than 800 IU of vitamin D daily, the impact on public health could be enormous because hip fractures are the most severe and frequent fractures among the elderly, according to Bischoff-Ferrari.

Results of the study are published in the July 5 issue of the New England Journal of Medicine.

Vitamin D is important for bone health, according to Dr. Anna Lasak, clinical director of the department of rehabilitation and the women's physical medicine and rehabilitation program at Montefiore Medical Center, in New York City. The body makes vitamin D when exposed to sunlight. Sunscreen blocks this effect.

Vitamin D is also found in fatty fish, eggs and some mushrooms, she said. It's also added to dairy products, some cereals and some breads, according to Lasak. But, she said, it can be difficult, especially for elderly people, to get enough vitamin D from these sources. In addition, elderly people may have digestive issues that can cause their bodies to absorb even less vitamin D.

A number of studies have been done looking at vitamin D and bone health, and the studies have often come up with conflicting findings, with some showing benefits, while others found no benefits. In mid-June, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommended that postmenopausal women should not take low-dose vitamin D supplements (400 IU) because there was no evidence of benefit. The task force, however, said there wasn't yet enough clear evidence on higher doses of vitamin D to make a recommendation one way or the other.

The current study is a pooled analysis of 11 double-blind, randomized controlled trials of vitamin D supplementation with or without calcium compared to a placebo or calcium supplementation alone.

The studies included more than 31,000 people. All of the participants in the studies were over 65, with an average age of 76. Most (91 percent) of the volunteers in the studies were women.

They found that people taking less than 800 IU daily showed no statistically significant drop in fracture risk. However, those taking over 800 IU reduced the risk of hip fracture by 30 percent and the risk of non spine-related fractures by 14 percent, according to the study.

"Our data strongly support a daily vitamin D supplement of 800 IU per day in adults age 65 and older to lower their risk of fracture, including those living at home and those living in nursing homes, including men and women, and the younger and the old," Bischoff-Ferrari said.

Lasak said 800 IU is a safe level of vitamin D intake for just about anyone. But, she said, it's better for older folks to have their vitamin D levels measured first. Some may not need additional vitamin D, but many actually need more than 800 IU a day.

"Most people do have a deficiency," she said. While 800 IU is a safe limit, that may not be enough, she said. No one should exceed levels of 4,000 IU, Lasak added. That's the upper safe limit of this nutrient.

She said it's also important to ensure that you're getting enough calcium. The recommendation is for between 1,000 and 1,200 milligrams (mg) a day, with older people needing more, she said. Lasak recommended getting the bulk of your calcium from foods, rather than a supplement, because some studies have suggested possible harm from higher levels of calcium intake from supplements.

Bischoff-Ferrari said the current analysis also suggested that higher levels of calcium supplementation (more than 1,000 mg) may reduce vitamin D's benefit.

More information

Learn more about vitamin D and bone health from the National Osteoporosis Foundation.

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What you eat can prevent arsenic overload

ScienceDaily (June 29, 2012) — Millions of people worldwide are exposed to arsenic from contaminated water, and we are all exposed to arsenic via the food we eat. New research published in BioMed Central's open access journal Nutrition Journal has demonstrated that people who ate more dietary vitamin B12 and animal protein had lower levels of arsenic (measured by deposition in toenails). Total dietary fat, animal fat, vegetable fat and saturated fat were also all associated with lower levels of arsenic, while omega 3 fatty acids, such as those found in fish oil, were associated with increased arsenic.

See Also:Health & MedicineCholesterolNutritionDietary SupplementEarth & ClimateHazardous WasteWaterAcid RainReferenceDietary mineralHeat shock proteinGroundwaterArsenic

Long term exposure to high levels of arsenic is known to cause skin lesions, cancer and cardiovascular disease, and also affects fetal development. Even low concentrations of arsenic are potentially dangerous. Arsenic is found in some water supplies, but more people are exposed via their diet. Staples such as rice contain arsenic, especially the toxic inorganic forms, while fish, although high in total arsenic, contains organic forms which are thought to be less toxic.

Inside the body arsenic is methylated to aid excretion in urine but arsenic also has an affinity for keratin and can be deposited in hair and nails as they grow. Consequently levels of arsenic preserved in nails or hair can be used as a biomarker for arsenic exposure over periods of months to years.

Researchers from Dartmouth College and the Geisel School of Medicine at Dartmouth looked at the levels of arsenic in toenails of residents of New Hampshire who all use private groundwater wells as their household water source.

Results of the study showed that arsenic in nails was positively associated with both alcohol and omega 3 fatty acids, however, lower levels of arsenic were found for people who ate greater amounts of vegetable and animal fat. Prof Kathy Cottingham, who directed the study, explained, "While there may be a direct interaction between fats and arsenic preventing absorption or binding to keratin in nails, the results may simply reflect dietary preference, with people who eat a diet rich in fats not eating foods high in arsenic, such as rice."

Joann Gruber, who led the study, noted that, "Humans can be very efficient at removing arsenic from the body. Improved methylation reduces the amount of inorganic arsenic circulating in the body. Surprisingly, we didn't see a reduction in toenail arsenic with other dietary factors known to be necessary for arsenic methylation such as folic acid. This may be because the population we sampled had adequate amounts of these factors in their diet."

The authors are currently working on similar studies in children, through the Children's Environmental Health and Disease Prevention Center at Dartmouth.

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Health Tip: Prevent Traveler's Diarrhea

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Health Tip: Help Prevent Warts on the Feet

HealthDay – 4 hrs ago (HealthDay News) -- Plantar warts -- warts that specifically affect the feet -- are caused by viruses and can be quite painful. Children and teens seem to get them more often than adults.

The American Podiatric Medical Association offers this advice for how to prevent warts on the feet:

Unless you're strolling on a sandy beach, don't walk barefoot.Put on a fresh pair of socks each day, and alternate shoes each day.Make sure your feet are always dry and clean.Inspect your child's feet regularly.Do not touch warts on another person or on another part of the body.Pay attention to unusual growths on the skin. Seek prompt medical attention if you find any.

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FDA delays decision on first drug to prevent HIV

Federal health regulators have delayed a decision on whether to approve the first pill shown to prevent HIV infection, the drug's manufacturer says.

Gilead Sciences disclosed Friday that the Food and Drug Administration will take three more months to review its application for Truvada, after the company submitted additional materials to the agency earlier this month.

In May, a panel of experts recommended approval of the daily pill for healthy people who are at high risk of contracting HIV, including gay and bisexual men. The vote was nonbinding, though the FDA often follows the group's advice.

Gilead said it submitted updated information on its planned safety materials for patients and doctors using the drug. The FDA typically extends its reviews after receiving such information.

The FDA is now expected to rule by Sept. 14, the company said in a statement.

Gilead Sciences Inc., based in Foster City, Calif., has marketed Truvada since 2004 as a treatment for people who are infected with the virus. The medication is a combination of two older HIV drugs, Emtriva and Viread.

Truvada made headlines in 2010, when government researchers showed it could actually prevent people from contracting HIV when used as a precautionary measure. A three-year study found that daily doses cut the risk of infection in healthy gay and bisexual men by 42 percent, when accompanied by condoms and counseling. Last year another study found that Truvada reduced infection by 75 percent in heterosexual couples in which one partner was infected with HIV and the other was not.

An estimated 1.2 million Americans have HIV, which develops into AIDS unless treated with antiviral drugs. AIDS causes the body's immune system to break down, leading to infections which are eventually fatal. Gay and bisexual men account for the majority of cases

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Health Tip: Help Prevent Heart Disease

HealthDay – 54 mins ago (HealthDay News) -- You can't control all risk factors for heart disease, but living a healthy lifestyle and taking medication prescribed by your doctor can help prevent many of its dangerous risk factors.

The Womenshealth.gov website suggests these steps to help reduce your risk of heart disease:

Maintain healthy cholesterol and blood pressure.Quit or avoid smoking and drinking too much alcohol.Take steps to control diabetes.Maintain a healthy body weight.Get plenty of regular exercise and adhere to a regular sleep schedule.Control conditions such as sleep apnea and metabolic syndrome.

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Healthy habits can prevent disease

ScienceDaily (June 4, 2012) — Five new studies provide evidence to support simple steps we can take to prevent illness and improve our overall health. In the June issue of The American Journal of Medicine, researchers report on fish consumption to reduce the risk of colon cancer; the effectiveness ofhypnotherapy and acupuncture for smoking cessation; regular teeth cleaning to improve cardiovascular health; the effectiveness of primary care physicians in weight loss programs; and the use of low-dose aspirin to reduce cancer risk.

See Also:Health & MedicineColon CancerDiet and Weight LossBreast CancerDiseases and ConditionsCancerOvarian CancerLiving WellReferenceHealth benefits of teaMetastasisColorectal cancerTumor suppressor gene

Colorectal cancer is the third leading cause of cancer death in the Western world. Research linking fish consumption and the risk of colorectal cancer has been inconclusive, although people who live in countries with high levels of fish consumption are known to develop the disease less frequently. Now, scientists from Xi'an, China, have reviewed the literature and find that eating fresh fish regularly reduces the risk of colorectal cancer by 12%. They evaluated 41 studies on fish consumption and colorectal cancer risk published between 1990 and 2011 and tracked cancer diagnoses. The protective effect of fish consumption is more prominent in rectal cancer than in colon cancer. The risk reduction for rectal cancer was as much as 21%, whereas the reduction for colon cancer was 4%.

"Despite the fact that colon and rectal cancer share many features and are often referred to as colorectal cancer,' they tend to demonstrate many different characteristics," notes lead author Daiming Fan, of the Fourth Military Medical University. "One possible reason for the difference may be because colon cancers are generally more molecularly diverse, whereas rectal cancers mostly arise via a single neoplastic pathway."

Mark J. Eisenberg, MD, MPH, of McGill University, in Montreal, Quebec, and colleagues report that the use of unconventional smoking cessation aids, including acupuncture and hypnotherapy, results in substantial increases of smoking cessation. A meta-analysis of 14 trials found that smokers who underwent hypnotherapy were 4.55 times more likely, and those who underwent acupuncture were 3.53 times more likely, to abstain from smoking than those who did not. Aversive smoking may also help smokers quit; however, there were no recent trials investigating this intervention.

Regular tooth scaling is associated with a decreased risk for future cardiovascular events. A study by H-B. Leu, MD, of Taipei Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan, and colleagues examined 10,887 subjects who had undergone tooth scaling, and 10,989 subjects who had not received tooth scaling. During an average follow-up period of seven years, the group that had undergone tooth scaling had a lower incidence of myocardial infarction, stroke, and total cardiovascular events. Increasing frequency of tooth scaling correlates with a higher risk reduction.

A study by William C. Haas, MD, of East Carolina University, Greenville, NC, and colleagues finds thatphysicians in primary care practices can be as effective as weight loss clinics in helping the moderately obese lose weight. Patients received behavioral modification sessions and a diet plan partially or fully supplemented by meal replacements at either a primary care clinic or a weight loss center. Primary care clinics were as effective as weight loss centers at reducing weight, and better at reducing body fat. Regardless of location, participants completing 12 weeks of treatment lost an average of 11.1% of their body weight. Participants who selected full meal replacement had better results.

Low-dose aspirin, a common strategy for preventing cardiovascular disease, can also reduce nonvascular deaths, including cancer deaths. A meta-analysis of 23 randomized studies by Edward J. Mills, PhD, MSc, of the University of Ottawa, Ontario, Canada, and colleagues offers conclusive evidence that low-dose aspirin offers cancer preventive effects, and showed significant treatment effects after approximately four years of follow up.

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