Causes of weight loss

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

NuvaRing Increases Risk of Blood Clots

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Hell Hath No Fury Like Ex-Wives Brandi Glanville and Betty Draper

is really close. … But it’s always the children who suffer, because they are torn. Be careful not to use them as weapons. In a healthy environment, the parents work it out.”

As for Don and Betty Draper, tune in next week to see how their rivalries get resolved — or escalated.

But for Glanville, she admits that she is no longer so upset with Rimes.

“We’re never going to be best friends,” she told Radar Online. “But she’s good to my kids. They love her, and that’s all I could ask for. If they didn’t like her, I’d be in court right now, fighting. It’s not about me — it’s about them.”

SHOWS: Good Morning America

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Marijuana Reduces MS Symptoms

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NuvaRing Increases Risk of Blood Clots

'Button' Batteries Sending More Kids to ER: Study

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Common Blood Pressure Drugs May Not Cut Colon Cancer Risk

HealthDay – 1 hr 38 mins ago MONDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- Widely used blood pressure medications called beta blockers do not cut a person's odds of developing colon cancer, a new study contends.

Beta blockers, which include drugs such as alprenolol, carvedilol, propranolol and atenolol, are commonly prescribed to older adults for high blood pressure and heart conditions.

Prior research has also linked use of the drugs to a decreased risk of cancer. This theory is based on animal and laboratory studies that found that the stress hormone norepinephrine can promote the growth and spread of cancer cells. Beta blockers inhibit this hormone's action.

"One of the holy grails in the war on cancer is preventing angiogenesis, which is the growth of new blood vessels to feed tumor cells," explained Dr. David Robbins, associate chief of the Center for Advanced Therapeutic Endoscopy at Lenox Hill Hospital in New York City.

"Some investigators have speculated that an indirect benefit of certain blood pressure medicines may be to help curb the growth of new blood vessels in breast and perhaps colon cancer," said Robbins, who was not involved in the new study.

In this study, published online May 14 in the journal Cancer, a team led by Michael Hoffmeister, of the German Cancer Research Center in Heidelberg, compared the beta blocker use of more than 1,700 colon cancer patients to that of about the same number of cancer-free people.

After accounting for weight, smoking status and other patient factors, the researchers found no link between beta blocker use and colon cancer risk.

The finding held true even after the researchers broke down their analyses by duration of beta blocker use, specific types of beta blockers, and sites within the colon or rectum where colorectal cancer developed in patients.

The authors conclude that their findings do not support the theory that using beta blockers cuts colon cancer risk.

That didn't surprise Robbins. "The few studies on this matter have been contradictory and it's unlikely that we'll ever see this sort of protective effect, since cancer is an incredibly complex disease driven by a myriad of unique biologic pathways," he said.

Another expert added that even though beta blockers might not help prevent colon tumors, people have other means of doing so.

"Men and women at average risk should start getting screened at age 50," said Dr. Mark Pochapin, director of the division of gastroenterology at NYU Langone Medical Center in New York City. "Those with certain risk factors, such as a family history of colorectal polyps or cancer, should talk to their doctors about screening at a younger age."

Pochapin also added that "lifestyle modifications -- such as quitting smoking, avoiding excess intake of red or processed meats, ensuring adequate vitamin D intake, and maintaining a healthy body weight and regular exercise -- can be very beneficial in reducing one's risk for colorectal cancer."

More information

The U.S. National Cancer Institute has more about colorectal cancer risk factors and prevention.

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In Rat Study, Eye Device Shows Promise for Restoring Sight

HealthDay – 1 hr 38 mins ago SUNDAY, May 13 (HealthDay News) -- A new type of artificial eye system could one day restore sight to people who have lost their vision due to degenerative eye diseases such as macular degeneration, according to the results of research with rats.

The system uses tiny solar panel-like cells that are surgically placed beneath the retina, along with a specially designed pair of goggles equipped with a miniature camera, and a pocket PC that processes the visual data, the Stanford University School of Medicine team explained.

Visual images are displayed on a liquid crystal microdisplay embedded in the goggles, similar to what's used in video goggles for gaming. The images are beamed from the liquid crystal display to the cells implanted in the retina, which then sends the images to the brain.

The research is published online May 13 in the journal Nature Photonics.

"It works like the solar panels on your roof, converting light into electric current. But instead of the current flowing to your refrigerator, it flows into your retina," senior study author Daniel Palanker, an associate professor of ophthalmology, said in a Stanford news release.

The scientists are currently testing the system in rats and are seeking a sponsor to support tests in humans. Research that seems promising in animal studies often fails to offer similar benefits to humans.

The researchers hope their system can eventually help people with retinal degenerative diseases such as age-related macular degeneration and retinitis pigmentosa. Age-related macular degeneration is the leading cause of vision loss in North America and about 1.5 million people worldwide have lost their sight due to retinitis pigmentosa, according to the nonprofit group Foundation Fighting Blindness.

More information

The U.S. National Eye Institute has more about age-related macular degeneration.

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Health Tip: Tame Your Food Cravings

HealthDay – 1 hr 38 mins ago (HealthDay News) -- Food cravings can pull you off course when you're trying to diet and eat in a healthful way.

The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics offers these suggestions to help you curb food cravings:

Cravings often are short-lived. Try to wait at least 20 minutes before you act on a craving.Opt for a healthier alternative to what you crave. Choose fat-free chips instead of potato chips, or bake an apple for a sweet treat.Buy your favorite treats in single-serving sizes. For example, buy a single cookie, rather than a whole box.Have regularly scheduled snack times and enjoy a healthy snack that you've already stocked.Indulge in a social treat -- rather than food -- by calling a friend.Keep a log of your cravings. Record what you were doing when you craved, how long you felt the craving and how you handled it.

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Back Pain Therapy Often Yields Early Benefits: Study

HealthDay – 1 hr 38 mins ago MONDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- People who receive treatment for chronic and acute low-back pain show significant improvement in the first six weeks, but may still have some pain and disability after one year, according to a new study.

Researchers analyzed data from 33 studies that included more than 11,000 patients to learn more about how treatment affects low-back pain. Their findings appear in the May 14 online edition of CMAJ, the journal of the Canadian Medical Association.

"Our review confirms the broad finding of previous reviews that the typical course of acute low-back pain is initially favorable: there is a marked reduction in mean pain and disability in the first six weeks," Dr. Christopher Maher, director of the musculoskeletal division at the George Institute for Global Health of the University of Sydney in Australia, said in a journal news release.

"Beyond six weeks, improvement slows and thereafter only small reductions in mean pain and disability are apparent up to one year," he added.

One year after beginning treatment, the typical improvement in pain intensity was about 90 percent for patients who had acute low-back pain and about 50 percent for those who had chronic low-back pain, the investigators found.

"There is both good and bad news in our review. It is great that people improve with care, but arguably there is room to do better, particularly for people with persistent low-back pain," Maher said.

"Generally, when people see results like this they want to blame the clinician, but I think that is short-sighted," he added. "One of the principal reasons we have not made more progress in the back pain field is that research agencies do not take back pain research seriously. Around the world, back pain research is hugely underfunded relative to the burden of the disease. It's time for that to change."

More information

The U.S. National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke has more about back pain.

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Baby Bottles, Pacifiers, Sippy Cups Can Injure

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Health Tip: How to Wash Your Hands Properly

HealthDay – 1 hr 38 mins ago (HealthDay News) -- Got germs? Everyone does. So you need to wash your hands properly to prevent the potential spread of infection.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention offers these guidelines for proper hand washing:

Rinse your hands under warm or cool running water, then apply soap.Lather the soap between your hands, scrubbing your fingers, the fronts and backs of your hands and under your nails.Wash for at least 20 seconds. That's about how long it takes to sing "Happy Birthday" to yourself.Thoroughly rinse under clean running water, then dry your hands on a dry towel or let them air dry.

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Pot Might Help Ease Multiple Sclerosis Symptoms

HealthDay – 1 hr 38 mins ago MONDAY, May 14 (HealthDay News) -- Smoking pot can help relieve muscle tightness, called spasticity, and pain in people with multiple sclerosis, a new, small study suggests.

"Spasticity is a major problem

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