Monthly Archives: June 2014

FDA Warns Against Using Lidocaine on Teething Babies

Posted on June 26, 2014 by Greg Asseff

Do you have a teething baby at home? Better not give them viscous lidocaine to treat their pain, according to a new consumer update from the FDA. A well-known local anesthetic, lidocaine has been used in the past to numb babies’ gums by either putting the chemical on a pacifier or rubbing it into the mouth using the fingers. However, the FDA reports that the medication has caused babies to suffer brain injuries, heart problems, seizures and even death when swallowed.

Lidocaine is a prescription drug that is used most often to treat throat or mouth ulcers, often in chemotherapy patients. It may also be used to minimize a child’s gag reflex while undergoing dental work. Despite its prescription-only status, parents or grandparents who have it on hand might be tempted to give it to a child suffering from teething pain.

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Posted in Health, Medical, News, Parenting | 1,281 Comments

So-Called “Natural Foods” are Misleading

Posted on June 25, 2014 by Greg Asseff

Are you more inclined to buy food at the grocery store if it has a label that uses the word “natural?” According to a survey recently conducted by Consumer Reports, many people are. However, the word “natural” on a food label probably doesn’t mean what you think it does. While it certainly has a positive connotation, the FDA actually has very unclear guidelines for using the term. The agency has stated that “natural” is supposed to indicate the food has no synthetic or artificial additives; however, Consumer Reports states that even foods marked “natural” often still have these types of ingredients.

While a term like “organic” has a specific legal definition in the United States, “natural” does not. Some countries, such as the United Kingdom, Canada and Israel, have defined what foods can be labeled as “natural.”

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Posted in Diet, Food, Health, News, Nutrition | 4,283 Comments

FDA’s Antidepressant Warnings Backfire According to Study

Posted on June 19, 2014 by Greg Asseff

Back in 2003, the FDA began to issue warnings about a possible increase in the risk of suicidal behaviors and thoughts in about one percent of the teens and children that take antidepressants. In October of 2004, they began printing this warning, which came to be known as the “black box warning,” on drug labels for such medications.

While the move was certainly well-intentioned, a new study suggests that the warnings may have actually led to an increase in suicide attempts among young people. According to the medical journal BMJ, the “black box warnings” and subsequent media attention may have led to doctors under-treating depressed teens and children for fear of increasing their risk of attempting suicide. The use of antidepressants in young adults dropped over 20 percent after the warnings came out.

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Posted in Health, Medical, Mental Health, News, Parenting | 235 Comments

Link Found Between Sitting and Cancer

Posted on June 17, 2014 by Greg Asseff

According to the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, too much sitting could lead to an increased risk of certain types of cancer. The study analyzed the results of 43 previous studies, which primarily examined how much time participants spent sitting throughout the day. It was found that too much sitting increased the risk of endometrial cancer by 32 percent and colon cancer by 24 percent. For every additional two hours that a person spent sitting, the colon cancer risk rose by eight percent, while the endometrial cancer risk rose by 10 percent.

The good news is that a link between sitting and cancer was not found when it came to breast, prostate, rectal, stomach, ovarian, testicular, esophagus and kidney cancers. The bad news is that sitting increased these risks regardless of whether or not an individual exercised regularly.

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Posted in Health, Health Facts, Medical, News, Studies | 5,455 Comments

U.S. Diabetes Statistics Continue to Rise

Posted on June 12, 2014 by Greg Asseff

According to the latest reports from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), the number of individuals in the United States suffering from diabetes is now approximately 29 million, which accounts for a staggering 12.3 percent of adults. Perhaps even more shocking is the number of adults in the U.S. who have blood sugar levels that are considered to be at pre-diabetic: 86 million. Stated another way, approximately one-third of the entire United States population is considered to be at pre-diabetic blood sugar levels.

Not only is the proliferation of diabetes a serious health concern, but it’s also financially draining. When accounting for both medical costs and lost wages, Americans spent $245 billion on the treatment of diabetes and related complications in 2012. The figure in 2010 was $174 billion.

There are many reasons and conditions that can ultimately lead to an individual suffering from diabetes. However, for the majority of people, the prevention of diabetes might ultimately involve some relatively simple lifestyle changes and modifications.

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Posted in Diet, Exercise, Health, Health Facts, Medical, News, Nutrition, Weight Loss | 520 Comments
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