Category Archives: Medical

FDA Sets New Guidelines for “Gluten-Free” Foods

Posted on August 5, 2013 by Greg Asseff

People who prefer to avoid gluten or suffer from celiac disease will be pleased to know that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is setting new guidelines to regulate how food manufacturers label their products “gluten-free.” The new guidelines state that foods must be comprised of less than 20 parts gluten per million to be labeled “gluten-free.” Foods labeled “gluten-free” must also be free of barley, rye, wheat and any crossbred grains including the above. Derivatives of these grains must also be left out of the food product, or processed in such a way that the overall gluten concentration in the food falls short of 20 parts per million. While some argue that a gluten-free diet is universally beneficial, it’s still generally considered best for only those with gluten sensitivity or celiac disease to avoid gluten altogether.

Posted in Diet, Food, Health, Health Facts, Medical, News, Nutrition, Studies | 9 Comments

77% of Women Breast-Feed Their Babies

Posted on July 31, 2013 by Greg Asseff

More women are breast-feeding their babies today than they were just a decade ago, according to a new report from the CDC, or Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. In the year 2000, 71% of mothers reported breast-feeding their newborn babies, and by 2010, this figure increased to 77%. The increase in breast-feeding rates for babies up to 6 months of age was even more significant. About 34% of mothers said they breast-fed their babies until they were 6 months old in 2000, while 50% said the same in 2010. Of this 50%, around 16% reported breast-feeding exclusively, while other women supplemented with formula. Finally, 27% of women said they continued to breast-feed their baby after a full year in 2010, while just 16% did in 2000.

Posted in Health, Health Facts, Medical, News, Parenting, Studies, Women | 965 Comments

Live Near a Factory? Your Lymphoma Risk May be Higher

Posted on July 29, 2013 by Greg Asseff

A new study by researchers at Emory University has found that people living near factories that emit a chemical known as benzene are at greater risk for developing non-Hodgkin lymphoma, or NHL, a blood cancer. The study, conducted in and around Atlanta and Savannah, Georgia, concluded that for each additional mile a person lived from benzene-emitting petroleum refineries and manufacturing plants, their NHL risk dropped by 0.31%. Pediatrics, Hematology and Medical Oncology professor Christopher Flowers, one of the lead researchers behind the study, said that the difference in risk for NHL between those living closest to and farthest from factories is substantial. Non-Hodgkin lymphoma is a term that describes several different conditions, some of which are much more aggressive than others.

Posted in Health, Health Facts, Medical, News, Studies | 3 Comments

Want to Keep Your Memory? Keep Your Teeth, Study Says

Posted on July 25, 2013 by Greg Asseff

Good dental health can have benefits that reach well beyond just a person’s teeth. For example, it’s been suggested that good brushing and flossing habits could be reducing your risk of having a stroke. Some research also indicates that gum disease and cavities could serve as predictors of heart disease. According to a new study by European researchers, keeping your teeth may be also be important for keeping a strong and accurate memory. Though the study was relatively small in size at 273 participants, it found that memory score tests are linked with the number of remaining teeth in older adults. All of the participants were at least 55 years of age at the time of the study, which accounted for age in order to eliminate the notion that tooth loss and memory loss are only natural results of aging that occur together synchronously.

Posted in Health, Health Facts, Medical, Mental Health, News, Nutrition, Skin and Beauty, Studies | 628 Comments

Life Expectancy Depends on Race in United States

Posted on July 22, 2013 by Greg Asseff

A new study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reveals that while life expectancy for African Americans has improved over the last several decades, it still lacks parity with life expectancy for whites in the United States. As of 2010, African Americans lived roughly 3.8 years shorter than whites, on average. The positive news from the CDC indicates that African American men were living an average of 2.7 years longer in 2009 than in 2000. The life expectancy for African American females also increased 2.3 years during the same period. Breaking down the life expectancy data by causes of death, African Americans had higher death rates from diabetes, homicide, cancer, heart disease and infancy conditions.