Category Archives: Medical

Study Warns of Deadly Grapefruit Drug Interactions

Posted on November 29, 2012 by Greg Asseff

A glass of grapefruit juice may sound like the perfect complement to a healthy breakfast or lunch. The juice is well-known to be high in Vitamin C, in addition to being a good source of antioxidants. Overall, grapefruit juice is indeed a very healthy part of a good diet – as long as you’re not taking one of dozens of medications that could lead to dangerous or even deadly grapefruit drug interactions. According to a new study conducted at London, Ontario’s Lawson Health Research Institute, 26 drugs have been newly discovered to interact dangerously with grapefruit in the last four years. Previous studies had already identified 17 drugs that could cause serious harm when mixed with grapefruit. A total of 85 drugs are now known to have at least some interaction with grapefruit, though not all of these interactions pose significant danger.

Posted in Food, Health, Health Facts, Medical, News, Studies | 1 Comment

Children and Pesticides: Pediatricians Outline the Dangers

Posted on November 26, 2012 by Greg Asseff

The potential health risks of pesticides have been fairly well documented in adults. Some such chemicals can cause skin or eye irritation as well as damage to the body’s endocrine system. Pesticides can also affect the nervous system, as well as being carcinogens. The risks may be even worse for children, however. New guidelines from the American Academy of Pediatrics suggests that parents should limit their children’s exposure to pesticides as much as possible. According to the guidelines released November 26th, 2012, children and pesticides are an especially dangerous combination. The chemicals may be present in the air they breathe, the food they eat and the ground they play on. Limiting their exposure could prevent health problems now and far into the future, according to the researchers behind the new study.

Posted in Food, Health, Health Facts, Medical, News, Nutrition, Parenting, Studies | 3,035 Comments

Premature Baby Massage Boosts Immune Strength

Posted on November 12, 2012 by Greg Asseff

Premature babies can sometimes have an underdeveloped immune system, which can subsequently lead to various infections. Unfortunately, premature babies are more susceptible to sepsis, a life-threatening condition in which infection spreads into the bloodstream. Luckily, a premature baby’s immune system can greatly benefit from gentle massage, according to a new study by the Children’s Hospital of Michigan. In the study, premature babies who received massage had more powerful immune cells capable of killing off unwanted pathogens. These same babies tended to gain more weight each day, and had a higher bodyweight at the study’s conclusion regardless of original birth weight. Best of all, researchers found that premature baby massage produced no negative side effects.

Posted in Health, Health Facts, Medical, News, Parenting, Studies | 1 Comment

Physical Exercise Benefits Include Added Years of Life

Posted on November 7, 2012 by Greg Asseff

Engaging in frequent physical exercise, such as walking, jogging, swimming and sports, can add years to an individual’s lifespan, even if that individual is overweight, according to a new study by researchers at Harvard School of Public Health. Individuals who engaged in more intense activity tended to increase their lifespans even further, though moderate physical exercise benefits were recorded also. The study found that individuals could benefit regardless of their gender, age, weight and status of health. The Harvard researchers examined data from six existing studies involving health and exercise data for almost 640,000 people over the age of 40. Roughly 82,500 of the individuals died during a 10-year follow-up period. The study was the first to estimate changes in life expectancy based on body mass index, or BMI, and physical activity.

Posted in Body Building, Exercise, Health, Health Facts, Medical, News, Studies, Weight Loss, Weight Training | 1,059 Comments

Flu Shot Reduces Heart Attack and Stroke Risk

Posted on November 2, 2012 by Greg Asseff

As flu season approaches, many individuals are getting vaccinated in hopes of avoiding a bout of influenza that could take them out of work and leave them feeling miserable for days. If you’re procrastinating, a new study by Canadian researchers may motivate you to finally get to the vaccination clinic. According to the study, getting a flu shot could help you avoid not just the flu, but a heart attack as well. This is yet another contrast to the many myths that flu vaccines seem to be subject to. For example, scientists have frequently explained that it is impossible to catch the flu from a vaccine, yet many people still consider it to be possible. The myth that only elderly people can die of the flu is another dangerous thing to assume. For example, the vast majority of swine flu deaths occur in people younger than 65.