Health Topics

• Health Risks of Alcohol: 12 Health Problems Associated with Chronic Heavy Drinking

  

  Posted 7:45 PM 10/31/2011

  It's no secret that alcohol consumption can cause major health problems, including cirrhosis of the liver and injuries sustained in automobile accidents. But if you think liver disease and car crashes are the only health risks posed by drinking, think again: Researchers have linked alcohol consumption to more than 60 diseases.

  "Alcohol does all kinds of things in the body, and we're not fully aware of all its effects," says James C. Garbutt, MD (More)
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• Is Facebook Changing Our Brains?

  

  Posted 9:33 PM 10/18/2011

  Oct. 19, 2011 -- Scientists in the U.K. say they have found a strong link between the number of friends people have on Facebook and how "brainy" they are -- namely, the amount of gray matter in particular regions of their brains.

  The researchers from University College London (UCL) also discovered that the more friends people have on the social networking site, the more friends they are likely to have in the "real world."

  However, writing in the (More)
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• 49 Million Americans Struggle to Put Food on the Table

  

  Posted 10:29 PM 9/7/2011

  Sept. 7, 2011 -- The number of Americans struggling to put adequate food on the table remains at an all-time high, a new government report shows.

  The report, from the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA), finds that 49 million Americans, or one in six, lacked the resources to eat sufficient, regular meals in 2010.

  That number was essentially unchanged since its peak in 2009.

  The report is based on an annual survey of 45,000 U.S. households (More)
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• 'Electronic Tattoo' May Help Monitor Patients

  

  Posted 10:17 PM 8/15/2011

  Aug. 15, 2011 -- Ultra-thin electronics, which can be placed on the skin as easily as a temporary tattoo, could pave the way for patient monitoring systems that would avoid the need for bulky equipment.

  In one study, the adhesive patch was applied to a person's chest to pick up electrical signals produced by the (More)
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• Study: Paper Money Contains Traces of BPA

  

  Posted 8:58 PM 8/12/2011

  Aug. 12, 2011 -- Paper money may contain trace levels of bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical found in some plastics and other consumer products, a study shows.

  But only small amounts of BPA are absorbed through our skin when we handle the money, the study shows.

  The study is published in Environmental Science & Technology.

  BPA (More)
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• 17 Hospitals Ranked as Nation's Best

  

  Posted 4:02 PM 7/19/2011

  July 19, 2011 -- Johns Hopkins Hospital in Baltimore ranks first in the U.S. News and World Report 2011-2012 "honor roll" of top hospitals in the U.S.

  The list is based on performance statistics in 16 medical specialties in 94 metropolitan areas.

  "These are referral centers where other hospitals send their sickest patients," says Avery Comarow, editor of U.S. News Health Rankings. "Hospitals like these are ones you or those close to you should (More)
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• New Clues to Low-Calorie Diets and Longer Life

  

  Posted 9:43 PM 4/27/2011

  April 27, 2011 -- Research has suggested that very low-calorie diets may increase life expectancy in animals, and now a new study in humans provides some important clues as to why this may occur.

  In the new study, individuals who had higher metabolic rates -- the amount of energy the body uses for normal body functions -- were more likely to die early from natural causes than those who had lower metabolic rates.

  The new findings appear in the (More)
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• LGBT Health Research Falls Far Short

  

  Posted 8:38 PM 3/31/2011

  March 31, 2011 -- Lesbians, gays, bisexuals, and transgendered Americans are distinct populations with unique health health needs -- but what are those needs?

  "We do not know exactly what these experiences and needs are," concludes the report of a panel of medical experts convened by the Institute of Medicine (IOM). The IOM was asked to propose an LGBT research agenda by the National Institutes of Health.

  "In detailing just how little is known about (More)
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• Health Insurance: Are You Really Covered?

  

  Posted 5:10 PM 3/30/2011

  Once upon a time, having health insurance meant security. If you got sick, your care was covered. At least that's what we all thought.

  But a 2009 study published in The American Journal of Medicine found that in 2007, 62% of all bankruptcies in this country were related to medical expenses. And three out of four people with medical debt had health insurance.

  The difference between a good and not-so-good health insurance plan makes a huge impact (More)
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• New Muscular Dystrophy Treatment Offers Hope

  

  Posted 9:43 PM 3/23/2011

  March 23, 2011 - Exciting findings from an early-stage clinical trial offer new hope to patients with Duchenne's muscular dystrophy, the most common but incurable and devastating form of muscular dystrophy.

  Patients who received three months of weekly injections with PRO051 had a modest improvement in their ability to walk, reports a research (More)
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