Background: The use of complementary and alternative medicine (CAM) has become more common in Western developed countries in recent years, as has media reporting on CAM and related issues. Correspondingly, media reports are a primary information source regarding decisions to use CAM. Research on CAM related media reports is becoming increasingly relevant and important; however, identifying key concepts to guide future research is problematic due to the dispersed nature of completed research in t... [read more]

HealthDay - FRIDAY, July 18 (HealthDay News) -- Exposure to alcohol prenatally could specifically be harmful to neurotrophins, peptides which are involved in the growth and development of the fetal brain, a new study shows.

Title: Health Tip: Staying Emotionally HealthyCategory: Health NewsCreated: 7/18/2008 2:00:00 AMLast Editorial Review: 7/18/2008

AFP - A nearly forgotten Russian-made drug, formulated to combat hay fever, helps improve cognitive abilities in patients with Alzheimer's disease, according to the results of a year-long trial published on Thursday.

HealthDay - THURSDAY, July 17 (HealthDay News) -- Sleeping either too much or too little appears to heighten the risk of stroke, a new study finds.

Background: St. John's wort (SJW), used to treat depression, is popular in the USA, Canada, and parts of Europe. However, there are documented interactions between SJW and prescription medications including warfarin, cyclosporine, indinavir, and oral contraceptives. One source of information about these safety considerations is the product label. The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinically relevant safety information included on labeling in a nationally representative sample of SJW p... [read more]

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- People who are emotionally healthy handle stress well, have a positive self-image, and are able to sustain healthy relationships.

Title: Eye Test Could Spot Diabetes Vision Trouble EarlyCategory: Health NewsCreated: 7/16/2008 2:00:00 AMLast Editorial Review: 7/16/2008

Title: Acne (Pimples)Category: Diseases and ConditionsCreated: 12/31/1997Last Editorial Review: 7/16/2008

AFP - Health authorities in communist Vietnam suspect the bacterial livestock disease anthrax caused an outbreak of food poisoning in the country's far north, a health official confirmed Wednesday.

Reuters - After a serious injury, some teenagers suffer from depression and anxiety that can eventually interfere with their daily lives, researchers have found.

Reuters - Researchers found that people who lived in neighborhoods with more opportunities for exercise, less crime, better grocery stores and a closer sense of community had a lower risk having high blood pressure -- independent of factors such as income and education level.

HealthDay - TUESDAY, July 15 (HealthDay News) -- A new testing device may give doctors early warning of eye disease, especially vision trouble linked to diabetes, researchers say.

Background: Honey has been shown to have wound healing properties which can be ascribed to its antimicrobial activity. The antimicrobial activity can be effective against a broad spectrum of bacterial species especially those of medical importance. It has also been shown that there is considerable variation in the antimicrobial potency of different types of honey, which is impossible to predict. With this in mind we tested the antimicrobial activity of honeys produced from plants grown in South ... [read more]

Title: Health Tip: Monitoring What You DrinkCategory: Health NewsCreated: 7/12/2008 2:00:00 AMLast Editorial Review: 7/14/2008

HealthDay - MONDAY, July 14 (HealthDay News) -- Rising temperatures and increased dehydration linked to global warming will boost kidney stone rates in the United States and around the world, new research suggests.

AP - Getting a lot of exercise may help slow brain shrinkage in people with early Alzheimer's disease, a preliminary study suggests. Analysis found that participants who were more physically fit had less brain shrinkage than less-fit participants. However, they didn't do significantly better on tests for mental performance.

Reuters - Three genes may play a strong role in determining why some young men raised in rough neighborhoods or deprived families become violent criminals, while others do not, U.S. researchers reported on Monday.

Background: Natural health products (NHPs) such as herbs, vitamins and homeopathic medicines, are currently available for sale in most Canadian pharmacies. However, most pharmacists report that they have limited knowledge about these products which have been regulated in Canada as a specific sub-category of drugs. In this paper, consumers' and practicing pharmacists' perceptions of pharmacists' professional responsibilities with respect to NHPs are examined. Methods: A total of 16 focus group... [read more]

Background: An herbal mixture Tong-Xin-Luo (TXL) has been used in Chinese medicine with established therapeutic efficacy in patients with coronary artery disease. Methods: We investigated the protective role of TXL on endothelial cells injured by a known risk factor a palmitic acid (PA), which is elevated in metabolic syndrome and associated with cardiovascular complications. Human aortic endothelial cells (HAECs) were preconditioned with TXL and treated with PA for 24 hours. Results: We found ... [read more]

Reuters - A new study hints that a self-taught behavior therapy program may effectively help people who suffer from irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) manage their symptoms, which may include cramping, bloating, diarrhea and constipation.

HealthDay - (HealthDay News) -- People with heart failure tend to retain fluid, making it important to monitor what they drink.

Title: Health Tip: Alleviating Rheumatoid ArthritisCategory: Health NewsCreated: 7/10/2008 2:00:00 AMLast Editorial Review: 7/10/2008

HealthDay - THURSDAY, July 10 (HealthDay News) -- In 2006, when he was 17, Harrison Neal of Tulsa, Okla., died in his sleep after knowingly ingesting prescription drugs meant for someone else.

Background: For many years chemical preservatives have been used in food, to act as either antimicrobials or antioxidants or both. In general, consumers regard additive-free foods as safer since preservatives can cause health hazards like asthma and cancer and are suspected to be mutagenic and neurotoxic. The present study was carried out to evaluate the antimicrobial and antioxidant activity of methanolic extracts of seaweeds, with a view to developing safer food preservatives. Methods: Ten edi... [read more]