Archive for June 1st, 2012
Study: American Heads Are Getting Bigger
June 1st, 2012 | 
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The heads of white Americans have become larger, taller and narrower since the 19th century, a new study says.
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Study looks at BP treatment in VA diabetes patients
More than 8% of Department of Veterans Affairs patients with diabetes may be overtreated for hypertension, while 6% may not be receiving needed treatments, researchers at the VA Ann Arbor Healthcare System and the University of Michigan Health System found. "We need to find better ways to measure and incentivize appropriate BP management to make sure that patients who need aggressive treatment are getting it, and to decrease the rate of inappropriate over treatment," first author Dr. Eve Kerr said. The results appear in the Archives of Internal Medicine.
Report: Global cancer rates expected to surge 75% by 2030
The International Agency for Research on Cancer estimates that the incidence of cancer worldwide will soar by 75% to 22.2 million by 2030 from 12.7 million in 2008. Cancer rates are particularly expected to surge in developing countries with increases in smoking and obesity.
Single-Celled Office Mates, by the Thousands
A census of workplace microbes found that men’s offices have significantly more than women’s, and offices in New York have more than those in San Francisco.
A New Class of Cancer Drugs May Be Less Toxic
Experimental treatments use an antibody to guide a toxic chemotherapy agent to cancer cells, limiting the toxin’s attack to the cancer and minimizing side effects.
RX – Try a bran muffin a day
Peristalsis is a body function many take for granted. It is the major way that our digestive tract pushes content through the body, and consists of wave after wave of muscular constrictions.
We never think about peristalsis, that is, until it slows or becomes ineffective. Then, constipation occurs, and that commands attention immediately.
Certainly, the first solution most people think about is a medication or laxative. These treatments work by forcing the gut to fill with fluid or by irritating the gut so that peristalsis becomes more rapid. The results may give temporary relief, however, a long-term solution to constipation is best.
While exercise and increased fluid intake are important, one of the big answers is to increase the fiber content in your diet. A good way to do this is by eating a bran muffin daily.
Study: Polyphenol consumption boosts healthy gut bacteria
Polyphenols found in red wine can increase the proportion of healthy bacteria in the intestinal lining, according to research published in the American Journal of Clinical Nutrition.