Beer Helps Prevent Alzheimer??s Researchers from the University of Alcala in Madrid, Spain, in a report published in the January, 2008 issue of Food and Chemical Toxicology, pointed out that aluminum is neurotoxic and has been implicated as a causal factor in Alzheimer’s disease. But beer contains silicon, a substance that affects the bioavailability of … Read more
I always accepted the conventional wisdom on this. The Claim: Identical Twins Have Identical DNA – New York Times It is a basic tenet of human biology, taught in grade schools everywhere: Identical twins come from the same fertilized egg and, thus, share identical genetic profiles. But according to new research, though identical twins share … Read more
Good article from the NY Times health section. My own experience gibes with this. The Cure for Exhaustion? More Exercise – Well – Tara Parker-Pope – Health – New York Times Blog The study volunteers used exercise bikes that allowed the researchers to control their level of exertion. The low-intensity exercise was equivalent to a … Read more
I don’t think too many people would deny the benefits of weightlifting for contact sports, or sports involving power -but what about sports like running, biking, rowing, etc? Here is a good discussion in the health section of the NY Times. While the general opinion seems to be "yes it does", it’s not unanimous. Does … Read more
Here’s an interesting posting on the health blog at the NY Times. I left a comment. The Power of Words for Cancer Patients – Well – Tara Parker-Pope – Health – New York Times Blog Researchers from the Lombardi Comprehensive Cancer Center in Washington, D.C., studied the effects of expressive writing on 71 adults with … Read more
I posted about this last week. Tom Faranda’s Folly: The FDA and cancer drug testing The FDA went against past form and approved the drug – Breast Cancer Reprieve – WSJ.com Avastin shouldn’t have been controversial. But an FDA panel ruled that "progression-free survival" was not sufficient, because the agency’s usual acid test for anticancer … Read more
Forbes magazine current issue cover story is entitled Bad Medicine. It looks at hospital care in general, with particular emphasis on competition between the large general hospitals, and so-called "specialty" hospitals that may offer limited services, like cardiac care, or hip and knee replacement. It’s an enlightening feature. Forbes website is free, buy you may … Read more
Here’s an editorial from the Wall Street Journal this morning on approval of drugs for cancer treatment; specifically Avastin for breast cancer. Yesterday the Journal had a news feature article on this controversy (not available for free online). If the link doesn’t work the first time, try again – eventually it goes through – A … Read more
This article appeared in Forbes almost three months ago – I meant to post it and am only just getting around to it. To read the whole article you may have to register with Forbes, but it’s free. Despite a great deal of research, the relationship between nutrition and cancer – and fighting/preventing cancer – … Read more
This from the NY Times health section yesterday. Some of the stuff is obvious (don’t smoke, etc), but there’s enough new information, or twists on old stuff, to make it a worthwhile quick read. Gentlemen, 5 Easy Steps to Living Long and Well – New York Times “The take-home message,” said Dr. Laurel B. Yates, … Read more