Thursday, February 18, 2010

Do anti-perspirant cause cancer or Alzheimer's?

The aluminum in anti-perspirants does not cause Alzheimer's disease, according to The Alzheimer's Association and researchers are focusing their energy elsewhere. Meanwhile at the National Cancer Institute (NCI), a part of the National Institute of Health, researchers have found no conclusive evidence linking the use of underarm antiperspirants with breast cancer.

Tuesday, February 9, 2010

Celiac Disease from Bread.

Gluten-free cookies are now flying off supermarket shelves. Why? For children with celiac disease, gluten - the protein in wheat is the culprit. Although the condition was once considered rare in this country, improved diagnostic tests have shown that it actually affects about one in 130 people - including toddlers. In fact, experts say that for every child with celiac disease, there are seven more who have the disease but don't know it. That's why, Alessio Fasano, M.D., medical director of the University of Maryland Center for Celiac Research says, "It's important fro children to be diagnosed and treated as soon as possible.

Unfortunately, doctors and parents often overlooked celiac disease because they don't realize how common it is and the symptoms are easily mistaken for other problems. In some cases, children don't have any signs at all until the disease has progressed and cause damage to the joints or organs such as the pancreas or liver.

"Parent sometimes use the words allergy or intolerance to help other people understand celiac disease, but it's actually an autoimmune disease and not allergy," says Nanci Pittman, M.D., a pediatric gastroenterologist at Mount Sinai School of Medicine, New York City.

Studies revealed that a child with celiac disease may stop growing, because malnourished, and develop a variety of serious consequences such as anemia, chronic diarrhea and osteoporosis.

Sunday, February 7, 2010

Summer can cause headaches, allergies, asthma and bad mood.

According to National Headache Foundation, humidity can trigger migraines in people who are prone to them. And now, bright sunshine is also a culprit.

On the other hand, symptoms of allergies and asthma are often worst in spring but in summer is no picnic either. Common triggers sch as mold and dust mites flourish in humid weather.

Moreover, a Psychological Science study revealed that while warm, bright days boost your mental heath, the effect fizzles as the temperature climbs. That's why most people are not in good mood.

Therefore, we can generalize that the weltering days of summer can make some everyday health problem worse than usual.

Friday, February 5, 2010

Smokers should quit.

According to Nationwide Children's Hospital and Research Institutes, in Columbus, Ohio, Secondhand smoke is especially dangerous for young children and may even put them at risk for future heart disease.

"Young children breathe faster, so they end up taking in more smoke," explains study author Judith Groner, M.D.

Studies further reveal that children ages 2 to 5 absorbed six times more nicotine than older kids who were exposed to the same amount of smoke at home - and 40 percent of the toddlers and preschoolers had nicotine levels in their body equivalent to those of an active adult smoker. They also showed blood-vessel damage and had fewer vessel-repairing cells, both of which can lead to clogged arteries and atherosclerosis later in life.