FDA Looks for Answers on Arsenic in Rice
The Food and Drug Administration analyzed over 1,000 rice products to determine if warnings need to be issued based on the levels of arsenic found. Although the FDA has been monitoring arsenic levels in rice for over 20 years, researchers now found a new way to measure and differentiate between the levels of toxic and less toxic forms of arsenic. This preliminary investigation encourages consumers to eat a wide variety of grains to potentially minimize toxic arsenic levels. What grains do you consume or recommend to your patients as an alternative?
Tainted Tap Water Sickens 1.1 Million Each Year
Two new studies discovered that pathogens may creep into public water pipes. When viruses get into public systems (like tap water), there is a 30% increased risk for people to become infected with stomach bugs. In addition, that means 20% of stomach illness cases may be due to contaminated water. What measures do you take to make sure your drinking water is safe?
For more information, visit WebMD.
Acupuncture may help with chronic pain
A new systematic review published in the journal Archives of Internal Medicine, analyzed data from close to 18,000 patients with various types of chronic pain. Researchers found that patients who had undergone acupuncture were in less pain than those who had”sham” acupuncture treatment (a control method for acupuncture in which needles were improperly placed) or did not get any treatment at all. Many conventional clinicians are skeptical about acupuncture treatments believing it is simply a placebo effect. Based on the results of this meta-analysis, the difference between true acupuncture and sham technique is relatively modest, but statistically significant. What are your thoughts on acupuncture? Have you found any other modalities that help your patients with chronic pain?
For more information, visit Archives of Internal Medicine.
Red wine may reduce men’s blood pressure – but only if it’s non-alcoholic
A new study published in the journal Circulation Research looked at 67 men drinking two glasses of non-alcoholic red wine daily and discovered potential benefits to their heart health. Researchers noticed that polyphenols in the red wine dilate the blood vessels, while the alcohol narrows them. Together, they may cancel out each other’s effects. The findings suggest that non-alcoholic red wine lowers blood pressure enough to reduce the risk of coronary heart disease by 14% and the risk for stroke by 20%. What other ways of controlling blood pressure without medications do you recommend to your patients?
Household Chemical Linked to Heart Disease
A new study including over 1,200 people published in the Archives of Internal Medicine found that a chemical in many household products called PFOA (perfluorooctanoic acid) may be linked to heart disease. This chemical is detected in over 98% of Americans and it lingers in the body for years. However, the authors pointed out that this study only found a link, not a cause-effect relationship. There are many household products used around your home, how do you educate yourself better about them?
For more information, visit Archives of Internal Medicine.
Only Children More Likely to Be Overweight
A new study published in the Journal of Nutrition and Diabetes looked at more than 12,000 children and found that singletons are more likely to be overweight than children with siblings. In addition, siblings with larger age gap differences also show that the older child is more likely to be overweight. This interesting phenomenon is not clearly understood, but there is a definite association between being an only child and the risk of being overweight. Thus, more research needs to be conducted to unravel this mystery. What can parents do to help their singletons maintain a healthy weight?
For more information, visit Nutrition and Diabetes.
First-Of-Its-Kind Study Finds Lack Of Sleep To Be A New Risk Factor For Aggressive Breast Cancers
New findings of research led by Cheryl Thompson, PhD and published in the Breast Cancer Research and Treatment suggest that lack of sleep can be associated with more aggressive breast cancer tumors. Researchers used Oncotype DX testing and found that post-menopausal women are more likely to develop aggressive breast cancer tumors and also have a higher chance of recurrence. However, there was no correlation between sleep and tumor aggressiveness in pre-menopausal women due to a different underlying pathway in breast cancer development. What obstacles prevent you from getting enough sleep and what can you do to overcome them?
For more information, visit University Hospitals.
Deaths in Salmonella Outbreak Traced to Cantaloupe
There has been a recent salmonella outbreak traced to cantaloupes in 20-states leaving half of the infected consumers hospitalized, including two deaths. While there are reports of salmonella from farms in south-western Indiana, there are also reports of listeria from Burch Farms, and Cottle Strawberry Inc. from North Carolina. Therefore, it is advised to avoid eating all cantaloupes and honeydew melons until further notice. Considering the recent reports of bacterial contamination in food, how do you educate your patients and loved ones to avoid the risk?
For additional information please visit Web MD.
Walnuts ‘improve sperm health.’
Roughly 17% of couples are infertile. A recent publication in the Journal Biology of Reproduction suggests an improvement in sperm health in men who incorporate walnuts in their daily diet. The researchers followed 117 men divided into two groups. One group added walnuts to their daily diet, and the other group avoided eating tree nuts over 12 weeks. Those who ate two handfuls of walnuts daily had a statistically significant increase in sperm quality. For what reasons do you suggest incorporating nuts into diet?
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