Alternative Health

Fitness bands make it easy for anyone with weight loss or other health goals to track their physical activity and calories burned. The bands, like any accessory, come in a variety of shapes, colors and sizes, but an Iowa State University study found not all devices are created equal. Researchers tested eight different activity monitors to determine the accuracy of each … [Read more...]

As Valentine’s Day approaches, love is in the air. One sure-fire way to express love towards someone, be it a partner or even a child, is with a kiss. A recent study in Laterality demonstrates how the direction turned during a kiss differs depending on whether the kiss is shared between romantic partners or between a parent and child. Previous studies suggest couples favour … [Read more...]

High school students going to bed between 10 and 11 p.m. on weekdays get better grades. There is a strong relationship between sleep problems and poor academic performances among adolescents, a new study demonstrates. The study is published in Journal of Sleep Research, and shows that the less the adolescent sleep -- the worse the grades get on average. "Our findings … [Read more...]

With last year's Super Bowl drawing in over 114 million viewers, you'd assume that much of the audience tuned in not just for the commercials, but for the enjoyment of the game. You'd be wrong, say communication researchers Drew Margolin, and Wang Liao, who have created a unique way to watch the emotional dynamics of the game in real-time during this year's Super Bowl. By … [Read more...]

Larry Hester was 33-years-old when a condition called retinitis pigmentosa robbed him of his sight. At the time, there was no cure. But more than 30 years later, modern medicine took a page from science fiction and created a bionic eye for people like Larry. He’s been wearing one for almost two years now. Larry Hester and his wife Jerry revel in experiencing a world he … [Read more...]

It’s a challenge for busy hospitals around the country, get a sick patient into a room as fast as possible but still ensure the room is sanitized and safe. Now new research shows using a special high-tech system is an effective way to reduce the risk of contracting C. diff, and other life-threatening infections. Most of us probably don’t pay much attention, but there’s a lot … [Read more...]

A Vanderbilt University Medical Center study released today shows there is no evidence that the risk of suicide differs with two commonly prescribed antidepressants prescribed to children and adolescents. The population-based study, published today in the journal Pediatrics, tracked children and adolescents who recently began taking selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors … [Read more...]

In research published in this week's online edition of Science, postdoc Nicholas Vyleta and Professor Peter Jonas of the Institute of Science and Technology Austria (IST Austria) uncover the existence of loose coupling between calcium channels and release sensors of exocytosis at a mature central synapse in the rodent brain. The researchers show that loose coupling provides a … [Read more...]

Researchers at Chapman University, UCLA, and Stanford have just published work on how news media coverage shapes perceptions of obesity. They examined how perspectives on obesity portrayed in news articles affect people's support for different obesity-related public policies and their prejudice towards fat men and women. "Our finding that news reporting on obesity as a … [Read more...]

Healthy food products that are produced in an environmentally-friendly manner will boost the health of the Swiss population while protecting natural resources. The National Research Programme "Healthy Nutrition and Sustainable Food Production" (NRP 69) aims to identify new approaches to food production. Diet-related diseases account for a large portion of health-care costs … [Read more...]

Overweight and obesity are significant risk factors for reduced lung function in school-aged children with a history of early childhood wheezing, according to a study carried out at the University of Eastern Finland. The results also showed that the use of inhaled corticosteroids for asthma in childhood may result in reduced bone mineral density in early teenage years. "In … [Read more...]

Drivers eat, reach for the phone, text, or otherwise take their eyes off the road about 10 percent of the time they are behind the wheel, according to a study using video technology and in-vehicle sensors. Risks of distracted driving were greatest for newly licensed teen drivers, who were substantially more likely than adults to be involved in a crash or near miss while … [Read more...]

University of British Columbia researchers have discovered the genetic machinery that turns a common gut bacterium into the Swiss Army knife of the digestive tract -- helping us metabolize a main component of dietary fibre from the cell walls of fruits and vegetables. The findings illuminate the specialized roles played by key members of the vast microbial community living … [Read more...]

Physicians may soon have a new way to screen patients for Barrett's esophagus, a precancerous condition usually caused by chronic exposure to stomach acid. Researchers at the Wellman Center for Photomedicine at Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) have developed an imaging system enclosed in a capsule about the size of a multivitamin pill that creates detailed, microscopic … [Read more...]

In patients with a traumatic brain injury (TBI), neither the administration of the hormone erythropoietin (EPO) or maintaining a higher hemoglobin concentration through blood transfusion resulted in improved neurological outcome at 6 months, according to a study in the July 2 issue of JAMA. Transfusing at higher hemoglobin concentrations was associated with a higher risk of … [Read more...]

According to a new literature review in the January issue of the Journal of the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons, it's becoming more common for children and adolescents to seek medical care for back pain. Even with expensive, advanced tests like MRI scans, doctors may not be able to find the exact cause for the pain. "If your history, physical exam or simple tests … [Read more...]

It looks a bit like a scene out of “The Jetsons.”  While robots have been used for doctors to "round" or check up on adults recovering in hospital rooms, researchers at Children’s Hospital, Los Angeles wanted to see if the care from a doctor-run robot was any different for its tiniest patients. Three-year-old twins Kristina and Adrian Rubel are full of energy now, but they … [Read more...]

Patients with fibromyalgia syndrome (FMS) typically have widespread chronic pain and fatigue. For those with low vitamin D levels, vitamin D supplements can reduce pain and may be a cost-effective alternative or adjunct to other treatment, say researchers in the current issue of PAIN®. In addition to pain and fatigue, individuals diagnosed with FMS may experience sleep … [Read more...]

Families with young children are purchasing fewer high calorie drinks and processed foods, which may be a factor in declining rates of childhood obesity, finds a new report in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine. "Somewhere between 2003 and 2010, the upward trend in childhood obesity started to stall, leveling off around 2007," said lead study author Christopher … [Read more...]

High school students perform better on tests if they are in a classroom with a view of a green landscape, rather than a windowless room or a room with a view of built space, according to research from the University of Illinois Department of Landscape Architecture. The research found that students with a green view outside a classroom window performed better on tests … [Read more...]

Regular exercise improves balance for people with dementia and reduces dependence on assistance. This according to new research on healthcare for people suffering from dementia conducted at Umeå University in Sweden, which has now been published in the Journal of the American Geriatrics Society. In a unique study on people with dementia living in residential care facilities, … [Read more...]

Parental support programmes in areas with the greatest needs can have a positive effect on the consumption of unhealthy food and drink and on weight increases in obese children. This according to a randomised study conducted by Karolinska Institutet and the Stockholm County Council, Sweden, published in the International Journal of Behavioural Nutrition and Physical … [Read more...]

A new brain imaging study from MIT and Harvard Medical School may lead to a screen that could identify children at high risk of developing depression later in life. In the study, the researchers found distinctive brain differences in children known to be at high risk because of family history of depression. The finding suggests that this type of scan could be used to … [Read more...]

The quality of your writing will likely get better if you simply type slower, according to a recent study. Researchers from the University of Waterloo asked study participants to type essays using both hands or with only one. Using text-analysis software, the team discovered that some aspects of essay writing, such as sophistication of vocabulary, improved when participants … [Read more...]

Research reveals a new way to administer anesthetic in the mouth. If you're scared of the dentist's needles you're not alone -- but new research means you might not have to put off that appointment again. A study published in Colloids and Surfaces B: Biointerfaces reveals how the dentist could give you anesthetic using a tiny electric current instead of a needle. The … [Read more...]

The families of some very severely brain injured patients believe that once all treatment options are exhausted, allowing their relatives to die with the help of terminal sedation would be a humane and compassionate option, research carried out by the University of York and Cardiff University has revealed. The study, based on interviews with the families of patients in a … [Read more...]

Taking B vitamins doesn't slow mental decline as we age, nor is it likely to prevent Alzheimer's disease, conclude Oxford University researchers who have assembled all the best clinical trial data involving 22,000 people to offer a final answer on this debate. High levels in the blood of a compound called homocysteine have been found in people with Alzheimer's disease, and … [Read more...]

Children in low and middle income countries should be given vitamin A supplements to prevent death and illness, concludes a study published online in the British Medical Journal. The researchers argue that the effectiveness of vitamin A supplementation is now so well-established that further trials would be unethical, and they urge policymakers to provide supplements for all … [Read more...]