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Being a parent influences health in a positive way

There is no question that being a parent is, at times, challenging both physically and mentally. However knowledge of the actual affect parenthood has on health has been inconsistent at best, until now. New research led by Carnegie Mellon University's Sheldon Cohen and Rodlescia S. Sneed shows that being a parent influences health in a positive way. Published in Psychosomatic Medicine, the research provides the first evidence that, when exposed to a common cold virus, parents are 52 percent less likely to develop a cold than non-parents.

4 Jul 2012

Benefits of complementary and alternative medicine for back pain

Got a pain in the neck or back? Relief could be just an adjustment away. In a recent study, "Perceived Benefit of Complementary and Alternative Medicine (CAM) for Back Pain" (Journal of the American Board of Family Medicine, May - June 2010, Vol. 23 No.3), the majority of respondents receiving CAM for back pain reported significant benefits from the various treatments.

29 Jun 2012

Regular meditation could reduce risk of cardiovascular disease among teens

Regular meditation could decrease the risk of developing cardiovascular disease in teens who are most at risk, according to Georgia Health Sciences University researchers.

7 Jun 2012

Soy protein may not enhance overall cognitive ability in women

Contrary to earlier reports, a new study suggests that soy protein may not preserve overall thinking abilities in women over the age of 45, but may improve memory related to facial recognition.

5 Jun 2012

NIH Pain Consortium selects 11 health professional schools as CoEPEs

The National Institutes of Health Pain Consortium has selected 11 health professional schools as designated Centers of Excellence in Pain Education (CoEPEs).

23 May 2012

Massage therapy effective for knee osteoarthritis, chronic low back pain and fibromyalgia

A growing body of evidence shows massage therapy can be effective for a variety of prevalent health conditions, including the pain of osteoarthritis of the knee, inflammation after exercise, chronic low back pain and fibromyalgia.

21 May 2012

Viewpoints: VA failing to provide timely care; Roll up your sleeves to help fight AIDS; Primary care doctors' uncertain future

Those who have served know the military rules: Be on time, do it now. Once they file disability claims with the Department of Veteran Affairs, however, veterans wait, and wait longer…. Delay is not without consequences for the individual or the community…. We sent these young men and women off to battle. We owe them timely care.

19 May 2012

Viewpoints: The health law's double count on Medicare funding; Pa. budget endangering health safety net; A doctor's call for more texting

One of the enduring mysteries of President Obama's health law is how its spending constraints and payroll tax hikes on high earners can be used to shore up Medicare finances and at the same time pay for a massive new entitlement program. Isn't this double counting?

3 May 2012

Thousands of women in UK undergo genital mutilation each year: Report

Reports suggest that nearly 100,000 women in Britain have undergone female genital mutilations. Even medics in the UK are offering to carry out the illegal procedure on girls as young as 10.

23 Apr 2012

Preliminary data hint at how neem extracts may stop replication of HIV virus

Tall, with dark-green pointy leaves, the neem tree of India is known as the "village pharmacy." As a child growing up in metropolitan New Delhi, Sonia Arora recalls on visits to rural areas seeing villagers using neem bark to clean their teeth. Arora's childhood memories have developed into a scientific fascination with natural products and their power to cure illnesses.

23 Apr 2012

CAM may have several positive effects on people with type 2 diabetes

A new joint study by Group Health Research Institute and Bastyr University Research Institute found that type 2 diabetes patients who received naturopathic care (as an adjunct to conventional care) had lower blood-sugar levels, better eating and exercise habits, improved moods, and a stronger sense of control over their condition than did patients receiving only conventional care.

19 Apr 2012

Toxic plants and animal products found in traditional Chinese medicines

A study has found that some traditional Chinese medicines contain potentially poisonous plants, unlabelled ingredients and bits of endangered animals. This has triggered a bid for routine testing and tighter regulation of complementary medicines.

15 Apr 2012

Consumer should be centre of care when offering alternative medicine brands

NPS is reminding pharmacists to place patient care first and avoid multiple switching of medicine brands for patients who may be at higher risk of confusion from switching, as price disclosure arrangements come into effect this weekend.

29 Mar 2012

Only few OB-GYNs routinely inquire about patients' sexual issues

How often does your doctor ask about your sexual life? Unfortunately, the answer may be: not often enough. Leaving the subject off the check-up checklist could mean missing an important link to overall wellness.

23 Mar 2012

Post-chemotherapy cognitive changes impact lives of Asian breast cancer patients

A recent study by National University of Singapore (NUS) researchers revealed that Asian breast cancer patients who had received or were undergoing chemotherapy treatment showed symptoms of "chemobrain", in which they encounter memory loss, difficulty in decision making and speech problems.

16 Mar 2012

Homeopathy could soon be declared “baseless and unethical” in Australia

Homeopathy is a branch of alternative medicine based on the principles of “like-cures-like” and “ultra-dilutions”. The first principle says substances that can cause symptoms can be used in diluted form to treat the same symptom in an illness, and the second says the more dilute a substance is, the more potent it is.

14 Mar 2012

WLDI announces program for current subscribers to obtain ODG Certification

Work Loss Data Institute (WLDI), publisher of Official Disability Guidelines (ODG), the nationally recognized, multi-disciplinary standard for evidence-based medicine for medical treatment and return-to-work, is pleased to announce a program for current subscribers to obtain ODG Certification.

6 Mar 2012

Cancer cons preying on hope, SBS Dateline

Mexico’s border with America is clustered with clinics providing unusual treatments for cancer - alternatives to conventional medicine that claim to offer a complete cure, even for the terminally ill, in return for tens of thousands of dollars.

1 Mar 2012

End alternative medicine degrees say scientists

A group of more than 400 doctors, medical researchers and scientists are urging universities to close down alternative medicine degrees.

30 Jan 2012

Integrative medicine now available for pediatric patients at JMBCIM

Integrative medicine, the field of medicine which combines the use of conventional and complementary techniques in reaching health and wellness goals, is now available for pediatric patients through the Integrative Pediatrics program at the Jefferson-Myrna Brind Center of Integrative Medicine.

19 Jan 2012