Is the IRS going to hunt you down? Will your doc have a waiting line?
The sweeping health care overhaul signed into law his month by President Barack Obama is more than 2,000 pages long and has been dissected by analysts, politicians and pundits. It’s no wonder that some consumers are confused – and perhaps frightened – about how the law might affect them. Some concerns were raised during the congressional debate or have been swirling around the Internet.
Matthew Herper
Americans spend billions on foods and supplements containing omega-3 fatty acids. Not all of it is money well spent.
Fifty years ago, two Danish epidemiologists pondered why Greenland’s native Inuit could have a very low rate of heart attacks despite eating a high-fat diet full of whale and seal meat. They cobbled together $6,000, flew to Greenland and collected blood samples from 130 Inuit.
The Greenlanders’ cholesterol numbers were good but not enough to explain the healthy hearts. Read More…
Just when we thought that the over-stretched medic scenario could not get any worse, in comes a survey which reveals that due to the acute shortage of staff, nurses are now missing out on some important training, which is inclusive of basic life-support and controlling and curbing of dangerous infections like MRSA.
by Madeleine Brindley
There’s no doubt about it: Cholesterol drugs have helped save millions of lives. But should these medications be prescribed as preventative medicine for people who do not have cholesterol problems?
That’s the question being posed right now as a major drug maker gets ready to market its blockbuster cholesterol-lowering drug to the masses.
People diagnosed with knee osteoarthritis often start using pain relief medications on their own, without the advice of a health professional on the best treatment option, a new Canadian study suggests.
By Aaron Morrison and Beth Defalco, THE ASSOCIATED PRESS
TRENTON, N.J. – It started with a party invitation to a 15-year-old girl from some men she knew. She took her 7-year-old stepsister to an apartment down the street from their home near the Statehouse, where the girls had been hanging around outside on a Sunday afternoon.
By KEVIN CONNOR, Toronto Sun
There is a reason why Toronto is called Hogtown — 44% of Torontonians are overweight or obese.
Leading British retailers are selling baby bottles that are made with a chemical that has been linked to breast cancer, heart disease, obesity, hyperactivity and other disorders.
Bisphenol A (BPA) has already been banned in Canada and three US states. Most manufacturers of baby bottles have stopped putting it in their products but older stock containing the chemical is still on sale at Boots and Mothercare, according to a report by The Independent.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) supports its removal and has stated concerns regarding the impact of the chemical on babies and young children. Read More…
Acupuncture can help cure patients of a fear of the dentist’s drill, according to a new study.
By Kate Devlin, Medical Correspondent
Researchers found that just one five-minute session of the traditional Chinese therapy could significantly reduce anxieties.
Patients who had previously avoided the dentist were able to undergo dental treatment after receiving acupuncture.
Around one in three people is thought to have a fear of the dentist, while an estimated one in 20 suffer from extreme anxiety at even the thought of having dental work. Read More…
