Babies born in pollen and mold seasons have increased likelihood of wheezing by age two

	Babies born in pollen and mold seasons have increased likelihood of wheezing by age two,suggests a new study led by researchers at the University of California, Berkeley
Researchers found that children born in the high mold season, which generally encompasses the fall and winter months, have three times the odds of developing wheezing – often an early sign of asthma – by age 2 compared with those born at other times of the year. Read on

Could our mother’s diet at time we are conceived set the course for our future health

Could our mother’s diet at time we are conceived set the course for our future health This intriguing question is at the heart of a new study based on an “experiment of nature” being conducted by Wellcome Trust-funded researchers We inherit our DNA – the genetic blueprint that determines our make-up – from our parents: 50% of our DNA from our mothers and 50% from our fathers. Apart from the occasional mutation, deletion or duplication of information, this DNA remains unchanged between generations.  Read on

An angry heart can lead to sudden death, Yale researchers find

An angry heart can lead to sudden death, Yale researchers find Before flying off the handle the next time someone cuts you off in traffic, consider the latest research from Yale School of Medicine

researchers that links changes brought on by anger or other strong emotions to future arrhythmias and sudden cardiac arrests, which are blamed for 400,000 deaths annually. The study—led by Rachel Lampert, M.D., associate professor of medicine at Yale School of Medicine, and published in the Journal of the American College of Cardiology—deepens our understanding of how anger and other types of mental stress can trigger potentially lethal ventricular arrhythmias.   Read on

Young smokers increase risk for multiple sclerosis

Young smokers increase risk for multiple sclerosis People who start smoking before age 17 may increase their risk for developing multiple sclerosis (MS), according to a study released today that will be presented at the American Academy of Neurology’s 61st Annual Meeting in Seattle, April 25 to May 2, 2009.   Read on

Chili peppers continue to help unravel mechanism of pain sensation

Chili peppers continue to help unravel mechanism of pain sensation Capsaicin, the active ingredient in chili peppers, generally is viewed as an irritant that produces a burning sensation when applied to a sensitive area of the body, such as the cornea.

Paradoxically, the same compound also may reduce pain. Capsaicin creams are natural pain-relieving folk medicines, commonly found over the counter, and are effective for a variety of pain syndromes, from minor muscle or joint aches to those that are very difficult to treat, such as arthritis and neuropathic pain. Scientists at University at Buffalo now link the analgesic effects of capsaicin to a lipid called PIP2 in the cell membranes.   Read on

Another Blow to Magic Bullet Drugs: Statins Impair Brains

Another Blow to Magic Bullet Drugs: Statins Impair Brains Statin drugs can reduce soaring cholesterol levels, according to countless ads touting these supposed “wonder” drugs, that means they are brimming with health benefits because they lower the risk of cardiovascular disease. The problem is a host of side effects from eye problems and muscle pain to heart arrhythmias and liver disorders have been linked to these widely prescribed medications. Now comes research by an Iowa State University scientist that strongly suggests statins also could be robbing brains of thinking power and memory by doing exactly what they are supposed to do — reduce cholesterol. Read on

Sexual lyrics in popular songs linked to early sexual experiences

Sexual lyrics in popular songs linked to early sexual experiences With sexual activity among adolescents in the United States resulting in over 750,000 teenage pregnancies each year and reports of up to 25 percent of all female adolescents in the US having sexually transmitted infections, researchers and public health officials are looking for those factors that might increase sexual activity in teens. In an article published in the April 2009 issue of the American Journal of Preventive Medicine, researchers found that teenagers who preferred popular songs with degrading sexual references were more likely to engage in intercourse or in pre-coital activities.  READ ON

Children with hypertension have trouble with thinking, memory

Children with hypertension have trouble with thinking, memory Children with high blood pressure are not as good at complicated, goal-directed tasks, have more working memory problems and are not as adept at planning as their peers without hypertension, according to recent research. If they are both hypertensive and obese, they are also more likely to have anxiety and depression. Considering the demands on a child’s brain – both in continued development and in education – and the fact that up to 10 percent of the increasing population of obese children have hypertension, these novel findings could give physicians and parents more impetus to diagnose and treat high blood pressure in children. Read on

No longer a gray area: Our hair bleaches itself as we grow older

Wash away your gray? Maybe. A team of European scientists have finally solved a mystery that has perplexed humans throughout the ages: why we turn gray.

Despite the notion that gray hair is a sign of wisdom, these researchers show in a research report published online in The FASEB Journal (http://www.fasebj.org) that wisdom has nothing to do with it. Going gray is caused by a massive build up of hydrogen peroxide due to wear and tear of our hair follicles. The peroxide winds up blocking the normal synthesis of melanin, our hair’s natural pigment.  Read on

Arsenic and old toenails

Scientists from Leicester and Nottingham have devised a method for identifying levels of exposure to environmental arsenic – by testing toenail clippings.

Arsenic occurs naturally in the environment and people can be exposed to it in several ways, for example through contaminated water, food, dust or soil.  Read on