It’s very good, according to researchers at the University of Washington Department of Family Medicine, in Tacoma.
Here’s what we know. Continue reading So, just how good is exercise to treat depression?
Monthly Archives: February 2011
Acupuncture: Does the number of needles matter?
Not according to this study of patients with neck pain, reported by researchers in Italy. Continue reading Acupuncture: Does the number of needles matter?
Tai chi in female computer users
Workplace computer use has been linked to musculoskeletal disorders, a leading cause of work disability and productivity losses in industrialized nations.
Researchers from York University, in Toronto, Ontario studied tai chi as a workplace physical exercise for health promotion. Continue reading Tai chi in female computer users
Are happy people at lower risk of heart disease?
Researchers at Columbia University Medical Center, in New York City examined the association between positive affect and cardiovascular events. Continue reading Are happy people at lower risk of heart disease?
Smoking cannabis to treat neuropathic pain
Neuropathic pain is a complex, chronic pain state that usually is accompanied by tissue injury.
Researchers at McGill University, in Montreal, Quebec, report that inhaled medical marijuana is better than no treatment… but not by much. Continue reading Smoking cannabis to treat neuropathic pain
Topical arnica increases muscle pain
Oops. Topically applied Arnica montana is reputed to decrease bruising and muscle pain.
But in this study, researchers at the Memorial Family Medicine Residency Program, in Sugar Land, Texas, found an opposite effect. Continue reading Topical arnica increases muscle pain
Looking for an association between vitamin D and frailty
Researchers at the Veterans Affairs Medical Center, in Minneapolis, Minnesota, studied elderly men. Continue reading Looking for an association between vitamin D and frailty
Vitamin D and the risk of Parkinson’s disease
Almost everyone is deficient in vitamin D, and this deficiency is implicated in several diseases.
Now, researchers at the National Institute for Health and Welfare, in Helsinki, Finland, look for an association with Parkinson’s disease. Continue reading Vitamin D and the risk of Parkinson’s disease
Review: Mind-body treatments for insomnia
Researchers at Universidade Federal de Sao Paulo, in Brazil, reviewed the evidence. Continue reading Review: Mind-body treatments for insomnia
Failure of self-managment couseling in heart failure patients
Researchers at Rush University Medical Center, in Chicago tell us, “Motivating patients with heart failure to adhere to medical advice has not translated into clinical benefit.”
They think past studies were flawed. So, in this study, they studied the value of self-management counseling + heart failure education, compared with heart failure education alone. Continue reading Failure of self-managment couseling in heart failure patients
Raising the head of the bed to treat orthostatic hypotension
Orthostatic hypotension is an excessive decrease in blood pressure that occurs when a person stands up. It results in reduced blood flow to the brain and dizziness or fainting.
Researchers in Ireland studied the effects of sleeping on a bed where the head is raised 6 inches. Continue reading Raising the head of the bed to treat orthostatic hypotension
Review: Moxibustion for rheumatic conditions
Moxibustion, an acupuncture-like treatment, is increasingly used in the management of rheumatic conditions.
Prof. Ernst and colleagues reviewed the evidence. Continue reading Review: Moxibustion for rheumatic conditions
Soap and water wipes reduce infections in wrestlers
Medscape reports from the 50th Interscience Conference on Antimicrobial Agents and Chemotherapy that researchers at the University of Minneapolis, in Minnesota, studied high school wrestlers who used skin wipes after each match during a marathon day of wrestling.
The objective was to compare soap and water to alcohol swabs. Continue reading Soap and water wipes reduce infections in wrestlers
Effect of vegetarian diets on mood
Vegetarian diets exclude fish, the major dietary source of fatty acids, eicosapentaenoic acid (EPA) and docosahexaenoic acid (DHA), which are critical regulators of brain cell structure and function.
Researchers at Arizona State University, in Mesa, examined associations between mood and polyunsaturated fatty acid intake in vegetarian and omnivorous diets. Continue reading Effect of vegetarian diets on mood
Benefits of music on stress after surgery
Researchers at Orebro University Hospital, in Sweden, evaluated the effect of bed rest + music on the first day after surgery in order to decrease stress. Continue reading Benefits of music on stress after surgery
Review: Acupuncture to treat peripheral joint osteoarthritis
This Cochrane review covers osteoarthritis of the knee, hip, or hand. Continue reading Review: Acupuncture to treat peripheral joint osteoarthritis
St. John’s wort to treat IBS?
Here’s the rationale supporting this study by researchers at the Mayo Clinic, in Rochester, Minnesota.
St. John’s wort treats mild-to-moderate depression. Antidepressants are often used to treat irritable bowel syndrome (IBS). But no one has studied the effects of St. John’s wort in patients with IBS. Continue reading St. John’s wort to treat IBS?
Should you drink milk to lose weight?
Researchers from the US and Israel studied the effects of dairy calcium and vitamin D for weight loss. Continue reading Should you drink milk to lose weight?
Feldenkrais exercises in older community-dwelling adults
Researchers at the University of South Carolina, Columbia, examined the effects of Feldenkrais exercises to improve balance, mobility, and balance confidence. Continue reading Feldenkrais exercises in older community-dwelling adults
Alternate-day fasting as a diet strategy
Alternate-day fasting as a diet strategy
Researchers at the University of Illinois at Chicago examined the effects of alternate-day fasting under controlled conditions on body weight and coronary artery disease risk in obese adults. Continue reading Alternate-day fasting as a diet strategy