Research shows that coffee and caffeine are associated with increased blood pressure (acutely), (nor)epinephrine levels, arterial stiffness and impaired vasodilation.
But according to researchers in the US, drinking just the right amount may lower your risk for heart failure. Continue reading Heart failure and the benefits of drinking coffee
About 15 years ago, researchers in the US published the results of a study showing that taking selenium supplements lowered the risk of prostate cancer.
Now, researchers in the UK have examined all the available evidence for selenium intake, selenium levels in the body, and prostate cancer risk. Continue reading Does selenium reduce the risk for prostate cancer?
Vitamin D appears to affect many health outcomes.
An international group of researchers reviewed the literature to see if there’s an effect on mortality. Continue reading Benefit of vitamin D and calcium in the elderly
Drs. Catherine Neto and Joe Vinson from the University of Massachusetts-Dartmouth and the University of Scranton, in Pennsylvania, contributed a chapter on cranberry in the textbook, Herbal Medicine: Biomolecular and Clinical Aspects. 2nd edition, 2011.
Most of the chapter is detailed biochemistry — their specialty. But, they also review the status of cranberry in cancer therapy and managing urinary tract infections.
Let’s focus on urinary tract infections. Continue reading Everything you wanted to know about cranberry
Cancer-related fatigue is occurs in 50% to 90% of all patients with cancer and severely affects quality of life, in addition to decreasing the daily functional capacity.
During the American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting, researchers from several US universities reported that American ginseng reduces general and physical cancer-related fatigue. Continue reading Treating cancer-related fatigue with American ginseng
Last year, the Canadian Thoracic Society clinical practice guidelines, advised there was insufficient evidence to support the routine use of acupuncture to treat chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD).
Since then, 2 more studies have been published. Continue reading Improvement in symptoms with acupuncture treatment of COPD
FDA is warning consumers that Reumofan Plus, marketed as a natural dietary supplement for pain relief and other serious conditions, contains several active pharmaceutical ingredients not listed on the label that could be harmful.
Here’s what we know. Continue reading Consumer alert: Reumofan Plus
It’s reported that the personal importance of religion or spirituality is associated with a lower risk for major depression.
Researchers at Columbia University, in New York City, examined this association in adults. Continue reading Religion lowers the risk of depression
Dr. Claude Bouchard and colleagues from around the US and Finland tell us that people differ in their response to regular exercise.
Sometimes these differences contribute to adverse changes in cardiovascular and diabetes risk factors, according to this study. Continue reading Adverse response to exercise