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Topical Issues

Excess Vitamin D Linked to Heart Problems

Vitamin D levels higher than the low end of normal do not provide any benefits and may actually increase the risk of heart attack and other heart problems, according to new research from a Johns Hopkins University research team.

Resolve to Skip the New Year's Resolutions this Year

Are you among the thousands of people pledging to lose thirty pounds, quit smoking, eat healthier, run a marathon, save money, go back to school, or any of the thousands of other pledges people make to themselves every January 1? Do your resolutions usually last much longer than January 15?

Health News Reviews

Listening to Mozart May Help Doctors Detect Colon Polyps

Scheduled for a colonoscopy? Ask your physician to play Mozart while she’s peering through that endoscope, and she may do a better job of detecting potentially cancerous polyps in your colon and rectum, called adenomas. Colonic polyps are common precursors to colon cancer. Adenomas are a type of polyp that may develop into invasive colorectal cancer. Adenocarcinoma of the colon is the most common form of colorectal cancer.

Spices May Help Boost Metabolism and Ward Off Chronic Disease

Adding a little spice to your diet might help increase your metabolism and help ward off chronic diseases such as diabetes and heart disease, authors of a small but intriguing study reported August 1 in the Journal of Nutrition. Men in the study who added antioxidant-rich spices to their meals experienced several metabolic benefits, including lowered insulin and triglyceride levels.

A popular bodybuilding supplement does not live up to its labels’ promises of improved muscle strength and endurance, said two unrelated groups of researchers this summer. The supplement, arginine-alpha-ketoglutarate (AAKG), is widely marketed as a strength-enhancer to weight lifters and bodybuilders. For example, AAKG is supposed to “extend muscle pump, enhance muscle growth, and get rock-hard muscles.” Evidence from these two studies, however, suggests that AAKG may actually decrease performance and have no effect on blood flow.

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Stroke is a global disease that knows no boundaries. But few people know how to prevent stroke, or how to recognize signs and symptoms of stroke, or what to do when you suspect someone is having a stroke. What about you? How much do you know about stroke? Take this short quiz to test your stroke IQ.

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Tonsillectomy in History

The first tonsillectomy was recorded in India in 1000 B.C. During the ensuing 3000 years, the popularity of the procedure has waxed and waned.

In 1959, 1.4 million tonsillectomies were performed in the United States. Although that number has dropped to 530,000, tonsillectomy remains the third most common surgery for children ages 0 to 14 in the United States.

Learn more about tonsillitis and tonsillectomy.

Summer 2011 Newsletter

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