Vaccinate for Vacations!
As the days get longer and schools let out, the summer travel season is heating up. If you are traveling internationally, be sure to get all the appropriate shots to protect yourself from preventable infections. As a first step, everyone should be up to date on the routine vaccines. The following should be up to…
May Health News: Zofran in Pregnancy, Home Birth after Previous C-Section, Inappropriate Use of Antibiotics
Zofran (Ondansetron): No Link to Fetal Malformation A recent study by Dr. Marlena Fejzo of UCLA, published in the Journal of Reproductive Toxicology, did not find a link between Zofran intake during pregnancy and birth defects, in contrast to previous studies. Earlier studies led the American College of Obstetrics and Gynecology to caution their specialists…
Besides the fat and calories in fast food – now we need to think about phthalates
A few weeks ago, there was an article in the Washington Post about consumption of fast foods that I thought would get more press. It reported on a study published in Environmental Health Perspectives that looked at phthalate levels and how they relate to fast foods. First, to explain, phthalates are used to improve flexibility in plastics….
Aspirin and Cancer Prevention, Estrogen Use in Breast Cancer Patients, CVT Risks in Obese Users of Birth Control Pills, Asthma and Obesity…
Aspirin Use and Cancer Prevention Two large studies, reported by Dr. Yin Chao from the Harvard T. H. Chan School of Public Health, showed how regular use of Aspirin was associated with a moderate to significant lowered risk of certain cancers especially colorectal cancer. Results from these two studies, the Nurses’ Health study (1980-2010) and…
February 2016 Health Pearls: Vitamin D and Allergy; Seafood and Brain Health; Beet Juice and Heart Health…
*Vitamin D Consumption During Pregnancy and Lower Incidence of Allergy in Children.* A study by Mount Sinai researchers found a 20% reduction rate in allegies in children whose mothers had a higher consumption of Vitamin D-rich food during pregnancy. The study, published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology, involved 1,248 mothers and their…
It is All a Matter of Detection
I recently heard a very scary story from my friend. Her father had called her at work saying he was not feeling well, and that an alarm was loudly blaring in the background. She made out the mechanical sounding words, “Carbon monoxide” by the alarm system. Immediately she told her father to open the windows…
January Health Pearls: Zika Virus, Analgesics and Heart Failure, Antifungal and Miscarriage, USPSTF Breast Cancer Guidelines…
CDC Warning of Zika Virus Infection to Pregnant Women Traveling to Latin America or Caribbean Countries Last Friday, the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warned pregnant women to postpone trips to 13 Latin American or Caribbean countries such as the United States Virgin Islands, and Puerto Rico, where Zika virus, transmitted by mosquito bites,has…
December Health Pearls: Smoking, Drinking and Coffee
SMOKING: Women who smoked or had been exposed to high levels of secondhand smoke were more likely to have infertility and reached menopause before 50 years old, reported by the Women’s Health Initiative (WHI). The analysis consisted of more than 93,000 women from 50-79 years old, from 1993-1998. The researchers believe their result showed how…
Quit While You’re Ahead
We are aware that addiction to nicotine is one of the most difficult addictions to overcome. Let’s say you’re a smoker and you’d like to quit or someone important to you is in that position. Consider the information included here. It’s not unusual for smokers to make 3 or more attempts to quit before they are…
Coffee and Health Protection; Aspirin and Liver Cancer; Antibiotics for UTI; Public Antibiotics Survey
*Coffee Consumption and Health Risks* Coffee drinkers, regular or decaf, may have lower rate of mortality from cardiovascular disease, neurological conditions, stroke, and suicide, reported by Dr. Frank Hu, MD, PhD at Harvard school of Public Health, in a study published online in Circulation on November 16. The study spanned over three decades with 208,501…