LATEST NEWS ON WELLNESS

Brachytherapy, also called seed implants, may be a more beneficial treatment than surgery or external beam radiation therapy for overweight or obese prostate cancer patients, according to a study published in the August issue of the International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics, the official journal of the American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology.
08/20/2008

Adult obesity rates increased in 37 states in the past year, according to the fifth annual F as in Fat: How Obesity Policies Are Failing in America, 2008 report (http://healthyamericans.org/reports/obesity2008) from the Trust for America's Health (TFAH) and the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation (RWJF).
08/20/2008

People who lose weight soon after being diagnosed with Type 2 diabetes have better control of their blood pressure and blood glucose levels and are more likely to maintain that control even if they regain their weight, say researchers in America. The study, published online in the journal 'Diabetes Care', followed 2,500 adults with Type 2 diabetes for four years.
08/18/2008

GE Healthcare along with Olympic medical leaders announced at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, initial findings that recognize risks for sudden cardiac death and musculoskeletal injuries before they happen. The findings come from two Olympic athlete research studies conducted since the Torino 2006 Olympic Winter Games aimed at demonstrating that health monitoring and early intervention may lead to injury prevention and enhanced health.
08/19/2008

Most of us would end up being seriously obese if we ate 10,000 calories per day, but not Michael Phelps. In an interview with ESPN he said his calorie consumption per day ranges around the 8,000-10,000 mark, including large quantities of pasta and pizza. Apparently, he is partial to fried egg sandwiches. Some dietitians have written in to Medical News Today telling us that 10,000 calories per day is most unlikely for a 6 foot 4 inch Olympic swimmer.
08/16/2008

As millions of eyes around the globe turn to China to watch the world's top athletes go for gold at the Beijing 2008 Olympic Games, those athletes will be relying on their own vision for an extra competitive edge.
08/16/2008

Historically the care for patients with psychiatric illnesses has been loaded with prejudice and discrimination, the Canadian Psychiatric Association (CPA) told delegates at today's Canadian Medical Association (CMA) meeting. CPA also commends the CMA for putting a spotlight on mental health issues today at its annual meeting of Canadian physicians.
08/19/2008

The Honourable Tony Clement, Minister of Health announced that the Government's funding commitment to the Canadian Mental Health Commission is now confirmed at $130 million over its 10-year mandate. "This funding commitment underscores the Government of Canada's belief in this important initiative to improve the quality of life of Canadians and their families dealing with mental illness," said Minister Clement.
08/19/2008

Actavis Group, the international generic pharmaceuticals company, announced that it has received approval from the US Food & Drug Administration to market Bupropion Hydrochloride extended-release tablets (XL) 300mg. Distribution of the product will commence immediately. Bupropion Hydrochloride extended-release tablets (XL), available in 300mg strength, are the generic equivalent of Wellbutrin XL® for the treatment of major depressive disorder.
08/19/2008

WELSH rugby captain, Ryan Jones' backing of the testicular cancer campaign is highly commendable and has the full support of BMA Cymru/Wales. As the leading professional association for doctors, we're not in the business of knocking attempts to raise awareness of such a serious condition - nor a Grand Slam winner, for that matter! But, what it does highlight is the desperate need for decision makers to focus and develop specific policies that target men's health.
08/20/2008

UroToday.com - In the August 2008 issue of the Journal of Urology, Dr. Firas Ahmed and associates investigated the correlation between certain health risk behaviors and awareness of the PSA test among men residing in California. They hypothesized that men reporting health risk behaviors would have less awareness of the PSA test. The study used the 2003 CHIS, a population based, random digit-dialing telephone survey conducted between August 2003 and February 2004.
08/16/2008

Uganda has launched a male circumcision drive in an effort to curb the spread of HIV in the country, Reuters reports. According to Reuters, the campaign -- which aims to circumcise more than 3,000 local young men between ages 12 and 18 -- aligns with a month-long traditional "circumcision season" practiced by some tribes in Uganda.
08/15/2008

Targeted health education may help urban, minority adolescent women better understand how the emergency contraception pill works and eliminate some misconceptions about side effects, confidentiality and accessibility, according to a study by The Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Researchers interviewed 30 African-American females ages 15 to 19 seeking care at Children's Hospital's emergency department.
08/20/2008

Vitamin D Deficiency Puts Older Women at Risk for Hip Fracture Previous studies of the effect of low blood vitamin D levels on the risk for hip fractures in older women have given inconsistent results. In this study, researchers took blood to measure vitamin D levels and gathered information about fracture risk from 800 women between the ages of 50 and 79. After following the women for up to nine years, the researchers re-examined them to see who developed hip fractures.
08/20/2008

A new clinical trial at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill using a popular low-dose contraceptive could uncover a more effective treatment for the 5 to 10 percent of women who suffer from premenstrual dysphoric disorder (PMDD). PMDD is much more severe than premenstrual syndrome, or PMS. The disorder interferes with a woman's ability to function effectively several days out of each month, every month.
08/20/2008