Regular exercise among women with type 2 diabetes may not only reduce waist size, but may also reduce the amount of visceral fat surrounding organs in the abdomen — the type of fat known to be associated with insulin resistance, a study shows.
Pesticides Linked to Diabetes in Pregnancy
A pregnant mother’s exposure to pesticides may affect the risk of her developing diabetes during pregnancy, new research suggests.
Dr. Tina M. Saldana and a team of researchers from the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in North Carolina assessed the risk of gestational diabetes amongst wives of farmers.
Source: Diabetes Care
Tamiflu May Lead to Dangerous Behavior
Japan’s health ministry has issued a warning to physicians in Japan that the bird-flu drug Tamiflu should not be prescribed to teenagers after some teens exhibited dangerous behavior after taking the drug.
The ministry reported delerium, hallucinations, and other potentially dangerous psychiatric behavior among some Japanese teens. Two Japanese youth fell from their apartment rooftops while taking the drug.
The drug’s manufacturer, Roche Holdings, indicated that they have seen no study linking the drug with the behavior in these Japanese teens.
Source: AP
Diet: Staying Motivated
Diets can fail for a number of reasons:
* You may have set unrealistic goals and feel a failure when you can’t meet them.
* The diet may be too rigid to follow for long.
* You may not have prepared yourself for what happens after you finish the diet.
* You may be losing weight for other people.
* You could be relying on willpower alone.
* You lack the skills to succeed.
FDA Warning on Sleep Medications: Ambien, Lunesta, Restoril, Others
The FDA has issued stronger warnings on sleep medications, such as Ambien, Lunesta, and Restoril, and has asked the drugs manufacturers to place stronger warnings on the package labels.
The agency cites concerns such as allergic reactions, and sleep walking and "sleep driving" in its statement.
Source: Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
P07-45
Diabetes and Diet Soft Drinks Linked
Several studies have linked soda drinking–including diet soda– with diabetes and metabolic syndrome, a series of conditions such as obesity, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure.
According to the American Heart Association, people with metabolic syndrome are at increased risk of coronary heart disease and other diseases related to plaque buildups in artery walls.
One of the most recent studies was unique in that it included a large populations–about 6,000 individuals who were part of the Framingham Heart Study that has been following patients since 1948 in the town of Framingham, MA.
Sources:
Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA. 2004;292:927-934)
Circulation, July 24, 2007
Young Boy Is 24th Egyptian To Become Infected With Bird Flu Virus
Mohammed Mahmoud Ibrahim, aged 4, is the 24th human to become infected with the H5N1 bird flu virus strain in Egypt since the disease appeared in the country in 2006, according to the country’s Ministry of Health today.
Trial Uses Measles to Kill Bone Marrow Cancer
U.S. researchers are launching a phase I clinical trial to test an engineered measles virus against the bone marrow cancer multiple myeloma.
Study Probes Odor, Sleep and Memory Link
Doctors have long advised that a good night’s sleep is important for memory, but researchers now say a familiar scent wafting in the bedroom might help sometimes, too.
The caveat: In the study, published in the journal Science, it only worked for some kinds of memories and during one stage of sleep, meaning it’s not the answer for people hunting a quick memory boost.
Smokeless Tobacco Versus Cigarettes
Those Switching From Cigarettes to Chewing Tobacco Could Be Increasing Their Health Risks