Archive for the 'Health and Medicine' Category
Are You Being Prescribed Placebos?
Snipped from PhysOrg.com.
Short answer: maybe. It seems that physicians are not taking placebos as lightly as we once thought. The placebo effect, “a therapeutical effect based solely on the power of suggestion” that has showed up in all clinical trials and is commonly used scientifically in pharmaceutical research, is said to be used by 45% of Chicago internists when prescribing to patients.
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So, Do You Like It HOT?!
Snipped from NewScientist.com.
I have to admit something. I am obsessed with spicy food. Some may say addicted. I don’t know why, but I always have been. Thai food, Mexican food, Indian food … it doesn’t matter. The hotter the better. Oh, and one more thing. I am never sick … ever. Well, except that silly little meningitis episode I got a long time ago, but that is another story. So, one could ask, “Does all the spicy food lend some assistance to my healthy state of existence?” Umm, good question.
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Medical Myths Debunked
Snipped from BMJ.com.
Are you ever standing around and happen upon a conversation where people are perpetuating inane myths, urban legends or folk tales as true. It gets you off your rocker, doesn’t it? Well, here is a list of some medical myths, and the science to back up why it is, and always will be, a myth.
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“The Pharaoh’s Pharmacists”
Snipped from New Scientist.
Some of the more recent articles on Blog4Brains have been about ancient remedies or alternative medicine, so I thought this fascinating article about how the Egyptians may have beaten the Greeks to discovering the first “medicine”, would help further the discussion.
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No Neosporin, No Cough Medicine? Use Honey!
Snipped from SciAm.com.
Wow, has honey got some press to be proud of?! It seems that there really is some truth to the old wives tales that honey really is a cure all. In November, honey seemed to get some very late, but not forgotten, recognition that it can be successfully used as an antibiotic ointment for small cuts, abrasions and sores. The in December, it got the recognition for being a better nighttime cough medicine for children (older than 1 year old of course).
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“Scientists Cure Mice With Sickle Cell”
Snipped from AP.com.
Remember a couple of weeks ago when there was a big uproar about reprogramming skin cells into stem cells. Well, here is something quite interesting that they have done with such reprogrammed cells. In this article the scientists discuss how they have “cured” mice with sickle cell anemia — a deadly genetic disease that distorts the shape of the red blood cells, limiting the amount of oxygen that they can “carry”.
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“A Hidden Cause of Headache Pain”
Snipped from NYTimes.com.
Want to stop your chronic headaches or migraines? Then you may want to stop medicating them. New research is showing that the very medications that are designed to treat pain, can actually cause it. It is called a rebound episode and is similar to a hangover. Unfortunately, people too often grab that same medication that caused it to treat it, furthering its cycle.
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Malaria, Dengue Fever: Treat Mosquitos, Not Humans
Snipped from SciAm.com.
Well if this isn’t the most interesting way to treat mosquito born illnesses. Here is the premise: Instead of killing off all the mosquitos — a portion of food chain, and a necessary organism for agriculture — trying to stave off illnesses, just treat them with antibiotics. Now, I am not normally a fan of the use of pharmaceuticals, especially on animals, but I like it over its alternative — killing them all.
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Pennsylvania: Got Milk Conspiracies?
Snipped from the SciAm.com.
If you think the government is allowing assisting corporations in keeping us ignorant and blind to what is going on behind the screen, then you may be on to something. Conspiracies theorists just may be right when they talk about the government being behind the creation of blind, brain-washed consumers.
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“What’s in Your Genes? Ancient Parasites”
Snipped from News.Yahoo.com.
Here is some really interesting and thought provoking news about genetic evolution. This research is explaining how ancient viruses could have helped our early ancestors evolve into what we see now. Then, goes on to explain how viruses could be a culprit to our problem with cancer, and its uncontrolled growth rate.
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