Month: December 2013

There are so many diet books out there: What makes "The Doctor's Diet" … "You can actually use food as your medicine and enjoy it, and lose a lot of weight," …

As we wind down the last few weeks of 2013 and anticipate the dawn of a new year, we become introspective. There's something about ending one time era and entering a new one that brings about an appreciation for a clean slate.

By Kathryn Doyle NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Young, low-income diabetics may not know they need annual eye exams, a new study suggests. At a large public hospital where the study was done, few diabetic patients had visited the eye care clinic within the last two years. That's troubling because without regular eye care, diabetics can lose their vision, author Paul MacLennan told Reuters Health. MacLennan led the study at the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Medicine.

By Rachael Rettner, Senior Writer Published: 12/10/2013 04:22 PM EST on LiveScience People who take common stomach acid-suppressing medications may be at increased risk of not getting enough vitamin B12, a new study suggests. In the study, people who took proton pump inhibitors — medications used to treat acid reflux and other stomach and esophageal conditions — for two or more years were 65 percent more likely to be diagnosed with vitamin B12 deficiency than those who did not take such medications. …

By Stephanie Pappas, Senior Writer Published: 12/10/2013 03:55 PM EST on LiveScience Though tarantulas may look scary, people familiar with the large, hairy spiders know them to be mostly harmless pets. However, some species pack a mean bite, as a new medical case report reveals. A 45-year-old man went to an emergency room in Switzerland complaining of severe muscle spasms and chest pains, according to the case report. Those symptoms can appear with a number of conditions, said Dr. …

Physical activity decreases during winter months: From Halloween through New Year's Day, eating tends to increase, with lots of candy and treats. Let's consider some healthy gift ideas for a change this holiday season! Here are some ideas that are healthy and educational.

By Jeff Mason and Roberta Rampton WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Vice President Joe Biden on Tuesday announced a new push to increase access to mental health services with $100 million in new government funding nearly a year after a school shooting rampage in Newtown, Connecticut. Biden, who spearheaded a failed Obama administration campaign for stronger gun control measures following the Sandy Hook Elementary School massacre, met with families of the victims and mental health advocates. "The fact that less than half of children and adults with diagnosable mental health problems receive the treatment they need is unacceptable," he said in a statement. President Barack Obama has said the worst day of his presidency was December 14, 2012, the day a gunman killed 20 children and six adults at the school before turning a gun on himself.

Kids who get enough sleep are more well-behaved than those who are sleep-deprived, according to a small new study to be published in the journal Pediatrics. Researchers from McGill University found that elementary-schoolers who got less sleep were more likely to lose emotional control in the classroom — they cried and got angry more often and also seemed more impulsive — than their well-rested counterparts, CNN reported. …

By Andrew M. Seaman NEW YORK (Reuters Health) – Popular drugs that are used to control stomach acid may increase the risk of a serious vitamin deficiency, suggests a new study. Researchers found people who were diagnosed with vitamin B12 deficiency were more likely to be taking proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) and histamine 2 receptor antagonists (H2RAs), compared to those not diagnosed with the condition. “This doesn’t mean people should stop their medications,” Dr. Douglas Corley, the study’s senior author, said. Humans typically get vitamin B12 from eating animal products.