By Anthony Gucciardi
Archive for 2012
Hearing Loss in Teens Linked to Secondhand Smoke
There is no shortage of medical evidence regarding the dangers of secondhand smoke, ranging from low birthweight and birth defects to respiratory tract infections and lung cancer. What’s more, researchers have found a possible link between exposure to smoke from others and hearing loss in non smoking teenagers, specifically at low frequencies.
Biotech Giant Amgen Fined $762M for Illegal Marketing
OnTuesday, biotech giant Amgen Inc pleaded guilty in federal court for illegally marketing its former top-seller, Aranesp, a drug used to treat anemia. They are to pay $762 million: $612 million in a civil settlement and $136 million in criminal fines.
Algae: Both a Superfood and Renewable Energy Resource
You may view algae as ‘the green stuff’ floating on a still body of water or gathering on the sides of pool or fish tanks, but it is so much more. While it is somewhat unsightly, this single celled plant is packed with nutrition and other amazing properties. There are more than 30,000 different forms of algae, including those types that make-up chlorella and spirulina – both of which have gained a mighty reputation among superfoods.
Vitamin D Shown to Prevent Bladder Cancer in Spanish Study
A growing body of research links the prevalence of cancer with vitamin D deficiency. We’ve seen it connected to breast and colon cancer, as well as melanoma (the most deadly form of skin cancer), but a new study out of Spain says people who are deficient in what’s known as the “sunshine vitamin” are also at a higher risk of bladder cancer.
NaturalSociety Holiday Message to Readers Before the New Year
It has truly been an exciting and concerning year, and 2013 will surely be even more exciting. Here’s my advice before we jump into 2013 together.
Unplug to Recharge: Technology-Free Nature Boosts Creativity by 50%
Plagued with writer’s block? Try stepping away from your computer and taking a long walk and a deep breath in nature to boost your creativity (and harness a mountain of health benefits). According to a study to be published in the journal PLOS One, just four days in nature away from electronic devices is associated with a 50% boost in creativity test scores.
Top 10 Legal Drugs Linked to Violence
Many of the drugs handed out to troubled individuals have troubled histories in Food and Drug Administration testing themselves, and come with a list of side effects including hostility, aggression, confusional states, and impulse-control disorders. This list of drugs shows which are most linked to violent behavior.
FDA: Drug Companies Faked Thousands of Drug Documents
According to the Food and Drug Administration, a major drug research contractor has been found faking documents and manipulating samples. The firm, Cetero Research, has tested medicines for major drug companies that are now being forced to reevaluate their products in response to warnings issued by US regulators. The news may be from 2010, but is an example of pharma corruption nonetheless.
Capsaicin and Weight Loss: How Hot Peppers Burn Fat
The link between hot peppers, or their active component capsaicin, and weight loss is not new. It’s been well recognized for some time that eating peppers or adding capsaicin to your diet could help you lose weight by boosting thermogenesis, or the rate at which your body burns fat. However, researchers in Korea have gone even deeper in understanding the hot pepper- fat connection, finding that the relationship is far more complex, and even more promising.
Use Flaxseeds for Protection Against Radiation Exposure
You may now know that flaxseeds work to protect the body from radiation exposure. As the threat of another Fukushima or nuclear weapon use is always present, even if the odds are against it, it’s good to know something as affordable and unassuming as flaxseeds could protect you. It was found that the flax seems to protect lungs and other healthy tissues and organs before radiation exposure and reduce damage after exposure as well.
