Diesel exhaust fumes affect people with asthma

This is the first study to investigate in a real-life setting, outside of the laboratory, if traffic fumes make symptoms worse for people with asthma. Two thirds of people with asthma believe this to be the case.
– Diesel exhaust fumes on polluted streets have a measurable effect on people with asthma, according to the first study looking at exhausts and asthma in a real-life setting, published on 6 December in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Reduce excess salt in food

American Medical Association asked the FDA to set strict limits on salt in processed foods and work to better educate the public on the benefits of a low-sodium diet.
– In an effort to reduce the burden of heart disease and stroke, the American Medical Association (AMA) testified to the Food and Drug Administration urging immediate action to reduce excess salt in food. The AMA asked the FDA to set strict limits on salt in processed foods and work to better educate the public on the benefits of a low-sodium diet.

Sleep disordered breathing affects obese children

Sleep disordered breathing affects obese and overweight children. Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) can pose serious health threats.
– As the obesity epidemic grows in the U.S., doctors are discovering more and more far reaching health concerns for overweight children. Sleep-disordered breathing (SDB), which can include various sleep behaviors ranging in severity from snoring to obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), disproportionately affects children who are overweight and African- American, according to a new study published in the December 2007 edition of Otolaryngology ? Head and Neck Surgery.

Folic acid reduces alcohol-related damage in alcoholics

A new study with groundbreaking public health implications for treating alcoholism and preventing Fetal Alcohol Syndrome has shown that a byproduct of methanol, a contaminant found in many alcoholic beverages, causes neurotoxicity that can be mitigated by folic acid.
– Folic acid found helpful for treating alcoholism and preventing Fetal Alcohol Syndrome, revealed by researchers in a recent study.

Right diet and lifestyle may help infertile women

Right dietary choices and the right amount of physical activity in daily life may increase probability of becoming fertile if one is experiencing problems with ovulation and infertility. – Women who followed a combination of five or more lifestyle factors, including changing specific aspects of their diets, experienced more than 80 percent less relative risk of infertility due to ovulatory disorders compared to women who engaged in none of the factors, according to a paper published in the November 1, 2007, issue of Obstetrics & Gynecology.

HIV AIDS drug cost trends in Brazil

Brazil facing significant challenges with the rising cost of providing universal access to HIV/AIDS treatment. – AIDS continues to be a staggering global public health problem. The World Health Organization estimates that two million people in developing countries (or 25% of those in need in developing countries) receive treatment known as HAART (highly active antiretroviral therapy), more commonly known as “AIDS cocktails.”

$2 million of potentially harmful cosmetic eye product seized in US

Harmful cosmetic eye products may increase the risk of optic nerve damage, macular edema, uveitis leading to decreased vision and blindness. – At the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, U.S. Marshals seized 12,682 applicator tubes of Age Intervention Eyelash, a product that may, in some users, lead to decreased vision. Authorities said the sales value of the seized tubes is approximately $2 million.

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