Author: Staff (Page 65 of 157)

Poison Kiss?

February 17, 2012 / Staff

The FDA finds lead in 400 shades of lipstick.

There is no immediate concern as the effects of lead poisoning are cumulative.

In a letter to the FDA last week, the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics countered that “lead builds up in the body over time and lead-containing lipstick applied several times a day, every day, can add up to significant exposure levels” — a particular concern for millions of women of childbearing age, the group said. Citing a recent report by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention stating that no amount of lead is safe for children and that exposure in both children and pregnant women should be prevented, the group pushed the FDA again to set a maximum allowable limit for lead in cosmetics.

Quality Control, Wellness

environmental health FDA lead lead in lipstick lead poisoning

Super-Sized In A Kid Sized World

February 16, 2012 / Staff

Obese children are having trouble fitting into their child-sized world.

“That is an obesity trend reflected in the furniture,” said Tom Brennan, president of School Outfitters, which sells school furniture. “For perspective, when we look at import product from China, you can tell the difference from the China market and the U.S. market. The buckets are generally not wide enough. They have to be designed specifically for the U.S.”

School furniture and kid’s clothes are all undergoing size adjustments to accommodate larger children who are not only more hefty but taller as well.

Quality Control, Research, Wellness

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Mediterranean Diet May Help Protect The Brain As Well As The Heart

February 16, 2012 / Staff

The Mediterranean diet is not only good for your heart but for your brain, as well, study shows.

All those beautiful fresh, colorful foods might be able to help to boost brain health.

Fresh fruits and vegetables, olive oil, nuts and fish are the staples of the diet credited with improving health and wellness.

Dr. Wright cautioned that the study doesn’t prove that a Mediterranean-style diet causes less brain damage and said more study is needed. But he said it indicates that the diet might be protective of small blood vessels in the brain.

Nutrition, Quality Control, Research, Wellness

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Stem Cells May Be The Answer to Fixing Broken Hearts

February 15, 2012 / Staff

The potential success of this research could hold a lot of promise for the millions of Americans who suffer from heart disease each and every year, which is the leading cause of death in the United States.

In a ground-breaking study that may change how heart attacks are treated, Dr. Eduardo Marban and his team used stem cells to re-grow damaged heart muscle. In the 17 patients who received the therapy, Marban measured an average 50 percent reduction in the size of the scar tissue
“One of the holy grails in medicine has been the use of medicine to achieve regeneration,” Marban said. “Patients that were treated not only experienced shrinkage of their scars, but also new growth of their heart muscle, which is very exciting.”

Research, Wellness

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What Whitney Houston’s Death Teaches Us About Addiction

February 15, 2012 / Staff

Self awareness is critical to recovery.

Relapse is always right around the corner.

Addicts need to be aware of the triggers that draw them back into addiction and stay away.

Aside from any physical challenges, overcoming addiction is hard work mentally and emotionally. And if you let down your guard, warns interventionist and “How to Help the One You Love” author Brad Lamm, it can come back with a vengeance — as bad, if not worse, than before.
That’s why specialists say it is so imperative that an addict know what places, situations, smells are more likely to set him or her back.
They generally recommend that those who have been hooked before — on whatever substance — avoid situations like a raging party or raucous club scene, as well as that they take pains to limit their exposure to prescription drugs or alcohol.