Health care news

Thumbs Down on Echinacea for Kids Herb Has No Effect on Common Cold Written by Jeanie Lerche Davis From the WebMD Archives May 8, 2002 -- Despite the hype over echinacea, the herb has little effect on the common cold in children . That's the result of a new study, presented this week at the Pediatric Academic Society meeting in Seattle. In their study, researchers gave either echinacea syrup or a placebo to 524 children with upper respiratory infections -- the common cold. Parents recorded the severity of four symptoms -- runny nose , nasal congestion, cough , or sneezing -- for up to 10 days. The duration of all kids' colds was nine days, and the severity of common cold symptoms was the same, reports James Taylor, MD, with the Child Health Institute at the University of Washington in Seattle. "Echinacea ... had no effect on the duration or severity of [common colds ] in children," writes Taylor. In fact, its use was associated with an increase incidence of ra...

Home Remedies May Put Children at Risk Many Parents Unaware of Possible Dangers of Giving Kids Herbal Supplements From the WebMD Archives May 5, 2003 -- Many children may be on the receiving end of a wide variety of herbal supplements and home remedies with little thought given to the potential dangers of these therapies. New research shows more than three-quarters of caregivers who give their children herbal supplements or home remedies are unaware or don't believe these therapies can cause dangerous side effects. The study, published in the May issue of Pediatrics , found that 53% of caregivers surveyed in a large urban hospital reported giving their children herbal products at least once in the last year, and 27% used three or more different types. Researchers say the study shows that herbal and home therapies are widely used among children, but few parents and other caregivers are aware of the potential risks of these approaches, such as dangerous drug interactions. "Ma...

Search for Meaning Boosts Immunity Immune System Stronger in Those Who Find Meaning in Grief Written by Daniel J. DeNoon From the WebMD Archives April 30, 2003 -- Seeking -- and finding -- positive meaning in grief may boost the immune system. There's a lot of evidence that stressful life events can harm a person's health. There's also a lot of evidence that people are capable of amazing resilience. Many people thrive after surviving tragedy. Why? Many things must be involved. Julienne E. Bower, PhD, and colleagues at the University of California, Los Angeles, looked at one of them. They studied 43 women who had just lost a close relative to breast cancer . They also looked at a set of important immune cells -- natural killer cells -- in the women's blood . Bower and colleagues found the women who placed the most importance on cultivating relationships, personal development, and striving for meaning in life had the most active immune cells. And over a four-week per...

Mimicking Emotions Creates Empathy When We Mirror Facial Expressions, We Trigger More Activity in Brain's Emotion Centers Written by Jeanie Lerche Davis From the WebMD Archives April 8, 2003 -- You don't know a man until you've walked in his shoes. Indeed, what makes us empathize with others? What makes us feel the emotions that another person feels -- the joy, sadness, pain? UCLA researchers say they've uncovered the brain mechanism that governs empathy. Using an advanced imaging technique, they found that empathic actions -- like mirroring someone's facial expressions -- trigger far greater activity in the emotion centers of the brain than merely observing the person's facial expressions. This activity takes place in an oval-shaped section of the brain called the insula. It is key to translating the imitation of others' feelings into meaningful emotion, researchers say. Their study appears in this month's Proceedings of the National Academy of S...

When To Turn TV Off Experts: Keep Up With TV News But Don't Wallow in it Written by Daniel J. DeNoon From the WebMD Archives March 27, 2003 -- It's important to keep up with what's going on in the news. But when is it time to turn the TV off? On the day of the World Trade Center and Pentagon attacks -- and for many days thereafter -- Americans learned what it was to watch too much TV news. Some people even developed serious psychiatric problems from the trauma of it all. We wondered how much TV was too much. And we wondered how much our children should see. Experts warned us to limit viewing, and to keep track of what our kids were watching. As the current war in Iraq stretches on, we are beginning to ask ourselves the same questions. Some of the answers are the same. But some things are different, says Paul Kettl, MD, professor of psychiatry at Penn State University's Hershey Medical Center and specialist on the psychological impact of TV disaster coverage. "...

Americans Sad, Confident, Proud War News Leaves Us Conflicted, Worried Written by Jeanie Lerche Davis From the WebMD Archives March 27, 2003 -- Americans have conflicted emotions about war news. While relatively few have publicly expressed their views through demonstrations -- either for or against the war -- many are reacting in more private and personal ways, according to a new Gallup poll. The poll, based on telephone interviews with 1,020 Americans over age 18, is the latest comparing Americans' reaction to the war news from Iraq and the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks. According to the poll, large majorities of Americans say that as a result of the war with Iraq, they feel confident yet sad, and proud. But the polls shows that Americans' emotions are quickly changing -- at least between March 17 and this past weekend. 75% felt confident this past weekend, up from 52% 10 days ago. The percentage of Americans who said they were afraid has fallen -- from 48% to 26% this past w...

Echinacea Products Often Not As Promised Labels on popular herbal supplement frequently inaccurate From the WebMD Archives March 26, 2003 -- A new study provides yet another example of how you don't always get what you pay for when it comes to buying herbal supplements . A sampling of popular echinacea products shows that only about half actually contain the same amount of the herb indicated on the label, and many don't contain any echinacea at all. Researchers say sales of echinacea represent about 10% of all herbal supplement sales in the U.S. Herbal supplements are currently not subject to FDA evaluation and approval, but the agency proposed new labeling standards for nutritional supplements to help ensure quality control earlier this month. In recent years, echinacea has gained a reputation as an immune-system booster and cold fighter, although clinical evidence about the herbal supplement is limited. In addition, researchers say most consumers are not aware that there ...

Men's Sweat May Soothe a Woman's Soul Male Pheromones Relax Women, Stimulate Hormonal Response From the WebMD Archives March 19, 2003 -- The scent of a good man may be music to a woman's nose. Researchers say the odorless pheromones found in male perspiration can have a dramatic effect on both a woman's mind and body. A new study found exposure to male pheromones can boost a woman's mood and stimulate the release of a hormone that regulates the menstrual cycle. In the study, researchers applied extracts of underarm secretions from male volunteers to the upper lips of 18 women between the ages of 25 and 45. None of the women knew that male sweat had been applied to their lips, and some thought they were involved in a study of alcohol or perfume or even lemon floor wax. The women then rated their moods over six hours of exposure; they consistently reported feeling less tension and more relaxed. "Much to our surprise, the women reported feeling less tense and m...

Anxiety Rises as Threat of War Nears Uncertainty Keeps Nation's Nerves on Edge Written by Daniel J. DeNoon From the WebMD Archives

What Kept Elizabeth Smart From Escaping? Subconscious Adapts to Horror in Order to Endure It Written by Jeanie Lerche Davis From the WebMD Archives March 14, 2003 -- After nine months, Elizabeth Smart is back home. And this is raising questions about how her captor kept a 15-year-old from escaping when she may have had opportunity. Was she brainwashed? At this point, details of her ordeal remain a mystery. But psychologists voice a few opinions about Elizabeth Smart's state of mind during her disappearance. Some liken it to the so-called "Stockholm syndrome," referring to the 1973 bank holdup of four Swedes for six days. During that time, the four bank employees became emotionally attached to their captors. "Stockholm syndrome is not brainwashing -- it is a means to endure the violence, a survival technique that the brain uses," says Alan Hilfer, PhD, child psychologist with Maimonides Medical Center in Brooklyn. Brainwashing typically involves withholding...

"Reality" TV Trigger Health Issues? Are You Hot? could be trouble for teens, others prone to eating disorders. Written by Sid Kirchheimer From the WebMD Archives Feb. 28, 2003 -- First there were The Bachelor, The Bachelorette, and Joe Millionaire -- shows that seemingly ignore the necessities for matrimonial bliss in exchange for Nielsen ratings -- and quite successfully. Now new concerns are emerging over one of the latest "reality" television shows and potential eating disorders . In Are You Hot? The Search for America's Sexiest People , a parade of eye candy displays well-sculptured pecs and perky breasts before celebrity judges, who then detail the contestants' not-so-apparent physical flaws. Entertaining perhaps, but some say this ABC show hits at the emotional health of those who are particularly vulnerable -- teens and others prone to eating disorders . "Individuals on this show are basically deciding that they're going to trade 10 mi...

Unhappy? Try Acting Like an Extrovert You Can Fake Your Way Into Being Happy, Study Suggests Written by Fern Garber From the WebMD Archives Feb. 25, 2003 -- Feeling a little down? Maybe you can fake your way into happiness! You may have more control over your mood than you think. According to new research, people who choose to act more outgoing or assertive can actually improve their outlook on life. The research is published in a recent issue of the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology . In three complementary studies, William Fleeson and colleagues tracked the moods of more than 100 students. In the first study, 46 students kept diaries for approximately two weeks. They reported feeling happier and more positive when they acted outgoing. When acting shy and reserved, their feelings were just the opposite. The second study looked at long-term effects of acting like an extrovert. Once again, the 10-week study revealed that the 57 students in this portion of the study were h...

Ginseng May Improve Memory After Stroke Stroke Experts Say More Evidence is Still Needed Written by Peggy Peck From the WebMD Archives Feb. 14, 2003 (Phoenix) -- In a small study people who had stroke induced dementia had memory improvements after taking ginseng, a popular treatment in traditional Chinese medicine. Stroke researchers from Beijing University of Chinese Medicine and Dongzhimen Hospital, Beijing, China say ginseng appears to boost the activities of the brain chemical acetylcholine, a substance in the brain that's involved in memory. Researcher Jinzhou Tian, MD, tells WebMD that studies in mice confirmed this effect but this is the first study to report the same effect in human brains. The study results were presented here at the American Stroke Association's 28th International Stroke Conference. The researchers tested 40 patients who had suffered brain damage from multiple small strokes. They randomly assigned 25 patients to get a ginseng tablet three ti...

Fighting Terror With Duct Tape, Plastic? Could Work if Done Right, But Doesn't Protect Against Certain Agents Written by Sid Kirchheimer From the WebMD Archives Feb. 13, 2003 -- The nation's security level isn't the only thing that's been raised in recent days. So have questions about exactly how duct tape and plastic sheeting that is only slightly thicker than a garbage bag can go from being staples of building contractors to your recommended life insurance policy against a possible terrorist attack. For answers, WebMD tracked down the scientist who compiled the actual recommendations released by the Federal Emergency Medical Agency, which advised Americans to keep both items on hand in the event of an attack using biological or chemical agents. "The recommendations for sealing off a room with plastic sheeting and duct tape are based on what Israel has done since the 1980s to protect its people against chemical weapon attacks -- and were widely used during th...

Meditation May Help Ward Off Illness Study: Impact on anxiety, immunity may help explain its effect on health Written by Salynn Boyles From the WebMD Archives Feb. 7, 2003 -- Once viewed as a somewhat suspect practice by many Westerners, meditation is becoming mainstream. The ancient discipline is increasingly being embraced within traditional medical circles as a powerful healing tool, and now new research may help explain why it works. A University of Wisconsin, Madison, study, reported in the February issue of the journal Psychosomatic Medicine , shows that meditation not only has clear effects in areas of the brain focused on emotion, but it also may strengthen the ability of a person to ward off illness. Researcher Richard J. Davidson, PhD, and colleagues measured brain electrical activity among 25 subjects before, immediately after, and four months following their participation in an eight-week training course in what's called mindfulness meditation. The stress-reductio...

Perspective on Herbal Remedies Experts Call for Better FDA Regulation Written by Jeanie Lerche Davis From the WebMD Archives Dec. 18, 2002 -- Herbal medicines come under scrutiny in a leading medical journal this week. Millions are trying echinacea, ginkgo biloba , St. John's wort, and many, many more. But researchers pose serious questions regarding their quality, safety, and effectiveness. "We are in the midst of a public health experiment that much of academic medicine has failed to acknowledge until recently," writes Stephen E. Straus, MD, director of the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine , a branch of the National Institutes of Health. In the Dec. 19 issue of The New England Journal of Medicine , Straus and others voice their opinions about herbal medicines . One big problem: Herbal products are regulated as dietary supplements and are therefore not subject to quality and safety requirements that other drugs must meet. "With herbal ...

Too Sick for a Vacation Driven Personalities Can Have a Hard Time Relaxing Even During a Break From the WebMD Archives Dec. 4, 2002 -- Vacations and leisure time usually provide welcome relief from the stresses of everyday life, but for some people free time may make them sick. For the first time, a new study shows "leisure sickness" may be a real issue for a significant number of adults. Until now, Dutch researchers say only occasional references have been made to the phenomenon of leisure sickness, which they say can best be described as frequently feeling ill during weekends and/or vacations. To get a first look at the nature of the condition how common it is, they surveyed about 2,000 men and women about whether they fit that description of weekend and vacation sickness. Their report appears in the current issue of Psychotherapy and Psychosomatics. They found 3.2% of both men and women identified themselves as suffering from vacation illness, but more men than women (...

Don't Blame Gulf War for Illness Study Says British Vets' Symptoms Not From Persian Gulf Service From the WebMD Archives Nov. 25, 2002 -- If there's a distinct "Gulf War syndrome" that afflicts veterans of that conflict a decade ago, British researchers say it also occurs in their soldiers who served thousands of miles away ... or never even saw battle. In a study published in the Nov. 26 edition of Neurology, investigators say they found no specific medical problems linked to service in the Gulf War that weren't similar to those reported by soldiers who served in Bosnia or never even deployed. Their conclusion comes after doing medical evaluations on 110 veterans, after surveying nearly 8,200. "Physical examinations of all participants were generally unremarkable," lead researcher M.K. Sharief, MD, PhD, of Guy's Hospital in London, says in a news release. "The symptoms reported by Gulf War veterans are not associated with objective dysfu...

Flaxseed Might Block Prostate Cancer Holds Promise as a Cancer Preventive Written by Jeanie Lerche Davis Medically Reviewed by Charlotte E. Grayson Mathis, MD From the WebMD Archives Nov. 11, 2002 -- There's more positive news about a diet rich in flaxseed . The omega-3 fatty acids and fiber in flaxseed could possibly tame the severity of prostate cancer. A study of mice shows that flaxseed in the diet helped improve prostate tumors (reducing their size and severity), and even prevented some of the mice from developing the disease. "We are cautiously optimistic about these findings," says lead study investigator Wendy Demark-Wahnefried, PhD, associate professor of urology at Duke University Medical Center, in a news release. Her study appears in this month's issue of of the medical journal Urology . Other studies have suggested that dietary fiber reduces cancer risk, and that omega-3 fatty acids have a protective benefit against cancer . Flaxseed is the ric...