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ADHD
Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder - could it be related to subtle lead intoxication and maternal smoking

Aging
Population aging
Preventing disease and modifying the aging process - A mixture of proven tests and actions, good science, and wishful thinking
The world's aging population and scientific attempts to make it an even greater problem
Population aging is a worldwide problem - and it has many potential consequences
Extraordinary longevity: Individual and societal issues
Creating very old people - the science continues to move with stunning speed
Can a good diet help prevent disability in later life?
Caloric restriction for six months produces interesting biochemical and metabolic changes associated with anti-aging
Many more older people, but much less frailty - unfortunately, a mirage
The fountain of youth - well, not quite yet
DHEA and testosterone - fountains of youth or a lot of hype?
Low social status shortens our biologic clicks
Growth hormone to reverse or prevent aging - forget it
The new demographic transition

Aggressive Behavior/ Anger
Video games and aggressive behavior
Does anger cause heart attacks?

Air Pollution
Air pollution and health:
Two medical reports from Overseas, two policy reports from the United States
Air pollution and lung cancer - More evidence

Alcohol
Very moderate alcohol intake reduces the risk of stroke; or does it?
Moderate drinking - a health benefit or not

Alternative Medicine
Alternative medicines - The need for careful evaluation
Alternative and complementary medicines: Reality testing is inevitable
Another example of the importance of multiple, careful studies in determining the value of alternative medicine

Alzheimer’s
Alzheimer’s prevention and treatment with estrogens; half a loaf at most
Could cholesterol-lowering drugs reduce the risk of developing Alzheimer's disease? Maybe they can, but it's too soon to be sure.
Lead and Alzheimer's
Blood pressure, cholesterol, and Alzheimer's: They could be connected
Can a little physical activity really prevent Alzheimer's? Don't bet on it!
Estrogens and prevention of Alzheimer's: The jury is still out
What do homocysteine blood levels have to do with Alzheimer's? Maybe a lot.
Can taking antioxidants really prevent Alzheimer disease?
Can diet prevent Alzheimer's?
An alcoholic drink a week or each day reduces risk of Alzheimer Disease and other dementias - don't bet on it
Diet and Alzheimer Disease
Eat oily fish once a week and reduce your risk of Alzheimer's by 60 percent. Maybe.
Estrogen and prevention of Alzheimer's - More encouraging and discouraging evidence
Can keeping mentally active prevent Alzheimer disease and other dementias?
Can antioxidant vitamins reduce the risk of Alzheimer's?
Estrogens to protect mental function and prevent Alzheimer's - More negative information
Can eating fish reduce the risk of Alzheimer's disease? Maybe it can.
Prevention of Alzheimer's - Still a muddle
Walking and dementia or mental function loss
Tea and Alzheimer's - A bit of hope, a lot of hype
Risk factors for heart disease may also be risk factors for dementia, supposedly including Alzheimer's
Vitamin E in the possible prevention of Alzheimer's
Obesity at age 50 seems to increase risk of later dementia and Alzheimer Disease
Statins in the treatment of Alzheimer’s
Physical activity in prevention of Alzheimer's - very interesting, but not conclusive
Can the Mediterranean diet prevent Alzheimer’s?
Do the mild memory problems (senior moments) of older people signify greater risk of Alzheimer’s?
Diet and age-related loss of mental (cognitive) function
Omega-3 fatty acids in the prevention of Alzheimer’s - more encouraging evidence
Preventing Alzheimer’s Disease - now its fruits and vegetable juices
Folic acid supplements improve some aspects of mental function in older men and women
Can the Mediterranean diet help prevent Alzheimer’s?

Antioxidants
Antioxidant supplements - Health promoters or maybe even lethal?

Arteriosclerosis
Is infection a cause of arteriosclerosis, coronary heart disease, and heart attacks?

Aspirin
Is it a good idea to take aspirin to try to prevent a stroke or heart attack?
Aspirin to prevent heart attacks
Aspirin - The magic pill - Proven or not
Does an aspirin a day reduce the risk of stroke in women?
Low-dose aspirin and vitamin E in people at cardiovascular risk
The aspirin debate revisited
Aspirin use and pancreatic cancer
More on aspirin use and protection against bowel tumors
Aspirin in the prevention of heart attacks - more data
Does aspirin increase the risk of pancreatic cancer? Maybe, maybe not.
Aspirin helps prevent bowel cancer under certain circumstances
Aspirin and bleeding - a somewhat worrying report
Aspirin in the prevention of heart attack and stroke - a big study, no final answer
Aspirin for prevention of heart attacks
Can daily use of aspirin reduce the risk of certain cancers? Maybe it can

Back Pain
Low back pain - Surprising results about mattress firmness

Beta Carotene
Does beta carotene protect against prostate cancer?

Bike Helmets
Sensible laws can help the implementation of sensible public health behaviors

Bladder Cancer
A new test for bladder cancer - not ready for routine use
A new screening test for bladder cancer? Not yet.

Blindness (see also Macular Degeneration)
Antioxidants, zinc, and prevention of age-related blindness
Is dietary fat a risk factor for blindness in older people?
Is the cause of vision loss and blindness in older people an infectious agent?
Prevention of blindness in older people
Diet and age-related visual impairment - an impressive study
Smoking and age-related blindness - still unsettled
Fish in the prevention of blindness in older people

Blood Pressure (Including Hypertension)
High blood pressure: It is epidemic, under recognized, and inadequately treated
Modest weight loss and blood pressure control: It really does work
Blood pressure, cholesterol, and Alzheimer's: They could be connected
Fruits, vegetables, dairy foods, salt, and high blood pressure - Your diet can make a difference
Diet with or without salt restriction can keep your blood pressure lower or can treat mild hypertension
Blood pressure - Who to screen and when
The changing approach to evaluating blood pressure
Lower blood pressure is a lot safer - more evidence
Overweight, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure: More bad news for adults in the USA
High blood lead levels are associated with higher blood pressure in middle-aged women
New blood pressure recommendations: Just what we have been saying all along
Personality characteristics and hypertension risk in young adults -There does seem to be a connection
High blood pressure - a growing American epidemic
Can olive oil be recommended to help keep blood pressure in the normal or optimal range?
Folic acid and prevention of high blood pressure
Is "normal" blood pressure too high?
Soy protein reduces blood pressure in people with modest hypertension
Weight loss and long-term risk of hypertension - an encouraging study
Hypertension occurrence and treatment - a sobering report
Chocolate, cocoa, blood pressure, and mortality
Treating pre-hypertension with drugs - a slippery slope
Dairy products and blood pressure - low fat is better

Breast Cancer
Tamoxifen and breast cancer prevention
Does oral contraceptive use promote breast cancer?
DDE and DDT in breast tissue and risk of female breast cancer
Post-menopausal hormone use - how much risk of developing breast cancer?
Every woman over age 40 should get an annual mammogram
Milk supposedly protects against breast cancer, but it allegedly promotes prostate cancer - or does it?
Tamoxifen to prevent breast cancer in healthy women: A warning
Self breast examination-worthless for early cancer detection or an unfairly negative judgement?
The attack on mammography - Should it be taken seriously?
Does physical activity reduce the risk of developing breast cancer?
The mammography debate: A "new" controversy, but it's much ado about very little
Breast self examination - Worth doing or not?
Are there better screening tests for breast cancer than mammography?
Does use of estrogen or estrogen-progestin hormones after menopause increase the risk of breast cancer? It probably does, but the increased risk is modest.
Drugs to prevent breast cancer - Still no answers
Fruits, vegetables, carotenes, and breast cancer. Are they protective?
Can anti-inflammatory drugs prevent breast cancer? Don't bet on it.
Prevention of breast cancer with Tamoxifen
Alcohol, tobacco, and breast cancer
Hormone replacement therapy and breast cancer: more data
Hormone replacement therapy for postmenopausal women and breast cancer risk -Close to the last word
Early detection of and screening for breast cancer: New guidelines, but no big changes
Dietary fat and breast cancer
Mammography does work - a new powerful study
Does physical activity reduce the risk of breast cancer? The answer is probably yes, to a modest extent; but, what kind of exercise and how much?
Can including lots of vegetables and fruits in your diet reduce the risk of breast cancer?
The oral contraceptive pill does not increase the risk of breast cancer
Breast cancer risk in high risk women is affected by weight and physical activity
The aspirin debate revisited
Do antibiotics cause or promote breast cancer?
Soy products and breast cancer: Still no definitive answer
Overweight is related to breast cancer
Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI) for early detection of breast cancer But is it better?
A good intake of vegetables and fruits does not appear to protect against breast cancer
Annual mammograms are the best approach to preventing invasive breast cancer. What about the false positives?
We may have a much longer way to go in regard to mammogram screening for breast cancer than we think
Low fat diet and risk of breast and bowel cancers
Eat less red meat, get less breast cancer - maybe
Weight gain as a risk factor for post-menopausal breast cancer
Physical activity in prevention of breast cancer -- maybe it is lifetime activity and maybe it can be of only moderate intensity

Calcium
Does a good amount of calcium in your diet or as a dietary supplement protect against bowel cancer?
Is too much calcium dangerous?
Calcium does more than create strong bones; it can prevent lead poisoning in young children
Calcium intake can prevent bowel tumors, but only with the help of vitamin D
Vitamin D and calcium does not help older person with a previous fracture. The implications are limited.
Report says calcium-vitamin D supplements do not reduce fractures - but that is not really true
Determination of calcium in the heart - despite the hype, still not ready for general use
Calcium and vitamin D supplementation and risk of bowel cancer

Cancer
Can garlic prevent cancer?
Cellular telephones and cancer: A good study, no relationship
Does folic acid protect against pancreatic cancer?
Overweight, obesity, and cancer: How strong is the evidence?
Can your diet prevent cancer?
Overweight and kidney cancer
Are physical activity and overweight risk factors for pancreatic cancer?
Can physical activity reduce the risk of certain cancers? It would be nice if it could.
Diet and cancer - A good review
Power lines may raise cancer risk - That was the headline, but is it true?
The role of physical activity in protecting against cancer, stroke, and heart attack
More on diet, exercise, and cancer prevention
If you walk one mile a day, can you reduce your risk of heart attack and cancer? Maybe, maybe not
Mistletoe - Does it help in patients with cancer?
Diet does appear to be related to deaths from heart attacks and cancer
Overweight and cancer: The evidence appears undeniable
Green (and, to a lesser extent, black) tea - magical potions or hype - or a little of both
Does aspirin increase the risk of pancreatic cancer? Maybe, maybe not.
Hair dyes and a type of cancer - Not really a problem
Soy and soy products in cancer prevention
Low dose antioxidants: Can they protect against cancer?
Coffee and prevention of cancer - two studies, one positive, one negative
Can statins prevent cancer as well as heart attacks?
Vitamin E in prevention of heart disease and cancer and low dose aspirin in prevention of cancer - two largely negative reports
Statins and cancer prevention - forget it
Vitamin D and cancer prevention
Does a good folic acid intake help prevent pancreatic cancer?
Do cellular telephones or cordless telephones increase cancer risk? Not to worry, at present
Fruits and vegetables in prevention of heart disease, strokes, and cancer
Vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids in prevention of kidney and pancreatic cancer
Can daily use of aspirin reduce the risk of certain cancers? Maybe it can

Cataracts
Vitamins and cataracts - a valuable lesson
Cataracts and smoking: More bad news for smokers
Cataracts and estrogens
Vitamins and cataracts: Do they or don't they prevent cataracts
Lead and cataracts - a possible relationship

Cervical Cancer
A new Pap test?
Pap test for cervical cancer in older women - when to stop
Newer pap smears
Chlamydia infection and cancer of the cervix - are they connected? If so, how strong is the evidence and what should be done about it?
A vaccine to prevent cervical cancer - Could it make the pap test obsolete?
Screening annually for cervical cancer does not make sense
More bad news for women who smoke
The new Merck vaccine against cervical cancer - we are debating the wrong issue

Chelation
Cautionary tale #101: This time it's chelation

Cholesterol
So you want to lower your cholesterol level without taking drugs?
Another cholesterol lowering food
You should know your cholesterol: high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL) ratio but, most people don’t
Cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins -effective , but maybe some dangers.
How effective is garlic in lowering blood cholesterol levels?
Good cholesterol (HDL)
Will eating nuts reduce blood cholesterol levels?
Raising high density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-good cholesterol) does protect against heart attack
Blood pressure, cholesterol, and alzheimer's: They could be connected
The New Cholesterol Guidelines
High-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-good cholesterol) and risk of stroke
More possibly good news about the powerful cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins
Trans-fatty acids. How bad are they for you?
Cholesterol levels and deaths: A bit of a shocker
Who should be taking the powerful cholesterol-lowering drugs called statins? The slippery slope
Even if you are taking cholesterol-lowering drugs, diet still matters.
Are blood cholesterol levels related to likelihood of mental impairment and dementia?
The influence of amount and intensity of exercise on cholesterol and other lipids
Major cholesterol-lowering by diet alone - Maybe it can be done
Can tea drinking lower your cholesterol? Maybe
High cholesterol levels do matter at any age
Three dietary supplements and herbs for cholesterol lowering - One potentially good, one undocumented, one probably no good
High-density lipoprotein cholesterol - HDL, good cholesterol - really is important for the heart
Vegetarian diet - How much cholesterol lowering?
There is now a real possibility levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL, good cholesterol) can be markedly increased
Statin drugs for most adults - a matter of concern
A high cholesterol is a risk factor for heart attack in men over age 65
Bad cholesterol (LDL, low-density lipoprotein cholesterol). How low should it be? Will almost everyone be on statin drugs? The new guidelines.
Soy and isoflavones in mental function, cholesterol lowering, and osteoporosis
The most effective type of cholesterol-lowering diet. - more data
A diet rich in cholesterol-lowering foods - it does work
Cholesterol lowering: How low is low enough?
Statin drugs for high blood cholesterol levels - more clear evidence of efficacy
Policonasol for cholesterol lowering: A sobering report
Garlic in lowering blood cholesterol levels - a negative report

Chondroitin
Are glucosamine and chondroitin really effective in osteoarthritis?

Chromium Picolinate
Chromium picolinate - a warning

Coenzyme Q10 (CoQ10)
CoQ10
CoQ10 helps in rare neurological diseases
Coenzyme Q10 and the heart: A good study raises serious doubts

Coffee
Coffee drinking during pregnancy - a need for moderation
Can drinking coffee reduce the risk of diabetes?
Coffee consumption does not cause heart attacks - supposedly the last word, but it isn’t
Coffee helps prevent liver damage from heavy alcohol use
Coffee, genetic predisposition, and risk of heart attack
Coffee and green tea consumption lower the risk of diabetes? Maybe.

Cold/Flu
Zinc for the prevention or treatment of the common cold - More mixed, but mostly negative, data
Echinacea for the common cold: A controlled study
Influenza - 2004 could be a bad year
Echinacea: It can produce a rash, but will it cure your cold?
Vitamin E in prevention of colds in older people

Colonoscopy
More on virtual colonoscopy - still not ready for prime time

Coronary Heart Disease
Estrogens and coronary heart disease - they may well reduce risk in younger postmenopausal women
Lifetime physical activity and likelihood of coronary heart disease

C-Reactive Protein
The C-reactive protein test as a predictor of heart attack and stroke - It gets closer to prime time
Should everyone have a blood test to check for evidence of inflammation?
C-reactive protein as a predictive test: More reasons for its not being ready for general use
C-Reactive Protein - More controversy
Should C-reactive protein (CRP) be measured along with cholesterol levels to determine heart attack risk?
C-reactive Protein - more negative news

Depression
St John’s Wort and depression
Depression is a major problem in American society
Depression as a risk factor for coronary heart disease and death in older men and women
St John's wort for moderately severe depression - More evidence it does not work
Depression - It is a major problem and it is woefully under treated
Depression predicts heart attack occurrence
Dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) for treatment of mild to moderate depression
Depression appears to lead to later physical disability
The relation of low thyroid activity to depression or mental function -
there probably isn’t any

Diabetes
Can walking reduce the risk of developing adult-onset diabetes?
Twin American epidemics: Obesity and Diabetes
Weight loss by diet and medication reduces the risk of developing diabetes
Under diagnosis of diabetes in older people
Prevention of adult onset (type 2) diabetes - very good news
Why do a blood sugar test at the annual prevention examination?
Prevention of adult type of diabetes by changing dietary fat
Preventing diabetes with exercise, diet, and weight loss
Prevention of type 2 diabetes - A lifestyle approach
Prevention of adult onset diabetes - It really is possible
Drinking alcohol daily can help prevent adult onset diabetes - Maybe
Prevention of adult onset diabetes - more impressive data
Multivitamin and mineral supplements to prevent infections; They seem to work in diabetics
Overweight, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure: More bad news for adults in the USA
Nuts and peanut butter allegedly reduce the risk of type 2 diabetes in women
Screening for diabetes - The United States Preventive Services Task Force weighs in - But they get it wrong
Can drinking coffee reduce the risk of diabetes?
Walking improves pre-diabetic status in overweight women
Physical inactivity and overweight alone and together promote diabetes
A newer test for blood glucose - it may be very useful
Predicting diabetes risk from a higher normal blood glucose level
Diabetes and bowel cancer
The diabetes mess
Coffee and green tea consumption lower the risk of diabetes? Maybe.
Coffee and protection from diabetes - more data, but is it clear?
Will we all be taking different drugs to reduce risk of hypertension, diabetes, and heart attack?

Diarrhea
The burden of food-borne diarrheal disease.

Diet
Two studies of the Atkins diet: Much ado about surprisingly little.
More on diet, exercise, and cancer prevention
Less healthy diets are linked to low income
Is olive oil the beneficial component in the Mediterranean diet?
The Mediterranean Diet and lifestyle changes do seem to make a difference
Diet and exercise can slow arteriosclerosis in postmenopausal women
Measuring the effect of diet on disease: It depends on how you ask the questions or analyze the data
The Mediterranean diet - it has real health benefits
The downside of dietary supplements - another warning
More isn't always better
More evidence on the Mediterranean diet - and its pretty positive
Fish in the diet: The benefit to harm ratio is very high

Drought
Drought

Drugs
Mandatory drug testing of high school athletes: Unethical evaluation, unethical policy
The drug abuse epidemic II: A better potential solution
Taking too many drugs or ones you don't really need can have a real down side
Pay to play for student athletes - how stupid can we get?
A continuing concern – late recognition of serious adverse effects of medications

Echinacea
Echinacea: Mostly hype, but still some documented benefits
Echinacea for the common cold: A controlled study
Echinacea: It can produce a rash, but will it cure your cold?

Environment
It's the environment, stupid!
Global Warming
Global warming - a huge public health threat
Drilling for oil and natural gas - half a story at most
Global warming - the evidence gets scarier
If we cannot control population size and global warming, we cannot solve some of our most critical problems

Essays
Our education system may be failing young people and our society; What we need is societally-connected thinking
Creating very old people: Are we ready for the consequences?
Terrorism and the drug Scene
War in Iraq, terrorism, the economy, and the national psyche
The specter of emerging and re-emerging infection epidemics
Pay to play for student athletes - how stupid can we get?
Extraordinary longevity: Individual and societal issues
Democracy and our perceptions of the future in the balance
Pay to play for students - more stupidity
Our Education System May Be Failing Young People and Our Society; What We Need Is Societally-Connected Thinking
Nursing home costs, an increasing older population, and medical pauperization:
A looming (and present) calamity
Three new articles that help explain why the public is so confused about what they should or should not be doing to promote their health

Estrogen
Alzheimer’s prevention and treatment with estrogens; half a loaf at most
Do Postmenopausal Estrogens Reduce the Risk of Coronary Heart Disease and Stroke?
Postmenopausal estrogens-old use and new controversy
Post-menopausal hormone use - how much risk of developing breast cancer?
Do estrogens protect against coronary heart disease?
Cataracts and estrogens
More on estrogens and prevention of coronary heart disease
Estrogens and risk factors for coronary heart disease
Does prolonged use of estrogens after the menopause increase the risk of ovarian cancer?
Estrogen use takes a big hit
Estrogens and prevention of Alzheimer's: The jury is still out
Does use of estrogen or estrogen-progestin hormones after menopause increase the risk of breast cancer? It probably does, but the increased risk is modest.
Something good to say about estrogens
Alternatives to estrogens for menopausal hot flashes: Another candidate bites the dust
Estrogen alone for postmenopausal women; the other shoe drops part way
Estrogens are not good and may be bad for mental function in older women
More negative reports on postmenopausal hormone treatment - But, maybe the treatment is okay for some women
The post-menopausal hormone use debate - it won't stop
Three new articles that help explain why the public is so confused about what they should or should not be doing to promote their health

Exercise
More on the benefits of moderate exercise on keeping alive after age 50
Can a little exercise reduce the risk of a stroke?
More on the benefits of moderate exercise, especially walking, on keeping alive after age 50 or 60
Can walking reduce the risk of developing adult-onset diabetes?
Can a modest amount of mild exercise - just walking - reduce the risk of heart attack?
Exercise and Health
Does physical fitness reduce the risk of death? Most likely it does.
Moderate exercise can be quite successful In avoiding middle age weight gain
Exercise and bone strength - How much and what kind
Can exercise really lower your risk of bowel cancer? It probably can.
More on exercise and heart disease: Some light, some confusion
Can you reduce your risk of ovarian cancer through physical exercise?
Diet and physical activity
Does physical activity reduce the risk of developing breast cancer?
Can physical activity reduce the risk of certain cancers? It would be nice if it could.
Exercise will reduce blood pressure to a modest degree in some people
How much exercise is needed for prevention of heart attacks
The exercise intensity debate: Major support for the Healthful Life views and recommendations
Moderate intensity exercise reduces weight and abdominal fat
More on diet, exercise, and cancer prevention
More concerns about probable myths: Ginseng and physical activity.
More evidence on the need for moderately vigorous physical activity to prevent heart attacks
More on how much exercise is needed to predictably achieve health benefits
The benefit of physical activity: More evidence on the dangers of being sedentary
Physical activity in prevention of Alzheimer's - very interesting, but not conclusive
Physical activity in middle age is associated with better mobility in older age
Walking and health - a bit of skepticism
Physical activity in prevention of breast cancer -- maybe it is lifetime activity and maybe it can be of only moderate intensity

Fiber
Will increasing the intake of dietary fiber reduce the risk of bowel cancer?
Soluble fiber does reduce the risk of coronary heart disease

Fish
Eat fish and think better - it is a possibility
Eating fatty fish is good for your health!
Fish and reduced risk of dying from a heart attack - More good evidence
Fish oil and severe heart rhythms - does it really help?

Flavonoids
Flavonoids - The New Rage

Folic Acid
Another Reason for Being Sure You Get Enough Folic Acid In Your Diet Or As A Supplement
Can folic acid help prevent bowel cancer?
Lowering homocysteine levels with diet and folic acid
Does folic acid help protect against heart attack and stroke? It probably does.
Does folic acid protect against pancreatic cancer?
Does adequate dietary folic acid intake reduce the risk of bowel cancer?
More on folate and heart attacks
Folic acid in the protection against bowel cancer; still not clear
Folic acid - how much do we have to get each day through diet or supplement to promote health?
Folic acid and vitamin B12 in reduction of fractures in patients with stroke
Folic acid and prevention of high blood pressure
Folic acid increases mental function, folic acid decreases mental function - two contradictory studies - take your choice
Homocysteine-folic acid-heart attacks
Is the enthusiasm for folic acid, in part, misplaced
Folic acid in prevention of heart attacks and strokes
Folic acid supplements improve some aspects of mental function in older men and women

Food Irradiation
Irradiatiing our foods: To zap or not to zap

Fractures
Reduction of vertebral fracture risk in post-menopausal women with osteoporosis treated with Reloxifene
Can Any Drug Reduce Fracture Rates In Women with Low Bone Strength, But No Osteoporosis?
Prevention of fractures due to osteoporosis
Smoking increases risk of hip fracture in post-menopausal women, alcohol use does not
Vitamin D and fractures
Folic acid and vitamin B12 in reduction of fractures in patients with stroke
Vitamin D and calcium does not help older person with a previous fracture. The implications are limited.
Report says calcium-vitamin D supplements do not reduce fractures - but that is not really true

Fruits & Fruit Juices
The potential benefits of grape juice.

Futures Issues
Young people's perceptions of the future
A national survey on perceptions about the future
A national survey on perceptions about the future - Part 2 of 3
A national survey on perceptions about the future - Part 3 of 3
Iraq and the health and future of American society

Garlic
Can garlic prevent cancer?
How effective is garlic in lowering blood cholesterol levels?
Garlic in lowering blood cholesterol levels - a negative report

Genes
Playing God has its downside

Ginkgo
A lot of hype and some supporting evidence for several medical conditions
Ginkgo to improve your memory - forget it!!
Ginkgo and memory - A very good review

Ginseng
The herb ginseng has been used for thousands of years for everything from aphrodisia to heart disease. Does it really work?
Ginseng, mood and psychologic well being: All we need is evidence

Glaucoma
Prevention of glaucoma - a landmark study
More evidence favoring glaucoma screening

Global Warming
Global warming - we need a common sense approach
Drilling for oil and natural gas - half a story at most

Glucosamine
Are glucosamine and chondroitin really effective in osteoarthritis?

Green Tea
Green tea - maybe it does reduce risk of some diseases
The FDA weighs in on green tea

Guggol
Another example of the importance of multiple, careful studies in determining the value of alternative medicine

Gulf War Syndrome
Gulf war veterans and severe neurologic disease - it's for real

Hair
Hair analysis to determine your body nutrition or mineral status: Forget it!

Health Care Cost
Health care costs - they seem uncontrollable
Nursing home costs, an increasing older population, and medical pauperization:
A looming (and present) calamity

Health Promotion
The Healthful Life Program - it makes more sense than ever
It is important that health promotion-disease prevention programs get it right?
Medicare is supporting health promotion in a half-hearted way
The need for convergent studies that withstand the test of time

Herbs
There are no free rides
Triple worry about herbs and plant products
Another example of why you should wait for convergent studies that have withstood the test of time before taking a health action.
Another warning about herbal remedies

Homocysteine
Is a high blood homocysteine level really bad for you? If so, what can you do about it?
Lowering homocysteine levels with diet and folic acid
Homocysteine - A risk factor for coronary heart disease or not?
More evidence for the role of homocysteine in coronary heart disease
Homocysteine - a little more evidence that very high blood levels contribute to heart attacks
More data on its effectiveness and what happens to your bones when you stop
The role of homocysteine and homocysteine lowering in coronary heart disease
Homocysteine and hip fracture - a possible relationship
Homocysteine, vitamins B12 and B6, and mental functioning - Still not clear

Hormones
Growth Hormone - A balanced perspective
More negative reports on postmenopausal hormone treatment - But, maybe the treatment is okay for some women
Postmenopausal hormone replacement (estrogen-progestin): More data on its effectiveness and what happens to your bones when you stop
The post-menopausal hormone use debate - it won't stop
Hormone replacement treatment and prevention of bowel cancer - A mixed message

Hypertension
Will we all be taking different drugs to reduce risk of hypertension, diabetes, and heart attack?

Influenza
Influenza immunization - still not good enough
Influenza and poverty - an under emphasized linkage

Kava
Kava - You could pay a big price for a little relaxation

Lead Poisoning
Newark, NJ launches a novel approach to preventing lead poisoning
Lead poisoning is still an important problem in the United States.
Calcium does more than create strong bones; it may prevent lead poisoning in young children
Lead and Alzheimer's
Lead exposure and juvenile delinquency - new and interesting data
Lead and delinquency - More impressive data
More on brain damage resulting from low level lead poisoning
Lead and cataracts - a possible relationship
Are people being poisoned even by low lead levels?

Longer Life
Can being contented result in longer life? It may indeed, at least for men.
Population aging
Fruit flies and rats are not people when it comes to diet and longer lives
The new demographic transition

Lung Cancer
New X-ray tests to detect lung cancer- fully proved or wishful thinking plus a lot of hype?
Total body scans, virtual colonoscopy for bowel cancer, helical cat scan for lung cancer - a lot of hype, big profits, inadequate evidence, and potential harm
Antioxidants and risk of lung cancer
Air pollution and lung cancer - More evidence
Red wine, white wine, and lung cancer: Good news, bad news - and not very clear
Cruciferous vegetables in the prevention of lung cancer - some pretty good evidence
Soy products may reduce risk of lung cancer and bone fracture in postmenopausal women
Can routine x-rays detect lung cancer early enough to reduce lung cancer deaths?
Early detection of and cure of lung cancer - watch out for the hype
Computed tomography does not appear to reduce the occurrence of advanced lung cancer or death

Macular Degeneration
Macular degeneration of the eye is a major cause of blindness in older people: Can vitamins prevent it?
Antioxidants, zinc, and prevention of age-related blindness
Is dietary fat a risk factor for blindness in older people?
Is the cause of vision loss and blindness in older people an infectious agent?
Prevention of blindness in older people
Diet and age-related visual impairment - an impressive study
Fish in the prevention of blindness in older people

Mammograms
Mammograms are effective and they are under utilized
Impressive support for annual mammography

Mammography
Three new articles that help explain why the public is so confused about what they should or should not be doing to promote their health

Medicare
Medicare Costs - Misplaced Optimism
Medicare is supporting health promotion in a half-hearted way

Menopause
Alternative and complementary medicines, herbs, and others for menopausal symptoms - what we do not know far exceeds what we do know
Alternatives to estrogens for menopausal hot flashes: Another candidate bites the dust

Mental Function
The relation of low thyroid activity to depression or mental function -
there probably isn’t any
More on vegetables and mental function - maybe there is a connection

Milk Thistle
Milk thistle: Ancient remedy for liver ills.

Multiple Sclerosis
Can vitamin D prevent multiple sclerosis?

Multivitamins
One-a-day multivitamins – to take or not to take

Nanotechnology
Medical nanotechnology - a hint of the future; and it's exciting

Nuclear Issues
Nuclear catastrophe: A persistent and, perhaps, increasing threat
Nuclear power: Do we need it? Do we want it?

Nutrition
Viruses and Nutrition
A practical approach to healthy nutrition

Obesity
Weight control and risk factor reduction in obese subjects treated for two years with Orlistat
Twin American epidemics: Obesity and Diabetes
Overweight - How Dangerous is It to Your Health?
Exercise and Health
Weight loss by diet and medication reduces the risk of developing diabetes
Modest weight loss and blood pressure control: It really does work
Moderate exercise can be quite successful In avoiding middle age weight gain
When should people consider themselves overweight?
The dangers of overweight for senior citizens - In large part the dire warnings are unfounded
Overweight, obesity, and cancer: How strong is the evidence?
Overweight and kidney cancer
Moderate intensity exercise reduces weight and abdominal fat
Overweight and cancer: The evidence appears undeniable
Will obesity dramatically lower life expectancy in the United States?
Overweight and obesity - sorting out the confusion
Which diet is best for weight loss - and how effective are they anyway?
Overweight and Obesity - How big a danger?
How often should you weigh yourself if you need to control your weight?
Obesity at age 50 seems to increase risk of later dementia and Alzheimer Disease
More on mild obesity
More on overweight and obesity
The risk from overweight and obesity - a very useful, but still flawed study
How dangerous is overweight in the absence of frank obesity - the pendulum swings a bit
Overweight at age 18 predicts increased death rates in young adulthood and early middle age - or does it?

Omega 3
Eating fatty fish is good for your health!
Omega-3 fatty acids and prevention of coronary heart disease
Another alleged panacea: Omega 3 fatty acids supposedly solve almost all health problems
Eat fish and think better - maybe!
Fish in the diet: The benefit to harm ratio is very high
Omega-3 fatty acids in the prevention of Alzheimer’s - more encouraging evidence
Vitamin D and omega-3 fatty acids in prevention of kidney and pancreatic cancer
Synthetic omega3 fatty acids supposedly prevent coronary heart disease
Mothers’ seafood consumption in pregnancy and brain development in their children

Oral Contraceptives
Does oral contraceptive use promote breast cancer?

Orlistat
Weight control and risk factor reduction in obese subjects treated for two years with Orlistat

Osteoarthritis
Are glucosamine and chondroitin really effective in osteoarthritis?
Can vitamin C or Vitamin D prevent or help in the treatment of osteoarthritis?
Vitamin E for osteoarthritis: Strike one
Physical exercise and prevention of disability in older persons with knee osteoarthritis
Glucosamine and chondroitin for osteoarthritis: An encouraging report - maybe too encouraging
Glucosamine and chondroitin for osteoarthritis - a big disappointment, a little hope
Acupuncture for osteoarthritis of the knee - it helps; so does sham acupuncture

Osteopenia
Moderate bone thinning (osteopenia) – to treat or not to treat

Osteoporosis
Prevention of fractures due to osteoporosis
Can Any Drug Reduce Fracture Rates In Women with Low Bone Strength, But No Osteoporosis?
Men also get osteoporosis
Reduction of vertebral fracture risk in post-menopausal women with osteoporosis treated with Reloxifene
Do estrogens reduce the risk of osteoporosis even if given to women long after the menopause?
Screening women for osteoporosis: Our recommendations revisited
Osteoporosis (bone thinning) - An epidemic among postmenopausal women
Osteoporosis screening
Too much vitamin A can be bad for your bones
More bad news for smokers - this time it is bone thinning
Tea - Does it improve bone strength?
Is there any treatment for moderately low bone density in the absence of frank osteoporosis?
Screening for and treating osteoporosis
Soy and isoflavones in mental function, cholesterol lowering, and osteoporosis
A new complication of the treatment of osteoporosis – another cautionary tale
Cola drinks and bone strength

Ovarian Cancer
Is there an effective way to screen for ovarian cancer?
Is there any screening program that works for ovarian cancer?
Early detection of ovarian cancer: Still a big problem
Can you reduce your risk of ovarian cancer through physical exercise?
Does prolonged use of estrogens after the menopause increase the risk of ovarian cancer?
Post-menopausal hormone replacement and ovarian cancer: A bit more information
Tea drinking reduces risk of ovarian cancer - don’t bet on it

Overweight
Weight control and risk factor reduction in obese subjects treated for two years with Orlistat
Twin American epidemics: Obesity and Diabetes
Overweight - How Dangerous is It to Your Health?
Exercise and Health
Weight loss by diet and medication reduces the risk of developing diabetes
Modest weight loss and blood pressure control: It really does work
Moderate exercise can be quite successful In avoiding middle age weight gain
When should people consider themselves overweight?
The dangers of overweight for senior citizens - In large part the dire warnings are unfounded
Overweight, obesity, and cancer: How strong is the evidence?
Overweight and kidney cancer
Are physical activity and overweight risk factors for pancreatic cancer?
Overweight in America - A bad situation gets worse
Overweight and risk of stroke
Moderate intensity exercise reduces weight and abdominal fat
Overweight, obesity, diabetes, high blood pressure: More bad news for adults in the USA
Overweight is related to breast cancer
Overweight and obesity - sorting out the confusion
Can physical activity eliminate the health risks associated with overweight or obesity?
Which diet is best for weight loss - and how effective are they anyway?
Obesity, life expectancy, and disability
Weight loss and long-term risk of hypertension - an encouraging study
Overweight and Obesity - How big a danger?
How often should you weigh yourself if you need to control your weight?
Obesity at age 50 seems to increase risk of later dementia and Alzheimer Disease
Overweight, obesity, and death - an important, perhaps unifying, finding
More on mild obesity
More on overweight and obesity
The risk from overweight and obesity - a very useful, but still flawed study
How dangerous is overweight in the absence of frank obesity - the pendulum swings a bit
Overweight at age 18 predicts increased death rates in young adulthood and early middle age - or does it?

Pap Smears
The proposed "new" approach as to PAP smears

Poverty
If you don't have money and you want to be warm, you have to eat less: A disturbing report.
Influenza and poverty - an under emphasized linkage

Prostate
Prostate cancer: Surgical complication rates
Saw palmetto for prostate enlargement
Does beta carotene protect against prostate cancer?
The Prostate Cancer Saga: More data, more confusion, and perhaps more reason to be cautious about the effectiveness of screening for prostate cancer
Screening for and prevention of prostate cancer
Diet and risk of prostate cancer-lots of data, no answers.
Prostate cancer and dietary fats
Milk supposedly protects against breast cancer, but it allegedly promotes prostate cancer - or does it?
Diet and prostate cancer: This time its vegetables
More on the complications of treatment for prostate cancer
Screening for prostate cancer - A good review
Radical surgery for prostate cancer - It seems to reduce deaths, but does that mean you should have regular screening for early prostate cancer?
Could aspirin and other anti-inflammatory agents reduce the risk of prostate cancer?
Prostate cancer screening: A new "authoritative" report
Tomatoes, tomato paste, and prostate cancer: Some supporting evidence, but a lot of questions remain
Men in the United States are more likely to be screened for prostate cancer although the benefits are inadequately-documented than for fully-documented bowel cancer - that is not good news
Garlic and scallions for prevention of prostate cancer - New and interesting
More problems with PSA tests for prostate cancer
Too much prostate cancer screening
Prostate cancer - Maybe tomato sauce does offer a bit of protection
An argument to do prostate biopsies on even more men
A new study on prostate cancer - and more support for the Healthful Life stand
The Prostate Specific Antigen (PSA) Test - A devastating report
Red wine and prostate cancer
Who should be screened for prostate cancer? At which age? Who should be treated?
Red wine protects against prostate cancer - or does it?
Vitamin E and prevention of prostate cancer - it is a possibility
Prostate surgery and post-operative impotence
Saw palmetto for benign enlargement of the prostate - a sobering report

Prostate Cancer
Radical surgery for prostate cancer - some caution needed
Prostate-specific antigen (PSA) testing for prostate cancer - a bit more negative evidence
Vitamin E, vitamin C, and Beta carotene in prevention of prostate cancer
Diet and prostate cancer - more negative evidence
Lycopenes and tomato products in prostate cancer prevention - more reason to wait for convergent data
Pomegranate juice and prostate cancer - a very interesting preliminary report
Treating older men with prostate cancer - a risk of over-interpretation
Prostate cancer detection - enthusiasm for the PSA test is dropping so let’s substitute the PSA velocity
PSA screening in older men - outrageous

Physical Activity
Hip fracture reduction and leisure time physical activity: An encouraging report
Physical activity and deaths - more reason not to be sedentary
Older people may need less physical activity to promote health
Physical activity (exercise) seems to add years to peoples' lives, but how intense must it be?
Physical activity and mental decline

Policonasol
Three dietary supplements and herbs for cholesterol lowering - One potentially good, one undocumented, one probably no good
Policonasol for cholesterol lowering: A sobering report

Public Health
Questions about one of the greatest American public health disasters in the last 100 years
The need for convergent studies that withstand the test of time

St John’s Wort
St John’s Wort and depression

Saw Palmetto
Saw palmetto for prostate enlargement

Seat Belts
Seat belt laws do help

Scans / New Technology
A new, sophisticated scanning technique for diagnosing coronary heart disease - The issue of entrepreneurial overuse
Total body scans, virtual colonoscopy for bowel cancer, helical cat scan for lung cancer - a lot of hype, big profits, inadequate evidence, and potential harm
Fancy and expensive computerized scans to detect calcium in the blood vessels of the heart - is there a down side?
Full-body scans, virtual colonoscopy - We have heard the hype, now the negative reports are coming in
Does a sophisticated test for calcium in the heart add important information?
The dangers of whole body CT scans

Screening
When to stop screening tests in older persons - we just do not know

Sleep
Too little sleep or too much sleep is bad for your health: Don't lose any sleep over it

Smoking
The health benefits of stopping smoking
An authoritative report on the dangers of continuing smoking And the benefits of quitting
More trouble for long-term smokers
Passive Smoking
Cataracts and smoking: More bad news for smokers
Passive smoking: The debate explodes
Counseling by telephone improves quit rates for smokers - but not a great amount
More bad news for heavy smokers
Stopping smoking and fatal heart attacks -The benefit seems to be immediate
Passive smoking and public health la w: A question of over interpretation of a small study

Social Class
Plays a big role in disease occurrence and deaths

Soy
Another cholesterol lowering food
Soy products and protection from coronary heart disease and stroke
Soy products may reduce risk of lung cancer and bone fracture in postmenopausal women
Soy protein - No benefit in lowering cholesterol, improving bone strength or mental function
The specific health benefits of soy products – a careful and skeptical review
Soy products versus soy protein and isoflavones

Stomach Cancer
Diet and stomach cancer. No persuasive evidence