If you decide to have your child circumcised, there are certain things to be aware of. There is an added fee for the procedure, which varies. Some insurance companies will pay for it, and others will not. Since the procedure is no longer done automatically, arrangements will need to be made in advance. (more…)
Archive for February, 2012
Planning for Circumcision
Tuesday, February 28th, 2012Study Cell Phone Use Not Associated With Brain Cancer
Friday, February 24th, 2012A widely disseminated theory, but one without strong scientific support, is that cellular telephone use increases the risk of developing brain cancer. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration recently ordered new cell phone safety studies, although spokesmen state that this is a precautionary step only. (more…)
Herbs Does the FDA Approve, Part 2
Monday, February 20th, 2012To understand how herbal products are regulated, and whether the FDA has enough regulatory power to protect the public from potentially harmful products, requires a closer look at DSHEA.
A Closer Look at DSHEA
DSHEA defines a dietary supplement as “a product (other than tobacco) intended to supplement the diet that bears or contains one or more of the following dietary ingredients: a vitamin, a mineral, an herb or other botanical, an amino acid, a dietary substance for use by man to supplement the diet by increasing the total daily intake, or a concentrate, metabolite, constituent, extract or combination of any [of these ingredients].” (more…)
Herbs Does the FDA Approve, Part 1
Monday, February 20th, 2012Echinacea. Kava kava. St. John’s wort. Ten years ago, few Americans outside the natural health community had ever heard of these exotic botanicals. Today herbs like these are household words, comprising the fastest growing segment of a $15 billion a year dietary supplement industry. Herbal products now are widely available in supermarkets and pharmacies, sold as ingredients in capsules, teas, brand-name vitamins and even special formulas for children. Millions of Americans regularly use herbal remedies in hopes of relieving a variety of health problems, from the common cold to Crohn’s disease.
At one time such a flood of herbal health products into the American mainstream would have been impossible. Until 1994, the Food and Drug Administration classified most herbal remedies as either “food additives” or “drugs.” In either case, manufacturers had to meet strict, sometimes prohibitive, FDA standards before placing their products on the market. (more…)
Tubal Factor Infertility
Wednesday, February 15th, 2012Infertility affects almost 6.1 million people in the U.S, one third of which accounts to be as male infertility cases. Another third impart on the female’s burden while the remaining third is combined male and female infertility.
Little Exercise and Excess Snacking, Not Genetics, Contribute to Obesity
Tuesday, February 14th, 2012The main factors that contribute to obesity are excess snacking and a sedentary lifestyle, not genetics or overeating at meals, declares David Levitsky, an obesity expert from Cornell University. (more…)
Proper Diet Lowers Risk of Stroke
Monday, February 6th, 2012Mothers and governmental agencies alike urge Americans to increase their intake of fruits and vegetables to help prevent heart disease and other chronic ills. While research studies are ongoing to identify the beneficial components of these foods, the clearest evidence thus far indicates that consuming the whole foods is a sound dietary strategy for disease prevention.
Coaching Kids to Stay the Course
Friday, February 3rd, 2012It’s not unusual for a child to want to quit mid-season. And according to the American Academy of Pediatrics, every child has the right to share in the decision of whether to end, or continue, a sport. But before you let your child walk off the field, talk with your child about the decision. (more…)
