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Doctor Debuts "Stem-Cell Facelift"

2008-11-21

A new technique using adult stem cells from the body's own fat tissue has been found to restore the plumpness, smoothness and skin tightness of a more youthful face. Dr. Vincent Giampapa, who has worked on perfecting the technique during the last four years, introduced the procedure, which rules out the need for surgery or the injection of temporary under-the-skin fillers such as Restylane, Juvederm and hyaluronic acid. The so-called Stem-Cell Facelift also evens out age- or sun-induced facial color differences.

The Medicine Called Sleep

2008-11-21

Deep, adequate sleep is like a healing medicine to the body. But the opposite is true, too. In fact, consistently poor or insufficient sleep can contribute to diabetes, high blood pressure, cardiovascular problems and weight gain, according to experts at the Cleveland Clinic. Blood pressure, for example, rises and falls during sleep. But when sleep is interrupted, there can be an unhealthy impact on the blood pressure's normal variability, causing it to rise and setting off problems with the heart and arteries.

A Cure-all Oil?

2008-11-20

Oil of oregano has been touted as curing everything from diarrhea to rheumatism. Various authorities have praised its supposed ability to relieve intestinal gas, sore throat, sinusitis, breathing difficulties, dandruff, diaper rash, bee stings and venomous bites. And experts have lauded it for its apparent power to reduce fever, relieve cramps, mitigate the effects of measles and mumps, and benefit indigestion, nervous tension, toothache, earache and coughs due to whooping cough and bronchitis.

How to Wear Backpacks Well

2008-11-19

Watching students carrying their backpacks on a college campus can be a chiropractor's nightmare, for much damage is in process to young backs that will show up years later in multiple back problems. "A lot of people are wearing their backpacks too heavy, which is harming their backs and their health," said Allison Gross, a chiropractor at the EnCana Wellness Center at Mount Royal College in Calgary, Alberta.

Fruit Chemical Shrinks Tumors

2008-11-19

A compound found naturally in fruits like mangoes, grapes and strawberries has been discovered to dramatically fight malignancies. Research recently done at Hong Kong University shows that the chemical lupeol sharply decreases tumor size and suppresses metastasis, the blood-borne spread of cancer from one part of the body to another. Lupeol has these effects, the study showed, while having no unhealthy impact on surrounding tissue or other organs in the body - something that's often not the case with conventional chemotherapy.

U.S. Teens Awash in Overconfidence

2008-11-18

Compared with high school students of the seventies, U.S. teens today rate themselves as far more intelligent, self-satisfied and able to be exceptional spouses, parents and workers, according to a recent study. Today's kids are also much more likely to say they have a high IQ and are "A" students, even though other research reveals they do a lot less homework than their counterparts of the seventies. "What this shows is that confidence has crossed over into overconfidence," said Jean Twenge, an associate professor of psychology at San Diego State University. She, together with co-researcher W. Keith Campbell, of the University of Georgia, studied data from Monitoring the Future, a large national survey of thousands of American high school students done from time to time over the past 30 years.

Acupuncture Outperforms Drugs on Hot Flashes

2008-11-18

Acupuncture does as well and is longer-lasting than drug therapy in handling the hot flashes and sweating that afflicts 80 percent of women who are treated for breast cancer, according to recent research. In addition, the study showed, treatment with acupuncture engenders none of the nasty side effects associated with conventional drugs. In fact, it produces some very attractive benefits, including a greater sense of well-being, increased energy, and, occasionally, a higher sex drive.

Another Five Predictors of Long Life

2008-11-17

Being conscious of fat and sugar in your diet, and working out at the gym, may seem like the keys to a long and healthy life. But you may easily tire of calorie counting and workouts. It seems the real signs of whether you will be blessed with considerable longevity is if you've adopted certain lifelong healthy lifestyles and attitudes - some of which you can still start. Here are five of them.

Orthotics Can Solve Foot Problems

2008-11-14

Before assuming that surgery is needed, you might want to first seek aid from podiatric inserts, or orthotics, in your shoes, many experts say. "Shoes are made before the patient comes into the store, so it's very difficult to make a shoe specific for a patient, but a prescription orthotic is made specific for a patient," says Dr. Jeffrey Agricola, an Indiana podiatrist.

Chelation Therapy Would Be Great, if It Works

2008-11-13

Chelation therapy, in which a chemical agent improves one's health by latching on to excess metal atoms in the body, forming complexes that are then excreted in the urine, so far has only limited proven effectiveness. Claims are often made that chelation therapy is a good treatment for cardiovascular disease, multiple sclerosis, mercury poisoning, chronic fatigue syndrome and other long-term conditions. But there is no scientific evidence for any of these