2010 January | Health & Wellness

Got Carpal Tunnel? Sex May Be To Blame

sexcarpaltunnel 300x199 Got Carpal Tunnel? Sex May Be To Blame A new study is blaming an increase in carpal tunnel syndrome — a condition which causes wrist pain as well as weakness in the hand and fingers — on sex. And all this time we thought it was the rise in computer usage.

As many as 1 in 20 people are affected by carpal tunnel syndrome and some researchers think it’s due to increased use of Viagra and other sex aids which increase…activity. Sex puts more weight on the wrists thanks to the repetitive movements during the deed, so it’s likely to weaken the area. Researchers also place blame on the obesity epidemic, which increases the weight burden on our fragile wrists.

Lead researcher Dr. John Zenian explained it best: “Sexual intercourse can explain the increase in the overall incidence of carpal tunnel syndrome seen in recent years, since it is the most widely practiced activity that uses both hands at the same time.”

Celebrate Yoga Day on January 23rd with a Free Class

yogaday1 300x209 Celebrate Yoga Day on January 23rd with a Free Class National Yoga Day is this Saturday, January 23^rd and to celebrate, yoga studios across the country are offering free classes. Spearheaded by the Yoga Alliance, Yoga Day aims to introduce newbies to the practice and encourages seasoned yogis to share their love of the various forms.

If you haven’t tried it, why should you try yoga? Yoga is more than just breathing and stretching — though these tentpoles of the practice are extremely beneficial for our health. There are various forms of yoga from gentle, meditative forms like Kripalu to calorie-burning, sweat fests like Power Yoga or Bikram Yoga.

So, research the various types and sign up for a free class this weekend!

To find a free workshop or class near you, visit YogaDayUSA.com

7000 Women Misdiagnosed with Breast Cancer Each Year

breastcancer 201x300 7000 Women Misdiagnosed with Breast Cancer Each Year In a new study by UK’s NHS, more than 7,000 women were found to be misdiagnosed with breast cancer. Researchers claim that thousands of women who get routine breast cancer screenings are mistakenly told that they have life-threatening cancer and undergo unnecessary treatment each year.

In the cases cited by the study, women who have non-malignant tumors undergo surgery, radiotherapy and chemotherapy — treatments that are potentially harmful themselves. The non-life threatening tumors can alternatively be removed by conventional methods.

Researchers are suggesting improvements in treatment, rather than detection through screening, however. The study cautions physicians from ‘over-diagnosing’ their patients.

FDA Warning: Fake Alli Diet Drug Being Sold Online

061307blogalli FDA Warning: Fake Alli Diet Drug Being Sold Online The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and GlaxoSmithKline are warning consumers of fake and “potentially harmful” versions of the Alli diet aid being sold online. Offered on auction sites — including eBay — the counterfeit Alli looks like the real thing on the outside, but doesn’t have the same diet drug on the inside.

Alli, an over-the-counter diet aid, features the active ingredient orlistat to help users with weight loss. The fake pills being sold online are made with sibutramine, which requires a doctor’s prescription and could be extremely harmful if taken without supervision.

GlaxoSmithKline offers these tips to identify if you have the real deal or not. Fake pills can be identified by:

- The LOT code information is missing from the top of the box.

- The expiration date includes month, day, and year (example: 06162010). The authentic Alli expiration date includes only the month and year (example: 05/12).

- The seal on the bottle should read “SEALED FOR YOUR PROTECTION” in white ink on GlaxoSmithKline’s Alli bottle; This statement is not present on the fake product.

- The capsule size is slightly larger in the counterfeit pills and the contents of the capsules are different — the counterfeit content is powdery and the genuine product is more of a pellet shape.

Pictures of the real and fake product can be seen on GlaxoSmithKline’s myalli.com web site and on the FDA web site.

If you think you may have purchased the fake Alli, contact the FDA on their site or by calling 800-551-3989.

Pink: Diet Extremist (With A Rockin’ Body!)

pink 200x300 Pink: Diet Extremist (With A Rockin Body!) In the newest issue of Women’s Health, uber-fit rocker Pink admits that she can go from one end of the diet spectrum to another — within a day.

“I go to extremes,” the 30-year-old tells the magazine. “I diet absolutely. It’s gotta be organic, fresh fish, tofu and greens [during the day]. And then I’ll order a pizza at night and drink a bottle of wine!”

But even with the sometimes erratic diet, Pink is in amazing shape thanks to her rigorous tour schedule.

“When I go on tour, the show is so physically demanding that there’s absolutely no way that I could not be in incredible shape,” she says. “I do an hour of cardio a day, I do a thing called [fitness program] P90X, I do yoga, I do a two-hour show. I have to feel good if I’m going to be on the road this long.”

FDA Admits Concerns About BPA

plasticbottles 290x300 FDA Admits Concerns About BPA After years of touting its safety, the Food and Drug Administration has finally reversed its previous stance on Bisphenol-A (BPA) — chemical popularly used in plastic bottles, cans, food containers and many consumer goods — and now states that there are concerns about health risks associated with the known toxin.

The FDA specifically cited concern in the exposure of babies and young children, after mounting research finds the chemical to be linked to a host of health issues including cancer and heart disease.

“We have some concern, which leads us to recommend reasonable steps the public can take to reduce exposure to BPA,” said Joshua Sharfstein, FDA’s deputy commissioner.

Sharfstein also announced a two-year, $30 million study to answer key questions about the chemical that will help determine what action is necessary to protect public health.

Steps recommended by the FDA to reduce BPA exposure in the meantime include discarding worn or damaged baby bottles and feeding cups, heating food and drink in BPA-free containers, and checking labels to ensure containers are dishwasher and microwave-safe.

Win-Win: Lose Weight, Help the Hungry

If you haven’t quite gotten in the swing of your New Year’s Resolution to lose weight — like 50% of other Americans who vowed to make weight loss a priority in 2010 — here’s another reason to get moving on that goal.

Feeding America has partnered with General Mills and NBC’s The Biggest Loser for the Pound for Pound Challenge. For everyone who registers on their site and pledges their weight loss goals, the Pound For Pound Challenge will donate 14 cents to Feeding America–enough to deliver one pound of groceries to a food bank in your area.

Food banks across the U.S. are desperately in need of help with more families needing their assistance. Recent research found that more than 49 MILLION Americans struggled to get enough to eat at some point in 2008 — the highest in 14 years. So, not only will you be helping those in need in your local area, but it’s great incentive to reach your goals!

Visit the Pound for Pound Challenge website at pfpchallenge.com

Johnson & Johnson Expands Tylenol Recall…Again

Johnson & Johnson has expanded a previous recall of their Tylenol Arthritis caplets to include more than two dozen other over-the-counter products including Tylenol Extra Strength, Motrin Rolaids and a number of children’s medications.

Following consumer reports of “an unusual moldy, musty, or mildew-like odor that, in a small number of cases, was associated with temporary and non-serious gastrointestinal events,” the latest voluntary recall effects more than 53 million bottles of medication.

According to Johnson & Johnson, the odor is caused by the presence of trace amounts of a chemical called 2,4,6-tribromoanisole (TBA), which can result from the breakdown of a chemical that is sometimes applied to wood for pallets that transport and store product packaging materials.

“The health effects of this chemical have not been well studied but no serious events have been documented in the medical literature,” the company said in a statement.

The company is advising consumers who purchased the affected products to stop using them and contact them for information about how to get a refund or a replacement. Visit www.mcneilproductrecall.com or call (888) 222-6036 for additional information.