September 2011

Safety concerns raised on birth control pills containing drospirenone

[09-26-2011] The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is informing the public that it has not yet reached a conclusion, but remains concerned, about the potential increased risk of blood clots with the use of drospirenone-containing birth control pills. FDA has completed its review of the two 2011 studies that evaluated the risk of blood clots for women who use drospirenone-containing birth control pills, previously mentioned in FDA’s Drug Safety Communication issued on May 31, 2011.

Cancer Drug May Also Work for Scleroderma

A drug used to treat cancer may also be effective in diseases that cause scarring of the internal organs or skin, such as pulmonary fibrosis or scleroderma.

The drug, with the generic name bortezomib, stopped the production of fibrotic proteins in human cells and the development of fibrous scarring in a mouse model of fibrotic disease, according to a new Northwestern Medicine study published in the journal Thorax.  Studies have not yet been done in humans.

Vitamin D for Men, One Size Does Not Fit All

African-American men living in areas with low sunlight are up to 3 ½ times more likely to have Vitamin D deficiency than Caucasian men and should take high levels of Vitamin D supplements, according to a new study from Northwestern University Feinberg School of Medicine.

“This study shows that the current one-size fits all recommendations for 600 International Units (IU) of Vitamin D don’t work,” said Adam Murphy, M.D., a clinical instructor in urology at Northwestern’s Feinberg School. “Skin color and sunlight exposure need to be considered for recommended daily allowances of Vitamin D.”

What do you do for your health that takes less than 5 minutes???

SEND US YOUR IDEAS!  Being healthy and safe takes commitment, but it doesn’t have to be time-consuming, painful, or boring. Most things are simple and take so little time that you’ll wonder why you’ve been avoiding them. Even small steps can mean big rewards in preventing illness and injury.

Find out what you can do in five minutes or less to make a difference to your health and safety. Some things even take less than one minute. Here is a sample of activities you can do to help protect yourself and your family in five minutes or less (SEND US YOUR IDEAS–we’ll post the best ones!):

Uterine stem cells used to treat diabetes in mice

Researchers have converted stem cells from the human endometrium into insulin-producing cells and transplanted them into mice to control the animals’ diabetes.  The endometrium, or uterine lining, is a source of adult stem cells. Normally, these cells generate uterine tissue each month as part of the menstrual cycle. Like other stem cells, however, they can divide to form other kinds of cells.

Should politics drive health information?

Where do you get your health information?   Doctors are often too busy to spend much time on preventive care.   The internet is alive with personal and commercial  blogs on the latest health fads. And most recently, politicians are getting into the act.

New moms: dad has no excuses to avoid helping with the new baby!!!

A new Northwestern University study provides compelling evidence that human males are biologically wired to care for their offspring, conclusively showing for the first time that fatherhood lowers a man’s testosterone levels. So guys, there is no excuse for not pitching in and, ladies, this is good news if you are a new mother who could use some help with that new family addition!.