Being bullied may increase a child's risk of developing psychotic symptoms, researchers have found.
Children who were teased had nearly twice the risk of developing psychotic symptoms compared with those who weren't picked on, Dieter Wolke, Ph.D., of the University of Warwick in Coventry, England, and colleagues reported in the May Archives of General Psychiatry.
The association was even greater -- about four and a half times stronger -- when bullying was chronic or severe.
"We found that bullying victimization is a moderate to strong predictor of psychotic symptoms," the researchers said. "These results support emerging evidence about a relationship between peer victimization and psychotic experiences from cross-sectional or retrospective studies."
Chris Irvine
TelegraphTue, 05 May 2009 13:29 UTC
Being able to keep your cool or lose your temper is down to genes, according to a new study.
Isolation of a gene called DARPP-32 helps explain why some people fly into a rage at the slightest provocation, while others can remain calm.
More than 800 people were asked to fill in a questionnaire designed to study how they handle anger.
The German researchers also administered a DNA test to determine which of three versions of the DARPP-32 gene people were carrying.
The gene affects levels of dopamine, a brain chemical linked to anger and aggression.
Drinking water which contains the element lithium may reduce the risk of suicide, a Japanese study suggests.
Researchers examined levels of lithium in drinking water and suicide rates in the prefecture of Oita, which has a population of more than one million.
The suicide rate was significantly lower in those areas with the highest levels of the element, they wrote in the British Journal of Psychiatry.
Paula Crossfield
Civil EatsTue, 27 Jan 2009 22:42 UTC
In an attempt to reclaim its reputation a few months back, the makers of High Fructose Corn Syrup (HFCS) created a few
sneaky commercials, which were really hard for us in the food community to
take seriously. But now HFCS is in the news again - and this time the reason is much worse. It turns out that many foods sweetened with HFCS contain mercury, left as a residue in the production of caustic soda, a key ingredient in HFCS. And worst of all, the FDA and the industry have known about this potential toxin and has continued serving it up since at least 2005.
The HFCS industry has been shrouded in mystery since it began in the 1970s, essentially the result of "
get big or get out" record corn harvests and subsequent plummeting commodity prices for farmers. What to do with all that excess corn? The answer was not to decrease yields, but to find a way to get that corn into our stomachs. This has led to the proliferation of HFCS in nearly all processed foods you find in the grocery store. The industry has lacked transparency, and our government has refused to mediate our current health crisis - an upswing in diabetes and obesity resulting from cheap calories like HFCS - with regulation. So its not surprising that it took so long for the news to reach the public eye.
The ongoing swine flu epidemic may have you wishing you had taken that flu shot this season, but some doctors say you may be better off without it.
"Since the 12th century, the most commonly used treatment for a cold or the flu is chicken soup," said Dr. Mayer Eisenstein, one of the guest speakers at the U.S. Autism & Asperger Association's regional conference on Saturday at the Crowne Plaza hotel in Cherry Hill. "If you think we have anything more sophisticated now, think again."
It's day 30 of Autism Awareness Month, which means 2,160 new cases of autism were added this month -- one every 20 minutes. At a cost of $3 million per child, the bill for this epidemic -- $90 billion per year -- will hit every pocketbook and every school budget. Hard.
When we think of hormones, we think of spotty teenagers and grouchy middle aged women. The truth is, we are all affected by hormones all of the time. Hormones play specific roles in our health and wellbeing. Some of our hormones are sexual in nature, but hormones play a whole range of other functions. When our hormones are balanced, we feel energetic and alive.
The endocrine system is a complex system made up of the pituitary gland, hypothalamus, thyroid, adrenals, gonads, pancreas, and pineal gland. These organs and glands release hormones which act as chemical messengers to transmit information from one cell to another. Tissue function, mood, growth, puberty, and metabolism are all regulated by these hormones. These hormones exist in a delicate and closely regulated balance. Hormonal imbalances, which can influence anyone at any age, not just menopausal women, can be caused by multiple factors and often result in vague symptoms that can be mistaken for other conditions or illnesses.
The symptoms of hormone imbalance can include fatigue, depression, dizziness, difficulty concentrating, headaches, low libido, weight loss, weight gain, hair loss, and much more. Because of their vague nature, these symptoms are often overlooked by people suffering from them. When a doctor is consulted it can be difficult to reach a diagnosis for the same reason. There is no one symptom that points specifically to a hormone imbalance. Often many other conditions are ruled out before a blood test is done to check for a hormonal imbalance.
The number of new cancer cases diagnosed annually in the United States will increase by 45 percent in the next 20 years, U.S. researchers said.
New cancer cases diagnosed annually will increase from 1.6 million in 2010 to 2.3 million in 2030, with a dramatic spike in incidence predicted in the elderly and minority populations, researchers at The University of Texas M.D. Anderson Cancer Center said.
The study, published online in the Journal of Clinical Oncology, predicts a 67 percent increase in the number of adults age 65 or older diagnosed with cancer, from 1 million in 2010 to 1.6 million in 2030. In non-white individuals over the same 20-year span, the incidence is expected to increase by 100 percent, from 330,000 to 660,000.
Sunflowers are the earthly representation of the sun. They have such an affinity for the life giving force that they twist on their stems so their faces can bask in sunlight all through the day. Photons from the sun are stored in the DNA of the sunflower, making its seed resonate with the photons in human cells. This resonance is good for mind as well as body, and makes sunflowers one of the top foods for fighting depression.
cooked Quinoa
Vegetarians and vegans often find it difficult getting enough protein in to their diets. They are usually stuck eating beans and soy products most of which do not actually contain all the necessary amino acids, or what is known as complete protein. A diet lacking in protein can cause many health problems ranging from lethargy and irritability to serious skin conditions, wasting muscles and a weakened immune system. This makes it essential for non meat eaters to get as much protein into their body as possible. The answer to this problem could come from a long forgotten South America Grain called Quinoa. Quinoa grain was once called "The gold of the Incas" and "The mother of all grains" and is known for its high protein content that contains all the amino acids essential for our wellbeing. The name Quinoa grain is in fact very misleading. Quinoa is actually the seed from a plant that is closely related to leafy green vegetables such as spinach and beets. It has recently become very popular because of its distinctive nutty taste, amazing versatility and incredibly high mineral content.
