Heat Maps Illustrate Vaccine Benefit
Discredited ex-physician, Andrew Wakefield's film "Vaxxed: From Cover-Up to Catastrophe" has been pulled from the Tribeca Film Festival. Despite a few loud, fierce voices claiming vaccines are dangerous, the overwhelming evidence indicates the world is a much safer place because of their benefits. Can vaccines cause side effects? Of course, but when they do they tend…
Read MoreLarge Study Shows No Net Benefit from Alcohol
Alcohol is the third most important modifiable risk factor for death and disability. It is linked with more than 60 health disorders. A study of over 114,000 adults from 12 countries found no net benefit from the use of alcohol when cancer, heart disease, injury and overall death rates were considered. This study examined a range…
Read MoreModerate Exercise Yields Big Time Benefits
Healthy, low-risk people derive tremendous benefits from moderate physical activity. A study of 13,000 runners found those in the lowest quintile (fewer than 6 miles or less than 52 minutes per week) experienced the greatest reductions in total mortality (30% less) and cardiovascular mortality (45% less). It did not have to be fast: a few miles at…
Read MoreBenefits of Social Media Use by Youngsters
A recent report from the journal Pediatrics discussed the benefits and risks of youngsters using social media: Middle and high school students are using social media to connect with one another on homework and group projects. For example, Facebook and similar social media programs allow students to gather outside of class to collaborate and exchange ideas…
Read MoreEven Modest Weight Loss Yields Significant Benefits
Modest weight loss, even without getting down to the ideal weight, will result in health benefits for those who maintain that loss! The Diabetes Prevention Program demonstrated that losing just 5-7 percent (10-14 pounds for a person who weighs 200 pounds) will lower blood pressure, reduce the risk of diabetes, and improve blood sugar and…
Read MoreTo Drink or Not to Drink? – 3
In the last couple of posts we have been exploring the issue of moderate drinking. Is it really all it is cracked up to be? Alcohol certainly takes a huge toll on society. The case for moderate drinking has a large number of studies to support its benefits, too. Are there alternative explanations? Certainly!Last month…
Read MoreTo Drink or Not to Drink? – 2
Last week we looked at a summary of the impact of alcohol on society, families and individual health. The data is sobering, indeed. Why then do we hear so much about the health benefits of moderate alcohol use?In the scientific literature there is overwhelming evidence from prospective, observational studies that individuals who drink 1-2 drinks per…
Read MoreTo Drink or Not to Drink? – 1
The barrage of media attention to the purported benefits of moderate alcohol consumption continues uninterrupted. The current "balanced" view of alcohol use can be summarized as follows:
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