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The Best Chance for Smoking Cessation: Patch & Lozenge Combo

A smoker who is trying to kick the habit has the best odds for triumph over cravings by utilizing a nicotine patch in combination with a nicotine lozenge. This is the key finding of a first ever study that compared the effectiveness of several popular smoking cessation products used alone or in various combinations. The results of the analysis appear in the November issue of the Archives of General Psychiatry.

Red Grape Compound Showing Promise Against Diabetes

Heart specialists may advise you to drink a glass or two of red wine to keep your heart healthy but emerging research may be shedding a new light on the same theory involving diabetes health. Next time you are planning a road trip, ski trip, or just a quiet dinner at home, you may want to reach for the red grapes and put a bushel (or bottle) in your cart to ward off the danger of diabetes.

Diabetes Drug Shown to Be Helpful with Weight Loss

The diabetes drug Liraglutide may help obese patients lose weight even if they are not diagnosed diabetics. The operative word here is "help." Obese patients would not rely solely on diabetic medication to help them lose weight; they must also adjust their lifestyles.

Federal Justice Department to Abandon Medical Marijuana Prosecutions

The Obama Administration promised a variety of changes in many of the federal government’s policies, and from international diplomacy to stem cell research, it was evident that the Democrats had taken over the White House.

Mind Over Matter: How Placebo Treatments Can Reduce Real Pain

Placebos, the ubiquitous sugar pills of old, are usually employed in drug trials to determine the effectiveness of a medication. Comparing the responses of both the medication and a placebo allows for the measurement of the efficacy of the treatment. However, in some cases, the placebo actually can have an effect, as is the case in a recent trial where the placebo actually reduced pain signaling in their spinal cord.

Link Uncovered Between Cell Phone Use and Brain Tumors

Since the introduction of cell phones in the 1980s, there has been speculation that the radiation from these electronic marvels might pose an increased risk of cancer. There have been a number of studies, but none provided conclusive evidence one way or the other. Even a recent review of previously published findings on the subject turned up no overall link. But when the researchers reanalyzed the most scientific of the studies, they found “there is reason for concern.”

Status Update: U.S. Health Care Reform

It is complicated. Listening to a singular pundit or TV channel for news about health care reform may only provide talking points, and attempting to put together the entire debate and its current status leaves most people confused and frustrated. The ins and outs of health care reform are undoubtedly complicated, especially as hundreds of pages of legislation filled with political-speak will likely dictate the future of health care in America.

VA Extends Benefits for Conditions Related to Agent Orange Exposure

The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs (VA) is expanding the list of conditions and diseases acknowledged as having a connection to being exposed to Agent Orange. Under the VA's new proposal, additional medical conditions would have presumptive status, thereby making it easier for those who suffer from these illnesses to qualify for VA benefits.

Second Wave of H1N1 Flu Underway

It’s a subject you’ve already heard a great deal about, and one that won’t be going away anytime soon—the H1N1 flu virus. Widespread flu activity is already being reported in 37 states, virtually all due to H1N1. Across the nation, flu-related doctor visits, hospitalizations and deaths are increasing and are higher than expected for this time of year.

Link Found to Chronic Fatigue Syndrome

Ever feel like you are tired all the time but your doctor can’t seem to find the cause? You may suffer from a syndrome that approximately 10 million Americans have called chronic fatigue syndrome. Recently it has been discovered that a retrovirus is now linked with this syndrome, so treatment may be easier to find.