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Health news
Jul. 25th, 2008 07:34 amIced tea increases risk of kidney stones - Iced contains high concentrations of oxalates that are a key component in forming kidney stones, which strike men four times as often as women. To combat the possibility of forming kidney stones, the article recommends drinking plenty of water, and they can even flavour it with lemon slices because citrates inhibit stone formation. Looks like it's lemonade over iced tea as a summertime refresher.
Smokers react worse to viruses - The study involving mice forced to breath the equivalent of 2 cigarettes-worth of smoke each day before being exposed to a flu-like virus concluded that, although the the virus was cleared from the system normally, inflammation and tissue damage was far higher than seen in mice not exposed to cigarette smoke. A future study will verify whether the same response is visible in humans, in whom it is well-established that smokers tend to be hit harder when they have a virus than non-smokers.
Why licking your wounds helps healing - Saliva contains histatin that both kills bacteria and promotes wound healing. Scientists in the Netherlands, where the study was conducted, suggest that this compound could be added to topical creams and ointments to promote healing.
Soy consumption linked to reduced sperm counts - Men who consume half a serving of soy per day on average were found to have lower sperm concentrations than those who didn't eat soy products. Specifically, soy-eaters had sperm counts as low as 41 million/ml versus the normal range of 80 to 120 million/ml. The effect was worst in men who were classified as overweight.
To lose weight, cut fructose intake - The liver coordinates how sugars are handled and, if there is too much glucose in the system, converts it to triglycerides. Fructose tends to bypass the assessment stage and moves right to being converted to triglycerides. Bottom line is that an effective weight-loss program should include minimizing the consumption of products containing things like high-fructose cord syrup.
Smokers react worse to viruses - The study involving mice forced to breath the equivalent of 2 cigarettes-worth of smoke each day before being exposed to a flu-like virus concluded that, although the the virus was cleared from the system normally, inflammation and tissue damage was far higher than seen in mice not exposed to cigarette smoke. A future study will verify whether the same response is visible in humans, in whom it is well-established that smokers tend to be hit harder when they have a virus than non-smokers.
Why licking your wounds helps healing - Saliva contains histatin that both kills bacteria and promotes wound healing. Scientists in the Netherlands, where the study was conducted, suggest that this compound could be added to topical creams and ointments to promote healing.
Soy consumption linked to reduced sperm counts - Men who consume half a serving of soy per day on average were found to have lower sperm concentrations than those who didn't eat soy products. Specifically, soy-eaters had sperm counts as low as 41 million/ml versus the normal range of 80 to 120 million/ml. The effect was worst in men who were classified as overweight.
To lose weight, cut fructose intake - The liver coordinates how sugars are handled and, if there is too much glucose in the system, converts it to triglycerides. Fructose tends to bypass the assessment stage and moves right to being converted to triglycerides. Bottom line is that an effective weight-loss program should include minimizing the consumption of products containing things like high-fructose cord syrup.