Health News for October 8, 2008

VIP stalking linked to serious mental illness
A study of people who stalk members of the British royal family has revealed that the majority of them suffer from serious psychotic illnesses, instead of being hapless eccentrics. ANI

Heparin-compression combo may help prevent deep vein thrombosis
A team of Cochrane Researchers says that combining short periods of leg compression with medications like heparin can be helpful in significantly decreasing a patients risk of deep vein thrombosis (DVT), the formation of a blood clot in a deep vein. ANI

Patients in minimally conscious state can also feel pain
Severely brain-damaged patients in a minimally conscious state may still feel pain the same as healthy people, says a new research. ANI

Burn treatment cream may actually delay healing
A commonly used cream for treating burns may actually delay healing, according to a new study. ANI

Honey can help heal burns faster
Honey can help heal burn wounds more quickly than some standard dressing treatments, a new study has found. ANI

Mentally ill smoke at 4 times the rate of general population
People with mental illness smoke at 4 times the rate of the general population, says a new study from the University of Melbourne ANI

Gene discovery may offer blindness cure
A gene called, SERPING1, has been identified to play a major role in age-related macular degeneration (AMD), the most common cause of blindness in developed countries. ANI

St. Johns wort can help beat the blues
Extracts from the plant, called St. Johns wort, have been found to effectively relieve symptoms of major depression, says a new study. ANI

Olive oil helps keep hunger pangs at bay
A healthy fat found in olive oil, nuts and avocados sends an important message to the brain: stop eating, youre full. According to a new research, the fatty foods wards off huger pangs. ANI

Even occasional smoking can harm arteries
Even occasional smoking can impair the functioning of humans arteries, says a new study. ANI

Compassion meditation can act as a great stress buster
Individuals who engage in compassion meditation may benefit by reductions in inflammatory and behavioral responses to psychological stress, a new study has found. ANI

Researchers make groundbreaking TB vaccine breakthrough
Groundbreaking research by Welsh scientists is being used to develop a more effective vaccine against TB. ANI

Meat and dairy diet could up prostate cancer risk
Eating large amounts of meat and dairy products may increase the risk of prostate cancer, a new research has found. ANI

Killing angry immune cells in fat may help fight diabetes
Researchers have shown that they can rapidly reverse insulin resistance in obese mice - by killing off angry immune cells that take up residence in obese fat and muscle tissue.According to the researchers, the findings suggest that treatments aimed at specific subsets of the so-called macrophage cells might offer a very effective new antidiabetic therapy. ANI

Tribesmen claim clearing Bajaur Agency of militants
The Salarzai tribe in Bajaur Agency, which had resolved at a jirga last week not to allow foreigners to enter the area, has claimed that their area had been cleared of militants and that now it was for the Pakistan government to re-establish its writ and deploy more security forces. ANI

Circumcision doesnt reduce gay mens HIV risk
There is insufficient evidence that circumcision reduces the risk of human immunodeficiency virus (HIV) infection or other sexually transmitted infections among men who have sex with men, according to an analysis of previous research. ANI

12 deadly diseases worsened by climate change enlisted
The Wildlife Conservation Society (WCS) in the U.S. has enlisted 12 germs that can spread into new regions due to climate change, significantly affecting both human and wildlife health and global economies. ANI

Anti-inflammatory drugs may be linked to reduced breast cancer risk
Regular use of Non Steroidal Anti-Inflammatory Drugs (NSAIDs) is associated with a 12 per cent relative risk reduction in breast cancer compared to non-users, according to a new research. ANI

Study to determine black cohoshs safety for breast cancer patients
A researcher from the University of Missouri will conduct a study to determine how black cohosh - an herbal supplement often used to relieve hot flashes in menopausal women - interacts with tamoxifen, a common drug used to treat breast cancer. ANI

Newly created peptide turns cancer friend into foe
A team of American scientists has created a peptide that binds to Bcl-2, a protein that protects cancer cells from programmed cell death, and converts it into a cancer cell killer. ANI