The debate continues about what effect wearing an iPod has when/if you are stuck by lightning. Some say the earbuds conduct the electricity away from the jogger’s head. Other say that it directs it through his head.
health
By 10.4.07
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German researchers have found that a glucose-restricted diet increases the number of free radicals in mice and worms, and extended their lifespans by up to 25%. The free radicals trigger the natural defense systems in the creatures, which in turn strengthen long-term cellular protection against the damaging molecules. So go ahead: smoke and curse all you want, and throw out that death-giving orange juice. [Reuters]
FDA Might Create A "Behind-The-Counter" Drug Category
By 10.3.07
Next Month, the FDA will hold a public meeting to discuss whether or not they should allow certain drugs to be sold “behind-the-counter”—that is, after consultation with a pharmacist, but without the need for a prescription. If they move ahead with the plan, a new BTC category will be created, although what drugs will fall under it have not been determined.
By 10.3.07
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Woman undergoes unneeded double mastectomy. [AP]
10 Popular Diets Ranked According To Healthiness
By 10.1.07
A new report in the Journal of the American Dietetic Association ranks ten diets according to nutritional quality and potential effects on heart health. The best of the ten is the Ornish diet, while the least healthy is the Atkins plan. Dieters, begin fighting.
IHOP To Abandon Trans-Fats By Year End
By 10.1.07
IHOP has announced that they will be going trans-fat free by the end of the year. The chain said they’ve found a replacement oil that tastes the same as the old heart-killing trans-fat oil.
It's Illegal To Charge For A Contact Lens Prescription
By 10.1.07
Did you know it’s illegal for a doctor to charge you for giving you your contact lens prescription? Yup, it’s against federal law. The Fairness to Contact Lens Consumers Act mandates that a doctors must provide you with a copy of your prescription after a contact lens fitting.
People Suddenly Love V8? What?
By 9.29.07
An article in Newsday asks the question: “Why are Campbell’s V8 juices suddenly selling?” We didn’t even realize they were.
Slate Tests Snoring Solutions
By 9.28.07
Living with a snorer brings out the worst in you—things you would never do while awake, like punching your partner in the face, seem trivial at three in the morning when your bedmate suddenly sounds like an old lawnmower. This chronic snorer tested several solutions to find what worked best, ranking them on ease of use, reaction of spouse, and how he felt the morning after. The surprising winner? A tennis ball tied to the back of a t-shirt to prevent him from rolling onto his back.
Gum Company Paid ADA For Study That Earned It Their Seal Of Approval
By 9.28.07
For the first time ever, the American Dental Association is putting its seal on some Wrigley’s chewing gum products—they’ll now say that the ADA considers them products that are “clinically proven to help prevent cavities, reduce plaque acid and strengthen teeth.” The ADA and some health professionals say that this is a perfectly acceptable application of the seal, because a full study was carried out that proved the products work. The only problem is, the study was privately funded and the gum companies partially paid for them.
Walmart Adds More Drugs To The $4 Program, You Can Now Control Your Fungus For Cheap
By 9.27.07
The New York Times is reporting that Walmart has decided to expand their $4 generic drug program. The program will now include generics of “widely used heart medication Coreg and the anti-fungal drug Lamisil.”
Is Fuze Violating Labeling Law By Making Bogus Health Claims?
By 9.26.07
The always entertaining Center for Science in the Public Interest is irritated with Coca-Cola’s Fuze drinks because they make ridiculous health claims on their labels.
By 9.26.07
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Health organization Kaiser Permanente has launched an online game for kids that teaches them about nutrition and healthy lifestyles, then “locks” the kids out of the game after 20 minutes so they’ll go outside and play. We imagine the lock-out functionality won’t be needed, as the educational aspect of the game should organically repel the target audience of 9- and 10-year-olds in 10 to 15 seconds. [Reuters]
How To Fill A 120-Day Prescription For 1/5th Of The Regular Price
By 9.26.07
Here’s a potential way to get certain drug prescriptions filled cheaply—as in, a several-month supply for less than $15—from our own Consumerist reader and commenter Hambriq. He posted it last week and we thought it was worth bringing to the foreground for more readers to see.
Exercise Doesn't (Necessarily) Make You Lose Weight
By 9.26.07
Good news if you hate the gym, bad news if you’ve invested your time, money, and faith in the body-shaping power of daily workouts: despite what most people think, there still isn’t overwhelming evidence that exercise will reduce weight. Over the past several decades, research continues to show that exercise will definitely increase your body’s energy needs but not always reduce fat, and that a sedentary lifestyle and obesity are linked but not in a proven cause-and-effect relationship. Meanwhile, the popular press has promoted and mythologized a sort of “faith-based” concept of exercise as a key requirement for weight loss.
Portion Control And Snack Replacements Pervade Annual Candy Trade Show
By 9.26.07
Green tea Hershey’s Kisses, diabetic-friendly sprays that taste like ice cream, chewy Lemonheads and Atomic Fireballs: the candy industry’s All Candy Expo was held in Chicago earlier this month, and over 2,000 new products were revealed, many of which reflect consumers’ current fondness for low-calorie snacks, portion control, and energy-boosting products.
Grab Your Sewing Kit: Fake Acupuncture Works!
By 9.26.07
Score another round—sort of—for alternative medicine. In what may be the funniest medical study fake-out so far, German scientists report that patients who received fake acupuncture in their lower back reported relief at almost-but-not-quite the same rate as those who received legit acupuncture: 44% of patients improved, versus 47% of those who received real acupuncture and 25% of those who received conventional treatment reported improvements.
