Birth control bills may benefit women with asthma, while taking acetaminophen may be associated with a higher risk of developing asthma.
Two new studies, both published in the November issue of CHEST, analyzed women and asthma.

In the birth control pill study at McMaster University in Canada, researchers studied 17 women with asthma during their menstrual cycles. The study results revealed that women with asthma taking oral contraceptives had lower exhaled nitric oxide levels (eNO) than women who were taking the pill. eNO is a marker of airway inflammation associated with asthma. Researchers think that the pill just could have a potential …read more

As you know, I don’t typically write about the ancient practice of astrology. However, an opportunity came my way to share with you astrology tips for 2010 from leading astrologists who write for AOL.com and Tarot.com: Rick Levine and Jeff Jawer.

Levine is the founding trustee of the Kepler College for Astrological Arts and Sciences, a four-year educational institution in Seattle, WA. Jawer is a co-founder of the Association for Astrological Networking and the United Astrology Congress.
Levine and Jawer are the authors of Your Astrology Guide 2010. I don’t take astrology very seriously myself, but I have to admit that it …read more

Gluten-free doesn’t have to mean plain. As the number of people diagnosed with celiac disease grows to around 2 million in the US, so do healthy, gluten-free food options.
I recently tried a couple of boxes of Nature’s Path organic and gluten-free cereals: Crunchy Vanilla Sunrise and Crunchy Maple Sunrise. (I received the boxes free for review.)

Both of these cereals are certified USDA organic. In addition, the Sunrise cereals are also vegetarian and free of trans fat. I’m not sure how you can get much healthier than this.
What’s inside? An organic blend of corn, rice, flax, quinoa, buckwheat and amaranth.
Both cereals …read more

Andrea Ivory knew she was fortunate when she survived breast cancer due to early detection. That made her think of all the women without health insurance who put off getting mammograms and breast exams.

She didn’t just think about it. Andrea started the Florida Breast Health Initiative. Since 2006, Andrea and her team of volunteers have knocked on the doors of around 20,000 homes. And they’ve helped provide more than 500 mammograms to Miami area residents.

Andrea and the Florida Breast Health Initiative volunteers spread the word that “Early detection is the best protection.” They devote the first three Saturdays of each …read more

If you regularly hear annoying noise with electrical, musical, or even mechanical qualities, then you could be part of the 19% of Americans who suffer from tinnitus. The buzzing or chirping noise is often high-pitched and relentless. Yet, others can’t hear it.

What’s heard by tinnitus sufferers is called “phantom” noise since nothing external is causing it, and doctors often can’t hear the noises on exam either. According to Mayo Clinic, doctors can only hear a rare type of tinnitus caused by a muscular issue, blood vessel problem or an inner ear bone condition.
Despite the fact that tinnitus is so widespread, …read more

No one really knows what causes restless legs syndrome (RLS). People who have this problem experience a strong urge to move their legs when they should be falling asleep. Some people with restless legs syndrome may feel sensations in their legs described as tingling or crawling. Sufferers may also have periodic limb movements during sleep.

New research has shown that Caucasian women might suffer from restless legs syndrome up to four times more than African-American women. In the study, two out of five Caucasian women had restless legs syndrome. Researchers aren’t sure why there’s a higher prevalence of the problem among …read more

If your diet is high in artificially sweetened sodas or sodium, you could be putting yourself at risk for faster kidney decline. Two studies on diet and kidney function are being presented at the American Society of Nephrology’s annual meeting. They were conducted by Dr. Julie Lin and Dr. Gary Curhan of Brigham and Women’s Hospital.

The study, “Associations of Sweetened Beverages with Kidney Function Decline,” revealed significant, “two-fold increased odds” of faster kidney function decline with two or more servings per day of artificially sweetened soda. However, sugar-sweetened beverages didn’t seem to affect kidney function decline. The connection between artificially …read more

“Red Alert for Women’s Hearts” isn’t a fundraising walk or a warning not to eat red meat. It’s a conference at the European Heart House in France on November 5 to address the subject of women and cardiovascular disease (CVD).
Worldwide, more women are killed by heart disease and stroke than anything else, yet much of the research to date has focused on men. The conference is a call to action for more gender-specific heart research for women. After all, 8.6 million women are dying each year from CVD.

A report to be presented at the conference reveals that in Europe, only …read more

Do you know how well your kidneys are functioning? Primary care physicians may be failing to diagnose kidney problems in women soon enough.
Chronic kidney disease (CKD) is more likely to go undiagnosed in women than men, says Maya Rao, MD, of Columbia University.

According to the National Kidney Foundation, warning signs of CKD include high blood pressure, puffiness around eyes, and swelling of hands and feet. Other signs include frequent urination, particularly at night, and painful or difficult urination. Tests may show blood or protein in the urine. Around 19 million Americans are affected by CKD.
Rao’s paper, being presented at the …read more

The book release of Dracula The Un-Dead by Dacre Stoker and Halloween itself, together with all the scary movie previews everywhere, have all made me think about what scary entertainment does to us.

Are scary movies and books bad for your mental health?
When I was a little girl, I slept with my long hair wrapped around my neck because I thought it would protect me from vampires. Even in college, as an English major, I still didn’t read Dracula.
The few times I’ve watched scary movies, I’ve dreamed about them, and I was a stabbing victim in one of those dreams. So, …read more