Safety and life-saving efficacy of statins have been exaggerated

Posted: 23 Feb 2015 04:00 AM PST

Hailed as miracle drugs when they hit the market two decades ago, statins, the cholesterol-lowering drugs prescribed to prevent heart attacks, are not as effective nor as safe as we have been led to believe, say Dr. David M. Diamond, a professor of psychology, molecular pharmacology and physiology at the University of South Florida, and Dr. Uffe Ravnskov, an independent health researcher and an expert in cholesterol and cardiovascular disease.

Short-term use of hormone replacement therapy associated with increased ovarian cancer risk

Posted: 12 Feb 2015 11:00 PM PST

Taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT) for the menopause, even for just a few years, is associated with a significantly increased risk of developing the two most common types of ovarian cancer, according to a detailed re-analysis of all the available evidence, published in The Lancet.

Another reason to drink wine: It could help you burn fat

Posted: 06 Feb 2015 01:00 AM PST

Drinking red grape juice or wine - in moderation - could improve the health of overweight people by helping them burn fat better, according to a new study coauthored by an Oregon State University researcher. The findings suggest that consuming dark-colored grapes, whether eating them or drinking juice or wine, might help people better manage obesity and related metabolic disorders such as fatty liver.

Add nature, art and religion to life's best anti-inflammatories

Posted: 04 Feb 2015 04:00 AM PST

Taking in such spine-tingling wonders as the Grand Canyon, Sistine Chapel ceiling or Schubert's "Ave Maria" may give a boost to the body's defense system, according to new research from UC Berkeley. Researchers have linked positive emotions - especially the awe we feel when touched by the beauty of nature, art and spirituality - with lower levels of pro-inflammatory cytokines, which are proteins that signal the immune system to work harder.