Search Results for: medical studies
Studies on HCG & Weight Loss
HCG is an obesity treatment dating back to the 1950s that has made a resurgence in popularity in recent years. The use of HCG — which stands for human chorionic gonadotropin, also known as the human pregnancy hormone — was revealed as fad as early as the mid-1970s. Studies on HCG and weight loss indicate that the reason you lose weight on this diet is not from the use of HCG itself but because of the drastically reduced calorie count.
Should Pregnant Women Be Medical Test Subjects?
The recent H1N1 swine flu virus was certainly deadly for the population as a whole, killing 305 Americans, but pregnant women were at a disproportionally higher risk for death. Pregnant women, even if they were healthy, were more likely to develop severe disease after infection with the virus. They were four times more likely to be hospitalized, with a much higher death rate. These facts were cited by researchers in their effort to correct what they believe is an urgent need to perform clinical testing on pregnant women (from a recent article in the New England Journal of Medicine). They claim that pregnant women are virtually excluded from medical research. Because clinical testing poses potential risks for participants, is it safe for pregnant women to be a part of this group, possibly risking not only their own health, but the health of their fetus?
Medical Benefits of Meditation
Meditation, the art of tuning the mind out of normal, conscious thought and into a relaxed state of awareness, is becoming increasingly popular in Western culture, and it’s about time. Meditation has been an integral part of Eastern life and religion for centuries. Health professionals report that people who make meditation a regular part of their lives experience a wide range of neurological, emotional, cardiovascular and immune system benefits. Specific types of meditation have also been identified as being particularly healthful for pregnant women.
Medical Benefits of Drinking Red Wine
In recent years, red wine has been assigned such health benefits as protecting us against heart disease and cancer. Still, many studies show no difference in red wine versus other alcohol containing beverages—such as beer, white wine or liquor—when considering their health benefits. The Mayo Clinic does report that something in red wine seems to be beneficial to heart health. They just aren’t sure exactly what it is that provides the health benefits.
How to Determine the Sex of Your Baby by the Heartbeat
One old wives’ tale states that you can tell whether you are having a boy or girl baby, based on the heart rate of the baby in utero. Medical studies have shown this to be incorrect, except in labor and birth, but by the time you get to that stage, it’s only a matter of hours before you find out the baby’s sex for real. Still, it’s fun to use the heart rate to guess your baby’s gender before you get your first glimpse at the real goods.