Yum! Brands Praised for Adding Calorie Counts to KFC, Pizza Hut, and Taco Bell Menu Boards

September 30, 2008

b>Statement of CSPI Executive Director Michael F. Jacobson/b>br/>YUM! Brands groundbreaking announcement that it will add calorie counts to menu boards at KFC, Pizza Hut, Taco Bell, and Long John Silvers is fabulous news for health-conscious consumers. Talk about thinking outside the bun!

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California First State in Nation to Pass Menu Labeling Law

September 29, 2008

b>Schwarzenegger Signs Historic Measure Putting Calories on Menu Boards/b>br/>WASHINGTON—California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger today signed landmark legislation that will put calorie counts on chain restaurant menus and menu boards. Though enacted in New York City, Seattle, and several other jurisdictions, California is the first state in the country to pass such a measure.

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Woman goes raw, loses more than half herself

September 26, 2008

Angela Stokes had never been overweight as a child.

But she steadily started gaining weight as a teenager because of an under-active thyroid gland. By the time she graduated from college her weight had ballooned and she wore a U.K. dress size 26-28.

“I was 300 pounds, very unwell, very miserable,” recalls Stokes. “I ate junk food all the time. I was very closed down emotionally. I had no interest in dieting; I just wanted to eat all the time … that was like my comfort in life.”

She went cold turkey or “cold cucumber,” as Stokes often jokes. She stopped eating meat, animal products and processed foods and instead switched to a diet that consisted of uncooked and unprocessed vegetables, fruits, nuts and seeds.

Read the complete article by Jackie Adams at CNN.com…

Keywords: diet, weight loss, vegetables, fruits, nuts, seeds

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Do Gastrointestinal Endoscopists Suffer From Procedure-Related Musculoskeletal Symptoms?

September 24, 2008

Work-related musculoskeletal disorder (MSD) is common among individuals whose job requires repetitive isometric maneuvers or awkward body positions. However, the prevalence of MSD among endoscopists is not well known. There are neither detailed descriptions nor analyses of the severity of the symptoms, risk factors, and management in eastern countries. A research article to be published on July 21, 2008 in the World Journal of Gastroenterology addresses this question.

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Sinusitis Patients Suffer Pain Similar To Patients With Arthritis, Depression

September 23, 2008

Although muscle and joint aches are common complaints for patients who suffer with chronic sinusitis, the seriousness of these issues is now better appreciated.

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Acupuncture beats drug to treat hot flashes: study

September 23, 2008

WASHINGTON (Reuters) – Acupuncture works as well as a drug commonly used to combat hot flashes and other menopausal symptoms that can accompany breast cancer treatment, and its benefits last longer, without bad side effects, researchers said on Monday.

They tested acupuncture, which began in China more than 2,000 years ago and involves inserting needles into the body, against the Wyeth antidepressant Effexor, for hot flashes in breast cancer patients.

Acupuncture was just as effective as Effexor, also called venlafaxine, in managing symptoms including hot flashes and night sweats, according to researchers led by Dr. Eleanor Walker of Henry Ford Hospital in Detroit.

Read the complete article by Will Dunham…

There were no bad side effects with acupuncture, and women reported increased energy, overall sense of well-being and sexual desire, the researchers said.

Keywords: hot flashes, menopause, breast cancer, nausea, headache, difficulty sleeping, dizziness, blood pressure, fatigue, anxiety, Effexor, venlafaxine, Wyeth,  Eleanor Walker, Henry Ford Hospital, American Society for Therapeutic Radiology and Oncology

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Despite Pledges, Nickelodeon Still Marketing Nutritionally Poor Food

September 22, 2008

b>/b>br/>WASHINGTON—Despite its public statements and pledges to help combat childhood obesity, the overwhelming majority of foods marketed by the childrens media giant Nickelodeon are of poor nutritional quality, according to an analysis conducted by the nonprofit Center for Science in the Public Interest.

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FDA to Announce Rules for Engineered Animals

September 17, 2008

b>Statement of CSPI Biotechnology Director Gregory Jaffe/b>br/>Today the government formally acknowledged that genetically engineered animals need regulation and oversight. It may seem strange to consumers that the Food and Drug Administration wants to treat genetically engineered animals as new animal drugs. But if FDA implements what it has proposed, the agency will at least have to determine whether these newly designed foods are safe to eat.

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FDA says BPA is OK despite concerns raised in new study

September 17, 2008

WASHINGTON (AP) — With scientists at odds over the safety of a chemical found in plastic baby bottles, metal cans and other food packaging, consumers got minimal guidance Tuesday about how to protect themselves.

At a scientific hearing, the Food and Drug Administration defended its assessment that bisphenol A– or BPA–is safe, even as the first major study of health effects in people linked it with possible risks for heart disease and diabetes. The debate could drag on for years.

"Right now, our tentative conclusion is that it’s safe, so we’re not recommending any change in habits," said Laura Tarantino, head of the FDA’s office of food additive safety. But she acknowledged, "there are a number of things people can do to lower their exposure."

For example, consumers can avoid plastic containers imprinted with the recycling number ‘7,’ as many of those contain BPA. Or, said Tarantino, they can avoid warming food in such containers, as heat helps to release the chemical.

…Dr. Ana Soto of Tufts University said the study raises enough concerns to warrant government action to limit BPA exposure. "We shouldn’t wait until further studies are done in order to act in protecting humans," said Soto, who has called for more restrictions in the past.

Read the complete article…

Keywords: reproductive, hormone, heart disease, estrogen, cancer, breast, prostate, chest pain, cardiovascular disease, diabetes, public health, Journal of the American Medical Association, JAMA, Dartmouth College, University of Missouri, Environmental Health Sciences, Frederick vom Saal, John Peterson Myers

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