Drs. Jonette Keri and Rajiv Nijhawan from the University of Miami in Florida have reviewed the evidence.
Here are the highlights. Continue reading Is there a diet-acne connection?
Category Archives: E. DIETARY
Acne: Recommendations are easy; data, scarce
Herbalists recommend more than a dozen herbal remedies for acne and scarring, according to a recent article.
Unfortunately, only 1 of these herbals is supported by the results of a study in patients. Continue reading Acne: Recommendations are easy; data, scarce
Support for the effect of diet on acne
Acne vulgaris has anecdotally been attributed to diet.
This review by researchers at The George Washington University Medical Center, in Washington, DC, found convincing data supporting the role of dairy products and high-glycemic-index foods. Continue reading Support for the effect of diet on acne
Ineffective herbal remedies for treating acne
I recently came across a website advocating herbals to treat or prevent acne.
The website isn’t important, but the results of my PubMed searches might be useful. Continue reading Ineffective herbal remedies for treating acne
Acne treatments
The surest way to know that there is no truly effective treatment for a condition is to count the number of treatment recommendations. The more recommendations, the less likely it is that any of them have a significant effect. I’m not sure if there is a tipping point. Whether 6 or 12 or 20 recommended treatments guarantee that you will have less than complete cure.
Here are some of the recommendations from just one article.
Defining what it means to be “gluten free”
Following a gluten-free diet is the key to treating celiac disease (sprue) — an autoimmune disorder of the small intestine that occurs in genetically predisposed people.
One might think that “gluten free” means no gluten, but that’s not correct, according to the FDA.
Here’s what we now know. Continue reading Defining what it means to be “gluten free”
Trade-offs: Comparing supplements vs. exercise
Drs. Andrew Mendelsohn and James Larrick at the Panorama Research Institute and Regenerative Sciences Institute, in Sunnyvale, California, have complied an impressive list of reviews on the effects of exercise. Here’s the first in a series of summaries of their recent publications.
Continue reading Trade-offs: Comparing supplements vs. exercise
The end of trans fats
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced its preliminary determination that partially hydrogenated oils — the primary dietary source of artificial trans fat in processed foods — are not “generally recognized as safe” for use in food.
It wasn’t always so.
Review: Vitamin D supplements fail to change bone density
Almost half of older adults take vitamin D with or without calcium.
Researchers at the University of Tasmania, Hobart, in Australia, reviewed the evidence. Continue reading Review: Vitamin D supplements fail to change bone density
NCB-02 to treat ulcerative colitis
NCB-02 is a standardized curcumin (a chemical in turmeric) preparation that has been used with positive results in an animal model of ulcerative colitis.
Now, researchers at the All India Institute of Medical Sciences, in New Delhi, tested it in people. Continue reading NCB-02 to treat ulcerative colitis
Does water really improve health?
First lady, Michelle Obama tells us that drinking more water will improve the health of kids and all Americans.
Really? Here’s what we know. Continue reading Does water really improve health?
Is the risk of a cranberry juice and warfarin interaction significant?
A researcher from Bangalore, India, reviewed the evidence and sees a difference between what’s seen in the lab and what’s reported in practice.
Here’s what we know. Continue reading Is the risk of a cranberry juice and warfarin interaction significant?
Benefits of green tea to control blood sugar
Researchers in Chongqing, People’s Republic of China, evaluated the effect of green tea on glucose control and insulin sensitivity. Continue reading Benefits of green tea to control blood sugar
Effect of prenatal iron on pregnancy outcomes
Iron deficiency is the most widespread nutritional deficiency in the world.
Researchers form Boston and London reviewed the evidence. Continue reading Effect of prenatal iron on pregnancy outcomes
Updated recommendations to prevent and treat osteoporosis
An expert committee of the National Osteoporosis Foundation (NOF) with a multi-specialty council of medical experts in the field of bone health have updated recommendations.
Let’s focus on prevention, which emphasizes many of the CAM topics that dominate this website.
Continue reading Updated recommendations to prevent and treat osteoporosis
The last holdout for trans fat in fast food?
“Long John Silver’s Big Catch meal deserves to be buried 20,000 leagues under the sea,” said Michael F. Jacobson of the Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI). Continue reading The last holdout for trans fat in fast food?
Benefits of reducing salt intake: Reality sets in
The NIH Committee on the Consequences of Sodium Reduction… reports it might be time to entertain second thoughts on the importance of salt restriction.
It was just a matter of time. Continue reading Benefits of reducing salt intake: Reality sets in
Increased risk of type 2 diabetes associated with sugar-sweetened drinks
It’s been shown in the US.
Now, researchers from Imperial College London and the InterAct consortium report an association with type 2 diabetes in Europeans who drink sugar-sweetened soft drinks. Continue reading Increased risk of type 2 diabetes associated with sugar-sweetened drinks
Curcumin to treat gingivitis
Periodontal diseases often lead to tooth loss. The most common forms include gingivitis and periodontitis, which are caused by plaque bacteria around the gums.
Researchers at Rangoonwala College of Dental Sciences and Research Centre, in Maharashtra, India, studied the effects of curcumin mouthwash. Here are their results and a summary of other recent studies. Continue reading Curcumin to treat gingivitis
Risk of death due to sugar-sweetened drinks
During EPI/NPAM 2013 — Epidemiology and Prevention/Nutrition, Physical Activity and Metabolism 2013 Scientific Sessions — researchers from Harvard School of Public Health, in Boston, reported that drinking large amounts of sugary beverages was associated with an increase in body-mass index (BMI), which in turn was linked with BMI-related deaths from diabetes, cardiovascular disease, and cancer. Continue reading Risk of death due to sugar-sweetened drinks