
Late-Breaking Health News
The FDA warns consumers to avoid nearly 70 weight-loss
products that contain dangerous undeclared ingredients. The
products claim to contain only “natural” or “herbal” ingredients
but contain ingredients not listed on labels that range from an
antiseizure medication to a suspected carcinogen.
The FDA alert includes the weight-loss products Fatloss
Slimming, Japan Lingzhi 24 Hours Diet, 7 Day Herbal Slim, 999
Fitness Essence, Imelda Perfect Slim, Perfect Slim, ProSlim Plus,
Slim Express 360, Superslim, Venom Hyperdrive 3.0, 2 Day
Diet, 5x Imelda Perfect Slimming, 8 Factor Diet,
Extrim Plus, Lida DaiDaihua, Perfect Slim 5x,
Royal Slimming Formula, Slimtech, TripleSlim,
3x Slimming Power, 3 Day Diet, 7 Diet Day/
Night Formula, GMP, Miaozi Slim Capsules,
Phyto Shape, Slim 3 in 1, Somotrim, and more.
“These products pose a risk because they contain
undeclared ingredients and prescription drugs
in amounts that exceed their recommended dosages,”
says Janet Woodcock, M.D., director of the FDA’s
Center for Drug Evaluation and Research.
New research shows evidence-based
therapies give substance
abusers their best chance to break
a drug or alcohol habit, according
to The New York Times. Among the
proven treatments are prescription
drugs such as naltrexone for alcohol
dependence and buprenorphine for
addiction to narcotics.
Another proven treatment called
a “motivational interview” (MI) can
increase an abuser’s commitment to
treatment. In MI, counselors have
addicts set goals and explain why
they have a problem and why it’s
important to quit.
Psychotherapy techniques, in which
people learn to tolerate low moods,
also are useful, as is cognitive behavior
therapy, in which addicts learn to
question assumptions that reinforce
their habits (such as “I’ll never make
friends who don’t do drugs”).
A Mediterranean-style diet is best
for lowering blood sugar in people
with diabetes.
A new six-month study found a
diet of low-glycemic foods—such
as beans, nuts, peas, and lentils—was superior to a high-cereal-fiber
diet, according to the Journal of the
American Medical Association.
Researchers at the University of
Toronto in Canada randomly selected
more than 200 people with type 2
diabetes to follow either a high-cereal-fiber
diet or a low-glycemic-index diet.
All the participants were already taking
blood-sugar-lowering medications.
Those in the low-glycemic group
saw a reduction in their blood sugar
levels as well as an increase in their
HDL (good) cholesterol. The study
authors suggest this could result in a
10 to 12 percent reduction in cardiovascular
complications.
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