Study: Ginkgo Doesn't Cut Dementia Risk
from CNN Health
The popular herb ginkgo biloba does not reduce the risk of dementia or Alzheimer's disease, according to a study of more than 1,500 elderly patients who took the supplement. Often touted as a way to preserve aging memories, no large-scale, randomized clinical trial –until now – has thoroughly evaluated the safety and effectiveness of ginkgo biloba extract as a way to prevent dementia. More

Tom Daschle Accepts Obama Offer to Lead Health and Human Services

President-elect Barack Obama has asked former Sen. Tom Daschle to serve as secretary of Health and Human Services, and the South Dakota Democrat has accepted the offer. Daschle, if confirmed, would head the agency that will handle the new administration's signature initiative to expand health insurance coverage, a Democrat familiar with the process said. More

Burlington, Vt., Named Healthiest U.S. City

Burlington, Vt., a college town on Lake Champlain, has been declared the healthiest city in the United States, according to a CDC study. The study cited overall good health reported by its residents and low levels of obesity, diabetes and other disease indicators. More

Sport Supplement May Help Shield Seniors From Falls

The dietary supplement beta-alanine – widely used by athletes and body builders –improves muscle endurance in the elderly, according to U.S. researchers. The finding "could have importance in the prevention of falls, and the maintenance of health and independent living in elderly men and women," said study author Jeffrey Stout of the University of Oklahoma. More

FDA Sending Inspectors to Other Nations

Under fire for not having the resources to better protect consumers at home, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is deploying staff members abroad to work directly with importers and foreign regulatory agencies to guard against contaminated animal feed, counterfeit drugs, toys made with lead paint and dairy products containing melamine. More

Why Ethnic Retailing Surges Despite Tough Times

In recent weeks there's been a groundswell of retailer news about plans for ethnic initiatives, particularly those catering to Hispanic customers. Why are food retailers committing capital to new formats during such a deep downturn? Demographic trends are certainly part of it, but there's more. More

Study: Multivitamins and Minerals Help Children's Brain Function

Twelve weeks of supplementation with vitamins and minerals was found to boost the attention scores of children, according to results published in the British Journal of Nutrition. "This represents the first observation of acute behavior effects of vitamins/minerals in human subjects," wrote the researchers, led by Professor David Kennedy from Northumbria University in Newcastle. More

When the Freshness Date is Dismissed

To judge by their behavior in supermarkets, American shoppers are freshness-mad: they squat in front of the milk case, in search of the one with the furthest-off freshness date. Yet the same people hardly bat an eye at drinking milk (or using aspirin) that is past its use-by date. What explains this difference? More

Study: Cherries May Provide Powerful Pain Relief

In a recent study at Baylor Medical Center in Dallas, five out of six patients said cherry extract provided significant pain relief. Dr. John Cush, who led the study, said cherries "have a lot of the same properties that common anti-inflammatory medicines like ibuprofen or naproxen will have." More

120 Days of Grass Proposed for Organic Milk Cows

The Department of Agriculture has issued draft rules for organic milk that would require that the cows be on pasture at least half the year and get plenty of fresh grass. The proposals are meant to close a loophole that has allowed some huge feedlots to sell their milk as organic, even though their cows rarely grazed on fresh grass. More

Hibiscus Tea Can Lower Blood Pressure

If you're worried about your blood pressure, you may want to follow the British custom of regularly "sipping a cuppa" – tea, that is. In a new study, drinking three cups of herbal tea containing hibiscus each day lowered blood pressure. More

Easily Jet-lagged? Try Taking Pine Tree Extract

Taking a pine bark extract for a few days before a long-haul flight may reduce the severity and duration of jet lag symptoms, new research shows. Study participants took Pycnogenol every day for a week starting two days before a seven-to nine-hour flight to specifically evaluate the extract's effects on jet lag symptoms. More