http://www.medsurfer.com/blog Trusted Guide to You Health Assessment Mon, 10 Mar 2008 03:22:24 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en According to literature review published in the Journal of Family Medicine in the February 2008 issue, "Patients who used pedometers walked more, lost weight without dieting, and improved their systolic blood pressure". This is based on a meta-analysis published in JAMA (Journal of American Medical Association) 2007 which analyzed over 26 ... http://www.medsurfer.com/blog/2008/03/09/pedometer-use-helps-weight-loss/ Overweight and obesity are found worldwide, and the prevalence of these conditions in the United States ranks high along with other developed nations. Below are some data based on National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) 2001 to 2004. Adults age 20 and older who are overweight or obese (BMI > ... http://www.medsurfer.com/blog/2007/08/30/obesity-is-highly-prevalent-in-usa-here-are-the-shocking-stats/ What is HPV? HPVs are a group of more than 100 types of viruses that cause warts. Some types of HPV cause genital warts. Other types cause cancer of the cervix. It is passed on through genital contact (such as vaginal and anal sex). It is also passed on by skin-to-skin ... http://www.medsurfer.com/blog/2007/03/16/human-papilloma-virus-hpv-facts-for-both-women-and-men/ Bottom Line: Duct tape is at least as effective as traditional cryotherapy for removal of wart. Review: Focht et al [1] conducted a randomized controlled trial to compare effect of duct tape vs cryotherapy on warts. 61 patients were enrolled and divided into two groups. One received cryotherapy (liquid nitrogen) every 2-3 weeks ... http://www.medsurfer.com/blog/2006/12/19/does-duct-tape-cures-warts/ Bedroom is for sleep only. Use the bedroom only for sleeping or having sex. Don't eat, talk on the phone or watch TV while you're in bed. Don't just lay in bed awake. If ... http://www.medsurfer.com/blog/2006/10/14/tips-on-improving-sleep/ Smoking is a major cause of many diseases. Some of those include: Cancer of lung, larynx, mouth, and esophagus Coronary heart disease; strokes; chronic bronchitis Low bone density; hip fractures GERD and Peptic Ulcers People who smoke may not understand or they may choose to ignore all of the risks listed on the labels of ... http://www.medsurfer.com/blog/2006/09/17/what-products-are-there-to-help-me-quit-smoking/ Over the past decade, Omega-3 fatty acids have gained widespread attention in both medical community as well as in lay press for their health benefits. Omega-3 fatty acids are one of the two types of polyunsaturated fats. The other type is omega-6 fatty acids. The main dietary source of omega-3 fatty ... http://www.medsurfer.com/blog/2006/09/08/what-are-the-health-benefits-of-omega-3-fatty-acids/ Bottom Line: There is unclear evidence stating that Ginger would treat symptoms of common cold, but there is little evidence to suggest that Ginger juice may have antihistaminergic and anticholinergic effects that may help during common cold. Review: Most of what is know about Ginger is its anti-emetic effects and also lipid lowering ... http://www.medsurfer.com/blog/2006/09/07/can-ginger-treat-common-cold/ Bottom Line: Prior BCG vaccination have variable effect on PPD results. It varies with age at vaccination, number of years since the BCG vaccination, number of times vaccinated, and number of PPD performed. When evaluating Positive PPD among immigrants, disregard the history of BCG vaccination. Review: BCG vaccination is given in the areas ... http://www.medsurfer.com/blog/2006/09/04/does-having-a-prior-bcg-vaccine-affect-positive-ppd-test-screening-test-for-tuberculosis/ You may have ask this questions many time whenever you were given a prescription medication by your doctor. Should I take this with food or before food or on empty stomach and so on. Not all medicines are affected by food, but many medicines can be affected by what you eat ... http://www.medsurfer.com/blog/2006/08/17/which-medications-should-i-take-with-food-and-which-one-without/ Cold and Flu both are caused by viruses. They have many similar symptoms but generally Flu is worse. A cold develops gradually.  Initial symptoms of runny nose, sneezing, and chills are followed by coughing, headache, sore throat, loss of appetite, and nasal discharge.  If fever is present, it will be ... http://www.medsurfer.com/blog/2006/08/17/is-it-a-cold-or-flu-what-is-the-difference/ The Glycemic Index (GI) is a numerical Index that ranks carbohydrates based on their rate of glycemic response (i.e. how long it takes for a particular food convert in to glucose in our body). Glycemic Index uses a scale of 0 to 100, with higher values given to foods that ... http://www.medsurfer.com/blog/2006/08/15/what-is-glycemic-index/ The Zone Diet is created by Dr. Barry Sears, a researcher at MIT who holds PhD in Biochemistry. The idea of treating food as a drug was a revolutionary approach to dieting that Dr. Sears based on 1982 Nobel Prize-winning research that examined how dietary fats can influence hormones and ... http://www.medsurfer.com/blog/2006/08/15/what-is-the-zone-diet/ Often when people are dieting to lose weight, they have questions as to what constitute a healthy diet. Here are some tips for healthy eating: Eat breakfast every day. People who eat breakfast are less likely to overeat later in the day. Breakfast also gives you energy and helps you think ... http://www.medsurfer.com/blog/2006/08/15/tips-for-healthy-eating/ Before even deciding whether the Mediterranean diet is good for me, one need to know what exactly Mediterranean Diet is. There's no one "Mediterranean" diet. At least 16 countries border the Mediterranean Sea. Diets vary between these countries and also between regions within a country. Many differences in culture, ethnic ... http://www.medsurfer.com/blog/2006/08/11/is-mediterranean-diet-helpful-for-me/