Probiotic supplements during the first trimester of pregnancy can help women lose weight after their child’s birth, according to new findings.

Researchers report that supplements containing Lactobacillus and Bifidobacterium were associated with less central obesity, defined as a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or more or a waist circumference over 80 centimeters.

Probiotics are live microorganisms that confer a health benefits when consumed.

Previous research found that microbial populations in the gut are different between obese and lean people, and that when the obese people lost weight their microflora changed.

In the U.S., over 70 million people -- one in four -- have diabetes, and the conventional medical treatments currently being provided are killing people. However, there are natural, effective treatments that can control, and in the case of type II diabetes, even reverse the disease. You can also check out Dr. Ron Rosedale’s excellent views and advice on the topic here.

Have you ever tried topical over-the-counter products for muscle pain?  If you read the interesting New York Times article linked below, you might conclude that they don't work. According to the article, studies have found only limited evidence that over-the-counter topical analgesics are helpful for pain, and the research is so minimal and inconclusive that doctors from the Sports Medicine Center at the Mayo Clinic refused to comment even comment on the efficacy of topical analgesics, saying that, “There is no science to either support or refute the effectiveness” of the products. some doctors have attributed any benefits to the placebo effect.

Well, from a personal perspective i could not more strongly disagree.  I have struggled with nagging back pain that is precipitated by standing or walking for several hours. However, when in Maui a few years ago and i did not have access to my regular tools, my naturopathic girlfriend at the time suggested I purchase some tiger balm.  I reluctantly purchased it as i did not believe it would work at all but i was shocked at how effective it was.

I have never tried the products mentioned in the New York Times article, but i know for certain that tiger balm works very effectively for me.  A few warnings on its use though:

I don't mind the smell at all but some people find it offensive.  More importantly though if you apply it to your body you use your hands. It is very important to wash your hands after applying it (to the best of my knowledge the bottle doesn't warn you of this)

If you fail to wash your hands and you are a male and decide to urinate your hands will transfer some of the cream or liquid to the very sensitive and thin tissue on your penis and i can assure you from personal experience that this is not something you ever want to repeat.

Thirteen year old Rebecca Ramagge, who has had three doses of the anti-HPV vaccine Cervarix in the past six months, suffers agonizing joint pains, fatigue, nausea and sight problems. Her consultant pediatrician, Majeed Jawad, has linked her problems to the drug, which is being given to girls from the age of 11 in the UK.

A group of teenagers are currently suing drug company GlaxoSmithKline. They have suffered symptoms ranging from paralysis and seizures to fatigue, joint and muscle pain since being given the vaccine.

A spokeswoman for GlaxoSmith­Kline said that, “The government drug watchdog MHRA has reviewed all reported adverse events and believes the balance of risks and benefits for the vaccine remains positive.”

Chevron, America's third largest company, may have to pay up to $27 billion in damages in a lawsuit arising from oil-drilling related pollution in the Amazon rain forest. Chevron dumped over 18 billion gallons of toxic wastewater in the Ecuador. The damage is the result of 23 years of oil extraction by Texaco, which Chevron bought in 2001, and Petroecuador, the national oil company.

The oil company fought for the trial to be held in Ecuador -- and now they find themselves facing judgment in a small court in lago agrio.

Unfortunately, even if the court does order the company to pay the full requested amount, chevron is determined not to fork over any cash. In a news report-style video of their own that questions every aspect of the case, they say that, "... If the verdict goes against it, it will appeal in ecuador and, if needed, will fight its enforcement."

Researchers are attempting to develop a new treatment for type 2 diabetics with the help of a special african tea used as a treatment in traditional nigerian medicine. The tea is produced from the extract of rauvolfia vomitoria leaves and the fruit of citrus aurantium.

Scientists have recently tested the tea on patients with type 2 diabetes, and the results are promising.

The researchers have harvested the ingredients for the tea in africa, and produced the tea exactly as local healers would. The recipe is quite simple: boil the leaves, young stalks and fruit, and filter the liquid.

The researchers have recently completed a four month long clinical test on patients with type 2 diabetes, and found that there was a significant increase in glucose tolerance.

In this interview with Dr. Burton Berkson, he explains how low dose Naltrexone can have amazing effects on arthritis, lupus, and other autoimmune diseases.

Newborn lungs exist in a "compacted state" suitable for the womb. When the infant is born, the placenta and cord pulse for up to 20 minutes, delivering a burst of blood volume to the infant's system.  This blood burst is just what is needed for the lungs of the newborn to expand.

Unfortunately, many hospitals and doctors don't understand the mechanics of this and are engaging in early umbilical cord clamping -- often within one minute of birth.

Without the burst of blood from the placenta, the infant suffers a drop in blood pressure as its lungs fail to open as they should, creating a chain reaction of effects that can include brain damage and lung damage. Immediate cord clamping can cause hypotension, hypovolemia and infant anemia, resulting in cognitive deficits. Some have even theorized that the rise in autism could be linked at least in part to early cord clamping.

The major reason for the obesity epidemic currently gripping the United States is increased food intake, not reduced physical activity, according to a recent study. The study is the first to quantify the relative contributions of food and exercise habits to the growing number of overweight Americans.

In the study, researchers calculated how much people need to eat in order to maintain a stable weight, and then figured out how much Americans were actually eating, using national food supply data from the 1970’s and the early 2000’s. This information allowed them to predict how much weight Americans would be expected to gain over the 30-year study period if food intake were the only influence. Next, the investigators determined the actual weight gained over the study period.

Weight gain in the American population seemed to be virtually all due to the consumption of more calories, with declines in physical activity playing only a minor role.

This tiny spider is technically known as Theridion grallator -- but if you click the link below, it’s not hard to see how it got its more popular name: the happy-face spider.

These spiders are found only in rainforests in the Hawaiian islands, and have a vast range of patterns and colors. The patterns may have developed as a way of confusing predators. They are less than a quarter of an inch long and live alone on the underside of leaves.

The most common form is plain yellow and has no smile. But other variations are plentiful; the ‘red front’ morph pictured here with a cluster of her eggs is the second most common.

Many in the U.S. are losing their jobs in the current economic climate, and it could be even worse news than many people think. Researchers recently made public a large study with an unsettling finding -- losing your job may make you sick.

A researcher analyzed detailed employment and health data from more than 8,000 individuals surveyed between 1999 and 2003. Workers who lost a job through no fault of their own were twice as likely to report developing a new ailment like high blood pressure, diabetes or heart disease over the next year and a half.

The risk was just as high for those who found new jobs quickly as it was for those who remained unemployed.

As U.S. health officials consider rolling out a plan to inoculate the nation against swine flu in the next several months, they should consider the events that unfolded the last time the government stepped in to head off a surprise flu outbreak.

In the fall of 1976, dozens of Americans died within 48 hours of receiving a swine flu vaccine. To allay public fears, president gerald ford received his shot in front of television cameras. more than 40 million others followed his lead.

Two months later, the campaign was abruptly stopped: more deaths had followed, and hundreds were reporting serious side effects, including paralysis.

If there was a single factor that led to the debacle three decades ago, it was the speed of the decision-making, fueled by a political climate in which dissenters were chastised and punished. Production and field-testing of the vaccine was rushed. The single-shot doses did not work on children, and by the time the error was caught, and it was too late to produce second doses.

Watchdog groups fear a repeat, particularly because laws passed after the terrorist and anthrax attacks of 2001 allow for accelerated production and field tests of a vaccine in an emergency.

New research suggests that taking vitamins after exercise may undo some of the beneficial effects of your workout.

Some advocate taking antioxidants like vitamin C and E to help protect the body from harmful chemical by-products it creates in breaking into a sweat. But some scientists now believe these "free radicals" may actually be good for us and even buffer against diabetes -- which means that mopping them up with antioxidants may do more harm than good.

It is thought that antioxidant vitamins prevent oxidative stress damage to your body's tissues by eliminating the free radicals that cause it. Oxidative stress has been implicated in several major diseases, including cancer and heart disease.

But a research team has claimed that free radicals may have a positive effect on the body by increasing its sensitivity to insulin, something that is lost in type 2 diabetes; this effect is blocked by antioxidant vitamins.

Reacting to the study, antioxidant expert Dr. Alexander Schauss, said that the title of the study (Antioxidants prevent health-promoting effects of physical exercise in humans) was misleading. “The primary objective of this study was to study the effect of a 4-week intensive 5-days a week exercise program on insulin sensitivity. Yet the title of the paper leads one to believe otherwise,” he said.

“This is a small gender-biased study of 40 male subjects, 25 to 35 years of age. When I read through the study for the first time I had to wonder, how could the authors have come up with such a title for their paper?”

In addition to questioning the study design, particularly with respect to assigned both trained and untrained people to an intensive exercise program, Dr. Schauss also questioned the conclusions drawn from the data. “Skeletal muscle biopsies were obtained from the right vastus lateralis muscle of study subjects. But some of the data is missing for a number of subjects, and reported as such by the authors,” said Dr. Schauss.

Dr. Schauss also noted that the authors presented no evidence of adverse effects by any of the individuals from vitamin C and E supplementation.

Acupuncture brought more relief to people with back pain than standard treatments, whether it was done with a toothpick or a real needle.

A research team wanted to study the effects of different types of acupuncture in a large, carefully controlled study of more than 600 patients with chronic low back pain. They divided patients into several groups -- one group got seven weeks of standardized acupuncture treatment known to be effective in back pain, while another group got an individually prescribed acupuncture treatment.

A third group was treated using a toothpick in a needle guide tube that did not pierce the skin as regular acupuncture does, but targeting the correct acupuncture "points".  A final group got standard medical treatment, which included medication and physical therapy.

After eight weeks, 60 percent of the patients who got any type of acupuncture reported significant improvement in their ability to function compared with those who got standard medical care alone. However, there was no significant difference in the pain relief people got from the acupuncture using needles or from toothpicks.

Historically, some types of acupuncture have used non-penetrating needles. Such treatments may involve physiological effects that make a clinical difference.

The most common behavioral problem for which cat owners seek assistance is housesoiling. In fact, housesoiling is a leading cause of cats’ relinquishment to shelters.

There are three main causes of housesoiling in cats: underlying medical problems [e.g. feline lower urinary tract disease, or feline urologic syndrome (FLUTD/FUS)], urine marking, and toileting issues. Toileting problems can stem from a variety of causes, including factors unrelated to the litter box. So, it is always critical to get a comprehensive history to correctly identify the motivation for the problematic behavior.

By getting the latest scoop on litter, you will be better prepared to prevent and resolve litter- and litter-box-related toileting problems in your feline patients. Factors to consider include:

• Litter fragrance
• Odor control
• Litter box size
• Texture of the substrate material (such as clay, recycled newspaper, corn cob, wheat or other organic pellet material)
• Location

Every cat has unique preferences, and the best way to identify an individual cat’s set of toileting preferences is to experiment with a variety of litter choices and box styles. This article focuses on new research related to litter and litter boxes that may be helpful in preventing and treating toileting problems.

Dr. Becker’s Comments

Has your kitty been making unwanted deposits outside the litter box? Are you at your wit’s end trying to make sense out of your cat’s housesoiling behaviors?

If so, you are not alone.

The most important point is to not assume that your cat is being “bad” if he urinates or defecates outside the litter box. There are reasons for this behavior, and your kitty is limited in the ways he can communicate with you when something is wrong. If you can view his behavior as a form of communication and not an act of defiance, you and kitty will have a better chance for finding a solution to the problem, instead of entering into a battle of wills, which will only make a behavior problem worse.

Feline Lower Urinary Tract Disease

Urinary issues top the list of why cats visit vets. Urinating outside the litter box can sometimes be a sign of feline lower urinary tract disease (FLUTD), also known as feline urologic syndrome (FUS) -- a collection of conditions that can affect the bladder and urethra of cats. In addition to urinating in inappropriate places, affected cats exhibit other recognizable signs, such as:

• Frequent and/or prolonged attempts to urinate
• Straining to urinate
• Crying out while urinating
• Excessive licking of the genital area, and
• Blood in the urine

**Cats with a urethral obstruction will show the above signs, but will pass little to no urine, and will become increasingly distressed. Urethral obstruction is an absolute emergency, requiring immediate veterinary treatment.

FLUTD can be seen in cats of any age, but it is most often seen in middle-aged, overweight cats that get little exercise, have restricted access to the outside, and eat a dry diet. Environmental factors, such as his relationship with you and with other household cats, and changes in routine may increase your cat’s risk for FLUTD/FUS.

Details about the specific causes of FLUTD can be found in the article by Cornell University College of Veterinary Medicine, cited above.

A few cats with FLUTD will experience frequent recurrences of bladder symptoms, but most cats have only occasional or rare episodes. Although treatment depends on the exact cause, there are some steps you can take to help reduce the frequency, severity and duration of attacks:

• Feed small, frequent meals
• Increase moisture in your cat’s diet by weaning him/her onto canned food
• Provide clean, fresh water at all times
• Provide an adequate number of litter boxes in quiet, safe areas of the house
• Keep litter boxes clean
• Minimize major changes in routine
• For cats with struvite stones, a special acidic stone-dissolving diet may be prescribed to eliminate the stones

Feline Marking and Spraying

If you are finding urine outside the litter box and have ruled out medical problems, your cat could be displaying urine-marking behavior. He does this to inscribe a pheromonal message for later passers-by. He’s posting a sign ... “Tigger was here. Keep out.”

Urine-marking can be performed by a cat from a standing or squatting position, on vertical or horizontal surfaces.

Spraying is the most common form of urine-marking behavior. In spraying, the cat backs up to a vertical surface, the tip of the tail quivers, and he delivers a fine stream of urine onto the surface.

Marking behavior is testosterone-enhanced, so non-neutered males have the greatest motivation to mark. However, both males and females can mark. Females can spray, especially when in heat, most commonly from the squatting position. Neutering and spaying will eliminate 90-95 percent of urine-marking behaviors in cats.

If your cat is stressed, he will have a much higher tendency to mark. Stress can come from many sources, but some of the more common sources are:

• Arrival of a new person in the home--like a new baby
• Departure of a key caretaker
• Arrival of a new cat
• Inadequate number of litter boxes for the number of cats in the house (the general recommendation is to provide one for each cat, plus one extra box)
• Conflicts with another household cat
• Moving to a new house, or renovation of the house

Sometimes your cat will urine-mark because he doesn’t like the location of the litter box, or the size. In fact, the place he marks is often where he would prefer to go! Of course, you can’t always accommodate such “suggestions,” so kitty will have to be encouraged to a more convenient location.

The solution lies in determining what is stressing your kitty. Your challenge is to think about what might have changed in his world at the time the marking began.

Cats will return to mark areas they have previously marked. Clean up all urine-sprayed areas with an odor neutralizer/enzyme product that naturally breaks down the urine molecules completely.

Cleaning with an enzymatic product might not eliminate future urine-marking in some cases. However, there is a product called Feliway that can be helpful—it’s a synthetic pheromone designed to mimic feline cheek gland secretions.

Since cats also mark with their cheek glands (which is why they rub their cheeks against you), spraying Feliway onto the area where they have urine-marked encourages them to rub with their cheeks, decreasing the likelihood of additional urine-spraying.

Feliway is also helpful anytime you want to calm your cat, such as before a trip to the vet, and before introducing a new cat into the household.

Make sure your cat’s environment is not overcrowded. Cat trees are one way to increase kitty’s territory, since they include vertical space as territory.

Make sure the litter box is large enough for your cat. Kitties want some privacy, yet they don’t want to feel vulnerable when inside the litter box. Keep it very clean, since cats are meticulous creatures. Do not place any litter boxes next to their food and water since that is a turn-off for most cats.

Make changes gradually since cats are creatures of habit. You will only discover what works by changing one thing at a time.

And never punish your cat!

Speaking in harsh tones or using physical punishment can cause your kitty to avoid you, which will only make the problem worse. By offering your kitty some extra affection, taking a nap together, or a sharing a grooming session, or just letting him be close, you can greatly reduce his level of stress and sense of competitiveness with other members of the family (unless of course he is not a lap cat -- closeness only works for the cuddlers.) 

Litter Aversion

Cats evolved in the desert, using fine sand for their toileting. This evolutionary accommodation has persisted to modern day housecats, which is why the litter box has become the kitty potty standard.

Even though commercial cat litter is generally a pretty fair substitute for desert sand, sometimes cats develop a litter aversion—not liking the odor or feel of the litter -- resulting in urinating or defecating in inappropriate places. Or, sometimes a kitty has learned to associate the litter with something unpleasant, such as pain, or being cornered by another cat, or being caught to give medications there.

Besides housesoiling, some other common signs of litter aversion include:

• Scratching at the sides of the box, on the floor, or other nearby objects instead of in the litter
• Using the litter but shaking his paws a lot during and after use
• Not digging in the litter before eliminating
• Straddling the box, trying to avoid touching the litter
• Jumping out of the box quickly
• Meowing at the litter box

Some cats are fussy about how much litter is in the box. Too much or too little is aversive to them. A few cats have even been known to dislike the litter box if it is too clean!

So, it might take some trial and error to discover what it is your kitty likes and doesn’t like.

Choosing a Safe Litter

Now, more than ever, there are a variety of litters available; however, not all litters are safe. Many contain chemicals to mask odors, and many create dust than can cause respiratory issues.

So, it’s a matter of finding a litter that is safe and appeals to you--and your cat.

In choosing a cat litter, keep the following suggestions in mind:

• Select the least toxic litter for your cat, as free of synthetic chemicals as possible. Look for one made from synthetic ingredients such as clay, wheat/grain fibers, corn, or recycled newspaper, for example.
• Some cats find deodorized or scented litter objectionable.
• Use plain hot water to clean the litter box. Cleaning products leave a lingering smell, which many cats may find distasteful.
• Don’t use plastic box liners since kitties can get their claws stuck in the plastic when digging, which discourages them from using the box.
• You might give your cat a “litter buffet” for a week or two, with separate boxes, to see which product your cat prefers.
• Some cats prefer to have one box for urine and one for stool.
• Make changes gradually. To change the type of litter, first use an additional box with the new litter, and gradually take away the old litter once your cat is happy with the new one. (The same applies to changing to a new type of box or a new box location)

The Scoop on Clumping Cat Litter

To clump or not to clump ...

If you are a long-time cat owner, you might be aware of the controversy about clumping cat litter. The first cat litter was developed in the 1940s by Edward Lowe, but it took another 40 years for “scoopable” litters containing sodium bentonite to appear in the marketplace. Although the convenience of not needing to completely replace the used litter seemed like a great idea, questions have arisen about the safety of these immensely popular clumping litters.

Arguments can be found on both sides, so it is difficult to pin down the truth about the safety of sodium bentonite clay clumping litter. That said, the arguments about their potential hazards DO seem logical and worth mentioning:  

• Cats repeatedly inhale dust from clay litter, as well as ingesting it while cleaning their feet. This is even more of a problem with kittens, who will sometimes eat litter out of curiosity.
• The powerful clumping ability of these litters can result in the formation of a solid mass when combined with liquid. It follows, if a sufficient quantity is ingested or inhaled, it could result in a clogging of the respiratory or digestive tract.
• Clay contains silica. Therefore, the dust contains silica dust, which is known to be toxic to both human and animal lungs.
• The clumping material can coat the digestive tract, causing retention of fecal material, increasing toxicity, and prohibiting proper digestion and assimilation of food. This could result in stress on your cat’s immune system, making him more susceptible to viral, bacterial, parasitic and yeast infections.
• Dogs are sometimes inexplicably drawn to “litter box snacks”

The lack of scientific studies makes it hard to offer an objective recommendation about the safety of clumping litter. Use common sense.

If you see your cat eating it, then don’t use it.  If you have a kitten, then it’s probably not worth taking any chances when there are safer options available. If your cat develops stomach problems, constipation or diarrhea, urinary or respiratory issues, make sure you mention to your vet the fact that you are using clumping litter.

Until there is better data, you will have to exercise your best judgment about how much risk is worth the convenience.