Care for others as you care for yourself is the slogan of Viridian, a new "ethical" company which produces a range of vitamins, minerals and herbs (many organic) and donates at least 50 per cent of its net profits to environmental and children's charities. Viridian, whose products are reasonably priced, is also committed to recycling - each time you return a bottle to your local health food store, you receive a 25p refund. Viridian products are available in General Health Food Stores, Dublin; Evergreen Healthfoods stores, Galway; Here's Health stores, Cork; Nuts and Grais, Mullingar, Co Westmeath; and Open Sesame, Ennis, Co Clare.
Can you get pregnant standing up? That's one of the most-frequently asked questions about sex by young people. Sexwise, a project from the International Planned Parenthood Federation and the BBC World Service, "creates a safe space to discuss sex and sexuality", and has produced a radio series, website and book for young people which cover topics such as homosexuality, sexual coercion, contraception and STDs. The Sexwise website provides links, information, advice, and the downloadable book: www.bbc.
co/worldservice/sexwise
Chemotherapy could become more effective with the use of the drug suramin,according to researchers at Ohio State University. The leading reason cancer therapy fails is the inability of cancer drugs to destroy metastic tumours (those which have spread from the primary site), as substances called growth factors protect the tumours. In animal experiments, scientists found suramin blocked the growth factors and, combined with chemotherapy, eliminated lung tumours in 40 per cent of the mice, and significantly shrank the tumours in the others. In humans, it could make tumours more sensitive to traditional chemotherapeutic drugs, which could improve the effectiveness of chemotherapy and enable doctors to lower the dosage, reducing the toxicity to the patient. In upcoming clinical trials, suramin will be tested on patients with lung cancer.
Energy-boosting products could be dangerous, warns a dietician at the University of South Florida, Cynthia Sass. Ephedra, a herb used in many products which claim to boost energy, has been linked to deaths in the US. The FDA has issued an alert to warn consumers about the dangers of combining ephedra with caffeine, as this can cause heart palpitations and anxiety, especially in people with high blood pressure or a heart condition. Herbal products can exacerbate an health problem or mask symptoms, warns Sass, who recommends people with persistent low energy levels to assess whether they are under a lot of stress, drinking enough water and getting enough sleep. (Reuters Health)
Buproprion is a new treatment for smokers which is more effective than nicotine replacement therapy, such as nicotine patches. Scientists do not understand how buproprion, originally developed as an anti-depressant, is successful in treating smokers who want to give up. In one study, the rates of people quitting after one year were 20 per cent for those who took 100 mg of the drug, and 23 per cent for those who took 300 mg. Another study found cessation of smoking was sustained for one year of follow-up in 18 per cent of smokers who took the drug alone, and in 23 per cent of those treated with buproprion and nicotine. (British Medical Journal)
Vitamin E may help to reduce memory loss and cognitive decline in older people, according to a US study of 6,000 people aged over 65. Previous research has focused on antioxidant nutrients, such as vitamin E, as treatment for people who already have neurological diseases such as Alzheimer's or Parkinson's, rather than on whether supplements can protect against these diseases developing. Another study on the effects of vitamin E found a high intake - 1,200 International Units (IU) a day - can reduce the risk of heart disease and stroke in people with type II diabetes. (Eureka Alert)