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Another study done in 2004 by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention was published in the journal Medicine and Science in Sports and Exercise - and what it concluded was rather - inconclusive. They found that stretching "was not significantly associated with a reduction in total injuries," but also concluded that more research was needed.

So there is currently no conclusion. However, I have come to the conclusion that I no longer believe stretching will always ensure that I will not be sore, nor will it always help prevent injury. Another study out of Australia at the School of Physiotherapy at the University of Sydney concluded similar results: "Insufficient research has been done with which to determine the effects of stretching on sporting performance." There were five studies, and all reported that stretching produced small and statistically non-significant reductions in muscle soreness.

So, yet another health issue is not put to rest - but rather brought to your attention, by your inconclusive health writer, Allison Burg. Happy stretching (or not?)!

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There is a recent study out of the Monell Center in Philadelphia (www.monell.org) that may provide some relief to cancer patients suffering from chemotherapy-associated nausea. I thought I'd share since it is a pretty simple concept even for those who are not medically savvy.

There are nerves that pick up signals and transmit information from the receptors in the intestines to the brain. Since rats do not vomit as humans do when nauseated, Monell researchers used the incidence of "pica" in rats that received the powerful chemotherapy drug cisplatin, that has a high correlation with nausea and vomiting. Pica is the eating of non-food substances, such as clay or dirt rats do this when made sick by toxins. Hey, to each his own.

As you would imagine, rats given cisplatin began to eat clay, decreased their food intake, and lost body weight - just as chemotherapy patients do. Now what happened when the researchers cut the "common hepatic branch of the vagus nerve," which originates in the small intestine, is very interesting; cisplatin-associated pica was reduced by 60 percent! Cutting the nerve also lessened the reduction of food intake and loss of body weight. The results strongly suggest that the intestine is a key site for the generation of nausea associated with chemotherapy drugs.

A behavioral neuroscientist and senior author at Monell says "[t]his nerve may be part of a natural detection system that we use to detect toxins in food, and it is possible that we are activating it with these strong medications."

I anticipate many subsequent studies that will stem from this identification of the vagus nerve and chemo-related nausea. What a beautiful day it will be when a doctor is able to explain to a patient that the treatment that will prolong and ultimately save their life - has no debilitating side effects. It would give many newly-diagnosed patients one less thing to worry about.

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Do not eat any carbs. Only drink cabbage soup. Drink a lot of apple cider vinegar. Load up on meats and cheeses. Finally, society has figured out the secret to losing weight: weird faddish diets! I hope you're reading this dripping with sarcasm. It's the New Year, and with that comes New Year's resolutions. For many, the New Year marks a time after the egg nog and snowflake shaped cookies to buckle down and lose some weight. So let's discuss the best way to go about doing just that.

I am here to shout form the mountaintops that there are three ways to lose weight: 1. eat well 2. exercise more 3. eat well and exercise more. The fad diets all sound too good to be true, so many people think it's the quick simple way to lose weight. Well I have some news for you fad dieters: it IS too good to be true. Our bodies consume, digest and burn kilocalories in specific ways that any nutritionist or medical expert can detail; the trick is to understand our bodies and work with what we have. Experts recommend adopting healthy eating habits permanently, rather than impatiently pursuing crash diets. Cabbage soup will not do it!

The American Heart Association (AHA) has a few insights about fad diets that anyone thinking about starting one should take to...well, heart:

• Quick-weight-loss diets usually overemphasize one particular food or type of food. They violate the first principle of good nutrition: Eat a balanced diet that includes a variety of foods. If you are able to stay on such a diet for more than a few weeks, you may develop nutritional deficiencies, because no one type of food has all the nutrients you need for good health. The Cabbage Soup Diet mentioned above is an example. This so-called fat-burning soup is eaten mostly with fruits and vegetables. The diet supposedly helps heart patients lose 10-17 pounds in seven days before surgery. There are no "superfoods." That's why you should eat moderate amounts from all food groups, not large amounts of a few special foods.
• These diets also violate a second important principle of good nutrition: Eating should be enjoyable. These diets are so monotonous and boring that it's almost impossible to stay on them for long periods.
• Many don't encourage physical activity - for example, walking 30 minutes most or all days of the week. Being physically active helps you maintain weight loss over a long time. Physical inactivity is a major risk factor for heart disease and stroke.
• Because most quick-weight-loss diets require drastic changes in eating patterns, you can't stay on them for long. Following a regimen for a few weeks won't give you the chance to learn about how to permanently change your eating patterns.
• In addition, many fad diets are based on "food folklore," some dating back to the early 19th century. They have not been documented to be safe in the long term. Ideas about "fat-burning foods" and "food combining" are also classified by the American Heart Association as unsubstantiated myths.

The best way to go about losing weight is to maintain a diet high in nutrient-rich foods (vegetables, whole grains) and to stay active. If you're wondering how much weight is healthy to lose, the AHA suggests one to two pounds per week. It also helps to keep a log when you're really trying to monitor your calorie intake. No matter what other helpful hints there are, the one truth remains: fad diets are not the healthiest way to lose weight - and it most likely will not stay off. Stay away from those and try an honest attempt at really exercising and eating better this year.

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Do you want to know that you are at risk for heart disease? Would you medicate your seven-year-old child if your doctor said he or she was clinically depressed? The New York Times had an article by three authors (H. Gilbert Welch, Lisa Schwartz and Steven Woloshin) this week that really intrigued me and I want to share it with my blog readers - all three of you. The authors' stance is that we are over-diagnosing ourselves into oblivion. We are moving from a world of people to a world of patients - quickly. Their argument holds water - a lot of it. Drink it down and let it sit for a while before you choose to disagree.

The "medicalization" of everyday life is something that I have personally taken note of; however I can't seem to rise above it myself. I don't hesitate to complain if I have a pain in my leg or couldn't sleep last night. What it leads to is a society of people who are unable to soldier on through restless legs and run to the nearest doctors grasping for a prescription slip. Welch Schwartz and Woloshin write: "Most of us experience physical or emotional sensations we don't like, and in the past, this was considered a part of life. Increasingly, however, such sensations are considered symptoms of disease. Everyday experiences like insomnia, sadness, twitchy legs and impaired sex drive now become diagnoses: sleep disorder, depression, restless leg syndrome and sexual dysfunction." This I undoubtedly agree with.
Then there is the part of their argument that I am not 100% behind: the authors write that the push for early diagnosis is not always necessarily a beneficial one. Those at "risk" should sometimes remain at risk and not diagnosed. The reason more people are now diagnosed is that the thresholds for disease are lowering, such as normal cholesterol levels and what is considered obese. The authors point out that "many more of us harbor 'pre-disease' than will ever get disease, and all of us are 'at risk.'" Okay, I get their argument. However, we may all be at risk, but I still believe that we should be thankful for our ability to screen early and treat those at risk. I see the authors' point that red stamping people as "risks" may not even make a difference, but there remains a clear distinction between some early diagnoses remaining undeniably beneficial such as regular mammograms and colonoscopies.
So what do all these diagnoses lead to? A lot of treatments. The authors urge the public to be wary of whether a treatment will help or harm in the long run.
I am curious to see what readers have to say about the "over-diagnosis" of our society and whether you believe it really is harmful or doesn't matter at all. No matter what, it's important to know who has stakes in the game (pharmaceutical companies and doctors) and what their incentives may be. If nothing else, I hope this post has made you think to be a more cautious person before you become a patient.

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I used to work at an HIV/AIDS nonprofit. I taught youth about ways to protect themselves and how to make healthy decisions. I also had the privilege of working with men and women who volunteered their time to talk openly about how they contracted HIV and how the choices the youth make will determine whether contract HIV/AIDS or not. Yes, I was the condom lady at the front of the room showing the class how to put them on correctly (pause for laughter). Since World AIDS Day was December 1st, what not a better time to talk about the state of worldwide HIV/AIDS and what you can do about it.

First a little background about HIV/AIDS today - HOWEVER, if statistics might make you skip this post and head for another blog about Britney's mishaps, skip over the next few bullets and keep on reading.

o. Between 2001 and 2007, the number of people living with HIV/AIDS globally rose from 29 million to 33.2. million due to new infections, increase in lifespan of those living with HIV and general population growth.
o. Between 2001 and 2007, annual deaths (from HIV/AIDS) increased from 1.7 million to 2.1 million, but have declined in the last couple of years due to antiretroviral treatments.
o. HIV is one of the leading causes of death worldwide and the #1 cause of death in sub-Saharan Africa.
o. Most people with HIV are unaware that they are infected.
o. Teens and young adults (ages 15-24) account for about 40 percent of new HIV infections.

Not everyone has the time, or the inclination, to be the condom lady. However, what one person can do is donate to or support, in any way, an organization that takes a realistic approach to a cause of choice. The best approach an organization can take to fight a disease that is prevalent in extremely diverse cultural settings - such as HIV/AIDS - is to acknowledge that one sweeping solution will not work; it must be culturally specific. That is why I am highlighting a charity that I believe has a realistic approach to the HIV/AIDS crisis. Its program expenses are 87 percent while its administrative expenses are only 12 percent; for a nonprofit, those are some amazing statistics. The Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH) is an "international, nonprofit organization that creates sustainable, culturally relevant solutions, enabling communities worldwide to break longstanding cycles of poor health." Their ideology focuses on three core principles: advancing technologies, strengthening health systems and encouraging healthy behaviors.

PATH has worked for the past two decades on a holistic and community-centered approach to HIV/AIDS. They are interested in uniting goals across boundaries. When one nation believes they have the solution to a worldwide issue - and imposes their cultural standards upon another, most of the time their "help" will be met with problems in other nations. PATH's work is about uniting goals and coming together to tackle the beast.

If you'd like to learn more or donate, please visit www.path.org. If not PATH, there are many other charitable HIV/AIDS organizations. For example, if you are interested in a more scientific approach, there are organizations that utilize biotechnology research to work on HIV/AIDS vaccines and medications. I must insist that before you open your purse or donate any sort of effort to a charity, make sure you find out where its donations go. The best website I've found for this is www.charitynavigator.org. This site tells you what organizations do with their money, and how they have progressed over the past few years. If you've made the decision to donate to a charity, make sure to search for HIV/AIDS and be sure to sort by rating - so that you can donate to four star charities - and know where your money is going!

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What is with the yellow-ish stuff that men carry around with them in thermoses at the gym?

There has been an extreme increase in the marketing and use of manufactured protein shakes in the past 15 years. Before you make the jump to use these shakes to either lose weight or build muscle, there are a few things to know about protein intake.

First, many people believe that you need to eat more protein than normal to fuel muscle growth; this is not completely true. The recommended daily allowance (RDA) for protein that the average person should get in their daily diet is .8 grams for every kilogram of body weight. Extra protein does not necessarily equate to more muscle. In fact, when the RDA for protein (even when taking into account the level of activity) is tripled or quadrupled, it is converted and stored as fat, which is probably the opposite affect most are looking for when exercising.

Additionally, not only does too much protein result in fat, but there have been studies correlating high-protein diets and bone loss/kidney damage. Kidney damage and/or kidney stones can be a result of an accumulation of ketone bodies. Ketone bodies are water soluble compounds that are produced as by-products when fatty acids (which comprise protein) are broken down for energy because other energy sources are scarce.

I'd say the best approach is to make sure that your protein intake is within the recommended range - so that you don't end up adding more to your waistline when you're really trying to lose it and increase the biceps. The typical American diet provides plenty of protein - more than the daily amount needed, in most instances. Calculate what you need and work from there - but do not jump to any protein shakes or supplements right away before you take a look at how active you are and how much you ingest already.

...You can still carry it around with you at the gym, though, if it makes you feel cooler.

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The Think Before You Pink campaign, a project of Breast Cancer Action, asks consumers and the general public to call for "accountability by companies that take part in breast cancer fundraising, and encourages consumers to ask critical questions about pink ribbon promotions." In essence, they'd like the public to do something besides shop for breast cancer. There are many companies that claim to be behind the breast cancer cause but, in fact, are what the campaign calls, "pinkwashers" and some might see them as the antithesis of supporters of the cause. These companies "purport to care about breast cancer by promoting a pink ribbon campaign, but manufacture products that are linked to the disease."

I've always been wary of all the pink ribbons that explode in October - not because I do not whole heartedly support breast cancer awareness and research. I am wary because I do not know where the funds are going - and it almost seems like it's become trendy to wear pink instead of delving behind the color to find out what supporters can actually do. As consumers and the public, let's make it be known that it's not just a fashion statement to be wearing pink (or any other color supporting a disease); let's create action among the worldwide community so that maybe we can prevent the disease or help with diagnosis. One thing anyone can do, while wearing any color, during any month of the year, is tell people to get a mammogram; it may save a life. It's worth a try - and it's a whole lot more active than buying yogurt with a pink top.

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Now here's a little piece of counter-intuitive health information for you. No, it's not that a big piece of chocolate cake a day keeps the doctor away - sorry to get your hopes up. If you had to guess, which do you think is healthier: fresh or frozen vegetables? Personally, I'd assume fresh; the name says it all. However, this is not always the case.

It turns out that frozen or canned vegetables can be more nutritious based upon what vegetable you're talking about and when. The vegetables that are in season are likely to be best for you eaten fresh; however, the ones that are not in season - and have been shipped to your grocery store from a farm far, far away are not packed with the highest amount of nutrients possible. In this case, it's probably best to head to the frozen isle.

Gene Lester, Ph.D., a plant physiologist at the USDA Agricultural Research Center in Weslaco, says that frozen vegetables may be even more beneficial than some of the fresh produce sold in supermarkets because of the time they are frozen: "fruits and vegetables chosen for freezing are processed at their peak ripeness, a time when they are most nutrient-packed." In contrast, fresh produce are typically picked and shipped before they are ripe in order to make the trek, oftentimes, across the ocean to your plate. You are therefore not eating the orange or red pepper at its peak timeframe for nutritious value.

So before you steer clear of the bags of frozen corn and head to the fresh produce isle, make sure you check what time of year it is if you want to get the best nutrition for your buck.

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Everyone wants to have a spookily spectacular time on Halloween -- but safety must come first. No need to take the fun out of your little ghouls' and goblins' Halloween night. By following these quick tips, you're sure to have the best Halloween night yet.

1) Map out the route that you plan to roam, so adults are assured you will find your way home!

2) From the bravest of superheroes to the noblest of knights, please remember to bring your flashlights!

3) If you visit a house where a stranger resides, accept treats at the door and, please, don't go inside.

Read more tips from the American Red Cross Ghoulish Safety Guide.

Don't forget about your pets! Get Halloween safety tips for your pets, too!

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Male birth control seems like an oxymoron in itself, but it is more and more becoming a highly researched topic. There are several types being tested and researched right now. Here are some of the promising methods out there:

1. The Hormonal method involves dosages of two hormones: progesterone, which will shut down sperm production, and testosterone to counteract the progesterone. It's taken under the skin and according to researcher Regine Sitruk-Ware, the Population Council Center for Biomedical Research is working on a way to deliver the necessary doses in one or two yearly implants. This makes me much more comfortable than relying on a man having to remember to take a pill at a certain time each day. Just being honest here...

2. The Reversible Inhibition of Sperm Under Guidance (RISUG) Method is basically a reversible vasectomy; it is a shot into the vas deferens, the tube which the sperm comes out. It would block the tube and essentially break the cell membrane of any sperm that tries to come through. Somewhat sci-fi, don't you think?

3. The next is the "dry orgasm pill." You read that right. It would prevent the involuntary muscle movements that get sperm and the rest of the ingredients of semen into and out of the urethra. That means legitimately shooting blanks. This pill is the farthest from hitting the shelves; the basics of the pill were only discovered in November 2006 and this method still has a long way to go before it even gets to clinical trials.

This is all promising, but there are still troubles with funding because consumer interest is in question; some companies believe research is a waste of time because men just won't use it. Male contraception proponents, on the other hand, cite a survey published in the journal Human Reproduction in December 2004 that collected data from about 9,000 men in eight different countries, the study found that 55 percent would be interested in hormonally based birth control methods. Not as high as I'd like, but it is a step in the right direction. These few methods are at least being tackled and I hope the public hears more and more about them. I'm not sure hormone therapy is the best option for all men, but at least the topic is being talked about and brainstormed. In my opinion, a man and a woman should both have a say when it comes to birth control methods - and each should be able to take matters into their own hands - or uhhh - their own....wherever. Condoms provide protection for men - yet if they are looking for something more long-term, male birth control might be just what the doctor ordered.

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What do you do with your old cell phone when you get a new one? Do you throw it out or recyle it? If you're like me, you probably just leave your old cell phone laying around somewhere at home and forget about it until the next spring cleaning.

Here's a solution that makes you feel good: donate it to help a charity. One of the charities that participates in cell phone recycling is CARE, whose mission is 'to serve individuals and families in the poorest communities in the world.'

Cell phones donated to CARE are either used by their field staff while working on poverty-fighting projects, or sold in developing countries, where proceeds are used by CARE to complete their mission.

CARE works with an organization called CollectiveGood to collect cell phones. It's pretty easy to donate your cell phone -- just fill out a form on their site and send your cell phone to CollectiveGood. So what are you waiting for? Start digging up your old cell phone and turn it into something good!

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Now that you know how EC is different from abortions, hopefully you'll realize how important it is for women to have access, just as it is important for men and women to have access to condoms (another form of prevention!). Timing is important when it comes to EC, which makes it stand apart from other forms of prevention; the sooner emergency contraception is administered, the better it works. This is why birth control advocates have been working so hard to secure over-the-counter sales of EC. It has been a great step; however, there are still barriers. Unfortunately, it is not available at all counters, and it is not readily and easily accessible to all women. Timely access has been compromised by pharmacists who refuse to fill valid prescriptions because of their own personal biases -- and individual stores have also played a part in reducing widespread access to EC.

It seems crazy, but the examples I've given are a tiny fraction of the many hurdles women and advocates have to jump over when it comes to having access to the tools they need to protect themselves. I must keep in mind that every battle won sets a precedent that paves the way for another. Each small step is a part of what the contraceptive and reproductive rights battle hinges upon. So what can you do? Now that you have no confusion about the differences between emergency contraception and the abortion pill, you can be part of that battle! Go out and explain!

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Since October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, naturally there will be tons of breast cancer events. If you're not involved already, grab a friend and help support the cause.

Learn more about the Susan G. Komen foundation.

Find an event in your area during the month of October.

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The American Cancer Society presents Making Strides Against Breast Cancer, a non-competitive walk to help fight breast cancer. Have you or someone you know particapted in this event? Find a Making Strides event in your area.

What events are you planning on participating in this year? What past events have inspired you to continue attending these life changing occasions?

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So, is wine good for us or not? By now you've heard tons of studies, and I have to admit I don't know what I'm supposed to be consuming anymore. Everything in moderation, I guess.

According to research led by led by Dr. Arthur Klatsky of the Kaiser Permanente Medical Care Program in Oakland, Calif., more than 3 drinks could raise a drinker's risk by 30 percent.

I love wine and I know if I feel like having a drink, wine is the healthiest option for me. I'll take notice of this study, but I'll also continue to focus on the studies that sing the praises of wine's positive side effects.

Read more on this study here. Will you continue to have a glass of wine every so often?

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I cannot function on less than 5 hours of sleep. I get crabby and have that glazed-over look in my eyes all day long. However, according to many Americans, I'm almost in the minority; over 40 percent of the US and UK sleeps less than 5 hours a night. So what? Well, studies have shown that it may be extremely detrimental to your health to not get adequate sleep. Okay, okay; we all already know this, right? Well there is a new twist to those who have heeded the warnings of doctors and done a lot of snoozing: too much can also harm you.

According to a study by researchers at Univerisy College London and Warwick University, the optimal amount of hours is about seven. Any less or more is possibly damaging to health. People who do not get enough sleep are more than twice as likely to die of heart disease. Ignoring the suggested amount of sleep (whether it be too much or too little) may also lead to:

Stroke
High blood pressure
Heart attack
Heart failure
Diabetes
Psychiatric problems, including depression and other mood disorders
Attention Deficit Disorder (ADD)
Mental impairment
Fetal and childhood growth retardation

The hours matter but the quality of sleep does, as well. How well rested you are and how well you function the next day depend on your total sleep time and how much of the various stages of sleep you get each night. That means that even if you're technically in bed for the correct hours, unless you are getting sufficient sleep cycles, it doesn't count. Each year an estimated 70 million adult Americans have some type of sleep problem - and many go unnoticed and untreated.

Sleep experts say the public needs much more information about how to get proper amounts of those zzz's. The recent findings are going to be presented to the British Sleep Society and will be published in the Journal Sleep. This is a step in the right direction.

So what can you do? As an adult, remember to try to get about seven solid hours; it may take not watching Conan or reading the next chapter in your book you've been trying to finish; however, in the long-run, your body will thank you and make it up to you by keeping you healthier.

*For more information about adequate sleep and sleep disorders, please refer to the National Heart Lung and Blood Institute's (NHLBI) National Center on Sleep Disorders Research (URL: http://www.nhlbi.nih.gov/about/ncsdr/).

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