Flu and fetal brain development. Low-carb diets and blood pressure. How "eating green" can prolong your life. These and other interesting stories from the world of health and medicine in this week's Medical News Notes.
Mother's Flu Can Harm Baby's Brain Development
Women who get even a mild case of the flu during pregnancy can deliver babies with impaired brain development. This is according to University of Wisconsin-Madison researchers who performed experiments with rhesus monkeys infected with common flu viruses. The scientists reported that flu during pregnancy can lead to babies with learning disabilities and may even cause autism and schizophrenia. They advise pregnant women to do all they can to stay healthy during pregnancy, especially during flu season. This includes eating right, getting lots of sleep, avoiding crowds and washing hands frequently.
Smoking Linked to ADHD
Women who smoke during pregnancy are twice as likely to have children who suffer from Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD) compared to women who don't. The American Academy of Pediatrics has produced new studies that show a definitive link between smoking and ADHD, as well as between ADHD and lead exposure during pregnancy. So if you're pregnant and looking for a good reason to quit smoking – here's another one.
Laughter is Universal
Although the meaning of gestures, vocalizations and "body language" varies from culture to culture, some forms of human expression are universal. So say researchers who used urban Brits and rural Namibians (Africans) in a series of sound- and story-based experiments. They showed that certain "basic" sounds – particularly those associated with anger, sadness and happiness – are universal. Chief among these sounds was laughter, which appears to be recognized as a sign of delight not only among humans but among other higher-order mammals as well.
Low-Carb Diet Can Lower Blood Pressure
The low-carbohydrate diets so popular a decade ago may get another boost thanks to research recently conducted at Duke University. Researchers there were comparing results from a low-carb, high-protein diet to those achieved with the prescription diet drug orlistat. In the experiment, both groups of patients lost approximately 10% of their body weight under the heavily supervised programs. But, to the surprise of the Duke researchers, people on the low-carb diet also showed significant improvements in their blood pressure. So if you need to lose weight and lower your BP numbers, lay off the pasta and pass the chicken!
Green Veggies Can Save Your Life
Green leafy vegetables like spinach and broccoli have more than just vitamins, minerals and antioxidants that do your body good. They also contain compounds that can instantly eliminate the effects of common food-borne molds that can cause cancer. Researchers at the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) have shown that the chlorophyll-based chemicals that make these vegetables green also combat "aflatoxins," cancer-causing molds that frequently enter the food chain. So listen to your mother and eat your vegetables. You'll probably live longer.
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