Smoking :: Quitting smoking – a time in hospital can be a good time to start

For many people, going in to hospital provides an opportunity to stop smoking. A Cochrane Systematic Review has found that the chance of successfully quitting can be enhanced if patients receive smoking cessation counselling during their stay, and then have at least one month of supportive contact after going home.

Smoking :: Non smoking spouse, smoke-free home, workplace help quitters win

A non-smoking spouse and smoke-free workplace play key roles in long-term success for young adults who quit smoking, according to Indiana University research, which found environmental factors to be more influential than individual behaviors and beliefs when it comes to kicking the habit.

Pregnancy :: Common preterm labor drug has more side effects than alternative

The drug most commonly used to arrest preterm labor, magnesium sulfate, is more likely than another common treatment to cause mild to serious side effects in pregnant women, according to a study from researchers at Lucile Packard Children’s Hospital and Stanford University School of Medicine.

Healthy :: It’s not too late to change, lowering cardiac risk later in life

Can adopting a healthier lifestyle later in life help – or is it too late? In a study published in the July 2007 issue of The American Journal of Medicine, researchers from the Medical University of South Carolina, Charleston found that people 45 to 64 years of age who added healthy lifestyle behaviors could substantially reduce their risk for cardiovascular disease (CVD) and reduce their death rate.

Weight Loss :: Slow walking not helpful in losing weight

According to a national study published this month in the American Journal of Health Education, moderate-intensity physical activity, such as slow walking, might not be helpful in losing weight.

Vitamin B :: Dietary vitamin B6, B12 and folate, may decrease pancreatic cancer risk

Researchers exploring the notion that certain nutrients might protect against pancreatic cancer found that lean individuals who got most of these nutrients from food were protected against developing cancer. The study also suggests this protective effect does not hold true if the nutrients come from vitamin supplements.

Gout :: Drinking 4 or more cups of coffee a day may help prevent gout

Coffee is a habit for more than 50 percent of Americans, who drink, on average, 2 cups per day. This widely consumed beverage is regularly investigated and debated for its impact on health conditions from breast cancer to heart disease.