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	<title>SmartAboutHealth.Net</title>
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	<link>http://smartabouthealth.net</link>
	<description>SmartAboutHealth.net keeps you informed about what matters for your health.</description>
	<pubDate>Tue, 09 Mar 2010 02:25:53 +0000</pubDate>
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		<title>Many Americans Are Too Sleep Deprived To Even Have Sex</title>
		<link>http://smartabouthealth.net/curiosity/2010/03/08/many-americans-are-too-sleep-deprived-to-even-have-sex/</link>
		<comments>http://smartabouthealth.net/curiosity/2010/03/08/many-americans-are-too-sleep-deprived-to-even-have-sex/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 09 Mar 2010 02:25:53 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Curiosity]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Men's Health]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Women's Health]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://smartabouthealth.net/?p=1450</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Boston (SmartAboutHealth) - According to a new study, many Americans are so sleep deprived that they are too tired to even have sex.
The study was carried out by researchers from the National Sleep Foundation, and focused on the sleeping habits of adults in America.
Researchers conducted their study by looking at a random sample of roughly [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://smartabouthealth.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/sleep_sex_americans-300x207.jpg" alt="sleep_sex_americans" title="sleep_sex_americans" width="300" height="207" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1451" />Boston (SmartAboutHealth) - According to a new study, many Americans are so sleep deprived that they are too tired to even have sex.</p>
<p>The study was carried out by researchers from the National Sleep Foundation, and focused on the sleeping habits of adults in America.<span id="more-1450"></span></p>
<p>Researchers conducted their study by looking at a random sample of roughly 1,000 adults in the U.S.</p>
<p>All of the adults in the study were between the ages of 24 to 60, and honed in sleeping habits of various ethnic groups.</p>
<p>What researchers found was that overall, 25% of Americans were too tired to even have sex.</p>
<p>Sleep deprivation also kept many Americans from going out to family functions, parties, etc.</p>
<p>In regards to the breakdown in ethic groups, roughly 10% of whites suffered from insomia, the highest among all groups.</p>
<p>Sleep apnea was said to be the most prevalent among blacks when the breakdown was done.</p>
<p>The real factor here though beyond just the ethnic groups is just that many Americans are tired, and are not getting the necessary hours of sleep needed.</p>
<p>Researchers state that it is important to get into a routine before bed to get yourself prepared to get a good night&#8217;s sleep.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Women Who Drink Are Less Likely To Be Overweight</title>
		<link>http://smartabouthealth.net/diet/2010/03/08/women-who-drink-are-less-likely-to-be-overweight/</link>
		<comments>http://smartabouthealth.net/diet/2010/03/08/women-who-drink-are-less-likely-to-be-overweight/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Tue, 09 Mar 2010 01:55:04 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Diet]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Women's Health]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://smartabouthealth.net/?p=1447</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Washington (SmartAboutHealth) - According to a new study released this week, women who drink are less likely than women who do not drink to gain weight and be overweight or obese.
The study was carried out by researchers from Brigham and Women&#8217;s Hospital in Boston, MA as they focused in on roughly 20,000 women from around [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://smartabouthealth.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/women_drinking_overweight-300x194.jpg" alt="women_drinking_overweight" title="women_drinking_overweight" width="300" height="194" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1448" />Washington (SmartAboutHealth) - According to a new study released this week, women who drink are less likely than women who do not drink to gain weight and be overweight or obese.</p>
<p>The study was carried out by researchers from Brigham and Women&#8217;s Hospital in Boston, MA as they focused in on roughly 20,000 women from around the U.S.<span id="more-1447"></span></p>
<p>All of the women who took part in the study had an average age of 38.9 years old and up, and had a normal body mass index (BMI), with no history of cardiovascular disease, cancer, etc.</p>
<p>They put the women through a series of questions to gauge how much alcohol they consumed, and how it impacted their body weight.</p>
<p>They then followed the women and continued to question them for a period of 8-years worth of follow-ups.</p>
<p>What they found was that women who consumed a moderate level of alcohol were actually less likely to gain weight and be overweight or obese than women who did not consume alcohol.</p>
<p>Over the years that the researchers followed up with the women, women of normal weight who consumed moderate amounts of alcohol had a lower risk of being overweight or obese.</p>
<p>The four alcoholic beverages tested in the study included white wine, red wine, liquor, and beer.</p>
<p>The study has been published in the March 8th issue of the Archives of Internal Medicine.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Vitamin D Is Key To Bulking Up Your Immune System</title>
		<link>http://smartabouthealth.net/diet/2010/03/07/vitamin-d-is-key-to-bulking-up-your-immune-system/</link>
		<comments>http://smartabouthealth.net/diet/2010/03/07/vitamin-d-is-key-to-bulking-up-your-immune-system/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:51:47 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Curiosity]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Diet]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Men's Health]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Women's Health]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://smartabouthealth.net/?p=1444</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Boston (SmartAboutHealth) - According to a new study, vitamin D is key to building up your immune system to help fight away viruses and other infections.
The study was carried out by researchers from the University of Copenhagen, and has found yet another major health benefit to vitamin D.
It has been known for quite some time [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://smartabouthealth.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/vitamin_d_healthy.jpg" alt="vitamin_d_healthy" title="vitamin_d_healthy" width="300" height="338" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1445" />Boston (SmartAboutHealth) - According to a new study, vitamin D is key to building up your immune system to help fight away viruses and other infections.</p>
<p>The study was carried out by researchers from the University of Copenhagen, and has found yet another major health benefit to vitamin D.<span id="more-1444"></span></p>
<p>It has been known for quite some time that there are many health benefits to vitamin D.</p>
<p>A deficiency of vitamin D has been proven to increase your risk of cancer, heart disease, as well as other diseases.</p>
<p>This latest study has added yet another major health benefit to getting enough vitamin D, improving your immune system.</p>
<p>Researchers revealed that getting vitamin D helps bulk up your immune system, triggering it to spring into action.</p>
<p>This is one major reason why the flu is so much more prevalent in the winter, as people cannot get out in the sun and are more prone to vitamin D deficiency.</p>
<p>Getting vitamin D helps produce antibacterial peptides which bulk up your immune system to fight away viruses such as the flu, infections, etc.</p>
<p>The study has found that those who get sufficient vitamin D are far more likely to be able to fight away viruses than those with a vitamin D deficiency.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Washington DC Becomes First City To Give Out Female Condoms</title>
		<link>http://smartabouthealth.net/curiosity/2010/03/07/washington-dc-becomes-first-city-to-give-out-female-condoms/</link>
		<comments>http://smartabouthealth.net/curiosity/2010/03/07/washington-dc-becomes-first-city-to-give-out-female-condoms/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:37:41 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Curiosity]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Women's Health]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://smartabouthealth.net/?p=1441</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Washington (SmartAboutHealth) - Washington DC has come out and stated that they are going to be giving out free female condoms to the masses.
Washington DC will be the first city in the United States to distribute female condoms to anyone who wants them.
The plan is to have these female condoms available in a wide variety [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://smartabouthealth.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/female_condoms_free.jpg" alt="female_condoms_free" title="female_condoms_free" width="300" height="300" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1442" />Washington (SmartAboutHealth) - Washington DC has come out and stated that they are going to be giving out free female condoms to the masses.</p>
<p>Washington DC will be the first city in the United States to distribute female condoms to anyone who wants them.<span id="more-1441"></span></p>
<p>The plan is to have these female condoms available in a wide variety of locations.</p>
<p>These places include convenience stores, high schools, as well as places where women may hang out, such as salons.</p>
<p>Female condoms have never been distributed in this manner, but the hope is that it will go a long way to try and reduce the rates of HIV/AIDS, as well as other sexually transmitted diseases.</p>
<p>It has been nearly two decades since female condoms were first introduced, but they never have really caught on in regards to mass appeal.</p>
<p>This may change things though as these will be available to anyone who wants them.</p>
<p>The news was first released by the Washington Post, and comes at a time when HIV/AIDS infection rates are high among certain groups in Washington DC.</p>
<p>The whole idea behind this is to expand the options that people have when it comes to practicing safe sex.</p>
<p>This could likely lead to an expansion of female condoms being distributed by other cities and states in the U.S.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		</item>
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		<title>Study Proves That HIV Virus Hides During Anti-Viral Treatment</title>
		<link>http://smartabouthealth.net/diseases/2010/03/07/study-proves-that-hiv-virus-hides-during-anti-viral-treatment/</link>
		<comments>http://smartabouthealth.net/diseases/2010/03/07/study-proves-that-hiv-virus-hides-during-anti-viral-treatment/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Mon, 08 Mar 2010 00:21:00 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Diseases]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Drugs]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://smartabouthealth.net/?p=1438</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Washington (SmartAboutHealth) - According to a new study, the HIV virus actually has the ability to hide during anti-viral drug treatment.
The study was carried out by researchers from the University of Michigan as they tried to figure out exactly how the HIV virus was able to make a return following treatment.
Anti-viral drug treatment has proven [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://smartabouthealth.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/hiv_emerge_cells.jpg" alt="hiv_emerge_cells" title="hiv_emerge_cells" width="300" height="246" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1439" />Washington (SmartAboutHealth) - According to a new study, the HIV virus actually has the ability to hide during anti-viral drug treatment.</p>
<p>The study was carried out by researchers from the University of Michigan as they tried to figure out exactly how the HIV virus was able to make a return following treatment.<span id="more-1438"></span></p>
<p>Anti-viral drug treatment has proven to be wildly successful to treat AIDS patients, extending their lives and increasing their quality of life a great deal.</p>
<p>Unfortunately though one common thing among patients is that the HIV virus actually is able to make a comeback after the treatment is done.</p>
<p>What researchers have found is that the HIV virus has the ability to hide until the treatment is done.</p>
<p>They have discovered that the HIV infected cells hide in the bone marrow of patients.</p>
<p>Once the treatment is done, the cells can then re-emerge and come back to the rest of the body to infect once again.</p>
<p>This could lead to a whole new understanding of the HIV virus to help AIDS patients around the world.</p>
<p>This could lead to new drugs to treat patients and new studies to further enhance their discovery.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Mediterranean Diets May Be Key To Healthy Heart</title>
		<link>http://smartabouthealth.net/diet/2010/03/02/mediterranean-diets-may-be-key-to-healthy-heart/</link>
		<comments>http://smartabouthealth.net/diet/2010/03/02/mediterranean-diets-may-be-key-to-healthy-heart/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 03 Mar 2010 02:13:28 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Diet]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://smartabouthealth.net/?p=1435</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Washington (SmartAboutHealth) - According to a new study, a Mediterranean diet that is low in both fat and carbohydrates may be the key to a healthy heart.
The new study was carried out by researchers from countries including the U.S., Canada, as well as Germany, and focused on a very large sample of people.
Those included in [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://smartabouthealth.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/heart_mediterranean_diet-234x300.jpg" alt="heart_mediterranean_diet" title="heart_mediterranean_diet" width="234" height="300" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1436" />Washington (SmartAboutHealth) - According to a new study, a Mediterranean diet that is low in both fat and carbohydrates may be the key to a healthy heart.</p>
<p>The new study was carried out by researchers from countries including the U.S., Canada, as well as Germany, and focused on a very large sample of people.<span id="more-1435"></span></p>
<p>Those included in the study were all between the ages of 40 and 65, and were split up into three groups with three different diets.</p>
<p>The diets included a diet that was low in fat, low in carbohydrates, and a Mediterranean diet.</p>
<p>The idea behind it was to try and gauge the quality of the diet in terms of leading to a healthy heart.</p>
<p>They tracked this over two years by looking at the arteries in the patients to see how the diets impacted them.</p>
<p>What they found was that a diet that was both low in fat and carbohydrates, a Mediterranean diet, was best to help your heart and arteries.</p>
<p>A diet such as this could go a long way to a healthy heart and a longer happier life.</p>
<p>The study has been released to the medical world this week. </p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Study Blames Chilhood Obesity On Junk Food Snacking</title>
		<link>http://smartabouthealth.net/diet/2010/03/02/study-blames-chilhood-obesity-on-junk-food-snacking/</link>
		<comments>http://smartabouthealth.net/diet/2010/03/02/study-blames-chilhood-obesity-on-junk-food-snacking/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 03 Mar 2010 02:00:17 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Diet]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Kid's Health]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://smartabouthealth.net/?p=1432</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Washington (SmartAboutHealth) - A new study carried out by researchers has proven that childhood obesity is being caused by too much snacking on junk food.
The study was carried out by researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and focused on the types of foods that kids are eating, and how much snacking [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://smartabouthealth.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/junk_food_kids-300x198.jpg" alt="junk_food_kids" title="junk_food_kids" width="300" height="198" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1433" />Washington (SmartAboutHealth) - A new study carried out by researchers has proven that childhood obesity is being caused by too much snacking on junk food.</p>
<p>The study was carried out by researchers from the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill and focused on the types of foods that kids are eating, and how much snacking they are doing during the day.<span id="more-1432"></span></p>
<p>The most popular junk food that kids consume include large amounts of candy, chips, among other foods.</p>
<p>These junk foods are high in salt and fat, and create a major problem in terms of weight gain.</p>
<p>What researchers have found is that children get roughly 27% of their calories each and every day from junk food.</p>
<p>On top of that, 98% of kids between the ages of 2 and 18 consume snacks during the day that consist of junk foods.</p>
<p>This is a major increase from what was being seen three decades ago, as the study went back over 30 years to compare kids from then to now.</p>
<p>This was one of the first studies to really hone in on the long-term eating habits of children.</p>
<p>Researchers recommend healthy snacks such as apple slices and other fruits and vegetables rather than junk food.</p>
<p>The study has been published in the March edition of the journal Health Affairs.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>Using Less Salt Saves Cash, Prevents Heart Attacks</title>
		<link>http://smartabouthealth.net/diet/2010/03/02/using-less-salt-saves-cash-prevents-heart-attacks/</link>
		<comments>http://smartabouthealth.net/diet/2010/03/02/using-less-salt-saves-cash-prevents-heart-attacks/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Wed, 03 Mar 2010 01:51:08 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Diet]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://smartabouthealth.net/?p=1429</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Washington (SmartAboutHealth) - According to a new study, cutting out on salt can help prevent heart attacks, and also save a lot of cash in the process.
We have known for years now that salt is one of the most harmful foods you can put into your body, but a new study has shown that cutting [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://smartabouthealth.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/cash_salt-300x274.jpg" alt="cash_salt" title="cash_salt" width="300" height="274" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1430" />Washington (SmartAboutHealth) - According to a new study, cutting out on salt can help prevent heart attacks, and also save a lot of cash in the process.</p>
<p>We have known for years now that salt is one of the most harmful foods you can put into your body, but a new study has shown that cutting out salt helps prevent heart attacks and save some serious money.<span id="more-1429"></span></p>
<p>The study was carried out by researchers from Stanford University School of Medicine, as well as the Veterans Affairs Palo Alto Health Care System in California.</p>
<p>The idea behind the study was to try and see what type of impact salt had not only on your health, but the health care system as a whole.</p>
<p>What researchers found is quite stunning to say the very least, as cutting salt intake can make a huge difference.</p>
<p>If you reduce your salt intake by 10%, you greatly reduce your chance of having a heart attack.</p>
<p>Overall, if the food industry, according to the study, cut down on their use of salt by 10% they could prevent 500,000 heart attacks annually.</p>
<p>On top of that, this would save $32 billion annually in terms of health care costs.</p>
<p>Reducing salt has also been proven to lower blood pressure, among other health benefits.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<item>
		<title>Cruise Ship Nightmare, Over 400 Passengers Fall Ill</title>
		<link>http://smartabouthealth.net/diseases/2010/02/27/cruise-ship-nightmare-over-400-passengers-fall-ill/</link>
		<comments>http://smartabouthealth.net/diseases/2010/02/27/cruise-ship-nightmare-over-400-passengers-fall-ill/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 27 Feb 2010 14:26:20 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Diseases]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[World]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://smartabouthealth.net/?p=1426</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Washington (SmartAboutHealth) - It was certainly a nightmare for the passengers of the Celebrity Mercury this past week as over 400 people became ill, causing the ship to be held in port for cleaning.
There were over 400 passengers, as well as many members of the crew of the Celebrity Mercury who became sick during the [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://smartabouthealth.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/cruise_ship_sick-300x166.jpg" alt="cruise_ship_sick" title="cruise_ship_sick" width="300" height="166" class="alignleft size-medium wp-image-1427" />Washington (SmartAboutHealth) - It was certainly a nightmare for the passengers of the Celebrity Mercury this past week as over 400 people became ill, causing the ship to be held in port for cleaning.</p>
<p>There were over 400 passengers, as well as many members of the crew of the Celebrity Mercury who became sick during the voyage due to an outbreak of a virus onboard.<span id="more-1426"></span></p>
<p>The ship had to be held in port in Charleston, South Carolina for cleaning so that it could be prepared to start out on another voyage with a whole new set of passengers.</p>
<p>Those passengers who did fall ill due to the norovirus outbreak on the Celebrity Mercury had to be quarantined to their rooms.</p>
<p>Those who had to be put through this received cash refunds for the lost time that they had during their nightmare of a cruise.</p>
<p>Nonetheless, passengers were not too upset it appeared about the turn of events, as they know that it could happen anywhere.</p>
<p>The ship was delayed one day before taking off for yet another 10-day cruise with a whole new set of passengers.</p>
]]></content:encoded>
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		<title>FDA Gives Big Thumbs Up To New Drug To Treat Gaucher</title>
		<link>http://smartabouthealth.net/diseases/2010/02/27/fda-gives-big-thumbs-up-to-new-drug-to-treat-gaucher/</link>
		<comments>http://smartabouthealth.net/diseases/2010/02/27/fda-gives-big-thumbs-up-to-new-drug-to-treat-gaucher/#comments</comments>
		<pubDate>Sat, 27 Feb 2010 14:19:37 +0000</pubDate>
		<dc:creator>admin</dc:creator>
		
		<category><![CDATA[Diseases]]></category>

		<category><![CDATA[Drugs]]></category>

		<guid isPermaLink="false">http://smartabouthealth.net/?p=1423</guid>
		<description><![CDATA[Washington (SmartAboutHealth) -  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given the big thumbs up to a new drug from Shire  Human Genetic Therapies Inc., one that will treat Gaucher disease.
The drug is known as Velaglucerase Alfa for injection or (VPRIV) and will be used to treat the extremely rare and harmful [...]]]></description>
			<content:encoded><![CDATA[<p><img src="http://smartabouthealth.net/wp-content/uploads/2010/02/gaucher_disease_drug.jpg" alt="gaucher_disease_drug" title="gaucher_disease_drug" width="300" height="226" class="alignleft size-full wp-image-1424" />Washington (SmartAboutHealth) -  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has given the big thumbs up to a new drug from Shire  Human Genetic Therapies Inc., one that will treat Gaucher disease.</p>
<p>The drug is known as Velaglucerase Alfa for injection or (VPRIV) and will be used to treat the extremely rare and harmful Gaucher disease.<span id="more-1423"></span></p>
<p>Gaucher disease is an inherited disorder that harms the body by not allowing up to create a certain type of enzyme known as glucocerebrosidase.</p>
<p>This particular enzyme is key to controlling the build-up of the fatty substance known as lipid.</p>
<p>As stated, it is a very rare disease but the news that there is now a treatment for it has many in the medical community cheering.</p>
<p>Clinical trials have shown that the drug is effective in treating Gaucher disease, with minor side effects being noted.</p>
<p>The disease impacts roughly 1 out fo every 50,000 people in the United States.</p>
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