Topic: Health & Healing

An insight into some of the most pervasive myths about the science and art of hypnosis from hypnotherapist Taylor Peterson.

Although hypnosis has been repeatedly shown to be able to assist individuals with a number of different problems, ranging from overcoming phobias to kicking bad habits and from reducing pain to speeding up the healing process, a number of different myths and misconceptions remain in place to this day. Some of these misconceptions include:

Chocolate as health food? Not exactly, but eating a small amount of dark chocolate every day offers some health benefits.

Chocolate as health food? Not exactly, but eating a small amount of dark chocolate every day offers some health benefits.

The benefits are thought to come from flavonoids in dark chocolate, according to the August issue of Mayo Clinic Women’s HealthSource. Flavonoids are a naturally occurring antioxidant that also are found in teas, red wine and some fruits and vegetables.

A declining number of office-based psychiatrists appear to be providing psychotherapy to their patients, according to a report in the August issue of "Archives of General Psychiatry."

A declining number of office-based psychiatrists appear to be providing psychotherapy to their patients, according to a report in the August issue of Archives of General Psychiatry, one of the JAMA/Archives journals.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to assess the impact of smoked medical cannabis, or marijuana, on the neuropathic pain associated with HIV, researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine found that reported pain relief was greater with cannabis than with a placebo.

In a double-blind, placebo-controlled clinical trial to assess the impact of smoked medical cannabis, or marijuana, on the neuropathic pain associated with HIV, researchers at the University of California, San Diego School of Medicine found that reported pain relief was greater with cannabis than with a placebo. The study, sponsored by the University of California Center for Medical Cannabis Research (CMCR) based at UC San Diego, has been published online in the journal Neuropsychopharmacology.

Eating tuna and other types of fish may help lower the risk of cognitive decline and stroke in healthy older adults, according to a study published in the August 5, 2008, issue of "Neurology."

Eating tuna and other types of fish may help lower the risk of cognitive decline and stroke in healthy older adults, according to a study published in the August 5, 2008, issue of Neurology, the medical journal of the American Academy of Neurology.

According to recent research, Americans are likely to be exposed to unacceptable side effects of FDA-approved drugs because of fatal flaws in the way new drugs are tested and marketed.

Americans are likely to be exposed to unacceptable side effects of FDA-approved drugs such as Vioxx in the future because of fatal flaws in the way new drugs are tested and marketed, according to research presented at the annual meeting of the American Sociological Association (ASA).

According to a new study, two compounds linked to soy-based foods can cause irreversible changes in the structure of the brain, resulting in early-onset puberty and symptoms of advanced menopause.

Two hormone-like compounds linked to the consumption of soy-based foods can cause irreversible changes in the structure of the brain, resulting in early-onset puberty and symptoms of advanced menopause in research animals, according to a new study by researchers at North Carolina State University. The study is a breakthrough in determining how these compounds can cause reproductive health problems, as well as in providing a key building block for how to treat these problems.

Potentially preventable medical errors that occur during or after surgery may cost employers nearly $1.5 billion a year, according to new estimates.

In a study published in the July 28 issue of the journal Health Services Research, AHRQ’s William E. Encinosa, Ph.D., and Fred J. Hellinger, P.D., found that insurers paid an additional $28,218 (52 percent more) and an additional $19,480 (48 percent more) for surgery patients who experienced acute respiratory failure or post-operative infections, respectively, compared with patients who did not experience either error.

An estimated 2 million children in developing countries die each year from diarrhea, but simple zinc treatment could reduce the risk of such deaths. Researchers reached this conclusion in a new review of studies involving more than 6,000 children of all ages.

An estimated 2 million children in developing countries die each year from diarrhea, but simple zinc treatment could reduce the risk of such deaths.

Researchers reached this conclusion in a new review of studies involving more than 6,000 children of all ages.

New research published in the Journal of Food Science suggests that marinating meats may decrease the cancer-forming compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCA), which are produced during grilling, by over 70 percent.

Outdoor cooking season is at its peak, and now there are even more reasons to marinate meats before grilling. New research published in the Journal of Food Science suggests that marinating meats may decrease the cancer-forming compounds called heterocyclic amines (HCA), which are produced during grilling, by over 70 percent.