Researchers at the University of Texas Health San Antonio report they have essentially cured type 1 diabetes in laboratory mice by using gene transfer. The discovery increases the types of pancreatic cells that secrete insulin, which represents a potential cure for type 1 diabetes and could end insulin dependence in type 2 diabetes. Insulin used by the body to lower blood sugar is only made...

Is it possible to have a small stroke and not even realize it? Yes, according to new research that found about 35 percent of Americans experience symptoms of a warning stroke. Yet only about 3 percent get immediate medical attention. Most adults who had at least one sign of a "mini" stroke -- a temporary blockage also known as a transient ischemic attack, or TIA -- waited or rested until...

Humans are one of the few creatures on this planet who have the capability of ignoring our basic survival instinct. We jump out of perfectly good airplanes — something that still sets off alarms in the most veteran skydivers — and we push ourselves to the edge of death and back with physical demands on our bodies that defy reason with activities like ultra-marathons in the desert, living...

A new study by Johns Hopkins Medicine found the combination of exercise and vitamin D can lower the risk of heart attack and stroke. Researchers analyzed survey responses and health records of more than 10,000 American adults over a 20-year time period and found a synergistic link between exercise and high levels of vitamin D in reducing the risk of heart attack and stroke. Exercise and...

Researchers found that students living in college dormitories are exposed to high levels of toxic flame retardants in dust. The study by the non-profit research organization Silent Spring Institute measured dozens of flame retardants in dorm dust samples including carcinogens, hormone disruptors and chemicals that affect brain function. Flame retardants were commonly added to furniture by...

Don't fall for products claiming to cure autism, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns. There's no cure for the neurodevelopmental disorder, the agency said. Yet bogus "cures" and therapies abound -- from toxin removal to raw camel milk. Some of these fraudulent treatments could be harmful, and should be avoided, the agency said Wednesday. Among them: chelation therapies,...

Blood tests to diagnose and monitor rheumatoid arthritis may be thrown off by obesity in women, a new study suggests. "Physicians might assume that high levels of inflammation mean that a patient has rheumatoid arthritis or that their rheumatoid arthritis requires more treatment, when in fact a mild increase in levels of inflammation could be due to obesity instead," explained study author Dr....

Research from the Mayo Clinic shows that nearly 88 percent of patients seeking a second opinion go home with a new diagnosis. Researchers examined records of 286 patients referred by their primary care doctor to the Mayo Clinic's General Internal Medicine Division in Rochester, Minn., over a two-year period from Jan. 1, 2009 to Dec. 31, 2010. The referring diagnosis was compared to the...

More than 20 million people in the UK are physically inactive, according to a report by the British Heart Foundation. The charity warns that inactivity increases the risk of heart disease and costs the NHS around £1.2bn each year. Harriet Mulvaney experienced a heart attack at 44 and decided to make changes to her lifestyle. "Looking back on it now I would say I was very inactive. I...

Although grapefruit can be a healthy option since it contains vitamin C and fiber, it can be harmful to some - especially those taking particular medications. Check with your physician if you are eating grapefruit regularly to make sure it's safe for you. Fad Dieting Eating grapefruit frequently to lose weight is a dangerous choice in terms of your health. According to the American Dietetic...