Category Archives: Health Headlines

Airport scanning machines said to be safe

Posted on April 16, 2012 by Walt Larimore

A report released by the Department of Homeland Security’s inspector general says the full-body scanners used by the TSA at airport security checkpoints emit an “extremely low dose” of radiation that is not harmful to passengers. 

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Women taking statins MAY have slightly increased risk of type 2 diabetes

Posted on January 30, 2012 by Walt Larimore

ABC World News reported, “And we have a red flag to tell you about tonight about the most popular prescription drug in the world: statins.” Investigators “at Harvard Medical School” found that “people who take statins to reduce their cholesterol … Continue reading →

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Most US presidents exceed their life expectancy

Posted on January 10, 2012 by Walt Larimore

The CBS Evening News reported, “Excluding the four Presidents who were assassinated, most of America’s Chief Executives have exceeded their life expectancy,” according to a research letter published in the Journal of the American Medical Association.

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PSA screening for prostate cancer. The debate continues.

Posted on November 4, 2011 by Walt Larimore

ABC World News reported, “An earthquake in the debate over men and prostate cancer” regarding a “simple blood test called a PSA. Twenty million men use it to find out if they show a sign of risk, yet today, a … Continue reading →

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Is the US infant mortality ranking “shameful”? I say, “no,” but here’s the debate:

Posted on November 1, 2011 by Walt Larimore

Of the over 2000 blogs I’ve posted, one of the most popular was Health Myth #1: “The U.S. has one of the highest infant mortality rates in the developed world.”. Now, in an editorial, USA Today points out that the … Continue reading →

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Can cocoa products reduce blood pressure or heart disease?

Posted on October 4, 2011 by Walt Larimore

CocoaVia and Cirku are new supplements used for high blood pressure and cardiovascular health according to the Natural Medicines Comprehensive Database (NMCD). These products are flavored powders that can be added to a beverage. Each packet contains a cocoa extract providing … Continue reading →

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TV watching as dangerous as smoking and lack of exercise

Posted on September 30, 2011 by Walt Larimore

Researchers in Australia say smoking “can shorten of life expectancy by more than four years after the age of 50. That represents 11 minutes of life lost for every cigarette and that’s the same as half an hour of TV … Continue reading →

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15 minutes’ daily exercise boosts life expectancy by three years

Posted on September 30, 2011 by Walt Larimore

ABC World News reported, “If you need any more convincing that a little bit of exercise can make a huge difference in your life, here’s some powerful new proof: A study in the medical journal Lancet looked at 400,000 people and … Continue reading →

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IBM working to turn robotic “Jeopardy!” contestant into medical assistant

Posted on September 27, 2011 by Walt Larimore

The Minneapolis Star Tribune reports IBM is working to turn Watson, a computer that earlier this year successfully competed on the game show “Jeopardy!”, into a potential medical assistant.

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Caution about ‘ear candles’

Posted on June 9, 2011 by Walt Larimore

After my blog, “Cotton swabs linked to ruptured eardrums,” a reader wrote, “Dr. Walt, what do you think about ear candles?” I thought I had blogged about ear candles in the past, but cannot find it. So, here’s an update … Continue reading →

Posted in Children's Health, Health Headlines, Parenting | Tagged , , , , | 3 Comments

Cancer risk from airport scanners extremely low, study finds

Posted on April 27, 2011 by Walt Larimore

My previous blogs on airport scanners (see list below) have been particularly popular among readers for obvious reasons. Now, Bloomberg News is reporting, “Airport body scanners pose little radiation risk to travelers, emitting less than 1 percent of the dose a person … Continue reading →

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Americans have nothing to fear from Japan’s nuclear crisis — or don’t go buy potassium iodide tablets today

Posted on March 16, 2011 by Walt Larimore

I’ve been sent a number of email notes from physicians in the U.S. advising their friends and patients to immediately buy potassium iodine tablets in case the radiation from Japan should be carried across the jet stream to the United … Continue reading →

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ObamaCare Repealed in the House

Posted on January 19, 2011 by Walt Larimore

The House of Representatives resumed debate this morning on H.R. 2, legislation to repeal ObamaCare. A final vote came this evening, and it, as expected, passed easily with the new GOP majority in control. Also, in the “breaking news” category … Continue reading →

Posted in Health Headlines, Medical Economics | Tagged , , , , | 2 Comments

Two-week course of antibiotic may benefit patients with IBS (irritable bowel syndrome)

Posted on January 7, 2011 by Walt Larimore

In the category of a study that will change my practice in the area of giving patients with irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) another treatment option, is a study discussed in a Los Angeles Times report that says, “A two-week treatment … Continue reading →

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Reminder: Clean Out Your Medicine Cabinet This Weekend

Posted on September 24, 2010 by Walt Larimore

Americans are being encouraged to gather expired, unused, and unwanted prescription drugs from their medicine cabinets this Saturday and take them to one of the more than 4,000 drop-off sites around the country. The national “Take-Back” campaign is part of … Continue reading →

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Should Cholesterol Drugs Be Used By Those Without High Cholesterol?

Posted on May 5, 2010 by Walt Larimore

Some experts say statins help healthier people, but others worry about risks. So, when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved the use of the cholesterol-lowering statin drug Crestor for some people with normal cholesterol levels, cardiologist Dr. Steven … Continue reading →

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Top 10 Good News Pro-life News Stories of 2009

Posted on January 4, 2010 by Walt Larimore

The following are the top ten good news stories of 2009, ranked according to popularity, from LifeNews.com. 1) 12-Year-Old Stuns Pro-Choice Teacher and School with Pro-Life Presentation 12-year-old “Lia” of Toronto become a star at her school and on Youtube … Continue reading →

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Top 10 Pro-Life News Stories of 2009

Posted on January 4, 2010 by Walt Larimore

President Barack Obama, abortion, the Supreme Court, and healthcare dominated pro-life news in 2009. As we look back on 2009, the first with a new pro-abortion president, it seems to me that the pro-life movement essentially is on the defensive. … Continue reading →

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The Top 10 Health Scares Of The Decade

Posted on January 4, 2010 by Walt Larimore

With disagreement over baby bottle chemical (bisphenol A), what’s a parent to do? While the past decade has seen great strides in medical technology, it hasn’t seen solutions to all of our health problems. There were novel viruses that threatened to … Continue reading →

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Dr. Walt’s newest book and first novel released to very positive reviews

Posted on August 20, 2009 by Walt Larimore

I’m pleased to announce that my first novel, co-written with my dear friend, Paul McCusker, has been released by Howard Books and Simon and Schuster. More Information:

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When it comes to fast food, how can you make better choices for you and your family?

Posted on June 8, 2009 by Walt Larimore

Fast food may be inexpensive and convenient, but it is often high in calories, fat, sugar, and salt. Being highly processed, it may be low in many essential nutrients. And, it’s typically very low in fiber. So, what’s a parent … Continue reading →

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A blast from the past – YouTube video shows Dr. Walt’s ‘groundbreaking’ web events of 1999

Posted on May 25, 2009 by Walt Larimore

Speaking of memories (here on Memorial Day), I have fond memories of hosting a live, 5-night-a-week, cable TV show, “Ask the Family Doctor” on America’s Health Network and then Fox’s Health Network from 1995 – 2000. All-in-all, about 854 shows. … Continue reading →

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The pro-life Super Bowl ad NBC refused to show you now seen by nearly 1.5 million (and counting)

Posted on February 9, 2009 by Walt Larimore

Super Bowl ads can be more fun than the game. And what’s more fun than a Super Bowl ad? A banned Super Bowl ad, of course. And what’s more exciting than that? A Super Bowl ad banned for celebrating life. … Continue reading →

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For Pro-Lifers, an Early Christmas Present from President Bush — regulations to protect the conscience rights of healthcare professionals

Posted on December 18, 2008 by Walt Larimore

President Bush’s days may be numbered, but not his pro-life influence. In a monumental decision that will be felt well into the next administration, the White House-with the cooperation of the Department of Health and Human Services-made good on its … Continue reading →

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Too Much TV and Web time harms kids’ health in almost every way

Posted on December 3, 2008 by Walt Larimore

Spending a lot of time watching TV, playing video games, and surfing the Web is strongly associated with a wide range of health problems among kids, including obesity and smoking. More Information:

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Researcher to APA: You Can’t Keep Ignoring Studies Showing Abortion Hurts Women

Posted on December 3, 2008 by Walt Larimore

The leading researcher responsible for a new study showing abortion has serious mental health complications for women says the American Psychological Association needs to reverse its own misleading conclusion that abortion doesn’t cause women mental health problems. More Information:

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This holiday season, you can thank our troops. It’s fast and simple.

Posted on November 24, 2008 by Walt Larimore

Just go to this web site, and pick out a thank you card. Xerox will print it and it will be sent to a military personwho is currently serving in Iraq. You can’t pick out who gets it, but it … Continue reading →

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eHarmony: Looking for Love in All the Wrong Places

Posted on November 21, 2008 by Walt Larimore

My friend, Tony Perkins, the President of the Family Research Council, writes, “The surest way to lose the culture war is refusing to fight. Unfortunately, no company illustrates that better than eHarmony, whose shocking concession to the homosexual movement is … Continue reading →

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On Conscience, HHS Rules!

Posted on November 21, 2008 by Walt Larimore

The FRC is reporting, “He may technically be a “lame duck,” but President Bush is going out with guns blazing. With just two months left in office, the administration dealt a crippling blow to online gambling and is prepared to … Continue reading →

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