Health: Body News.(medical exams, moisturizers, dieting)

BODY news

Healthy Breath

Less invasive than drawing blood with a needle, new oral exams show promise for detecting certain health problems. Menssana Research, based at the New Jersey Institute of Technology in Newark, has developed a method of analyzing compounds in exhaled breath to help diagnose lung cancer, breast cancer, and other diseases. Also, assessing sugars in saliva can predict lifetime risk of cavities, which can help dentists advise preventive treatment, says Paul Denny, a dental researcher at the University of Southern California in Los Angeles. He estimates that at least two more years of research is needed before the test will be available.

80%

of women report having dry skin, yet only 42 percent moisturize on a daily basis.

Superior Moisture

The potent moisturizing ingredient petrolatum may have competition: Nicotinamide (also called vitamin B3 or niacinamide) seems to be more effective in preventing and treating dry skin. In a Japanese study, people applied petrolatum on one arm and a 2 percent nicotinamide cream on the other twice daily. The skin treated with the latter did better on tests of moisture at four weeks and more so at eight weeks. The researchers say the ingredient (in Olay Total Effects Intensive Restoration Treatment and L'Oreal Age Perfect products) may boost ...