Jerry Lee Lewis has Shingles, Postpones European Tour

Jerry Lee Lewis, the now 74 year old rock legend, has postponed a European summer tour due to an illness.  The tour's promoter expects the dates to be rescheduled for sometime this November.  

"Jerry is suffering from shingles, very painful and it (also causes) problems with his heart," said a statement issued by tour promoter Diba Inernational Concerts.  According to the statement released, Jerry Lee Lewis underwent a three hour surgical procedure in Memphis last week, "and his doctors have advised him not to do the tour at this moment. They have told him that everything will be fine again in one month." Details about Lewis' surgery were not revealed.

I Tried It: The New "Tea" Coffee Everyone's Talking About

Guys, you know I love my coffee. I live in Seattle for crying out loud. But lately I've just been feeling that my daily (alright, twice-daily) coffee break is leaving my system a little off. I didn't think I could quit, until I discovered this newish "coffee" made from tea...

Someone recently told me about Teecino, a "coffee alternative" that's made from chicory root (and other all-natural ingredients), then I was flipping through the new issue of Marie Claire and saw it there. Time to get my hands on this stuff, I decided.

The selling points that caught my eye: naturally acid-free (so no upset stomach after drinking), naturally caffeine-free, high in heart-healthy potassium, and rich in inulin, a soluble fiber that helps improve digestion and elimination plus increase absorption of calcium and minerals.

I Tried It: Aloe Vera Juice (Yes, The Kind You Drink!)

Most of us love aloe vera for its ability to soothe a sunburn naturally. But would you drink the stuff? I know--I had the same reaction. But when I came across a bottle of aloe vera juice (not to be confused with the gel) at Whole Foods recently, I grabbed some for a taste test and decided to look into its health benefits...

First off, I want to be really clear: The type of aloe you buy in a squeeze tube--the gel--is for topical use only (don't eat it!). But drinkable, food-grade aloe--in juice form--seems to be gaining some popularity among natural foods enthusiasts.

According to this Whole Foods blog entry, aloe vera juice may have some interesting health benefits: "Digestive and immune support as well as increased nutrient absorption are a few of the important ways aloe vera can support health," they write. "...[aloe juice] may be soothing to your throat, stomach, and digestive tract." It was enough to talk me into a taste test.

It’s Never Too Late To Exercise

Most women these days know how important it is to take measures to prevent osteoporosis, even at a young age. The importance of consuming more calcium in your 20s, for instance, is well-known, even though signs of osteoporosis don't usually show up until years later. But what happens if you don't get started early? New research suggests that exercise (among other things, of course) can help forestall osteoporosis, even after menopause.

Researchers at the Medical College of Georgia conducted a study among 36 women between the ages of 20 to 50, measuring their levels of follicle-stimulating hormone (FSH) and bone mineral density. According to Dr. Joseph Cannon, principal investigator for the National Institute of Aging-funded study, bone density starts declining years before estrogen levels drop in women with osteoporosis, and it is during that time that levels of FSH -- released by the pituitary gland to regulate ovarian function -- actually increase. It's believed that increased FSH levels are responsible for the decrease in bone density.

How to Recover From a Diet Slip Up

Fitness and health are metaphors for life--and like in the rest of your life, when you make a mistake or fall of the wagon, you have to dust yourself off and seize the opportunity to learn from your screw ups. The key to overcoming failure is to use it as an entry point for learning. Here's how to do it.

You will fail sometimes. Period. It is a forgone conclusion if you are really living, really reaching, and really risking. I have yet to meet one person that has had an easy straight one-way journey with weight loss. Often it is five steps forward three steps back, but in the steps back you are getting valuable pieces of information about who you are and how you tick. There is a hidden meaning in all the events of your life, especially the struggles and it is this meaning that can serve your evolution most... if you choose to let it.

High Doses of Antioxidant May Cause, Not Protect Against, Cancer

Nutrition experts have long been advising us to get our antioxidants—cancer-fighting compounds mostly found in fruits and vegetables—from real food not supplements. Now a new study indicates that food may not only be a better source, it may be a safer one.

Researchers at Cedars-Sinai Heart Institute in Los Angeles found that high doses of antioxidant supplements, including vitamins C and E, can cause genetic abnormalities in cells. The authors of the study, led by Eduardo Marban, M.D., Ph.D., director of the institute, believe that the cell abnormalities can make supplement-takers more prone to developing cancer.

High Blood Pressure and Pain

For years, we've called high blood pressure (or hypertension) a silent killer because people who have it rarely show any outward signs or symptoms. New research from Ohio University finds this is because people experience a decreased perception of pain called hypoalgesia before the onset of high blood pressure.

Dr. Christopher France, writing in the November issue of Psychophysiology, says hypoalgesia may be a risk marker for potential high blood pressure. He says it also may make it more difficult for physicians to diagnose heart problems before a cardiac event such as a heart attack.

The research data comes from the Framingham Heart Study and shows men and women with hypertension are almost twice as likely to suffer an unrecognized heart attack, possibly because chest pain is suppressed. Simply, the pain that is supposed to come when the blood to the heart is restricted isn't there.

Her Ex Is Out of Control

Dear Dr. Betty,

Can you please explain what male midlife crisis is all about and what becomes of it? My ex of 23 years has totally flipped, runs around with strippers, does drugs, and behaves like a teenager. He is an embarrassment to his adult children and to the rest of his family. Is there an end to this crisis? --D.

Dear D.,

The latest research says midlife crisis rarely occurs -- but I say hogwash! I get so many letters from husbands and wives about their spouses suddenly leaving, having affairs, and engaging in behaviors that are so unlike them. It's not uncommon -- it's common.

Midlife change isn't always a crisis but can run the gamut from being barely noticeable to becoming a full-blown explosion! According to Jed Diamond, author of Surviving Male Menopause: A Guide for Men and Women, for many it's like experiencing their second adolescence, what he calls "puberty in reverse."

Here We Go Again: More Egg Recalls

Eggs for breakfast? Then you may want to know about a new series of egg recalls affecting eggs in several states. Yup, salmonella again. Details ...

Just when we thought the egg headaches were behind us, the FDA is announcing another warning about salmonella contaminated eggs.

Cal-Maine Foods Inc., the nation's biggest egg seller, is recalling 288,000 eggs for suspected salmonella contamination at an Ohio egg farm where the eggs originated. The farm, Ohio Fresh Eggs, is linked to Wright County Egg, the cause of the last massive egg recall.

The tainted Cal-Maine eggs were sold in Arkansas, California, Illinois, Iowa, Kansas, Missouri, Oklahoma and Texas. For product names, numbers and details, check this list.

Herbal Menopause Treatment Fails to Impress Researchers

As women weigh potential risks of traditional hormone replacement therapy (HRT) versus its benefits as a treatment for the symptoms of menopause, more and more women are turning to alternative therapies. But do the alternative remedies work?

Black cohosh is among a group of plants and herbs known as phyto estrogens, which have been marketed as herbal substitutions to HRT. But while hormone replacement therapy has been proven to help prevent bone density loss, a new study shows that black cohosh does not have the same effect. Moderate exercise however, is an effective way to maintain bone density.

Help for Arthritic Knees

For the 15 million Americans who suffer from osteoarthritis, even the simplest activities can be painful, and sometimes impossible.

Osteoarthritis, often considered to be a "wear-and-tear" condition, is the most common form of arthritis, caused by a breakdown of the cartilage within the joints. While healthy cartilage is a firm, rubbery substance that serves as a cushion and shock absorber for joints, the cartilage in the arthritic joint thins, often becoming ragged or torn.

Over time, the cartilage may completely disintegrate. The result is pain, swelling and reduction in motion of the affected joint.

Heart Disease Risk Can Begin in Childhood

Nearly two-thirds of U.S. adults are unaware that risk factors for heart disease can begin long before adulthood, a survey indicates.

Recent research, published in the journal Circulation, shows the risk of heart disease can appear as early as age 9, European researchers say.

The survey, conducted by StrategyOne for The Quaker Oats Co., also indicates about 48 percent of respondents ages 18-24 agree heart health information is overwhelming and two-thirds say they do not feel equipped to help reduce their risk of heart disease based on their current knowledge about diet, exercise and heart disease facts.

Health Folklore: Do You Believe in the Power of a Full Moon?

Are you suspicious about full moons? I know people who swear that more crimes are committed, more babies are conceived and born, and more people are admitted to hospitals on nights where the moon is full. And when my sister told me her prediction--that my baby would be born on December 12 (next Friday!), when a full moon is predicted, I wondered what research had to say on the topic--and what you thought, too...

Let me preface this by telling you that I am probably the least superstitious person I know. Cemeteries don't even freak me out. But I was a little spooked at what I read about full moons and how they affect human behavior.