Doctor's Orders

By David Bjerklie

EXERCISE TO SLOW COLON CANCER

Previous studies have shown that exercise reduces the risk of developing colon cancer. But research presented to the American Society of Clinical Oncology last week showed that exercise--a brisk hour's walk six times a week--can also reduce the risk of recurrence and death for those who already have the disease.

SIMPLEST MAY BE SMARTEST

For someone 65 or older, keeping track of bottles of pills can be a challenge. A study presented to the American Heart Association found elderly patients taking high-blood-pressure medication were more likely to have prescriptions refilled on time if their drugs came in a blister pack. Unlike bottles, blister packs act as pill calendars--making it easier to determine when a pill has been taken.

DOES WEARING RED GIVE YOU GAME?

When boxers, wrestlers and Taekwondo contestants at the 2004 Athens Olympics were randomly assigned either red or blue uniforms, researchers found that red won more bouts. The authors of the study, published in Nature, speculated that the color might boost the testosterone of those wearing it or suppress that of their opponents--or both.

A ROSE BY ANY OTHER NAME MIGHT STINK

When University of Oxford researchers presented volunteers with a vial of cheddar-cheese odor labeled either CHEDDAR CHEESE or BODY ODOR, guess which one they preferred? Sure enough, subjects found the odor significantly more pleasant when they thought they were smelling cheese. Researchers used imaging technology to try to pinpoint the neurological intersection of good-smell words with good-smell odors. Though the precise mechanism hasn't yet been worked out, it is clear that smell is in both the nose and the brain of the beholder.

BRAIN TO SELF: DRUGS INCOMING! Scientists knew that cocaine triggers the release of the brain chemical dopamine. Now a new study in rats shows that there are in fact three distinct dopamine releases, including one that occurs just before the drug arrives. Call it the buzz of anticipation; it may help explain what drives addictive behavior in humans.

BABIES AND CEREAL: TIMING IS EVERYTHING

Gluten intolerance, a sensitivity to a protein in wheat flour, can be a big problem for kids; it can lead to diarrhea, stomach pain and nutrient deficiencies. It turns out that when gluten is introduced is critical. In a study of 1,560 children predisposed to gluten intolerance (also known as celiac disease), researchers found that infants first exposed to gluten at 4 to 6 months of age had a lower risk of developing the intolerance than those exposed either earlier or later.