The Korea Herald

Oriental doctors track...illegal supplements

HealthDec 8, 2011

The Association of Korean Oriental Medicine is collecting cases of illegally distributed dietary supplements. “Amid the growing public awareness of health and well-being, illegal distributors are selling non-authorized or even harmful supplements through a variety of channels,” said Kim Jung-kon, head of the AKOM. The AKOM has established an “anonymous bulletin” on its website, www.akom.org, to receive information. The reported cases will be investigated and compiled into a database to improve t
Diabetes in pregnancy more likely if obese

HealthDec 8, 2011

Obese women are more likely to suffer gestational diabetes, a group of local doctors said Wednesday. According to a study on 2,454 pregnant women by professors Shin Jong-chul and Choi Se-kyung of Seoul St. Mary’s Hospital, women who were overweight before pregnancy had a 1.58 times as much chance of suffering from gestational diabetes. It went up as high as 4.5 times higher among obese women. The risk of gestational hypertension was 2.2 times higher among overweight women and 2.5 times higher am
Leather pants can cause varicose veins

HealthDec 8, 2011

Leather trousers may be fashion-conscious, but are potentially bad for your health, Hanlim Pharm said Wednesday. The manufacturer of Antoleave, trophedema pills, said wearing leather trousers or skinny jeans that tightly stick to the legs for a long period of time could lower blood circulation. This could further develop into chronic venous insufficiency with swollen legs associated with pain, it said. “In winter, the blood vessels in the leg area contract due to cold weather. In the worst case,
Increase in pancreatic cancer draws concerns

HealthDec 8, 2011

The occurrences of pancreatic cancer and pancreatic cancer-related deaths are increasing notably. This disease, which used to be rare, has become one of the most common types of cancer. It began to draw wider attention when the legendary Italian tenor Luciano Pavarotti died of the disease four years ago, as well as Steve Jobs this year.Since the pancreas is hidden behind the stomach, it is more difficult to access, and no medical breakthrough has been yet made to effectively detect pancreatic ca
FDA favors more risk info on birth control pills

HealthDec 8, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) ― Federal health regulators are leaning toward adding new information about the risk of blood clots to the labels of widely prescribed birth control pills such as Yaz, in light of growing evidence that the newer contraceptive drugs may be riskier than older drugs.In documents released Tuesday, the Food and Drug Administration said there is conflicting evidence about the risk, but that the information should appear in labeling used by doctors and patients.“We believe that, because
Few recall doctor saying child overweight

HealthDec 8, 2011

WASHINGTON (AP) ― Pediatricians are supposed to track if youngsters are putting on too many pounds ― but a new study found less than a quarter of parents of overweight children recall the doctor ever saying there was a problem.Does that mean doctors aren’t screening enough kids, or aren’t frank enough in these tough conversations? Or is the real story parent denial? The research published Monday can’t tell, but makes it clear the message too often isn’t getting through.“It’s tricky to say, and i
Advice for year-end drinking

HealthDec 8, 2011

Doctors say hangover drinks have limited effect, suggest spicy soup and juiceDecember is a month of year-end parties. Nights of drinking and dining fill people’s schedules. In Korea, nights out are an important part of socialization, especially at the year’s end. According to Samsung Medical Center, about 30 percent of salaried workers are habitual drinkers.Medical experts are quick to point out the health risks posed by alcohol. Dr. Lee Jung-kwon and Dr. Yoo Joon-hyun at SMC offer useful inform
Research: Bedbugs can thrive despite inbreeding

HealthDec 8, 2011

PITTSBURGH (AP) _ Bedbugs aren't just sleeping with you. They're sleeping with each other.Researchers now say that the creepy bugs have a special genetic gift: withstanding incest.It turns out that unlike most creatures, bedbugs are able to inbreed with close relatives and still produce generally he
Publisher says Poe novelist did not lift material

BooksDec 7, 2011

NEW YORK (AP) _ The publisher of a novel about Edgar Allan Poe’s child bride defended the book against allegations that its author, Lenore Hart, lifted material from another work about Poe‘s young wife.St. Martin’s Press released a brief statement Tuesday saying it had compared Hart‘s ``The Raven’s Bride‘’ to Cothburn O‘Neal’s ``The Very Young Mrs. Poe‘’ and found any similarities limited to the inevitable overlap of two novels covering the same subject: Virginia Clemm, who married Poe when she
Books dressing up for ‘trendy readers’

CultureDec 7, 2011

‘Readers want a bit of extravagance — art, even’Judging a book by its cover is not a behavior worthy of a wise person ― or so the old saying goes. But for the growing number of trendsetters out there, the way a book looks is just as important as whether it’s interesting or not. “I recently remodeled my living room, filling two entire walls with bookshelves,” Kim Jin-hyun, 33, said. “I filled the shelves, mostly with art and design related books with colorful bindings and covers. I’m pretty sati
KTO offers foreign residents free calendars

CultureDec 7, 2011

Foreign residents in Korea can receive free 2012 desk calendars featuring Korean landscapes and cultural images by dialing 1330, a call center for non-Korean speakers, the Korea Tourism Organization said.Foreign residents can receive a calendar by calling the 1330 “TT Call Center” and leaving their names and addresses, KTO said. The 2012 KTO calendar carries works by four Korean photographers who traveled around the country to capture Korean traditional culture and its people. It is available in
Internet ".xxx" district opens to website makers

CultureDec 7, 2011

An Internet version of a red light district opened on Tuesday as Web addresses with ".xxx" endings became available for purchase by those interested in providing online adult content.Florida-based ICM Registry is overseeing the top-level domain (TLD) geared for adult entertainment and reported that
GIC to say Adios to 2011

Expat LivingDec 6, 2011

The Gwangju International Center is holding a special event to celebrate the achievements of the GIC and its volunteers.Adios 2011 will feature a look back on a year in which the GIC got a new coordinator and started a program of tours with English guides. The Gwangju International Center is a non-government organization that provides assistance to expats in and around the city. The GIC provides advice on living in Korea, language classes, and a library with more than 3,400 books.In addition to
Cyclists’ mass meetup in Seoul

Expat LivingDec 6, 2011

Cyclists in Korea are to join together on Dec. 17 to take part in a Critical Mass ride through Seoul.The group meets on the third Saturday of every month in downtown Seoul to celebrate cycling. The 128th Korean edition of the cyclist’s meetup which is held in many cities around the world will start at Gwanghwamun and run from 2-5 p.m. Cyclists will meet between the gate and the U.S. Embassy before riding a 13 kilometer route. Although everyone is welcome, the event is recommended for those accus
Korea Foundation to discuss film

Expat LivingDec 6, 2011

The Korea Foundation will deliver its last lecture on Korean classic cinema on Monday.The open lecture, delivered in English by professor Earl Jackson of the Korea University of the Arts, will begin with a screening of the film “Romance Papa.” There will be a chance for discussion at the end.The screening starts 12:30 p.m. in the Seminar Room of the Korea Foundation Cultural Center in Jongno.To attend, notify the center by Friday by phone at (02) 2151-6531 or hykim@kf.or.kr.For more information