Household goods infested with bacteria

A great number of harmful microbes are found in fiber-made goods such as pillows, dolls by a study. (Yonhap News)Household goods made of fiber are shown to be the most ridden with bacteria, according to a study made public Tuesday by Prof. Cheon Jong-sik of the Department of Biotechnology at Seoul National University. Cheon found evidence of a greater number of harmful microbes in fiber-made goods

April 14, 2011

U.S. FDA to review artificial colorings

Red No. 40 and other artificial dyes have increasingly become scarlet letters (and numbers) to parents who read food labels. Some believe that these common food, drug and cosmetic dyes can exacerbate behavioral disorders in children, as well as possibly contribute to allergies and cancers.The FDA, after long stating that no scientific evidence conclusively links the petroleum-based colorants to hy

April 14, 2011

Spring’s here ― don’t let the insects bug you

WASHINGTON (AP) ― It’s that time of year when the bugs emerge to bug us.Some can pose real threats ― Lyme disease from tiny ticks, West Nile virus from mosquitoes, or life-threatening allergic reactions to bee stings. But most bug bites in this country are an itchy nuisance.How itchy or big the welt depends in part on your own skin, how much of the chemical histamine it harbors. Yes, some people r

April 14, 2011

Stress management

We all encounter numerous stressors in everyday life. Stress refers to our emotional and physical state as a final product from interplay between life stressors and the self. Stress is known to be an important factor in the development of many diseases, such as cancer, stroke, heart disease, functional dyspepsia, irritable bowel syndrome, rheumatic disease, pain disorder, etc. Many factors, such a

April 14, 2011

Expats favor Soon Chun Hyang

International health care center aims to make patients feel at homeThis is the third in a series of articles on international clinics at major medical centers in Seoul. ― Ed.Soon Chun Hyang University Hospital in Hannam-dong, central Seoul, made international headlines last month when its doctors successfully performed gastric resection on two severely obese women from New ZealandMaking the proced

April 14, 2011

Mobile advertising rises with smartphone use

Details of mobile advertising are unveiling as the number of smartphone owners has surpassed the 10 million mark and is expected to reach 20 million by the end of this year.Google Korea is currently considered a leader in mobile advertising business, moving ahead with its global platform, followed by the country’s telecoms ― SK Telecom, LG Uplus and KT ― which all declared to play a role in the ma

April 12, 2011

Students report technology addiction similar to drug dependence: study

(MCT)College students worldwide admitted to being addicted to modern technology and suffered withdrawal symptoms similar to drug addiction when cut off, a study showed last Friday. The University of Maryland research followed college students aged between 17 and 23 at 12 campuses in 10 countries, including Britain, the U.S. and China on the effects of being unplugged from technology.The research o

April 11, 2011

Counting your sugar intake for the day

With awareness of healthy eating greater than ever, people are on the search for food with fewer calories and less sugar.“Sugar Stacks" (http://www.sugarstacks.com/) is a website that lists the amount of sugar contained in popular foods.The website may help in preventing the unintentional consumption of too much sugar.By Kang Yoon-seung (koreacolin@gmail.com)Intern reporterEdited by John Power<한글요

April 10, 2011

Knowing the facts on antibiotics

More than half of Koreans still believe penicillin can treat coldsThere was a time when antibiotics were used as “magic drugs” to cure any illness or disorder. From treatments for small inflammations to coughing, people wanted antibiotics.But antimicrobials are often associated with various side effects and invite resistance ― some diseases such as multidrug-resistant tuberculosis are now untreata

April 7, 2011

Thyroid gone awry: Grave’s disease

Jerry is a 39-year-old air force pilot whose exceptional agility and speed in maneuvering fighter planes earned him the nickname “Smokin’ Jeeves.” Over the last three months, however, Jerry noticed it was increasingly difficult to achieve the same degree of high performance during his routine physical training exercises. More recently, he felt as though “his heart was beating out of his chest” aft

April 7, 2011

Severance hospital treats patients with skill, experience

This is the second in a series of articles on international clinics at major medical centers in Seoul. ― Ed.Severance Hospital’s international health care center is the oldest medical facility dedicated to foreign patients in Korea.Established in 1962, the clinic has looked after tens of thousands of foreigners residing in Korea. Recently, it has expanded its care to foreigners outside the country

April 7, 2011

Trace amount of radiation found in Jeju Island rainwater

A trace amount of radioactive contaminants has been detected in rainwater on Jeju Island off South Korea's southern coast, a state nuclear safety agency said Thursday.The Korea Institute of Nuclear Safety (KINS) said tests conducted on rainwater that fell in the early morning hours of the day showed minuscule traces of iodine-131, cesium-134 and cesium-137.Concentration levels of 2.02 becquerels (

April 7, 2011

Korea has highest rate of antibiotic usage

(MCT)An OECD report rates South Korea highest in antibiotic usage, a troubling sign for those concerned about antibiotic-resistant diseases. OECD Health Data 2010 Report said that Korea’s antibiotic use is 31.4 DDD (defined daily dose), the highest among all nations surveyed. Netherlands has the lowest usage of antibiotics at 12.9 DDD. The report was presented at an international symposium Wednesd

April 7, 2011

Bundang residents lead healthiest lifestyle: study

(MCT)Bundang has the lowest smoking and drinking rates among cities in Gyeonggi Province, statistics showed Monday. The research was conducted on 41,000 Gyeonggi residents who visited local health care centers in the region in September, October and November. Among the visitors, residents of Bundang, one of the wealthiest cities in Gyeonggi province, showed the lowest smoking rate at 17.2 percent.

April 6, 2011

[News focus] Telecoms brace for bandwidth auction

Regulator to sell rights to 2.1 GHz spectrum this year; major firms keen on acquiringKorean telecom carriers are engaged in a high-stake competition to win a new wireless broadband spectrum which the state media regulator Korea Communications Commission is to put on auction this year. Auctioning of the 2.1 gigahertz radio spectrum was part of the revised radio regulation law passed by the National

April 5, 2011