A Colonoscopy can be a lifesaving test. It can find cancers at an early stage, when they're most curable. This is different. It's called a Virtual Colonoscopy. It's a series of CT scans that are digitally manipulated to give doctors a virtual tour of the inside of a person's colon without the discomfort of an invasive check. But is virtual effective? A new study in the Journal Gastroenterology, says Virtual Colonoscopy misses up to 27% of lesions. That's why some doctors are skeptical, arguing that a computerized Colonoscopy cannot replace the real thing. Experts recommend regular colonoscopies for a person with a history of colon cancer, a family history of colon cancer or anyone over age 50. Since a lot of people who feel healthy avoid colonoscopies Doctor Stephen Koch says a virtual check is at least an option in screening. Virtual Colonoscopy is expensive, between $600 and $800.
Our love of sugar is becoming hazardous to our health. After studying more than 63,000 people over several decades, researchers report that Americans today are consuming 83 calories more a day from sweeteners, including sugar, than we did 25 years ago. And the study says 80% of that increase is due to the sugar increase in sodas and fruit drinks. Researchers blame the increase in sugary drinks as a major factor in the growing problem of obesity. The study is published in the November issue of the Journal Obesity Research.
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