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Image: Wikimedia Commons Understanding the cause of ADHD, also known as attention deficit hyperactivity disorder or ADD - attention deficit disorder - has been difficult for researchers. A new study suggests something about lack of a sunny climate may be linked to higher incidence of the condition. Scientists don't know what causes ADHD. What they do know is genes play a role. Prenatal exposure to tobacco and alcohol as well as environmental toxins like lead are also associated with hyperactivity that is associated with impulsiveness, inability to pay attention and delayed brain maturation in children. Other causes that are linked to ADHD include premature birth and low birth-weight. Other things scientists know is that the incidence of ADHD varies by region.  D ata maps released by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the U.S. Department of Energy show ADHD prevalence rates by states. Those with more sunshine have fewer children with ADHD.  Dr.

Diet and lifestyle important for conceiving. What diet and lifestyle is best? A Loyola University expert has some tips on how women can boost their chances of getting pregnant by eating the right diet. It's also important to manage your weight, says  Brooke Schantz, MS, RD, CSSD, LDN. Mediterranean diet best for fertility According to Schantz, women who eat a Mediterranean diet that is rich in fruits, vegetables, vegetable oils and beans have a higher chance of conceiving.  Eating the right foods can enhance a woman's fertility, so Schantz has the following nutrition tips: Consume healthy fats like avocados and olive oil that are monounsaturated fats Avoid trans-fats and saturated fats Focus on vegetable protein and reduce your intake of animal protein Make sure you get plenty of fiber from whole grains, fruits and vegetables Eat foods with plenty of iron that can be found in legumes, tofu, nuts, seeds and whole grains Take a women's multivitamin Consume

UAB mental health expert shares ways to 'beat the blues' We all experience 'down days' when we feel blue that we consider to be a normal part of life. But a mental health expert from University of Alabama says it's just as important to address having a bad day at work or a "bad week" as it is to treat any type of depression. In order to 'beat the blues', start by paying attention to your feelings says  Diane Tucker, Ph.D., professor of psychology.   Feeling down is a form of depression that can affect our appetite and how well we sleep. Tucker said in a press release: “One of the first steps to feel better is to reach out to your network of good friends or social contacts. They can help provide a validation of the strongest parts of oneself.” She adds that it's important to look at how we spend time nourishing ourselves.  “When people feel down, they’re less likely to be doing things that help them feel centered and personally e

Image of melanoma courtesy Wikimedia Commons Melanoma is a deadly form of cancer that can become resistant to treatment and spread rapidly. Researchers have now uncovered how melanoma changes its genetic coding to escape destruction and spread throughout the body. What the finding means to patients being treated for the disease is more targeted therapy. Phenotype switching changes melanoma’s appearance According to the research published  in the journal  Cancer Discovery ,   a process known as phenotype switching” may be involved in how melanoma tumors change their appearance.   “We were able to demonstrate for the first t ime that different receptors within a single signaling pathway – in this case, the Wnt signaling pathway – can guide the phenotypic plasticity of tumor cells, and increased signaling of Wnt5A in particular can result in an increase in highly invasive tumor cells that are less sensitive to existing treatments for metastatic melanoma,” said   Ashan

Studies have suggested higher levels of vitamin D might raise our risk of developing painful kidney stones, leaving consumers and clinicians in a quandary about taking supplements.  Researchers now say they find no link to higher vitamin D levels and kidney stone formation in a study that included 2,000 people.  The new study that included 2, 012 participants is published in the   American Journal of Public Health .  Levels of the vitamin studied were between 20 to 100ng/mL. Cedric F. Garland DrPH from the University of California, San Diego led the study that looked at data from  2,000 men and women of all ages for 19 months; extracted from the public health promotional group GrassrootsHealth . During the study period, only 13 people developed kidney stones that were self-reported.  " Mounting evidence indicates that a Vitamin D serum level in the therapeutic range of 40 to 50 ng/mL is needed for substantial reduction in risk of many diseases, including