Dr. Steve: Artificial Life & Singing Away The Blues

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7:00am Segment Info:
A new British study finds that if you take birth control pills. You may be lowering your risk of ovarian cancer.

And researchers say the longer you stay on the pill the better. Taking the pill for 15 years cuts your risk in half, and better yet the benefit is long lasting - meaning that if you take the pill when you're young in you're twenties the benefit lasts well into your later years. When you're over 50, which is when ovarian cancer is more common.

Doesn't the pill increase a woman's risk of cervical and breast cancer?

More info & video after the jump >>>

There have been lots of studies looking at this issue. But according to these researchers who analyzed over 45 studies of ovarian cancer in 21 different countries. They say the benefits outweigh the risks. The risk of breast cancer is real as is the risk of stroke and blood clots. But researchers say it's much smaller than the risk of ovarian cancer because ovarian cancer is often caught late, and they say the risks of breast cancer and blood clots only exist as long as you're taking the medication and shortly after you stop.

In other news, scientists are creating life. It sounds like science fiction.

It's science, but it's not fiction. Researchers have taken a major step forward in creating synthetic life. They basically made the entire genome or DNA of a bacterium by stitching together all of it's components in a laboratory. Why should we care about this? Well researchers say this emerging field called synthetic biology involves creating organisms that can perform particular tasks like making biofuels. To possibilities are endless.

There's got to be a downside to this.

You have to be careful when you "create" life or organisms, which is exactly what they're doing here. There are concerns that synthetic biology could be used to make pathogens meaning organisms like bacteria that could hurt us. Not that they would happen intentionally, but even by accident. This science is still in the early stages. Right now all they've done is connected a bunch of DNA. There's still a long way to go.

And finally, i didn't need researchers to tell me this one - music can affect mood.

That's right, specifically in this case depression.

A new study finds music therapy - either listening to or creating music with a specially trained therapist - can be a useful treatment for depression and that it offers a real clinical benefit. In this report researchers looked at five different studies on music therapy and found that in four out of the five trials, music therapy worked better at easing depression symptoms than therapies that didn't use music. And it not only improves depression. There's a low dropout rate. Meaning patients liked the therapy and didn't quit.

8:00am Ask The Doctor Segment:
1. Hector from Bronx asks: some days I sleep 8 hours and feel tired. Other days i sleep 5 hours and feel rested, why is this?

Hector.. Sleep isn't just about quantity.. It's about quality. You can sleep 8 hours and have poor quality sleep and still feel tired throughout the day. For instance if you snore or have sleep apnea.. You could sleep all night long and still have daytime sleepiness. Besides that there are other factors that can make you feel tired through the day.. Like nutrition.. Hydration and stress. So try to get some regular sleep and eat a healthy well balanced diet. If this becomes a regular problem.. You should see sleep specialist.

2. Stacey Manhattan asks: can women have a natural childbirth, after having a c-section?

Absolutely. It used to be thought that once you have a c-section.. You'll always have a c-section but that's no longer the case. Because today's c-sections use an incision that's less likely to rupture during labor. In fact, the risk of complete uterine rupture is extremely rare. You should know that about 80 percent of women who've had a c section can have natural childbirth afterward. Not only is it good for the mother.. It's also better for the baby. So speak to your ob-gyn to find out if it's a good decision for you.

3. Ed from Manhattan asks: my friends decided to give up grains and dairy. Is that a healthy diet?

Ed, any time you remove a food group from your diet.. Like grains or dairy.. It's a red flag that should stay away from that diet. You should never eliminate a food group. If you want to lose weight you need to get some regular exercise.. And eat a well balanced diet that's low in saturated fat and has plenty of protein and fiber. That means whole grains.. Low fat dairy.. Fruits and vegetables in their natural state and lean protein sources like meat, fish, and poultry.