Drinking cranberry juice may reduce the risk of infection Juicy news Good news for those of you who have ever suffered -- and who hasn't -- from a gastrointestinal virus. Cranberry juice may offer protection against these pesky and debilitating bugs.  Researchers from St. Francis College in Brooklyn found that adding cranberry juice to intestinal viruses in the laboratory seems to render them inactive. Their findings were reported at a July meeting of the American Society for Microbiology in Atlanta. The scientists became interested in cranberry juice's antibacterial properties after noting the growing number of studies that show the drink's power fighting urinary tract infections in women.  The study tested cranberry juice's effects in fighting two types of intestinal animal viruses and found that it prevented the viruses from attaching to red blood cells or infecting host cells. And the cultures showed no viral particles after treatment with the juice. It is thought that the juice's tannins and flavonoids may be responsible for this benefit.  ****************************************************  Attacking the real problem  Q: I am writing on behalf of a neighbor whose "occasional" gallbladder attacks are getting more frequent. Is there a way to prevent them from occurring, short of removing the gallbladder?  JVW: Tell your neighbor you have good news. It is possible to prevent most gallbladder attacks, and the way to do it is simple. The big secret -- one surgeons don't want you to know -- is that gallstones don't cause most gallbladder attacks, allergies do. In fact, allergies cause more than 99.9 percent of all gallbladder attacks.  So pass it on: Avoid your food allergies, and in some cases, other allergens as well, and keep your gallbladder.  ****************************************************  What is...gastroenteritis?  Most often, gastroenteritis is caused by a virus entering the digestive tract. It leads to inflammation and other symptoms, which could include cramping, nausea, vomiting, and diarrhea. Sometimes it is caused by contaminated food or water. In some cases, particularly in the elderly or in very young children, the illness can become quite severe, leading to dehydration and electrolyte imbalance. However, most cases clear up on their own, following rest and rehydration.  Yours in good health, Amanda Ross Editorial Director Nutrition & Healing  Sources: "Cranberry juice may be effective in treating a number of gastrointestinal viruses," Medical Research News (www.news-medical.net), 6/6/05

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