CBS News Health Headlines: 21 November 2008
November 22nd, 2008 • CBS News, Health
- What To Do When Your Children Divorce
Tips for parents whose son or daughter is getting divorced. - Water Aerobics Reduces Pain In Childbirth
Water aerobics may help reduce the pain of childbirth. A new study shows that women who take classes during pregnancy are significantly less likely to ask for pain medication during delivery. - Ginkgo Biloba Doesn’t Prevent Dementia
The largest and longest study ever to examine the use of ginkgo biloba for the prevention of Alzheimer?s and other dementias showed no evidence of effectiveness. - Pet Giant Linked To Puppy Mills
According to a report by the Humane Society of the United States, many stores of the Ohio-based Petland Inc. pet store chain support puppy mills while telling customers the dogs come only from good breeders. - Study: Fast Food Ad Ban Could Curb Obesity
A little less “I’m Lovin’ It” could put a significant dent in the problem of childhood obesity, suggests a new study in the U.S. that attempts to measure the effect of TV fast-food ads. - Is The Economy Making Us Fat?
Nutritionists caution that it may, as people turn to inexpensive fast foods, and eat more in general due to stress. - Insurance Group Backs Health Care Overhaul
The health insurance industry said it will support a national health care overhaul that requires them to accept all customers, regardless of pre-existing medical conditions, but in return it wants lawmakers to mandate that everyone buy coverage. - Artificial Heart Never Skipped A Beat
D’Zhana Simmons, 14, has a newfound appreciation for machines - and in her case it”s due to the artificial heart that saved her life. - Obama Taps Tom Daschle For Cabinet Post
Democratic officials say former Senate Majority Leader Tom Daschle has accepted President-elect Barack Obama’s offer to be Secretary of Health and Human Services. - Broccoli May Help Smokers’ Lungs
Smokers and former smokers who eat lots of broccoli and other cruciferous vegetables may be less likely than other smokers to develop lung cancer, new research shows. - Stem Cell-Grown Windpipe Transplant Works
In a major medical first, doctors have given a woman a new windpipe with tissue grown from her own stem cells, eliminating the need for anti-rejection drugs. - Potent Potential Medical Problem: ID Theft
It could leave you holding the bag for huge bills run up by others, affect your credit rating, medical records, medical insurance, and more, Susan Koeppen reports. - Cystic Fibrosis Patient Goes The Distance
Thirty-seven-year-old Cris Dopher lives with cystic fibrosis. So while he’s often forced to walk to catch his breath, he’s determined to train - and he ran the New York City marathon, Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports. - 50% More U.S. Kids Went Hungry In 2007
Some 691,000 children went hungry in America sometime in 2007, while close to one in eight Americans struggled to feed themselves adequately even before this year’s sharp economic downturn, the Agriculture Department reported. - Indigo Ointment Relieves Psoriasis
A study shows 74% of patients had clearance or near clearance of psoriasis after 12 weeks’ treatment with indigo naturalis ointment, a Chinese herbal remedy. - Activity, Sleep May Cut Cancer Risk
Physical activity may cut cancer risk, and sleeping at least 7 hours per night may maximize that benefit, new research shows. - Eating Healthy On A Budget
Keri Glassman told how to pack the most nutritional bang into relatively low-cost meals, and offered plenty of recipes, to boot, on The Early Show. - Breast Cancer Gene Tests Can Prove False
If breast cancer runs in the family, women can be at high risk even if they test free of the disease’s most common gene mutations, sobering new research shows. - W.Va. City Tagged Nation’s Unhealthiest
Huntington’s economy has withered, its poverty rate is worse than the national average, and vagrants haunt a downtown riverfront park. But this city’s financial woes are not nearly as bad as its health. - 8 Ways You’re Damaging Your Hair
Perms, highlights, extensions: In our quest for beauty are we sacrificing the hair on our heads? Here?s a breakdown of the damage too much styling can have on our tresses. - Belly Fat Doubles Death Risk
Belly fat has been linked to an increased risk for heart disease and diabetes. Now an important new study links belly fat to early death. - Burlington, Vt. In Tip-Top Shape
Vermont’s largest city is tops among U.S. metropolitan areas by having the largest proportion of people - 92 percent - who say they are in good or great health. - Elderly Brace For Jump In Drug Costs
Among the top 10 drug plans in terms of enrollment, the average monthly premium will increase from 8 to 63.7 percent, according to industry analysis. Beneficiaries will see their premiums go up, on average, 24 percent next year. - Mother Nature Vs. Infertility Treatment
Still not pregnant? When to seek infertility treatment and when to let nature take its course. - Smoking Rate Declining In U.S.
The percentage of Americans who smoke cigarettes has fallen below 20% for the first time since at least the mid-1960s, according to a new report. - U.K. Facing Sperm Donor Shortage
Britain is facing a sperm donor shortage after reversing confidentiality laws and limiting the number of women who can use sperm from one donor, fertility experts warned. - Marrow Transplant May Have Cured AIDS
An American man who suffered from AIDS appears to have been cured of the disease 20 months after receiving a targeted bone marrow transplant normally used to fight leukemia, his doctors said Wednesday. - Fat Cravings May Start In Womb
Eating a high-fat diet during pregnancy may foster fat cravings that start in the womb and last into adulthood, according to researchers from The Rockefeller University. - Paranoid? You’re Not Alone
Paranoia, once assumed to afflict only schizophrenics, may be a lot more common than previously thought, according to researchers. - Google Using Search To Track Flu Trends
Google unveiled a new site to track the progress of the common cold. - Fewer Heart Attack Deaths Post-Smoking Ban
An average of 577 fewer Massachusetts residents have died from heart attacks each year since a statewide ban on smoking in almost all restaurants, bars and workplaces took effect four years ago, according to a study released. - U.S. Gets A “D” On Premature Birth Rate
More than half a million U.S. babies - one in every eight - are born premature each year, a toll that’s risen steadily for two decades. Lack of health insurance and smoking are seen as two possible factors. - California Cracks Down … On Bake Sales
California’s prohibiting the traditional, tasty fundraisers to combat the epidemic of childhood obesity. New state guidelines strictly limit the fat, sugar and total calories of any food sold on campus during school days. - Some Obese Kids Have Middle-Aged Arteries
Obese children as young as 10 had the arteries of 45-year-olds and other heart abnormalities greatly increasing their risk of heart disease, say doctors who used ultrasound tests to take a peek inside. - Girl Wins Right To Refuse Vital Transplant
Hannah Jones, 13, is not afraid of dying - she is afraid of spending her remaining days in a hospital bed. - Black Cohosh: Mixed Cancer Findings
Black cohosh, a supplement taken to ease menopausal symptoms, may have a mixed relationship with breast cancer, according to a study published in Cancer Research. - Baking and Cooking With Food Allergies
How to cope with wheat allergies, milk allergies, and egg allergies in the kitchen. - Racial Gap In Fighting High Blood Pressure
The lives of nearly 8,000 black Americans could be saved each year if doctors could figure out a way to bring their average blood pressure down to the average level of whites, a surprising new study found. - Doctors: Baby Arm-Slicing Mom Mentally OK
A woman who killed her 10-month-old daughter by cutting off her arms with a kitchen knife is being released from the state mental hospital where she’d been sent after being found not guilty by reason of insanity, authorities said. - Woman Gives Birth To Daughter’s Triplets
An Ohio woman has given birth to her own, triplet granddaughters. And in having her daughter’s three newborns, Jaci Dalenberg, 56, may have become the oldest surrogate mom anywhere to have had triplets, according to the Cleveland Clinic. - Study: Vitamins Don’t Thwart Heart Disease
Vitamins C and E do nothing to prevent heart disease in men, one of the largest and longest studies of these supplements has found. Vitamin E even appeared to raise the risk of bleeding strokes, a danger seen in an earlier study. - iPanic? Headphones Can Hinder Pacemakers
Have a pacemaker or an implanted defibrillator? Don’t keep your iPod earbuds in your shirt pocket or draped around your neck. A study finds that some headphones can interfere with heart devices if held very close to them. - Cholesterol Drug May Cut Heart Attack Risk
People with low cholesterol and no big risk for heart disease dramatically lowered their chances of dying or having a heart attack if they took the cholesterol pill Crestor, a large study found. - Washington Preps Assisted Suicide Plan
Washington state officials have four months to set up a new voter-approved law allowing doctors to prescribe lethal medication to terminally ill patients. - Weight Is Key To Protein Requirements
The amount of protein an adult needs to stay healthy is based on weight, not age, a study shows. - Scientists Decode Cancer Cell DNA
Now there’s hope for new treatments that could one day be tailored for a patient based on their DNA. Scientists report decoding the entire geneics of a cancer. Jon LaPook explains the medical landmark. - High Calorie Breakfast? Not So Fast
Breakfast eaters tend to get fewer calories per day overall, but high-calorie breakfasts are linked to poorer diet, researchers report. - More People Ill From Pet Food Salmonella
A rare strain of salmonella in dry pet food sickened at least eight people this year, in addition to the 71 people who fell ill last year, according to the CDC. - Migraines May Cut Breast Cancer Risk
Women who suffer from migraine headaches may be at significantly lower risk of developing breast cancer, a new study shows. - Companies Halt Diet Drug Research
French drugmaker Sanofi-Aventis said it is halting all research on a diet drug sold in Europe, Acomplia, and rival Pfizer Inc. hours later said it is ending research on an experimental weight-loss drug in the same class. - What Obama Win Means For Health Care
Experts discuss how the election of Barack Obama will affect the future of health care in the United States. - Rainfall, Autism May Be Linked
Children living in areas of high precipitation may be more likely to have autism, according to a new study, but the researchers caution that the finding of a rainfall-autism link is preliminary. - After Vote To Decriminalize Pot, Now What?
After Massachusetts voted to decriminalize possession of small amounts of marijuana, top law enforcement officials are scrambling to figure out what they need to do to put the law into effect - despite their efforts to defeat it at the polls. - Study: Quit Caffeine While Pregnant
Women who plan to become pregnant should quit caffeine completely — or at least “markedly reduce” caffeine consumption — when pregnant, British researchers report. - Form Of Vitamin B3 May Help Alzheimer’s
Nicotinamide, a form of the vitamin B3, may help Alzheimer’s patients retain their memory, a study shows. - Kids Of Deployed Parents More Aggressive
Preschoolers with a parent away at war were more likely to show aggression than other young children in military families, according to the first published research on how the very young react to wartime deployment. - Study: Brain Speed Peaks At Age 40
The part of the brain in charge of motion may start a gradual downhill slide at age 40. That’s when the nerve cell coating known as myelin begins to deteriorate, even in healthy individuals, a new study shows. - Army Faces New Battle With Health Care
In a rush to correct substandard care for wounded soldiers, the Army opened the doors of new specialized treatment centers so wide that up to half the soldiers currently enrolled do not have injuries serious enough to justify being there. - Study Links Sex On TV To Teen Pregnancy
Groundbreaking research suggests that pregnancy rates are much higher among teens who watch a lot of TV with sexual dialogue and behavior than among those who have tamer viewing tastes. - Start Saying Goodbye To Belly Fat
It’s unsightly, tough to lose, and dangerous. Prevention Magazine’s Liz Vaccariello shared newfound secrets to shedding it, on The Early Show’s Saturday Edition. - Out Of Work, Out Of Insurance, Out Of Luck
In Indiana, a state-backed insurance pool is one of the limited options for the unemployed who are searching for health insurance. It’s a problem more Americans will face as more people lose jobs in the economic downturn. - Turning Clocks Back May Help Your Heart
Swedish researchers looked at 20 years of records and discovered that the number of heart attacks dipped on the Monday after clocks were set back an hour, possibly because people got an extra hour of sleep. - U.S. Diabetes Rate Doubles In Last Decade
The nation’s obesity epidemic is exacting a heavy toll: the rate of new diabetes cases nearly doubled in the United States in the past 10 years, the government said Thursday. - Herpes Often Spread Unknowingly
Young women who don’t know they have the virus that causes genital herpes could be unknowingly fueling the herpes epidemic, new research suggests. - Doctors, Insurance Firms Duel On Generics
Insurance companies are allowed to push doctors toward cheaper prescriptions, frequently by offering the physician a form of bonus, a cut from the savings that insurance companies get when doctors prescribe generic drugs. - Study: Ice Cream = Happy
The mere thought of some foods may make you happy, but it’s the healthy foods that you remember fastest, a study shows. - China’s Animal Feed Tainted With Melamine
Chinese state media reports that melaimine is commonly added to animal feed by suppliers to make it appear higher in protein, in what appeared to be a tacit admission by the government that contamination is widespread in China’s food supply. - Diabetes Drug Could Be Deadly, Group Warns
The government should ban the diabetes drug Avandia because of a wide variety of life-threatening risks, including heart and liver damage, a consumer group said Thursday. - The Truth Behind 10 Diet Myths
True or false: You’ll get fat if you eat at night, high fructose corn syrup makes you gain weight, and caffeine is bad for you. Those are all diet myths that got busted at the American Dietetic Association’s annual meeting. - Do Spiders Spook You More Than Diabetes?
Survey shows that Americans most fear plane crashes or snake bites over a much more common occurrence like being diagnosed with diabetes. - Safety Of Baby Bottle Chemical Questioned
The Food and Drug Administration’s assurances that a controversial chemical is safe for use in food containers are badly flawed, an independent panel of scientific advisers concluded in a report released. - U.S. Aids Disabled In Agent Orange Hotspot
The United States and Vietnam launched three new programs to help provide job training and health care to disabled people in Danang, where American troops stored and mixed Agent Orange during the Vietnam War. - Red Really Is The Color Of Romance
Researchers at the University of Rochester carried out five experiments to see if what they call the “red-sex link” - the notion that red is the color of sex, love, and romace - was for real. The answer seems to be yes. - Alarming Sex Assault Rate Found Among Vets
A new study found that one in seven female veterans of Iraq and Afghanistan seeking medical care from the VA suffered sexual trauma - everything from harassment to rape, David Martin reports. - Sick Roommate? Don’t Touch That Remote
Someone in your house have the sniffles? Watch out for the refrigerator door handle. The TV remote, too. A new study finds that cold sufferers often leave their germs there, where they can live for two days or longer. - Spending On Diabetes Drugs Rising
Expenditures for prescription diabetes drugs nearly doubled over a six-year period, largely due to the increased use of newer and costlier medications, a study shows. - Homework Issues May Signal Eye Problems
Your 9-year-old’s eyes hurt during homework? Your teen’s a slow reader plagued with headaches? They may have a common yet often missed vision problem: Eyes that don’t turn together properly to read. - Top Nutrition Trends For 2008
Whole grains are hot, trans fat is not, and more Americans say they’re doing all they can to eat right, according to a new survey from the American Dietetic Association. - Vitamin E A Flop In Prostate Cancer Trial
In the largest trial of its kind, men were given Vitamin E and selenium in hopes they would prevent prostate cancer. But CBS News exclusively learned patients are being told to stop taking the supplements due to worrisome trends. - Heart Disease Still Top Killer Worldwide
Heart ailments, infectious diseases and cancer remain the world’s top three killers, the World Health Agency said in a report Oct. 27.
