Health News

Health News for 03/01/12

March 01, 2012

Health Tip: Help Manage IBS Symptoms

Irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) affects the large intestine, and can include symptoms such as stomach cramps, gas, diarrhea, constipation or bloating.

Health Tip: Appreciate Your Body Image While Pregnant

Some women have a difficult time accepting their changing, growing bodies while they are pregnant.

Wanted: Female Nurses for Large, Ongoing Study

Researchers are looking for 100,000 female nurses and nursing students to join the long-running Nurses' Health Study, which has yielded insight into a wide range of health issues, such as the benefits of physical activity and whole grains and the dangers of tobacco and trans fats.

City Birds Sing Differently Than Their Country Cousins

Where a bird lives appears to affect how it sings, researchers have found, with city dwellers tweeting at a higher pitch than those residing in wooded areas.

Urban Forests Disappearing: Report

An estimated 4 million trees are disappearing from urban areas in the United States each year, a new study found.

Life Expectancy for U.S. Blacks Shorter Than That of Whites

White men in the United States live an average of about seven years longer than black men, while white women live more than five years longer than black women, a new study shows.

Toxins Afloat in Shark Fin Soup?

Shark fins contain high levels of a neurotoxin called BMAA, which is linked to neurodegenerative diseases in humans such as Alzheimer's and Lou Gehrig's disease (amyotrophic lateral sclerosis), according to a new study.

Weight-Loss Surgery Seems Safe for Kidney Disease Patients

Obese chronic kidney disease patients who undergo surgery to achieve weight loss do not face a particularly dangerous rate of complications as a result, a new study suggests.

Web-Based Therapy May Help Teens With Chronic Fatigue

Teens with chronic fatigue syndrome, which can cause poor concentration and memory as well as joint and muscle pain, may benefit from an Internet-based treatment known as FITNET, a new study has found.

Mouse Study Shows How Pot Clouds Memory

Scientists studying mice say they better understand how marijuana impairs working memory, the ability to momentarily retain and utilize information needed for comprehension and learning.

Trans Fats May Raise Stroke Risk in Older Women

THURSDAY, March 1 (HealthDay News) - Here's one more reason to avoid trans fats in your diet, especially if you are an older woman: A new study found a 39 percent increased risk of stroke among postmenopausal women who ate the highest amount of this common ingredient in baked goods, fast food and packaged products.

'Parent Training' May Help Kids With Autism Behave Better

Children with autism often display challenging behaviors, but new research suggests that parents can learn to better handle tantrums and aggression, which may improve their child's overall functioning.

Vitamin A Supplements Might Cut Melanoma Risk: Study

People who take vitamin A supplements might be cutting their risk of developing the deadly skin cancer melanoma, a new study suggests.

U.S. Will Push to Have Graphic Warnings on Cigarettes

Following a move by a U.S. federal judge to block a government mandate calling for graphic anti-smoking images on cigarette packaging, Obama Administration officials said they are determined to fight back and keep the rule in place.

Older Adults Do Get a Good Night's Rest, Survey Finds

The older you get, the better you sleep, according to new research that challenges conventional wisdom that a good night's rest is harder to come by with age.

Health Highlights: March 1, 2012

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Two Pancreatic-Enzyme Products Approved

Two drugs that supplement the digestion-aiding actions of pancreatic enzymes have been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration, the agency said Thursday in a news release.

Regular Pap Smear Boosts Cervical Cancer Survival: Study

Women who have regular Pap tests to screen for cervical cancer are more likely to survive if they are ever diagnosed with the disease, a new Swedish study suggests.

Stroke Risk Rises With Duration of Type 2 Diabetes: Study

People who've had type 2 diabetes for more than 10 years are three times more likely to have a stroke than people without diabetes, new research suggests.