Health News

Health News for 01/10/13

January 10, 2013

1102013

Health Tip: You May Have Seasonal Affective Disorder

Seasonal affective disorder (SAD) is characterized by a series of mood changes that appear year after year as the seasons change -- most often as the weather gets colder.

Health Tip: Is Organic Better?

Foods that bear the label "organic" must meet standards set by the U.S. Department of Agriculture, chiefly that they must be grown without the use of chemicals or pesticides.

Brown Eyes Beat Blue Ones for 'Trustworthiness': Study

People with brown eyes are generally considered more trustworthy than those with blue eyes, a new study suggests.

Fans of Reality Beauty Shows Twice as Likely to Tan: Study

People who tune in to reality beauty shows on television are much more likely to use tanning lamps and to tan outdoors than those who don't watch such shows, a new study finds.

Survey Refutes 'Loner' Stereotype of Video Gamers

A new survey challenges the notion that avid video gamers are antisocial loners. On the contrary, the findings suggest that gaming is actually a way to stay connected with friends and strengthen, rather than weaken, social ties.

Boredom at Work Can Spur Creativity, Studies Find

Being bored at work may boost some people's creativity because it gives them time to daydream, new research suggests.

Fewer U.S. Patients Getting Weight Counseling From Doctors

Despite the fact that an increasing number of Americans are overweight and obese, there's been a decrease in weight counseling offered by primary care doctors, according to a new study.

Technique IDs Deadliest Whooping Cough Cases

Taking early and repeated white blood cell counts is vital in diagnosing whooping cough (pertussis) in infants and identifying which of them have the highest risk of dying from the respiratory infection, according to a new study.

U.S. Efforts to Boost Number of Primary Care Doctors Have Failed

Amid signs of a growing shortage of primary care physicians in the United States, a new study shows that the majority of newly minted doctors continues to gravitate toward training positions in high-income specialties in urban hospitals.

FDA Urges Studies on Safer Formulations of Narcotic Painkillers

As part of an effort to control the misuse of prescription narcotic painkillers, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is calling on drug makers to study formulations of the medications that would deter people from abusing them.

Health Highlights: Jan. 10, 2013

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

Prescription Painkillers Trail Only Marijuana in Abuse Rates, Report Shows

Prescription painkillers are second only to marijuana when it comes to drug abuse, a new government report claims.

Steps You Can Take to Protect Yourself From the Flu

With the United States in the throes of one of the worst flu outbreaks in years, health-care experts say there are ways you can fight back and protect yourself from the virus.