Fewer women getting mammograms

Fewer women are getting regular mammograms.

According to the Centers for Disease Control, 76 percent reported getting a mammogram in or around the year 2000. In 2005 that was down to 74 percent.

Health professionals believe the drop is due to a shortage of facilities and a lack of access to healthcare.

They say mammograms can prevent early breast cancer death in 20 to 35 percent of women between the age of 50 and 69.

Zap that bacteria

Kitchen sponges are notorious breeders of bacteria.

But researchers at the University of Florida say your microwave can really clean things up. They soaked a sponge in raw wastewater, including fecal bacteria, and then zapped it in a household microwave for two minutes.

The results—99 percent of the bacteria, viruses and parasites were gone.

Researchers caution that a dry sponge can catch fire. So be sure to dampen the sponge first.

Anti-smoking drugs

There is positive feedback on two anti-smoking drugs.

One is Varenicline. The drug targets the area of the brain affected by nicotine. A review of 5,000 smokers found the drug increased the odds of quitting three-times for a year or longer.

Another study found the antidepressant drug Zyban can double a person's chances of quitting.

Both studies are published in the Cochrane Library.

Take 2 of these...

Two is better than one when it comes to protecting your child from the flu.

A new study finds infants and toddlers given two doses of the influenza vaccine are less likely to contract flu, pneumonia and other flu-like illnesses.

One dose, researchers found, does not appear to have any effect at all.

You can read more in the Journal of Pediatrics.