The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention unveiled a new pandemic severity index today. It categorizes how virulent a flu strain may be.
A Category 1 pandemic is the least severe. That would require sick patients to stay home.
A Category 5 is considered highly deadly and would require states to close schools and cancel large gatherings.
A new public service announcement is also part of the effort. It encourages Americans to learn about pandemics and what they might need to do if one strikes.
Thursday, February 1
Marriott is dumping the trans fat
The hotel giant today said it will eliminate the unhealthy fats from the cooking oil used by its restaurants at more than 2,300 hotels in the United States and Canada. That includes Marriott, Courtyard, Residence Inn and Fairfield Inn.
Get out and play
Get the kids outside. That's the call from president bush today, as the white house tackles the issue of childhood obesity.
More than 10 million school age children are now considered overweight.
In an effort to combat the epidemic, the White House is teaming up Dreamworks Animation and the Advertising Council. The group plans to launch a public awareness campaign, featuring characters from the “Shrek” animated movies.
The characters will encourage kids to “be a player” and get up and play for an hour a day.
More than 10 million school age children are now considered overweight.
In an effort to combat the epidemic, the White House is teaming up Dreamworks Animation and the Advertising Council. The group plans to launch a public awareness campaign, featuring characters from the “Shrek” animated movies.
The characters will encourage kids to “be a player” and get up and play for an hour a day.
Some soaps cause breast growth in boys
Pre-pubescent boys might want to stay away from certain essential oils. That's because some may cause unwanted breast growth.
Researchers from the National Institutes of Health say lavender and tea tree oils are to blame. They say the oils can mimic the actions of estrogen and block a certain male hormone.
The situation will reverse itself when those oils are eliminated.
Scientists stress more research needs to be done.
Researchers from the National Institutes of Health say lavender and tea tree oils are to blame. They say the oils can mimic the actions of estrogen and block a certain male hormone.
The situation will reverse itself when those oils are eliminated.
Scientists stress more research needs to be done.
Monday, January 29
The Winter Blues
How many of you have been feeling extra gloomy?
Researchers at the University of Rochester say symptoms of depression are easily overlooked by physicians.
Season affective disorder is considered a subtype of major depression. People who suffer from the illness, which is appropriately dubbed SAD, may not get the correct diagnosis.
The condition may also be masked by other illnesses like ADHD and alcoholism.
Researchers at the University of Rochester say symptoms of depression are easily overlooked by physicians.
Season affective disorder is considered a subtype of major depression. People who suffer from the illness, which is appropriately dubbed SAD, may not get the correct diagnosis.
The condition may also be masked by other illnesses like ADHD and alcoholism.
Radiation can rid food of bacteria
Between the spinach scare in the fall and the E. coli outbreak at Taco Bell, you may be worried about what you're feeding your family.
Now some experts say radiation could be the answer to all those problems.
“We expose food to a very high energy source, and that causes ionization of DNA so effectively we are killing these bacteria by damaging their DNA,” said Dennis Olson of Iowa State University.
Irradiated foods are available in stores, usually costing a few additional cents.
The process has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Critics say more testing needs to be done.
Now some experts say radiation could be the answer to all those problems.
“We expose food to a very high energy source, and that causes ionization of DNA so effectively we are killing these bacteria by damaging their DNA,” said Dennis Olson of Iowa State University.
Irradiated foods are available in stores, usually costing a few additional cents.
The process has been approved by the Food and Drug Administration. Critics say more testing needs to be done.
Stretching out foot pain
Stretching may be the best way to go when it comes to easing foot pain from plantar fascitis. That's the finding in a new study, published in the Journal of Bone and Joint Surgery.
Researchers taught patients a stretch that required them to sit with one leg crossed over the other. They were then instructed to stretch the arch of the foot by taking one hand and pulling the toes back toward the shin for 10 seconds, three times a day.
The routine left 90 percent of the patients satisfied with the results.
Researchers taught patients a stretch that required them to sit with one leg crossed over the other. They were then instructed to stretch the arch of the foot by taking one hand and pulling the toes back toward the shin for 10 seconds, three times a day.
The routine left 90 percent of the patients satisfied with the results.
Gene could increase diabetes risk
A gene could be putting one out of two Americans at a greater risk for diabetes.
According to St. Louis University scientists, the gene can tend to cause people to burn more fat. That could limit the ability of the body to remove sugar from the blood stream and burn it.
Currently, about half the U.S. population is estimated to have a version of the gene. However, researchers say this does not mean half of us will develop Type 2 diabetes—only that the gene appears to raise the risk.
According to St. Louis University scientists, the gene can tend to cause people to burn more fat. That could limit the ability of the body to remove sugar from the blood stream and burn it.
Currently, about half the U.S. population is estimated to have a version of the gene. However, researchers say this does not mean half of us will develop Type 2 diabetes—only that the gene appears to raise the risk.
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