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Viewpoints: Fighting to a draw on Medicare; A coming era of austerity

Since Nov. 6, Republicans have, for perfectly understandable reasons, expressed their deep disappointment with the election results. But even in defeat something significant and positive occurred: Republicans fought Democrats to a draw on the issue of Medicare.

1 Dec 2012

Methodist dietitian offers tips to prevent holiday weight gain

The holiday season is officially in full gear and with it comes the tempting Thanksgiving-to-New-Year's food fest. While research shows that the average person really only gains about a pound over the course of the holidays, it can still have a big cumulative effect on waistlines. That's because the extra weight usually doesn't come off the following year.

29 Nov 2012

Tips to achieve dieting success

There are a wide range of estimates pinpointing the amount of weight Americans gain over the holidays, but one thing is for sure – you know it when you feel it. On the heels of the average American consuming more than 4,500 calories on Thanksgiving Day, it's no wonder that for many "Black Friday" can feel like "Fat Friday."

22 Nov 2012

Tips to stay safe during cold-weather months

With temperatures falling into the 30s this week, people will be turning up the heat to stay warm. But, as the temperature drops, the number of patients treated by the Vanderbilt Regional Burn Center typically increases due to unsafe heating methods that result in injury.

9 Nov 2012

High family income, hygiene habits can increase risk of peanut allergies in children

Peanut allergies are rising among American children and one reason might be due to economic status. According to a new study presented at the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI) Annual Scientific Meeting, greater rates of peanut allergy are found in families with higher economic status. This supports the "hygiene hypothesis" of many allergists.

9 Nov 2012

PRI examines India's efforts to combat malnutrition using local product

PRI's "The World" reports on malnutrition in India, where "eight million children ... suffer from severe acute malnutrition, according to the Indian government." However, the news service writes that "when it comes to treating those children, India lacks what many consider one of the best tools available: so-called ready-to-use therapeutic foods," such as "the most well-known therapeutic food, Plumpy'Nut, ... a patented concoction of peanut butter and micro-nutrients that allows severely malnourished children to be treated at home instead of at a hospital."

26 Sep 2012

Single serve packages may help reduce energy intake at breakfast

Mega-sized portions clearly have contributed to our nation's obesity problem, but it is not just the super-sized menu items that are a concern. Serving sizes at home have also crept up over recent decades, with plates and bowls much larger than the dishes used by our great-grandparents. Packaged foods that are available in portion packs might be an easy aid for reigning in portion sizes, but do they actually help us to eat fewer calories overall?

30 Aug 2012

Healthy brown-bag lunch can combat obesity in school children

As the new school year approaches, parents have to decide what their children will eat for lunch. Should they help the kids brown bag it or remember to take their lunch money? While this might not seem to be a major issue, it is - because the importance of school lunch rises with the rates of childhood obesity, say University of Alabama at Birmingham experts.

21 Aug 2012

Fruit juice may reduce chocolate's fat content

Scientists have found a way to replace up to 50 per cent of chocolate's fat content with fruit juice.

15 Aug 2012

Ingredient for butter flavor in microwave popcorn is a respiratory hazard

The ingredient 2,3-pentanedione (PD), used to impart the flavor and aroma of butter in microwave popcorn, is a respiratory hazard that can also alter gene expression in the brain of rats. Manufacturers started using PD when another butter flavoring, diacetyl, was found to cause bronchiolitis obliterans, a life-threatening and nonreversible lung disease in workers who inhaled the substance.

13 Aug 2012

Overeating healthy foods is easy to do, says Loyola dietitian

It may make you scratch your head, but in fact it is possible to overeat healthy foods, according to Loyola University Health System registered dietitian Brooke Schantz.

25 Jul 2012

Western-style diets may increase risk of inflammatory bowel disease

Certain saturated fats that are common in the modern Western diet can initiate a chain of events leading to complex immune disorders such as inflammatory bowel diseases (IBD) in people with a genetic predisposition, according to a study to be published early online in the journal Nature.

14 Jun 2012

Popular low carbohydrate diet leads to increase in cholesterol levels

A 25 year study in Northern Sweden, published in BioMed Central's open access journal Nutrition Journal, is the first to show that a regional and national dietary intervention to reduce fat intake, decreased cholesterol levels, but a switch to the popular low carbohydrate diet was paralleled by in an increase in cholesterol levels.

11 Jun 2012

Certain types of fat associated with worse memory and overall cognitive function

It has been known for years that eating too many foods containing "bad" fats, such as saturated fats or trans fats, isn't healthy for your heart. However, according to new research from Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), one "bad" fat-saturated fat-was found to be associated with worse overall cognitive function and memory in women over time. By contrast, a "good" fat-mono-unsaturated fat was associated with better overall cognitive function and memory.

19 May 2012

Dialysis patients can benefit from talking control support therapy

The constant health education that dialysis patients receive can lead to boredom and noncompliance. But a Loyola University Medical Center study has found that brief, casual chats can be a significant benefit to patients.

17 May 2012

Political cartoon: 'Fancy Footwear?'

Kaiser Health News provides a fresh take on health policy developments with "Fancy Footwear?" by Steve Kelley.

11 May 2012

Hospitals seek to cut costs, compete smartly

In Colorado, New Hampshire, Florida and Kansas, hospitals are trying to be strategic to beat marketplace challenges.

30 Apr 2012

Despite campaign rhetoric, Medicare deal may be possible

Meanwhile, though, some say Mitt Romney, if elected president, couldn't deliver on his promise to cut the budget without harming health care programs.

23 Apr 2012

First Edition: April 23, 2012

Today's headlines feature advance information about what the trustees who oversee Medicare and Social Security will say about the financial well-being of these massive programs when they release their annual report later today.

23 Apr 2012

Fish oil not as beneficial for the heart as thought: Study

Fish oil, a combination of omega-3 fatty acids that has attracted much research on its effects on heart health. So far, the evidence has been inconclusive -- some studies have found fish oil has been major in preventing heart attacks, strokes and sudden cardiac death, while others have found fish oil has no benefits at all.

10 Apr 2012