Health Headlines - April 14

Nutrition 21 FDA Decision Delayed

Nutrition 21 Inc. said Wednesday that it agreed to the Food and Drug Administration's request for a 60-day extension to review qualified health claims for chromium picolinate, pushing the agency's decision date to June 17.

Smoking doubles eye disorder risk in old age

People who smoke have double the risk of suffering from a degenerative eye disorder that is the leading cause of blindness in the elderly, researchers said on Thursday.

Health Tip: Colon Polyps

For every year a person smokes, he or she has a 4 percent increased risk of developing colon polyps -- precancerous growths in the colon, the American College of Gastroenterology says.

Protein Helps Control Cancer's Spread

A little-known protein called Fra-1 appears to control the malignancy of brain cancer cells and could be a new target for drugs that fight a wide range of tumors, researchers say.

Deadly Flu Virus Mistakenly Sent to Thousands of Labs

An influenza virus that caused the deaths of more than 1 million people in 1957 was mistakenly sent to thousands of laboratories around the world during the past six months, health officials confirmed Wednesday.

New Clues to Killer Heart Failure

The most common cause of heart failure is often caused by health problems outside the heart, a new report suggests.

Two Agents Fail to Fight Off Alzheimer's

Two compounds that experts had hoped might slow or prevent Alzheimer's disease apparently have little or no effect.

Electricity Delivers Gene to Fight Melanoma

Promising new gene therapy against skin cancer, in which researchers use electricity to open skin pores and deliver an immune-bosting gene, is now being readied for clinical trials.

Shaking Disorder Linked to Higher Dementia Risk

People with a movement disorder called essential tremor, involving a shaking of the hands, head, voice or body, are more than twice as likely to develop dementia in old age as people who don't have the disorder, a Spanish study suggests.

Problem Gamblers Show Brain Impairment

America's estimated 7 million problem gamblers may have more in common with alcoholics or drug addicts than they think.

Spirituality May Slow Alzheimer's

A rewarding spiritual life may help slow the devastation of Alzheimer's disease.

Too Much Water Gets Runners in Trouble

Marathon runners who gulp down too much water during a tough race are doing their bodies no favors, researchers report.

Food Fact:
Balanced diet?

Eat more blueberries, and you may be less prone to falls.

Fitness Tip of the day:
Make a cardio-commute.

You're going to work anyway -- be creative, and you can squeeze in a little effortless exercise on the way.

FAQ of the day:
Is a "plant-based" diet the same as "vegetarian"?

Nutritionists use the term "plant-based" for a diet that gets most of its calories from plant foods, but may include some animal foods. In some parts of the world, what nutritionists have called plant-based diets will include red meat like beef or pork, but eaten rarely, or in very small amounts. Vegan diets, which include no foods of animal origin, are plant-based by definition. So are lacto-ovo-vegetarian diets, which include dairy foods and eggs, as well as diets that include fish, shellfish and poultry. Population studies have demonstrated a significant link between plant-based foods (whole grains, vegetables, fruits, beans, soy) and a reduced risk of developing cancer and coronary heart disease.