Health Headlines - May 12

Certain Factors May Cut Ovarian Cancer Risk

An odd constellation of factors, including whether a woman has had a bone fracture or used contraceptives, may be associated with a reduced risk for ovarian cancer, a new study finds.

Insulin Identified as Trigger for Type 1 Diabetes

Insulin, the hormone most closely linked to diabetes, has turned out to be the cause of the inherited form of the blood sugar disease, researchers report.

Robots May One Day Reproduce

A machine that can reproduce itself has been created by Cornell University researchers.

Sodas Keep Child Obesity Soaring

The ballooning weight of American youth may be driven, at least in part, by the sugary fizz of soda pop.

Type 2 Diabetes Increasing in Children Worldwide

Type 2 diabetes is on the increase among children and teens globally, a new review of more than 110 studies finds.

Drug Might Lower Heart Attack Risk

An investigational drug called DG-031 appears to lower inflammatory markers associated with increased heart attack risk, according to a preliminary study in the May 11 issue of the Journal of the American Medical Association.

Heart Rate During and After Exercise Tied to Sudden Death

The way your heart speeds up when you exercise and returns to normal when you stop can predict your risk of sudden death from heart attack, even decades later, a new European study suggests.

Study: Surgery Best for Prostate Cancer

Men with early prostate cancer often face a dizzying array of treatment options, but a new study finds a surgical procedure called radical prostatectomy increases the odds of surviving prostate cancer and reducing the chances the cancer will spread.

Study: Data May Predict Sudden Heart Death

People whose hearts beat too fast during rest and too sluggishly during exercise have a greater risk than others of dropping dead suddenly from a heart attack, a study suggests.

N.H. Sees Big Increase in Hepatitis Cases

Drug abuse is helping fuel a dramatic increase in Hepatitis A cases in New Hampshire, prompting health officials to recommend that drug users be vaccinated.

Lawmakers Seek Ban on Flavored Cigarettes

They're called "Winter Warm Toffee," "Kauai Kolada," and "Twista Chill," but the flavored cigarettes are leaving a bad taste in the mouths of lawmakers who say they should be banned because they target young people.

Prostate Surgery Better for Those Under 65

A landmark study of one the most agonizing decisions faced by men with early prostate cancer — Should I have surgery? Or should I wait and see if it spreads? — found that for those under 65, operating clearly saves lives, cutting the death rate by more than half.

Uncertainties Dominate Flu Vaccine Summit

Uncertainties over vaccine supply and demand dominated a two-day brainstorming session for the upcoming flu season, where public health officials and manufacturers discussed ways to avoid a crisis like last year's shortage.

Food Fact:
Boil meets grill.

If you're boiling vegetables, you're losing key nutrients. There is a better way. Turn up the oven to 425 degrees and roast 'em. High heat seals in the veggies' juices -- and the nutrients, which leech out in boiling water. The flavor is remarkably better, too -- roasting caramelizes veggies' natural sugars, and you won't need a pat of butter or a cheese sauce to dress them up. When roasting, cut the vegetable into evenly sized pieces to ensure even cooking. Spray a baking sheet with heart-healthy canola or olive oil. Spread the veggies evenly out on the sheet, and spray with the oil. Add your favorite seasoning and roast until the veggies are tender on the inside.

Fitness Tip of the day:
Jump to it.

Feeling rundown? We bet an old gym-class standby can make you feel like a kid again. Skipping rope as part of your exercise routine burns a surprising number of calories and provides a great workout for your shoulders, arms and calves. It's fast-paced, varied and, best of all, you can do it anywhere!

FAQ of the day:
Do I burn calories even when I''m just sitting around?

You burn calories all the time, even when you're asleep. Your basal metabolic rate (BMR) is the amount of energy (calories) your body uses for basic chores such as breathing, circulating blood, powering the nervous system and maintaining body temperature. A normal BMR for the average healthy male is around 1 calorie per kilogram (2.2 lbs) of body weight per hour; for women it is slightly lower, at around .9 calorie/kg/hr. But BMRs are very personal. Body composition helps determine BMR; a woman's BMR is generally lower than a man's because she carries more body fat. Other factors that affect BMR include age, activity level, nutrition, growth, pregnancy, body size and overall health.