Health Headlines - May 7

Subtle Learning Problems in Kids of Cocaine-Using Moms

Children whose mothers used cocaine during pregnancy experience problems with planning and problem solving when they reach school age, a new study finds.

'Artificial Retina' Shows Promise in Restoring Sight

An "artificial retina" is helping six previously blind patients detect light, identify objects and perceive motion, researchers announced Friday.

Depression Largely Untreated in Low-Income Cancer Patients

Close to a quarter of minority women with cancer suffer depression, but only about one in 10 of them is diagnosed or treated for it, researchers report.

Reheating Vegetable Oil Releases Toxin: Study

High amounts of a toxin with known connections to heart disease and neurological disorders accumulate in vegetable-based cooking oils that are heated or reheated for hours at a time, new research shows.

Nutrition Assistance Program Needs New Recipe

The government's nutrition assistance program for low-income women and children may get a major overhaul.

Online Tool Checks Need for Cancer Screening

Not sure about whether you or a loved one should begin cancer screening? Check out the Great American Health Check.

Video Game Victims

Video gaming is more popular than ever -- an estimated eight games were sold every second in 2004, according to industry experts.

Keeping Toenail Fungus On the Run

The Road Runners Club of America (RRCA) is launching a national campaign to help make sure nail fungus doesn't get a toehold among runners.

Electricity May Help Spot Breast Cancer

A painless, portable device that uses electricity instead of X-rays to detect breast cancer is being assessed at about 20 centers around the world.

Study: Metabolic Syndrome Brings Big Costs

Americans with metabolic syndrome — a condition marked by big waistlines, diabetes, high blood pressure and cholesterol problems — account for $4 of every $10 spent on prescription drugs for adults, according to a study.

Doctor: Columbus Likely Had Arthritis

Christopher Columbus, who was struck with a mysterious illness while returning from his first voyage to the New World, may have suffered from a severe form of arthritis that eventually crippled him, an expert said Friday.

Study: Meanness in Girls Can Start at 3

Meanness in girls can start when they still are toddlers, a Brigham Young University study found. It found that girls as young as 3 or 4 will use manipulation and peer pressure to get what they want.

Utah Study Links Obesity and Bad Knees

As Americans continue to get bigger, you can add knee problems to the list of ailments they are likely to face after lugging around extra pounds.

Food Fact:
Some like it hot.

With good reason -- chiles' heat may bring you significant health protection. Capsaicin, the compound that gives chile peppers their firey heat, contains an anticoagulant that might help prevent heart attacks and strokes caused by blood clots. Chile peppers also contain a mixture of cancer-fighting antioxidants. Remember, don't touch your eyes as you're working with chile peppers, and wash your hands thoroughly afterward. As a general rule, the larger the pepper, the milder it is. To reduce a pepper's intensity, remove the core and seeds.

Fitness Tip of the day:
Train your brain.

Exercise more than your muscles to stick to a fitness plan -- be a winner at the mental game. Preparing your mind along with your body is pivotal for accomplishing your goals. Try writing a personal mission statement and tape a copy to your refrigerator, the dashboard of your car, your computer -- anywhere you can see it during the day.

FAQ of the day:
Does cranberry juice cure urinary tract infections?

Cure is too strong a word, but cranberry juice has been shown in carefully controlled experiments to help prevent recurrent urinary tract infections, or UTIs. Research in the late 1980s reported that cranberry juice (as well as blueberry juice) prevented common bacteria from adhering to cells that line the urinary tract. Studies in the '90s found that women who drank about 10 oz. of cranberry juice a day had lower levels of bacteria in their urine, and were 75% less likely to develop urinary tract infection in the next month.