Health Headlines - July 11

Universal Health Care Push Being Revived

A push for universal health coverage is being rekindled in some states by the soaring cost of health care and the lack of political support in Washington for federal changes.

Fake Research Allegations Reach New Highs

On the night of his 12th wedding anniversary, Dr. Andrew Friedman was terrified. This brilliant surgeon and researcher at Brigham and Women's Hospital and Harvard Medical School feared that he was about to lose everything - his career, his family, the life he'd built - because his boss was coming closer and closer to the truth: For the past three years, Friedman had been faking - actually making up - data in some of the respected, peer-reviewed studies he had published in top medical journals.

Alzheimer's Educators Reach New Audiences

At first blush, a breakfast meeting for clergy, a party in a beer garden for young people and a project by schoolchildren to sell paper forget-me-not flowers have little in common. But these recent efforts in the St. Louis area are, in fact, linked by the desire to better educate new populations about Alzheimer's disease, the progressive brain disorder that gradually destroys a person's memory and ability to learn, reason and communicate.

California Suspends Medical Marijuana IDs

California health officials suspended a program that had begun providing patients who smoke marijuana for medicinal reasons with state-issued identification cards because of concern about a recent U.S. Supreme Court ruling.

Child Insurance Program May Face Crunch

A government program that provides health insurance for poor children could run into money problems in several states over the next two years unless Congress acts.

Cows From Infected Herd Pass Mad Cow Tests

Twenty-nine cows tested negative for mad cow disease after they were culled from the same herd where an infected cow had been found, the Agriculture Department said Saturday. Tests of another 38 cows from the herd are pending, officials said.

Summary Box: Trying Again on Health Care

FEELING BLUE: Health care costs are rising, and 45 million Americans have no insurance.

N.H. Sees Spike in Hepatitis a Infections

A spike in hepatitis A infections has become an outbreak after efforts to vaccinate at-risk populations earlier this year failed to control the spread of the virus, state health officials said Thursday.

Food Fact:
Guac shock.

Think avocados are too lush and buttery to be good for you? Think again. Yes, avocados are high in fat, but it's the heart-healthy kind. Even "good" fat is highly caloric, so you have to keep portions under control, but in moderation as part of a diet low in saturated fat, avocados can help reduce bad cholesterol. To determine ripeness, press gently on the avocado's skin. If the flesh yields slightly, the avocado is ready to eat that day. Store avocados at room temperature, never in the refrigerator.

Fitness Tip of the day:
Highway to health.

Wellness doesn't have to be expensive -- walking is an economical first step. It's easy, too. What better way to make exercise feel less like a chore and more a part of daily life? Some of the benefits of daily walks include reducing your risk of developing high blood pressure, lowering existing high blood pressure, lowering your risk of developing colon cancer, and reducing your risk of developing Type 2 diabetes.

FAQ of the day:
What exactly is considered "red" meat?

Contrary to what some advertisements may dub "the other white meat," scientists define red meat as the meat from land mammals such as cattle, pigs and lamb. That means beef, lamb and, yes, pork.