Monday, September 07, 2009

Health Headlines - September 7

Happy Labor Day!

Snowe: bipartisan U.S. healthcare talks "constructive"

Republican Senator Olympia Snowe said a key group of six Senate Finance Committee members would continue work next week toward achieving bipartisan agreement on legislation to overhaul the U.S. healthcare system.

"Today's discussion was both productive and constructive, as we continue to move forward as a group toward a shared goal of producing an historic, bipartisan agreement on health reform legislation," Snowe said in a statement following a telephone conference among the negotiators. The White House has been reaching out to Snowe, a moderate in her party, for a possible compromise.

"When Congress returns to session next week, we will be working with the same intensity we've brought to bear this year to achieve a consensus bill -- as I believe we must reduce the costs of health care and make coverage more affordable for all Americans," she added.

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Late-night snacks could pack on the pounds: study

Midnight raids on the refrigerator may have worse consequences than indigestion -- a study in mice boosts the theory that when you eat affects whether the calories go to your hips or get burned off.

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FDA staff note miscarriages in Glaxo vaccine data

A proposed GlaxoSmithKline PLC vaccine helped protect women from the virus that causes cervical cancer but more miscarriages were reported compared with another immunization, U.S. reviewers said in documents released on Sunday.

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Ethnically dense neighborhood good for health

Living in a neighborhood with a lot of people of similar ethnic background may have some health benefit, hints a new study from the United Kingdom.

In the study, fewer activity-limiting long-term illnesses were reported by people who lived in neighborhoods they felt were more than half made up of people with whom they shared a common ethnicity.

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The Pill may cut the risk of a leaky bladder

Women of child-bearing age who use oral contraceptives face a lower risk of a leaky bladder than women of similar ages who do not take the Pill, researchers from Sweden report.

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Low-fat, high-fiber diet good for the colon

People who have growths or "polyps" in the colon removed can cut their risk of developing recurrent polyps by strictly adhering to a diet low in fat and high in fiber, fruits and vegetables.

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Antioxidant pills do not prevent metabolic syndrome

People who want to forestall heart disease and diabetes may do better by choosing antioxidant-rich foods instead of antioxidant supplements, a new study suggests.

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How broccoli can protect your arteries

It's long been thought that broccoli is good for your heart, and now British scientists think they know why.

Researchers at Imperial College London have found evidence a chemical in broccoli and other green leafy vegetables could boost a natural defense mechanism that protects arteries from the clogging that can cause heart attacks.

H1N1 has killed 2,837, but not more serious: WHO

The pandemic H1N1 flu virus continues to cause widespread infection in many parts of the world but is not becoming more serious, the World Health Organization (WHO) said.

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