Health Nut

Good health is important, so if you have a question on a health matter then this is the page for you. Be it mental or physical health, all questions are welcome.

Health Tip: Start Migraine Care Immediately

(HealthDay News) - Migraines are severe headaches that may be accompanied by nausea, vomiting and a sensitivity to light and sound.  The National Women's Health Information Center offers these suggestions for what to do as soon as migraine symptoms begin:
  • Promptly take migraine medication that your doctor has prescribed.
  • Drink plenty of fluids, as long as you don't feel nauseated.
  • Lie down and relax in a room that's quiet and dark.
  • Drape a cool cloth across your forehead.
  • Gently massage the area of your head that's painful.

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Health News - Body, Mind & Soul

In the news this week...  
  • No Pap smears for women under 21: guidelines
  • Does a woman's beauty peak at 31?
  • The World's Most Inspiring Women
  • Avoid a Sandal Scandal

Top Stories

Some birth control less effective for heavy women (MSNBC) - Several studies have called into question the effectiveness of birth control in obese and overweight women - results that are particularly concerning in light of the recent U.S. obesity epidemic.  Now, a recent review article, which examined the results of seven studies on the success of hormonal contraceptives, concludes that the situation might be more complex. Some birth control methods, such as the pill, might be less effective in obese women, while others, such as those given using a shot, might work just as well.  (Read more)

Device to test if drink is drugged goes on sale (CTV) - A small card device for testing whether a drink has been spiked with drugs is being rolled out in Canada this summer, but the man who brought it to market in the United Kingdom six years ago says he has yet to hear of a would-be spiker being caught.  "No, we will eventually," Stanley Grossman, managing director of Bloomsbury Innovations Ltd., said in an interview from London. He noted that hundreds of thousands of the Drink Detective cards have been distributed.  (Read more)

Does a woman's beauty peak at 31? (THE STAR) - Sandy Avvari hopes she hasn't peaked.  At 31, she is more comfortable with her looks than she has ever been. She credits her happy, two-year marriage.  "I feel loved and I feel happy. I'm in a nice place. I feel like with my husband's support, I can explore more," says Avvari, a marketer in Aurora.  According to the results of a British survey of 2,000 people, women reach their peak of beauty at 31.  (Read more)

How Low Self-Esteem Can Cost You The Job (FORBES) - If you're one of the many who battle low self-esteem, your career is probably suffering as a result. Experts say that people with low self-esteem engage in subconscious behaviors that undermine their success, making them less likely to ask for or get promotions, raises and even jobs. According to Lois Frankel, Ph.D., president of Corporate Coaching International and author of the bestselling Nice Girls Don't Get The Corner Office, "People with low self-esteem often try to remain under the radar screen because they don't want to be noticed, but especially in this economy, that is the wrong thing to do."  (Read more)

For weight-loss help, faithfuls turn to God (CNN) - Hallelujah diets. Body by God. Karate for Christ. Gospel groove workouts.  Using the Lord's name (not in vain), fitness and diet enthusiasts are injecting the Almighty into nutrition programs, exercise DVDs, martial arts and healthy living courses.  In a DVD released in June, a gospel choir in full-length gowns sways back and forth while a fitness personality, Donna Richardson Joyner, sashays to her aerobic exercises. Her smiling, spandex-clad entourage echoes her movements. All lift their hands to praise the Lord.  "Give him some love!" she shouts. "Honor him!"  Exercise DVDs with religious themes, such as this one, have streamed into the market. (Read more)

Multimedia

5 warning signs you should never ignore (MSNBC) - Our body is constantly telling us when something is wrong, but we don't always listen. Dr. Keri Peterson, a contributor to Men's and Women's Health magazines, runs down the list of five common signs people should heed.  (Watch video)

Avoid a Sandal Scandal (WebMD) - Is a bunion, corn, ingrown toenail or a bad case of athlete's foot causing you foot pain or embarrassment? Keep your feet healthy by learning to recognize and treat common foot problems.  (View slideshow)

Bra sizes busting out (MSNBC) - Australian researchers have shown that bra sizes have increased overall leading two manufacturers to start producing "supersized cups" up to size J and K. Msnbc's Contessa Brewer reports.  (Watch video)

Decaffeinate yourself without the drama (CNN) - Think it may be hard to kick the caffeine habit? Dr. Jennifer Shu offers some tips to make withdrawals a little easier.  (Watch video)

24 Ways to Lose Weight Without Dieting (WebMD) - Check out these tips on how to alter your habits and your waistline.  (View slideshow)

Drugstore or designer: The truth about shades (MSNBC) - Stylish sunglasses may be worth the high price tag, but are your dollars buying your eyes the protection they really need from the sun?   (Watch video)

How real is 'Inception'? (MSNBC) - How can you decipher your dreams? Psychiatrist Dr. Judith Orloff, author of "Second Sight," discusses the facts and myths about dreaming.  (Watch video)

Lifestyle

The World's Most Inspiring Women (FORBES) - Oprah Winfrey: Forbes' Most Powerful Celebrity, one of the world's richest people and a leading role model, to boot?  Cheered by their successes, like Meg Whitman's recent GOP primary win in California, and inspired by their generosity, like Melinda Gates, who has pledged more than $650 million to public schools through The Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation, we began making our list.  But role models mean different things to different people...  (Read more)  

Teenagers and technology: 'I'd rather give up my kidney than my phone' (GUARDIAN) - "I'd rather," deadpans Philippa Grogan, 16, "give up, like, a kidney than my phone. How did you manage before? Carrier pigeons? Letters? Going round each others' houses on BIKES?" Cameron Kirk, 14, reckons he spends "an hour, hour-and-a-half on school days" hanging out with his 450-odd Facebook friends; maybe twice that at weekends. "It's actually very practical if you forget what that day's homework is. Unfortunately, one of my best friends doesn't have Facebook. But it's OK; we talk on our PlayStations."  (Read more)

Off The beaten Path...

Do you feel 'righteous rage' on the road? (CNN) - You're speeding along on the highway and someone cuts you off out of nowhere. Your heart starts racing, and you pound your wrists on the horn, screaming obscenities only you can hear.  It's one of those moments when you're so angry that you act out of character, transforming from mild-mannered to vengeful person. It's as if something in your brain tells you that you need to fight back.  Instances of frustration are common in daily life, but sometimes it can get out of control.  (Read more)

The Link Between Marijuana and Schizophrenia (TIME) - Repeatedly, studies have found that people with schizophrenia are about twice as likely to smoke pot as those who are unaffected. Conversely, data suggest that those who smoke cannabis are twice as likely to develop schizophrenia as nonsmokers. One widely publicized 2007 review of the research even concluded that trying marijuana just once was associated with a 40% increase in risk of schizophrenia and other psychotic disorders.  (Read more)

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Red, Sore, Swollen Hands

I have a question about the skin on my hands. I work as a care assistant in a nursing home and have done for only the past two months. I have started to do 12hour night shifts and I find when I wake up the after that shift my hands are really swollen, red, tingly, sore and the skin at the tips is really tight. It occurs during my shorter shifts but not as bad. I have looked up dermatitis, but I have no rash apart from little bits of dry skin. The gloves we use at work are latex free. I have tried wearing gloves for the most part of the day (changing of course) as I thought it may be due to washing my hands too much but this has made no difference either. The gloves we use do have a powder in them could this be the cause? I have used moisture at least four times during my last shift as well as before going to sleep; this has also made no difference. If you had any advice it would be much appreciated.

janniffy | age 20 | Ireland | July 25, 2010

Jamie says...

First thing first, you need to make sure that if your skin is 'tight' that there is no cracking. As you can imagine, cracked skin means the protection that your skin provides has been breached, and so you are vulnerable to infection. Especially working in a nursing home where there can be ill patients, you need to be very careful.

From what you describe I think there are a number of things going on, and that may be why you can't put your finger on this. I think your hands are reacting to a very dramatic change in what they are used to. Going from what you were doing (school?) to being a caregiver is a big change, especially given how often you have to clean your hands and come in contact with surfaces that have been cleaned with strong chemicals.

While it's hard to get a handle on this without actually seeing your hands, I think the key element is dry skin, and the paresthesia (tingling) is related to that. When skin gets tight the blood flow is restricted and the nerves are impacted. When blood flow is restricted that leads to poor circulation in the hands and that can cause redness and swelling. So one thing causes another, which causes another etc. The soreness could also be caused by the muscles in your hands being used much more than they have ever been. Those 12 hour shifts sound pretty brutal.

What's another thing that can cause swollen hands? Lack of sleep. Something tells me that you're probably stretching it in the sleep department. What else can contribute to this? Dehydration. Are you drinking lots of water during the day? If not you should be since you are on your feet all the time. While you can take an NSAID (like Ibuprofen) to help with the pain and swelling, you can't be taking it daily without getting to the root cause of your problem.

So my suggestion would be to take this one step at a time. First try working on your dry skin. Head to your local Boots or other health & beauty store and get some Aqueous Cream. This kind of cream is designed to be non-greasy and provide a barrier to prevent water from evaporating from the skin. You may need to ask at the pharmacy counter for it, but any decent store will have it. (There are different brands, ask the pharmacist for advice on which brand they think is best.) Use that as directed, and I would suggest you continue using the gloves at work, changing regularly. Washing your hands will only make the problem worse. Drink lots of water when you work, and after work, and get some good sleep in. This problem won't go away overnight, but if you still find yourself suffering and the cream and hydration isn't helping, then a visit to your family doctor is likely advised.

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Considering a Midwife?

Health Tip

Considering a Midwife?

Some women may choose to deliver a baby with the help of a midwife rather than a doctor. The Nemours Foundation says "midwife-supervised births produce excellent outcomes with fewer medical interventions than average."  But the foundation warns that for higher-risk pregnancies, "midwifery is not advisable." The foundation says examples of higher-risk pregnancy include:
  • Women who are having multiple births (twins, triplets, etc.).
  • Women who have gestational diabetes.
  • Women who have high blood pressure.
  • Women who have any other type of chronic illness.
  • Women who have had complications during pregnancy.

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Health News - Body, Mind & Soul

In the news this week...  
  • High heels can shrink muscle, thicken tendons
  • 11 Strangest Sexual Conditions Ever
  • Do As I Say, Not As I Text!
  • Gay best friend: The "it" accessory

Top Stories

Might as well face it: You're addicted to love (CNN) - Jim Dailakis still remembers how he stood below his then-girlfriend's balcony, held up a tape player and blasted a George Michael song that the two of them loved.  But this romantic gesture, reminiscent of John Cusack serenading Ione Skye in "Say Anything" (but before that movie came out), didn't make his first love stay with him forever. After a 2½-year relationship, he got a letter from her in 1988, saying "thanks for everything; we have to move on."  "The first month was horrible, because when you break up with someone, it's like a death, but it's even worse because the corpse goes on living, just without you," said Dailakis, 41, an Australian-born comedian in New York.  According to new research, the brutality of loving someone who has rejected you has a biological underpinning.  (Read more)

From texting to apps, using cell phones for health (AP) - What if my blood sugar's too high today? Is it time for my blood pressure pill? With nagging text messages or more customized two-way interactions, researchers are trying to harness the power of cell phones to help fight chronic diseases.  "I call it medical minutes," says Dr. Richard Katz of George Washington University Hospital in the nation's capital.  He's testing whether inner-city diabetics, an especially hard-to-treat population, might better control their blood sugar - and thus save Medicaid dollars - by tracking their disease using Internet-connected cell phones, provided with reduced monthly rates as long as they regularly comply.  (Read more)

High heels can shrink muscle, thicken tendons (CNN) - You may want to think twice before strapping on those sky-high Manolos.  A new study shows that regularly wearing high heels can cause muscle and tendon changes in your legs -- to the point where wearing flats or flip-flops can be painful.  Wearing two-inch heels (or higher) five or more days a week shrinks a woman's calf muscle fibers by 13 percent, on average. It also thickens her Achilles tendon -- which attaches the calf muscle to the heel -- by 22 percent, according to the study, which was published Thursday in the Journal of Experimental Biology.  (Read more)
 
Scientists count five-second rule down to zero for safety (THE STAR) - The controversial "five-second rule" - the one that allows us to eat dropped food if it's quickly scooped off the floor - is a bunch of baloney, according to Clemson University food scientist Paul Dawson, who stirred up the long debated issue in this month's National Geographic.  Though previous research has shown we may have up to a minute to rescue certain types of spilled food before it becomes contaminated, Dawson and his students made a strong case for the "zero-second rule."  They found that salmonella and other bacteria can live up to four weeks on dry surfaces and be immediately transferred to food.  (Read more)

Skip the Scotch, Just Have a Swig of Mellowberry (NY TIMES) - FOR years, college students and C-suite executives alike have managed to stay perky through parties and deadlines by guzzling so-called energy drinks like Jolt, Red Bull and Rockstar.  But, as it turns out, the drinks may have worked a little too well.  The nation is so wired that it looks as if consumers are now thirsting for anti-energy drinks. (Read more)

Multimedia

High heels can cause instability, deformity (MSNBC) - They look great, but how much damage can they do? KNSD-TV's Monica Dean reports.  (Watch video)

Secrets to a Happy Marriage (CBS NEWS) - Chris Wragge moderates an Early Show Marriage Summit where couples get tips on how to have a successful relationship. (Watch video)

Bullied by a borderline personality? (CNN) -  How to identify someone with the disorder and keep them from disrupting your life.  (Watch video)

11 Strangest Sexual Conditions Ever (CBS NEWS) - If you are experiencing it, no matter how bizarre, chances are you're not the only one.  (View slideshow)

Animal antibiotics use poses health risk? (MSNBC) - The Food and Drug Administration says widespread use of antibiotics in animals could be posing a serious public health threat.  (Read more)

How safe are your drugs? (CNN) - A new report shows many medications sold in the U.S. come from under-regulated Chinese factories.  (Watch video)

Author: July worst month to be hospitalized (MSNBC) - Trisha Torrey tells Msnbc's Contessa Brewer why she thinks July is the worst month to be hospitalized.  (Watch video)

Too darn hot (CNN) - CNN's Elizabeth Cohen reports on how you can beat the heat and stay healthy.  (Watch video)

Amoebae causes girl's death (MSNBC) - A 10-year-old South Carolina girl died from a rare form of meningitis caused by amoebae.  (Watch video)

Lifestyle

Do As I Say, Not As I Text! (PRN) - Providing new insight into the complexities of contemporary parenting, the "LG Text Ed Survey," conducted by TRU Research and sponsored by LG Mobile Phones, found that 28 percent of parents admitted to some form of sexting, the highest percentage ever reported, and 44 percent of parents admitted to texting and driving.  ... While the survey found that adults are more comfortable than ever using texting, very few believe their children engage in harmful texting behaviors. In fact, 53 percent of all parents surveyed feel they are "very informed" about the full extent of negative texting habits-such as sexting and texting while driving. Yet, the survey found that parents continue engaging in these questionable texting behaviors and are unaware of their teen's mobile phone misuse.   (Read more)

Britain Proposes a scaled 'Graduate Tax' (GUARDIAN) - The government signalled the biggest shakeup of Britain's universities in a generation today, with a blueprint for higher education in which the highest-earning graduates would pay extra taxes to fund degrees, private universities would flourish and struggling institutions would be allowed to fail.  ...  Comparing the existing system of tuition fees to a "poll tax" that graduates paid regardless of their income, the skills secretary argued it was fairer for people to pay according to their earning power.  (Read more)

On Facebook, Telling Teachers How Much They Meant (NY TIMES) - Darci Hemleb Thompson had been on the lookout for Alice D'Addario for many years. From her home in Hampton, Va., Ms. Thompson, 49, who is married and has a 12-year-old daughter, was determined to find Ms. D'Addario on the Internet. She tried every search engine and networking site she could find. About 18 months ago she hit the jackpot.  "Nice to see one of the greatest teachers of all time on Facebook!" Ms. Thompson wrote on Ms. D'Addario's wall. "I love to go to your page just to see your smiling face. Even your eyes still smile. You are an amazing person!"  (Read more)

Off The beaten Path...

Report: Teens Using Digital Drugs to Get High (WIRED) - Kids around the country are getting high on the internet, thanks to MP3s that induce a state of ecstasy. And it could be a gateway drug leading teens to real-world narcotics.  ...  I-dosing involves donning headphones and listening to "music" - largely a droning noise - which the sites peddling the sounds promise will get you high. Teens are listening to such tracks as "Gates of Hades," which is available on YouTube gratis (yes, the first one is always free).  (Read more)

Gay best friend: The "it" accessory (SALON) - Bad news from Teen Vogue: The season's hottest accessory is not available as a Canal Street knockoff. This one needs special attention and maintenance and extra careful selection -- more so even than a Pomeranian. If you thought the old "gay best friend" hat went out when "Sex and the City's" Stanford got hitched, think again. This week, the magazine has proposed that he's "the new must-have accessory for girls."  (Read more)

Desperate Addicts Inject Others' Blood (NY TIMES) - Desperate heroin users in a few African cities have begun engaging in a practice that is so dangerous it is almost unthinkable: they deliberately inject themselves with another addict's blood, researchers say, in an effort to share the high or stave off the pangs of withdrawal.  The practice, called flashblood or sometimes flushblood, is not common, but has been reported in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, on the island of Zanzibar and in Mombasa, Kenya.   It puts users at the highest possible risk of contracting AIDS and hepatitis.  (Read more)

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Managing Dietary Fat

(HealthDay News) - Some fats are an essential part of a balanced diet, but there are "good" fats and "bad" fats. The American Academy of Family Physicians suggests how to manage your consumption of fat:
  • Avoid fast foods that contain unhealthy trans fats.
  • Don't eat too much red meat. Instead, opt for leaner sources of protein such as fish, poultry and vegetables.
  • Bake with canola oil, and cook and season with olive oil. Use olive oil to top a salad or in place of butter on bread.
  • Avoid too many potato chips in favor of soy or peanuts without salt.
  • Top a salad with avocado, nuts or garbanzo beans.
  • In place of butter, opt for margarine that's liquid or in a soft tub container. Choose margarine that is low in saturated fat and doesn't contain trans fat.

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Health News - Body, Mind & Soul

In the news this week...  
  • Study: Teens need more sleep
  • Reduce Stress By Changing How You Think
  • Are Young Women Addicted to Facebook?
  • World's Weirdest Diets

Top Stories

To Stop Cheats, Colleges Learn Their Trickery (NY TIMES) - The frontier in the battle to defeat student cheating may be here at the testing center of the University of Central Florida.  No gum is allowed during an exam: chewing could disguise a student's speaking into a hands-free cellphone to an accomplice outside.  The 228 computers that students use are recessed into desk tops so that anyone trying to photograph the screen - using, say, a pen with a hidden camera, in order to help a friend who will take the test later - is easy to spot.  Scratch paper is allowed - but it is stamped with the date and must be turned in later.  (Read more)

Are hospitals deadlier in July? (CNN) - More than 16,000 U.S. medical school graduates are awarded M.D. degrees each year, and many enter their residency programs at teaching hospitals in July. Now, a growing body of research suggests that month might be a more deadly time in U.S. hospitals.  According to a recent study from the University of California, San Diego, deaths from medication errors increase by 10 percent during July, a so-called July effect as students graduate from medical school and enter residency programs.   (Read more)

Fewer Low-Income Students Going to College (WSJ) - Fewer low- and moderate-income high school graduates are attending college in America, and fewer are graduating.  Enrollment in four-year colleges was 40% in 2004 for low-income students, down from 54% in 1992, and 53% in 2004 for moderate-income students, down from 59% over the same period, according to  a report recently submitted to Congress by the Advisory Committee on Student Financial Assistance.  If that trend has continued, low- and moderate-income students who don't move on to college face an even darker outlook.  (Read more)

Taking the Guesswork Out of Braces (NY TIMES) - Looking at a three-dimensional model of her teeth, Sara McClure didn't recognize her smile. The image her orthodontist had pulled up on a laptop didn't show her upper-row gaps - rather, it showed the perfect alignment that would be hers in 13 months. ... Three-dimensional imaging technology has been making gradual inroads in the world of orthodontics. Traditionally, orthodontists put one-size-fits-all brackets and wires on crooked teeth and then modify the setup at appointments. It's a technique that involves a surprising amount of guesswork. But now several companies offer 3-D modeling programs that make it easier for orthodontists to diagnose underlying problems and give their patients more precise treatment.   (Read more)

Reduce Stress By Changing How You Think (FORBES) - "Most folks are about as happy as they make up their minds to be," Abraham Lincoln once famously said. And now it turns out that his statement was more than just a folksy quip. New research in neuroscience and psychology shows that we may be more in control of our emotions and anxiety levels than we think. And for the more than 75% of Americans who suffer from stress-related conditions, according to the American Psychiatric Association, these findings may give them new help for managing stress.  (Read more)

Multimedia

Study: Teens need more sleep (CNN) - HLN's Chuck Roberts reports on the possible benefits of a delayed school start time. (Watch video)

Sunburn: Foods That Make it Worse (CBS NEWS) - Dr. Jennifer Ashton has advice on foods and products to avoid when spending time in the sun.  (Watch video)

How to Cool Down Sunburn (CBS NEWS) - Chris Wragge spoke with beauty expert Jamie Krell about how to protect your skin from harmful UV rays and what to do with sunburn.  (Watch video)

Body Language Mistakes Women Make (FORBES) - Learn the four most common body language mistakes commonly made by women, and how they can be perceived.  (Watch video)

Teen "Twlight" Trend: Love Bites (CBS NEWS) - Michelle Miller and Dr. Jennifer Ashton shed some light on a new teen trend borne out of the vampire craze which sees teens actually biting other teens. (Watch video)

Exercises for your buns (CNN) - HLN's Christi Paul reports on how to tighten your buns in your aerobic and toning workouts.  (Watch video)

Going Gaga over "Circle Lenses" (CBS NEWS) - Teens are copying the 'big-eyed effect' made popular by Lady Gaga by using "circle lenses" which change the look of eyes in size and color. Michelle Miller reports there are serious health risks involved  (Read more)

Gaga Contact Lens Controversy (CBS NEWS) - Dr. Jennifer Ashton has the latest on a fad popularized by Lady Gaga that could cause eye problems.  (Watch video)

Doctors help boy born with half a face (CNN) - An Iranian boy with rare facial deformities is getting a second chance thanks to some New York doctors. WTEN reports.  (Watch video)

Lifestyle

Facebook to launch 'panic button' (BBC) - Facebook has announced it is to launch a "panic button" application on its social networking site.  The button, aimed at children and teenagers, will report abuse to the Child Exploitation and Online Protection Centre (Ceop) and Facebook.  The application will also appear on their homepage to say that "they are in control online".  The launch follows months of negotiation between Ceop and Facebook, which initially resisted the idea.  (Read more)

Teen employment levels plunge (WASH EXAMINER) - Frustrated area teens are facing a historically horrendous summer job market -- a situation setting the stage for potentially devastating long-term consequences.  The teen unemployment rate was 25.7 percent in June, more than double the nation's 9.5 overall jobless rate.  "This could end up being the worst teen summer job market in employment records going back to 1948," said John Challenger, CEO of Chicago outplacement firm Challenger, Gray & Christmas.  (Read more)

Are Young Women Addicted to Facebook? (MASHABLE) - Young women are becoming more and more dependent on social media and checking on their social networks, according to a new study released earlier today by Oxygen Media and Lightspeed Research. In fact, as many as one-third of women aged 18-34 check Facebook when they first wake up, even before they get to the bathroom.  (Read more)

Off The beaten Path...

A Closer Look: How Ecstasy harms (LA TIMES) - Los Angeles is earning a reputation as a hotbed of raves - those dance parties that sometimes last all night and feature pulsing electronic music, light shows and recreational drugs. In addition to drawing tens of thousands of young people to events, the city's raves have attracted the notice of local and federal public health officials because of the number of emergency room visits that result.  During a two-day event last month at the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum with an estimated 185,000 participants, some 120 people were taken to local hospitals, many with symptoms of drug intoxication. A 15-year-old girl died with the drug Ecstasy, also called MDMA, in her system.  (Read more)

Untidy beds may keep us healthy (BBC) - Failing to make your bed in the morning may actually help keep you healthy, scientists believe.  Research suggests that while an unmade bed may look scruffy it is also unappealing to house dust mites thought to cause asthma and other allergies. A Kingston University study discovered the bugs cannot survive in the warm, dry conditions found in an unmade bed. The average bed could be home to up to 1.5 million house dust mites.  The bugs, which are less than a millimetre long, feed on scales of human skin and produce allergens which are easily inhaled during sleep.  (Read more)

World's Weirdest Diets (FORBES) - During a summer of skimpy bathing suits and bare sundresses, many women are thinking about one number. It's not the number of diapers they need to cart to the Hamptons or the balance of their bank accounts. This season most women will be obsessing about their weight. And it seems they will try anything to drop the pounds.  This year's diet trends have spanned from the commercial to the comical. Star of MTV's reality show The Jersey Shore, Nicole "Snooki" Polizzi has turned to the so-called Cookie Diet to lose weight this summer. The program allows followers to eat only six cookies and a healthy dinner every day for as long as it takes to meet their goals. (Read more)

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How’s the Air Quality at Home?

(HealthDay News) - You mop the floors, vacuum the carpet and dust the shelves to keep your home clean. But the indoor air could still harbor mildew, mold, bacteria, pet dander and other contaminants that could compromise your health.  The National Women's Health Information Center offers this list of symptoms that could be triggered by indoor air pollution:
  • Throat, eye and nose irritation.
  • Frequent fatigue.
  • Persistent headaches.
  • Feeling dizzy.
  • Wheezing and asthmatic symptoms.

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Health News - Body, Mind & Soul

In the news this week...  
  • How to Find a Job on Twitter
  • Why we can't unplug on vacation
  • Mayo Clinic iPhone App Gets You Off Your Lazy Butt
  • Preventing homosexuality in utero: Would we? Should we?

Top Stories

Do Computers Really Fry Your Brain? (FORBES) - Rachel Balik, 27, sleeps with her BlackBerry by her bed--when she sleeps at all. She works in San Francisco as an assistant marketing manager for a tech startup. At 6 a.m. she reaches for the BlackBerry, buzzing with e-mails from the East Coast, and won't disconnect from it or any of her other devices until she turns in around 1 a.m. the next day. ... Like most of us, Balik is plugged in around the clock. And while a host of articles have analyzed the social and psychological effects of increased and prolonged technology use--the potential damage to family life and our ability to focus--and how screen time is linked to obesity, few have asked whether staring at screens for most of the day (and night) results in further physical harm.  (Read more)

Little nibblers: Fish pedicures are popular, but controversial (THE STAR) - Unless a Niagara-on-the-Lake spa can find a way to let fish feast on feet that meets with public health's approval, beauty seekers will have to drive to Montreal for the exfoliating nibble of the Garra rufa.  Fish pedicures have become popular around the world, with spa goers willing to soak their feet in tanks of hungry Garra rufa fish for softer feet. The small, toothless fish gently eat dead skin, leaving healthy skin untouched.  In Montreal, the Tami Beauté des Ongles shop has two large fish tanks filled with about 100 Garra rufa each, which Tami Chu says were brought back from South Korea after she learned about them online.  "It's quite simple," says Chu, a partner in the business. "They're just doing exfoliating."  (Read more)

Why 'Eclipse,' iPhone fans love waiting in line (CNN) - Nicole Carlotti already has her ticket to the midnight showing of "The Twilight Saga: Eclipse," but she can't wait to get to the theater three hours ahead of time so she can talk about the movie with other fans.  "Sometimes you overhear conversations of people sitting in line next to you, so you kind of like, discuss with them as well. ... What's with all the frenzy? Psychologists and marketing specialists say it's about connecting over a shared experience, becoming a part of something greater than yourself and the thrill of expecting an event.  (Read more)

Why we can't unplug on vacation (CNN) - Driving south from Ohio with his wife and two children on Thursday, Steve Daly stopped in Tennessee for what's advertised as the world's best ice cream. After ordering, he briefly switched out of vacation mode to check his e-mail on his phone. His family nags him about his e-mail habits, but for Daly, it's the only way to have a good vacation.  "The anxiety is just not knowing -- so being able to check the inbox and see what's going on, if anything, is what allows me to relax," says Daly, 39, a self-employed technology consultant in Cincinnati, Ohio.  Daly is not alone. Many people can't go on vacation without worrying about their inboxes.   (Read more)

Sitting straight 'bad for backs' (BBC) - Sitting up straight is not the best position for office workers, a study has suggested.  Scottish and Canadian researchers used a new form of magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to show it places an unnecessary strain on your back. They told the Radiological Society of North America that the best position in which to sit at your desk is leaning back, at about 135 degrees.   Experts said sitting was known to contribute to lower back pain.  Data from the British Chiropractic Association says 32% of the population spends more than 10 hours a day seated. (Read more)

Multimedia

How to avoid a misdiagnosis (MSNBC) - According to the Institute of Medicine, misdiagnoses are to blame for nearly 98,000 patient deaths a year - more than car accidents and breast cancer. Dr. Keri Peterson discusses how you can protect yourself.  (Watch video)

Fitness helps the brain (CNN) - Getting exercise as a teenager may help you stay mentally sharp as you age. HLN's Chuck Roberts reports.  (Watch video)

Radical skin makeovers (MSNBC) - From spots and blemishes to deep wrinkles, dermatologist Anne Chapas offers advice for improving your skin with both at-home treatments and doctor's office procedures. (Watch video)

U.S. losing obesity battle (CNN) - New evidence shows America is losing the battle against obesity. CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports.  (Watch video)

Study: Bacteria swarm 'green' grocery bags (MSNBC) - A new study finds most reusable grocery bags are loaded with potentially dangerous bacteria. NBC's Sid Sutherland reports. (Watch video)

The Dangers of Fake Gel Manicures (ABC NEWS) - Elisabeth Leamy identifies precautions to take when receiving the procedure.  (Watch video)

Remedies for what's bugging you (MSNBC) - Is something bugging you this summer? TODAY's Lester Holt and Consumer Reports' Gayle Williams have the low down on the best bug repellants on the market.  (Watch video)

Do 'toning' sneakers really work? (CNN) - CNN's Dr. Sanjay Gupta answers viewer questions on "toning" shoes and what "organic" means.  (Watch video)

After a lifetime of struggles, young woman soars (MSNBC) - Karina Melendez has survived more in her 17 years than most people will ever face in a lifetime. Now, as NBC's Tom Llamas reports, her hard work and resilient spirit is paying off.  (Watch video)

Smoking Baby is Real (CBS NEWS) - CBS News Exclusive: The Indonesian smoking baby video was an Internet sensation that left many in disbelief. CBS News cameras found the boy in a small fishing village with a lit cigarette in hand.  (Watch video)

Flying car wins FAA approval (MSNBC) - The Federal Aviation Administration approved a hybrid airplane that can fly, as well as drive on roads. Msnbc's Alex Witt talks with Associated Press reporter Joan Lowy.  (Watch video)

Lifestyle

How to Find a Job on Twitter (AD AGE) - Hey, new grads, looking for a job? If so, be sure to round out your resume-sending routine with some Twitter outreach. More than a micro-blogging outlet or hub for Justin Bieber groupies, it can help you reach potential employers faster and more directly, plus give you a bit of an edge over the mass of new grads entering the market.  I've been gaining valuable work experience in my last two positions, both which I landed by actively following, listening to and presenting myself to employers on Twitter.  (Read more)

Beach Reads To Make You Rich (FORBES) - Summer reads are meant to be light; books you can pick up poolside, breeze through and put down when a nap--or a margarita break--calls. To that end, Amazon recommends Charlaine Harris' Sookie Stackhouse novels, the series that spawned HBO's True Blood, or Stieg Larsson's The Girl With The Dragon Tattoo as "what everyone is reading."  But a new trend has emerged for summer 2010: prettied up financial guides, memoirs and fictional tales of women who, armed with outrageous credit card limits, spent beyond their means, found themselves at rock bottom and lived to tell the tale. Call it financial chick-lit or budget advice for the stiletto set. However the trend is spun, these slight-by-appearance beach reads are packed with weighty economic lessons.  (Read more)

Older Audience for Child's Bracelet Is Not a Stretch (NY TIMES) - It wasn't until some elementary schools banned Silly Bandz, those colorful plastic bracelets that are the latest fad among the pencil-box set, that Ramona Sidlo, who is 30, wanted them for herself.  "I thought, 'This is nuts that a rubber band is causing so much hype,' " she said. "If kids are going crazy over these, I have to have them."   For the uninitiated, Silly Bandz are rubber bands, often in neon colors, that are shaped like everyday objects: a guitar, a baseball bat, a princess. Unlike the beige round elastics stashed in your desk drawer, these are meant to be worn on the wrist, and they snap back into their original silicon-molded shape - a turtle, perhaps, or a dinosaur or tiara - when you take them off.  (Read more)

Off The beaten Path...

Preventing homosexuality in utero: Could we? Would we? Should we? (LA TIMES) - A workhorse drug that's been around for decades has, in recent weeks, stirred up a biomedical debate that will likely resonate with any parent who's ever asked him or herself: If I could prevent my child from being gay, would I?  ...  In short, dexamethasone seems to hold the promise not only of sparing a child a difficult and risky surgery, it may also redirect a sexual trajectory that will lead to bisexuality or lesbianism.  That, say bioethicists, is going too far.  (Read more)

Money can buy one form of happiness: global study (WASHINGTON POST) - Money, it turns out, really can buy you happiness -- or at least one form of it, according to the biggest study to examine the relationship between income and well-being around the world.  Pulling in the big bucks makes people more likely to say they are happy with their lives overall -- whether they are young or old, male or female, or living in cities or remote villages, the survey of more than 136,000 people in 132 countries found.  But the survey also showed that a key element of what many people consider happiness -- positive feelings -- is much more strongly affected by factors other than cold, hard cash, such as feeling respected, being in control of your life and having friends and family to rely on in a pinch.  (Read more)

Think You're Operating on Free Will? Think Again (TIME) - Studies have found that upon entering an office, people behave more competitively when they see a sharp leather briefcase on the desk, they talk more softly when there is a picture of a library on the wall, and they keep their desk tidier when there is a vague scent of cleaning agent in the air. ... But recently psychologists have compiled an impressive body of research that shows how deeply our decisions and behavior are influenced by unconscious thought, and how greatly those thoughts are swayed by stimuli beyond our immediate comprehension. (Read more)

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Do You Have Symptoms of Heat Exhaustion?

(HealthDay News) - Heat exhaustion may affect people who spend hours in the sun or very hot weather without drinking enough fluids.  Symptoms of heat exhaustion may include heavy sweating, pale skin, muscle cramps, fatigue and weakness, dizziness, headache, nausea or fainting.  The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests how to cool down when you have symptoms of heat exhaustion:
  • Drink plenty cool, non-alcoholic beverages.
  • Get enough rest.
  • In cool water, take a sponge bath or shower.
  • Stay inside in an air conditioned building.
  • Wear lightweight clothing.

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