CONSUMER CORNER
Frustrated with the health-care system? Don’t know where to turn for help? Want more on the human side of health care? We’ve got you covered.
7/29/2010 © Healthday
Good news for bystanders who are reluctant to do mouth-to-mouth resuscitation. Chest compressions alone seem to produce the same results.
7/29/2010 © St. Petersburg Times
Scientists already know that chest X-rays and sputum tests don't work well for early detection of lung cancer. So doctors are awaiting results from a huge study to find out whether the answer might be spiral CT scans.
7/28/2010 © Orlando Sentinel
A federally funded study published this week suggests that people who regularly participate in a web-based weight-loss support group increase their chances of keeping off weight they’ve lost.
7/28/2010 © Orlando Sentinel
For patients who have already had a stroke, opening the carotid artery with a stent triples their risk of death compared with the old-fashioned method of clearing the blocked artery with surgery, according to a new study.
7/28/2010 © Orlando Sentinel
Florida is designating the University of Central Florida’s College of Medicine as a receiving institution for donated bodies, joining those previously established in Miami and Gainesville, UCF officials announced Wednesday.
7/27/2010 © McClatchy News Service
Some chemotherapy patients have been trying out a gel-filled cap that freezes their scalps. In theory, the caps prevent drugs from killing the cells in hair follicles. Studies have shown that scalp cooling does work in many cases but some doctors are skeptical.
7/28/2010 © Tampa Tribune
As parents head to spin class or weight machines, most kids end up watching TV, playing video games or just hanging out in the kids zone. But some fitness centers are offering classes that let the entire family workout together.
7/28/2010 © Orlando Sentinel
Teens talk about sex, dating and drugs on a new website launched by the Florida Department of Health. The episodes on Teen Truth feature actors talking about issues, pausing to ask the viewers questions.
7/28/2010 © The Associated Press
More than 70,000 children and teens go to the emergency room each year for injuries and complications from medical devices, and contact lenses are the leading culprit, the first detailed national estimate suggests.
7/28/2010 © Orlando Sentinel
Teens with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder are less likely to finish high school on time than students with other mental-health disorders that often are considered more serious, according to a national study.
7/28/2010 © Miami Herald
In addition to lathering up with sunscreen, take a look at these products that can prevent sunburn, melanoma and even crow's feet.
7/27/2010 © MedPage Today
Children should not be kept home from school because they have head lice, the American Academy of Pediatrics reaffirmed. Although many schools still have "no-nit" policies, they have not been shown to be effective for reducing its spread.
7/27/2010 © MedPage Today
Many men being treated aggressively for low-grade prostate cancer -- particularly if it was detected during PSA screening -- are unlikely to benefit from the intervention, a new study suggests.
7/27/2010 © Miami Herald
Can too much of a good thing be too much? In the case of fiber, the answer could be an embarrassing yes. If high fiber is causing stomach grumbles, there are ways to fit it in comfortably.
7/26/2010 © The Associated Press
Nap Nanny portable baby recliners, which are supposed to help fussy babies sleep better, are being recalled after the death of an infant. The CPSC announced the recall of 30,000 recliners made by Baby Matters.
7/29/2010 © The Associated Press
This summer, hospitals nationwide are launching research to try to settle if fresher blood really is better for some transfusion patients. And if so, they're hunting ways to turn back the clock for older blood and offset deterioration.
7/26/2010 © Ivanhoe
Young patients who lose part of a bone to sarcoma can be treated with an implant that expands as they grow -- if they have $30,000. Insurance doesn't cover it.
7/25/2010 © St. Petersburg Times
Obstetricians can see dozens of patients, get a night's sleep or complete an operation while monitoring a patient in labor from afar with a new smart-phone application that delivers patient waveform data to remotely access fetal heart rate in real time.
7/25/2010 © Bradenton Herald
Four interns have spent the summer trying to raise awareness about the dangers of a new fad. CDC says a one-hour hookah session can involve inhaling 100 to 200 times the smoke from a cigarette.
7/23/2010 © WUSF
In Tampa, people are paying to sit in a room made of salt blocks to clear their sinuses, a treatment made to mimic the salt caves of Eastern Europe. An allergist points out that it hasn't been proven.
7/23/2010 © NPR
A torn ACL ligament usually means a rush to surgery, but a study that compared two groups -- one got surgery, one just rehab -- found results were equal.
7/23/2010 © South Florida Sun Sentinel
A new study by Kaiser Permanente reveals e-mail exchanges between doctor and patient can help patients stay on track with treatments, which in turn leads to significant health benefits.
7/22/2010 © The Associated Press
Smith and Noble is recalling 1.3 million Roman shades and roller shades, after a 5-year-old boy became entangled in an unsecured continuous loop bead cord on a roller shade.
7/21/2010 © Reuters
Melanoma is on the rise among dark-skinned Floridians, new research shows. Melanoma remains rare among blacks and Hispanics than among whites, which helps explain why public health efforts to prevent melanoma target the light-skinned.
7/21/2010 © Tampa Tribune
A recent study found that most people choose style and price over UV protection when buying sunglasses. Big mistake! Overexposure to UV rays can lead to cataracts, cornea burns, cornea degeneration and other eye diseases.
7/21/2010 © Palm Beach Post
U.S. Rep. Jan Schakowsky introduced legislation this week that would toughen safety standards for cosmetics, including requiring regular government testing of products for hazardous ingredients.
7/21/2010 © Los Angeles Times
Three pet-product manufacturers -- Feline's Pride, Merrick Pet Care and United Pet Group -- have recently issued or expanded voluntary recalls of some of their products over concerns about possible salmonella contamination.
7/21/2010 © Lakeland Ledger
The Florida Citrus Commission says that calories alone don't tell the whole nutritional story of a product and want nutrient density as part of proposed food labeling changes.
7/22/2010 © Orlando Sentinel
In a new study, older adults who ate fatty fish at least once a week were 60 percent less likely to develop age-related macular degeneration.
7/22/2010 © St. Petersburg Times
Oral supplements, teas and colon irrigation all are touted as ways to clean out your system. But in general, experts say people don't need to "clean" their colon and that a high-fiber diet may be all you need for colon health.
7/21/2010 © South Florida Sun Sentinel
Health clubs are fiercely competing as consumers remain cautious about spending. Some offer bargain rates on stripped-down programs, while others dangle services such as free child care. And most clubs have ditched the restrictive contracts and allow people to pay month-by-month.
7/21/10 © Tribune Interactive
Perdue is recalling about 91,872 pounds of frozen chicken nugget products that may contain foreign materials, the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service announced. They were all shipped to Wal-Mart.
7/20/2010 © Washington Post
A firm hoping to revolutionize the way Americans care for aging family members has unveiled its first prototype of a portable, high-tech dwelling that would provide temporary shelter for a sick or elderly relative in the family's backyard.
7/20/2010 © Chicago Tribune
The controversial “five-second rule” — the one that allows us to eat dropped food if quickly scooped off the floor — is a fallacy, says food scientist Paul Dawson, who stirred up the in this month’s National Geographic.
7/20/2010 © Florida Times Union
The question of how to judge nursing home quality is on the minds of many after the Times-Union reported on allegations of abuse at one Jacksonville center. So how best to choose a facility?
7/20/2010 © Orlando Sentinel
A vaginal gel which contains the anti-HIV drug tenofovir reduced HIV transmission among women in South Africa by 39 percent, researchers said. Transmission was cut in half for those who closely followed instructions.
7/20/2010 © Miami Herald
Designed to bring smiles to patients, the Paws for Smiles dog therapy program travels to the rooms of patients in nine South Florida hospitals.
7/19/2010 © St. Louis Post Dispatch
Some of the most common summer dangers for children are a big part of summer's fun: bikes, pools, trampolines and campfires. But with those joys can come injuries. Here are the five most common problems.
7/18/2010 © Orlando Sentinel
Starting July 29, Publix will begin selling healthier, ready-to-eat kids' lunches at its delis, joining other stores already offering or planning to sell similar meals. The meals will feature items like baby carrots and organic yogurt.
7/17/2010 © Tampa Tribune
Buying a sunscreen with a high SPF isn't as important as using enough, experts say. A 15 SPF is sufficient for most Floridians as long as they apply it early and often.
7/16/2010 © MedPage Today
Several romaine lettuce products with past-due use-by dates have been voluntarily recalled by Fresh Express due to potential E. coli O157:H7 contamination after a random FDA screening found the bacteria in a sample of greens.
7/15/2010 © South Florida Sun Sentinel
Dengue fever has been confirmed in South Florida. But no one is suggesting you cancel your vacation. All you have to do is guard against mosquito bites. Here are some common questions, and the answers.
7/14/2010 © The Associated Press
The Consumer Product Safety Commission has proposed rules that would ban the manufacture, sale and resale of drop-side cribs. The push to ban the cribs came as the CPSC announced the recall of 82,000 cribs from Pottery Barn Kids.
7/14/2010 © The Associated Press
Kellogg Co. said that higher-than-normal amounts of certain chemicals in its package liners caused the unusual smell and flavor that prompted a recall of 28 million boxes of its cereal in late June. Those chemicals include methyl naphthalene.
7/15/2010 © Seattle Times
Running is booming in the U.S. as more people seek inexpensive ways to manage stress amid economic uncertainty. The boom also can be seen at running stores, where sales of shoes and accessories remain at or above pre-recession levels.
7/14/2010 © Orlando Sentinel
In the push to eradicate childhood obesity, some have suggested getting rid of chocolate milk at school. But a new study finds that eliminating flavored milks from schools resulted in a dramatic drop in milk consumption and a reduction in nutrients.
7/15/2010 © Gainesville Sun
An herbal product known as "spice" -- plant matter sprinkled with synthetic cannabinoids -- has been growing in popularity. But medical centers have been seeing side effects such as anxiety, hypertension, nausea, hallucinations and seizures.
7/14/2010 © St. Petersburg Times
The day after an attack, an Oldsmar man boarded his flight back to Tampa and found the cabin covered in peanuts and wrappers. The only thing he could do was walk out and pay for a new flight.
7/14/2010 © The Associated Press
About 137,000 pieces of imported children's jewelry sold at two stores popular with preteen girls -- Justice and Limited Too -- were recalled Tuesday for high levels of cadmium, the latest in a series of recalls involving the toxic metal.
7/14/2010 © USA Today
Close to one in 25 outbreaks of foodborne illness in restaurants and delis can be traced to contaminated, freshly-made salsa or guacamole, the CDC is reporting. All were from fresh-made salsa or guacamole from restaurants or delis.
Some people seem to cleave to a bad diagnosis. The worse it sounds, the more they marry it. 
“I’m feeling better now doc. I’d like to go home.” Bill G. uttered these words to me less than 24 hours from the time he was admitted through the emergency room with chest pain. He had not sustained a heart attack, but he had a weak heart muscle and heart surgery in the past.
I’m glad to see that the Council for Responsible Nutrition is continuing to identify itself as a trade group representing dietary supplement manufacturers when it takes a stand on public issues, as it recently has.
