Health

Lung Cancer and African Americans: Know the facts

Monday, 03 December 2012 14:09 The National Cancer Institute

First, the bad news. Lung cancer kills more African Americans than any other type of cancer. And African Americans have higher rates of lung cancer than white Americans: for example, from 2003 to 2007, African American men had a 23 percent higher rate of new lung cancer diagnoses than white men. African Americans also have a lower five-year relative survival rate than whites. Furthermore, some studies have shown that African Americans with early-stage disease are less likely than whites to receive surgery, which offers the best chance for a cure.

Chronic headaches? Start by being your own detective

Friday, 30 November 2012 10:35 Nicole Winbush, MD

Many people deal with headaches from time to time and an increasing number of people complain of chronic headaches.

New nutrition standards for school lunches

Thursday, 29 November 2012 13:52 EarthTalk® E - The Environmental Magazine

Dear EarthTalk: What are the new nutrition standards for school lunches that have some students boycotting their cafeterias and discarding the food? -- Melissa Makowsky, Trenton, NJ

What you need to know about Whooping Cough (Pertussis)

Thursday, 29 November 2012 12:46 MDH

Another fitful night. A mom is awake, listening to her baby cough and trying to comfort him. She will be too worried to sleep tonight. For the past four days, her baby has had trouble eating, drinking, and sleeping because of this awful cough. Tomorrow, she will miss another day of work to care for him. She wonders when it will end. She is exhausted and her baby is miserable. Unfortunately, the end will not come soon because this cough is whooping cough, also called the "100-day cough" because of its long duration.

More options for vaccination make it easier for nearly everyone to protect themselves

Thursday, 29 November 2012 12:37 MDH

Influenza season is just getting underway in Minnesota, so it's not too late to get vaccinated against what can be a serious disease, say state health officials. Nearly everyone should get vaccinated and there are more options for doing so than ever before.

Avoid the emotional unrest and enjoy Thanksgiving

Tuesday, 20 November 2012 17:43 By Dr. Timothy Moore

Thanksgiving is observed each year in the United States on the fourth Thursday in November. This year, Thanksgiving is celebrated on Nov. 22 in remembrance of the Pilgrims who left England to escape religious persecution and in order to give thanks for their bounty and good fortunes once they settled in America.

Sharp rise in diabetic eye disease makes American Diabetes Month ever more important

Thursday, 15 November 2012 11:50 National Eye Institute Director, Paul A. Sieving, M.D., Ph.D.

Diabetes is the leading cause of blindness among working-age adults in the United States. According to recent studies funded by the National Eye Institute (NEI), diabetic retinopathy, one of the most common and debilitating complications of diabetes, increased by 3.7 million new cases over the last decade.