(RealAge.com) You won't lose weight on a diet of celery sticks and dry toast. Your body will just think it's starving and hang onto those extra pounds! Rather, to lose weight effectively and permanently, you need to eat. And eat smart. Happily, there are a host of delicious edibles designed by nature to turn up your fat-burning furnace, flatten your belly, and take a big bite out of your appetite. Here are 11 of the get-slim food gems we're talking about:

Yogurt…
Eggs…
Pistachios…
Grapefruit…
Avocado…
Mushrooms…
Olive Oil…
Whole Grains…
Red Pepper…
Fava Beans…
Rice with Veggies

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(RealAge.com) A warm glass of milk may not be the only beverage that can help make you sleepy. Sipping some tart cherry juice also might help you nod off.

In fact, in a study of older adults, tart cherry juice seemed to help them fall asleep faster, stay asleep longer, and rack up more total hours of sleep at night.

The study involved research participants sipping a commercially prepared tart cherry juice morning and night for a couple of weeks. Although it was a small study funded by the juice manufacturer, it was not without merit. And similar research has already shown cherries to be high in melatonin, a sleep-regulating hormone that's produced by the pineal gland in the brain but that can be found in some plant sources, too, like fruit. Cherries are also loaded with certain anti-inflammatory cytokines that are thought to regulate the sleep-wake cycle.

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(RealAge.com) Adding one special ingredient to a morning bowl of cereal just might help you sidestep high blood sugar problems. We're talking about blueberries.

Research suggests that a regular dose of phenolic compounds found in the dark blue fruit may help enhance insulin sensitivity -- the body's ability to draw sugar from the blood and put it to use as energy.

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(Science Daily) They are the most widely produced fruit in the world and now scientists in Japan have discovered that tomatoes contain a nutrient which could tackle the onset of vascular diseases…

"Finding a compound which helps the prevention of obesity-related chronic diseases in foodstuffs is a great advantage to tackling these diseases," concluded [Dr Teruo] Kawada. "It means that the tomato allows people to easily manage the onset of dyslipidemia [a condition which is caused by an abnormal amount of lipids, such as cholesterol or fat, in the blood stream] through their daily diet."

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MyRecipes.com

Steak Tips with Peppered Mushroom Gravy
Your family will love this comforting recipe that’s less than 350 calories per serving.

Beef Filets with Mushroom Sauce and Parmesan Popovers

Porcini Mushroom Meat Loaf with Mushroom Gravy

Chicken Breasts with Mushroom Sauce

EatingWell:

Salmon & Roasted Vegetable Salad
Toss roasted vegetables and salmon with a flavor-packed vinaigrette to serve on top of greens for a hearty dinner salad. For a twist, add a poached or fried egg on top. Serve with: Toasted whole-grain baguette and a glass of Riesling.

Bean & Salmon Salad with Anchovy-Arugula Dressing

Salmon over Warm Lentil, Apple & Walnut Salad

Salmon Roasted with Tomatoes & Olives

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(SouthBeachDiet.com) Grilling is just one great way to prepare fish. Here are four additional cooking techniques that will help you add more fish to your diet.

You can sauté fish…

You can poach fish…

You can bake fish…

You can broil fish…

How do you know whether your fish is done? 
Simply test with a fork at its thickest point. Perfectly cooked fish should be opaque and flake easily when tested with a fork. Undercooked fish looks raw. Salmon and tuna are the exception, as both can be served pink on the inside as long as they are very fresh. Note: To maintain freshness and taste, make sure to thaw frozen fish in the refrigerator — not at room temperature, under warm water, or in the microwave.

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(Science Daily) Elevated fat and cholesterol levels found in a typical American-style diet play an important role in the growth and spread of breast cancer, say researchers…

The study … examines the role of fat and cholesterol in breast cancer development using a mouse model. The results show that mice fed a Western diet and predisposed to develop mammary tumors, can develop larger tumors that are faster growing and metastasize more easily, compared to animals eating a control diet.

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(HealthDay News) Obese fibromyalgia patients suffer more severe symptoms such as pain, reduced flexibility and sleep disturbances than those of normal weight, a new study indicates.

But the good news is that losing weight may bring a modicum of relief, other research suggests.

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(Science Daily) Women who underwent gastric band surgery to lose weight reported significant improvements in urinary function and quality of life after the operation, according to research…

However, men undergoing the procedure did not enjoy the same significant urinary function improvements as the women. They also reported that erectile function was slightly worse after surgery, unlike studies following non-surgical weight loss where sexual function actually improved.

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(Science Daily) A simpler form of testing individuals with risk factors for diabetes could improve diabetes prevention efforts by substantially increasing the number of individuals who complete testing and learn whether or not they are likely to develop diabetes…

"Identifying more individuals with pre-diabetes through a simple test in a physician's office gives us a real opportunity to halt progression to the disease, which is clearly a win-win situation," said [Ronald T. Ackermann, M.D., M.P.H.].

"If you have high blood pressure or heart disease, or multiple other risk factors such as obesity, are over the age of 45, had a past episode of diabetes during pregnancy, or have a family history of the disease, your physician can administer a simple blood test which will show if you are pre-diabetic. If you are pre-diabetic, [losing] as little as 10 to 15 pounds through diet and exercise can cut in half your chances of getting diabetes, greatly improving your health and lowering your need for health care," said Dr. Ackermann.

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(Science Daily) Soon, your family doctor will no longer have to send blood or cancer cell samples to the laboratory. A little chip will give her test results on the spot…

The EU's MicroActive project has developed an integrated system based on microtechnology and biotechnology, that will enable a number of conditions to be diagnosed automatically in the doctor's own office.

The new "health chip" looks like a credit card and contains a complete laboratory. The EU project has used cells taken to diagnose cervical cancer as a case study, but in principle the chip can check out a number of different diseases caused by bacteria or viruses, as well as various types of cancer.

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(HealthDay News) A blood test that screens for antibodies, a protein produced by the immune system, may one day be used to detect Alzheimer's and other diseases, new research suggests.

Though the research is still in its infancy, being able to detect Alzheimer's via antibodies would be a simpler and less invasive method of diagnosing the disease, researchers said.

But the study's lead author stressed that the true benefits of such a test for Alzheimer's patients won't really arise until scientists develop effective treatments against the disease.

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(Science Daily) Dr. Emil Kozarov and a team of researchers at the Columbia University College of Dental Medicine have identified specific bacteria that may have a key role in vascular pathogenesis, specifically atherosclerosis, or what is commonly referred to as "hardening of the arteries" -- the number one cause of death in the United States…

The data suggest that a chronic infection may underlie the process of atherosclerosis, an infection that can be initiated by the systemic dissemination of bacteria though different "gates" in the vascular wall -- as in the case of a septic patient, through intestinal infection. The data support Dr. Kozarov's previous studies, where his team identified periodontal bacteria in carotid artery, thus pointing to tissue-destructing periodontal infections as one possible gate to the circulation.

Bacteria can gain access to the circulation through different avenues, and then penetrate the vascular walls where they can create secondary infections that have been shown to lead to atherosclerotic plaque formation, the researchers continued.

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(Science Daily) Medical experts have issued a warning about the common practice of tablet splitting, after a study found that nearly a third of the split fragments deviated from recommended dosages by 15 per cent or more.

Their study … points out that the practice could have serious clinical consequences for tablets that have a narrow margin between therapeutic and toxic doses.

And they are calling on manufacturers to produce greater dose options and liquid alternatives to make the practice unnecessary.

Read more.

Community: Manufacturers need to come down on the cost. Low-dose aspirin tablets, for example, are much more expensive per milligram than the regular size tablets.

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(UPI) Patients transported by helicopter tend to be more severely injured than those transported by ambulance but are more likely to survive, U.S. researchers say…

Study authors say the speed of transport and the air-medical crews providing therapies and technologies not universally available to ground unit crews may be the main reasons for the positive patient outcomes.

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(Reuters) Republican efforts to scrap President Barack Obama's healthcare reform took a hit on Thursday when budget analysts said repeal would add billions of dollars to the federal budget deficit.

The nonpartisan Congressional Budget Office estimated overturning the reform signed by Obama last year would add about $230 billion to the deficit by 2021 and result in 32 million fewer people having health insurance.

That was a blow to Republican campaign promises to slash the federal budget deficit.

The White House Office of Management and Budget said the administration "strongly opposes" passage of the repeal legislation, known as H.R. 2, saying it would explode the deficit and eliminate fiscal savings in the healthcare reform bill.

"If the president were presented with H.R. 2, he would veto it," OMB said in a statement.

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(Reuters) Dr. Andrew Wakefield, the-now disgraced British doctor who published studies linking vaccines with autism, committed an "elaborate fraud" by faking data, the British Medical Journal said on Wednesday.

The journal's editors said it was not possible that Wakefield made a mistake but must have falsified the data for his study, which convinced thousands of parents that vaccines are dangerous and which is blamed for ongoing outbreaks of measles and mumps…

Fears that vaccines might cause autism have not only caused parents to skip vaccinating their children, but have forced costly reformulations of many vaccines.

Read more.

Community: Please remember that Oprah promoted celebrity Jenny McCarthy, a big proponent of stopping vaccines, claiming that one of her children acquired autism after a vaccination. We should never assume that celebrities know anything at all about science.

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(HealthDay News)  The number of American adults treated for diabetes more than doubled between 1996 and 2007, rising from about 9 million to 19 million, says a federal government report released Wednesday…

[Dr. Christine Resta says] one culprit behind the soaring numbers of American diabetics. "The percentage of U.S. adults who are overweight or obese has also risen dramatically, and there is no doubt that rising rates of obesity are linked to the rising rates of diabetes," she said…

"The longer the duration of diabetes, the more likely the patient is to have complications," Resta explained. "Each of these complications (eye damage, kidney damage, nerve damage, foot infections, cardiovascular disease) adds to the cost of taking care of diabetes. Treating the complications is often much more expensive than treating the blood sugars. So all of these factors are contributiing to the skyrocketing costs."

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Community: Not to mention the suffering involved.

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(HealthDay News) Prostate cancer patients who routinely engage in modest amounts of vigorous physical exercise appear to lower their risk of dying from their disease, new research suggests.

Three hours a week or more of vigorous biking, tennis, jogging or swimming seems to improve the prognosis among such patients, the research team found. But they added that even moderate physical activity appears to lower the overall risk of dying from any cause.

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(Science Daily) Regularly drinking green tea could protect the brain against developing Alzheimer's and other forms of dementia, according to latest research by scientists at Newcastle University.

The study … also suggests this ancient Chinese remedy could play a vital role in protecting the body against cancer.

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(HealthDay News) For heart failure patients whose condition is controlled with standard care, omega-3 fatty acid supplements appear to improve their condition even more, a small study suggests.

"Adding n-3 polyunsaturated fatty acids, even in patients that had a major improvement [on standard treatment], showed a further improvement in heart function and exercise capacity," said study co-author Dr. Mihai Gheorghiade, a professor of cardiology at Northwestern University's Feinberg School of Medicine.

This shows that even in patients who respond to therapy, "we can make them much better," he added. "This opens the door for the potential of a natural therapy -- so-called macronutrients -- in the management of heart failure."

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Cooking Light:

Low-Calorie Recipes
Whether you're counting calories for a special diet or you just like to make every calorie count, dive into our most delicious low-calorie recipes.

Season's Best: Citrus
Citrus fruits offer a burst of bright, fresh flavor during winter months. Find our editor's tips and favorite recipes.

MyRecipes.com:

Speedy Chicken Potpie
Though you have to hustle, you really can get this chicken potpie on the table in 20 minutes. Start browning the chicken and bringing the broth to a boil right away, and get the pie dough in the oven as soon as it reaches 425°. Strips of pastry are a quick stand-in for the traditional crust on top.

Hunter's-Style Beef Pie

Tomato-Cheddar Pie

Greek Greens and Sweet Onion Pie

EatingWell:

Edamame Succotash with Shrimp
We give succotash—traditionally a Southern dish made with corn, lima beans and peppers—an update using edamame instead of limas and turn it into a main dish by adding shrimp. To get it on the table even faster, purchase peeled, deveined shrimp from the fish counter instead of doing it yourself. Make it a meal: All you need is a warm piece of cornbread to go with this complete meal.

Shrimp Caesar

Warm Shrimp & Arugula Salad

Chicken, Shrimp & Mango Salad

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(Science Daily) A ground-breaking antibiotic therapy developed at Cedars-Sinai Medical Center is the first potential drug treatment to provide irritable bowel syndrome patients with long-lasting relief of their symptoms even after they stop taking the medication, according to a study…

Unlike in traditional therapies, such as when taking antidepressant and other medications that have benefits only while on the drug, patients in the study reported relief of their symptoms extended for weeks after completing treatment with rifaximin.

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(HealthDay News) Just weeks after U.S. health officials moved to rescind approval of the drug Avastin to treat breast cancer, a new study provides more evidence that the anti-cancer medication ups the odds of congestive heart failure in these patients.

The meta-analysis … included almost 4,000 patients and found a small but significant number developed heart failure.

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(HealthDay News) Researchers have taken another step in the hunt to find a treatment for an aggressive, likely-to-recur form of breast cancer.

In a study…, the experimental drug iniparib not only shrank tumors and increased the time they took to progress, but also surprised researchers by prolonging survival in women with what's known as triple-negative breast cancer.

This type of breast cancer lacks receptors for estrogen and progesterone and doesn't have large quantities of HER-2/neu protein, which the most successful cancer therapies target. This means that many currently available drugs simply won't affect it.

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(UPI) A leukemia drug could prevent destruction of brain cells in Parkinson's disease, which could lead to ways to slow its progression, U.S. researchers say…

Scientists acknowledge the research is preliminary and the drug used in the experiment with mice doesn't work well in the human brain, but similar drugs in development might better penetrate the brain and target the specific enzyme at fault more precisely, they say.

About a half-million people suffer from the tremors and stiffness of Parkinson's, caused by damage to the dopamine-producing cells in the brain.

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(HealthDay News) The role that air pollution plays in heart rhythm disorders (arrhythmias) that can cause sudden death may be underestimated, according to researchers.

A small study of 25 healthy people without heart disease found detectable changes in the heart's electrical system when the participants were exposed to polluted air…

The fact that air pollution can have this effect on healthy people indicates that people with heart disease may be at even greater risk from air pollution than previously believed, the study authors said.

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(Science Daily) Cumbersome glaucoma tests that require a visit to the ophthalmologist could soon be history thanks to a home test developed by a UA engineer…

"You simply close your eye and rub the eyelid like you might casually rub your eye," said [Eniko] Enikov, a professor of aerospace and mechanical engineering. "The instrument detects the stiffness and, therefore, infers the intraocular pressure."…

"The innovation with our device is that it's noninvasive, simpler to use and applies to a variety of situations that are either difficult to address or impossible to test using the current procedures," Enikov said. "That's why we're so excited about this probe. It has great potential to improve medical care, and significant commercial possibilities, as well."

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(Science Daily) Scientists in China are reporting development of a less expensive, more eco-friendly method for making deuterium-depleted drinking water, citing studies suggesting that it may be a more healthful form of water…

[The researchers] cite accumulating evidence that water with high levels of deuterium may have adverse health effects on animals and plants, while deuterium-depleted water may be useful in treatment of certain diseases. Existing ways of removing deuterium from water tend to be expensive, inefficient, or environmentally harmful.

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(Reuters) Cigarette makers will have to provide U.S. regulators with detailed information about the ingredients and design of products they have introduced or changed since early 2007, or face possible penalties…

The move aims to shed light on levels of addictive nicotine and other properties of cigarettes, smokeless tobacco and roll-your-own products to keep more dangerous products off the market, officials said. It does not target cigars or dissolvable tobacco products.

The changes will "assure that any new or changed tobacco products are not worse to the public health than those that were on the market February 15, 2007," said Lawrence Deyton, head of the FDA's new Center for Tobacco Products.

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(HealthDay News) [A] new analysis found that a formula that includes gait predicted older people's future life span about as well as taking into account such health conditions as blood pressure and heart disease…

So are slow walkers doomed to an early grave? Absolutely not, [study author Dr. Stephanie Anne] Studenski said. "There is clearly a group of people who walk slowly and live a long time," she said. "It's not a death sentence."

On the other hand, there's also no evidence that you'll live longer if you boost your walking speed, she said.

Even so, a slow gait can be a warning sign.

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(Science Daily) With life expectancy increasing in Latin America, age-related disease has become a pressing public health concern. Results of an epidemiological study … showed that the metabolic syndrome, a condition that increases a person's risk of developing cardiovascular disease and type 2 diabetes, was prevalent in a low-income urban community in Ecuador and that a poor diet low in micronutrients appeared to contribute…

"With high-calorie foods lacking essential nutrients serving as pillars of the diet, it is possible to be both overweight and malnourished," [senior author Simin Nikbin] Meydani says. "Our data suggests that limited consumption of nutrient dense foods such as chicken, vegetables and legumes makes this small population of Ecuadorian elders even more susceptible to the metabolic syndrome."

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Community: You don’t have to be a poor Ecuadorian to suffer from malnutrition induced by eating too much of empty calorie foods.

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(UPI) It is much easier to follow through on the New Year's resolution to eat healthier if you create the right environment, U.S. dietitians say.

Lona Sandon, a registered dietitian…, says the best way to kick off a better post-holiday diet is by clearing the kitchen of all fattening or unhealthy foods…

The cost and availability of fresh produce in the winter can be an easy excuse for coming up short, Dr. Jo Ann Carson, also a nutrition expert…, says.

"In the winter you can augment the fresh produce you find in season with canned or frozen fruits and vegetables," she says.

"Frozen fruits and vegetables are picked at the height of freshness, and are therefore generally almost as nutritious as fresh produce. Some canned fruits and vegetables are even more nutritious than fresh. Just be sure to scan the ingredient label to be certain you're not getting any added sugar, salt or fat."

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(Reuters Health) Women who eat more than three servings of fish per week are less likely to experience a stroke, a new study suggests.

Specifically, fish-lovers in Sweden were 16 percent less likely to experience a stroke over a 10-year-period, relative to women who ate fish less than once a week.

"Fish consumption in many countries, including the U.S., is far too low, and increased fish consumption would likely result in substantial benefits in the population," said Dr. Dariush Mozaffarian of the Harvard School of Public Health, who reviewed the findings for Reuters Health.

Read more.

Community: If you want to prevent, delay, or reduce the severity of stroke, here are some ways to do it.

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MyRecipes.com:

Spice-Rubbed Pork Chops
A hint of brown sugar rounds out the flavors of the smoky, robust spice rub. Although this recipe serves two people, you can easily double or even triple the ingredients to serve more.

Applewood-smoked Spareribs with Paprika Chili Spice Rub

Pork Chops with Carolina Rub

Beef Tenderloin Steaks with Creole Spice Rub

EatingWell:

Stuffed Pork Sandwich
The classic Cuban sandwich inspired this recipe. The original is made with ham, roasted pork, Swiss cheese and pickles pressed and griddled between two pieces of soft white bread. Our version cuts down on the meat and is served on a soft whole-wheat bun. Feel free to press it in a panini maker to make it crispy. Serve with vinegary coleslaw.

Stuffed Pork Sandwiches for Two

Mozzarella-Stuffed Turkey Burgers

Crab Salad-Stuffed Pitas

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(Science Daily) An ingredient found in abundance in birch bark appears to have an array of metabolic benefits, according to new studies in animals that are reported in the January issue of Cell Metabolism, a Cell Press publication. In mice, the compound known as betulin lowered cholesterol, helped prevent diet-induced obesity, and improved insulin sensitivity. Betulin-treated mice were also more resistant to developing atherosclerotic plaques in their arteries…

The researchers say that their findings suggest that betulin may have similar or even better effects than lovastatin, a member of the most widely prescribed drug class for treating high cholesterol. For instance, in their studies betulin decreased lipids in liver and fat to a greater extent than lovastatin did. Betulin also improved insulin resistance through its effects on fatty acid and triglyceride synthesis.

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(Science Daily) Inflammation is a protective response to invading microbes and tissue damage. Upon microbe clearance from the body or completion of wound healing, the inflammatory response must be dampened down. One set of molecules known to play a role in resolving the inflammatory response is the E-series resolvins.

While analyzing the blood of several individuals to investigate the pathway by which E-series resolvins are generated, Charles Serhan and colleagues … identified a new 18S E-series resolvin.

Importantly, the new resolvin reduced levels of pro-inflammatory molecules and cells in a mouse model of inflammation caused by the bacterium E. coli. Further, as the new resolvin could be generated from aspirin, the authors suggest that this molecule could contribute to the beneficial effects of aspirin.

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(Science Daily) Researchers at the University of Colorado School of Medicine have created a promising new mouse model to study how lipid sensing and metabolism in the brain relate to the regulation of energy balance and body weight…

The genetically-modified mouse (NEXLPL) has a defect in the breakdown of dietary lipoprotein triglycerides into fatty acids in the brain. These mice became obese on a standard chow diet between three and six months. At that point, the mice ate less and were less active…

Overall, this research indicates that the lipoproteins are sensed in the brain by an LPL-dependent pathway and provide lipid signals for the central regulation of body weight and energy balance.

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(Science Daily) Researchers have found what appears to be a critical tuning dial for controlling whole body energy, according to a new report… When energy levels within cells drop, it sets off a series of events designed to increase the amount of calorie-rich dietary fat that the body will absorb.

This energy reset mechanism is surely critical for survival under natural conditions of scarcity to ensure a steady supply of fuel, the researchers say. Today, many of us who enjoy a Western diet loaded with fat might do better if we could find a way to turn the activity of the so-called AMPK-SRC-2 pathway down…

"Obesity is all about fat absorption and storage," [researcher Bert] O'Malley said. "If you could turn that down, you could have a major effect on a disease that is slowly killing the population." He says his team is now conducting studies in search of SRC-2 inhibitors that might do exactly that.

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(Science Daily) For decades, doctors have looked at fitness levels, weight, and overall health risk factors for heart disease and stroke. Now, they may soon add a new risk factor to the list: activation of the complement system. The complement system is usually implicated in immune responses, but now there's a role for it in cardiovascular disease.

In a new research report…, scientists from Europe and the United States show that anaphylatoxin C5a, a protein released when complement is activated, contributes to atherosclerotic disease. C5a causes plaques to break free from where they would be anchored to ultimately cause blockages elsewhere in the body. This new discovery not only shows that C5a is a new marker for identifying risk for heart attack and stroke, but it also establishes C5a as a new therapeutic target for preventing these problems.

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(Science Daily) Researchers have produced a lasting anti-cocaine immunity in mice by giving them a safe vaccine that combines bits of the common cold virus with a particle that mimics cocaine…

[T]he researchers say this novel strategy might be the first to offer cocaine addicts a fairly simple way to break and reverse their habit, and it might also be useful in treating other addictions, such as to nicotine, heroin and other opiates.

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(HealthDay News) Common baldness could have its roots in a newly identified stem cell defect, a finding that could potentially lead to new hair-loss treatments down the road, a new study reveals.

Researchers say they discovered that a cellular malfunction short-circuits the process by which hair follicle stem cells turn into hair-producing progenitor cells. That defect, rather than any loss of stem cells themselves, sparks the onset of androgenetic alopecia, the medical term for a type of genetic hair loss that affects both men and women, they report…

The findings offer "a lot more hope that you could actually get hair to grow in a bald scalp," said study co-author Dr. George Cotsarelis.

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(HealthDay News) Elderly people who lose their teeth may be at increased risk for dementia, researchers have found.

The new study included more than 4,000 Japanese participants, 65 and older, who underwent a dental examination and a psychiatric assessment. Compared with participants who still had many of their natural teeth, those with fewer or no teeth were much more likely to have experienced some memory loss or have early-stage Alzheimer's disease…

"Infections in the gums that can lead to tooth loss may release inflammatory substances, which in turn will enhance the brain inflammation that cause neuronal death and hasten memory loss," [Dr. Nozomi Okamoto, the study's principal investigator,] said in a news release.. "The loss of sensory receptors around the teeth is linked to some of the dying neurons."

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(Science Daily) New research found clinicians who care for patients with osteoarthritis (OA) are likely not following standard care guidelines that are based on current medical evidence. Researchers noted physicians were prescribing medications for pain and inflammation, or opting for surgical interventions rather than recommending weight loss plans or exercise programs to OA patients…

 "Weight management and exercise programs tend to be overlooked by clinicians," said Dr. [David] Hunter. "These conservative approaches are beneficial to patients who adhere to weight-loss and exercise programs."

Researchers further suggest that surgery be resisted when symptoms can be well managed by other treatment methods. The typical indications for a surgical approach in treating OA are debilitating pain and major limitation of functions such as walking, working, or sleeping. However, prior studies have shown that up to 30% of some surgical procedures are inappropriate and recent recommendations suggest routine arthroscopy for knee OA management should be avoided -- something not reflected in clinical practice.

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(Reuters Health) - Women who have their uterus removed for reasons other than cancer may be at a greater risk of suffering a heart attack or stroke, suggests a large new study.

The risk appears to rise even higher for women who also have both ovaries removed. However, the Swedish researchers stop short of saying that taking out either the uterus or the ovaries can actually cause cardiovascular disease.

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(HealthDay News) About 20 percent of U.S. patients who receive an implantable cardioverter-defibrillator (ICD) may not need it, a new study finds.

Patients who receive out-of-guideline ICDs are put at higher risk of death and serious complications than patients who meet the criteria for the life-saving device, the researchers say.

Read more.

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(Kaiser Health News) The following are … health law changes to take note of this year…

Starting this year, health insurers must spend at least 80 percent of their premiums on medical care, or face the possibility of giving rebates to consumers…

Prescription drug costs could shrink $700 for a typical Medicare beneficiary in 2011, as the law begins to close the notorious doughnut hole – the gap in prescription coverage when millions of seniors must pay full price at the pharmacy…

Beginning soon after the Food and Drug Administration finalizes rules in 2011, chain restaurants with 20 or more locations, and owners of 20 or more vending machines, will have to display calorie information on menus, menu boards and drive-thru signs. Restaurants must also provide diners with a brochure that includes detailed nutritional information, like the fat content of their dishes…

Medicare premiums in 2011 will take a bigger bite from wealthier beneficiaries…

Medicare is bumping up payments for primary care by 10 percent from Jan. 1 through the end of 2015. It's an incentive for doctors and others who specialize in primary care – including nurses, nurse practitioners and physician assistants – to see the swelling numbers of seniors and disabled people covered by the program…

Several provisions of the law promote prevention of disease, especially for seniors. Medicare enrollees will be able to get many preventive health services – such as vaccinations and cancer screenings – for free starting in January.

Read more.

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