Seasonal Flu Vaccine Even Less Effective Than Thought: CDC

This year's flu vaccine is even more disappointing than previously reported, showing just 18 percent effectiveness against the dominant H3N2 strain of flu, health officials reported Thursday.

That's a drop from the 23 percent protection level estimated for the flu shot earlier in the season, said experts at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

The situation for children was even worse. The CDC panel pegged the effectiveness of the injected vaccine for kids aged 2 to 8 to be just 15 percent.

And the nasal-spray version of the vaccine may not protect young children at all, health officials said.

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They Agreed To Die Early If They Could Have 'The Perfect Body.' Yep, Die.

There are plenty of reasons why diets suck and plenty more reasons why no one should want to risk their life to be a certain weight.

This is how your body would change if you stopped smoking for 40 days

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Top Rated Diets

U.S. News evaluated and ranked 35 diets with input from a panel of health experts. To be top-rated, a diet had to be relatively easy to follow, nutritious, safe, effective for losing those pounds and protective against diabetes and heart disease.

10 Things Personal Trainers Won't Tell You

As we begin 2015, many people are regretting the extra pounds they put on during the holidays, and are looking for ways to take it off. Some may turn to a personal trainer who creates a customized exercise program. Before you hire one, here are some dirty little secrets of the exercise industry that you should keep in mind.

HIV Is Getting Weaker

The rapid evolution of HIV is slowing its ability to cause AIDS, according to a study of more than 2,000 women in Botswana and South Africa. Scientists said the research suggests a less-virulent HIV could be one of several factors contributing to a turning of the deadly pandemic, eventually leading to the end of AIDS. “Overall, we are bringing down the ability of HIV to cause AIDS so quickly,” said Philip Goulder, a professor at Oxford University who led the study. “But it would be overstating it to say HIV has lost its potency.” Some 35 million people have HIV, and AIDS has killed around 40 million people. But campaigners noted that for the first time, the annual number of new HIV infections is lower than the number of HIV-positive people being added to those receiving treatment.

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CDC to parents: Consider circumcising your sons, because benefits outweigh the risks

According to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the benefits of circumcising male infants outweigh the risks. The CDC suggested that parents consider the procedure for their sons and said that insurers should pay for it.

The Associated Press reported on Tuesday that the health organization released draft guidelines for circumcision and is opening the document to public comment for 45 days before finalizing them.

These are the first federal guidelines in the U.S. regarding circumcision. The agency has been studying the issue for nearly a decade to determine whether the practice is a truly beneficial measure or an outdated religious rite with no medical purpose.

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10 Tips To Beat The Winter Blahs

During the winter season, we are expected to continue at the same pace we did when there was more light and the weather was warmer. To help balance the shift of seasons, consider these 10 tips to help you create space to embrace rest and restoration during the winter months.


1. Maximize the light you have.


Open curtains, remove screens, clean windows, and trim back tree branches to let in more light. Find a bright location in your home where you can sit or lie down to soak in the sun's energy. Rearrange furniture in east- or south-facing rooms to maximize natural light. Embrace the natural light, however limited, to help start off the day on the right foot.


2. Reduce obligations that add stress to your life.


Be mindful of what things are necessary and fulfilling. Let go of those things that cause you to feel overextended.

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FDA Unveils National Calorie-Labeling Rules So You Can Now Feel Super Guilty About That Second Margarita

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released new guidelines on Tuesday that will require a sweeping array of establishments and services to provide clearly labeled calorie counts on food and beverages.

This Is What You're Paying For When You Buy Organic

More and more of us are willing to fork over cash for foods labeled "organic," but strikingly few of us actually know what organic means, reports Fast Company.

A recent survey from BFG, a brand consultancy, asked 300 people (most of whom were under the age of 35) about their food-shopping habits. Their results showed that about 70% of the respondents were buying something with an "organic" label, but only 20% felt confident they could define the word.

And, we can't really blame them: The world of food labels and their regulation is pretty murky. But, the USDA does have fairly straightforward standards for how these items should be stickered, and strict regulations regarding the required certification process brands need to go through for the privilege of being labeled "organic." In general, organic crops, livestock, and other foods must be able to demonstrate that they're "protecting natural resources, conserving biodiversity, and using only approved substances." That usually includes not using prohibited pesticides, synthetic fertilizers, GMOs, antibiotics, or growth hormones.

However, the different levels of organic labeling in the U.S. do complicate the issue. For instance, "100% organic" is different from just "organic," which is different from "made with organic" and so on. And, while the use of the term "organic" can be regulated to a degree, something like the word "natural" really can't. The FDA says it doesn't have a hard regulatory definition of "natural" when used as a food label, but the term could conceivably be used to denote a product that's free of artificial coloring or flavors.

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Is Your Sore Throat a Cold, Strep Throat, or Tonsillitis?

Got a sore throat? Wonder if your painful sore throat is from a cold, strep throat, or tonsillitis? Here's help with how to tell.

So, Should You Eat Gluten Or Not?

The gluten debate continues, often with more venom than opposition parties at election time. Why does this molecule ignite so much antagonism? After all, it's just a food…Or is it?

Stem Cell 'Breakthrough' for Parkinson's

Scientists in Sweden say they have made a “huge breakthrough” with stem cell research that may dramatically improve the treatment of Parkinson's disease. Parkinson's is brought on when brain cells stop producing dopamine, a chemical that controls mood and movement. Scientists simulated Parkinson's in rats and then converted human embryonic stem cells into neurons that produced dopamine. Evidence showed that at least some of the Parkinson's brain damage was reversed. Although there have been no human clinical trials of neurons derived from stem cells, they may begin as early as 2017.

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Feeling blue about winter? This could be why.

It’s that time of year again – the end of daylight savings and the beginning of the dark season. While many of us look forward to seasonal festivities, millions can also expect feelings of depression, fatigue, irritability and poor sleep. This form of mental illness, commonly known as the “winter blues”, is Seasonal Affective Disorder (SAD).

SAD occurs most frequently in populations furthest from the equator. It is estimated that 1-2% of North Americans have a mood disorder with a seasonal pattern, with 10% of New Englanders versus 2% of Floridians affected. Symptoms include feelings of hopelessness, low concentration, sluggishness, social withdrawal, unhappiness and irritability.

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Scientists get lung cancer cells to self-destruct

In the future, the best weapon against cancer may well be cancer. At least this is the vision of the Cancer Research UK, and though it may be hard to believe, based on the findings of their latest study, the day when cancer “kills itself” may be closer than you think.

When a cell is no longer able to perform its necessary function, it essentially commits cellular suicide and triggers a chain of events which end in self-destruction. Cancer cells are exempt from this process and will continue to live, regardless of how much harm they inflict on a body. This allows them to grow out of control and eventually form deadly tumors. According to a recent press release, a team of researchers from Cancer Research UK has found a drug combination capable of triggering the cell self-destruction process in lunch cancer cells.

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No More Colds or Flu

Outsmart those bugs and stay well this winter

5 Snacks You Think Are Healthy But Aren't

As a nutrition company, we spend a lot of time talking to people about their health, mostly about the challenges of trying to maintain a healthy diet. And we've found that one of the hardest places to eat well is the airport.

We all know that airports could do a better job of replacing fast food joints with healthier restaurants (Chipotle, please!) and offering better options in their stores.

But it's also true that when traveling, we're pat of the problem! We're often stressed and distracted. We're carrying several bags, running to gates, dodging crowds, avoiding bathroom lines, and frantically trying to get somewhere on time. And because we're so focused on our destinations and not our health, it's easy to make poor decisions when it comes to food.

Since it's our mission at SmartyPants to make it easier for you to be healthy, all the time, everywhere, and since it's summer and we all love to travel this time of year, we've created a list of five common airport (and airplane) foods to avoid. They may seem like healthy choices, but actually they're not.

1. Trail mix

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Is a Stomachache Serious?

Signs your child should see a doctor

When your child complains of a stomachache, it's usually nothing to worry about. But sometimes stomach pain can signal a more serious problem.

The University of Michigan Health System explains these warning signs that a child's stomachache requires a doctor's attention:
If the child is growing more slowly than typical, or is losing weight.
If the child has excessive vomiting or chronic, severe diarrhea.

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The Best Food Documentaries to Have On Your Netflix Queue

Interest in what we put into our bodies has hit a fever pitch, which can in part explain the explosion of food-related documentaries in recent years.

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Eat your vegetables

When mama told you to eat your vegetables, she didn't mean you should stop once you grew up and left home. But a survey by the national Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that fewer than a third of Americans are getting the recommended servings of fruits and vegetables each day.

Fruits and vegetables are lower in calories, so they can help keep people trim. And they have fiber that will help stave off colon cancer and other intestinal diseases. And, the more people eat the good stuff, the less room they have for the bad stuff.

Listen to your mama.