Online Features
Health & Wellness
Rare Disease Day is February 28 [Infographic]
Millions of Americans will join others around the world this month in observing Rare Disease Day (February 28). They hope to help draw attention to rare diseases and the unique challenges faced by the nearly 30 million Americans affected by them. Because of the rarity of their conditions, patients are often challenged to find information, knowledgeable doctors and support for their condition. One such disease is Cryopyrin-Associated Periodic Syndromes (CAPS) – a serious, lifelong autoinflamm...
full story
99VN_16913569_web.jpg
Reinvent dinner in minutes with common pantry staples
(BPT) - Busy families face the dinnertime challenge every day. Not only do they need to find a nutritious meal the entire family will enjoy, but they need to do so in a limited amount of time. With a few tricks, it’s easy to get out of the dinner rut and score big with tasty, wholesome meals that use pantry staples in c...
full story
KH30_17395736_web.jpg
The surprising ingredient that makes favorite recipes tastier and healthier
(BPT) - Modern or current may not be the word that comes to mind when you think of cottage cheese but this dairy case classic is experiencing a resurgence that is taking it beyond the diet plate to a starring role in how consumers eat today. Low-fat cottage cheese is high in protein, low in calories and fat and minimal...
full story
E8C0_17246815_web.jpg
Preventing medication fraud and abuse starts at home
(BPT) - Prescription drug abuse has reached epidemic proportions across the United States. More than 6 million Americans abuse prescription drugs and much of the abuse begins at home, according to a national survey on drug use and health. In fact, more than 70 percent of those who illegally use prescription pain relieve...
full story
A0F0_1761035_web.jpg
Healthy foods and creative recipes provide vitamin D when sunshine is scarce
(BPT) - When days are short and sunshine is scarce, it’s only natural to feel a little out of sorts. The sun is the body’s chief source of vitamin D, and for many Americans, clouds and cold temperatures can lead to deficiencies. Fortunately, there are other sources that provide this important vitamin – some of which com...
full story
GBYJ_16894208_web.jpg
Foot care tips to keep you moving while on vacation
(BPT) - Decongestant, check. Sunscreen, check. Antacids, check. So you’re going on vacation and your bag is well-stocked with remedies for every illness that could possibly derail your good time – from sunburn to an upset stomach. While you’re taking steps to preserve your good health on vacation, don’t overlook the bod...
full story
Thyroid awareness [Infographic]
Located in the base of the neck, the thyroid produces hormones that travel to all the body’s tissues, influencing the function of virtually every organ. Of the estimated 30 million Americans with a thyroid disorder, an estimated 50 percent are undiagnosed.
full story
Igniting the conversation about rare diseases
(BPT) - Each year, people across the world are invited to join together to raise awareness about rare diseases. Unlike more common conditions such as diabetes and breast cancer, many of these diseases, as well as the people affected by them, are not recognized by their own awareness initiatives throughout the year. Yet for people living with rare diseases and their loved ones, the path to a confirmed diagnosis, adapting to new treatment regimens, and facing the day-to-day challenges of thes...
full story
Rare Disease Day 2013: Maintaining bone health in people with multiple myeloma
(BPT) - In honor of the sixth annual Rare Disease Day, celebrated on Feb. 28, it is important to drive awareness about some rare cancers that are many times undiagnosed until the cancer has already spread. One particular cancer, multiple myeloma, often goes undiagnosed until the disease has spread to the bone. Multiple myeloma is a cancer of the plasma cells, a type of white blood cell found in the bone marrow.  An estimated 70,000 people in the United States are currently living with multi...
full story
CMQ9_17087205_web.jpg
Cycling to help stop diabetes
(BPT) - The American Diabetes Association is challenging bicycle riders to be part of the movement to Stop Diabetes(R) by participating in the annual Tour de Cure(R), a cycling event to raise funds to help fight diabetes. Tour de Cure is a fun way to get out with your family, friends or co-workers and has routes designe...
full story
6VNX_17479955_web.jpg
Go nuts, celebrate pistachios on National Pistachio Day, Feb. 26
(BPT) - Good things really do come in small packages. And when it comes to your health, pistachios pack a powerful punch: They help you manage your weight, may help reduce blood pressure and a study published in the “International Journal of Impotence Research” shows they may even help with erectile function. Here are t...
full story
New study results make choosing a blood glucose meter easier [Infographic]
Managing diabetes just got a little bit easier. For the first time in history, J.D. Power and Associates, the premier market research firm, conducted an inaugural 2012 Blood Glucose Meter Satisfaction Study(SM) based on meter performance, ease-of-use, cost of test strips and training. Now with the results of this new customer satisfaction study, people with diabetes can be confident with their meter choice.  
full story
national news

Rescue workers look through the rubble at Plaza Towers Elementary school in MooreBy Ben Berkowitz and Julie Steenhuysen (Reuters) - Moore, Oklahoma, has had the bad luck of being hit by two highly destructive tornadoes, both in the month of May, 14 years apart. But the Moore that got struck on Monday is not the same as in 1999. Like a lot of towns across America and in the so-called "Tornado Alley," rapid growth has made it a bigger target, vulnerable to more damage. The tornado, with winds that may have topped 200 miles per hour, killed at least 24 people and injured hundreds more, with many of the casualties children from two schools that were destroyed. ...


Tue May 21 15:34:25 UTC 2013

General view of a landscape almost cleared of debris from a tornado in Joplin, MissouriBy Kevin Murphy KANSAS CITY, Missouri (Reuters) - Less than three hours after a deadly twister on Monday flattened a swath of Moore, Oklahoma, tornado warning sirens sounded in Joplin, Missouri, 215 miles to the northeast. While no twister touched down, the Oklahoma disaster and the sirens stirred painful memories in Joplin, which on Wednesday observes the second anniversary of one of the most catastrophic tornadoes in American history. "It brought back a lot of fear, especially since there was a chance that a tornado could hit here," Sarah Jo Radcliffe, a Joplin resident, said on Tuesday. ...


Tue May 21 17:13:55 UTC 2013

Jodi Arias addresses the jury during the penalty phase of her murder trial in PhoenixBy Tim Gaynor PHOENIX (Reuters) - Convicted killer Jodi Arias asked jurors on Tuesday to spare her the death penalty and sentence her to life in prison for killing her ex-boyfriend, reversing statements she made after her conviction that she preferred death to incarceration. "I made many public statements that I would prefer the death penalty to life in prison. Each time I said that, though I meant it, I lost perspective. Until very recently I could not have imagined standing before you all and asking you to give me life ... I thought I would rather die," Arias said. ...


Tue May 21 17:53:42 UTC 2013
[Updated at 2:30 p.m. CT] MOORE, Okla. –As a hailstorm bore down on the devastated region Tuesday afternoon, first responders continued to sift through debris to try to find survivors and figure out how many people died in the massive tornado that ripped through southern Oklahoma City and other towns a day earlier. Twenty four [...]
Tue May 21 18:36:00 UTC 2013