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Heartburn Treatments May Lead To Serious Diarrhea

If that case of diarrhea just doesn’t get better, your heartburn drug could be the reason. The Food and Drug Administration just warned doctors and consumers that popular medicines called proton pump inhibitors may raise the risk for chronic diarrhea caused by Clostridium difficile, a bacterium that you’d rather not have colonizing your intestines. The [...]

Teen Pregnancies Hit New Low, But Disparities Remain

Teen pregnancies are at their lowest rate in nearly 40 years, according to the latest data from the Guttmacher Institute, a research organization focused on sexual and reproductive health. The report shows that about 7 percent of U.S. teen girls between the ages of 15 to 19 were pregnant in 2008 — a decline from [...]

Planned Parenthood Still In Cross Hairs

One of the driving forces behind the now-reversed decision to cancel funding to Planned Parenthood has stepped down from her executive position at the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation. But the resignation of Karen Handel, an outspoken opponent of the reproductive health group, hasn’t slowed down foes of Planned Parenthood. Even as Handel [...]

Walmart Creates Icon For Food Packages To Encourage Healthy Choices

We’re all for smarter labels. And now Walmart has introduced an easy way for shoppers to quickly identify healthier foods with its new front-of-package Great For You icon. With thousands of choices available, “choosing something healthy can be a daunting task,” Kelly Cheeseman of Walmart Foundation tells The Salt. “And when you factor in price [...]

Controversy Over Stem-Cell Research Keeps Charities On Sidelines

The Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation has been in the news because of its clash with Planned Parenthood Federation of America. But another aspect of Komen’s activities hasn’t received much attention: Komen’s position on research using human embryonic stem cells. Despite raising millions of dollars for breast cancer research, Komen hasn’t funded any [...]

A Fresh Look At Antidepressants Finds Low Risk Of Youth Suicide

In 2004, after an extensive review, the Food and Drug Administration issued a strong warning to doctors who prescribed antidepressants to teens and children. Antidepressants, the FDA said, appeared to increase suicide among kids and teens. Doctors needed to be careful. The FDA even mandated that a “black-box warning,” the strongest type, be placed on [...]

To Hold The Salt, It’s Time To Hold The Bread

It’s no secret that some of the tastiest snacks around — potato chips, french fries, and processed deli meats — are terrific vehicles for salt. Without salt, they’d be bland, too starchy, or just plain dull. But would you guess that the white bread on your turkey sandwich could be delivering almost as much as [...]

Controversial Komen Policy Official Resigns

A high-ranking official at the Susan G. Komen for the Cure foundation has resigned amid fallout from the charity’s move, since reversed, to halt funding for breast cancer screening by Planned Parenthood. Karen Handel, a former Republican candidate for governor in Georgia, resigned her job, effective immediately, as senior vice president for public policy. The [...]

Could Taxes Or Food Stamp Restrictions Tame America’s Sweet Tooth?

Sugar may be our favorite pick-me-up. I know I sometimes get the 4 p.m. urge for peanut M&Ms. But how much is too much? The American Heart Association says women should not have more than 6 teaspoons, or 30 grams, a day, which is about 100 calories of added sugar (excluding fruit). And men should [...]

Screening Kids For Cholesterol Can Raise Awareness And Anxiety

Does it help or hurt children to know they have high cholesterol? We’re about to find out. New guidelines from the National Heart, Lung and Blood Institute say every child should be screened for high cholesterol once between the ages of 9 and 11 and again between 17 and 21. Intended primarily as a way [...]