Some cookie monsters want their cookies crispy but others prefer chewy.  For a lot of people who like Toll House cookies, the raw dough is better than the cooked stuff.  That raw dough can make you very sick these days,…

Oprah Winfrey has command of more than 40 million viewers each week, some so devoted they follow her every word without question.  A recent investigative report in Newsweek magazine questions her message, though, asking if the “Oprah Effect” produces more…

Beginning January 1, 2010, every plastic baby bottle and children’s sippy cup manufactured for the entire state of Minnesota will be free of bisphenol-A (BPA), the chemical that mimics the effects of estrogen and risks the health of the children…

Although concern over swine flu seems to be easing off, influenza experts say there remains a very high likelihood the flu will return when flu season begins in October.  Further concern is that the influenza virus will have mutated into…

Every day in the United States, an estimated 240 people are treated in emergency rooms for injuries caused by their pets.  Most of these injuries involve trips, slips, and falls and more dogs cause injuries than cats.  But don’t let…

Researchers in Florida, the Sunshine State surrounded by beaches, had announced that people swimming in subtropical waters face an increased risk by 37% of being exposed to the dangerous Staphylococcus (staph) bacteria, including the Methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA).  Swimmers with…

It may be National Dental Health Month only in the Philippines but the rest of us can follow the recommendations of the Philippine Dental Association (PDA), which says maintaining a good track record of dental hygiene makes our teeth healthier…

The study itself is small but it’s an eye opener.  Kids talking on cell phones while stepping onto or using designated crosswalks to cross busy streets are a dangerous combo.  The children, distracted by cell phone conversation, don’t pay as…

Bisphenol A (BPA) is back in the news but no concrete conclusions of its safety have yet been established.  The latest evidence feeding the BPA safety controversy is a study that suggests BPA lingers in the human body longer than…

President Barack Obama is a staunch advocate of ‘paperless’ hospitals, where patient records, doctors’ orders, and other medical data are kept electronically rather than on paper.  The Congressional Budget Office and other critics of the concept suggest the merits of…

Think of Salmonella infection and most people think about food.  The current outbreak of infection traced to peanut butter and last year’s tomato scare put food-borne outbreaks in the headlines but food isn’t always the source for Salmonella outbreaks.  Other…

The February issue of the journal, ‘Pediatrics,’ carries a report from US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) warning parents against sleeping with their babies.  The warning is based on a nationwide study of infant death certificates which identified…

In June, people on three continents will know if the pills they’ve been taking to prevent HIV infection were the real thing or placebos.  As the test of tenofovir, said to be an HIV prevention pill, nears the end of…

The new year brought a new ban on smoking in public places in Oregon and, along with that ban, comes increased conversation about the perils of secondhand cigarette smoke.  Many veterinarians are describing how ailing pets have regained their health…