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July 27th, 2011
05:20 PM ET
More muddy water on cell phone use, kids' brain cancer riskA new study touts findings that kids who use cell phones are at no greater risk of brain cancer than non-users. But before you heave a sigh of relief and allow your kids unrestricted cell phone use, take a harder look at what the study, published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute, does and does not reveal. Using data from a multi-center study - called CEFALO - of children and teens who have brain tumors, the study by Swiss researchers concludes that "regular users of mobile phones were not statistically significantly more likely to have been diagnosed with brain tumors compared to nonusers." The study also concludes that kids who started to use mobile phones at least five years ago were not at higher risk for brain cancer compared with kids who had never regularly used mobile phones.
July 27th, 2011
08:01 AM ET
Will my meniscus tear heal without surgery?Every weekday, a CNNHealth expert doctor answers a viewer question. On Wednesdays, it's Dr. Otis Brawley, chief medical officer at the American Cancer Society. Question asked by Gloria from San Antonio, Texas I just learned I have a tear in my meniscus. Can this heal any way other than surgery? 
July 26th, 2011
05:15 PM ET
Seeking Serenity: Serious illness won’t get off my backEditor's note: CNN contributor Amanda Enayati ponders the theme of Seeking Serenity: The quest for well-being and life balance in stressful times.
One of the most stressful things about having a health crisis, aside from the fear of death, is the lingering paranoia. It’s like that houseguest from hell who invites himself for a visit and then decides he will never leave. Because here you are, trucking along for 30-some-odd years, assuming that that the achy back is from the Kundalini yoga move gone awry and that lingering cough is from the cold you caught from your frenemy. But once you’ve sparred with a serious illness like cancer, almost overnight you start seeing conspiracies to off you everywhere. Joyful, grateful and almost giddy you are to have survived at all, you bob up and down in constant waves of stress and anxiety. They can build to near-tsunami proportions each time you lose another friend who got her diagnosis at the same time as you or sat there beside you while you both received chemo or chatted with you in the waiting room during radiation. 
July 26th, 2011
04:18 PM ET
Big-name drugs go genericSome of the most popular prescription drugs are about to get a lot cheaper. According to the mail-order pharmacy Medco, at least 22 prescribed medications may be available as generics in the next year. When drug companies develop a drug the FDA usually grants them exclusive rights to market that drug for a set period of time. When those rights expire, other companies can make the exact same drug. Since there is competition, the generics are cheaper. The FDA says the regulations are “designed to promote a balance between new drug innovation and generic drug competition.” Medco compiled a list of drugs and when they are expected to become public. Among major drugs on the list for the next year:
July 26th, 2011
04:13 PM ET
Addiction: The disease that liesMarvin Seppala, M.D., is the chief medical officer of Hazelden, a private not-for-profit alcohol and drug addiction treatment organization.
Tragically one must get used to such news if you spend a lot of time with those who have this disease. Whenever someone with addiction dies, I grieve the lost potential and wonder about the limitations of our ability to address this cunning, baffling and powerful disease. I am also humbled by my own experience with addiction and recovery, and grateful for the help I received. 
July 26th, 2011
01:35 PM ET
Happy Meal gets a makeoverMcDonald’s Happy Meals are getting their fat and calories trimmed, the fast food giant announced Tuesday. The seemingly ubiquitous Happy Meals that have drawn the ire of health advocates and have been blamed for contributing to childhood obesity, will carry apple slices, reduced portion of french fries and a choice of beverage, including new fat-free chocolate milk and 1% low-fat white milk. The core of the Happy Meal will remain the same as kids will still get fries (a smaller portion) and a choice of a hamburger, cheeseburger or chicken nuggets. All beverages, including milk, fruit juice, water and soda, continue to be options for the Happy Meal. FULL POST
July 26th, 2011
12:07 PM ET
Is it OK to be on antidepressants for years?Every weekday, a CNNHealth expert doctor answers a viewer question. On Tuesdays, it's Dr. Charles Raison, an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Emory University, and an expert in the mind-body connection for health. Question asked by Rose from Arizona 
July 26th, 2011
11:26 AM ET
Actress: I got compliments for looking emaciatedActress Rosario Dawson has some pointed words about expectations on women and their bodies. "It's a form of violence in the way that we look at women and the way we expect them to look and be for what sake? Not for health, survival, not for enjoyment of life, but just so you could look pretty," Dawson told Shape Magazine. Dawson who appears on the August cover discussed industry-wide pressures to maintain an ideal body type. After losing weight to play a drug addict dying of HIV/AIDS in the 2005 film "Rent," she was stunned to hear compliments about her figure. FULL POST
July 26th, 2011
07:40 AM ET
Human Factor: From catastrophe to blessingIn the Human Factor, we profile survivors who have overcome the odds. Confronting a life obstacle - injury, illness or other hardship –- they tapped their inner strength and found resilience they didn’t know they possessed. This week motocross champion Doug Henry shares how breaking his back may have paralyzed him from the waist down, but it didn't destroy his spirit. Whenever something really bad happens to us, we ask ourselves, "Maybe things happen for a reason?" That seems to be the first thing we want to believe, hoping there is something good to come of a bad situation. Rarely do we say to ourselves, "We've been blessed." Those of you who know my current set of circumstances may think I'm nuts for thinking I've been blessed but bear with me. I have lived a unique, passionate, fulfilling, life. I've seen the world, challenged myself, and pushed myself beyond what I thought I was capable of, and I've met so many beautiful people along the way. 
July 26th, 2011
07:10 AM ET
Should doctors practice what they preach?Anthony Youn, M.D., is a plastic surgeon in Metro Detroit. He is the author of “In Stitches,” a humorous memoir about growing up Asian American and becoming a doctor.
Yep. Doctor. How would you feel if he were your doctor? Would you listen to him if he asked you to adopt a healthier lifestyle? |
  About this blog
Get a behind-the-scenes look at the latest stories from CNN Chief Medical Correspondent, Dr. Sanjay Gupta, Senior Medical Correspondent Elizabeth Cohen and the CNN Medical Unit producers. They'll share news and views on health and medical trends - info that will help you take better care of yourself and the people you love. Recent Comments
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I learned of four addiction-related deaths this weekend. Three were people I knew in Portland, Oregon, recovery circles and the fourth was Amy Winehouse.
What do you call a chain-smoking, morbidly obese, soda addict who just graduated medical school?
