U.S. Edition
Editor's note: In 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 American R&B singer-songwriter-producer Charlie Wilson explains why he's talking a lot about prostate cancer.
“Mr. Wilson... you have prostate cancer.” Those words made up the most devastating phrase I had ever heard.
I have faced numerous challenges in my life and my journey hasn’t been an easy one. I walk that journey step-by-step and prayer-by-prayer. But prostate cancer was a new challenge.
I remember hearing I had prostate cancer like it was yesterday. I was convinced my life was over. I worked hard at overcoming other life challenges and had the will to return to the top of my game in the music business. I put together a good show; had a catalog of great new songs to record and perform.
Everything was just going great until I went to the doctor for a general physical in the summer of 2008. FULL POST
Early research suggests that if a 6-month old baby has "head lag," or weak head and neck control, it may be an early sign of autism or another language/social developmental delay.
The test is simple – babies who are lying on the floor are pulled up into a sitting position. If the baby's head is not moving forward as you pull the baby up, it's a sign of weak head and neck control.
Researchers already know that head lag could be an early sign that a child's nervous system is not developing correctly. They've seen this in children with cerebral palsy and preterm infants, for example. But so far it had not been documented in children with autism. FULL POST
"Diet and exercise" is a phrase that goes hand-in-hand with losing weight. But what you eat or drink before, during and after your workout is key to the weight loss process.
Whether you run marathons, bike to work or walk around your neighborhood a few times a week - if you really want to optimize your workout, it’s time to check in on your diet.
It’s all about moderation and balancing your food groups: protein and carbs, fruits and veggies, experts say.
So how do they all work together? FULL POST
Ian Kerner, a sexuality counselor and New York Times best-selling author, blogs about sex weekly on The Chart. Read more from him on his website, GoodInBed.
With the recent vote against gay marriage in North Carolina and President Obama’s support of marriage equality, same-sex relationships are making headlines.
But my colleagues and I have less political concerns: We’re focused on helping our gay, lesbian, and bisexual clients navigate their way through many of same relationship hurdles that heterosexual clients face.
Couples of all orientations find themselves struggling with the same issues, from mismatched libidos to sex ruts to infidelity. “The underlying dynamics are identical,” says Emily Nagoski, sex educator and author of "A Scientific Guide to Successful Relationships."
“They may play out differently because of the differences in gender or because of external social pressures, but the rules are the same – and there's some clear indications that gay couples are actually better at following those rules than straight couples!” FULL POST
We have many excuses for not eating healthy: I’m too busy. I don’t live near a grocery store. I can’t afford healthy food. I don’t know how to cook.
A new study from the U.S. Department of Agriculture’s Economic Research Service is taking one of those excuses off the table.
Previous studies have shown that eating junk food is cheaper than eating healthy food. But Andrea Carlson, lead author for the USDA study, said the way those researchers measured cost-effectiveness skewed the results.
Carlson and her team analyzed 4,439 foods in three different ways – price per calories (as previous studies had done), price per edible gram and price per average portion. Retail prices were based on Nielsen Homescan data. The average portion was determined from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey.
The researchers found that when they used the price per calories analysis, fruits and vegetables appeared more expensive. “But this changes when you use other two,” Carlson said in a press call Wednesday. FULL POST
Editor's note: Jeff Dauler, a radio host from Atlanta, Georgia, is one of seven CNN viewers selected to be a part of the Fit Nation Triathlon Challenge program. The "Lucky 7" is in Hawaii this week as part of their training for the Nautica Malibu Triathlon this September, alongside Dr. Sanjay Gupta.
My CNN Fit Nation teammates added a fourth "sport" to our triathlon while discussing the impact our shared journey was having on the people around us.
Denise Castelli's father was starting to eat healthy and lose weight. Carlos Solis' students were participating in a 100-mile club at his school. Glenn Keller's hometown of Burleston, Texas, created an entire 5k in his honor, to encourage the whole community to get healthy.
Swim. Bike. Run. Inspire.
This adventure isn't our own, but is shared with people within our reach. We were all thinking pretty selfishly when we accepted Dr. Gupta's challenge, and we've all been surprised by that aspect of the program.
My reach is a bit larger than the others on the team. I happen to be a personality on a radio show that's currently heard in three cities, and (knock on wood) does pretty well. Dr. Gupta joined the show in the studio this past January to announce my participation in the challenge, and the listeners responded in a big way ... but not really as I expected. FULL POST
The Federal Communications Commission says it plans to allocate spectrum bandwidth for use of body sensors that would monitor a patient's vital signs wirelessly.
The spectrum will work specifically with MBAN (medical body area network) sensor devices. Similar in size and shape to a Band-Aid, the sensors would be disposable and include a low-power radio transmitter, according to an FCC official.
The primary function is to monitor a patient's temperature, pulse, blood glucose level, blood pressure and respiratory health wirelessly.
"The benefits are clear: increased mobility, better care and lower costs," FCC Chairman Julius Genachowski tells CNN. FULL POST
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.