Are Your Kids Smart Sledders? Avoid anything named Death Hill and follow these other safety tips.

Avoid Winter Heart Attacks Snow shoveling is always blamed for the seasonal surge in heart attacks. So why do Sunbelters also experience an increase?

Panel Softens Prostate Screening Stance PHILADELPHIA (AP) -- A government advisory panel has dropped its objection to routine prostate cancer screenings for millions of middle-aged and elderly men, saying it is possible the tests save lives.

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Nutrients Are Key To Preventing Cancer WASHINGTON (AP) -- Can a diet rich in a particular nutrient really prevent cancer? The government is recruiting 32,000 middle-aged men to see if selenium or vitamin E can prevent prostate cancer, the biggest clinical trial yet to address such dietary questions.

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Study Raises Questions About HRT In Diabetic Women DALLAS (American Heart Association) -- In a large observational study of hormone replacement therapy (HRT) in women with diabetes, researchers have found that the effects of HRT may depend on whether a woman has had a prior heart attack, according to a report in the rapid access Circulation: Journal of the American Heart Association.

FDA Approves Water-Spread Infection Drug (The Associated Press) --The government on Monday approved sale of the first treatment for a miserable infection spread through contaminated drinking water and dirty swimming pools -- a drug called Alinia intended especially for children sickened by the bug.

Pediatrics Academy Urges Flu Shots CHICAGO (AP) -- The American Academy of Pediatrics is encouraging flu shots for all healthy children from 6 months up to 2 years old.

U.S. Breast-Feeding Rate Rises (USA TODAY) -- More U.S. women are breast-feeding their babies, the highest level in nearly 50 years, according to a survey of about 400,000 mothers released today.

Study: Treat Addicts' Mental Illness (USA TODAY) -- Mental disorders are common among alcoholics and drug abusers, but their mental illness and addictions are seldom treated at the same time, which prevents many from recovering from either, says a report sent to Congress today.

FDA OKs Drug On Attention Deficit Disorder WASHINGTON (AP) -- A new drug for the treatment of attention- deficit/hyperactivity disorder, the most commonly diagnosed behavioral disorder of childhood, was approved Tuesday by the Food and Drug Administration.

FDA OKs New Uterine Fibroid Treatment WASHINGTON (AP) -- Microscopic spheres that shrink uterine fibroids and save women from more extensive surgery were approved on Tuesday by the Food and Drug Administration.

Scientists Study Body's Hunger Signals NEW YORK (AP) -- Sometime Thursday, your brain will probably be besieged by contradictory demands. Your better judgment will tell you NO NO NO. Your surroundings will tell you YES YES YES. A nerve reaching in from your gut will insist NO NO NO. Signals from your mouth will make some brain circuits cry YES YES YES.

Study Links Cancer Rates, Prevention SAN FRANCISCO (AP) -- Many states with the highest lung cancer rates are squandering tobacco settlement money intended for disease prevention on unrelated programs, according to a study of health and fiscal data released by a national anti-cancer group.

L'Haim - Concord Grape Juice Helps Prevent Cancer (The Jerusalem Post) -- Concord grape juice widely used by American Jews for making Kiddush on Shabbat has been found by researchers in Texas to be a powerful, heart-protective and anti- cancer antioxidant that compares favorably to synthetic supplements.

Study To Explore Inflammation Tests CHICAGO (AP) -- If inflammation triggers heart attacks, does lowering it save lives?

Fat Lurks Behind Slim Asian Frames BANGKOK, Thailand (AP) -- After a series of independent surveys in 10 Asian countries, researchers have come up with an alarming conclusion: There are millions of people in the region, showing symptoms of obesity despite their small frames and apparent lack of excess fat.

Researchers: Cell Transplants May Help Repair Damaged Heart Tissue (INTELIHEALTH) -- Injection of a person's own muscle or bone marrow cells into damaged areas of heart muscle appears to be safe and shows promise as a way to repair dead heart tissue, researchers reported here in some of the earliest studies involving humans.

Bush Nears Smallpox Vaccine Approval WASHINGTON (AP) -- President Bush is inclined to approve a blueprint for vaccinating some U.S. troops against smallpox as he moves toward a decision on a larger plan to protect the general public against an act of bioterrorism, administration officials said.

Researchers Find "On-Off Switch" For Cancer Cell (The Salt Lake Tribune) -- A discovery of the "on, off" switch for a certain protein has given doctors the clearest picture yet of why normal cells sometimes change and grow into cancer, says a Utah study on ovarian tumors.

Smallpox Immunity Prevalent, Study Says Old Vaccinations May Act As Shield To Bioterrorism (The Atlanta Journal-Constitution) -- With the White House expected to announce shortly how many Americans will be vaccinated against smallpox to protect against a bioterrorist attack, research by four Atlanta professors says that immunity already present in the population will be a key factor in how fast the disease could spread.

Inflammation Triggers Heart Attacks BOSTON (AP) -- Despite their seemingly healthy cholesterol levels, new research shows many people are at high risk of heart attacks because of painless inflammation in the bloodstream.

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Protein May Predict Spread Of Cancer (The Associated Press) -- Measuring levels of a certain protein in a tumor could give doctors an astonishingly accurate way of predicting whether early breast cancer is likely to spread to the rest of a woman's body, a study suggests.

Steroid Can Help Meningitis Patients (The Associated Press) -- Taking steroids along with antibiotics can prevent brain damage and even death in some meningitis patients, a study found.

Study: Exercise Cuts Risk Of Hip Fractures (USA TODAY) -- Middle-age and older women can greatly reduce their risk of hip fractures by exercising regularly, according to a study out today.

Pre-1972 Smallpox Inoculations Appear Ineffective (St. Louis Post-Dispatch) -- People vaccinated against smallpox more than 30 years ago may not be protected from the deadly virus, according to preliminary results of a St. Louis University study.

Diabetic Heart Disease Risk Studied WASHINGTON (AP) -- Cooking food at minimum safe temperatures for short periods of time may lower the risk of heart disease for diabetics.

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Postmenopausal Pregnancy Is Medically OK, Study Finds CHICAGO (AP) -- Though old enough to be grandmas, there's no medical reason healthy women in their 50s should be prevented from having babies with donated eggs, according to the largest study of motherhood after menopause.

Air Pollution-Medical Costs Linked WASHINGTON (AP) -- Older Americans in the most polluted parts of the country are significantly more likely to need medical treatment, particularly for lung ailments, according to a study that suggests reducing pollution could cut medical spending as well.

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Sickle-Cell Pain, Blood Cells Linked WASHINGTON (AP) -- Researchers have found a link between the release from malformed red blood cells of the vital protein that carries oxygen, and episodes of severe pain in people with sickle cell disease.

Exposure To Animals In Early Childhood May Lessen Allergies (Cox News Service) -- Children exposed to pets within the first year of life are much less likely to develop allergies, according to a new federal study that challenges what many doctors have believed about allergies.

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U.S. Kids Having Unsafe Sex: Survey SAN ANTONIO (The San Antonio Express-News) -- American teenagers may be having less sexual intercourse, but that doesn't mean they're abstaining from unsafe sex.

Scientists Improve Memory In Mice By Turning Off Enzyme INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Scientists have boosted learning and memory in mice by blocking a brain enzyme, and they say the result could point to therapy for reducing forgetfulness in older people.

CDC: Better Prepared For Terror ATLANTA (AP) -- The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says it is better prepared to handle the threat of terrorism following the Sept. 11 attacks.

L.A. School Board Votes On Soda Ban LOS ANGELES (AP) -- The board of the nation's second-largest school district voted unanimously Tuesday night to extend the ban on carbonated soft drinks to all its schools in an effort to combat childhood obesity.

Caffeine Said To Lower Cancer Risk WASHINGTON (AP) -- Laboratory mice slathered with caffeine developed fewer skin tumors than untreated animals, suggesting the chemical that adds zip to coffee and tea also may protect against skin cancer, researchers say.

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New Antidepressant Awaited, But Little Proof It's Much Better WASHINGTON (AP) -- Starting next week, U.S. psychiatrists will be able to prescribe an eagerly awaited new antidepressant called Lexapro. It's being promoted as more potent and possibly safer than older competitors - but there's little evidence that it's much better.

Exercise May Reduce Risk Of Colds WASHINGTON (AP) -- A more active day apparently helps to keep a cold at bay.

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LA Schools To Vote On Banning Soda LOS ANGELES (AP) -- Hoping to combat childhood obesity, the nation's second-largest school district is expected to ban the sale of soft drinks at its 677 campuses.

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Scientists Look For Pollution Answers WORCESTER, Mass. (AP) -- It hangs in the daytime sky like a dirty curtain filtering sunlight into a toxic gray haze, choking throats and burning eyes.

Study Suggests Link Between Rheumatoid Arthritis And A Carbohydrate (The New York Times News Service) -- Scientists may have discovered an important, unexpected clue in the long, elusive search for the cause of rheumatoid arthritis.

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New AIDS Drug Raises Hopes, Fears NEW YORK (AP) -- The federal government has approved tests of an experimental and potentially expensive AIDS drug that could prolong the lives of patients with drug-resistant strains of HIV.

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FDA To Revamp Drug Making Rules WASHINGTON (AP) -- The Food and Drug Administration is poised to revamp rules for safe drug manufacturing for the first time in 25 years, reacting in part to companies' desire to automate pill production and the government's own inability to inspect factories as rigorously as it once did.

Breast Cancer Gene Study Questioned WASHINGTON (AP) -- Some women with gene mutations have had their breasts removed after studies showed they were at a high risk of cancer. A new analysis suggests the studies may have exaggerated the breast cancer risk.

Colon-Cancer Test Supposedly Easier CHICAGO (AP) -- Even if President Bush and Katie Couric might make it seem that way, getting screened for colorectal cancer isn't easy. But that may be about to change.

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FDA Approves Drug Trial For West Nile Virus (The New York Times News Service) -- The Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday that it had approved a national trial of a drug to determine whether it could become the first specific therapy against the West Nile virus.

Deviant Gene May Up West Nile Risk WASHINGTON (AP) -- Only about one in five people infected with the West Nile virus develop a severe, life-threatening illness. A study in mice suggests a gene variation may be the reason some become very sick from the mosquito-borne virus, while others recover easily.

Nutritional Value Of Water Studied WASHINGTON (AP) -- "Drink at least eight glasses of water a day" is an adage some obsessively follow, judging by the people sucking on water bottles at every street corner - but the need for so much water may be a myth.

FDA Approves Light Therapy For Acne WASHINGTON (AP) -- Patients with a certain type of acne can soon opt for light therapy to try to clear it up.

Simple Steps Can Help Beat Heat WASHINGTON (AP) -- Beating the heat is largely a matter of taking simple precautions. Yet every summer brings preventable deaths.

Orthopedic Surgeons' 4th Of July Safety Advice: Leave Fireworks To Professionals ROSEMONT, Ill. (AAOS) -- To reduce the risk of hand amputation and other fireworks-related injury, the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons is urging people not to handle, ignite or transport these devices--even if their state permits

Practice Makes Perfect, If You Sleep On It Boston, MA (Harvard Medical School) -- Harvard Medical School researchers have confirmed the adage that practice does, indeed, make perfect -- but only if you also get a good night's sleep.

Link To Irradiated Mail, Health WASHINGTON (AP) -- A substantial number of congressional employees may have experienced long-term health problems linked to the handling of irradiated mail, including headaches, burning eyes and nausea, says a report being made public Tuesday.

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Study: Sperm Donor Women Fear Time VIENNA, Austria (AP) -- More than two-thirds of single women who choose to have a baby using donated sperm do so because they fear they are running out of time to find a man they would want to have a child with, new research indicates.

Survey: Fat Kids Pose Health Dilemma CHICAGO (AP) -- Many children are not being adequately treated for weight problems because many pediatricians and other health workers lack expertise in helping them slim down, a survey suggests.

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Feds Want Kids To Be More Active WASHINGTON (AP) -- The federal agency that tracks anthrax and other killer microbes is spending at least million to tell kids, nicely, to go outside and play.

Better E. Coli Technology Planned ALBANY, N.Y. (AP) -- Scientists are developing a handheld sensor they say would help save lives by quickly pinpointing the presence of a deadly E. coli strain and other harmful germs in food and drinks, in some cases within minutes.

U.N. Agency Aiding Tissue Transplants

New Theory Says Colicky Babies Probably Not In Pain; Then Why Are They Crying? CHICAGO (AP) -- A provocative recent study gaining popularity among pediatricians says most cases of colic may simply be the way some normal, healthy babies communicate. Perhaps most surprising, this theory suggests babies with colic aren't even in pain - despite all their purple-faced, clenched-fist crying.

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ADHD Drug May Require More Study INDIANAPOLIS (AP) -- Eli Lilly and Co. on Wednesday said regulators may require more study of an experimental treatment for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder before it can be marketed.

Scientists "Grow" Donor Sperm In Mice BOSTON (The Boston Globe) -- A laboratory in Pennsylvania has created mice that produce the sperm of goats and pigs, a technique with potential applications that range from helping human fertility to saving endangered species.

New Broccoli Compound Appears Promising Against Breast Cancer (American Chemical Society) -- In the future, a 'broccoli-pill' a day may help keep breast cancer at bay. Researchers have developed a new compound, designed from a known anticancer agent found in broccoli, that shows promise as a breast cancer preventive.

Weights Build Muscles, But Not The Manly Kind (The New York Times) -- As any woman who has ventured into a health club knows, the weight-lifting area is very much a male domain. Most women steer clear, clustering instead in the group exercise classes, taking yoga or step aerobics.

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U.S. To Re-Evaluate Therapy's Risks WASHINGTON (AP) -- Health officials this fall will reassess hormone replacement therapy for post-menopausal women in response to a recent study questioning the therapy's risks and benefits.

Poll: Private Contraception Wanted MADISON, Wis. (AP) -- Nearly half of the young girls surveyed in Wisconsin said they would quit going to Planned Parenthood if their parents had to be told they wanted prescribed contraceptives, according to a study.

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"Munchies" Study Sparks Diet Drug NEW YORK (AP) -- French pharmaceutical company Sanofi-Synthelabo hopes scientific knowledge gained from marijuana will help the masses curb the "munchies."