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December 21, 2012 We have received credible reports that the world has not come to an end, contrary to predictions of doom. But just in case there are signs of annihilation where you live, here's our guide to surviving in the wake of the Mayan Apocalypse.

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December 20, 2012 A string of recent ER cases in which 9-year-olds were treated for cinnamon exposure has toxicologists once again warning parents about risky food games like the "cinnamon challenge" and "chubby bunny."

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December 20, 2012 Food manufacturers have been quietly reducing sodium by tiny amounts in popular foods like crackers for years now. That's because if products are marked "low sodium," consumers won't buy them. But companies are also working on ways to deliver more salt taste with less sodium.

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December 19, 2012 A study finds that taking aspirin regularly might increase the risk of macular degeneration, a leading cause of blindness in old age. But the evidence so far doesn't prove it's so.

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December 18, 2012 KHNIn a switch, Medicare began covering smoking cessation counseling for smokers without symptoms of disease back in 2010. Beneficiaries are eligible for up to two four-session smoking cessation counseling attempts a year.

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December 17, 2012 Are we getting "Jack'd"? A surge in new caffeine-containing foods leads to new questions about just how much caffeine we're getting in our daily lives. Some advocates are calling for labeling, and they raise concerns about children's and teens' consumption.

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December 17, 2012 Children in third through sixth grade consume more calories when snacking on potato chips, and fewer when they snack instead on raw broccoli, peppers, carrots and cheese combinations, according to a recent study. This adds to evidence that foods high in fiber and protein help us feel fuller.

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December 13, 2012 Commercial space travel is becoming a reality. Now people who have longed to go into space can buy a ticket, if they've got the cash. But are they healthy enough to make the voyage?

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December 13, 2012 Nearly a third of pedestrians crossing some of Seattle's most dangerous intersections were doing something distracting at the same time. People texting were four times more likely to cross the street without looking both ways.

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December 12, 2012 Would you ride a bike while wearing a helmet made of cardboard? What if its design was inspired by nature — specifically, a woodpecker? You'll have a chance to do just that next year — meaning you could outfit yourself in a full-cardboard biking kit, if you also go for the $20 cardboard bicycle we wrote about in October.

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December 12, 2012 A roundup of the medical evidence by a group of independent researchers suggest that giving babies sugar water before injections can help comfort them. But the latest analysis is less enthusiastic about the approach than a previous review.

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December 10, 2012 Stroke is usually a problem that comes with age, but a surprising number of children have strokes, too. Many kids have conditions that put them at higher risk. But surgeons have developed a technique that cuts the risk in some of these kids by giving part of the brain a new blood supply.

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On Morning EditionPlaylist

December 7, 2012 The flu is back early this season. And the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says cases

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