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Thursday, February 07, 2013

Shots - Health News

Botulism From 'Pruno' Hits Arizona Prison

If you must make pruno, avoid potatoes.

February 7, 2013 Inmates at a maximum security prison in Arizona were stricken with botulism after consuming homemade hooch that's called "pruno" inside the big house. Potatoes appear to be the source of the problem in two separate outbreaks.

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The Salt

Chain Restaurants Boost Sales With Lower-Calorie Foods

Ordering the small fries? You're part of a trend.

February 7, 2013 Who says healthy doesn't sell? McDonald's, Panera Bread and other restaurant chains that offered more lower-calorie food choices saw a 9 percent jump in food and beverage sales from 2006 to 2011, a new report finds. Restaurants without these options saw sales drop.

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Shots - Health News

Despite Rocky Economy, Money For Global Health Remains Solid

After going through a huge growth spurt, money for global health has plateaued recently. The U.S. government remains the biggest donor, but private charities like the Bill & Melinda Gates Foundation have boosted donations.

February 7, 2013 Money to fight HIV and tuberculosis worldwide went through a huge growth in the early 2000s. But donations have plateaued in the past few years, economists say, as governments tighten their budgets. The U.S. is still the biggest contributor to global health, giving about $10 billion in 2010.

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Shots - Health News

Silica Rule Changes Delayed While Workers Face Health Risks

A worker makes a cut in the side of a sandstone block at the Cleveland Quarries facility in Vermilion, Ohio, earlier this month. The legal limit on the amount of silica that workers can inhale was set decades ago.

February 7, 2013 Regulations to restrict the amount of silica dust that workers can inhale were set decades ago, and workplace safety experts say that limit needs to be cut in half. A proposal for new rules was sent to the White House Office of Management and Budget for a 90-day review, but almost two years later, it's still under review.

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On Morning EditionPlaylist

Wednesday, February 06, 2013

Shots - Health News

Defying Expectations, GOP Governors Embrace Medicaid Expansion

Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder, a Republican, favors a federally subsidized expansion of Medicaid in his state.

February 6, 2013 Michigan Gov. Rick Snyder said he would seek to expand the state's Medicaid program under the terms of the Affordable Care Act a day after Ohio Gov. John Kasich effectively said the same thing when he unveiled his proposed budget.

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Shots - Health News

Debate Rages On Even As Research Ban On Gun Violence Ends

More than 400 guns, including these three, were turned in during a Dallas gun buyback program in January. But determining the effectiveness of such programs is difficult due to limits on gun-related research.

February 6, 2013 President Obama has ordered an end to a 16-year-old ban on federal funding of research on guns and health. But the political controversy that led to the ban in the first place is far from over.

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On All Things ConsideredPlaylist

Shots - Health News

With Elbows, Cortisone Shots May Hurt More Than Help

Thinking a cortisone shot would help? You might want to reconsider.

February 6, 2013 Cortisone shots offer quick relief for tendon problems. But they also carry a risk of side effects. A look at alternatives for treatment of tennis elbow finds that being patient may be the best approach to take.

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Shots - Health News

Nigeria Moves To Clean Up Lead Pollution From Gold Mines

A boy works at an illegal gold mine in northern Nigeria. Lead from these mines has sickened thousands of children in region.

February 6, 2013 Thousands of kids have been exposed to toxic levels of lead around illegal gold mines in northern Nigeria. After months of delay, the Nigerian government has released money to clean up the lead in these areas.

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Tuesday, February 05, 2013

Shots - Health News

Aggressive Care Still Common For Dying Seniors, Despite Hospice Uptick

Joe Takach comforts his friend Lillian Landry, as she spends her last days in the hospice wing of a hospital in Oakland Park, Fla., in 2009.

February 5, 2013 KHNEven as deaths in acute-care hospitals declined in recent years, the use of intensive care units in the last month of life increased. There has been greater use of hospice care, but much of it was for three days or less at the very end of life, a study finds.

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Shots - Health News

Exercise Can Be Good For The Heart, And Maybe For Sperm, Too

Human sperm race to fertilize an egg.

February 5, 2013 A study finds that guys who watched a lot of TV had lower sperm counts than more active fellows. The effect held true even when other factors, such as body weight and diet, were taken into account.

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The Salt

Mixing Alcohol With Diet Soda May Make You Drunker

The rum in that Cuba libre will hit your bloodstream faster if it's mixed with diet cola.

February 5, 2013 Turns out, the sugar in regular soda helps slow down your body's absorption of the alcohol in cocktails. So switching to diet in your rum and cola will save you calories but may leave you spinning.

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Shots - Health News

Why Prostate Cancer Screening Is So Tricky

When is the right time to check the PSA box?

February 5, 2013 Testing for prostate cancer may not get any less confusing anytime soon. But researchers say the much-maligned PSA screening test is worthwhile if it's used for the right men at the right time.

Summary

The Salt

Why Health Officials Want You To Eat More Potassium

Beans are among foods that pack a powerful potassium punch.

February 5, 2013 The latest nutrition guidelines from the World Health Organization are urging people to amp up their potassium intake. It can cut the risk of high blood pressure — which may, in turn, lower the risk of heart disease and stroke.

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Shots - Health News

Will Your Long-Term Care Coverage Keep Up With Changing Times?

The health services offered in 30 years may not be explicitly covered by the long-term care insurance you buy today.

February 5, 2013 KHNMany long-term care policies sold 30 years ago didn't specifically cover assisted living facilities. Policyholders rely on clauses that say new kinds of care will be covered when it becomes available, but the ultimate decision rests with insurers.

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