Health.gov - www.health.gov
If you want to know what the U.S. government is doing (or not doing) to help keep you healthy, start here. There are links to various databases, like the National Health Information Center, federal health agencies, assorted studies and breaking health news.
The average non-balding human head has 100,000 hairs. If they were all woven into a single rope, the rope could lift more than 12 tons.
GET ME THAT, STAT!
According to the World Health Organization, the 10 leading causes of death for people 10 to 24 are traffic accident injuries, AIDS/HIV, respiratory infections, self-inflicted injuries, violence, tuberculosis, drowning, fires, war and leukemia.
NEVER SAY DIET
The world's record for the fastest consumption of Spam is 6 pounds in 12 minutes.
OBSERVATION
So many people spend their health gaining wealth, and then have to spend their wealth to regain their health.
- A.J. Reb Materi, author
PHOBIA OF THE WEEK
Wiccaphobia - fear of witches and witchcraft
HIGH FAT, HIGHER STRESS
If you've ever told yourself, "Hey, don't worry. It's just one cheeseburger," here's something else to chew on. Researchers at the University of Calgary say consuming just a single, high-fat meal makes one more prone to stress and heart disease.
Campbell and colleagues studied 30 healthy, young adults who fasted for a night, and then consumed either a fat-laden breakfast from McDonald's or dry cereal with skim milk, cereal bars and nonfat yogurt. Both meals contained the same amount of calories, sodium and potassium.
Two hours later, the groups were subjected to standard physical and mental stress tests while having their cardiovascular responses measured. Invariably, the volunteers who had eaten the high-fat McDonald's breakfast exhibited higher stress levels, such as blood pressure and heart rate.
"What's really shocking is that this is just one meal," Campbell said.
STORIES FOR THE WAITING ROOM
If you think about it, a hospital operation is a lot like a car race: Doctors attempt to do their work as quickly and efficiently as possible, preferably without mistakes. Patients prefer this, too.
Surgeons at London's Great Ormond Street Children's Hospital recognized the racing analogy and asked a team of mechanics from Ferrari's Formula 1 racing group to critique their procedures for moving patients from the operating room to intensive-care units.
The Ferrari team took notes and devised a protocol that smoothes the process and, hopefully, minimizes chances that a piece of needed equipment or a vital message is overlooked.
Doctors say the new protocol, which includes changes like banning nonessential chatter and disconnecting wires in a specific order, has already reduced hospital errors.
CURTAIN CALLS
In 1994, the Mexican entertainer Ramon Barrero, who claimed to play the world's smallest harmonica, accidentally inhaled the instrument and choked to death during a performance.
