Avoid Mice, Avoid Lyme Disease

The tick which carries the microorganism responsible for Lyme disease is more commonly found on wild mice than on deer, says a New Jersey researcher. So avoiding the places where the mice roam also helps to cut your risk of picking up the ticks -- and Lyme disease. Medical researcher Steven Schutzer advises hikers and campers to avoid high, thick ground cover -- the wilderness habitats mice love -- in favor of more sparsely-vegetated areas.

Salt Sweetens Bitter Pill

Almost everyone loves salt -- be it on crunchy potato chips or pretzels or sprinkled on a meal -- because it enhances the flavor of food and makes taste come alive. But how does it do it, and why do salty foods tend to taste better, not worse? Well, it appears that salt does not enhance the sweet tastes we crave, but suppresses the unpalatable or bitter-tasting elements in food -- making sweeter tastes more noticeable, according to a letter in this week's issue of the journal Nature. The findings may explain why we love pretzels with beer.

Brains Okay After Lifetime of Booze

A new study shows that a lifetime of heavy drinking does not affect brain function in elderly men. No evidence of brain shrinkage (atrophy) or a decline in thinking ability was identified in a group of heavy drinking Australian veterans of the second world war. The veterans' alcohol consumption measured in 1982 was not in any way linked with mental performance nine years later.

Exercise Helps Chronic Fatigue

Aerobic exercise can improve the symptoms of chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS), a new study shows. CFS patients who exercised reported feeling better overall, with less fatigue and increased ability to function. They were more likely to return to work, and their physical fitness was also significantly better.

Sterilization is Leading Contraceptive

The leading method of contraception in American women between the ages of 15 and 44 is still sterilization. According to a new report from the National Center for Health Statistics (NCHS), 10.7 million women have been sterilized. The Pill is the second most common contraceptive, used by 10.4 million women, followed by the male condom (7.9 million) and male sterilization (4.2 million).

Most Obese Not Dieting

One out of three people in the U.S. is obese, but a new survey suggests that fewer and fewer overweight individuals are turning to dieting to try to correct the problem. Indeed, 78% of obese or overweight individuals are not dieting, though women are twice as likely as men to say they are trying to lose weight, according to a survey of 2,000 overweight adults. The new survey was commissioned by Shape Up America!, an anti-obesity campaign founded by Dr. C. Everett Koop, the former U.S. Surgeon General.

Exercise Works For Working Women

Despite the time constraints of family and career, most American working women want exercise to be a part of their lives, a new survey reveals. "Three out of five working women, 60%, say they yearn to have more time to be active," concludes a telephone survey of 259 full- or part-time employed women commissioned by the Coors Brewing Co. as part of their corporate partnership with the non-profit Women's Sports Foundation. The survey also found that working women who exercise are more likely to consider themselves successful compared to those who don't.

Hand Washing Keeps Kids in School

A scheduled hand-washing program in elementary schools may reduce the number of children who stay home because of infectious illnesses, especially gastrointestinal symptoms, a study shows. Hand washing in school at least four scheduled times a day led to significantly fewer absences due to communicable illness. "Children are notorious for not washing their hands," say researchers from Providence Hospital in Southfield, Michigan.

Child, Elderly Suicide Rates Climbing

New government statistics reveal rising rates of suicide among young and elderly Americans, while suicide by those in middle-age declines. Researchers at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) evaluated 16 years of Washington state death statistics. They found suicides among children aged 10-14 rose 127% between 1980-1995, while those among the elderly (75 years of age or over) rose 42%. At the same time, rates dropped 17% in adults between the ages of 24-75.

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