Copyright 2013 http://www.nbcwashington.com/news/health en-us Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:38:53 -0400 Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:38:53 -0400 NBC Local Integrated Media Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:14:42 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/smoking+alcohol+fears.jpg Doctors are growing concerned over a new, potentially dangerous way young people are consuming alcohol: smoking it. Chris Glorioso reports.]]> Tue, 23 Apr 2013 12:44:12 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/20130316Floor.jpg

The NBC4 Health & Fitness Expo packed the Walter E. Washington Convention Center this weekend with fun - and with free information designed to keep you healthy and happy.

Thanks for making our 20th anniversary year our best yet!

We started Saturday with a special recognition of the groups that have been with us since the Expo's beginnings two decades ago. And on Saturday, we witnessed a new event: a "flash walk" to encourage walking sponsored by Kaiser Permanente, where volunteers from throughout the Expo took to their feet for health.

On Sunday, we enjoyed a "Harlem Shake," visits from Weekend Today anchor Erica Hill and meterologist Dylan Dreyer, as well as weekend-long information, activities and health screenings from more than 250 participating organizations.

We'll get started planning soon for next year's Expo. Watch NBCWashington for dates to plan ahead for next year.

Meanwhile, here's some of what was featured at the 2013 Expo:

*A chance to audition for your own spot on NBC's hit show, "The Voice" - or just to sit in one of the famous chairs

*Exciting classes where everyone from beginners to experts can work out and learn from the best fitness instructors in the D.C. area

*Demos of the latest ideas in healthy living, from weight loss to workouts to kids' yoga

*Thought-provoking forums on women's and men's health, stress management, and caring for the elderly, all moderated by News4 anchors and reporters

*The chance to take a ride on our zip line, climb a rock wall, let the kids run through our obstacle course, play a world-famous golf course (virtually), and play soccer with D.C. United

*Our popular walking track, where you can walk for great causes including Alzheimer's, diabetes and cancer research (you might even find yourself walking with Storm Team4 Chief Meteorologist Doug Kammerer!)

*The latest in health and wellness information from more than 250 exhibitors and partners

*The chance to meet NBC4 anchors, reporters and meteorologists

There was truly something for everyone, including exciting Zumba classes, the popular Dancing 4 You and Healthy Cooking 4 You demo stages, and free health tests and screenings.

We even took on the serious issues of bullying prevention this year - and we had a special exhibit designed to remind every driver that texting can wait 'til the car is in park.

The 20th Anniversary NBC4 Health & Fitness Expo, was held Saturday, March 16 and Sunday, March 17 at the Walter E. Washington Convention Center, 801 Mt. Vernon Place NW, Washington, DC.]]> Wed, 19 Jun 2013 07:54:45 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/hospital-pets.jpg Experts say they've seen physical changes in patients who receive visits from cherished pets while in the hospital. Nesita Kwan reports. Read the story .]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 22:09:07 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/obesity+generic.jpg Obesity was officially designated a disease Tuesday by the American Medical Association. The influential doctors' group doesn't have any official say in the matter — but its designation could have major implications for medical treatment, public policy and even job security, the group said. The designation could also make it easier for policymakers to enact changes in the way obesity is treated on a public health level — as such a designation did for smoking. "More widespread recognition of obesity as a disease could result in greater investments by government and the private sector to develop and reimburse obesity treatments," also, the AMA said. "Employers may be required to cover obesity treatments for their employees and may be less able to discriminate on the basis of body weight."]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 20:32:14 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/50800426.jpg

People who traveled through Dulles International Airport earlier this month may have been exposed to measles.

Health officials are telling anyone who was at the airport June 7 between 6 p.m. and 9 p.m. to be on the lookout for symptoms.

The specific locations of concern are concourse A or B, the international arrivals building, or in the baggage claim level of the main terminal.

Measles is very contagious and is spread through coughing, sneezing and contact with secretions from the nose, mouth and throat of someone who's infected.

Symptoms usually start with a fever of 101 degrees or higher, along with a runny nose, watery red eyes and a cough. The a rash appears about three to seven days later.

Health officials recommend you call your primary health care provider if you have symptoms.

They say if you make it past June 28 without symptoms, you are likely in the clear.

More information is available from Virginia state health officials the Loudoun County Health Department at 571-233-7317.

Photo Credit: Getty]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:55:53 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/Diana+Stoehr.jpg Diana Stoehr celebrated 50 years of being a nurse Monday. Now 71, she started work June 17, 1963, making only $1.40 per hour. Stoehr met her husband when he was patient at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, and her children were born there too.]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 15:53:22 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/MelaFind.jpg MelaFind is a new device dermatologists are using to detect melanoma. Dr. Cheryl Burgess says it analysis the size, depth and any irregularities of moles.

Photo Credit: NBCWashington.com]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 16:33:32 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/AP13031318962.jpg One in three Americans will have high blood pressure at least once in their life. Here are some simple ways to lower your blood pressure.

Photo Credit: AP]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:35:40 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/Ronald+and+Jacob+Rey.jpg Ronald Rey, a father from Hialeah, had to pull double duty when his baby refused to wait. "I panicked, I wasn't expecting it," said Ivis Rey, who was a month away from her due date when her water broke on Friday morning. She called her husband and he immediately rushed home, planning to rush her to the hospital. Their baby boy had other plans, however.

Photo Credit: NBC 6 South Florida]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 11:42:47 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/238*120/beach-shutterstock_10979551.jpg

Swimmers are being told to stay out of the water at three beaches in Anne Arundel County after tests show high levels of bacteria.

The Anne Arundel County Health Department announced Monday that Beverly Beach on the Chesapeake Bay near Mayo, London Towne at Arundel Road Beach and Upper Magothy Beach in Severna Park are closed.

Health officials said they weren't sure what caused the high readings but waterfowl, water temperature and tidal action can contribute.

The advisory will remain in effect until tests indicate acceptable levels.

Those who come in contact with the water are advised to wash with warm water and soap immediately.

For more information on the status of the beach advisories, visit the Anne Arundel County Department of Health.


Photo Credit: Shutterstock]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:25:48 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/Fight-the-Bite.jpg A summer camp in Irving is urging children to fight the bite. The city's goal is to have 1,000 students actively fighting mosquitoes that can carry West Nile virus.

Photo Credit: City of Irving]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 08:11:19 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/210*120/0617-fatpill.jpg New drug approved by FDA appears to help people make a big first step toward much needed weight loss. Terry McSweeney reports.

Photo Credit: NBC Bay Area]]> Mon, 17 Jun 2013 09:24:37 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/organ_transplant.jpg Some types of experimental lab-grown body parts are now implanted in people and working well, but challenges remain in creating complex structures. Researchers hope one day to ease chronic shortages of much needed organs like the one recently needed by Sarah Murnaghan.]]> Tue, 18 Jun 2013 10:43:23 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/2013-Newsbabes_2012_2_800px_72.jpg

It's time to break out the pink again for the fifth annual DC Newsbabes Bash.

Twenty-one female news anchors in our area are joining up with supporters and survivors Thursday, June 27 to raise funds for the Howard University Cancer Center.

News4's own Doreen Gentzler, Eun Yang, Angie Goff, Wendy Rieger and Danella Sealock will be hosting the event, along with female anchors from WUSA9, Fox5 and ABC7.

In addition, the Newsmen in Pink, a collective of male anchors from each station, will also be participating.

Guests will enjoy specialty cocktails, sweet treats from Georgetown Cupcake, and music by DJ Flounder. It's all happening at the Hamilton (600 14th St. NW) from 7 to 9 p.m. Tickets are $75.

The Howard University Cancer Center is one of the region's top providers of cancer treatment and care to minorities, specializing in the research and prevention of cancer among the under-served population, particularly African-Americans.

Photo Credit: Newsbabes Bash for Breast Cancer]]> Fri, 14 Jun 2013 14:21:49 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/scars.jpg Dr. Steven Hopping discusses the newest ways to reducing the appearance of scars and keloids.]]> Fri, 14 Jun 2013 14:14:59 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/Sarah-Murnaghan.jpg

The 10-year-old Pennsylvania girl who fought for a lung transplant has a difficult journey ahead. The transplant isn't a cure for her cystic fibrosis, and new lungs don't tend to last as long as other transplanted organs.

But it can extend life by years, buying some time.

"You're keeping them alive and hopefully well, hoping that something else will come along that will make the big difference," said Dr. Anastassios Koumbourlis, pulmonary chief at Children's National Medical Center in the nation's capital.

Sarah Murnaghan, who is recovering from Wednesday's operation at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia, made headlines as her parents challenged national policy over how children under 12 are placed on the waiting list for donated lungs.

Lost in the debate over how to give out scarce organs was this broader question: How well do children with cystic fibrosis fare when they do get a new set of lungs?

Fortunately, few children get sick enough anymore to need transplants, said Dr. Stuart Sweet, pediatric lung transplant chief at Washington University in St. Louis. Treatments for the genetic disease have improved so much over the past decade that patients live much longer before their lungs start to wear out.

About 30,000 Americans live with cystic fibrosis, which causes sticky mucus to build up in the lungs, leading to life-threatening infections in the lungs and problems in other organs. Only a few decades ago, children with the disease seldom survived elementary school. Now the typical life expectancy is about 37 years and growing.

A 2007 study published in the New England Journal of Medicine prompted major controversy over whether lung transplants offered enough survival benefit to be used for cystic fibrosis. Ultimately, doctors decided it did, for the right patient who is out of options.

Since then, about 150 to 200 people with the disease, mostly teens and adults, have gotten lung transplants every year, according to a patient registry run by the Cystic Fibrosis Foundation. More than 80 percent of patients who get new lungs survive a year, and more than 50 percent are alive after five years, the registry shows.

That's a sobering statistic, although some people survive much longer. For comparison, well over 90 percent of people who receive a kidney transplant survive five years.

"We expect it will be a long road, but we're not going for easy, we're going for possible," Sarah's family said in a statement after her surgery.

Sweet said the issue isn't the cystic fibrosis but that lungs simply are difficult to transplant, no matter what the underlying disease.

"The reality is that lung transplantation is not a perfect solution," Sweet said.

After all, "this is the only organ we transplant that's in contact with the outside world," added Dr. Karen McCoy, pulmonology chief at Nationwide Children's Hospital in Columbus, Ohio.

For cystic fibrosis patients, the donated lungs don't contain the defective gene that caused their own lungs to clog -- so they won't fill with mucus again. Cystic fibrosis will continue to damage their pancreas, intestines and other parts of the body, requiring ongoing treatment to deal with nutritional problems and other symptoms.

But patients may be at higher risk of post-transplant lung infections for a different reason: Some of the antibiotic-resistant germs that infected their old lungs can still be lurking in their sinuses. They can travel to the new lungs as patients begin taking the immune-suppressing drugs necessary to prevent organ rejection, McCoy said.

Eventually, many transplant recipients suffer lung failure as some of the tiniest airways in the lungs break down, in part due to infections. Some qualify for another transplant, but second transplants aren't as successful.

Another threat for lung recipients, regardless of the underlying disease: The teen years. That's when young patients assume more responsibility for their anti-rejection medicines, and may skip doses to be "normal" like their friends -- one reason survival dips for adolescents

Stay tuned: Treatments that target the specific gene defect behind most cases of cystic fibrosis are being researched. If they pan out, eventually fewer patients may need transplants.

Photo Credit: NBC10 Philadelphia]]> Thu, 13 Jun 2013 18:00:24 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/genetic_testing_cancer_041511_722x406_1884022521.jpg The Supreme Court's mixed ruling on gene patents Thursday meant that all sides could claim a partial victory — patients, researchers and industry alike. The unanimous opinion invalidated Myriad Genetics' most controversial patents on tests for two gene mutations that heighten breast cancer risk, but it didn't invalidate patents on artificial DNA. "I think this is a green light for us to go ahead with our testing," said one of the researchers who had challenged the Myriad patents, while another plaintiff, a breast cancer survivor, said she was thrilled that "our genes are not being held hostage by a private corporation anymore." But the ruling also left intact some other claims of Myriad's patents — and protected aspects of the biotech industry that use artificial DNA to make drugs. Medical ethics expert Art Caplan voiced his support for the ruling striking down patents on natural genes in an NBC News opinion piece. "Patents should be given not for discovery, but for inventions," he wrote.]]> Thu, 13 Jun 2013 07:34:19 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/WRC_0000000002829702_722x406_33265219813.jpg A pregnant Metro rider details her experiences with seemingly able-bodied Metro riders who don't give up their seats for riders who may need them more. Darcy Spencer reports.]]> Wed, 12 Jun 2013 20:12:07 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/plan-b-165701706.jpg A federal judge has approved President Barack Obama's administration's concession to make emergency contraceptive Plan B One-Step available to all girls without restrictions or prescriptions. Judge Edward Korman accepted the administration's plan — which applies only to the newer, one-pill version of the morning-after pill, not to the cheaper two-pill version — after he had blasted the administration in April for what he called its nonsensical, politically motivated policy to restrict sales. That ruling came after women's health advocates sued Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius, who had overruled her own scientists' recommendation to make the drug available over-the-counter to all girls regardless of age and had instituted the age restrictions for sales. In his order Wednesday accepting the administration's new plan to comply with his earlier ruling, Korman credited the women's health groups who sued. "It is they, and the women who benefitted from their efforts, who deserve to be rewarded," he wrote.]]> Wed, 12 Jun 2013 18:28:14 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/Generic-Baby-Hand.jpg

Some parts of the Washington region are getting high marks when it comes to kids' health.

A new ranking by U.S. News & World Report puts Montgomery County, Md., as ninth in the nation among the 50 Healthiest Counties for Kids. Howard County, Md., also made the Top 50, coming in at No. 26, while Fairfax County, Va., came in 28th.

The study was based on low birthweight, infant deaths, teen pregnancies, injury death rates and the number of children in poverty. Montgomery County got a score of 90.1 out of 100. Howard County and Fairfax County received 85.4/100 and 85.1/100 respectively.

At the top of the list is Marin County, Calif., located in the northern San Francisco Bay Area.

You can see the full list of rankings and all of the data here.

Photo Credit: Getty Images]]> Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:09:37 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/weiner-suicide.jpg The rates of sucide among those born between 1946 and 1964 have risen significantly over the past 10 years. Dr. Joshua Weiner tells News4 viewers what risk factors look out for.]]> Wed, 12 Jun 2013 16:13:23 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/mammogram_050311_722x406_1907631592.jpg Doctors in Prince George's County say they're seeing more and more women delaying their breast cancer screenings, causing the county's death rate from the disease to be one of the highest in the country.]]> Wed, 12 Jun 2013 11:54:24 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/pub_loo_two.jpg A viral British anti-drunk driving campaign video is receiving a lot of attention for a sobering strategy that aims to literally scare the crap out of potential offenders. The #PubLooShocker video, just 52 seconds long, features "unsuspecting" drinkers in a bar bathroom. Check it out.]]> Wed, 12 Jun 2013 09:36:07 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/electronic+cigarettes.JPG

Tobacco company Altria Group Inc. is launching its first electronic cigarette under the MarkTen brand in Indiana starting in August and expanding its smokeless product offerings.

The owner of the nation's biggest cigarette maker, Philip Morris USA, announced the details of its NuMark subsidiary's foray into the fast-growing business Tuesday.

It's the last of the nation's major tobacco companies to market an electronic cigarette in an industrywide push to diversify beyond the traditional cigarette business, which has become tougher in the face of tax hikes, smoking bans, health concerns and social stigma.

The Richmond, Va.-based company declined to say whether it plans to expand beyond the initial statewide test market or whether it plans to advertise on TV — a place tobacco companies have long been prohibited from marketing traditional cigarettes.

During an investor presentation on Tuesday, CEO Marty Barrington said the company has "spent a good deal of time studying the category and the business opportunity."

"The category is in its early stages and time will tell how it will evolve," Barrington said.

Electronic cigarettes are battery-powered devices that heat a liquid nicotine solution, creating vapor that users inhale. Devotees say e-cigarettes address both the addictive and behavioral aspects of smoking. Smokers get their nicotine without the more than 4,000 chemicals found in regular cigarettes. And they get to hold something shaped like a cigarette, while puffing and exhaling something that looks like smoke.

More than 45 million Americans smoke cigarettes, and about half of smokers try to quit each year, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

MarkTen is a disposable e-cigarette but can be reused by buying a separate battery recharging kit and additional cartridges in both tobacco and menthol flavors. The company said the e-cigarette's "Four Draw" technology is designed to give users a "more consistent experience" that closely resembles the draw of a traditional cigarette.

The e-cigarette, made in China by a contract manufacturer, is expected to sell for about $9.50. Prices for additional cartridges and recharging kit were not available. The liquid for the cartridges is being produced in the U.S.

Last week, Reynolds American Inc., owner of the nation's second-biggest tobacco company, announced that it is launching a revamped version of its Vuse brand electronic cigarette in Colorado in July, with its sights set on expanding nationally. Lorillard Inc., the nation's third-biggest tobacco company, acquired e-cigarette maker Blu Ecigs in April 2012 and has expanded to more than 80,000 retail outlets.

The market for e-cigarettes, which includes more than 250 brands, has grown from the thousands of users in 2006 to several million worldwide. Analysts estimate sales could double this year to $1 billion. Some go as far as saying consumption of e-cigs could surpass consumption of traditional cigarettes in the next decade.

Tobacco company executives even noted that e-cigarettes drove total industry cigarette volumes down about 600 million cigarettes, or about 1 percent, during the first quarter, excluding Internet sales — a major avenue for e-cig purchases.

The Food and Drug Administration plans to assert regulatory authority over e-cigarettes in the near future. Public health officials say the safety of e-cigarettes and their effectiveness in helping people quit regular smokes haven't been fully studied.

Despite the regulatory uncertainties, electronic cigarettes have attracted the attention of investors.

Electronic cigarette maker Njoy Inc. said Monday it has raised $75 million in financing from investors including Napster founder and entrepreneur Sean Parker and Homewood Capital principal Douglas Teitelbaum to be used for marketing, clinical trials, research and development, and international expansion. Musician Bruno Mars also has invested the company whose Njoy King disposable e-cigarettes are available in more than 60,000 retail stores.

Like other tobacco companies, Altria also is focusing on cigarette alternatives for future sales growth because the decline in cigarette smoking is expected to continue.

The company said Tuesday it is expanding its Verve chewable, disposable nicotine discs from 60 stores to about 1,200 throughout Virginia in the second half of the year. It also plans to debut a gum containing tobacco in Denmark this summer called Tju (pronounced like "chew") through a previously announced joint venture with an affiliate of Fertin Pharma A/S to develop smokeless nicotine products.

Altria, whose brands include top-selling Marlboro cigarettes, Skoal smokeless tobacco and Black & Mild cigars, also on Tuesday reaffirmed its 2013 full-year adjusted earnings forecast of between $2.35 and $2.41 per share. The company also owns a wine business, holds a voting stake in brewer SABMiller, and has a financial services division.

Photo Credit: AP]]> Wed, 12 Jun 2013 11:44:53 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/Black+high+heels.jpg

It’s no secret that high heels are painful -- but you can lengthen the time you wear them by watching the clock.

A study by the Britain’s College of Podiatry found that it takes most women one hour, six minutes and 48 seconds of wearing uncomfortable shoes to feel pain, according to reports.

The survey of 2,000 women and men found that more than 40 percent of women and 12 percent of men said they prefer to wear ill-fitting shoes for fashion.

“Any shoes with a heel higher than two inches are a concern,” College of Podiatry consultant podiatrist Mike O'Neill told the U.K. Daily Mail. He advised that women wear platforms or wedges instead for the extra height.

That advice may fall on deaf ears for younger women, who are more likely to own a pair of six-inch heels. About 20 percent of women between the ages of 18 to 24 own at least a pair of the mentioned sky-high heels compared to only three percent of women between the ages of 35 to 44 who do.

For women who wear heels on their night out, about 28 percent admitted to walking back home barefooted at the end of their evening.

The study also reported that women own 17 pairs of shoes while men only own eight on average.



Photo Credit: Getty Images]]> Tue, 11 Jun 2013 13:04:21 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/burgess-warts.jpg There are more than 100 kinds of human papillomavirus (HPV) these days, and Dr. Cheryl Burgess says warts on children's fingers and toes could be a strain. She also explains how the vaccine Gardasil works in females between ages 9-26.]]> Mon, 10 Jun 2013 22:57:07 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/plan-b-165701706.jpg The federal government will drop its efforts to restrict young teens' access to emergency contraception, the Justice Department told a federal court Monday. The administration said it would submit to the court a plan to comply with Judge Edward Korman's April order that would let girls of any age buy emergency contraception without prescriptions. If the court approves the plan, the Justice Department said, it will drop its appeal of Korman's ruling. The Obama administration's new decision comes as an about-face after months of wrangling between the federal government and the courts — as well as women's health advocates — over access to the so-called morning-after pill. The Food and Drug Administration had recommended green-lighting over-the-counter sales of the drug to girls of all ages back in 2011, but Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius had overruled the scientists in an unprecedented move. Judge Korman had blasted that move as politically motivated.]]> Mon, 10 Jun 2013 23:33:46 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/Family-fights-for-Lung-Tran.jpg The board that oversees organ transplants in the U.S. voted Monday to let children's doctors appeal for special consideration for children who need lung transplants. That decision by the board of the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network came after two dying children's families sued the Obama administration over its tiered system that divides children needing transplants into age groups and separates them from adults. Lawyers for the families of Sarah Murnaghan, 10, and Javier Acosta, 11, both dying of cystic fibrosis, say the system penalizes children under 12 but large enough in size to get adult or teenaged-sized lungs. A judge agreed with that argument last week and ordered Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius to suspend its existing organ rules. Now, the new unanimous decision by the OPTN board, overseen by Sebelius, will let the doctors of children under 12 appeal to have them classified as adolescents, giving them access to a larger pool of available organs. It will not, however, give the children access to the adult allocation tier.

Photo Credit: Family Photo]]> Mon, 10 Jun 2013 13:50:43 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/prom16.jpg Parents and volunteers organize prom for special needs students. Maryalice Demler reports.

Photo Credit: Getty Images]]> Tue, 11 Jun 2013 11:41:37 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/soy-sauce.jpg

A 19-year-old went into a coma and nearly died after he drank more than a quart of soy sauce, a case study published in the Journal of Emergency Medicine on June 4 said.

The teen reportedly drank the condiment after he was dared by his friends. According to the doctors in Virginia who conducted emergency treatment, the teen is is the first person known to have deliberately overdosed on such a high amount of salt and survived, with no lasting neurological problems.

After he drank the soy sauce, the man began having seizures and was rushed to the ER. Once there, doctors administered anti-seizure medication, but the man was already in a coma. After the medical staff flushed his system of soy sauce, they replaced it with a water and sugar dextrose solution.

"He didn't respond to any of the stimuli that we gave him," Dr. David J. Carlberg, who treated the victim, told LiveScience.com. "He had some clonus, which is just elevated reflexes. It's a sign that basically the nervous system wasn't working very well."

After five hours of treatment, the man's sodium levels returned to normal. Three days later he woke from his coma. A month after the accident, he returned to college and showed no effects of the accident.

Photo Credit: Getty Images]]> Mon, 10 Jun 2013 07:05:18 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/bionichandthumbnail.jpg A Texas man gets high-tech bionic hand 61 years after he was born without fingers on his right hand.]]> Fri, 07 Jun 2013 23:34:30 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/KNBC_000000007095681_722x406_32744003867.jpg Doctors are harvesting embryonic stem cells in adult patients’ fat using liposuction performed under local anesthesia. Kevin Joseph underwent the procedure in hopes that the stem cells in his fat may one day save his life. Chuck Henry reports for the NBC4 News at 5 p.m. on June 6, 2013.]]> Thu, 06 Jun 2013 08:01:45 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/waste+no+food+1+copy.jpg At the same time millions of people in America go hungry for lack of food, billions of pounds of food goes wasted for lack of people to eat it. Kiran Sridhar thinks that is appalling. He is also doing something about it. Read the full story here.]]> Thu, 06 Jun 2013 14:09:36 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/Sarah-lung-transplant1.jpg

A family spokeswoman says a dying 10-year -old Newtown Square girl's condition has worsened as she awaits a lung transplant.

The national organ transplant network complied with a judge's unusual order last night and placed the girl, Sarah Murnaghan, on the adult waiting list for a donated lung. The girl has end-stage cystic fibrosis and has been awaiting a transplant at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. Federal Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius says the girl also remains on the priority list for a lung from a pediatric donor.

“We are beyond thrilled,” Janet Murnaghan, the girl's mother, told The Associated Press on Wednesday after U.S. District Judge Michael Baylson intervened in the case. “Obviously we still need a match.”.

Baylson suspended an age factor in the nation's transplant rules for 10 days for Murnaghan, who has been at Children's Hospital of Philadelphia for three months with end-stage cystic fibrosis.

The judge's ruling lifting the age requirement applies only to Sarah. The donor network's decision extends the exception window.

Health and Human Services Secretary Kathleen Sebelius said Thursday that Sarah Murnaghan also remains on the priority list for a lung from a pediatric donor.

Sebelius said the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network made the change last night, after the government relayed the judge's ruling.

An expert questioned Baylson's decision, which came a day after Sebelius declined to become involved in the case, despite urgent pleas from several Pennsylvania congressmen.

Lung transplants are the most difficult of organ transplants, and children fare worse than adults, which is one reason for the existing policy, said Dr. Arthur Caplan, a bioethicist at New York University Langone Medical Center.

He called it troubling, and perhaps precedent-setting, for a judge to overrule that medical judgment, and predicted a run to the courthouse by patients who don't like their place on the waiting list.

“I'm not sure I want judges or congressmen or bureaucrats trying to decide what to do with organs at the bedside,” Caplan said.

Sarah's family, who live Newtown Square, filed suit Wednesday to challenge organ transplant rules that say children under age 12 must wait for pediatric lungs to become available, or wait at the end of the adult list, which included adults who aren't as critically ill. The Murnaghans say pediatric lungs are rarely donated, so they believe older children should have equal access to the adult donations.

Nationwide, about 1,700 people are on the waiting list for a lung transplant, including 31 children under age 11, according to the Organ Procurement and Transplantation Network.

Sebelius said there were three other children at Children's Hospital alone in the same condition as Sarah.

She has called for a review of pediatric transplant policies amid the higher death rates for pediatric patients, but the Murnaghans say Sarah doesn't have time for that.

Sarah's doctors, one of whom testified Wednesday at an emergency hearing before Baylson, believe they can perform a successful transplant on her with adult lungs.

“She definitely understands things have improved quite a bit,” the girl's aunt, Sharon Ruddock, said after the ruling.

The Murnaghans' attorney, Steve Harvey, said a committee of the organization that sets transplants policy may meet next week and he hoped it would change the policy.

“I hope that they decide to discontinue it completely for children under 12. I won't be satisfied until Sarah Murnaghan receives a set of lungs,” he said. “The risk of her dying until she gets those lungs is high.”

Joel Newman, spokesman for the United Network for Organ Sharing that operates the nation's transplant network, said he was unaware of any previous court order that overruled a transplant policy.

While many more adult lungs than children's lungs wind up being donated, the ruling doesn't guarantee Sarah a new set of lungs. The matches are based on blood type, the risk of dying, the chance of surviving a transplant and other medical factors. The donor lungs would also have to be an appropriate size for her chest.

Newman said some lungs donated from deceased adults have been offered for children's transplants over the past two years, although he couldn't give a number. But he said all were turned down by the children's surgeons.

The UNOS system was established to avoid bias in determining who gets organs, thus ensuring that the rich or celebrities, for example, don't have a better chance, Caplan noted. He said it is transparent, with policies open to public comment and scrutiny before they're enacted.

“When a judge steps in and says, ‘I don't like these rules, I think they're arbitrary,’ they better be very arbitrary or he's undermining the authority of the whole system. Why wouldn't anybody sue?”

Photo Credit: NBC10.com]]> Wed, 05 Jun 2013 18:20:54 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/Sarah-lung-transplant1.jpg

A big victory came in federal court today for 10-year-old Sarah Murnaghan, a dying girl in need of a lung transplant.

This afternoon, Judge Michael Baylson granted the Murnaghan family's request for a temporary restraining order, telling the Secretary of Health and Human Services to cease application of the "Under 12" rule when it comes to Sarah.

The 10-year-old Newtown Square, Pa. girl has been hospitalized at Children's Hospital in Philadelphia for three months with end-stage cystic fibrosis.

Video shows Sarah celebrating from her hospital bed, waving her hands in the air, after hearing the news about judge's decision.

The temporary restraining order will last for 10 days. A preliminary injunction hearing is scheduled for June 14.

"For us, this means that for the next 10 days, Sarah’s placement in the queue for adult lungs will be based on the severity of her illness, and she will not be penalized for her age," the Murnaghan family said in a statement. "We are experiencing many emotions: relief, happiness, gratitude and, for the first time in months: hope."

Earlier today, Sarah's parents filed the emergency motion, in an effort to prevent Secretary of Health and Human Services Kathleen Sebelius from enforcing a policy that prevents children under the age of 12 from getting a lung transplant from an adult donor until after adults in need.

“We will not stand by and let Sarah die and we have filed in federal court for an immediate injunction to do what Secretary Sebelius will not: give Sarah and other children in her position a fair chance at life," said Janet Murnaghan, Sarah's mother.

Yesterday, Secretary Sebelius spoke about Sarah's case before a congressional committee, saying she can't intervene in transplant decisions.

Sebelius says those decisions should be made by medical experts and mentioned there are three other children at Children's Hospital who are just as sick.

The judge said in court today that he would consider a temporary restraining order for any other child in similar circumstances in the same judicial district, who bring their case to court.

Photo Credit: NBC10.com]]> Wed, 05 Jun 2013 17:13:03 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/edt-pacifier-picture.jpg Does giving birth vaginally prevent allergies in babies? Do you have to clean pacifiers immediately? Dr. Jackie Eghrari-Sabet, of Family Allergy & Asthma Care in Gaithersburg, Md., explains ways to prevent common allergies in even the youngest patients.

Photo Credit: Getty Images]]> Wed, 05 Jun 2013 23:12:42 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/bullying_pix.jpg A Wisconsin town is set to issue citations to bullies and their parents. WMTV's Britni McDonald reports.]]> Wed, 05 Jun 2013 14:37:24 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/WRC_0000000002772221_722x406_32582211945.jpg The generation that grew up in the 1960s and 1970s is among the fastest growing group of drug and alcohol abusers. Dr. Joshua Weiner discusses the signs of substance in older individuals and why baby boomers are turning to the things they did in college.]]> Wed, 05 Jun 2013 07:31:27 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/war+on+cancer.jpg It's a disease that claims the lives of our family members and friends. While there have been significant leaps in the war against cancer, are we winning the fight? Doctors and patients weigh in. Gabe Pressman reports.]]> Tue, 04 Jun 2013 18:10:48 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/Heat_Generic_Sun_Generic.jpg News4's Doreen Gentzler explains what you need to know about protecting your skin this summer.

Photo Credit: NBC10 Philadelphia]]> Tue, 04 Jun 2013 16:25:25 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/176*120/neck_pain.jpg Chances are many of you deal with neck pain. But did you know it could eventually develop into something more chronic? Dr. Raymond Solano shares the common causes and how to get rid of that pain in the neck.]]> Fri, 14 Jun 2013 11:25:11 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/sun_screen_P1.jpg A new skin study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine confirms what doctors have long preached. Daily, year-round sunscreen use can significantly slow the skin's aging process by as much as 24 percent.]]> Mon, 10 Jun 2013 16:08:47 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/182*120/heatlegs.JPG New research shows that the most effective anti-aging product is sunscreen. The Australian study revealed that using sunscreen every single day can slow down the aging process on your skin. Erika Edwards reports.

Photo Credit: Getty Images]]> Tue, 04 Jun 2013 06:32:47 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/228*120/smoke3.jpg Smokers cost their employers almost $6,000 more every year than non-smokers, researchers said Monday, in what they called the first comprehensive study on the issue. Their study's numbers even took into account the fact that smokers tend to die younger than non-smokers and thus collect less from their pensions. The study's results support a trend toward not only banning smoking in the workplace but also refusing to hire smokers at all, the study's lead author said. That's not only because of lost productivity from workers taking smoke breaks but also because of the costs of health insurance for smokers. "Our best estimate of the annual excess cost to employ a smoker is $5,816," the researchers wrote in the journal Tobacco Control, noting that the figure had taken into account employers' attempts to correct for smokers' costs by paying them less.

Photo Credit: Getty Images]]> Mon, 03 Jun 2013 12:53:47 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/WRC_0000000002754448_722x406_32101955960.jpg We're all thinking about wearing that little bathing suit on the beach this summer, and we all want to look our best. One way to do that is with yoga. Kim Weeks from Boundless Yoga stopped by News4 Midday to explain.
]]> Mon, 03 Jun 2013 09:42:08 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/cancerhealth.jpg Genetic mutations that raise the risk of breast cancer, like the kind Angelina Jolie has, are surprisingly common in black women with the disease, according to a new study that could help explain why blacks face higher rates of breast cancer.]]> Mon, 03 Jun 2013 15:33:55 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/meatlabelthumbnail.jpg USDA has implemented new regulations requiring more inclusive labels on meat products. Look for them in the grocery store soon.]]> Mon, 03 Jun 2013 09:29:28 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/WTVJ_000000007556252_722x406_32056387908.jpg Miami Children's Hospital took 75 young patients and their families to the Miami Seaquarium for National Cancer Survivors Day. NBC 6's Betty Yu reports.]]> Thu, 30 May 2013 14:09:43 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/hayes2.jpg Studies show outdoor exercise improves mental health, although in this heat, you may want to stick with an early morning or evening workout. Fitness expert Steve Hayes joins us with a look at moving beyond a simple walk or run.]]> Thu, 30 May 2013 09:44:36 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/WNBC_000000002159534_722x406_31760963658.jpg A Staten Island man hopes to play the guitar again, after his hands were nearly severed in an industrial accident, then saved by doctors at Long Island's Stony Brook University Hospital. Read the full story here.Greg Cergol reports.]]> Wed, 29 May 2013 19:55:02 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/160*120/Generic-Health-1.jpg

The D.C. area ranks second on a list of America's fittest cities.

Areas were ranked based on several factors, including the eating habits of its community, local policies and resources, and access to health care, reports WebMD.com.

The D.C. area's large number of parks and recreation centers helped its ranking. We also have a lower number of deaths from heart attacks and strokes than other areas.

The list was compiled by the American College of Sports Medicine.

Our neighbor up the road -- Baltimore -- came in at 17th. The city of Minneapolis came in at No. 1.]]> Wed, 29 May 2013 16:25:46 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/SIBLINGAUTISM2_722x406_31714371673.jpg If you have a child with an autism spectrum disorder, there's a 1 in 5 chance that your child's younger sibling will also have one. Now some doctors are offering free screenings for infant siblings in hopes that those who need treatment will get it sooner. Click here for more information.]]> Tue, 28 May 2013 17:07:17 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/WRC_0000000002711578_722x406_31525443919.jpg From stretch marks to moles to a pregnancy "mask," women who are expecting can experience many different changes with their skin. Dermatologist Dr. Cheryl Burgess discusses how skin conditions can be prevented and treated in pregnant women.]]> Wed, 29 May 2013 06:51:06 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/ParkinsonsResearch.jpg As Washington works to hatch an immigration policy overhaul, there has been plenty of talk about luring highly-skilled workers like scientists and health workers. But despite the immigration reform efforts, scientists say that the United States' dismal funding of science research could continue to cost it some top young scientists — including American ones. Budget cuts have been steadily whittling down funding for the National Institutes of Health, and the sequester will only make matters worse for young medical researchers battling for funding. Scientists say the drying-up of funding not only affecting their careers — it could also delay important medical breakthroughs for a nation in need of them as baby boomers age. And many scientists are leaving the U.S. for better opportunities. ]]> Tue, 28 May 2013 13:08:13 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/Livestrong1.jpg

Nike, which helped build Lance Armstrong's Livestrong cancer charity into a global brand and introduced its familiar yellow wristband, is cutting ties with the foundation in the latest fallout from the former cyclist's doping scandal.

The move by the sports shoe and clothing company ends a nine-year relationship that helped the foundation raise more than $100 million and made the charity's bracelet an international symbol for cancer survivors.

But the relationship soured with revelations of performance-enhancing drug use by Armstrong and members of his U.S. Postal Service team.

Nike dropped its personal sponsorship of Armstrong last October after U.S. Anti-Doping Agency exposed the team doping program and portrayed Armstrong as its ringleader. And after years of denials, Armstrong admitted earlier this year he used performance-enhancing drugs to win the Tour de France seven times.

Officials at Livestrong, which announced the split on Tuesday, said the foundation remains strong and committed to helping cancer patients worldwide through its survivorship programs.

Armstrong, who started the charity in 1997 as the Lance Armstrong Foundation, was pushed off the board of directors in October and the organization later changed its formal name to Livestrong.

In a statement, Livestrong officials said the foundation is "deeply grateful" to Nike.

"Together, we created new, revolutionary ways of thinking about how non-profits fuel their mission and we're proud of that," the foundation said.

Livestrong officials say the charity remains on solid financial ground.

"This news will prompt some to jump to negative conclusions about the foundation's future. We see things quite differently. We expected and planned for changes like this and are therefore in a good position to adjust swiftly and move forward with our patient-focused work," the foundation said.

The foundation said it reduced its budget nearly 11 percent in 2013 to $38.4 million, but said Tuesday that revenue is already 2.5 percent ahead of projections. The foundation also noted that last month, it received a four-star rating from Charity Navigator, which evaluates charities based on financial health, accountability and transparency.

Photo Credit: NBC 5]]> Tue, 28 May 2013 08:08:46 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/Carl-June.jpg A Philadelphia scientist, credited with unlocking the key to curing cancer, is set to receive the 92nd Annual Philadelphia Award this Friday. NBC10's Renee Chenault-Fattah speaks to Dr. Carl June about his unique secret for healing.

Photo Credit: NBC10.com]]> Tue, 28 May 2013 06:57:07 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/pregnancy.JPG

Obese mothers tend to have kids who become obese. Now provocative research suggests weight-loss surgery may help break that unhealthy cycle in an unexpected way — by affecting how their children's genes behave.

In a first-of-a-kind study, Canadian researchers tested children born to obese women, plus their brothers and sisters who were conceived after the mother had obesity surgery. Youngsters born after mom lost lots of weight were slimmer than their siblings. They also had fewer risk factors for diabetes or heart disease later in life.

More intriguing, the researchers discovered that numerous genes linked to obesity-related health problems worked differently in the younger siblings than in their older brothers and sisters.

Clearly diet and exercise play a huge role in how fit the younger siblings will continue to be, and it's a small study. But the findings suggest the children born after mom's surgery might have an advantage.

"The impact on the genes, you will see the impact for the rest of your life," predicted Dr. Marie-Claude Vohl of Laval University in Quebec City. She helped lead the work reported Monday in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

Why would there be a difference? It's not that mom passed on different genes, but how those genes operate in her child's body. The idea: Factors inside the womb seem to affect the dimmer switches that develop on a fetus' genes — chemical changes that make genes speed up or slow down or switch on and off. That in turn can greatly influence health.

The sibling study is "a very clever way of looking at this," said Dr. Susan Murphy of Duke University. She wasn't involved in the Canadian research but studies uterine effects on later health. She says it makes biological sense that the earliest nutritional environment could affect a developing metabolism, although she cautions that healthier family habits after mom's surgery may play a role, too.

It's the latest evidence that the environment — in this case the womb — can alter how our genes work.

And the research has implications far beyond the relatively few women who take the drastic step of gastric bypass surgery before having a baby. Increasingly, scientists are hunting other ways to tackle obesity before or during pregnancy in hopes of a lasting benefit for both mother and baby.

What's clear is that obesity is "not just impacting your life, it's impacting your child," Duke's Murphy said.

More than half of pregnant women are overweight or obese, according to the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists. But it's not just a matter of how much moms weigh when they conceive — doctors also are trying to stamp out the idea of eating for two. Gaining too much weight during pregnancy increases the child's risk of eventually developing obesity and diabetes, too.

What's too much? Women who are normal weight at the start of pregnancy are supposed to gain 25 to 35 pounds. Those who already are obese should gain no more than 11 to 20 pounds. Overweight mothers-to-be fall in the middle.

Sticking to those guidelines can be tough. The National Institutes of Health just began a five-year, $30 million project to help overweight or obese pregnant women do so, and track how their babies fare in the first year of life.

Called the LIFE-Moms Consortium, researchers are recruiting about 2,000 expectant mothers for seven studies around the country that are testing different approaches to a healthy weight gain and better nutritional quality. They range from putting pregnant women on meal plans and exercise programs, to weekly monitoring, to peer pressure from fellow parents trained to bring nutrition advice into the homes of low-income mothers-to-be.

It's best to get to a healthy weight before conceiving, noted Dr. Mary Evans of the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases, who oversees the project.

Just how much mom has to lose for a healthier baby is "obviously a research gap," she said.

Monday's research findings from Canada may shed some new light. Consider: Overweight mothers have higher levels of sugar and fat in the bloodstream, which in turn makes it to the womb.

Fetuses are "marinated, and they're differently marinated" depending on mom's weight and health, said Dr. John Kral of New York's SUNY Downstate Medical Center, who co-authored the Canadian study.

That may do more than overstimulate fetal growth. Scientists know that certain molecules regulate gene activity, attaching like chemical tags. That's what Laval University lead researcher Dr. Frederic Guenard was looking for in blood tests. He took samples from children born to 20 women before and after complex surgery that shrank their stomachs and rerouted digestion so they absorb less fat and calories. On average, they lost about 100 pounds.

Guenard compared differences in those chemical tags in more than 5,600 genes between the younger and older siblings. He found significant differences in the activity of certain genes clustered in pathways known to affect blood sugar metabolism and heart disease risk.

Only time will tell if these youngsters born after mom's surgery really get lasting benefits, whatever the reason. Meanwhile, specialists urge women planning a pregnancy to talk with their doctors about their weight ahead of time. Besides having potential long-term consequences, extra pounds can lead to a variety of immediate complications such as an increased risk of premature birth and cesarean sections.

Photo Credit: Getty Images]]> Mon, 27 May 2013 17:57:05 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/angjolie-G8.jpg

The family of Angelina Jolie's late aunt Debbie Martin, who succumbed to breast cancer Sunday, is mourning her as "the glue that held the family together," less than two weeks after Jolie herself underwent a preventive double mastectomy.

The family of Debbie Martin spoke exclusively to NBC 7 San Diego and talked about the impact she had in her life — and likely the impact she will have in her death.

Debbie Martin had a long battle with cancer and was diagnosed in 2004. She died in Escondido, Calif. on Sunday morning after nearly 10 years battling the deadly disease.

“She was my best friend,” said her son Chris Martin. “The most beautiful woman I knew. I would talk to her every day.”

Debbie Martin, 61, was the younger sister of Jolie’s mother, whose own death from ovarian cancer in 2007 inspired the surgery Jolie had — a double mastectomy that reduced her chances of getting breast cancer from 87 to 5 percent.

“She was the glue that held the family together,” said Debbie’s husband Ron.

Ron said Debbie had the same defective BRCA one gene that Jolie had, but she didn't know it until after her cancer diagnosis in 2004. He encourages people who may have the gene to get screened, as it could be lifesaving.

“Since Angelina came out with her news about her double mastectomy, Debbie and I reflected that has we known before she got breast cancer if we had the same information from the BRCA test, which we didn't have at that time,” he said. “We would have done exactly the same thing. It would have saved her life.”

Photo Credit: AP]]> Mon, 27 May 2013 12:55:50 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/WRC_0000000002700202_722x406_31449667950.jpg Chiropractic sports physician Dr. Raymond Solano discusses causes and treatments of golfer's elbow.]]> Fri, 31 May 2013 13:10:30 -0400 http://media.nbcwashington.com/images/213*120/honey3.jpg Honey's healing properties can help with a wide variety of ailments.

Photo Credit: Getty Images]]>