Health Tip: If You Have Braces (HealthDay News) -- Eating healthy is especially important when you have braces. That means avoiding sugary foods, which could lead to plaque build-up and tooth decay. The American Dental Association's website offers this additional advice for people who wear braces: Don't eat corn on the cob, popcorn and whole apples. Avoid sticky foods, such as chewing gum and chewy candies. Eat a nutritious, balanced diet. Practice good oral hygiene and ask your orthodontist or dentist ...

Gene Research May Help Spot Baby's Obesity Risk TUESDAY, June 18 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers have identified 45 genetic genetic variants in overweight newborns that are known to occur in obese adults and hope their findings could someday help combat the global obesity epidemic. "Allowing earlier identification of high-risk newborns may allow for earlier interventions to take place to possibly prevent obesity later in life," study lead author Dr. Reeti Chawla, a fellow in pediatric endocrinology at L...

Rheumatoid Arthritis Treatment May Not Work As Well for Heavier Patients TUESDAY, June 18 (HealthDay News) -- Overweight and obese people with rheumatoid arthritis are less likely to go into remission in the early stages of the disease and require much more drug treatment than people with normal weight, according to a new study. The study included nearly 350 people with early rheumatoid arthritis (RA) who underwent a treatment meant to achieve remission of their disease. The strategy included strict fol...

Could 'Moderate' Drinking Be Safe During Pregnancy? TUESDAY, June 18 (HealthDay News) -- Children of women who drink moderate amounts of alcohol while pregnant don't appear to have any neurodevelopmental problems when it comes to balance, a new British study suggests. Researchers assessed the long-term health impact of drinking while pregnant by testing roughly 7,000 10-year-olds on their balancing abilities, a method that offers a reliable reflection of fetal neurodevelopment. For the study, "moderate"...

Health Tip: Cook With Lean Dairy Products (HealthDay News) -- To cut down on fat and calories without sacrificing dietary calcium, experts say you should cook with low-fat or fat-free dairy products. The Joslin Diabetes Center mentions these examples: Choose low-fat or nonfat yogurt, low-fat cheese and skim or low-fat milk. When creating a cream sauce, use evaporated skim milk. Flavor your coffee with fat-free half-and-half. Instead of butter, use a bit of trans-fat-free margarine.

Red Meat Linked to Increased Diabetes Risk MONDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- People who eat a lot of red meat increase their risk of developing type 2 diabetes, while those who cut down on red meat cut their risk. Those are the findings of a large new study out of Singapore involving 149,000 U.S. men and women. The researchers found that increasing the consumption of red meat can increase the risk of developing type 2 diabetes by 48 percent. "There is no need to have more red meat on your plate; it in...

Health Tip: Vary Your Child's School Lunch (HealthDay News) -- If your child is tired of the same old sandwich, try spicing up lunch with more creative fare. The Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics says fun alternatives to school-lunch sandwiches include: Roll lunch meat inside a wrap, using pita bread or a tortilla in a fun color. Wrap a slice of deli meat around a slice or stick of cheese. Stack the usual sandwich toppings on crackers, instead of bread. Create a salad with greens, cheese, nuts and beans.

Skipping Breakfast May Raise Diabetes Risk SUNDAY, June 16 (HealthDay News) -- Eating breakfast every day may help overweight women reduce their risk of diabetes, a small new study suggests. When women skipped the morning meal, they experienced insulin resistance, a condition in which a person requires more insulin to bring their blood sugar into a normal range, explained lead researcher Dr. Elizabeth Thomas, an instructor of medicine at the University of Colorado. This insulin resistance was short-term...

Saturated Fat May Make the Brain Vulnerable to Alzheimer's MONDAY, June 17 (HealthDay News) -- A diet high in saturated fat can quickly rob the brain of a key chemical that helps protect against Alzheimer's disease, according to new research. In a small study published online Monday in the journal JAMA Neurology , researchers found that dietary saturated fat cut the body's levels of the chemical apolipoprotein E, also called ApoE, which helps "chaperone" amyloid beta proteins out of the brain. "People w...

Baldness Drug Propecia May Put Some Men Off Alcohol: Study THURSDAY, June 13 (HealthDay News) -- Some men who use finasteride (Propecia) to help battle baldness may also be drinking less alcohol, a new study suggests. Among the potential side effects of the hair-restoring drug are a reduced sex drive, depression and suicidal thoughts. And it's men who have sexual side effects who also appear to want to drink less, the researchers report. "In men experiencing persistent sexual side effects despite stoppi...