Health: Interesting Stories from CNN News

Here is the latest Health News from CNN.

Police trained on how to respond to people with autism
Didi Zaryczny’s 12-year old son had a fascination with calling 911. He had been taught in school to call the number in case of an emergency and decided to try it at home.

Experts gather at CDC for Zika summit
“Our biggest challenges are speed and scale,” CDC Director Dr. Tom Frieden said to experts from across the nation attending the Zika Action Plan Summit in Atlanta on Friday.

FTC: Scam cancer charities kept millions of dollars
During a four year period starting in 2008, executives of two sham cancer charities paid themselves and their fundraisers more than $65 million, according to figures released by the Federal Trade Commission.

High body fat, not BMI, linked with higher death rate, study finds
Many health experts will tell you that being skinny is not necessarily healthy. Lending support to that argument, a new study finds that the thinnest people, similar to those who have the most body fat, have higher rates of death.

8 professions that could hurt your heart (and make you fat)
Some people blame their sweet tooth, some blame their couch potato lifestyle, but now something else may be to blame for what’s hurting your heart (and/or making you fat): your job.

The cure for your junk food cravings? Sleep
If you crave chocolate or Cheetos after a hectic day, it may be because you’re sleep-deprived, a new study suggests. Researchers have found that lack of sleep may lead to increased appetite and an affinity for unhealthy foods.

Ebola returns to Liberia; WHO says ‘flare-ups … are expected’
A new case of Ebola has been confirmed in the West African nation of Liberia, the World Health Organization tweeted Friday — a reminder the fight against the virus is not entirely over despite successes in beating back an outbreak once described as the world’s worst.

Minneapolis’ winter festival where skiiers and dogs play
One of the largest and friendliest winter sports festivals in North America is the annual City of Lakes Loppet in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

What is skijoring?
Dallas Johnson was overweight until he discovered a little known sport called skijoring.

Mandarin oranges recalled by Pittsburgh food bank
A Pennsylvania food bank is asking consumers to throw away cans of Mandarin oranges distributed from August to January, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday.

1 in 5 people will be obese by 2025, study says
The obesity epidemic has gone global, and it may be worse than most thought.

Champion pool player turns pain into will to win
At 12 years old, my life changed when I was diagnosed with scoliosis.

Helping a young mother through opioid addiction and pregnancy
Amanda Hensley started abusing prescription painkillers when she was just a teenager. By the time she discovered she was pregnant last year, she couldn’t quit.

Inside the CDC lab that first identified Zika virus in fetal tissue
In December, a lab at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention received samples of brain tissue from two children who died within a day of birth and fetal tissue from two first-trimester miscarriages.

The software that predicts your lifespan
Scientists from East Anglia University in the U.K. are working out how long you’ll live to improve healthcare and pension planning.

CDC reports no change in autism prevalence
One in 68 children have autism, according to the latest report by the CDC, the same as reported two years ago.

Skiing + man’s best friend = skijoring, with love
Few sports start with picking the right life partner. But skijoring — cross-country skiing aided by an additional conveyance, often a dog — is one.

CDC investigates how employee was infected with salmonella
A employee who has recovered from a case of salmonella might have been infected with the illness while working in a lab at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the CDC said Thursday.

The abortion laws you don’t hear about
While the U.S. Supreme Court weighs what’s arguably the most significant abortion case to hit its docket in more than two decades, nearly 250 anti-abortion measures introduced in more than three dozen states wait on the sidelines, hoping to get time on this embattled field. The numbers tell a story.

FDA wants proof Gilchrist & Soames soap-maker fixed contamination problems
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is asking luxury hotel toiletry maker Gilchrist & Soames for proof that it’s cleaned up its products the way it promised.

Apple updates Siri’s response to ‘I was raped’
Apple has updated Siri’s response to statements such as “I was raped” after research found the digital assistant’s responses were “insufficient.”

Spring training for the rest of us: 5 fitness tips from MLB strength coaches
Warmer weather and more daylight mean increased opportunities for outdoor activities, like golfing, biking and swimming, that require greater fitness levels than most sedentary winter pastimes. Spring often serves as a wake-up call to get in shape quickly, so we can enjoy the time outside with confidence and comfort.

Marie Kondo’s tips for organizing your kitchen
Professional organizer Marie Kondo has seemingly taken over the world — or at least the closet of someone you know — in the past year. Her bestselling book “The Life-Changing Magic of Tidying Up” is 213 compelling pages about, you guessed it, the art of tidying.

Why ‘shelfies,’ not selfies, are a better snapshot of who you are
Insight and therapy from your bookshelf, real or virtual.

Guys offer women tampons to end period shaming
Ladies across America are sending hearts and clapping emoji to two guys brave enough to stand up against period shaming.

Why a song gets stuck in your head
CNN chief medical correspondent Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores the impact music has on the brain.

Music opens a ‘back door’ to the brain
CNN’s Dr. Sanjay Gupta reports on “Music and Memory,” a nonprofit that provides iPods to nursing home dementia patients.

Quiz: What does your favorite music say about you?
You’re at a heavy metal concert. An electric guitarist grinds out the final chords of a loud, aggressive solo and smashes the guitar. Are you thinking, “That was epic!”? Or are you just glad the music finally stopped?

Zika: Another puzzle piece leaves doctors with more questions
Doctors discover another piece of the Zika puzzle, but it has left experts with more questions about this little understood disease.

HIV-positive donor’s kidney, liver given to to HIV-positive patients
Doctors at Johns Hopkins announced Wednesday they successfully performed the first liver transplant from an HIV-positive donor and the first U.S. kidney transplant from the same donor.

Abortion pill can be used later in pregnancy, FDA says
New FDA recommendations on the abortion pill was welcomed Wednesday by abortion rights groups who say the drug expands options for women but was criticized by opponents who assert serious risks remain.

What killed Patty Duke?

80 moments from the ’80s
From Cold War politics to daring pop icons to personal computing, the 1980s were a time of revolution and radical change. In 10 short years, we tested our boundaries, fought for our rights and learned more about ourselves than we had ever known before. Check out 80 of the decade’s most iconic moments, and then experience CNN’s “The Eighties,” which airs Thursdays at 9 p.m. starting on March 31.

8 bizarre things that actually happened in the 1980s
If you could sum up the ’80s in a sentence, you might say: “Did that really happen?”

From 80s latchkey kid to helicopter parent today
It used to be common for parents to leave their young kids home alone after school but not today, at a time when overparenting is more the norm. What changed?

NC bathroom law can lead to awkward and dangerous encounters
Charlie Comero was not thrilled when he learned last week he had to start using the women’s restroom, thanks to a new state law in North Carolina.

8 everyday activities that boost your health
When it comes to your health, you already know how important it is to eat well and stay active. But other hobbies and lifestyle changes—that have nothing to do with diet or exercise—can also offer a big payoff for your wellbeing. Try incorporating a few of these activities into your routine to benefit from reduced stress levels, lesser risk of certain diseases, lower blood pressure, and much more.

Contaminated pills lead to 6 deaths, 28 overdoses in Sacramento
A massive spike in opioid overdoses has struck Sacramento County, California, killing a half dozen people, authorities said.

What Alzheimer’s caregivers sacrifice to care for loved ones
As the numbers of people living with Alzheimer’s disease continues to grow, a new survey finds caregivers are suffering financially, cutting back on their own food, medicine and education.

Terminix fined $10 million; pesticide poisoned family in Virgin Islands
Terminix has agreed to pay $10 million for illegally using a pesticide containing a toxic chemical in the U.S. Virgin Islands, federal officials said.

Former player files new lawsuit against NFL over CTE link
A former NFL player has filed a new lawsuit against the league, seeking $5 million for relief and compensation for those preliminarily diagnosed with CTE.

Scott Kelly answers your questions about life in space, missing to Mars
Astronaut Scott Kelly has been back on Earth for about three weeks since completing his groundbreaking year in space and he’s still adjusting to the sensation of having solid ground beneath his feet.

Obama: Addiction is a preventable disease
President Barack Obama discusses how to treat a national health epidemic.

What it’s like to be a male survivor of sexual assault
If Adam slept through the night, he knew it would be good day. But that didn’t happen often, even after a relative stopped raping him.

Ebola is no longer a world health emergency, WHO says
The Ebola outbreak in West Africa, at one time considered the worst outbreak in history, is no longer a public health emergency of international concern, the World Health Organization said on Tuesday.

Utah passes ‘fetal pain’ abortion law requiring anesthesia
Utah will now require doctors to provide anesthesia to women having abortions at 20 weeks of pregnancy or later.

Brussels attack survivor: ‘Part of my hip was missing’
Sebastien Bellin isn’t sure how he survived.

‘Prison Break’ star responds to body-shaming: ‘I was suicidal’
Actor Wentworth Miller had a poignant comeback after he became the subject of a meme because of his weight gain: He penned an open letter about depression and being suicidal.

Obama announces new moves to fight opioid and heroin abuse epidemic
The Obama administration is making it easier for doctors to use anti-addiction drugs in the fight against an exploding epidemic of prescription drug and heroin abuse.

Stopping Zika: Should we be handing out condoms at airports?
Welcome to the U.S.! Have a condom! That’s the message millions of travelers might hear when stepping off an airplane, if some public health experts have their way.

Bouncy houses: Renewed concerns after 7-year-old killed
As a parent, this is another story that is impossible to comprehend: A 7-year-old girl is now dead after the bouncy castle she was playing on blew away at an Easter fair in Essex, England.

Robert DeNiro made the right call on anti-vaccination film
Vaccines save lives and a film by a discredited ex-doctor had no place at The Tribeca film festival, says Jennifer Caudle

Kids ear infections decreasing with parental action
Colds and formula feeding increase babies’ risk of ear infection, study finds.

The secret Cold War origins of Sharapova’s drug
The origins of meldonium, the banned drug used by Russian tennis player Maria Sharapova, are shrouded in Soviet-era secrecy.

Postures can increase your success in online dating

Neanderthal DNA and early human inbreeding

Everything you need to know about Zika

Mediterranean diet wins again, helps bones
The Mediterranean diet is well-known for its health benefits on your heart and waistline, but now your bones could benefit too, according to a new study.

Upstate N.Y. mayor proposes nation’s first drug injection centers
Citing the staggering increase in heroin use and overdose deaths, an upstate New York mayor is proposing the nation’s first supervised injection facilities modeled after sites in Canada and Europe, places where addicts can safely shoot up heroin under clinical supervision while receiving health care and counseling.

Michael Pollan really wants you to cook
Michael Pollan has one request: Can we please get back in the kitchen?

Elmo no like Zika virus. Elmo like to help.
“Sesame Street” and the Pan American Health Organization have teamed up for PSAs addressing steps to help control the spread of the devastating Zika virus.

This is how the Zika virus works
Imagine a hairy, bug-eyed monster that hides under your bed, in your closet and in your shower, waiting for just the right moment to attack. Her belly grows, glowing bright red, as she sucks your blood to create her babies — which she produces by the thousands — leaving a virus to grow inside of you that could harm your babies if you are pregnant.

Changing the game for global health care
A South Carolina-based non-profit is taking a new approach toward health care in impoverished communities: building clinics that require no donor funding and are staffed by trained nationals.

Robert De Niro defends festival screening of anti-vaccine film
Film legend Robert De Niro is standing by a decision to screen a film that critics call anti-vaccine propaganda, turning one of modern medicine’s most divisive issues into a conversation about artistic license and censorship.

Prominent New York doctor indicted on sex abuse charges
Accused of sexually abusing four female patients at Mount Sinai Hospital, a prominent New York doctor and Iraq War veteran was indicted Thursday.

Yellow fever vaccine shortage as outbreak in Angola spreads
More than 1,100 people have been diagnosed with yellow fever in Angola since December, according to the World Health Organization, and at least 178 have died. It’s the worst outbreak of yellow fever in the country in three decades, and the supply of vaccines is running low.

Living in shadows: A child’s rare disorder
Alex Gentile wants to run with his friends on the playground. But because of a rare disease, the 8-year-old can’t play in the sunlight for very long. He is one of 9 people on Earth who have been diagnosed with a condition called XLPDR.

Full-haired baby becomes Internet star
This baby probably has better hair than you.

Public health experts: Decriminalize minor drug offenses

Is there lead in your chocolate?
It’s not something that will be listed among the ingredients, but chocolate contains some lead. Manufacturers say it’s trace amounts, and it makes its way into chocolate as a naturally occurring element that is absorbed by the cacao plant.

CDC updates Zika recommendations
Women with a confirmed case of Zika virus or who have had symptoms of the virus should wait at least eight weeks after the start of their symptoms before trying to get pregnant, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday.

The psychology and neuroscience of terrorism
Your brain on constant fear is not a pretty sight. What is supposed to be a lifesaving instinct becomes anchored in your body, flooding your system with corrosive hormones that can damage your health, affect the way you think and change the decisions you make.

What your kids can learn from the movies
Has your kid ever misbehaved like Alvin from the Chipmunks movies? Or mean-girled her friends like the Bratz dolls? Don’t feel bad. Kids pick up all kinds of things from movies. But they can just as easily absorb positive messages. The trick is finding movies that teach the stuff you want your kids to learn. And, if you know a little bit about how kids learn from movies, you can make sure they’ll get the right lessons.

The psychology of terror
Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains what terrifies us about attacks like the one in Brussels.

Gerber recalls two organic baby food products
Gerber Products Company is voluntarily recalling two organic baby foods because a packaging defect may make them susceptible to spoilage during transport and handling, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the company said Thursday.

Difficult to identify bombing victims, Belgian investigators say
Days after the bombings in Brussels, not a single body has been identified with absolute certainty.

Hepatitis infections apparently spread at stress test clinic
People in West Virginia who went in for a cardiac stress test got a letter recently that may cause them stress.

Exercise might slow rate of mental decline by 10 years for older people
Mentally, we all slow down a little bit as we age. It gets harder to recall names, or we forget where we put our keys, or the car for that matter. Physically, an older brain doesn’t work as fast as it used to. But scientists think there might be one thing that could help slow down this natural aging process.

Prevent back pain like a pro athlete
Whether you’re a corporate desk jockey or a major league baseball player, chances are you’ve experienced back pain that impacted job performance. It’s one of the most common reasons for missing work, and according to a report recently published in JAMA Internal Medicine, more than 80% of us will experience at least one bout of acute low back pain in our lifetimes. Many will face a recurrence within the first year.

Can meditation banish back pain?
It might seem too good to be true that relief from that nagging back pain could be found in meditation and yoga. But a new study suggests this approach might be just as effective as cognitive behavioral therapy, a common technique involving relaxation and education. And both could be more effective than popping an over-the-counter pain reliever.

Google Chrome extension Reword flags your insulting messages
If you’ve ever used the Internet, you’re probably no stranger to the passive-aggressive and downright insulting comments posted online.

Your guide to surviving allergy season
Between spring-cleaning and all that pesky pollen in the air, this is an especially itchy-sniffly-sneezy time of year. Run though this list to prepare yourself for the many irritants that can make you miserable.

Ancient disease still takes 4,000 lives a day
Almost 4,000 people globally die every day as a result of this preventable, curable disease.

Rob Ford died of his more acceptable disease
It wasn’t until Ford was diagnosed with what is accepted as a “real” disease that many were able to accept, forgive and even admire him, writes Patrick Krill

North Carolina governor signs controversial transgender bill
North Carolina’s governor on Wednesday signed a controversial bill blocking cities from allowing transgender individuals to use public bathrooms for the sex they identify as — as well as restricting cities from passing nondiscrimination laws more broadly.

25 shocking medical mistakes
25 medical errors and misdiagnoses

When a surgeon should just say ‘I’m sorry’
Patient safety advocates are encouraging hospitals and doctors to avoid lawsuits by saying ‘I’m sorry’ after medical mistakes.

Discover a child’s medical destiny before they’re born
DNA hiding in a mother’s bloodstream could reveal all about her baby’s health, including genetic conditions such as Down’s syndrome, providing a non-invasive alternative to current testing methods.

Looking back: Dad returns 4-year-old Veronica to adoptive parents
The 4-year-old girl at the center of a lengthy, high-profile custody dispute between her Native American father and her adoptive parents has been returned to the couple, an attorney for the biological father said Monday.

Foster child, Alexandra, removed from California home
A California family had their foster child removed from their home due to the Indian Child Welfare Act. CNN affiliate KTLA reports.

Patient accuses Yale doctors of removing wrong body part
A patient has filed a lawsuit against Yale New Haven Hospital for allegedly removing part of the wrong rib during surgery and then trying to cover up the mistake.

Can your address predict your premature death?
When it comes to premature death, it’s all about location, location, location.

Anatomy of an explosion: How first responders prepare
Dr. Sanjay Gupta explains the most common types of injuries caused by a bomb.

Drug overdose deaths reach all-time high
Despite efforts to fight the opioid epidemic, deaths from drug overdoses reached an all-time high in 2014, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Deaths from overdoses of prescription drugs and heroin continue to be the leading cause of unintentional death for Americans, rising 14% from 2013 to 2014.

Benzodiazepine overdose deaths soared in recent years, study finds
The use of benzodiazepines, such as Xanax and Valium, is on the rise, and the number of overdose deaths related to them soared in recent years, new research says.

Why painkiller addicts turn to heroin
The face of heroin abuse in America is changing.

Danger of some laminate wood flooring was underestimated, report says
Everyone exposed to formaldehyde in some laminate flooring could experience adverse health effects, according to a revised report issued by several government agencies. The revised report, released Tuesday, also found lifetime cancer risk from the flooring to be higher than identified in the original version of the report.

Drinking to your health may not be the best plan after all

Protests, tears as girl in tribal custody battle removed from foster home
Six-year-old Alexandra clutches her arms and legs tightly around her foster father as she is whisked away from the home she has known for four years.

Should parents be allowed to choose the gender of their baby?
Chrissy Teigen and John Legend wanted a girl, but was it safe and ethical for them to decide?