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Health in a Heartbeat is a daily radio series that features two-minute segments providing consumer-health information and the latest news on medical research, patient-care breakthroughs and health-care industry trends. A production of our staff and WUFT-FM in Gainesville, Health in a Heartbeat airs on public radio stations in more than 55 markets nationwide.
Recent Episodes
Cadmium’s in the news. But what exactly is it?
September 2, 2010First Wal-Mart announced it was recalling its children’s jewelry due to fears it contained cadmium. Then Consumer Reports warned consumers of protein drinks that their product might be contaminated with cadmium. Then, of course, there was the McDonald’s incident, where the fast food giant announced a voluntary recall of thousands of Shrek-themed glasses for fear [...]
» Read more... From pain to relief: unlocking the secrets of acupuncture
September 1, 2010Acupuncture seems counterintuitive to most westerners. How on earth does sticking needles in somebody actually make them feel better? Scientists say a recent discovery may shed new light on this centuries-old practice. For the uninitiated, acupuncture is the practice of inserting the tips of needles into the body to either relieve pain or promote good [...]
» Read more... Shining a nightlight on sleep habits
August 31, 2010An annual national survey of Americans’ sleep habits shows we’re sleeping an average of nearly two hours less each night than people did 40 years ago. And it’s taking its toll on our health. More than three quarters of the more than a thousand survey respondents acknowledged that a lack of sleep can have serious [...]
» Read more... Taller men suffer more venous thromboembolisms
August 30, 2010Being tall has its advantages. Greater stature suggests dominance and leadership, especially if you’re male. But there’s a downside, too. For men, greater height is believed to increase the chances of suffering venous thromboembolism [VEE-nuss thromm-bow-EMM-bowl-izm], also known as V-T-E. That’s when a blood clot forms, breaks loose and lodges in a vein, blocking blood [...]
» Read more... A spoonful of sugar makes the medicine go down
August 27, 2010Anyone who has tasted a dose of yucky cough syrup will have a hard time believing Mary Poppins’ claim that a spoonful of sugar helps the medicine go down. New research, however, indicates that a sweet treat just may help take the “ouch” out of shots for babies. That’s because natural, pain-reducing chemicals are released [...]
» Read more... Air pollution linked to increased blood pressure
August 26, 2010Apparently environmentalists aren’t the only ones upset by the increase of smog in our atmosphere. According to a study conducted by German researchers, there is a direct link between long-term exposure to air pollution and high blood pressure, even when other risk factors are considered. This means city dwellers are more at risk for heart [...]
» Read more... Debate over unpasteurized milk heats up
August 25, 2010The two sides are at war, locked in a fight filled with accusations, secrecy and political wheeling and dealing. On one side are raw milk advocates, who claim the substance is a vitamin- and enzyme-rich miracle cure for asthma, gastrointestinal distress and other illnesses. On the other, public health officials who fear unpasteurized milk is [...]
» Read more... How much X-ray radiation is safe?
August 24, 2010It wasn’t that long ago — in the nineteen-forties — that people shopping for shoes routinely had their feet X-rayed. The idea was that X-rays could help sales clerks find shoes with a perfect fit. But by the mid-nineteen fifties, the Food and Drug Administration recognized the harmful effects of these shoe-store X-ray machines and [...]
» Read more... Responsible pet ownership yields health benefits
August 23, 2010If you are one of the hundreds of millions of Americans who own a pet, you already know our animal friends can be a lot of work to care for. There’s the feeding and the walking, cleaning their cage or home … and sometimes your own … plus the unexpected veterinary bills when Fido eats [...]
» Read more... Overtime is bad for the heart
August 20, 2010Most people don’t look forward to tedious overtime hours, mostly because relaxing sounds better than logging in extra hours at the office. Now experts say there are tangible reasons why slaving away at your desk isn’t always the best idea. New data shows there’s a definite correlation between working above and beyond the average work [...]
» Read more...
University of Florida launches unique translational biotechnology master’s program 
UF researcher links depressive episodes to dementia 