Special Coverage: Health and Wellness

This Week in Health

Lindsay Beyerstein, The Media Consortium. November 21, 2008.
A roundup of this week's best independent, progressive reporting on health.

From the blogs

Daschle as HHS Secretary: A Look at the Pros and Cons

by Melissa McEwan, Shakesville

I'm okay with this selection -- and that's exactly as noncommittal a reaction as it sounds.

New Theory on Mental Illness Misses Bigger Picture

by Jay Neugeboren, Huffington Post

Why is it so much easier to find funds for studying mental disorders than it is to find funds to help the people who live with those disorders?

Poised for Health Care Reform

by Julia Eisman, Stand Up for Health Care

"With the Obama victory, the question is no longer whether we'll pursue comprehensive healthcare reform, but when and in what form."

The Dangers of McCain's Plan to Sell Health Insurance Across State Lines

by Ella Hushagen, Stand Up for Health Care

A recent study shows that treating health insurance like an item on eBay would reduce costs for the healthy and raise them for everyone else.

Karl Rove Thinks He's Smarter Than 2,900 Doctors Regarding McCain's Health

by ZP Heller, Brave New Films

Rove twists NY Times medical reporter's findings in McCain's favor.

To Your Health (The McCain Medical Records Song)

by Max Bernstein, Huffington Post

A new animated music video from Max and the Marginalized

New Questions Arise Over McCain's Health

by Nico Pitney, Huffington Post

Urge McCain to offer full public disclosure about his health records.

Discrimination Making You Sick?

by Sherice Perry, Stand Up for Health Care

People who perceive some form of discrimination from their health care providers are less likely to seek preventive care.

Cancer Expert Discusses Dangers of McCain's Health Record Secrecy

by ZP Heller, Meet the Bloggers

From Friday's "Meet the Bloggers."

Obama vs. McCain: An Easy Choice for the Uninsured

by Steve Benen, Washington Monthly

One plan would cover 34 million of the nation's projected 67 million uninsured people in 10 years, the other just 2 million.

Revealed: Gulf War Syndrome is Real, Caused by Pills and Pesticides

Kim Sengupta, Independent UK. November 20, 2008.
A groundbreaking study has found that pills given to U.S. and British troops to counter nerve gas is one of the causes of Gulf War Syndrome.

Industry and EPA Collaborated to Hide the Truth about How Natural Gas Drilling Is Threatening Drinking Water

Abrahm Lustgarten, ProPublica. November 20, 2008.
One of the greatest threats to our water and our health may come from a process involved in natural gas drilling. But EPA is keeping mum.

"Cure" for AIDS Stumbled Upon?

Todd Heywood, RH Reality Check. November 18, 2008.
Doctors in Berlin are reporting that a man may have eliminated the virus from his body after a bone marrow transplant.

How to Provide Healthcare for All Kids

Donna Norton, Huffington Post. November 17, 2008.
Children are the least expensive population to insure -- there's no good reason why we can't cover all kids now.

The Dangers of Do-It-Yourself DNA Testing

Niko Karvounis, Health Beat. November 14, 2008.
Pay $399 and spit in a tube, and you can have your genome mapped. But is it healthy to track your genetic lottery, disease by disease?

How Crying Can Make You Healthier

Roger Dobson, The Independent UK. November 14, 2008.
We all know a good cry helps to soothe our minds. Now doctors are discovering that tears may help to heal our bodies, too.

Are Toilets a Good Measure of a Country's Health?

Laura Orlando, In These Times. November 13, 2008.
A new book argues toilets and sewers are the key to improved sanitation and health. But reality is more complex -- and toxic.

Overworked, Vacation-Starved America Ranks #1 in Depression, Mental Health Problems

Silja J.A. Talvi, In These Times. November 13, 2008.
U.S. workers' lives are beginning to look a lot like they did 100 years ago when 14-hour days were the norm.

U.S. Still Losing a Brigade's Worth of Vets Every Year to Suicide

Penny Coleman, AlterNet. November 11, 2008.
Obviously, the most immediate and reliable way to prevent soldier suicides is to get troops out of harm's way -- bring them home.

Raped in the Military? You May Have to Pay for Your Own Forensic Exam Kit

Penny Coleman, AlterNet. November 11, 2008.
This outrage gives "supporting the troops" a whole new meaning.

Where Should Health Care Rank on Obama's List of Priorities?

Maggie Mahar, Health Beat. November 10, 2008.
If health care reform is done in a way that contains costs and lifts quality, it will take time and serious seed money.

Bioethics: Advice for the Next President

Bernard Lo, M.D., Science Progress. November 10, 2008.
The president and the nation need expert, thoughtful, balanced advice on difficult bioethical issues.

Why Do Women Often Feel Colder Than Men?

Kate Wighton, The Independent UK. November 10, 2008.
New research is suggesting that we all feel the cold differently.

Michael Pollan: Eating Is a Political Act

Mark Eisen, The Progressive. November 8, 2008.
Michael Pollan discusses food production, consumer choices, the future of organics and climate change.

Fixing Health Care Could Be Obama's Path to Greatness

Dean Baker, Huffington Post. November 6, 2008.
Extending health care insurance can be an effective stimulus that will provide an immediate boost to the economy.

How John McCain Would Dismantle Medicare

Maggie Mahar, Health Beat. November 3, 2008.
Even if McCain's not elected, keep an eye on Congress.

Red Cross: Millions of Iraqis at Risk from Contaminated Water

Angela Balakrishnan, The Guardian. October 31, 2008.
Ten liters of bottled water costs 50 cents, but many Iraqis cannot afford it, drinking water from polluted rivers instead.

Want to Shut Conservatives Out of Power for Good? Implement Universal Health Care

Sara Robinson, Campaign for America's Future. October 31, 2008.
Giving Americans universal access to health care will undermine some of the deepest and most persistent myths of the conservative worldview.

Pigs with Mouse Genes: How GM Animals May Be Entering the Food Chain without Labeling

Ari LeVaux, AlterNet. October 30, 2008.
The FDA may be taking the public, and nature, down a dangerous path.

Patients v. Big Pharma: Supreme Court to Decide Landmark Case

Niko Karvounis, Health Beat. October 30, 2008.
Should patients have the right to sue drug companies for personal injuries from FDA-approved prescription drugs?

How Much Damage Has Eight Years of Conservative Rule Done to Americans' Psyches?

Mark Klempner, AlterNet. October 29, 2008.
The Bush administration used a politics of fear to diminish our ability to think critically and to erode our capacity to love.

Bono: "Let's Put Humanity Back on Earth"

Bono, AlterNet. October 25, 2008.
In a recent speech, the pop star makes an impassioned call for Americans to resist the urge to turn inward during our troubled times.

The Toilet: Our Greatest Health Breakthrough Ever?

Marco Visscher, Ode. October 24, 2008.
The toilet could be even more important than vaccines to our health.

The Biggest Breast Cancer Risk Factor That No One Is Talking About

Lucinda Marshall, AlterNet. October 23, 2008.
While the media sound alarms about breast cancer's links to lifestyle choices and genetics, a much more likely risk factor is going undiscussed.

Head Cases: Stories of Brain Injury and Its Aftermath

Simon Lewis, Truthdig. October 22, 2008.
A new book highlights the experiences of 12 people whose lives were uprooted by traumatic brain injuries.

Conservatives' Dangerous Plan for Health Care

Roger Hickey, Campaign for America's Future. October 21, 2008.
Instead of working to guarantee health care for everyone, conservatives are pushing for a policy that will deprive people of coverage.

Income and Education Are Bigger Determinants of Health Than Insurance, Report Shows

Maggie Mahar, Health Beat. October 20, 2008.
A new report reveals the degree to which a child's health is determined by the hand he or she draws at birth.

Medical Neglect Is the Norm in Women's Prisons

Betty Brink, Ms. Magazine. October 20, 2008.
Women inmates die and suffer from medical neglect in a prison system that is much more of a threat to them than they are to anyone else.

Is Chinese Pulse Diagnosis the Key to Preventive Medicine?

Carol Greenhouse, Ode. October 20, 2008.
An ancient practice can identify many illnesses long before Western medicine turns up the problem.

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What To Eat

Marion Nestle is arguably one of the foremost experts in public health nutrition. If you have questions about food policy, prices or any other aspect of healthy eating, chances are her blog has answers. Check it out!

SafeCosmetics.org

Personal care products like shampoo, deodorant and makeup often contain cocktails of toxic chemicals linked to cancer and birth defects. Learn what's lurking in your cosmetics and find out what you can do about it by visiting safecosmetics.org.

Breast Cancer Fund

Only 10 percent of breast cancers are genetic. That means the disease is largely preventable. Learn about the risk factors in your life and find out how you can take action by visiting breastcancerfund.org.

Reform Plans

Find out how Obama and McCain's health care plans compare at reformplans.com.

Families USA

High-quality, affordable health care should be a right for all Americans. For 25 years, Families USA has been fighting to make this a reality. Visit their Web site to learn more and to take action on a variety of consumer health care issues from private insurance to prescription drugs.

Health Policy Watch

To follow the debate on health care policy and get in-depth ideas on achieving universal coverage, visit healthpolicywatch.org.