Health Tip: Manage Stress

(HealthDay News) -- No one has goes through daily life with no stress whatsoever. But too much stress can cause a host of emotional and physical problems, particularly on your heart and cardiovascular system.

Health Tip: Diabetics, Pack Smart for Holiday Travel

(HealthDay News) -- If you're diabetic and preparing to head out for the holidays, take care to carefully pack your medications and supplies.

Move to Hospital Isolation Unit Linked to Raised Delirium Risk

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Hospital patients who are moved from regular care into isolation have a nearly twofold increased risk of developing delirium, but patients who begin their hospital stay in isolation aren't at increased risk, researchers have found.

Widowers Who Stay Single Might Face More Mental Health Woes

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Widowers who are still single a few years after their wife's death have a significantly increased chance of developing mental health disorders, according to a new study.

Most Sick or Disabled Seniors Want Docs to Say How Long They Have

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Life expectancy is a topic many disabled seniors want to talk about with their doctors but very few have that discussion, a new study finds.

Limit Cold Medications During Pregnancy, Experts Advise

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 21 (HealthDay News) -- It's prudent to limit the use of over-the-counter cold and flu medications during pregnancy, experts say.

Holiday Blues May Signal Depression

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 21 (HealthDay News) -- The holidays can be a particularly difficult time for people suffering from depression.

'27 Club' Debunked: Musicians Aren't Prone to Die at That Age

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Famous musicians are no more likely to die at age 27 than at any other age, a new study indicates.

Research Sheds Light on Gene Mutation's Role in Rare Tumors

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Mutations in a gene called DICER are associated with rare, seemingly unrelated ovarian, uterine and testicular cancers, a new study finds.

Timing of Aquatic Therapy After Joint Replacement Matters

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Starting aquatic therapy within days after total knee replacement appears to improve patient outcomes, but that's not the case for those who've had a total hip replacement, according to a new study.

40 Years On, the Triumphs and Challenges of America's 'War on Cancer'

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Jack Whelan first knew something was wrong when it got harder and harder to walk from the train station in Boston to the financial district where he worked.

Did Beethoven's Hearing Loss Shape His Compositions?

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Ludwig van Beethoven was arguably one of the most influential classical music composers of all time, yet he was deaf by the end of his career.

Health Highlights: Dec. 21, 2011

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Diet Might Help Those Immobilized by Knee Osteoarthritis

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 21 (HealthDay News) -- A diet consisting of eight weeks of protein shakes and soup followed by adding low-calorie, high-protein foods can help people with knee osteoarthritis lose weight, which may lessen joint pain and improve their quality of life, a new study finds.

As Obesity Rises, More Suffer From Acid Reflux

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 21 (HealthDay News) -- As the obesity epidemic spreads around the world more people are suffering from acid reflux, likely increasing the number of those who will develop esophageal cancer, a new study suggests.

Scientists Probe the Origins of Dyslexia

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Problems in how people with dyslexia process the sounds they hear may be at the heart of this learning disorder, new research suggests.

Isentress Approval Expanded to Include Children and Teens

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 21 (HealthDay News) -- Approval for the HIV drug Isentress (raltegravir) has been expanded to include children and adolescents ages 2-18, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday.

Thinner Brains Could Signal Alzheimer's, Study Suggests

WEDNESDAY, Dec. 21 (HealthDay News) -- New research suggests that the outer edges of the brain are thinner in older people who may be destined to develop Alzheimer's disease, but there's currently no way to use the information to help people fend off dementia.