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| Updated: 1/10 11:48 pm |
Published: 1/09 5:03 pm |
A warning for parents about those metal water bottles popular with kids: kids are getting their tongues stuck inside.
Doctors say it could block a child's airway and cause suffocation -- or it could cause the tongue to die.
When children stick their tongues in to take a drink -- it creates a strong suction and metal bottles won't flex, causing the tongue to swell up inside.
The narrow neck and strong brass ridges on the bottle act like a noose, trapping the tongue.
If you have these metal bottles, the best thing to do is buy a sippy cap. They screw right onto the bottle, and only cost a few dollars.
Micro beads bad for environment
Those micro beads in exfoliating soaps are potentially bad for the environment.
Unilever, the company that makes Dove soaps, Vaseline, Pond's skin cream and other personal care products -- wants to remove the plastic micro beads from its products by 2015.
The problem is they go down the drain and can end up in the ocean, where they can be swallowed by marine life.
The company says it’s looking for an alternative to the beads.
BPA exposure
Bisphenol-a, BPA, is a chemical used in some plastic products, as well as the linings of some food and drink cans. It can even be found on receipts.
The American Academy of Pediatrics has expressed concerns about harm from BPA in infants and children.
Doctor Michael Roizen explains why BPA exposure is bad.
"Why is it bad? Because it's an endocrine disruptor. It mimics estrogen but not in a pure way."
If you do have products that contain BPA, avoid heating them in the microwave, dishwasher or stove as the heat may release the chemical into your food.
PAP smear tests
The PAP smear, commonly used to detect cervical cancer, might also be used to find endometrial and ovarian cancers.
Cervical fluid collected during a pap smear can be used to detect the cancers by using a genome sequencing test called the "papgene."
The test accurately detected all 24 endometrial cancers, or cancer of the lining of the uterus. However, it was only able to find nine of 22 ovarian cancers.
The test isn't ready for general practice, but scientists are recruiting patients for the next trial phase.
Costly flu season
The worst flu season on record could cost employers billions.
The CDC estimates seasonal flu outbreaks cost employers more than ten billion dollars in direct costs of hospitalizations and outpatient visits.
That does not include the indirect costs related to lost productivity and absenteeism.
This year, the cost to businesses may be significantly higher - because of the increased number of cases.
