The week in health: 5 things you need to know (BLOG)

<div dir="ltr" style="text-align: left;" trbidi="on"><div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKKdIUnldQae7Sv42mbAufs9kgcpoKDxgZIUuXQnCZCwhvXeeiysdG9fhsWNWzxWtT5HuUyE8XiiVhtU3nW9tvBQ-XQtJe58XY2Oa-x5ykA8eotp-eKgsJchF1M-Ns0DoCEml_YuPVF38/s1600/1388758604000-AP-Health-Overhaul-Nutrition-Rules-001.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: left; float: left; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjKKdIUnldQae7Sv42mbAufs9kgcpoKDxgZIUuXQnCZCwhvXeeiysdG9fhsWNWzxWtT5HuUyE8XiiVhtU3nW9tvBQ-XQtJe58XY2Oa-x5ykA8eotp-eKgsJchF1M-Ns0DoCEml_YuPVF38/s320/1388758604000-AP-Health-Overhaul-Nutrition-Rules-001.jpg" width="320" /></a></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;">Happy New Year. Here's the health news you may have missed while guzzling champagne or finding your way to the gym:</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;"><span style="font-weight: 700;">The Affordable Care Act is in full force.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;">Jan. 1 was the start date for <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/01/01/health-changes-to-look-for-in-2014/4263765/" style="color: #1990e5; text-decoration: none;" title="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/01/01/health-changes-to-look-for-in-2014/4263765/">many provisions</a> at the heart of the law. So insurance companies can no longer turn away people with preexisting conditions, charge older people a lot more than younger people or charge women more than men.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;"><span style="font-weight: 700;">Vending machines are about to get preachy – or educational, depending on your point of view.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;">One lesser-known provision of the health care law is a rule that will require calorie counts on 5 million vending machines nationwide, the <i><a href="http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20140102/NEWS10/301029975/1005/NEWS10" style="color: #1990e5; text-decoration: none;" title="http://www.journalgazette.net/article/20140102/NEWS10/301029975/1005/NEWS10">Associated Press</a></i> reports. The Food and Drug Administration says the information will help consumers make healthier choices, but vending machine companies are not happy about the costs.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;"><span style="font-weight: 700;">Vitamin E might help some people with mild to moderate Alzheimer's.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;">But doctors and families will want to read the fine print in this <a href="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/12/31/alzheimers-vitamin-e/4223415/" style="color: #1990e5; text-decoration: none;" title="http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2013/12/31/alzheimers-vitamin-e/4223415/">new study</a>: the possible effect was modest and the doses of vitamin E used were large – which is a concern because other studies suggest such high doses might be harmful. And nothing about this study suggests anyone should take vitamin E to try to prevent dementia.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;"><span style="font-weight: 700;">There's a screening test for lung cancer and many current and former smokers should get it.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;">That's the recommendation from the influential U.S. Preventive Services Task Force. The group is endorsing CT scans for high-risk people ages 55 to 80, <i><a href="http://www.nbcnews.com/health/panel-recommends-screening-millions-risk-lung-cancer-2D11820935" style="color: #1990e5; text-decoration: none;" title="http://www.nbcnews.com/health/panel-recommends-screening-millions-risk-lung-cancer-2D11820935">NBC News</a></i>reports.</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;"><span style="font-weight: 700;">Gym rats hate New Years newbies.</span></div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;">Don't let this discourage you, but if you are trying out the treadmills and weights at your local gym for the first time this week, the old pros may be grumbling about you – on Twitter. <i><a href="http://abcnews.go.com/Health/gym-goers-vent-twitter-years-crowd-takes/story?id=21391432" style="color: #1990e5; text-decoration: none;" title="http://abcnews.go.com/Health/gym-goers-vent-twitter-years-crowd-takes/story?id=21391432">ABC News </a></i>collected a few examples, including gym-goers complaining about people who hog the machines, fail to wipe down the equipment and consume candy bars and Sprite while working out. One guy tweeted: "GONNA GO TO THE GYM AND GRUNT REAL LOUD WHEN I DEADLIFT SO THE RESOLUTION KIDS DONT COME BACK TOMORROW." We hear you, grunting guy, but we're coming back anyway... right?</div><div style="background-color: white; color: #333333; font-family: arial, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 22px; margin-bottom: 15px; margin-left: 60px;">USA Today</div></div>

The week in health: 5 things you need to know (BLOG)

Happy New Year. Here's the health news you may have missed while guzzling champagne or finding your way to the gym: The Affordable Care ...

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