Two Guys Lose Weight: Valentine's Day can be too much good stuff

NOTE: This is a blog about two guys attempting to lose weight over a six-week period.  They kicked off their weight-loss "strategies" on Jan. 10.

Pontiac fever at the Playboy Mansion? Maybe. But not as much fun as you might think

Pontiac fever, the less well-known cousin of Legionnaires' disease, is having its own brush with notoriety--courtesy of the Playboy Mansion. Public health officials are still looking for what sickened 200 people who attended a four-day DOMAINfest Global Conference this month at various locations in Southern California, including the mansion. But Pontiac fever is one of the prime suspects.

Speculation about on-air stroke brings us to this lesson: Learn the signs

TV reporter Serene Branson's garbled speech during a live Grammy broadcast Sunday went viral online, causing speculation among viewers -- and doctors -- about whether the seemingly-too-young-to-have-a-stroke journalist did in fact have a stroke.

New heart health guidelines for women

Awareness of women's heart health has improved over the last 30 years, but cardiovascular disease still causes a woman to die every minute, reports an article in the journal Circulation  detailing the American Heart Assn.'s new cardiovascular disease prevention guidelines for women.  

Zinc may shorten the common cold by a bit

Zinc lozenges, tablets or syrup taken at the first signs of a cold may shorten the duration of the illness, researchers reported Tuesday. But experts on zinc say there are still many questions about whether the mineral significantly helps with cold treatment.

Water softeners may not drastically ease eczema symptoms for children, a study finds

Some people who suffer from eczema swear by their water softeners, saying that softer water lessens the severity of symptoms, such as itchiness. But a study finds that for children with eczema, installing a water softener didn't provide much benefit after three months.

Problem drinking in teen years is not a good omen for the future

Drinking problems in adolescence may be passed off as "just a phase" that a person may outgrow. But a study suggests instead that problem drinking in someone at age 18 helps predict alcoholism at age 25.

'Female' condoms part of San Francisco's new public health campaign

So-called female condoms were handed out Monday on the streets of San Francisco just in time for Valentine's Day. This doesn't exactly scream romance to us. But the city's public health officials were less interested in love and more interested in urging women and gay men to use this "other" kind of condom to fight sexually transmitted diseases such as HIV/AIDS.

Imaging tests are often done for the doctor -- not the patient

Imaging tests such as MRIs and X-rays frequently are performed so that doctors can protect themselves from lawsuits, according to a new study.

Flu got you down? Learn how to fight back at this Web chat Tuesday

Sometimes it's hard to tell the difference between a simple cold and the flu, and when such symptoms merit a trip to the doctor. Here's an expert who can help with some winter wellness advice for parents and children.

A diet higher in fiber, particularly grains, may lead to a longer life

We all know we should eat more fiber. Here's some incentive: Eating more of it could help you live longer, but the kind of fiber you eat may be key.

Congenital heart defects can be corrected at birth, but what happens next?

No one knows why some babies are born with life-threatening heart defects. Donna Stiener was one of those "blue babies," as they are called, who received pioneering heart surgery at Johns Hopkins Hospital about 60 years ago. Now doctors grapple with how to care for adults such as Stiener who started life with such profound heart defects.

Aspirin is good for heart-attack prevention, but skip the proton pump inhibitors

Aspirin treatment has become standard for the prevention of heart attacks, particularly among middle-aged and older people at high risk for heart attacks. But taking a low-dose aspirin daily increases the likelihood of gastrointestinal bleeding, so some doctors suggest that aspirin should be taken with another medication -- a proton pump inhibitor -- to reduce the risk of bleeding. A new study, however, has found that adding the proton pump inhibitor isn't justified for most patients.

Scientists find human DNA in gonorrhea bacteria

Doctors sometimes find gonorrhea bacteria in the human body.  

Keeping it all in the family? Woman gives birth to her first grandchild

Sometimes what sounds medically outlandish -- a woman having her own grandchild -- isn't. Sara Connell, who had had three unsuccessful pregnancies, knows firsthand how real this can be. Her mother, 61, last week delivered a baby boy who biologically is Connell's first child.

Two Guys Lose Weight: The Bluto 'Animal House' diet

The following is a blog documenting two Los Angeles Times editors' attempts to lose weight. It all began on Jan. 10.

Two Guys Lose Weight: Resisting the urge to be bad is so good

NOTE: This is a blog about two guys attempting to lose weight over a six-week period.  They kicked off their weight-loss "strategies" on Jan. 10.

Energy drinks potentially dangerous for kids, study reports

Parents might start hearing more about Red Bull during pediatrician visits.

Creatine supplements may benefit women with knee osteoarthritis

Creatine supplements are extremely popular among amateur and pro athletes who believe the substance gives their muscles a boost. But a study finds that the supplements may also help women with knee osteoarthritis.

Talk Back: Let Colorado teen with rare disease have marijuana lozenge?

A Colorado student's family says he was prescribed a lozenge to ease the symptoms of a rare neurological disorder that causes spasms. School officials say he can't take it at school. Normally, this might merit little more than puzzlement over the vagaries of modern high schools.  But the lozenge contains THC, the active ingredient in marijuana.