Health & Fitness

Life & Style Should the state buy treadmill desks for employees? (Video)

By Hillary Lake, KATU News Published: May 2, 2013 at 5:48 PM PDT Last Updated: May 2, 2013 at 5:50 PM PDT

A state lawmaker wants to try a program where some state emplyoees are given treadmill desks to promote better health. He argues it could save the state in long-term health care costs.

Life & Style The doctor will see you (and you, and you and you)

By Rose Egge Published: Apr 29, 2013 at 1:50 PM PDT Last Updated: Apr 29, 2013 at 3:04 PM PDT

More patients are seeing their doctor in groups and say they are learning from each other.

Life & Style Debating fluoride: Can it hurt you? (Video)

By Shellie Bailey-Shah KATU News Published: Apr 26, 2013 at 6:30 PM PDT Last Updated: May 21, 2013 at 10:45 AM PDT

Right now, Portland is the largest non-fluoridated metro area in the country. Voters are deciding whether to allow the city to add fluoride to their water and the issue has families lining up on both sides.

Life & Style Docs warn teens: Don't take the cinnamon challenge

By LINDSEY TANNER AP Medical Writer Published: Apr 22, 2013 at 7:22 AM PDT Last Updated: Apr 22, 2013 at 9:27 AM PDT

Don't take the cinnamon challenge. That's the advice from doctors in a new report about a dangerous prank depicted in popular YouTube videos but which has led to hospitalizations and a surge in calls to U.S. poison centers.

Life & Style Sports help blind kids overcome fears (Photo Gallery)

By Rose Egge Published: Apr 19, 2013 at 1:19 PM PDT Last Updated: Apr 20, 2013 at 6:16 AM PDT

Blind children have fewer opportunities to be physically active, but benefit greatly when they are included in sports.

Life & Style Prices on generic prescriptions are soaring - what's going on? (Video)

Published: Apr 18, 2013 at 6:10 PM PDT Last Updated: Apr 18, 2013 at 6:11 PM PDT

They're supposed to be the cheap alternative to expensive prescription drugs but over the past few months a lot of generic brands have jumped quite a bit in price. Watch Ian Parker's story.

Life & Style Turkish woman with womb transplant may be pregnant

By Associated Press Published: Apr 12, 2013 at 8:26 AM PDT Last Updated: Apr 15, 2013 at 9:15 PM PDT

A hospital says a Turkish woman who became the first person to successfully receive the uterus of a dead donor may now be pregnant.

Life & Style Medical errors underreported. Why? System voluntary (Video)

By Dan Tilkin KATU On Your Side Investigator and KATU.com Staff Published: Apr 12, 2013 at 1:18 AM PDT Last Updated: Apr 26, 2013 at 2:00 PM PDT

Oregon hospitals are supposed to report medical mistakes to a state agency called the Oregon Patient Safety Commission.

Life & Style Implanted 'bracelet' helps treat chronic heartburn (Photo Gallery)

By MARILYNN MARCHIONE, AP Chief Medical Writer Published: Apr 11, 2013 at 8:14 AM PDT Last Updated: Apr 11, 2013 at 12:44 PM PDT

A tiny magnetic bracelet implanted at the base of the throat is greatly improving life for some people with chronic heartburn who get limited relief from medicines.

Life & Style Robot hot among surgeons but FDA taking a new look

By LINDSEY TANNER AP Medical Writer Published: Apr 9, 2013 at 7:54 AM PDT Last Updated: Apr 10, 2013 at 9:12 AM PDT

The biggest thing in operating rooms these days is a million-dollar, multi-armed robot named da Vinci, used in nearly 400,000 surgeries nationwide last year - triple the number just four years earlier.

Life & Style Disabilities plague Washington retirees, even golfers

By MIKE BAKER Associated Press Published: Apr 9, 2013 at 7:33 AM PDT Last Updated: Apr 9, 2013 at 9:16 AM PDT

On a good day of golf, Ken Brunette will shoot just a few strokes over par. On a bad outing, Odin Rondestvedt will stray into the 100s. Jack Gilbert typically averages a bogey per hole.

Life & Style 24 yoga classes in 24 hours... a benefit for breast cancer survivors

By Shannon L. Cheesman, Multimedia Journalist Published: Apr 5, 2013 at 3:49 PM PDT Last Updated: Apr 26, 2013 at 1:54 PM PDT

If your muscles are tight and you need a little stretching, you might want to head to the Pearl District next weekend for the Stretch 4 Survivors yoga series.

Life & Style Study links nuclear disaster to increase in disorder in babies (Video)

By Mary Loos KATU News and KATU.com Staff Published: Apr 4, 2013 at 10:08 PM PDT Last Updated: Apr 4, 2013 at 10:08 PM PDT

A new study is reporting an increase in a disorder in humans, and its cause is being linked to radiation from the nuclear disaster at Fukushima following the deadly March 2011 Japanese earthquake and tsunami.

Life & Style 'This could be a long, bad allergy season'

By Melanie Wingo, KATU News and KATU.com Staff Published: Apr 2, 2013 at 4:09 PM PDT Last Updated: Apr 3, 2013 at 10:42 AM PDT

Allergy season may be longer and stronger this year.

Life & Style FDA says longer use of nicotine gum is OK

By MICHAEL FELBERBAUM AP Tobacco Writer Published: Apr 1, 2013 at 8:59 AM PDT Last Updated: Apr 2, 2013 at 11:29 AM PDT

The Food and Drug Administration says smokers who are trying to quit can safely use over-the counter nicotine gum, patches and lozenges for longer than previously recommended in a move to help millions of Americans kick the habit.