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For centuries, magnets have been used in attempts to treat pain. And though scientific evidence so far doesn't support a conclusion that magnets can ease pain, some patients using them do experience relief.
So what's the story on magnets?
To help sort out fact from hype, the National Center for Complementary and Alternative Medicine has posted questions and answers that should give consumers the tools to make informed choices about using magnets.
Note: The FDA has not approved the marketing of magnets with claims of benefits to health (such as "relieves arthritis pain"), and the agency, along with the Federal Trade Commission, has taken action against unscrupulous magnet marketers.
Today is a great time to be a girl ... You have many possibilities and choices ... You can make goals for yourself and develop your talents ... All these choices are exciting, but they can be a little confusing.
So reads a page about self esteem found on Girl Power, a Web site created by the Department of Health and Human Services to promote positive values in girls ages 9 to 13 by targeting health messages to their unique needs and interests.
The site is colorful and interactive, with loads of fun ideas for wholesome activities. Looking for a neat outdoor activity? Try one of more than 30 of Girl Power's ideas. Like to surf the Net? Check out Girls Allowed or White House Kids or any of the site's other suggestions. The site also has a guest page with upbeat messages from folks such as singer Brandy, astronaut Ellen Ochoa, author Judy Blume, and even cartoon character Lisa Simpson.
Mom and Dad can get in on the act, too, with a special section containing advice on better sleeping, keeping children drug-free, and getting involved with your community.
Did you know that about 12 percent of women in the United States suffer from depression, but that 80 percent of them get better with treatment? Or that most health plans won't cover the cost of LASIK eye surgery? Are you aware that dietary supplements such as vitamin pills should not be used as a substitute for eating a variety of foods?
These are a few of dozens of useful health tidbits that you'll find in a series of fact sheets called "Get the Facts," available online in graphical (PDF) form or in a printer-friendly text format. Produced by the FDA Office of Women's Health, the series offers reliable background on nearly 30 topics, some of interest just to women, but many of value to all consumers. Among them:
The fact sheets are brief and written in an easy-to-understand style.
There was a time not long ago when disaster preparedness in the United States focused on natural calamities: bracing for a predicted tornado or creating structures to withstand earthquakes. But events in recent years have put America on notice that disaster preparation now must include dealing with catastrophes created by human actions rather than nature. The Department of Homeland Security (DHS) points out that terrorists are working to obtain biological, chemical, nuclear, and radiological weapons and that the threat of an attack is real.
On its Web site Ready.gov, the DHS offers much helpful advice on how to prepare yourself and your loved ones for natural and man-made emergencies. Tactics such as assembling a kit of basic survival items and developing a family communications plan can give an edge should a disaster occur. The site contains detailed instructions and supply checklists.
Also on Ready.gov are tips on what to do in the event of an attack if you are in a moving vehicle, a high-rise building, or at work or school. Though the DHS cautions that there's no way to predict what will happen in an attack, it says that "with a little planning and common sense, you can be better prepared for the unexpected."
The FDA also has an online gateway to other helpful information on its counterterrorism Web site.
FDA.gov is written by John Henkel, a member of the FDA's Website Management Staff.