With the Thyroid, Too Much or Too Little Sparks Trouble

FRIDAY, April 8 (HealthDay News) -- The human body's intricate framework of interconnected systems, which work together to maintain health and life, depend on one small, butterfly-shaped gland that weighs less than half an ounce.

Coping With Graves' Disease Lasts a Lifetime

FRIDAY, April 8 (HealthDay News) -- At first, everyone thought that Sasha Asumaa's problems were those of a typical teenage girl.

Health Tip: Spot Warning Signs of Low Blood Sugar

(HealthDay News) -- Hypoglycemia is the medical term for low blood glucose, common among people with diabetes. It can occur even when you're trying hard to manage your blood sugar levels.

Health Tip: Storing Breast Milk

(HealthDay News) -- Expressed breast milk can be frozen for later use. The Nemours Foundation says it's important to use sterile bottles or hard plastic cups with tight caps, or "nursing bags" that are specially designed to store breast milk.

Hormone Linked to Absence of Periods in Women With Low Body Fat

FRIDAY, April 8 (HealthDay News) -- A lack of leptin contributes to the absence of menstrual periods in women with extremely low levels of body fat, but treatment with a synthetic form of the hormone may restore both the menstrual cycle and fertility, a new study indicates.

Short Bursts of Exercise Good for the Heart: Study

FRIDAY, April 8 (HealthDay News) -- All exercise is the same, right? Not so fast, suggests a small study of teens out of Scotland that found that high-intensity exercise may be better than endurance training for preventing cardiovascular disease because it can be done in less time.

Nearly 20% of Lung Cancer Patients Keep Smoking

FRIDAY, April 8 (HealthDay News) -- Many patients diagnosed with lung cancer -- as well as their family caregivers -- continue to smoke even though doing so may jeopardize their recovery and long-term health outcome, says a study sponsored by the U.S. National Cancer Institute.

Hookah Use Common Among College Students, Survey Finds

FRIDAY, April 8 (HealthDay News) -- Nearly one-fifth of U.S. college students who took part in a survey regularly use hookahs (water pipes), and many of them mistakenly believe that hookah smoking is safer than cigarette smoking.

College 101: Cellphones, Laptops, Music Players

FRIDAY, April 8 (HealthDay News) -- A new study suggests that college students worldwide are "addicted" to portable electronic devices, such as cellphones, laptops and MP3 players.

Good Start to Work Day May Be Key to Productivity

FRIDAY, April 8 (HealthDay News) -- Employees' moods at the start of the work day affect how they feel for the rest of their shift, according to researchers.

Unemployment Plays Role in Early Deaths, Research Shows

FRIDAY, April 8 (HealthDay News) -- Unemployment can be deadly, especially for men, researchers have found.

Could Stomach 'Pacemaker' Be New Weight-Loss Tool?

THURSDAY, April 7 (HealthDay News) -- Silke Zeigler was fed up with "yo-yo" dieting in her struggle to maintain a healthy weight.

People With Epilepsy More Prone to Brain Tumors: Study

FRIDAY, April 8 (HealthDay News) -- People with epileptic seizures are much more likely than others to be diagnosed with a brain tumor, a new study indicates.

Liberals, Conservatives May Have Different Brain Structures

FRIDAY, April 8 (HealthDay News) -- Opposing political views may linked to differences in brain structures, a new study suggests.

Medicare's Drug Coverage Gap to Shrink Away Under Health Care Reform

FRIDAY, April 8 (HealthDay News) -- Starting this year, Medicare Part D's widely despised "donut hole" -- the gap in drug cost coverage enrollees encounter when they reach a certain spending threshold -- will start to disappear, one result of the health care reform package enacted last year, experts say.

Health Highlights: April 8, 2011

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

Parkinson's May Have Links to Certain Cancers, Study Suggests

FRIDAY, April 8 (HealthDay News) -- People with Parkinson's disease appear to be at increased risk for melanoma and prostate cancer, and this greater risk may extend to their close and distant relatives, a new study suggests.

FDA OKs Rapid Test to Spot Dangerous Intestinal Infection

FRIDAY, April 8 (HealthDay News) -- A test designed to rapidly detect the genetic fingerprint of Clostridium difficile( C. diff) bacterial infection has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration.