Picture of Health - baltimoresun.com

Bay group warns of swimming after storms

By Meredith Cohn — Fri, 25 May 2012 16:35:00 GMT

Swimmers should avoid contact with tidal and fresh water for 48 hours after a big rain storm this summer, warns the Chesapeake Bay Foundation .

Health officials warn public about coming heat

By Meredith Cohn — Thu, 24 May 2012 16:45:00 GMT

As Memorial Day approaches and the temperatures rise, some state health officials are reminding residents to take care of themselves and their children and neighbors.

New law helps schools cope with food allergies

Thu, 24 May 2012 11:00:00 GMT

Maryland public schools will all soon be keeping emergency supplies of epinephrine on hand for students who may have an allergic reaction, and patient advocates are applauding the new law .

Avoiding picnic pitfalls

By Emily Rice, Special to The Baltimore Sun — Wed, 23 May 2012 19:06:00 GMT

Each week a nutritionist from the University of Maryland Medical Center provides a guest post to The Baltimore Sun's health blog Picture of Health (baltimoresun.com/pictureofhealth), which is reprinted here. This week, Emily Rice, dietetic intern, weighs in on picnic foods.

Clean produce to avoid food poisoning

By Meredith Cohn — Tue, 22 May 2012 19:10:00 GMT

It’s farmers’ market time, and all those fruits and vegetables seem so fresh. But they aren’t necessarily clean.

Health care spending rising in Maryland

By Andrea K. Walker — Mon, 21 May 2012 22:22:00 GMT

Marylanders spent $44.5 billion on personal health care in 2010 as costs in the state continued to outpace the nation, according to a new report.

Crownsville student honored for pancreatic cancer test

By Meredith Cohn — Fri, 18 May 2012 19:15:00 GMT

Fifteen-year-old Jack Andraka of Crownsville won the top prize at the Intel International Science and Engineering Fair for designing a new method to detect pancreatic cancer, Intel announced Friday.

Komen gives out $58 million in grants

By Andrea K. Walker — Thu, 17 May 2012 22:09:00 GMT

Five Maryland doctors win money

Susan G. Komen for the Cureon Thursday announced $58 million in grants to support breast cancer research.

Warning about shellfish from South Korea issued by state health officials

By Andrea K. Walker — Thu, 17 May 2012 16:00:00 GMT

State health officials are warning consumers not to eat any fresh or frozen molluscan shellfish from South Korea.

Healthy Recipes: Picnic Broccoli Salad

By Andrea K. Walker — Thu, 17 May 2012 11:00:00 GMT

It's cookout season, which means plenty of temptations to indulge.

Skechers comes to $40 million settlement with FTC over sneakers

By Andrea K. Walker — Wed, 16 May 2012 20:52:00 GMT

Company claimed wearing shoes would get people in shape

It turns out wearing sneakers - without exercising - won't get you in shape.

Test offers red flag for autism at 6 months

By Meredith Cohn — Wed, 16 May 2012 15:00:00 GMT

A simple “pull-to-sit” test on infants at six months old may help doctors predict autismand other delays, a new study has found.

Triple crown of nutrition tips

By Christine Dobmeier, Special to The Baltimore Sun — Tue, 15 May 2012 20:30:00 GMT

Each week a nutritionist from the University of Maryland Medical Center provides a guest post to The Baltimore Sun's health blog Picture of Health (baltimoresun.com/pictureofhealth). This week, Christine Dobmeier offers nutrition lifestyle tips.

Death from marathon running low

By Andrea K. Walker — Tue, 15 May 2012 16:20:00 GMT

The stories of marathon runners collapsing and dying at the finish line are enough to scare anybody thinking of participating in one of the 26.2 mile races popular around this time of year.

Mercy to open $41.5 million childbirth and children's center

By Andrea K. Walker — Tue, 15 May 2012 11:00:00 GMT

Mothers who deliver their babies at Mercy Medical Center will soon do so with an expansive view of the Baltimore skyline.

Jacob and Sophia most popular baby names

By Meredith Cohn — Mon, 14 May 2012 19:10:00 GMT

Across the country last year, the most popular baby names were Jacob and Sophia, according to the Social Security Administration’s latest count.

Young people still risking skin cancer for tans

By Meredith Cohn — Fri, 11 May 2012 11:00:00 GMT

Two new government studies show young people are still putting themselves at risk for skin cancer by getting sunburned and going to indoor tanning beds.

Pneumonia is biggest killer of young kids, study shows

By Meredith Cohn — Thu, 10 May 2012 23:05:00 GMT

Around the globe, the leading cause of death for children under age 5 is pneumonia, according to a new study from the Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health .

Baltimore Healthy baby campaign to continue with $1 million grant

By Andrea K. Walker — Wed, 09 May 2012 19:03:00 GMT

A Baltimore campaign to reduce the city's high rate of infant mortality got a $1 million boost Wednesday that will enable it to continue its efforts.

Lawnmower accidents common in the summer

By Andrea K. Walker — Wed, 09 May 2012 17:17:00 GMT

Tips to keep your children safe while doing yard work

I wrote today about a 5-year-old Harford County girl who lost her feet after her father accidently backed into her with a lawn mower.

Top 3 terrible eating habits

By Rachel Ernzen, The Baltimore Sun — Tue, 08 May 2012 20:50:00 GMT

Healthy Recipes: Joy Bauer's soft-baked chocolate-cherry oatmeal cookies

By Andrea K. Walker — Tue, 08 May 2012 11:00:00 GMT

Just because you're trying to eat healthy doesn't mean totally abandoning your sweet tooth.

Harder for Americans to get health insurance, report says

Andrea K. Walker — Tue, 08 May 2012 10:00:00 GMT

Americans in almost every state are finding it harder to get basic health services, according to a report released today by the Robert Wood Johnson Foundation.

Hopkins engineer students create devices to help keep babies alive

By Andrea K. Walker — Mon, 07 May 2012 20:50:00 GMT

Johns Hopkins University Engineering students unveiled devices Monday that they hope will lower the number of still births and deaths from fever-related illnesses in developing countries.

Minors see online alcohol ads, buy alcohol

By Meredith Cohn — Mon, 07 May 2012 20:05:00 GMT

Alcohol is far too attractive and easy to obtain online for kids, says Dr. David Jernigan, director of Johns Hopkins’ Center on Alcohol Marketing and Youth .