Your Health

By Janice M. Horowitz

GOOD NEWS

BEYOND THE PATCH Still trying to quit smoking? Consider this. A study out last week found that the antidepressant Zyban, taken alone or in combination with a nicotine patch, works about twice as well as the patch alone. Smokers in the study were treated for nine weeks; after a year 16% of those using just the patch were smoke-free, in contrast to 30% who took Zyban and 35% using both. An added benefit of the combo: it can prevent weight gain--at least early on--that often accompanies quitting.

CANCER CHECK-UP If you're 50 or over, don't forget to get screened for colon cancer. A new 20-year study shows that yearly screenings can reduce colon-cancer deaths by a third. The test is simple--even for the squeamish: a small stool sample is placed on a card and analyzed for blood.

BAD NEWS

STRESS CITY The latest round in the coffee debate: four to five cups in the morning can cause adrenaline levels to shoot up by 34%--and remain high for hours afterward. Blood pressure rises slightly too, according to research published last week. The same reactions occur when you're under stress--and no doubt take a toll on health. Evidence? New research shows that in New York--the epicenter of stress--death rates from heart attack are 55% higher than the U.S. average.

LESS BREAST Babies who use pacifiers give up breast feeding sooner than those who don't, according to a new study. Kids on pacifiers tend to have fewer breast-feeding sessions each day, which may cause milk to dry up early. That's easier for some moms, but breast feeding confers benefits to infants--such as the reduced risk of infections.

--By Janice M. Horowitz

Sources--Good News: New England Journal of Medicine (3/4/99); Journal of the National Cancer Institute (3/3/99) Bad News: Society of Behavioral Medicine annual meeting; Pediatrics (3/99)