STROKE SIGNS

Mar 29 (HealthDayNews) -- Stroke kills 150,000 people annually, making it the third leading cause of death in the United States, according to the Texas Medical Center.

If you recognize the warning signs, you can catch a stroke in its early stages:

Sudden numbness or weakness of the arm, face or leg on one side of the body.
Sudden loss of sight, especially in one eye.
Near or complete loss of speaking or understanding conversation.
Severe headaches without cause.
Unexplained dizziness, unsteadiness or falls.
If you experience any of these symptoms, get medical help immediately.

-- Felicity Stone

Copyright © 2004 ScoutNews, LLC. All rights reserved.

The bladder cancer research conducted by the state of Texas found that people who consumed the nutrient naturally or through vitamin E supplements were up to 40 percent less likely to contract the disease, reports the Orlando Sentinel.

In a separate study, Finnish men who took the recommended daily amount of 15 milligrams were up to 53 percent less likely to contract prostate cancer, the Sentinel reports.

While both sets of results show promise, experts say more research is needed before a scientifically proven link between vitamin E and cancer prevention is established. Other foods rich in the nutrient include whole-grain breads, beans, peas, and canola oil.

Both studies were released Sunday at the annual meeting of the American Association for Cancer Research in Orlando, Fla.

Groups Launch Global Headache-Awareness Campaign

An effort to increase global awareness about headache disorders was launched Friday by the World Health Organization (WHO) and international non-governmental groups.

While headaches don't kill people, they cause long-term disability problems for nations, companies and families all over the world, Benedetto Saraceno, head of the WHO's Mental Health and Substance Abuse department, told the Associated Press.

Tension-related headaches, which include migraines, cluster headaches and chronic daily headache syndromes, are the most common, according to the WHO. Headaches affect people of all ages and levels of society in developing and developed countries.

"There is a common belief that headache is more burdensome in the industrialized countries. In poor countries, the headache problem isn't ranked high because there are other and more serious diseases that kill people," Saraceno told the AP.

This new campaign, called "Lifting the Burden," aims to map the extent of headaches globally and to increase headache awareness among government and health care authorities.