Dr. Steve Info: Thursday

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7:00am Segment Info:
Botox and restalyn are all the rage these days as women and men try to erase the fine lines and wrinkles that come from aging.

There's a new trend that has aging babyboomers smiling. Facial acupuncture. Acupuncturists say strategically placing needles in certain areas of the face can make it look younger, smoother, and healthier by relaxing the muscles and tissues in the face. The holistic approach appeals to those who don't want to have surgery or inject chemicals.

Is it expensive?

Like most things it's not a one time shot. If you want to get results that last you'll need to get continuous sessions. The prices can vary, but acupuncturists can charge as much as one hundred dollars a session. If you buy packages, you can save a bit. But overall, it's cheaper than regular botox and filler injections with fewer side effects. I should tell you that while there are studies that show that acupuncture can relieve headaches, back pain and high blood pressure.. There are no peer reviewed studies that show it actually reduces wrinkles. But people do swear by it.

We're always trying to turn back the clock. One thing i'd like to get control of is my internal sleep clock so i can manage this shift better.

We may be getting closer to that one day.

Researchers say they've discovered the control switch for our internal body clock. While the whole mechanism is extremely complex, it's regulated by a single amino acid. Our body's internal clock regulates not only sleep but metabolism and behavior. It can also affect heart disease, cancer and neurological diseases.

how can this help people with sleep problems?

Sleep problems can vary from person to person. And experts say that with this discovery they're trying to develop antibodies that can target the activity of this amino acid. This could allow them to develop more specific treatments and offer a more personalized care.

8:00am Segment Info:
The report card on America’s cholesterol is in, and we're doing really well.

According to a new report, the average cholesterol level for u-s adults is in the ideal range at 199. It's the first time that's happened in nearly 50 years. Researchers also found that the percentage of adults with high cholesterol, that's a total cholesterol of 240 or higher, dropped to 16 percent. And the biggest declines were in men aged 40 and older and women 60 and over. There is some bad news - there was little change in cholesterol levels for other age groups and Americans are still fatter than ever before.

What's responsible for the decrease?

Besides the lifestyle modifications like exercise and eating less saturated fat. It's believed that cholesterol lowering medications, most notably statins like Lipitor and Zocor are responsible. Doctors have become more aggressive about treating their patients and more people are getting screened. According to the c-d-c two-thirds of men and three-fourths of women had been screened for high cholesterol in the past five years.

In other news, there's been a recall of kids' vaccine.

That's right, Merck is recalling one point two million doses of a vaccine that protects against meningitis, pneumonia and other serious infections as well as one that protects against hepatitis b.

The concern is contamination. Now they're trying to figure out how they're going to get the vaccines to them. These shots are given to children as young as two months old.

What should parents do?

The best thing to do if you're concerned is to speak to your doctor. Right now, another company that also makes the vaccine is trying to produce more to pick up the slack.