City Health Guidelines, Online Drugs

Medical headlines for Monday, February 1.

Text of Dr. Sapna Parikh's report:

CITY HEALTH GUIDELINES: The mayor and other city officials just released a new set of active design guidelines to make the city healthier. They say it’s a first-of-its-kind blueprint to help architects and city planners design buildings and outdoor spaces that would promote physical activity. The goal is to fight obesity, diabetes and other chronic health problems. These new recommendations are voluntary. They include strategies for how to create buildings, streets and outdoor spaces that would encourage active transportation and recreation like walking and biking.

ONLINE DRUGS: Here's another reason to beware of buying medication on the Internet. A new report finds that 2 and a half million men in Europe alone may have taken counterfeit Viagra. The concern with buying medications on line is that they are not regulated. The ingredients are often unknown and may be useless or potentially deadly. In 2008 for example, four men in Singapore died after ingesting counterfeit medication for erectile dysfunction. The pills were reportedly contaminated with a blood-sugar-lowering agent.

MEMORY BOOST: If you're trying to boost your memory take a break, let it sink in. A new report from NYU finds that taking a break and resting right after learning new information may strengthen your memory. In this small study-- 16 people were shown a series of images. Each of them had an MRI scan while they rested. The researchers say the memory forming parts of the brain remained active during rest.