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Show U.S. infant mortality rate hits the lowest figure ever Our nation's infant mortality rate, long one of the worst in the industrialized in-dustrialized world, is improving and has reached a milestone: 10 per 1,000 births, the lowest figure ever, according to recent published reports. In fact, the Centers for Disease Control reported final figures for 1988--the latest available-that showed the United States' tally of 10 per 1,000 down from 10.1 in 1987. "It looks good now that we're approaching the single digits, which woulcLbe more comparable to other industrialized nations," said Cynthia Cyn-thia Ferre of CDC. The United States still ranks 21st among industrialized in-dustrialized nations in infant mortality. mor-tality. Japan, with a rate of 4.4 deaths per 1,000 births in 1989 data, is number one. Oat bran facts The higher your cholesterol, the more likely oat bran is to lower it, says a new University of Minnesota study. Furthermore , bene f i t s are most dramatic, oat-bran wise, for women 50 years of age and older. Conflicting results have been the course in recent oat brand studies the grain hasn't lowered cholesterol in younger women with already low blood-fat levels, but it has significantly helped men under 50 with high levels. In the study, it was found that LDL-the "bad" cholesterol dropped by as many as 15 points for older women eating oat bran. Men under 50 had an eight-point drop. Cholesterol dropped most for those at 225 or higher (200 is borderline, 240 is high). Bottom line? "The effect (of oat bran) depends on your sex, age . and the cholesterol you start with," said one Minnesota researcher. Holiday snacking It's the season to be merry, but reasonable, when it comes to your eating. With a little effort you can find tasty, heart-healthy alternatives to more traditional holiday fare: Choose dips made with low-fat or non-fat yogurt rather than those made with sour cream, mayonnaise andor cream cheese. Dip fresh, raw vegetables instead in-stead of chips or fatty, high-salt crackers. Choose low-fat, part-skim moz-zarella moz-zarella cubes rather than high-fat cheeses such as brie, cheddar and colby. Fill up on colorful, fresh fruits instead of fat-laden pastries. Select fish, skinned chicken or turkey and lean cuts of beef or pork. Sleeping sheep Problems finding your own snooze control? Counting sheep may actually help, according to a recent Harvard University study. Imagining sheep leaping over fences really may be an effective way of "tricking" your brain into letting you nod off". Counting sheep apparently keeps both sides of your brain busy, leaving you unable to think of other things. |