Should Americans banish the burger?

Hamburgers are an American passion. And millions of Americans consume burgers, and other forms of meat, every day without consequences.

Your most embarrassing health confessions

AWOL tampons, gas, losing your breakfast on the doc? To prove that you are so not alone when it comes to mortifying health mishaps, Health readers shared some of their stories with us. And our own medical editor, Roshini Rajapaksa, MD, weighs in on when you really do need to talk to your doctor about an embarrassing episode or symptom.

Undocumented patients wary of offers to return to home countries

Going back to Mexico is not an option, said the 43-year-old man, kneeling next to his wife's wheelchair.

'Littlest refusenik' on Kennedy: 'He saved my life'

She was called "the littlest refusenik," one of the many Soviet Jews denied permission to leave the Soviet Union because her father had been exposed to government secrets.

Cookie dough inquiry nearly over, but without answers

The investigation of the E. coli outbreak linked to Nestle Toll House cookie dough is nearly over, according to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The cause of the contamination has not been identified.

Likely fallout from cookie-dough illnesses: more than 200 layoffs

A Nestle plant linked to an outbreak of illness has been shut temporarily, and the company said Monday that it expects to lay off more than 200 workers as a result.

Teen diagnoses her own disease in science class

For eight years, Jessica Terry suffered from stomach pain so horrible, it brought her to her knees. The pain, along with diarrhea, vomiting and fever, made her so sick, she lost weight and often had to miss school.

Chew on this: Gum may be good for body, mind

If you're looking to curb your appetite and improve your memory, you're probably exercising, eating healthier foods and trying to get some sleep.

FDA: Hang on to your pistachios

If you have a stash of pistachios in your house, pistachio ice cream in your freezer or trail mix in your backpack, don't eat any of it.

Best cure for stomach troubles-- which probiotics work and why

Michelle Klawiter was nine days into a course of antibiotics for a sinus infection when the gut pain hit. Bloody diarrhea quickly followed.

Six health problems your child may inherit from you

While tucking our sons into bed the other night, I was struck by how many of their physical attributes they've inherited from my husband and me. Eleven-year-old Nate has my heart-shaped face, large eyes, and cowlicky hair, along with my husband's mouth and freckles. Six-year-old Nicky, on the other hand, has the same green eyes and dirty-blond hair that I do, but my husband's nose and chin.

Supermarket chain joins peanut-product recall

Kroger -- a grocery chain with stores in 31 states -- has issued a recall for foods made with peanut products, widening recalls related to the Peanut Corporation of America.

Daily Dose: Western diet harmful to colon?

People with diagnosed colon cancer who have received treatment and who eat a "Western diet," high in red meat, refined grains, fat and sugar, are more likely to have a recurrence of colon cancer and die from it, compared with patients who eat a "prudent" diet high in fruits, vegetables, poultry and fish.

Daily Dose: Burning question: What is GERD?

More than 60 million Americans experience heartburn at least once a month, and some studies suggest more than 15 million Americans have it each day. But how do you know if your heartburn isn't just heartburn? If you have a burning sensation, chest pains or a sour taste in your mouth, you may have GERD, or gastroesophageal reflux disease. Left untreated, GERD can lead to more dangerous ailments such as ulcers, cancer of the esophagus and scarring of the esophagus, also called "peptic narrowing."

Study identifies effective irritable bowel syndrome therapies

Peppermint oil, soluble fiber, and antispasmodic drugs can indeed help people with irritable bowel syndrome, according to an analysis of 25 years of research on the condition, which is characterized by bouts of diarrhea and constipation.

Top health threats for men and women