The Autoimmune Epidemic: Bodies Gone Haywire in a World Out of Balance
By Donna Jackson Nakazawa, Touchstone/Simon & Schuster
Scientists worldwide puzzle over an alarming and unexplained rise in the rates of autoimmune disease. Yet the media remain mute on this crisis. Read more Â»

How many Americans suffer daily from autoimmune diseases? Why won't the media report on the (legal) drug overdose epidemic? How can you help your child develop healthy eating habits? We explore these questions and more in this issue of Health & Wellness.

Thanks for reading,
Heather Gehlert
Managing Editor

Overdose Death Rate Surges, Legal Drugs Are Mostly to Blame
Drug War Chronicle
Oxycontin, Lorcet, and other pain control drugs are the leading cause of the tens of thousands of annual drug overdoses -- why the silence? Read more Â»

21st Century Medicine Fraught With Miscommunication and Human Error
By Niko Karvounis, Health Beat
The simple transition of a patient from one caretaker to another can result in numerous mistakes and, ultimately, patient harm. Read more Â»

When It Comes to Hysterectomy, Most Women Don't Have Reproductive Choice
By Pamela Merritt, RH Reality Check
As many as two-thirds of hysterectomies may be unnecessary because un- and under-insured women continue to lack a full range of health care options. Read more Â»

Five Surgeries, Two Purple Hearts and Still Fighting for VA Benefits
By Rose-Anne Clermont, The Wip
For the thousands of GI's who have returned home from Iraq injured, another battle awaits them. Read more Â»

Penis Cancer: My Very Private Hell
By Simon Usborne, The Independent UK
Artist John D Edwards's latest paintings tell a harrowing story: how he fought his way back from penis cancer. Read more Â»

I Have an Easier Time Talking with My Kids about Sex than Food
By Donna Fish, Huffington Post
There is a way to educate kids on how to take better care of their bodies. Read more Â»

Health Care's Odd Couple
By Ezra Klein, The American Prospect
Sens. Wyden and Bennett are starting to build a bipartisan consensus around health care -- despite their opposing political views. Read more Â»