Holiday Health Myths Debunked, and Top Health Stories of 2008

The holiday season is a time of overindulging in food and fun, and of looking back on the past year. WebMD has articles covering both aspects of the season. First there's a quick look at some long-held myths about the holidays and wintertime. Does eating lots of sugar really make children hyperactive? Is it true you lose most of your body heat through your head? Is there really an effective hangover remedy? This article sets the facts straight.

Food and health issues were in the news a lot this year, from tainted tomatoes to the fact that more Americans have HIV than was previously thought. WebMD surveys the top 10 health news stories of 2008, with a number of links to relevant articles for each topic.

The Tragedy of Female Circumcision (or Female Genital Mutilation)

In more than two dozen African countries women and girls are subjected to a practice commonly called female circumcision, but another term for the procedure--female genital mutilation--is actually a more accurate description.

While male circumcision simply involves cutting off the foreskin, female genital mutilation can consist of the total or partial cutting away of the woman's clitoris, which potentially deprives the woman of sexual pleasure for the rest of her life.

A fact sheet from the World Health Organization describes the problem of female circumcision or female genital mutilation. The practice of this procedure has become more controversial not only in Africa but in countries such as England and the United States that have African immigrants who may try to practice this custom in their new countries. This has sparked a debate on whether a custom or religious tradition common in one country can be practiced in another country with different laws and customs.