CBS NEWS – Small, rural hospitals may be a safer and less expensive choice for people needing common operations, according to a new study. University of Michigan researchers tracked 1.6 million hospital stays for Medicare patients who underwent gallbladder or appendix removal, colon surgery or hernia repair.

They found uncomplicated surgeries performed in small, rural hospitals had equal or better outcomes than surgeries performed in big city hospitals. SOURCE – University of Michigan Health System/MedDay/CBS

New research shows women who eat four or more servings a week of potatoes are more likely to have an increased risk of high blood pressure. Researchers at Brigham and Womens Hospital and Harvard Medical School say the findings are similar for men who eat more servings of French fries.

Potatoes have a high glycemic index compared to other vegetables so they can trigger a sharp rise in blood sugar levels. SOURCE – BMJ/MedDay/CBS

Texas researchers say people over age 50 who lead busy lives have better cognitive function than their non-busy peers.

The study of over 300 older men and women finds, regardless of education, the busiest people are better able to learn and understand quickly and have stronger memories of past events. SOURCE – Frontiers/MedDay/CBS