The Pulse – Feb. 6 2015

Health researchers have declared a new public enemy number one…sugar. In the past, this unenviable position has been occupied by fat, salt…even eggs. But lately, more and more experts are finding themselves convinced that the health dangers posed by added sweeteners dwarf the risks posed by previously vilified foods. The government has recently proposed new nutrition policies that include a new take on sugar. Reporter Audrey Quinn takes a look at our changing perception of the sweet stuff.

Alison Buttenheim, an assistant professor in the school of nursing at the University of Pennsylvania, studies attitudes about vaccines, and, in the wake of the Disney measles outbreak, she joins us to answer some pertinent questions about why some parents decide not to vaccinate. For most people, measles is a theoretical topic, but we hear from one family that experienced the measles firsthand.

Getting poor quality sleep a few nights in a row can feel like torture, so imagine if you lived your whole life in that state. That’s what people suffering from narcolepsy experience. Pulse contributor Steven Jackson spent a day with Julie Flygare, a woman with narcolepsy, trying her best to live a “normal” life.

Twenty-four of the country’s 141 medical schools carry a donor’s name rather than just the university’s name. And the pace of these name changes seems to be quickening. Does it matter when Cornell Medical College changes its name to Weill Cornell Medical College? Dr. Danielle Ofri thinks so. She joins us to discuss why we should care.

Wheelchair ramps, elevators, automatic doors—these conveniences help level the playing field for the disabled. But 25 years after the passage of the Americans with Disabilities Act, many websites have yet to comply with the law. Todd Bookman reports about efforts to level the digital playing field.