WEDNESDAY, Feb. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Gesturing with your hands while talking can generate mental images that help solve complex problems related to spatial visualization, new research shows.

(HealthDay News) -- Edema -- swelling that results from fluid build-up in your tissues -- is most common in the feet, ankles and legs. But it can occur anywhere in the body.

(HealthDay News) -- Whopping portion sizes are a big reason for why people overeat. But if you teach your children about appropriate portion sizes, they may be more likely to stick to healthy portions into adulthood.

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 9 (HealthDay News) -- A lack of sleep apparently can increase your risk for stroke and heart attack.

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 9 (HealthDay News) -- The number of adolescent males treated in emergency rooms for drug-related suicide attempts swings sharply depending on what month it is, a U.S. government study shows.

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 9 (HealthDay News) -- About one in 10 infants develops a vascular birthmark at birth or soon after. Though typically harmless, some may need treatment because of location and growth patterns, a dermatologist suggests.

TUESDAY, Feb. 8 (HealthDay News) -- An injection of local anesthetic can be made much less painful if it is warmed beforehand, Canadian researchers report.

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 9 (HealthDay News) -- The "core pathway" that causes declining health due to aging has apparently been identified by researchers.

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Poor memory and problems with other mental skills may be early signs of an increased risk for stroke, a new study suggests.

TUESDAY, Feb. 8 (HealthDay News) -- President Barack Obama has kicked the smoking habit for almost one full year, First Lady Michelle Obama told the press on Tuesday.

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Diet soda fans who drink the beverages every day may be cutting down on calories, but they also might be boosting their risk of stroke, new research suggests.

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 9 (HealthDay News) -- A surprising number of valuable new drugs and vaccines approved in the United States have arisen wholly from research funded by the public sector, new research finds.

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 9 (HealthDay News) -- A pair of tumor-inhibiting drugs more than doubled the progression-free survival time for patients with a rare type of pancreatic cancer, according to two new studies.

Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay:

(HealthDay News) -- Here are the latest clinical trials, courtesy of ClinicalConnection.com:

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Surgery to address the most serious form of the spinal cord birth defect known as spina bifida may be most effective if performed on the fetus, new -- and potentially groundbreaking -- research suggests.

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Genetic sequencing of the entire prostate cancer cell genome revealed never-before-seen changes in DNA that may contribute to tumor growth, new research finds.

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Researchers report that a wireless implanted device monitors fluid build-up in the lungs of heart failure patients and alerts doctors when intervention is needed.

WEDNESDAY, Feb. 9 (HealthDay News) -- Older Americans are suffering fewer strokes, but new government research shows that stroke hospitalizations are sharply rising among children and younger adults, especially for men under 35.