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Walking into a longer, healthier, happier future
Whether you're a fan of "Walking in Memphis" (Marc Cohn, 1991) or "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'" (Nancy Sinatra, 1966), you have to admit that Dire Straits' "Walk of Life" (1985) says it all: Walking can transform your life.
That's also the message of a new study that determined the most active 25% of American adults get the equivalent of ...Read more
Embolization Provides Great Benefit To Man With Heart Failure
DEAR DR. ROACH: My husband is 73 and was diagnosed with heart failure and a severely dilated left ventricle. At the time, he was pumping 10 liters per minute. He had a proBNP natriuretic peptide level over 10,000 and an ejection fraction of 39%. Later, he was found to have an abdominal arteriovenous malformation (AVM). He underwent three ...Read more
Middle schooler finds possible cancer-fighting bacteria -- while looking at goose poop
Many researchers can go their entire careers, and sometimes their entire lives, without making a groundbreaking discovery. They might contribute to a body of research, or dive deeper into a topic, but many may not make waves in their fields until much later in their careers, or maybe not at all.
This isn’t the case for Camarria Williams.
The...Read more
5 of the most frustrating health insurer tactics and why they exist
The U.S. has made great progress in getting more people insured since the Affordable Care Act took effect in 2014. The share of uninsured Americans ages 18 to 64 fell from 18% before the ACA to 9.5% in 2022. And preexisting conditions no longer prevent coverage or lead to an increase in premiums.
Yet even for those with health ...Read more
US obesity rates decline for first time in more than a decade
In a public health breakthrough, U.S. obesity rates have decreased for the first time in more than a decade, with new weight loss medications potentially playing a role in the turnaround, according to a new study. The research shows the percentage of adults with obesity dropped from 46% in 2022 to 45.6% in 2023.
Although the decline is modest, ...Read more
Black adults with long COVID report higher levels of hopelessness and suicidal thoughts − new research
Black adults living with long COVID pointed to challenges with their physical health – rather than their mental health – when asked to describe their long-COVID symptoms. That is one key finding from our new study, published in the Journal of Racial and Ethnic Health Disparities.
When we examined the data further, however, we ...Read more
Supporting a grieving loved one on holidays and special occasions: Practical tips from a clinical psychologist
The holiday season, often considered a time of joy and togetherness, can also be one of the most challenging periods for those who are grieving a loss.
Nearly 95% of people who have experienced loss report dealing with at least one symptom of physical or mental distress. Approximately 10% of them develop prolonged grief disorder, a ...Read more
Holiday shopping doesn't have to be stressful
For many people, this time of year is all about the shopping. And there's a fair chance many feel less than joyful about the prospect.
If fulfilling your lengthy list feels overwhelming, learning what brain science and evolutionary psychology say about shopping and gift-giving might help you understand exactly why you're stressed – and even ...Read more
Walking in a rhythmic wonderland with holiday songs that could help save lives
When you hear a favorite holiday tune, you might not immediately connect it with CPR.
But there's an easy-to-understand reason why you might want to start, said Dr. John W. Hafner, a clinical professor of emergency medicine at the University of Illinois Chicago College of Medicine Peoria.
"You can really save a life just by doing simple chest ...Read more
Ask the Pediatrician: School attendance, truancy and chronic absenteeism
How many days has your child been absent from school over the past four weeks? Was it just one sick day or two? What about the day they left early for the dentist? Or the days you took off to extend a vacation? It can be hard to keep track.
Missing a day here or there may not seem like a problem. But school absences add up quickly. Missing two ...Read more
Mayo Clinic Minute: Reduce risk of respiratory infections
Rates of infection for respiratory viruses are currently low in the U.S. but are starting to rise, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Flu, COVID-19 and RSV spread more in fall and winter, especially during holiday gatherings, travel and time spent indoors.
Dr. Robert Jacobson, medical director of Mayo Clinic's Primary...Read more
How to reduce your risk for postpartum depression
It's tough to know how many people suffer postpartum depression (there's indication that men can have it, too), but for women, it's thought to be 13% or more. And it has increased dramatically over the past decade or so, with a 60% increase among whites and a 140% increase among Blacks, according to a study in the American Journal of Obstetrics ...Read more
Probiotics May Help Restore Good Bacteria In The Gut
DEAR DR. ROACH: You recently wrote that you do not recommend probiotics in healthy people. I am a 78-year-old male who, three years ago, underwent an esophagectomy to remove my esophagus and part of my stomach because of cancer. I was put on 30 mg of pantoprazole, which was later increased to 40 mg. I've read that prolonged use of this ...Read more
Salmonella outbreak from Fresno dairy was worse than first thought. Lawsuits have followed
An updated report by the California Department of Public Health found that the number of people infected with salmonella during a 2023-2024 outbreak in raw milk from a Fresno County dairy was much higher than initially reported.
The outbreak originated in San Diego County on Oct. 18, 2023, with eight cases of salmonellosis from people who drank...Read more
Former Montana health staffer rebukes oversight rules as a hospital 'wish list'
A former Montana health department staffer who described himself as the lead author of legislation to scrutinize nonprofit hospitals’ charitable acts said new rules implementing the bill amounted to a hospital “wish list” and that the state needs to go back to the drawing board.
The Montana Department of Public Health and Human Services ...Read more
RFK Jr. attorney asks FDA to revoke approval of hepatitis B, polio vaccines
Aaron Siri, Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s personal attorney, has petitioned the Food and Drug Administration to revoke its approval of the hepatitis B and polio vaccines, and block the distribution of 13 others.
Siri has reportedly been weighing in on which candidates will fill key positions in the Department of Health and Human Services, which ...Read more
Response to CEO killing reveals antipathy toward health insurers − but entire patchwork system is to blame for ill feeling
The U.S. health care system leaves much to be desired.
It is convoluted, fragmented, complex and confusing. Experts have also raised concerns about quality, and disparities are rampant. And, of course, it is excessively costly – far more so than in any other developed nation. Given these failings, it is not surprising that Americans...Read more
Can one of the best treatments for depression move past its old reputation?
On a sunny November afternoon, Gerard Robinson set out from his Johnson Ferry Road apartment and walked his terrier. The simple act was a revolution for him.
Robinson’s walk would have been unthinkable just last year, as he sat in his apartment suffering from severe depression. The disease was defying other treatments Robinson had diligently ...Read more
On Nutrition: Season for cranberries
“Can you get these year-round?” my husband asked over breakfast. He was referring to the fresh cranberries I used for my cranberry sauce at Thanksgiving. We have happily discovered the leftovers make a yummy topping to our morning oatmeal.
Come to think of it, the only time I find fresh cranberries in our local grocery store is in November ...Read more
Oh, there's no gift like health for the holidays
You can't literally gift-wrap health, much less stuff it in a stocking.
But a gift that helps someone eat, sleep or exercise better can send a powerful message, said Dr. Laurence Sperling, the Katz Professor in Preventive Cardiology at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta.
Beyond the usual affection a gift demonstrates, something ...Read more
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