At a dental appointment last month, I spotted a lead vest hanging unassumingly on the wall of the exam room as soon as I walked in. “Still there, but now obsolete,” I thought. I’d just learned about new guidelines from the American Dental Association (ADA) saying lead vests and thyroid…
Maybe we should add toothbrushes to the bouquet of flowers we bring to friends and family members in the hospital — and make sure to pack one if we wind up there ourselves. New Harvard-led research published online in JAMA Internal Medicine suggests seriously ill hospitalized patients are far less…
Chronic fatigue syndrome (CFS) –– or myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome (ME/CFS), to be specific –– is an illness defined by a group of symptoms. Yet medical science always seeks objective measures that go beyond the symptoms people report. A new study from the National Institutes of Health (NIH) has performed…
If you’ve ever tried to lose excess weight, you’ve probably gotten this advice: drink more water. Or perhaps it was more specific: drink a full glass of water before each meal. The second suggestion seems like a reasonable idea, right? If you fill your stomach with water before eating, you’ll…
Social media and stores are full of products that promise perfect skin. Increasingly, these products are being marketed not just to adults but to teens and tweens. Many are benign, but some can cause skin irritation — and can be costly. And even if these products are benign, does buying…
When measles broke out in 31 states several years ago, health experts were surprised to see more than 1,200 confirmed cases –– the largest number reported in the US since 1992. Measles is a very contagious, preventable illness that may cause serious health complications, especially in younger children and people…
All of us have an internal clock that regulates our circadian rhythms, including when we sleep and when we are awake. And light is the single most important factor that helps establish when we should feel wakeful (generally during the day) and when we should feel sleepy (typically at night).…
Are online gambling and sports betting new to your area? Are gambling advertisements catching your eye? Have you noticed sports and news shows covering the spread? Recent changes in laws have made gambling widely accessible, and its popularity has soared. Occasional bets are rarely an issue. But uncontrolled gambling can…
Many health-conscious consumers have already cut back on hamburgers, steaks, and deli meats, often by swapping in poultry or seafood. Those protein sources are better than beef, and not just because they’re linked to a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Chicken and fish are also better for…
Earlier this year, US defense secretary Lloyd Austin was hospitalized for complications resulting from prostate cancer surgery. Details of his procedure, which was performed on December 22, were not fully disclosed. Press statements from the Pentagon indicated that Austin had undergone a minimally invasive prostatectomy, which is an operation to…