Health News

The epidemic of allergy in children was launched in the period between the late 1980s and early 1990s. ER admission records, back-to-back United Kingdom (UK) cohort studies and eyewitness accounts of teachers confronted by the flood of severely allergic children confirm this period of change. This allergy epidemic occurred in specific countries (UK, Australia, Canada, […]

Antibacterial Cleansers Keep You Healthy  An orgy of antibacterial dish, body and laundry soaps emerged in the 2000s to help people get “better than clean.” But the bacterial overkill, when soap and water work just as well, fuels antibiotic resistance and possibly childhood allergies by preventing exposure to natural microbes in the environment. But there’s […]

At 87, Maxine Stanich cared more about improving the quality of her life than prolonging it. She suffered from a long list of health problems, including heart failure and chronic lung disease that would leave her gasping for breath.When her time came, she wanted to die a natural death, Stanich told her daughter. She signed […]

Scientists have discovered a new organ in the body, and it may help to understand how cancer spreads. Fluid-filled compartments underneath the skin, and lining the lungs, gut, and blood vessels, have been found to form a network researchers term the “interstitium”. The role of this new organ, which is one of the largest in […]

Eating out is a part of American life and becoming more so year-by-year, according to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. But the next time you have a craving for a burger or chicken sandwich, ask if the meat and poultry served at the fast food chain is antibiotic free. Knowing whether or not the meat you […]

If people can age with class, then Harlene Goodrich, 80, and Dorothy Kelly, 91, should be considered aging’s rock stars. These women—two strangers from opposite ends of the country and the poles of politics—agree on the basics on how to age well: — Form and reform circles of supportive friends — Actively participate in political […]

Acetaminophen, ibuprofen, and other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs (NSAIDs) ease chronic pain in the back, knees or hips better than opioids, a U.S. experiment suggests. Opioids were no better than these other drugs at reducing how much pain interfered with daily activities like walking, working, sleeping or enjoying life, researchers reported in JAMA, on March 6. […]

Women with regular exposure to cleaning products may face a steeper decline in lung function over time, according to an international study. Women who used sprays or other cleaning products at least once per week had a more accelerated decline than women who didn’t, the study authors wrote. “We’re cleaning in our houses every day […]

Phyllis Petruzzelli spent the week before Christmas struggling to breathe. When she went to the emergency department on Dec. 26, the doctor at Brigham and Women’s Faulkner Hospital near her home in Boston’s Jamaica Plain neighborhood said she had pneumonia and needed hospitalization. Then the doctor proposed something that made Petruzzelli nervous. Instead of being […]

Popular Chinese takeaway dishes were judged on their salt content and the results are sour. Many meals burned through a majority if not all of the daily recommended salt limit. Add some soy sauce dip and you’re already pushing your risk factors for stroke and heart disease. British adults eat 22 million takeaways a week […]

DENVER—One of the most common reasons patients head to an emergency room is pain. In response, doctors may try something simple at first, like ibuprofen or acetaminophen. If that wasn’t effective, the second line of defense has been the big guns. “Percocet or Vicodin,” explained ER doctor Peter Bakes of Swedish Medical Center, “medications that […]

Researchers have been showcasing a handheld device that can diagnose cancer in tissues in 20 seconds, assisting surgeons as they identify which tissues to remove. The pen-shaped device was developed last year at the University of Texas, and its creators are now showcasing its benefits as an aid to surgeons. It hooks up to a […]

Fear about health concerns may grip us, but a little hope might make us more willing to take preventative actions, according to researchers. In two studies, hope and self-efficacy—the belief that a person can help themselves—significantly predicted intentions to take actions against skin cancer, such as wearing sunscreen or protective clothing. “With health messages, it’s […]

Most American families use pediatricians—rather than generalist family doctors—as their frontline children’s health care provider. With the backing of its trade organization, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP), the field of pediatrics has been booming for some years, ensuring current and future demand for the many doctors-in-training who are choosing pediatrics as their specialty. Pediatricians’ […]

As Health Canada signals a more science-based approach to food policy, including a complete revamping of Canada’s Food Guide, nutrition experts are cautiously optimistic it will help curb the rise in obesity and other diet-related illnesses plaguing a growing number of Canadians. For the last 50 years the food guide has focused on a high-carbohydrate, […]

It’s been said there’s nothing worse than finishing fourth at the Olympics. There have been some amazing performances so far from the athletes who have won medals at the Pyeongchang Winter Olympics. But behind those who take gold, silver, or bronze are stories of personal failures and setbacks for the athletes who never made it […]

Have you ever wondered why the risks associated with popular prescription drugs seem to trail their aggressive promotion, sometimes by years? Certainly, as millions use brand name drugs, dangerous side effects and adverse events are seen that did not emerge in much smaller clinical trials. Who knew? But also, Pharma has a financial reason to […]

It may seem trivial, but this is actually a health risk. Flipping out one’s cell phone during a visit to the bathroom easily leaves the gadget exposed to nasty germs like salmonella, E. Coli, and C. Difficile. The germs can get on the phone if one handles it after one has done one’s business or even […]

Bisphosphonate bone drugs are among the most harmful and misrepresented drug classes still on the market. But that has not stopped Pharma-funded medical associations like the American Society of Bone and Mineral Research, the National Osteoporosis Foundation and the National Bone Health Alliance from periodically wringing their hands over low sales. [1] This week the […]

Christabel Duah According to a new research, women may be suffering from ovarian cancer without even knowing it. A study completed by the Target Ovarian Cancer (TOC) shared on Monday found that instead of visiting a physician after feeling symptoms including bloating and fullness, women are more likely to simply change their diets. By just switching to […]