If you've been opting for walks and runs lately instead of hitting the gym, here's something you may want to consider: barefoot running.

Some experts say it may prevent injuries.

Peter Francis, an exercise science expert, wrote in a CNN Health article that "a growing body of evidence shows running shoes might actually be doing us more harm ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA -- It isn't unusual for Shalonda Ellis to wash her hands 20 times during a six-hour shift.

Seven or eight people a day come and go from the Northeast Philadelphia home of the woman Ellis cares for, and a few aren't particularly concerned about spreading the coronavirus. But Ellis knows enough to be terrified of bringing the virus ...Read more

As dentists and doctors offices begin to open for routine, preventative care appointments, some may be concerned about how safe it is for a visit.

If you're one of those people in need of a physical or teeth cleaning, experts have shared some advice on what to do with NPR.

Aimee Palumbo, an epidemiologist at Temple University, says people ...Read more

Newly published research shows why some older adults remember better than others. The answer has to do with how much hippocampal activity is occurring.

The findings were conducted by Alexandra Trelle, a postdoctoral research fellow at Stanford University, and her colleges. The team built on studies that have focused on young populations and ...Read more

Colorectal cancer refers to a cancer that begins to form in the colon or the rectum. It's the second most common cause of cancer death in the U.S., behind lung cancer.

The good news is colorectal cancer is treatable, especially if diagnosed early.

The symptoms of colorectal cancer can be very vague or nonspecific says Mayo Clinic ...Read more

Are you considering rescheduling travel that you put off because of coronavirus disease? Maybe you have work or family obligations that require you to travel. Yet worries about safe travel and lodging are holding you back.

Get the facts about your travel options and learn how to protect yourself if you must travel.

Stay safe when you travel

...Read more

After nearly two months at home due to the COVID-19 pandemic, Erica Schoenradt was making plans in May to see her dentist for a checkup.

Then she received a notice from Swish Dental that the cost of her next visit would include a new $20 "infection control fee" that would likely not be covered by her insurer.

"I was surprised and then annoyed,...Read more

If you enjoy a glass of merlot, pinot noir or shiraz, you may be pleased to hear that red wine contains compounds that may also be beneficial to your health.

While red wine has been considered a celebratory and wholesome part of traditional diets in much of Europe for thousands of years, it wasn’t until research identifying the “French ...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Years ago, I had some patches of melasma on my face removed with IPL treatment. When I went to make an appointment with my dermatologist recently for the same condition, I was told IPL should not be used for melasma. Why is this? What treatment should be used?

ANSWER: The skin condition melasma can be challenging to get rid of...Read more

You probably never heard of COVID-19 when you picked this year’s health insurance policy at work. You couldn’t have planned for the coronavirus pandemic when you signed up for a 2020 flexible spending arrangement (FSA), either. But you might not be stuck with the choices you made in 2019 with respect to employer-provided health insurance and...Read more

Here at The Inquirer's Health & Science desk, we often are asked how we decide what to write about. My answer always includes this statement:

A huge part of the job is deciding what not to write about.

That is true even for the coronavirus, a topic for which people seem to have an insatiable appetite, no matter how small the development. We ...Read more

The economic upheaval and social disruption caused by the coronavirus pandemic have upended the assumptions many people made last fall about which insurance plan to sign up for, or how much of their pretax wages to sock away in health or dependent care flexible spending accounts.

You may find yourself in a high-priced health plan you can no ...Read more

Smartphone apps and connected devices that largely have seen niche use in the telemedicine context are likely to see a significant growth as online and remote consultations with doctors during the COVID-19 pandemic become more routine and established in the months to come.

The devices and apps range from ones that are worn like a skin patch and...Read more

PHILADELPHIA -- Even before protesters across the country took to the streets in rage and grief over police brutality, Americans were already facing unprecedented stress, isolation, depression and fear brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Earlier this month, as the country began to consider relaxing stay-at-home orders and reopening businesses,...Read more

PHILADELPHIA -- The pandemic is helping U.S. abortion-rights advocates achieve a long-standing goal: Make it easier for women to use pills to end pregnancies up to 10 weeks.

Federal and state regulations have restricted access to "medication abortion" ever since the Food and Drug Administration approved it two decades ago. Nonetheless, use of ...Read more

UnitedHealth Group said it will pay for the college education of George Floyd's children and donate more than $10 million to help Twin Cities neighborhoods hurt by the riots of the last week.

After Floyd died while in Minneapolis police custody, an offshoot of peaceful protests turned violent, resulting in days of looting and destruction in ...Read more

The year's biggest meeting of cancer researchers was subjected to a coronavirus overhaul this year, but even in scaled-back form it forced investors to recalibrate their expectations for some closely watched medicines.

The American Society of Clinical Oncology meeting is the field's most important gathering each spring, providing a stage for ...Read more