Health Advice
/Health
Good news about moderate Internet usage
Only 7% of Americans say that they don't use the Internet. But, according to Pew Research, it varies from just 1% of those ages 18 to 29 years old to fully 25% of folks ages 65 and older. For those older folks, that's a shame. A study just found that using the Internet regularly cuts your risk of dementia in half -- and the most benefit comes ...Read more
Study shows benefits of traditional Chinese medicine
For thousands of years, Chinese medicine has offered treatments for a wide variety of conditions and diseases. These days, there are an increasing number of controlled, double-blind, randomized studies that use refined Western analysis to determine the safety and effectiveness of the elixirs, herbs and even insects that are used.
Just such a ...Read more
Mindfulness promotes peacefulness ... and better food choices
Jon Kabat-Zinn, who established the Stress Reduction Clinic and the Center for Mindfulness in Medicine, Health Care, and Society at the University of Massachusetts Medical School, once wrote: "It is only when the mind is open and receptive that learning and seeing and change can occur."
That's a pretty concise explanation of why a study out of ...Read more
Could good carbs defeat long COVID-19? It's worth a try
Actress Alyssa Milano developed long COVID-19 -- and has struggled with "every symptom imaginable." Brandon Sutter, who played hockey for the Canuck's, had to retire after long COVID-19 knocked him out of the 2022 season. And they're not alone: 14% of Americans had long COVID-19 by the end of 2022, according to a study in Plos One.
It's been a ...Read more
More ex-smokers need life-saving lung cancer screening
There are 52 million ex-smokers in the U.S. -- and around 62 million people say that they have smoked cigarettes or vaped in the past 30 days according to a 2021 survey. That's a whole bunch of folks who could take advantage of the life-saving benefits of low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) screening for lung cancer. But only about 1 in 15 folks...Read more
Food swaps that are good for you and Mother Earth
Remember when Oprah shed 67 pounds in the 1980s? She's gained it back and lost it over and over again since then. Not surprising. The Cleveland Clinic points out that 80% to 95% of dieters who lose weight end up gaining it back -- and more! That's because severe reduction in calorie intake messes with your metabolism, cultivates feelings of ...Read more
Salting your risk for Type 2 diabetes
According to the World Population Review, people in China eat the most salt, taking in almost 18 grams a day. In the U.S., they report that we average 8.9 grams a day. That's despite the fact that the Center for Disease Control and Prevention's guidelines say limiting intake to 2,300 milligrams a day (2.3 grams) or less is what's healthy. The ...Read more
Improving sperm concentration and sperm count
Male fertility in the U.S. is declining. From 1973 to 2011, sperm concentration plummeted by 52% and around 9% of guys of reproductive age experience fertility challenges. Reasons for that decline may include the epidemics of obesity and Type 2 diabetes, the use of certain medications, excess alcohol intake, and abuse of recreational drugs. ...Read more
Aspirin pros and cons
Salicylate, a compound found in willow trees and the active ingredient in aspirin, has been used to ease pain for over 4,000 years. These days, it's used to help prevent additional heart attacks and blood clots, reduce the risk of cancer, treat pain, and lower fevers. According to Harvard Medical School researchers, around 29 million Americans ...Read more
Are you experiencing aging-anxiety?
Iowa State University experts have looked into the impact of "aging anxiety," characterized by physical and psychological changes, fear of losing autonomy, and loss of relationships as people move away or die. In their study in the journal Physical Activity and Health, they discovered that if you have high anxiety about getting older, you're ...Read more
Statin status update
By 2032, the worldwide statin market will hit $22 billion -- with generic statins accounting for around 70% of sales. Today in the U.S., around 818 million prescriptions are written annually for the drugs, with atorvastatin accounting for 36% of all scripts. So it's great to learn that atorvastatin and another popular statin, rosuvastatin, are ...Read more
Walk this way -- or that way, but walk
Whether you're "Walking on Sunshine" (Katrina and the Waves) or "Walking in Memphis" (Marc Cohn), it's smart to keep on keeping on. Walking is great for you at any pace and any distance -- as long as you're committed to doing it regularly and extending your endurance and speed over time.
A new study found that sedentary folks benefit from ...Read more
The high blood pressure and fibroids connection
It probably comes as no surprise that middle-aged women with high blood pressure (HBP) have twice the risk of acute cardiac syndromes such as heart attack and unstable angina as women with healthy blood pressure. (110/75 is a good target.) But did you know that according to a study in Fertility and Sterility women with untreated HBP are at an 18...Read more
The fast, fasting, fastest way to lose weight
Gabe Kaplan's "Fast Break" (1979), "Fast Times at Ridgemont High" with Sean Penn (1982), and Vin Diesel's "Fast & Furious" franchise (2001-2023) prove that, intermittently, Hollywood loves to go fast. A really good idea -- and not just on the silver screen.
A study in JAMA Network Open looked at the weight-loss benefits of intermittent fasting ...Read more
A connection with nature nurtures you, body and spirit
Some celebs put their money where their mouth is when it comes to protecting Mother Nature. The Leonardo DiCaprio Foundation has focused on the health of oceans, rainforests and Antarctica and access to clean water since 1998. That's a health-boost for all of us.
Plants, herbs and minerals have the power to protect and heal, and simply being "...Read more