Nobody wants a root canal, but if you must get one there’s possible benefit for your heart. Researchers in Britain found that a successful root canal appears to lower inflammation linked to heart disease. It might even improve cholesterol and blood sugar readings. “Root canal treatment doesn’t just improve oral health — it may also…  read on >  read on >

After two weeks of being placed on a diet high in ultra-processed foods, people in their late teens and early twenties continued to take in an excessive amount of calories, even when not hungry, new research shows. The same was not true for similarly aged people who’d been placed on a two-week diet that shunned…  read on >  read on >

Under current screening guidelines, almost two-thirds of Americans with lung cancer would not have qualified for the CT chest scans that could have spotted tumors early and extended their lives, new research shows.  The finding hits home for 38-year-old Carla Tapia, a mother of three from Beltsville, Maryland. She smoked a bit in her youth…  read on >  read on >

When it comes to warding off excess fat, boosting exercise levels while improving your diet may be most effective, rather than focusing on either exercise or diet alone. That’s the finding from a seven-year study of almost 7,300 British adults.  “We found that combining a better diet with more physical activity is an effective way…  read on >  read on >

The holidays: Twinkling lights, family dinners and packed travel plans. Plus, a surge of allergy and asthma triggers that can turn the season stressful for some folks. But with a little planning, you can enjoy the celebrations without spending them sniffing, itchy or reaching for tissues. “The holidays are a wonderful time to reconnect with…  read on >  read on >

Ah, screens. The thing kids won’t put down, and parents can’t stop worrying about. But a new study suggests they may not be all bad after all. Researchers at the University of South Australia analyzed data from more than 133,000 children and teens under age 18. They found that digital tools such as health apps,…  read on >  read on >

Pfizer’s mRNA flu vaccine worked better than a standard flu shot in a large Phase 3 trial, researchers reported. The results, published Nov. 19 in The New England Journal of Medicine, suggest that mRNA technology may help improve protection in future flu seasons. The Pfizer flu vaccine uses the same type of messenger RNA science…  read on >  read on >

Health officials are warning parents that recalled ByHeart baby formula is still showing up on store shelves, even as lab tests confirm it was contaminated with dangerous bacteria tied to a growing botulism outbreak. ByHeart said that outside lab testing found Clostridium botulinum, the bacteria that causes infant botulism, in some of the formula samples.…  read on >  read on >

Most folks with genetics that put them at risk for high cholesterol and early heart disease aren’t aware of their danger, a new study says. Nearly 90% of people carrying genetics that cause dangerously high cholesterol — an inherited condition called familial hypercholesterolemia — were not aware of their risk, researchers recently reported in journal…  read on >  read on >

Increased use of hallucinogens like psilocybin hasn’t created an increase in ER visits or hospitalizations for bad trips, researchers recently reported in JAMA Network Open. “In fact, after a small rise through early 2020, admissions declined through 2023, with no correlation to decriminalization policies,” senior researcher Dr. Kevin Xu, an assistant professor of psychiatry at…  read on >  read on >

Common health problems of old age — dehydration, delirium, malnutrition or falls — can become catastrophic if they occur following a major surgery, a new study reports. Seniors who suffer these issues while recovering from surgery are more likely to die within a year, and will require more time in hospitals or nursing facilities, researchers…  read on >  read on >

Obesity shouldn’t be considered a barrier for a patient who needs shoulder replacement surgery, a new study argues. In some places, doctors have been denying joint replacement surgery to people with a high body-mass index, due to concerns over their ability to recover from the procedure, researchers said in background notes. But patients with obesity…  read on >  read on >