Huntington’s disease is a devastating, fatal neurological illness with little means of treatment, but a new study in mice offers a glimmer of hope. Huntington’s occurs when inherited genes cause key proteins to fold and clump together within brain cells. Over time, this severely hampers brain function and patients lose the ability to talk, walk,… read on > read on >
Although numerous studies have shown that marijuana use during pregnancy may harm both the fetus and a mom-to-be, almost 6% of women responding to a recent survey said they used weed while pregnant. That’s more than one in every 20 pregnancies, noted a team from the University of Georgia (UGA). Many of the women interviewed… read on > read on >
Text messages and other online feedback can help prevent obesity in very young children, a new study demonstrates. Kids had a healthier weight-for-height growth curve during their first two years if parents were offered electronic feedback on feeding habits, playtime and exercise, researchers found. “What is kind of exciting from our study is we prevented… read on > read on >
Women who’ve had concussions are more likely to suffer severe mental health problems following childbirth, a new study shows. A history of concussion increased a new mother’s risk of severe mental illness by 25%, after adjusting for other factors, Canadian researchers reported. “We found that individuals with a history of concussion were significantly more likely… read on > read on >
Everyone knows that colonoscopies save lives, but that doesn’t make drinking a lot of liquid laxatives in preparation for the procedure any less daunting. Luckily, one expert has some helpful tips on how to take some of the pain out of the process. The purpose of a colonoscopy is to examine the colon and rectum for… read on > read on >
Yoga can help ease chronic low back pain, even if the classes are conducted online, a new study shows. Guidelines recommend using physical therapy or yoga to treat lower back pain before moving on to painkillers, but it can be tough for some people to make it to a yoga studio. “Attending yoga classes in… read on > read on >
The GLP-1 drug semaglutide can help obese people manage debilitating knee arthritis, a new trial has found. People who received weekly injections of semaglutide — the active agent in the diabetes drug Ozempic and the weight-loss medication Wegovy — had a nearly 14% decrease in their body weight after 68 weeks, compared with 3% of… read on > read on >
Hillary Fisher thinks receiving weight-loss surgery as a teenager put her on the path to a better life. Fisher is one of 260 teens who participated in a long-term study which recently concluded that weight-loss surgery can bring lasting health benefits for obese teenagers. “It changed my life,” Fisher, now 31, said in a news… read on > read on >
Smokers diagnosed with cancer often shrug and keep lighting up, figuring a few more butts won’t make much difference. They’re very mistaken, a new study finds. Smokers are 22% to 26% less likely to die if they quit following a cancer diagnosis, researchers found. The best outcomes occurred in patients who quit within six months… read on > read on >
Seniors who’ve had a heart attack should probably delay any elective surgeries for three to six months, a new study advises. People aged 67 and older face double to triple the risk of life-threatening complications — like a stroke or a second heart attack — if they move forward with elective surgery too soon following… read on > read on >
