A new study warns that even your soothing cup of tea might serve up some invisible health hazards. Some tea companies are replacing traditional paper teabags with plastic ones, but the new bags may be adding billions of tiny bits of plastic to your beverage, a team from Canada reports. “We show that steeping a… read on >
Are elderly people with diabetes being overtreated? A new study suggests that’s so: Older, sicker patients tend to be the ones most likely to still be using insulin to manage their blood sugar, despite guidelines that suggest it’s often safer to lower diabetes treatment intensity with age. The study found that nearly 20% of people… read on >
An hour or two of lost sleep every night will add up, says the National Sleep Foundation. In the short-term, negative effects from lack of sleep can range from a foggy brain to impaired driving abilities. However, getting extra sleep to compensate won’t completely make up for sleep lost. Extra sleep can reduce daytime drowsiness,… read on >
Cold temperatures can be unpleasant, even for healthy people. But for those with cold intolerance, cold temperatures can be quite uncomfortable. MedlinePlus mentions these potential triggers of cold intolerance: Anemia. Anorexia nervosa. Blood vessel problems. Chronic illness. General poor health. Underactive thyroid. Brain problems. If you have long-term or severe intolerance to cold, MedlinePlus urges… read on >
Few families are able to escape squabbles completely, whether between spouses, children or other relatives. But a Danish study that looked at nearly 10,000 men and women, aged 36 to 52, warns that stressful social relations can be more than just unpleasant — they can increase your overall risk of early death. How can you… read on >
High blood pressure, or hypertension, is a risk factor for stroke, heart disease and other dangerous conditions, but it offers no early warning signs. That’s why it’s so important to have your pressure checked regularly. You can take preventive steps to keep it in line by getting regular exercise and by adding foods that support… read on >
More than one in 10 older female veterans experienced sexual assault while on active duty, a new study shows. Doctors “caring for older women veterans should recognize the prevalence and importance of [military sexual trauma] when assessing patients’ health concerns,” said study author Dr. Carolyn Gibson. Gibson is with the San Francisco VA Health Care… read on >
Cyber attackers who target hospital databases mostly go after patient contact and financial information, not medical records, a new study finds. The data that hackers seek could lead to identity theft and financial fraud, according to investigators from Michigan State University in East Lansing, and Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore. Moreover, this is the focus… read on >
The gap in death rates between U.S. whites and minority groups has been narrowing in recent years, but a new study suggests that trend stopped between 2009 and 2012. “After years of progress in reducing racial/ethnic mortality disparities, our study shows that progress among most racial/ethnic and age groups has stalled and/or reversed in the… read on >
Women, if you’re bothered by frequent hot flashes, it may be more than a mere annoyance. New research offers evidence that frequent or persistent hot flashes are linked to higher odds of heart attack and stroke. The finding stems from a 20-year study of about 3,300 women during menopause. Of those women, 231 had a… read on >
