Early to bed and early to rise? In its extreme form, this tendency is more common than previously believed, according to a new study. Going to sleep at 8 p.m. and waking up as early as 4 a.m. is called advanced sleep phase. It was believed to be rare, but this study concluded that it… read on >
Transgender college students are two to four times more likely than their classmates to have mental health problems, researchers say. They analyzed data from more than 1,200 gender-minority students on 71 U.S. campuses who took part in an annual nationwide survey. Gender-minority means their gender identity differs from the sex assigned to them at birth.… read on >
Your dog bounds heedlessly into a local lake or pond, playfully splashing in the water. But within minutes, your canine companion is staggering, drooling or suffering seizures. Left untreated, the dog will likely die. This fate has befallen a handful of pooches exposed to toxic algae blooms this year, experts say. “Blue-green algae is a… read on >
Warts surface when skin cells grow faster than normal due to infection from the human papillomavirus (HPV), says Harvard Medical School. About 10 strains of HPV cause skin warts, which can spread by direct contact through breaks in the skin. To get rid of a wart, Harvard suggests trying a salicylic acid treatment: Soak the… read on >
A staph infection is caused by bacteria commonly found on the skin or in the nose. Though usually minor, staph infections can become deadly if the germs invade the bloodstream or bones, says Mayo Clinic. Serious staph infections have a range of possible symptoms, including fever, nausea or joint swelling. As a rule of thumb,… read on >
Do all the ads for dry eye relief have you thinking you could have this condition? If you’ve ever felt like you had a grain of sand in your eye when nowhere close to the beach, you could be experiencing dry eye. Exactly what is dry eye? Simply put, it’s when you aren’t making enough… read on >
If you’re a chili pepper lover who can take the heat, then take it to the next level with super spicy habaneros. Habaneros aren’t for the faint of heart. They rank among some of the world’s hottest chilies on the Scoville scale, which is used to measure the heat of all types of peppers. Habaneros… read on >
Folks taking opioids for chronic pain may run into trouble if they need to find a new doctor. A new “secret shopper” survey of 194 Michigan primary care clinics found that as many as four out of 10 primary care doctors would turn away patients who have been taking the pain-killing medications (such as Percocet)… read on >
High blood pressure can be a killer. But a new study finds that more than half of younger patients — those under 65 — who are prescribed high blood pressure meds either stop taking them within a few months or don’t take them as prescribed. But stopping treatment can prove dangerous, even for the relatively… read on >
Breastfeeding is a unique experience for every mother. As you begin, your baby’s actions will cue your body to make milk, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. If you are concerned about this process, talk to a doctor or lactation consultant. Over time, your breasts may leak. Some mothers find it helpful to… read on >
