When you’re taking your blood pressure at home, a reading of 130 over 80 or above should be considered high, researchers report. A reading of 120 over 80 is considered in the normal range. “Most guidelines have recommended out-of-office monitoring for diagnosis of hypertension, but the normal limits of home blood pressure have not been… read on >
Swimmer extraordinaire Michael Phelps has won 28 Olympic medals — 23 of them gold. Yet, despite all those medals and the accolades that came with them, Phelps has struggled with depression and anxiety. In 2014, it got so bad that he locked himself in his bedroom and stayed there for days. “During those days, I… read on >
The arrival of colder weather typically invites a spike in sore throats. While uncomfortable, a normal sore throat can be treated at home with rest and plenty of fluids. In more serious cases, a bacteria or virus can trigger a sore throat, which may require a doctor’s care. The American Academy of Otolaryngology Head and… read on >
Parents of teens can add “sextortion” to the list of things to worry about, because a new study shows that 5 percent of teenagers are targets of this cybercrime. Another 3 percent of teens have likely done it to others, the study authors added. Sextortion is threatening to share sexually explicit photos without consent if… read on >
It’s the most frustrating part of dieting: Regaining the weight you worked so hard to lose. It helps to understand why this happens so you won’t blame yourself as you get back on track. Many hormones that regulate body weight and rule your appetite seem to go haywire after weight loss, possibly because the body… read on >
People directly exposed to the World Trade Center terrorist attacks appear at increased risk of drug- and alcohol-related death, a new study finds. “Following a major disaster, alcohol- and drug-related mortality may be increased,” said Dr. Jim Cone and colleagues of the New York City Department of Health and Mental Hygiene. For the study, the… read on >
When deciding which donated kidneys can help desperate patients on waiting lists, the United States might want to follow France’s lead and lower the bar, a new study argues. There’s a worldwide shortage of donor kidneys available for transplantation, but France appears to have been more aggressive than America in responding to that shortage, said… read on >
A handful of California doctors are making hay off anti-vaccine parents, charging hundreds of dollars to issue medical exemptions for required childhood vaccinations, a new study claims. In 2015, California passed a law eliminating personal belief exemptions for vaccinations that kids must receive before they can attend public school. In the years since, there’s been… read on >
Some 39 million men, women and children in the United States and 1 billion people worldwide have migraines, the Migraine Research Foundation says. Nine of 10 people aren’t able to work during a migraine, the foundation adds. Here are some additional migraine facts: Migraine is a neurologic disease with incapacitating neurologic symptoms. Migraines are typically… read on >
Vitamin D helps build strong bones, regulate the immune system and ward off illness. It also helps maintain blood calcium levels and regulate calcium and phosphorous, which are crucial to keeping bones and teeth firm, the Arthritis Foundation says. People with arthritis who take oral corticosteroids are at greater risk of being vitamin D deficient,… read on >
