It’s smoking tobacco and drinking alcohol — and not taking illegal drugs — that pose the greatest risks to people’s health, a new international study contends. Researchers found that alcohol and tobacco use combined cost more than a quarter of a billion disability-adjusted life-years worldwide, while illegal drugs only accounted for tens of millions in… read on >
In 2013, there was just one clean-needle program in all of West Virginia, Kentucky and North Carolina, and the latter two states had laws banning such programs. Fast-forward four years: All of those laws have now been overturned and the number of “syringe services programs” available to help addicts has risen to over 50 across… read on >
A normal resting heart rate is between 60 and 100 beats per minute, but this rate will be affected by a person’s stress, caffeine consumption, anxiety, hormones, medication and fitness level, the American Heart Association says. Your resting heart rate is the number of times your heart beats in a minute while you are at… read on >
All children become aggressive now and then. But is your youngster prone to long or frequent outbursts? If so, it may be time to see a pediatrician, the American Academy of Pediatrics says. Providing your child with a stable, warm, and secure home life with firm, yet loving discipline is the best way to prevent… read on >
Teacher hostility can dampen students’ desire to learn and harm their grades. That’s the suggestion of a new study that included nearly 500 undergraduate students who watched either a lecture presented in a normal fashion or one in which the teacher was antagonistic, such as belittling students, showing favoritism or criticizing their input. Both groups… read on >
Exercise can help prevent many chronic illnesses as well as make it easier to manage health conditions, from diabetes to joint pain. In terms of prevention, aim for the recommended 150 minutes of exercise, like brisk walking or cycling, each week. Along with eating a healthy diet, this can cut your risk of diabetes by… read on >
A “well” visit to her ob-gyn can benefit a woman’s heart, two leading U.S. medical groups say. “As the leading health care providers for women, ob-gyns provide care that goes far beyond reproductive health and are in a unique position to screen, counsel and educate patients on heart health,” said Dr. Haywood Brown, immediate past… read on >
Some first-trimester bleeding occurs in up to 1 in every 4 pregnancies. Now, new research suggests that if bleeding extends beyond a day there could be implications for baby’s birth weight. The study involved more than 2,300 healthy, non-obese pregnant women. Babies born at term to women who experienced more than a day of bleeding… read on >
After-school activities might be just what the doctor ordered for kids with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), researchers suggest. After analyzing records on more than 4,000 children with ADHD, the investigators found that nearly 72 percent of them took part in one or more after-school activities. And if they did, they missed fewer days of school and… read on >
Although there is a tornado season between May and June in the Southern Plains, June and July in the central United States, and earlier in the spring on the Gulf Coast, tornados can form off season. The National Safety Council suggests how to stay safe during a tornado: Seek shelter in a sturdy building immediately.… read on >
