The bites of insects, spiders and dogs are a $1 billion yearly drain on the U.S. health care system, a new study has calculated. And climate change is only going to make matters worse, researchers contend. Attacks by mountain lions, bears and alligators get the most press, but the tiniest critters create the most work… read on >
You might be surprised to learn that stroke is the number three killer of women. Women and men have many of the same risk factors for stroke, but some — like high blood pressure, migraine with aura, diabetes and stress — tend to be stronger or more common in women. Your risk is also influenced… read on >
You’d think vitamin deficiencies would be rare in the United States, but many people are running low on vitamin D, and it’s a serious health threat. Being short on vitamin D not only affects bone density, it’s also been linked to conditions such as heart disease, mental decline, some types of cancer, autoimmune diseases, infectious… read on >
When a baby starts sniffling and sneezing, the type of bacteria in their nose may predict how long the cold will last, a new study finds. Babies with a wide variety of bacteria in the nose recover faster from their first cold than those with less variety, the researchers said. “It’s well known that different… read on >
Intimacy plays a larger role in casual sex among college students than previously thought, a new U.S. study reports. Researchers analyzed the results of an online survey that asked several hundred students at a university in the Northeast about their romantic relationships and casual sex. As expected, affectionate and intimate activities — such as cuddling,… read on >
The holiday season can be difficult to navigate if you have diabetes. But with proper planning you can stay healthy, the American Diabetes Association says. The ADA offers this advice: Focus on timing. If your meal will be later than usual, eat a snack before to keep your blood sugar where it needs to be.… read on >
No one wants to spend the holidays in a hospital bed, but heading home might not be a good idea, new research suggests. The risk of hospital readmission or death was higher among patients who were discharged over the two-week December holiday period than at other times of the year, Canadian researchers found. For the… read on >
Those Sunday crossword puzzles may not prevent the aging brain from slowing down — but they might protect it in a different way, a new study suggests. Researchers looked at the “use it or lose it” theory on brain health. The concept holds that mentally engaging activities — from reading to crosswords to board games… read on >
Rather than just counting carbs, you might want to get familiar with the glycemic index and the glycemic load, numeric weighting systems that rank carb-based foods based on how much they raise blood sugar. While monitoring these indicators might be especially helpful for those with diabetes, they also can be useful tools to keep others… read on >
Almost no one is immune to occasional low back pain. But when it’s chronic, when simple movement seems impossible, it can keep you from enjoying life. And painkillers aren’t always the answer. Why not try meditation rather than medication? Research has shown that mind-body practices can help. These include yoga and cognitive behavioral therapy, or… read on >
