HealthDay News) — Drought conditions occur when it doesn’t rain for an extended period. The lowered water supply can trigger wildfires and dust storms, which increase the amounts of small particles that float in the air. This can irritate the bronchial passages and lungs, worsening existing respiratory problems and raising the risk of respiratory infections… read on >
More than 70 percent of Americans are overweight or obese, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says. About 38 percent of those people are considered obese, the agency says. Obesity raises a person’s risk for health problems, such as diabetes, high blood pressure, heart disease and certain cancers. Obesity is commonly measured by calculating body… read on >
Researchers have discovered a link between three degenerative eye diseases and Alzheimer’s disease. They say their findings could lead to new ways to identify people at high risk for Alzheimer’s. “We don’t mean people with these eye conditions will get Alzheimer’s disease,” said lead researcher Cecilia Lee, an assistant professor of ophthalmology at the University… read on >
Planning ahead is the key to staying healthy and safe when you go hiking or camping, experts say. “‘Be prepared’ is the Boy Scout motto, and it is one of the best ways to avoid pitfalls and make the most of any hiking or camping trip,” said Dr. Jonathan Adams, a family medicine physician with… read on >
More than 4 in 10 women with asthma developed chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD), and heavy smoking and obesity were among the significant risk factors, a new study found. The research involved more than 4,000 women with asthma in Canada who were followed for about 14 years after being diagnosed with the condition. During that… read on >
People with type 1 diabetes have a much greater risk of serious heart problems and early death, especially if they were diagnosed before age 10, new research suggests. But the study only found an association, and didn’t prove cause and effect. More than 27,000 type 1 diabetics in Sweden were followed for an average of… read on >
Sexting can lead to dissing. That appears to be one takeaway from a small survey of North American adults in committed relationships who share explicit visuals and/or texts via mobile phones with each other. While the survey suggests that some couples who engage in sexting do see improvements in their real-world sex life, the virtual… read on >
Eating a wide variety of foods might not be good for you after all, according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association (AHA). “Eating a more diverse diet might be associated with eating a greater variety of both healthy and unhealthy foods. Combined, such an eating pattern may lead to increased food… read on >
A pair of new studies points towards two potential paths to the fountain of youth. When older adults feel more control of their lives and get more exercise, they feel younger — and that improves their thinking, overall quality of life and longevity, the studies say. One study included 116 older adults (ages 60 to… read on >
Losing weight about 6 months after giving birth lowers a woman’s risk of being overweight in the future. The best strategy to get back to pre-baby weight is a combination of diet and exercise, rather than diet alone. That’s because exercise boosts heart health and helps preserve muscle when you’re limiting calorie intake. It also… read on >
