There’s been a steep decline over the past two decades in births to American girls under the age of 15, a new report finds. Overall, “the number of U.S. births to females aged 10 to 14 was a record low in 2016, dropping to 2,253 from 8,519 in 2000,” a team from the U.S. Centers… read on >
Bad breath affects more than 40 million Americans, the American Dental Hygienists’ Association says. Routine dental cleanings can help limit buildup of plaque, which can reduce bad breath. The association suggests these additional bad-breath preventives: Rinse your mouth with water after eating. Chew sugarless gum to stimulate flow of saliva — nature’s own cleanser. Snack… read on >
Your cellphone puts the world at your fingertips, but it can wreak havoc with your neck. There’s even a name for the pain you get when looking down at your screen — “text neck” — and it can cause problems along the entire length of your spine. Bending your head forward multiplies the amount of… read on >
A single session of meditation can lower your anxiety levels, a small new study finds. “Our results show a clear reduction in anxiety in the first hour after the meditation session, and our preliminary results suggest that anxiety was significantly lower one week after the meditation session,” said study author John Durocher. He is an… read on >
Heading the ball — not player collisions — may lead to temporary thinking declines in soccer players, a new study finds. “Unintentional head impacts are generally considered the most common cause of diagnosed concussions in soccer, so it’s understandable that current prevention efforts aim at minimizing those collisions,” said study author Dr. Michael Lipton. He… read on >
People who drink more than the recommended daily limit of alcohol may harbor an unhealthy mix of bacteria in their mouths, a new study suggests. Researchers found that compared with nondrinkers, those who drank relatively heavily had fewer “good” bacteria in their mouths. They were also hosting more “bad” bacteria — including bugs that have… read on >
Leg cramps are a common symptom of pregnancy, often occurring at night. Cramps typically occur only for a short time, but they can be very uncomfortable, the Nemours Foundation says. The Foundation suggests how to ease the pain and reduce the frequency of cramps during pregnancy: Do calf stretches before bed. Make sure not to… read on >
How much a woman indulges in alcohol may have ties to her premenstrual syndrome symptoms, a new global research review suggests. “We estimate that 11 percent of premenstrual syndrome (PMS) cases may be associated to alcohol intake worldwide,” according to a team led by Bahi Takkouche, of the University of Santiago de Compostela, in Spain.… read on >
Fitness buffs who push themselves to the limit during workouts might slightly increase their risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a new study suggests. The same may hold true for working stiffs whose jobs place extreme physical demands upon them, the European researchers said. But the study did not prove that extreme exercise actually… read on >
There’s new evidence that even moderate amounts of caffeine consumed by a mom-to-be might affect her child’s weight years later. The overall effect was small — an average of an extra pound by age 8. But children of women who consumed the most caffeine during pregnancy were 66 percent more likely to be slightly overweight,… read on >
