As Americans, we’re making some headway in our efforts to improve the quality of our diet, but we’re far from ideal levels. Research shows that healthier eating prevented over a million premature deaths in the 13-year period from 1999 to 2012, along with 8.6 percent fewer heart disease cases, 1.3 percent fewer cancer cases, and… read on >
A growing number of American men are having cosmetic surgery to improve their looks and increase their confidence, the American Society of Plastic Surgeons reports. More than 1.3 million cosmetic procedures were performed on U.S. men in 2017, according to the group. “For a lot of men, just having a procedure on an area of… read on >
Elevated blood pressure in your 50s might raise your risk of developing dementia later in life, a new European study has found. People with a systolic blood pressure of 130 or more at age 50 were 45 percent more likely to be struck by dementia than people with lower blood pressure at the same age,… read on >
Gum disease is a common problem that can lead to bad breath, swollen gums and tooth loss if untreated. Most people don’t show signs of gum disease until they’re in their 30s or 40s. But getting older doesn’t automatically mean you’ll get gum disease. Daily dental care and regular visits to your dentist can lessen… read on >
Wearing athletic shoes that don’t fit can lead to injury, pain and poor performance. The American Orthopedic Foot and Ankle Society suggests how to select the right shoes: Buy footwear from a specialty store, where the staff can offer advice and fit you for the right shoes. Try on shoes later in the day or… read on >
Eating a nutritionally balanced high-quality diet may lower a cancer patient’s risk of dying by as much as 65 percent, new research suggests. The finding that total diet, rather than specific nutritional components, can affect a cancer patient’s prognosis “was particularly surprising to us,” said the study’s lead author, Ashish Deshmukh. Total diet, he explained,… read on >
The effects of neighborhood violence can seep into schools and lead to lower grades, even among students who have no direct exposure to the violence, a new study reveals. For the study, researchers analyzed data from students who attended Chicago public schools between 2002 and 2010. The researchers found that in schools where large numbers… read on >
Service dogs may help reduce levels of the stress hormone cortisol in military veterans who have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), a new study finds. For the study, researchers compared a group of veterans with PTSD who had a service dog to a group of veterans on the waitlist to receive one. “Our previous research suggests… read on >
Acne isn’t reserved for teens, and breakouts can persist into adulthood. But there’s another common skin condition — rosacea — that causes a different type of blemish, strikes in the adult years, and won’t respond to typical acne products. The first telltale sign of rosacea is the tendency to blush or flush easily. You might… read on >
Folks who can’t get back to work after a heart attack have a greater risk of depression and financial hardship than those who return to their jobs, a new study finds. There were more than 9,000 patients in the study, and about half were working before their heart attack. The researchers reported that 90 percent… read on >
