It’s safe for people with an egg allergy to get a flu shot, says a leading U.S. allergists’ group. Doctors no longer need to question patients about egg allergy before giving the vaccine, according to an updated guideline from the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. “When someone gets a flu shot, health care… read on >
Carefully targeted deep brain stimulation might one day enhance long-term memory, a small study suggests. The experiment involved just 14 epilepsy patients, all of whom had undergone an invasive procedure to insert electrodes deep within their brains as a means of identifying the source of future seizures. Taking advantage of the opportunity, the researchers asked… read on >
Eating less salt could help you avoid heart disease or stroke. The U.S. Office on Women’s Health suggests how to cut the amount of salt in your diet: Eat fewer processed foods. Check the sodium content on the product’s nutrition facts label. Avoid foods with lots of salt. Season your food with herbs and spices,… read on >
As you age, it’s important to keep up your strength. To build your muscles, you’ll need to lift or push weight, the National Institute on Aging says. Here’s the agency’s advice for starting a strength-training program: Talk with your doctor if you are unsure about starting a specific exercise. Don’t hold your breath during strength… read on >
They may be touted as relatively harmless, but rubber and plastic bullets can cause serious injury and death, and should not be used when riots occur, researchers say. These types of bullets — widely used by police, military and security forces to disperse crowds — are meant to incapacitate people by causing pain or injury.… read on >
Medical science has failed to prove that any treatment, therapy or brain exercise can help prevent dementias such as Alzheimer’s disease, an extensive new review has concluded. No medications, over-the-counter remedies or brain training programs have been proven in solid clinical trials to ward off dementia, researchers with the Minnesota Evidence-Based Practice Center in Minneapolis… read on >
There’s nothing like a child’s expression when getting a new toy. But toy safety belongs at the top of your holiday shopping list. A landmark study from Nationwide Children’s Hospital in Columbus, Ohio, found that more than 3 million kids went to U.S. emergency rooms from 1990 through 2011 for toy-related injuries. Falls and collisions… read on >
Experiencing trauma as a child or teen apparently makes you more susceptible to heart disease. A new scientific statement from the American Heart Association (AHA) says that people who were abused, bullied, witnessed violence or had other traumatic experiences when they were children or teens are at increased risk for heart disease. The AHA based… read on >
Happiness is not determined by the size of one’s paycheck, but a new survey suggests that wealth — or lack of it — does influence how people measure their happiness. “Different positive emotions — like awe, love, pride, compassion — are core parts of happiness, and we found that rich and poor differ in the… read on >
A Washington state law aimed at discouraging nonmedical childhood vaccine exemptions seems to have worked, a new study finds. The legislation, enacted in 2011, required parents to talk to a doctor before they could get their child exempted from vaccinations for nonmedical reasons. Researchers found that after the law went into effect, the state’s overall… read on >
