Late December is typically a time when holiday stress and winter weather can collide, creating a perfect recipe for a rise in heart attacks and stroke. Luckily, one expert has some advice on how to dodge the danger. “When we look across the year in terms of heart attack rates, what we see is fairly… read on > read on >
Gun advocates often claim that mental illness is the driving force behind mass shootings in the United States. But new research argues that gun violence is more likely driven by the massive numbers of firearms available throughout the country, providing easy access to anyone with a homicidal bent. In the study, investigators compared mental illness… read on > read on >
The diabetes and weight-loss drug Ozempic does not appear to harm a developing fetus when taken by pregnant women, a new study reports. Researchers found no elevated risk of birth defects among newborns of women who took medications to control their type 2 diabetes, compared with those who took insulin. During the decade-long study, researchers… read on > read on >
Saying “no” to a holiday invite might feel unforgivably rude, but people often overestimate the social consequences of turning down an invitation, psychologists report. More than three out of four people (77%) say they’ve accepted an invitation to an activity they didn’t want to attend because they were concerned about the consequences of declining. To… read on > read on >
Many women and men begin new relationships never dreaming they could later be enmeshed in a cycle of intimate partner violence. Now, a new study finds there are early behavioral warning signs from a partner that suggest the risk for violence is there. And the more signs a person sees in the partner, the higher… read on > read on >
Parents moaning over the noise from a new Christmas toy is a time-honored holiday tradition. But noisy playthings can do long-lasting damage to a child’s hearing, the American Academy of Audiology (AAA) is warning parents. Tiny ears are particularly susceptible to hearing damage, the AAA says. The inner ear contains delicate hair cells that don’t… read on > read on >
The holidays are all about parties, and parties are all about drinking wine. But if you’re a red wine lover, how do you avoid stained teeth? “When you drink red wine, you’re encountering a triple threat to your teeth’s whiteness: anthocyanins, which are the pigments in grapes that give red wine its rich color; tannins,… read on > read on >
Folks who take the blockbuster weight-loss med tirzepatide (Zepbound) may regain much of the weight they lost soon after discontinuing it, new research shows. A trial funded by Eli Lilly, the injected drug’s maker, found that “in patients with obesity or overweight, withdrawing tirzepatide led to substantial regain of weight.” On the other hand, continuing… read on > read on >
Chronic fatigue syndrome strikes more Americans than many might think: In a first national estimate, new government data puts that number at 3.3 million. The condition clearly “is not a rare illness,” and is being fueled in part by patients who now suffer from long COVID, report author Dr. Elizabeth Unger, chief of the chronic… read on > read on >
Loss of the “happiness” brain hormone serotonin might play a role in the decline of brain function as a person ages, a new study reports. People with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) had up to 25% lower levels of serotonin than healthy people in key regions of the brain associated with memory, problem-solving and emotion, researchers… read on > read on >
