Over 15 million Americans have signed up for health insurance using the Affordable Care Act’s federal marketplace, a 33% increase from the year before, preliminary government data shows. On Dec. 15, the deadline for coverage that starts Jan. 1, a whopping 745,000 people picked their health insurance plan using the healthcare.gov website, the U.S. Department… read on > read on >
Online gaming and vaping to the point of addiction have become widespread enough that most high school counselors regularly confront these behaviors in today’s teens, a new survey shows. Four out of five counselors say they’ve worked with at least one student during the past year who had struggled with problematic use of video games or… read on > read on >
People are being maimed by unauthorized fat-dissolving injections meant to tighten up double chins and dissipate flab along the arms, thighs and stomach, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns. The shots are supposed to break down fat cells and reduce fat deposits in the areas around the injection sites. But adverse reactions from the… read on > read on >
No glowing red nose required: Real reindeer don’t need Rudolph’s help to find the Arctic food they love most, new research shows. If you’re a reindeer, your go-to favorite food is a humble moss-like lichen called Cladonia rangiferina, explained researchers at Dartmouth College in Hanover, N.H. Trouble is, in the darkness of a northern winter… read on > read on >
An exhaustive review of sleep research spanning five decades underscores the importance of getting your Zzzzzs. Sleep loss undermines emotional functioning and increases a person’s risk for anxiety and depression, the study found. It also takes a toll on positive emotions like joy, happiness and contentment. “In our largely sleep-deprived society, quantifying the effects… read on > read on >
Screens are everywhere — on desks, in laps, on the wall — and eye strain is a temporary but uncomfortable condition that comes with overuse. Folks spending too much time with screens can develop dry eyes, blurry vision, tearing or watering eyes, or a headache, warns the American Academy of Ophthalmology (AAO). That’s because humans… read on > read on >
Rum-laced eggnog, mulled wine, or a hot toddy all sound good around the holidays, but too much imbibing can increase your risk of “holiday heart syndrome,” doctors warn. Holiday heart syndrome is the unofficial name for a notable increase in patients seeking treatment in ERs for heart rhythm problems caused by too much booze around… read on > read on >
Chances are you know at least one person who’s given up eating gluten. Maybe you’ve even given it up yourself. But who can really benefit from a gluten-free diet? “Gluten is one of the main proteins found in wheat, barley and rye,” said Dr. Joseph Levy, a pediatric gastroenterologist at Hassenfeld Children’s Hospital at NYU… read on > read on >
Using a weight-loss medication to help you shed pounds gradually appears to help extend life for people with arthritis of the hips or knees, a new study finds. However, folks with arthritis who dropped pounds very quickly showed no benefit in terms of survival, and even a slight uptick in their risk for heart disease,… read on > read on >
Even Valentine’s Day apparently doesn’t trump the start of a brand new year when it comes to getting frisky. Sales of the morning-after pill surged across the U.S. after New Year 2022, new research shows. Nearly 41,000 extra pills were sold in the following week, a period linked to increased risks of unprotected sex. Sales… read on > read on >
