Banning menthol cigarettes could help convince smokers quit the habit, a new study finds. People who prefer menthol cigarettes would rather buy nicotine gum or other nicotine replacement therapies than switch to traditional tobacco cigarettes, researchers reported recently in the journal Drug and Alcohol Dependence. In addition, menthol cigarette smokers were less likely to use… read on > read on >
There’s just something about sitting. New research shows that too much time on sofas and chairs harms the heart — even among people who get the minimum recommended amount of daily exercise. “Taking a quick walk after work may not be enough” to offset the health dangers of sitting, said study lead author Chandra Reynolds.… read on > read on >
The home front hardships of World War II illustrate how too much sugar is harming people’s health today, a new study shows. British children who endured wartime rationing of sugar wound up with lifelong health benefits, researchers discovered. Sugar restrictions during kids’ first 1,000 days after conception was associated with an up to 35% lower… read on > read on >
Many people turn to mindfulness meditation to help them manage their chronic pain, a practice that’s been used for centuries. However, it’s been an open question whether meditation is simply functioning as a placebo, rather than actually quelling pain. Now, a new study involving brain scans has revealed that’s not the case. Mindfulness meditation engages… read on > read on >
Alzheimer’s disease patients prescribed fistfuls of daily drugs are at greater risk of harm, a new study warns. Patients with Alzheimer’s prescribed five or more daily medications suffer from more symptoms, falls and hospitalizations, and they are at greater risk of death, researchers found. “They also experienced more functional decline, required more assistance with activities… read on > read on >
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Menopausal women with frequent hot flashes and night sweats are more likely to develop type 2 diabetes, a new study warns. Middle-aged women who regularly suffer those well-known symptoms of menopause are 50% more likely to wind up with type 2 diabetes, researchers reported recently in the journal JAMA Network Open. “There’s a growing body… read on > read on >
Huntington’s disease is a devastating, fatal neurological illness with little means of treatment, but a new study in mice offers a glimmer of hope. Huntington’s occurs when inherited genes cause key proteins to fold and clump together within brain cells. Over time, this severely hampers brain function and patients lose the ability to talk, walk,… read on > read on >
Although numerous studies have shown that marijuana use during pregnancy may harm both the fetus and a mom-to-be, almost 6% of women responding to a recent survey said they used weed while pregnant. That’s more than one in every 20 pregnancies, noted a team from the University of Georgia (UGA). Many of the women interviewed… read on > read on >
Text messages and other online feedback can help prevent obesity in very young children, a new study demonstrates. Kids had a healthier weight-for-height growth curve during their first two years if parents were offered electronic feedback on feeding habits, playtime and exercise, researchers found. “What is kind of exciting from our study is we prevented… read on > read on >
Women who’ve had concussions are more likely to suffer severe mental health problems following childbirth, a new study shows. A history of concussion increased a new mother’s risk of severe mental illness by 25%, after adjusting for other factors, Canadian researchers reported. “We found that individuals with a history of concussion were significantly more likely… read on > read on >
