Fewer than 14 percent of American adults smoked cigarettes in 2017, the lowest level seen since data collection started in 1965, government health officials reported Tuesday. “Certainly, it is fantastic that the U.S. smoking rates continue to drop,” said Dr. Adam Lackey, chief of thoracic surgery at Staten Island University Hospital. “I suspect education is… read on >
Using the psychiatric drug lithium early in pregnancy may raise the risk of birth defects — but not as much as previously thought, a large new study suggests. Researchers found that women who used lithium during the first trimester were more likely to have a baby with a birth defect, compared to pregnant women who… read on >
While some might be wary about the cancer risks of searing a steak on a flaming grill, a few simple changes can lower that risk, a nutritionist advises. Cooking beef, pork, fish or poultry over high temperatures can lead to the formation of chemicals that can trigger changes in your DNA that increase the risk… read on >
You’d better think twice before taking booze to the beach or out on a boat. Alcohol increases the risk of injury and death in and on the water, safety experts warn. For example, alcohol is a factor in up to 70 percent of all water recreation deaths of teens and adults, according to the U.S.… read on >
The Kellogg Company announced Thursday it was recalling certain boxes of Honey Smacks cereal due to the possibility of contamination with salmonella. In a news release, the company said it “launched an investigation with the third-party manufacturer who produces Honey Smacks immediately after being contacted by the Food & Drug Administration and Centers for Disease… read on >
Liver cancer cases in several developed countries have doubled in the past 25 years, due to the continuing obesity epidemic and a spike in hepatitis infections, new research suggests. Even worse, the sharp rise in liver cancer cases is starting to swamp the limited number of liver specialists in those nations, the researchers added. In… read on >
It’s often said salt water is good for cuts. Or that sunscreen isn’t needed on cloudy days. But both are incorrect, says Isabel Valdez, a physician assistant and instructor of family medicine at Baylor College of Medicine in Houston. When you head outdoors this summer, you should be aware of some common health myths, she… read on >
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 >
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 >
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 >
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