Less than 40 percent of American adults with extremely high cholesterol levels get the medications they should, a new study finds. Researchers examined federal government data to assess rates of awareness, screening and the use of cholesterol-lowering statins among adults aged 20 and older with extremely high levels of “bad” LDL cholesterol. The investigators also… read on >
Piling on pounds is bad for your health from head to toe. So say Korean researchers, who report that unhealthy weight gain ups a person’s odds for disfiguring toenail fungal infections. In fact, people who are statistically obese have more than double the rate of the infection, known as onychomycosis, compared to slim people, the… read on >
In the battle of the bulge, it’s not just getting exercise that matters — what you do when you’re not formally working out counts, too. Research shows that even getting 30 minutes of focused exercise a day may not be enough to ward off health woes if most of your leisure time is spent sitting.… read on >
When you’re trying to lose weight, cutting calories counts. But so does burning them off with exercise. Exercise is also key to maintaining weight loss and being heart healthy, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. Here are the maximum calorie burners, minute for minute. At the top of the list are running at… read on >
A wellness policy is a written document that helps guide a school’s approach to nutrition and physical activity. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention suggests: Including nutrition guidelines for all foods and beverages sold on campus during the school day. Including policies for foods made available for classroom parties. Including policies to prevent… read on >
Pet owners care deeply about what their furry family members eat. So should they worry about a new study that finds chemical preservatives known as parabens are often in dog and cat food, as well as in urine samples from the animals? Maybe, researchers say, though there’s no need to panic. “Parabens are reported as… read on >
Want smoother ice cream that’s also slower to melt? Scientists might have found a way to make that happen. The secret, they say: adding extract from the banana plant. “Our findings suggest that cellulose nanofibers extracted from banana waste could help improve ice cream in several ways,” Robin Zuluaga Gallego said in a news release… read on >
Tiny pellets could treat arthritic knee pain, delaying the need for knee replacement surgery, a small study has found. Microparticles inserted into small blood vessels around the knee helped reduce the pain and improve function in eight arthritis sufferers, according to clinical trial results. The results were presented Monday at the Society of Interventional Radiology’s… read on >
Warning signs of heart disease in women, such as fatigue, body aches and upset stomach, may be shrugged off as symptoms of stress or a hectic lifestyle. But heart disease is the No. 1 killer of both men and women, so it’s important to listen to your body, according to experts at Penn State Health… read on >
Losing weight comes down to eating fewer calories than you burn. But beyond that basic rule, studies done at the Salk Institute in La Jolla, Calif., show that when you eat those calories could have an effect on your weight and your health. Unlike our ancestors who went to sleep at a reasonable hour, people… read on >
