Heatwaves are increasing with climate change, and that could mean more deaths among older people with diabetes or heart disease, new research shows. The study of U.S. veterans living in California found the largely male cohort vulnerable, especially if they were homeless or living in poorer neighborhoods. Compared with cooler days, the typical California veteran…  read on >  read on >

Add one more malady to the potential risks from untreated sleep apnea: Parkinson’s disease. A new study involving 11 million U.S. veterans finds that a person’s odds of developing Parkinson’s nearly doubled if they were diagnosed with sleep apnea but hadn’t used a continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) device to help control it.  Having untreated…  read on >  read on >

Researchers are standing behind new data on how people’s posteriors reflect changes linked to aging and diabetes. Shrinkage or inflammation of the gluteus maximus muscles of the buttocks may reflect frailty, sitting time, fat deposition and diabetes risk, and these changes may occur differently among men and women, the British team said. “Unlike past studies…  read on >  read on >

Nobody wants a root canal, but if you must get one there’s possible benefit for your heart. Researchers in Britain found that a successful root canal appears to lower inflammation linked to heart disease. It might even improve cholesterol and blood sugar readings. “Root canal treatment doesn’t just improve oral health — it may also…  read on >  read on >

The holidays: Twinkling lights, family dinners and packed travel plans. Plus, a surge of allergy and asthma triggers that can turn the season stressful for some folks. But with a little planning, you can enjoy the celebrations without spending them sniffing, itchy or reaching for tissues. “The holidays are a wonderful time to reconnect with…  read on >  read on >

Increased use of hallucinogens like psilocybin hasn’t created an increase in ER visits or hospitalizations for bad trips, researchers recently reported in JAMA Network Open. “In fact, after a small rise through early 2020, admissions declined through 2023, with no correlation to decriminalization policies,” senior researcher Dr. Kevin Xu, an assistant professor of psychiatry at…  read on >  read on >