Stricter U.S. government standards for drinking water have reduced arsenic violations by public water systems, proving such safety regulations work, researchers say. Public water systems provide more than 80% of the nation’s drinking water. The new standard was introduced in 2001. Since then, the percentage of public water systems in violation fell from 1.3% in… read on >
Some things that you can do to protect your health take just minutes, so no more excuses! Here are 10 suggestions from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Test your smoke and carbon monoxide detectors every month. Yes, this is an addition to changing the batteries once a year. Wash your child’s toys… read on >
U.S. health officials have revised downward the number of cases of a severe lung injury linked to vaping, from more than 450 cases cited last week to the total of 380 cases announced late Thursday. The decrease is due to the exclusion of “possible” cases, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention explained. The… read on >
If you’re looking for incentives to hit the gym, new research suggests that staying in good shape may help preserve brain structure, boost memory, and improve the ability to think clearly and quickly. The finding follows an analysis of fitness and brain health among more than 1,200 young adults, average age 30. All underwent brain… read on >
Alcohol taxes do little to reduce the burden on American taxpayers for the harmful impacts of heavy drinking, a new study finds. The cost of harm caused by excessive drinking in the United States is just over $2 per drink, with about 80 cents of that shouldered by government. But state and federal alcohol taxes… read on >
A new, more toxic strain of strep A bacteria is causing an outbreak of scarlet fever among British children, researchers report. The upswing in scarlet fever is the biggest seen since the 1960s. Between 2014 and 2016, the number of cases went from 15,000 to more than 19,000. The infection tends to peak between March… read on >
Tamping down inflammation is a must for people with a chronic inflammatory diseases like rheumatoid arthritis or lupus. But you can be exposed to damaging inflammation without having a specific medical condition. Inflammation prevents the body from adequately reacting to stressors and puts the aging process on an unwanted fast track, increasing the likelihood of… read on >
Spending time on their phones or online doesn’t harm teens’ mental health, according to a new study that challenges a widely held belief. “It may be time for adults to stop arguing over whether smartphones and social media are good or bad for teens’ mental health and start figuring out ways to best support them… read on >
Could grabbing a nap once or twice a week help you live longer? A new study reports the occasional nap appears to cut in half people’s risk of heart attack, strokes and heart disease, compared with folks who never nap. But more frequent napping provided no benefit, researchers found. “In fact, we found that frequent… read on >
Being shorter than average can bring numerous annoyances, but a new study suggests it might also heighten a person’s odds for type 2 diabetes. The German study found that each additional 10 centimeters (about 4 inches) of height was linked to a 41% lower risk of type 2 diabetes in men and a 33% lower… read on >
