Americans strongly support medical marijuana, and a majority also believe that pot should be legal for recreational purposes, a new HealthDay/Harris Poll has found. Nearly nine out of every 10 adults — 85 percent — believe that marijuana should be legalized for medical use, the poll reports. And more than half, 57 percent, support the… read on >
All Health and Wellness:
Health Tip: Have a Safer Summer
Summer typically is a whirlwind of long days, summer barbeques, pool parties and camping trips. With all of that activity, it’s important to maintain a healthy lifestyle, the American Cancer Society says. The society suggests: Get plenty of exercise during the cooler part of the day, such as in the early morning or evening. Drink… read on >
Dim the Lights to Help Your Child Fall Asleep
Exposure to bright light in the hour before bedtime can make it difficult for kids to fall asleep, family health experts warn. As day changes to night, the body increases production of a sleep-inducing hormone called melatonin. But exposure to artificial light from light bulbs or electronic devices can disrupt melatonin production, according to a… read on >
It’s Hot Outside: How to Stay Safe When Thermometers Rise
As much of the United States continues to swelter through 90-plus temperatures and high humidity, one emergency physician is offering advice on keeping safe. First, Dr. Robert Glatter said, it’s important to know that anyone can be a victim of heat stroke, but some people are at particular risk. “Heat stroke develops when the body… read on >
Using Smartphones During Lectures = Lower Grades
College students might want to leave their smartphones and tablets behind when they head to a lecture, new research suggests. Otherwise, the distraction might translate into a lower grade on the final exam. For the study, researchers followed 118 cognitive psychology students at Rutgers University in New Jersey. For one term, electronic devices were banned… read on >
Alzheimer’s Drug Trial Offers New Hope, But Uncertainty, Too
THURSDAY, July 26There have been many setbacks on the long road to finding a treatment that might slow or stop Alzheimer’s disease, but a new trial offers a glimmer of hope. Researchers report that an experimental drug called BAN2401 slowed mental decline by as much as 30 percent in Alzheimer’s patients. It also appeared to… read on >
Sprained Ankle? Opioid Rx More Likely in Some States Than Others
If you wind up in the emergency room with a minor injury, the likelihood you will be prescribed unnecessary opioids may depend on where the hospital is located, new research suggests. For example, such prescriptions were much less likely to be offered in hospitals in Michigan, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York and North Dakota, while… read on >
Could Psoriasis Patients Eat Their Way to Fewer Symptoms?
A study of more than 3,500 French psoriasis patients found that the healthier their diet, the less severe their symptoms. Specifically, the closer an individual adhered to the nutritious “Mediterranean” diet, the less onerous their psoriasis became. This was true regardless of whether or not the patient was obese, the French researchers noted. The Mediterranean… read on >
Could Pot-Linked Drug Help Ease Agitation in Alzheimer’s?
The active ingredient in pot that gets you high can calm agitation in people with advanced Alzheimer’s disease, a small new study suggests. Canadian researchers found that a form of synthetic THC significantly decreased agitation in a small group of Alzheimer’s patients, working even better than the drugs now used. “This is the first clinical… read on >
How Steroid Abuse Put an Aging Bodybuilder in the Hospital
It all started when a 60-year-old bodybuilder ignored his doctor’s advice to stop using hazardous anabolic steroids, prior to a weightlifting competition. In addition, he was taking testosterone replacement treatments plus stem cell infusions, gotten illegally from his trainer. The result: A stay in the intensive care unit of a Texas hospital because his heart… read on >