An American’s income and ethnicity could play a role in how clean the air is that they breathe, a new study finds. Air pollution emissions have fallen more in wealthier areas, and less in areas with larger Hispanic or American Indian populations. Overall, U.S. air pollution emissions have decreased substantially, but the magnitude of the… read on > read on >
All Health and Wellness:
FDA Clears Sickle Cell Drug to Treat Another Blood Disorder
Casgevy, a groundbreaking treatment that was approved to treat sickle cell disease in December, was given the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s blessing on Tuesday to treat another inherited blood disorder. Casgevy is the first CRISPR-based medicine, where gene editing is used to develop the treatment, to be approved for use in the United States.… read on > read on >
Stressed Teens at Risk of Heart Trouble Years Later
Stressed-out teens are likely to have more heart health risk factors in adulthood, a new study says. Teens with elevated stress levels tended to have high blood pressure, obesity and other heart risk factors as they aged, compared to those teens with less stress, researchers found. “Our findings suggest that perceived stress patterns over time… read on > read on >
Add Some Impact to Your Exercise to Keep Aging Bones Strong
Putting a little pressure on your bones during exercise or daily activities might pay off in stronger bones as you age, new research suggests. The study focused on a crucial part of the hip joint anatomy called the femoral neck. Finnish researchers found that largely sedentary folks ages 70 to 85 maintained or gained bone… read on > read on >
Loud Video Games Put Users at Risk for Hearing Loss, Tinnitus
For the more than 3 billion gamers around the world, the loud noises they experience while playing video games could threaten their hearing, a new review suggests. Whether on the couch, parked at a computer desk or in an arcade, studies have shown the noise from video games often exceeds levels deemed safe for a… read on > read on >
Does More Outdoor Light at Night Help Cause Macular Degeneration?
As levels of nighttime artificial outdoor light rise, so do the odds for a leading cause of vision loss, age-related macular degeneration (AMD). South Korean researchers found that people living in areas of that country with the highest levels of streetlights and other artificial light had more than double the odds for AMD, compared to… read on > read on >
Dopamine Hit Could Drive Mental Boost From Exercise
TUESDAY, Jan. 16, 2024 (HeathDay News) — Folks often feel more alert and savvy after a great workout, and dopamine might be the reason why. A small, new study by British and Japanese researchers found higher levels of the “feel good” brain neurotransmitter were released by men during exercise. In turn, that seemed tied to… read on > read on >
MRI-Guided Brain Zaps Ease Severe Depression for 6 Months
Magnetic zaps to the brain can significantly help people with severe depression, if the procedure is guided using MRI brain scans, a new clinical trial has concluded. On average, patients showed substantial improvements in depression, anxiety, cognition and quality of life for at least six months after undergoing MRI-guided transcranial magnetic stimulation (TMS), results show.… read on > read on >
No Benefit Seen From Most Workplace Wellness Programs
Employees at many companies are urged to take advantage of free wellness programs focused on mindfulness, life coaching, better sleep and many other issues. Too bad most won’t actually boost their well-being, a new study of over 46,000 British workers finds. Only one of the 90 different workplace wellness offerings appeared to boost well-being: Getting… read on > read on >
Flu Activity Slows Down, But Season Far From Over: CDC
Following weeks of increases in flu activity, the latest U.S. government data shows “a single-week decrease” for the first time in months. But health officials warn that the flu season is far from over, with a surge expected shortly. “Folks try not to seek care during the holiday season, so we see these divots in… read on > read on >