Politics, especially the 2024 elections, can quickly turn the family Thanksgiving table into a battleground. Steering clear of hot-button topics will not only help a big meal go down easier, it has health benefits as well. Keeping the peace prevents a surge of fight-or-flight hormones that can disrupt sleep and cause headaches, inflammation and even… read on > read on >
All Health and Wellness:
Stroke Guidelines Updated, With Focus on Women and GLP-1s
Women, especially those who had high blood pressure during pregnancy or entered menopause before age 45, are among those with a greater risk for stroke. They and other high-risk groups are the focus of new stroke prevention guidelines from the American Heart Association and American Stroke Association. The guidelines also suggest new GLP-1 weight-loss drugs… read on > read on >
Yoga Helps Women Deal With the Mental Stress of Cancer
A cancer diagnosis can bring overwhelming stress and depression to women, but new research suggests yoga can help ease that emotional toll. “A wellness intervention that integrates yoga and psychological tools may strengthen the connections among the mind, body and spirit, leading to a better and more meaningful quality of life,” said study senior author Deidre… read on > read on >
Reaching Age at Which a Parent Died by Suicide Raises Risk in Adult Child
When people whose parents died by suicide reach that same age, their own risk often spikes, Danish researchers warn. Reporting in the journal Suicide and Life-Threatening Behaviors, the researchers looked at data on more than 470,000 Danes whose parents died between 1980 and 2016. Of those, 17,806 individuals had parents who died by suicide. The… read on > read on >
Could a Common Thyroid Medicine Weaken Bones?
New research suggests that a thyroid medication often prescribed to older Americans may be linked to a common problem in old age — bone loss. Levothyroxine is a synthetic hormone often prescribed to treat hypothyroidism. People with the condition don’t make enough thyroxine on their own, which can cause weight gain, fatigue, hair loss and… read on > read on >
For Some, ‘Tis the Season for Loneliness. Experts Offer Tips to Stay Connected
For many, the holidays are a time when you connect with others and share time with loved ones. But for some, the holidays are a painful exercise in loneliness. While a Northwestern Medicine study published last spring found loneliness is more prevalent in both younger and older adults, those feelings intensify around the holidays, said Eileen Graham,… read on > read on >
Flu, COVID Vaccination Rates Remain Low as Winter Nears
Worn down by pandemic-era vaccine overload, many Americans are ignoring pleas by health officials to get immunized against the flu and COVID-19, new data shows. According to U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data for immunizations as of Nov. 9, only about a third (34.7%) of U.S. adults say they’ve gotten the influenza vaccine,… read on > read on >
’10 Americas:’ Health Disparities Mean Life Expectancy Varies Across U.S.
How long Americans can expect to live varies dramatically — and the gap continues to widen. A new report says health inequalities have, in essence, created 10 Americas. These mutually exclusive populations are divided along familiar fault lines, including race, ethnicity, income and address. While life expectancy rose in nine of 10 Americas between 2000… read on > read on >
Woman Receives World’s First Robotic Double-Lung Transplant
A 57-year-old woman with COPD has received the world’s first fully robotic double lung transplant. The breakthrough surgery was performed in October at NYU Langone Health in New York City by Dr. Stephanie Chang. Just a month before, Chang performed a fully robotic single lung transplant — the nation’s first. “This latest innovation is a… read on > read on >
Reading Beyond Headline Rare For Most on Social Media, Study Finds
Three out of four times, your Facebook friends don’t read past the headline when they share a link to political content. Experts say that’s somewhat surprising — and downright scary. People who share without clicking may be unwittingly aiding hostile adversaries aiming to sow seeds of division and distrust, warned S. Shyam Sundar, a professor… read on > read on >