Any ‘middle-age spread’ of excess weight around your tummy could raise your risk of becoming frail decades later, a new study suggests. Obese folks who’ve packed on pounds around their waist are more likely to develop symptoms of frailty, including exhaustion, weak grip strength, slow walking speed and reduced physical activity levels, researchers say. Those… read on > read on >
All Health and Wellness:
AHA News: A Thump to His Chest During a Game Stopped His Heart. Textbook Response Saved Him.
TUESDAY, Jan. 24, 2023 (American Heart Association News) — On April 16, 2021, Peter Laake was a starting freshman defender for his prep school’s varsity lacrosse team. He’d had a good year, and now his team was playing a key rival on home turf in Towson, Maryland, a Baltimore suburb. The first quarter was nearing… read on > read on >
U.S. Proposes to Make COVID Shot Annual, Much Like Flu Shot
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Monday asked its vaccine advisory panel to weigh a proposal to turn COVID vaccines into an annual shot for most Americans. Such a move would simplify future vaccination efforts, a critical point given the fact that efforts to get people to get COVID booster shots have fallen far… read on > read on >
In New Documentary, Michael J. Fox Describes Hiding Parkinson’s, Struggles With Alcohol
Actor Michael J. Fox details his experiences with Parkinson’s disease, including turning to alcohol and pills in an attempt to cope, in a new documentary. Fox, 61, has had the degenerative brain disorder since 1991, but didn’t disclose it publicly until 1998. The star — best known for the “Back to the Future” movies —… read on > read on >
Many Patients Aren’t Getting Best Quality Lung Cancer Surgery: Study
A surgeon’s skill has a direct impact on whether a patient will survive early-stage lung cancer. Unfortunately, many surgeons are failing to follow a playbook that increase the odds of a successful outcome, a new study argues. The quality of surgery for lung cancer varies widely across the United States, and patients whose procedures fall… read on > read on >
Why Midlife Can Bring Risk of New Eating Disorders
Most people think of eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia as afflictions of teenagers, but a new study finds that older women are also vulnerable to developing them, especially around menopause. The main driver of eating disorders in older women? Body dissatisfaction, the researchers found. When researchers looked at eating disorder symptoms among 36… read on > read on >
Only Half of Folks With Stool Test Positive for Colon Cancer Get Follow-Up Colonoscopy
Many people undergo a stool test to screen for colon cancer but a new study finds too few follow up with a colonoscopy when that test warns of a possible cancer. Not following up undermines the point of screening, said study-co-author Jeff Mohl, director of research and analytics for the American Medical Group Association, a… read on > read on >
AHA News: Intensive Blood Pressure Control May Lower Risk For Cognitive Problems in More People
MONDAY, Jan. 23, 2023 (American Heart Association News) — Several years ago, researchers published in JAMA a promising discovery: intensively lowering blood pressure appeared to reduce the risk for cognitive decline in people 50 and older with high blood pressure. But questions remained about whether the strategy was safe or effective in people whose diastolic… read on > read on >
Home Drug Infusions Can Be Dangerous, But Many Home Care Staff Aren’t Trained
Intravenous (IV) lines are generally associated with medical centers — picture a patient in a hospital bed, an IV drip-dropping needed fluids, nutrients and medicines into their arm. But millions now are receiving IV treatments at home, and a new study warns that not enough people are being properly trained to watch out for potentially… read on > read on >
Is Rest Really Best After a Child Has a Concussion?
When kids suffer a concussion, an extended period of rest at home is always the best course, right? Perhaps not. In fact, a new study suggests that — despite what many people may presume — getting kids back to school quickly is the best way to boost their chance for a rapid recovery and better… read on > read on >