Guns cause more than half of all suicides in the United States each year, and new research finds most of these are handguns owned by the deceased that were stored unlocked and loaded. Researchers used data from the National Violent Death Reporting System to examine the deaths of more than 117,000 people who killed themselves… read on > read on >
All Health and Wellness:
There Might Be a Perfect Indoor Humidity to Curb COVID Spread
It’s sort of like the Goldilocks principle — a room that’s either too dry or too humid can influence transmission of COVID-19 and cause more illness or death, Massachusetts Institute of Technology researchers say. Maintaining an indoor relative humidity between 40% and 60% is associated with lower rates of COVID-19 infections and deaths, they reported… read on > read on >
Using an Online Pharmacy to Buy Meds? It’s Buyer Beware, FDA Says
It might be tempting to buy prescription medication online, but buyers should beware, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns. While some pharmacy websites operate legally and can offer convenience, privacy and lower costs, others may be selling unapproved, counterfeit and unsafe medications, the FDA advises. Many unsafe online pharmacies do exist, offering prescription medications… read on > read on >
As Segregation Rises in Communities, So Do Cancer Death Rates
Whether you survive a bout with cancer may depend, in part, on where you live. Researchers at the American Cancer Society and Clemson University in South Carolina found a 20% higher death rate for all cancer types in the communities with the most racial and economic segregation. For lung cancer, the death rate was 50%… read on > read on >
Seizure Risk Rises in Months After COVID
A bout of COVID-19, even a milder one, may raise the risk of having a seizure in the next six months, a large new study suggests. Researchers found that of over 300,000 Americans who had suffered a case of COVID-19 or the flu, COVID sufferers were 55% more likely to be diagnosed with a seizure… read on > read on >
Time Spent in Day Care Won’t Harm Child’s Development
Millions of parents drop their toddlers off at day care centers so they can go to work, but some are racked with guilt about it. One of their main concerns? Time spent in group day care could encourage their toddler to start acting out. Now, a large, new study suggests that parents can breathe a… read on > read on >
Is Mind-Altering Ayahuasca Safe? No, But Folks Who Try It May Not Care
Ayahuasca, a powerful psychoactive drug derived from a South American plant, is a traditional Amazonian-based medicine and an increasingly popular hallucinogenic brew used by devotees worldwide. But what is the ayahuasca experience really like? An international survey of thousands of men and women who have tried the drug for religious, therapeutic or recreational purposes provides… read on > read on >
AHA News: Some Reduced-Carb Diets May Decrease Diabetes Risk, But Others May Raise It
THURSDAY, Nov. 17, 2022 (American Heart Association News) — When it comes to reduced-carb diets, it may be quality, not quantity, that matters most. New research finds that animal-based, low-carbohydrate eating was associated with a higher Type 2 diabetes risk, whereas plant-based, low-carb eating was associated with a lower diabetes risk. The research, recently presented… read on > read on >
AHA News: ‘I Need to Walk Again’: Stroke Survivor Keeps Promise to Her Husband, Who Died On 9/11
THURSDAY, Nov. 17, 2022 (American Heart Association News) — From her hospital bed, Beth Murphy demanded that a television be brought into her room. She needed to see the face of her husband. Kevin Murphy died on 9/11 as he worked at the World Trade Center in New York City. Of the 2,977 killed that… read on > read on >
Flu Shot Could Be Lifesaver for Folks With Heart Failure
People battling heart failure should make the time to get their flu shots now, a new study suggests. Not only will the shots help prevent influenza in this high-risk group, but it could also reduce pneumonia infections and cardiac complications, researchers report. “If you have heart failure, you should get your flu shot because it… read on > read on >