People with long COVID deal with months or years of punishing fatigue, mind-numbing brain fog or a frightening fight to take each and every breath. But they can also face the skepticism of others, a new study finds — employers and doctors questioning whether they’re really sick, friends avoiding them, family losing patience. About 95%…  read on >  read on >

Persistent asthma may take a toll on the heart, not just the lungs, a new study suggests. When the respiratory condition is relentless, it appears tied to plaque in the carotid arteries, increasing the risk for heart attack and stroke, researchers say. The carotid arteries — large arteries on the sides of the neck —…  read on >  read on >

If holiday demands get you frazzled, you can take heart from a new study: When it comes to stress, a little is good. “The bad outcomes of stress are pretty clear and not new,” said Assaf Oshri, lead author of the study and an associate professor in the University of Georgia College of Family and…  read on >

Are you an older man worried about your risk for colon cancer? Eating whole grains, vegetables, fruits and legumes may improve your odds of dodging the disease, new research shows. “Although previous research has suggested that plant-based diets may play a role in preventing colorectal cancer, the impact of plant foods’ nutritional quality on this…  read on >  read on >

Fungal lung infections are spreading to parts of the United States where they were once never seen — likely a result of climate change, experts say. To the average person, the term fungal infection may conjure up thoughts of athlete’s foot or toenail problems. But some fungus species cause potentially severe respiratory infections, when a…  read on >  read on >

Monkeypox still exists, but its name is being phased out over racism concerns. For the next year, the terms monkeypox and the new name mpox will be used interchangeably before the virus is permanently renamed mpox, the World Health Organization announced Monday. “Racist and stigmatizing language” arose after the virus spread to more than 100…  read on >  read on >

Parents whose toddlers use certain Green Sprouts bottles or cups need to discard them immediately because of a risk of lead exposure, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) warns. When the base of the cups come apart, it exposes a solder dot that contains lead, according to a CPSC news release. “Lead is toxic…  read on >  read on >

Having a clear purpose in life could reduce your risk for premature death. That’s the conclusion of researchers who spent eight years tracking about 13,000 Americans over age 50. Those who considered their life particularly purposeful were found to have about a 15% risk of death from any cause during the tracking period, the new…  read on >  read on >

Eating more berries and drinking tea may help slow mental decline as you age, new research suggests. In a study of more than 900 adults, researchers found that foods like these — containing antioxidant flavonols — delivered brain benefits to older adults. Flavonols are found in fruits like berries, green leafy vegetables, tea and wine.…  read on >  read on >