New studies add to the extensive body of research showing the many risks that lead poses to youngsters. The association between lead exposure and children’s IQ is well-documented, but these University of Pennsylvania studies revealed how lead affects children’s stress responses and behavior. One study found a significant association between lead exposure in early childhood… read on > read on >
All Health and Wellness:
Smoking During Pregnancy May Not Raise ADHD Risk in Kids After All
Smoking during pregnancy does not directly cause attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) in children, according to a new paper that challenges a widely held belief. “Our systematic review shows that there is no causal effect between maternal prenatal smoking and offspring ADHD diagnosis,” said lead author Elis Haan, a former research associate at the University… read on > read on >
An Expert Offers Tips on Long COVID Care
If you’re one of the many people with long COVID, an expert offers advice on how to tackle it. The first step: Give yourself time to recover. “One thing we have seen repeatedly is that patients push themselves too hard while trying to recover. It makes sense. Everyone is so eager to ‘get back to… read on > read on >
Threatening Eye Condition Rare After COVID Infection
As doctors learn more about COVID-19 infection, they are finding that in rare cases, it appears tied to a disturbing eye condition. Retinal vein occlusion is a blockage of the small veins that carry blood away from the retina, which causes blurred vision. It usually occurs in people suffering from diabetes, atherosclerosis, high blood pressure,… read on > read on >
AHA News: Future of COVID-19 Vaccines Brings High Hopes, Familiar Obstacles
FRIDAY, April 15, 2022 (American Heart Association News) — Looking back on a year since most people in the United States became eligible for a COVID-19 vaccine, medical experts can celebrate a technological triumph while acknowledging unresolved challenges. Looking ahead, they see the same: Exciting technological potential, with obstacles that will require work beyond the… read on > read on >
Who Are the New ‘Patient Influencers’ on Social Media?
Disability activist Gem Hubbard regularly shares her insights about life in a wheelchair with more than 75,000 Instagram followers, under the handle @wheelsnoheels_, and her YouTube videos boast more than 3.7 million hits. Hubbard, who hails from the U.K., is “increasingly known internationally for her work in furthering the horizons of people with and without… read on > read on >
Avoiding Diabetes May Include Avoiding Meat
Eating a healthy plant-based diet may help you head off type 2 diabetes, a new study suggests. Healthy plant-based foods include fruits, vegetables, nuts, coffee/tea, vegetable oils and legumes. Unhealthy plant-based foods include refined grains, fruit juices, potatoes, sugar-sweetened beverages, and sweets/desserts. “Our findings support the beneficial role of healthy plant-based diets in diabetes prevention… read on > read on >
1 in 4 Adults Has Liver Disorder That Ups Heart Risks
Alcohol abuse is a known cause of liver disease. But one in four adults worldwide has a liver condition not connected to drinking that ups the risk of heart disease, according to an American Heart Association scientific statement. Nonalcoholic fatty liver disease (NAFLD) occurs when abnormally high amounts of fat are deposited in the liver,… read on > read on >
Blood Type May Predict Which Cancer Patients Are Prone to Clots
Cancer patients’ blood type may play a role in their risk for dangerous blood clots, researchers say. Cancer and its treatments increase the risk for venous thromboembolism (VTE). That includes deep-vein thrombosis (DVT, a blood clot that typically forms in the deep veins of the leg) and pulmonary embolism (PE, a life-threatening condition that occurs… read on > read on >
‘Good’ Cholesterol in Brain May Help Keep Alzheimer’s at Bay
Higher levels of “good” cholesterol in the fluid surrounding your brain and spinal cord may help protect you from Alzheimer’s disease, a new study suggests. “This study represents the first time that small HDL particles in the brain have been counted,” said study co-author Dr. Hussein Yassine. He is an associate professor of medicine and… read on > read on >