Finding yourself packing on the pounds around your waist and arms? If so, you might be at heightened risk for neurological illnesses like Alzheimer’s or Parkinson’s, new research suggests. There was one other physical characteristic that lowered the odds, however: muscle strength. Stronger folk appeared to have a lower odds for neurological illnesses compared to… read on > read on >
All Health and Wellness:
New Insights Into How Sleep Apnea Affects the Brain
Millions of Americans deal with the sleep deficits brought on by sleep apnea, and many turn to one of the few treatments out there, continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines. But what if new neurochemical targets in the brain could lead to new, less cumbersome therapies for sleep apnea? That’s what a team at the… read on > read on >
‘Two-Target’ Antibiotics Could Make Bacterial Resistance Much Tougher
Synthetic antibiotics that attack bacteria in two directions at once could be the solution for combatting antimicrobial-resistant bugs, a new study claims. These dual-action antibiotics, called macrolones, disrupt bacterial cell function in two different ways. It’s nearly impossible for bacteria to resist macrolones, because the germ would need to defend against both attacks at once,… read on > read on >
Need a Good Medicare Advantage Plan? They’re Tough to Find for Poorer Americans
Medicare Advantage plans are touted as a great alternative to traditional Medicare, offering seniors easier access to doctors, hospitals and prescription drugs. But access to a good Medicare Advantage plan relies heavily on where a person lives, a new study finds. People are less likely to find a five-star Medicare Advantage plan if they live… read on > read on >
Big Drop in U.S. Kids, Teens Misusing Prescription Meds
Misuse of illicit prescription drugs is falling dramatically among U.S. high school students, a new study says. The percentage of seniors who say they’ve misused prescription drugs in the past year has dropped to 2% in 2022, down from 11% back in 2009, researchers reported July 24 in the Journal of the American Medical Association.… read on > read on >
COVID-19 Won’t Raise Odds for Chronic Fatigue Syndrome: Study
COVID-19 doesn’t raise a person’s risk of developing chronic fatigue syndrome more than any other infectious disease, a new study finds. The rate of chronic fatigue syndrome following a brief illness was roughly the same between people who caught COVID and those who came down with some other malady, researchers reported July 24 in the… read on > read on >
More Americans With Diabetes Are Turning to Marijuana
As marijuana loses much of its stigma and laws around its use relax, Americans are increasingly consuming it medically and recreationally. Americans with diabetes are no exception, a new study finds. The number of adults with diabetes who said that they’d used cannabis at least once over the past month jumped by a third between… read on > read on >
Better Screening Key to Closing U.S. ‘Race Gap’ in Colon Cancer Deaths
Black Americans are almost a third more likely to die from colon cancer than their white peers, and one key to closing that divide could be better cancer screening, a new report finds. That means getting Black Americans quality colonoscopies and other forms of screening, but also making sure they’re followed up after their test… read on > read on >
Sex Differences in Knee Arthritis Emerge as Early as Childhood
The knee develops differently in men and women, with sex-specific distinctions in the joint appearing as early as childhood, a new study finds. Taking these differences into account among girls could help prevent knee arthritis for women later in life, researchers say. Gender-based differences in knee cartilage and ligaments develop prior to puberty and can’t… read on > read on >
Risk of Mental Illness Rises for Kids Treated in ICUs
Youngsters so sick they’ve needed treatment in an ICU appear to bear the scars of that experience years later, a new study finds. Children and teenagers treated in an intensive care unit have a significantly higher risk of developing a mental illness as they grow up, researchers reported July 20 in the Journal of Affective… read on > read on >