Abortion pills are safe and effective even very early in a pregnancy, a new study finds. Clinics and hospitals tend to defer medication abortions until a woman’s pregnancy is confirmed using ultrasound, researchers said. But abortion pills can be safely taken prior to the sixth week of pregnancy, researchers reported Nov. 6 in the New… read on > read on >
It doesn’t take much: Adding just five minutes of exercise to your daily routine lowers your blood pressure and might cut your odds for heart disease, new research shows. “The good news is that whatever your physical ability, it doesn’t take long to have a positive effect on blood pressure,” said study lead author Jo… read on > read on >
THURSDAY, Nov. 7, 2024 (HeathDay News) — The active chemical in “magic mushrooms” may help treat anorexia, a new study has found. Following psilocybin treatment, 4 of 10 study participants showed clinically significant reductions in their anorexia-driven eating habits, researchers report. “Our findings suggest that psilocybin may be helpful in supporting meaningful psychological change in… read on > read on >
THURSDAY, Nov.7, 2024Women who take vitamin D supplements during a pregnancy may be giving their kids the legacy of stronger bones, new British research suggests. Children whose moms took vitamin D supplements when pregnant had stronger, denser bones at the age of 7 compared to the kids of women who didn’t, a study from the… read on > read on >
Seniors who are drowsy during the day and find it hard to muster enthusiasm for activities could be at higher risk of a brain condition that precedes dementia, a new study warns. These sleep-related problems are associated with “motoric cognitive risk syndrome,” a pre-dementia condition that causes slow walking speed and some memory problems, researchers… read on > read on >
A person’s brain performs an intricate juggling act while watching a movie, a new study demonstrates. Scans showed that 24 different brain networks and regions engage from scene-to-scene, based on hard it is to follow the movie or what’s currently on the screen, researchers reported. The brain’s “executive control” networks — regions related to planning,… read on > read on >
.jpg)
In election results that showed protecting women’s reproductive freedoms matter to a majority of Americans, abortion rights measures passed in seven states and failed in three. Missouri, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, New York, Maryland and Montana all backed those rights, while such amendments were defeated in Florida, Nebraska and South Dakota, leaving those state bans intact.… read on > read on >
Nearly 16% of American adults — that’s close to 1 in 6 — now has diabetes, according to the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Increasing age and widening waistlines greatly increase the odds for the disease, which happens when the body doesn’t use insulin properly, resulting in high blood… read on > read on >
Many Americans experience a “winter funk” as the days grow shorter and temperatures turn colder, a new American Psychiatric Association poll reports. Two-fifths of Americans (41%) said their mood declines during the winter months, according to the APA’s Healthy Minds Poll. Midwesterners and Northeasterners are most affected, where 52% and 46%, respectively, said they tend… read on > read on >
In 1972, Britain bumped up the total school years mandated for its children from 15 to 16 years. That created a “natural experiment”: Would Britons who got that extra year of education fare any better, neurologically, as they aged? Unfortunately, the answer is “no.” “This surprised us,” said study co-author and brain researcher Nicholas Judd,… read on > read on >
