If winter gets you down, you may have a form of depression called SAD. That’s short for seasonal affective disorder. SAD brings on mood changes during fall and winter, when there is less sunlight, and symptoms typically ease up in the spring. But the American Psychiatric Association says SAD goes beyond the “winter blues.” Its…  read on >  read on >

Tobacco use is far and away the leading cause of lung cancer, but non-smokers are also at risk, experts say. People who smoke have the highest risk, and smokeless tobacco is also a threat. About 90% of lung cancer cases could be prevented by eliminating tobacco use, according to the World Health Organization. “There are…  read on >  read on >

Your heart is in an incredibly vulnerable state if you’ve suffered a heart attack or are fighting heart failure, and cardiac rehabilitation could be an important part of your recovery. Unfortunately, not enough older folks appear to be taking advantage of this life-saving therapy. Fewer than one in 10 eligible Medicare beneficiaries get recommended heart…  read on >  read on >

One less excuse to avoid that COVID vaccine: The shots don’t affect fertility in either men or women, new research shows, but coronavirus infection could cause short-term fertility problems in men. “Many reproductive-aged individuals have cited concerns about fertility as a reason for remaining unvaccinated,” said lead study author Amelia Wesselink. She is research assistant…  read on >  read on >

Some recreational pot shops are using tricks from the old playbooks of alcohol and tobacco companies to target underage users on social media, a new study reports. Despite state laws restricting such marketing, researchers found marijuana retailers on social media promoting their wares with posts that: Featured cartoon characters like Snoopy, SpongeBob SquarePants, and Rick…  read on >  read on >

The risk of hospitalization for COVID-19 among older Americans is far higher for those who are unvaccinated than for those who are fully vaccinated and have had a booster shot, new government data shows. The differences were stark: In December, unvaccinated people 50 and older were 17 times more likely to be hospitalized with COVID-19…  read on >  read on >

Americans don’t like to dwell on dying, so maybe it isn’t surprising that compared to other nations, the United States does just a middling job of providing a good death. The United States ranked in the middle of 81 countries rated on how well their health care systems provide end-of-life care. Only six countries —…  read on >  read on >

Herd immunity against COVID-19 is unlikely, and coping with the disease will likely hinge on vaccination, treatment and ensuring adequate hospital capacity, a new study conducted in Los Angeles County claims. With herd immunity, most people have antibodies from vaccination or prior infection, so a virus has fewer people to infect and stops spreading. Early…  read on >  read on >