Doctors might be authority figures, but a new review suggests hospital patients feel more comfortable when their physician comes across as less imposing. Getting to a patient’s eye level while talking about their diagnosis or care makes a huge difference, researchers found. Sitting or crouching next to a patient’s bedside prompted more feelings of trust…  read on >  read on >

A healthy mouth also means a healthy heart, a new review suggests. People who’ve lost teeth are more likely to die from heart problems – and the more teeth lost, the higher the risk, researchers found. “Our findings clearly show that tooth loss is not just a dental issue, but a significant predictor of cardiovascular…  read on >  read on >

Losing someone close to you can make you age faster, a new study finds. People who lost a parent, partner, sibling or child showed signs of older biological age compared with those who hadn’t experienced such a loss, researchers reported July 29 in the journal JAMA Network Open. “Our study shows strong links between losing…  read on >  read on >

Surgery is being overused to correct breastfeeding difficulties in infants, a new report says. A growing number of newborns are being diagnosed with ankyloglossia, also called “tongue-tie.” Tongue-tie restricts the tongue’s range of motion in a baby. An unusually short or tight band of tissue holds the tip of their tongue close to the bottom…  read on >  read on >

Peak asthma month is upon parents as summer draws to a close, experts warn. “September is known as Asthma Peak Month because kids have returned to school, and viruses are being passed around,” said allergist Dr. Gailen Marshall, president of the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology. “September also sees higher levels of environmental…  read on >  read on >

An additional cinnamon product sold in the United States has been found to contain high levels of lead, health officials are warning. In a health alert issued Thursday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said the ground cinnamon product, sold as El Servidor, joins a growing list of cinnamon products that have contained high levels of lead. Through…  read on >  read on >