THURSDAY, June 3, 2021 (American Heart Association News) — Early menopause could mean an increased risk of stroke caused by blocked blood vessels, according to a new study. Yet for each year of menopause delay, stroke risk fell by 2%. Stroke is the second-leading cause of death worldwide, and women have a 4% higher lifetime…  read on >  read on >

COVID-19 lockdowns had at least one welcome upside: a significant drop in crime in cities worldwide, according to an international study. Researchers analyzed crime data from 27 metro areas (including Chicago; London; Sao Paulo; Barcelona, Spain; Tel Aviv, Israel; and Brisbane, Australia) and found big declines in most types of crimes, with the notable exception…  read on >  read on >

If you’re planning to get pregnant or already “eating for two,” sticking to a healthy diet may reduce the risk of several common pregnancy complications, researchers say. The new study included nearly 1,900 women who completed diet questionnaires at eight to 13 weeks of pregnancy, along with estimates of what they ate in the previous…  read on >  read on >

You know you’ve done it — stayed up too late and relied on coffee to get through the next day — but new research suggests that caffeine can only do so much. That cup or cups of coffee may keep you awake the following day, but your performance is likely to be subpar, especially when…  read on >  read on >

If your child has both allergies and asthma, it’s imperative to treat their allergies to prevent asthma from worsening as they spend more time outdoors, an expert says. “It’s a time when after a winter when we’re all cooped up inside kids want to go out and play, but the weather is a little variable,”…  read on >  read on >

Moderna plus Pfizer? J&J plus Moderna? There’s a new clinical trial underway to assess the safety and effectiveness of mixing different types of booster shots in adults who have been fully vaccinated against COVID-19. “Although the vaccines currently authorized by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration offer strong protection against COVID-19, we need to prepare…  read on >  read on >

It’s a scenario fraught with potential conflict: Moving back home as an adult can be tough – on both the grown children and their parents. But it can also come with opportunities, as long as expectations are established early, say some “boomerang kids” who moved back in with mom and/or dad after reaching adulthood. A…  read on >  read on >