Climate change and worsening diets are sending global rates of stroke and stroke deaths skyward, a new study warns. Almost 12 million people worldwide had a stroke in 2021, up 70% since 1990, according to a team led by Valery Feigin, of the Auckland University of Technology in New Zealand. It’s now the third leading… read on > read on >
All Lifestyle:
Buildup of Metals in Body Can Worsen Heart Disease
Cadmium, uranium, cobalt: These and other metals found in the environment can collect in the body and exacerbate heart disease, new research suggests. “Our findings highlight the importance of considering metal exposure as a significant risk factor for atherosclerosis and cardiovascular disease,” said study lead author Katlyn McGraw, a postdoctoral research scientist at Columbia University… read on > read on >
Therapy Dogs Can Ease Nurses’, Doctors’ Stress, Too
Therapy dogs can help boost the spirits of health care workers in the same way they brighten the moods of hospital patients, a new study shows. The furry, four-legged friends reduced emotional exhaustion and job stress among a small group of workers at two surgical and two intensive care units in the Midwest, researchers report.… read on > read on >
Feeling Content Helps Shield You From Heart Attack, Stroke
Folks who are content with what they’ve got could be less likely to suffer a heart attack or stroke, a new study suggests. “Our findings support a holistic approach to health care, where enhancing a person’s mental and emotional well-being is considered an integral part of preventing heart disease and stroke,” said senior study author… read on > read on >
Childhood Trauma Can Raise Health Risks for a Lifetime
Deprivation, neglect and abuse during childhood can increase a person’s long-term risk of health problems, a new study warns. “Stress is implicated in nine of the 10 leading causes of death in the United States today,” said senior researcher Dr. George Slavich, director of the UCLA Laboratory for Stress Assessment and Research. “It’s about time… read on > read on >
Polluting Puff: Asthma Inhalers Are Big Contributors to Climate Change
Tiny puffs from asthma inhalers could be causing big climate problems for Mother Earth, a new study warns. Each inhaler dose contains some of the most potent greenhouse gases known, and they are adding up, researchers reported recently in the Journal of the American Medical Association. By the time some inhalers are empty, they have… read on > read on >
Expert Advice on Preparing for the Fall COVID, Flu Season
People should prepare for the fall cold and flu season by getting the updated influenza and COVID-19 vaccinations, an infectious diseases expert says. “When my patients ask me if they should be getting a COVID vaccine this year, yes, essentially anybody over the ages of 6 months, I’m recommending it,” Dr. Nicholas Turner, an assistant… read on > read on >
Many Americans Wary of Vaccines as Fall Flu, COVID Season Looms: Survey
A lot of Americans are on the fence regarding annual flu and COVID shots, a new survey finds. More than one-third of those polled (37%) said they’d gotten vaccines in the past but don’t plan to this year, according to results from a nationwide Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center survey. Just a slight majority… read on > read on >
Helicopter Parenting: Spotting It, and Expert Tips to Curb It
It’s natural for a parent to want to protect their children and keep them from harm. But sometimes this understandable desire crosses over into “helicopter parenting,” an overbearing need to be part of a child’s every decision and dilemma. “A helicopter parent is often fueled by anxiety, and that anxiety can come in different flavors:… read on > read on >
Chronic Steroid Use Could Raise Diabetes Risk
Taking steroids more than doubles a person’s risk of developing type 2 diabetes, a new study warns. Patients taking steroid pills, injections or infusions are 2.6 times more likely to develop diabetes than those not on steroids, researchers reported Sunday in a presentation at the annual meeting of the European Association for the Study of… read on > read on >