Mindfulness is all the rage when it comes to boosting mental health, but new research suggests that it may not help everyone equally. Practicing mindfulness meditation — which involves paying close attention to what you are feeling in the moment — may be better than doing nothing at all to improve anxiety, depression or lower…  read on >  read on >

As clinics closed for non-essential care and patients’ COVID-19 fears kept them from check-ups, the United States saw a steep drop in cancer screenings and diagnoses during the first peak of the pandemic, a new report finds. Researchers analyzed data on how many patients underwent cancer screening tests — procedures such as mammograms, colonoscopies, Pap…  read on >  read on >

Biomarkers in sperm may help identify men at risk of fathering children with autism, researchers say. For the study, investigators examined sperm epigenetics — the molecular processes that affect gene expression — in 13 men who fathered sons with autism and 13 who had children without the disorder. The American and Spanish researchers focused specifically…  read on >  read on >

Lots of Americans suffer from painful arthritic knees, but a new study finds that wearing the right type of shoe may help ease discomfort. Patients with knee arthritis will achieve greater pain relief by opting for sturdy and supportive shoes rather than flat flexible footwear, researchers in Australia found. “A ‘sturdy supportive shoe’ is a…  read on >  read on >