Making the decision to live healthier often involves important steps such as losing weight and exercising more. These are significant goals and everyday lifestyle habits that you should commit to. But there’s another type of “makeover” that can benefit you in equally important ways. That’s changing your general outlook on life by boosting positivity. This… read on >
When parents can no longer get “personal-belief” exemptions from childhood vaccinations, they may get around it by asking for religious exemptions for their kids, a new study finds. Researchers found that after Vermont banned personal-belief exemptions, the number of kindergartners with religious exemptions from vaccination suddenly shot up — from 0.5% to nearly 4%. That… read on >
There’s early promise in the quest for a blood test that might spot breast cancer up to five years before clinical signs of the disease appear, researchers say. The test identifies specific immune system “autoantibodies,” British researchers explained. The immune system produces the antibodies when it comes into contact with tumor-associated antigens (TAAs), which are… read on >
If you’ve ever experienced an immobilizing sense of panic when faced with a difficult or threatening situation, you’re not alone. It turns out that the well-documented fight-or-flight instinct for self-preservation isn’t a guaranteed reaction. Research published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences has found that stress can actually lower your ability to… read on >
About 7 percent of Americans are affected by social anxiety disorder, a mental illness in which a person feels uncontrollable fear during social situations. These instances may range from answering a question in class to talking to a cashier at a grocery store. Often, people with social anxiety disorder are afraid of being humiliated, judged… read on >
Smoking is a notoriously tough habit to quit, but a new study suggests it is far harder for women to stop than it is for men. Why? The researchers point to a higher prevalence of anxiety and depression in women, which might interfere with even the best intentions to kick the habit. And one expert… read on >
Surprisingly, we’re still on a learning curve when it comes to the availability of electronic health records, the digital way to access what used to be paper-only files. You have a legal right to records held by doctors, hospitals and other providers. But many people don’t know how to get them — or even that… read on >
People struggling with anxiety, depression or other psychiatric problems shouldn’t pin their hopes on medical marijuana, a new review suggests. Dozens of studies involving more than 3,000 people did not provide compelling evidence that medical cannabis can help treat disorders of the mind, the review authors concluded. “Cannabinoids are often advocated as a treatment for… read on >
Quality over quantity is an approach that can lead to a better sex life. Studies show that feeling satisfied with the sexual aspect of their relationship is more important to many people than how often they have sex. How can you start to enhance the quality of your sex life? You may be surprised to… read on >
Conversations about sensitive topics can significantly strain relationships, says the American Psychological Association. In fact, about 27 percent of adults agree that the current political climate has caused strain between themselves and family members. To help manage political disagreements, the association encourages you to: Find areas where you agree with the other person. Be open… read on >
