Mistaken beliefs about sleep are common and pose a significant health threat, a new study warns. Among these myths: some people only need five hours of sleep; snoring is harmless; a drink before bedtime helps you fall asleep. “Sleep is a vital part of life that affects our productivity, mood, and general health and well-being,”… read on >
Adults aren’t the only ones susceptible to urinary tract infections, or UTIs. They can occur in kids, even infants, if bacteria get into the urinary tract, often from the bowel. Any child can get a UTI. But some kids are more prone than others, and girls get them more often than boys. A UTI doesn’t… read on >
A new Nutrition Facts label that highlights the amount of added sugars in food could prevent nearly 1 million cases of heart disease and type 2 diabetes, a new study suggests. The new label, first proposed by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration in May 2016, adds a new line under the Total Carbohydrate category… read on >
In many U.S. states, teenagers who send “sext” messages to each other can be prosecuted as child pornographers — and that should end, researchers argue. Many states have recently passed laws that specifically address teen sexting — exempting it, to varying degrees, from longstanding child pornography statutes. But in 23 states, those outdated laws still… read on >
Many people are plagued by self-criticism, that inner voice that questions every decision and every move. It can keep you from reaching goals and erode self-confidence. And when it happens during intimacy, it can ruin your sex life and your relationship. No topic is taboo for the inner critic’s scrutiny — your attractiveness or your… read on >
Could quitting tobacco involve something as simple as a pleasant scent? New research suggests it’s possible. U.S. smoking rates have fallen over the past 50 years, but about 40 million Americans still smoke, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. At least half of adult smokers report trying to quit in the… read on >
Over half of U.S. households have pets, but unfortunately millions of Americans are allergic to animals. The best way to manage symptoms of pet allergies is to avoid pets, says the American Academy of Asthma and Immunology. Other ways to minimize symptoms include: Don’t hug or kiss pets. Keep pets out of your bedroom. Use… read on >
A small daily dose of nature may be the perfect prescription for stress. An eight-week study found that people who spent at least 20 minutes a day in places that made them feel connected to nature had significantly lower levels of the stress hormone cortisol. This so-called “nature pill” could be a low-cost antidote to… read on >
About 100 kids a day are rushed to U.S. emergency rooms after accidentally swallowing a toy piece, battery, magnet or other foreign object, according to new research. That’s almost twice as many as in the mid-1990s. “The sheer number of these injuries is cause for concern,” said Dr. Danielle Orsagh-Yentis, lead author of the study… read on >
Privacy curtains in hospital rooms might offer patients some personal dignity, but they can also harbor dangerous, drug-resistant bacteria. That’s the claim of a new study where researchers took more than 1,500 samples from privacy curtains in 625 rooms at six skilled nursing facilities in Michigan. The samples were collected from the parts of the… read on >
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