Almost every relationship will be affected by conflict at some point. Whether it’s with a spouse or a child, a co-worker or friend, there are healthy ways to address and resolve these problems, according to experts at the University of Texas at Austin Counseling and Mental Health Center. Differences of opinion are usually at the…  read on >

You should think about your lifestyle and family’s needs before introducing a pet at home, the American Veterinary Medical Association says. Pets require love and attention, and a pet isn’t right for every family, the group says. It advises here’s what you should consider: Do you already have a pet? If so, will your current…  read on >

The holidays can be a particularly difficult time for people with food allergies. But one health expert suggests that these folks can still enjoy festive gatherings, as long as they take certain precautions. About 5 percent of children and 4 percent of adults in the United States have a food allergy, according to the U.S.…  read on >

Wondering if having a second child will affect your marriage even more than baby number one did? There’s no doubt that having a baby and changing from a couple into a family requires a lot of adjustment. But research shows that the adjustment period that follows a second child typically isn’t as long. For most…  read on >

Does your teenager’s personality actually predict how long he or she will live? Yes, claims new research that finds high school students who tend to be calm, empathetic and intellectually curious are more likely to still be alive 50 years later than their peers who are less so. The finding does not prove that certain…  read on >

Smoking bans in public places might protect more than the lungs of nonsmokers, with new research suggesting a beneficial effect on blood pressure. “We found that nonsmoking adults in the study who lived in areas with smoke-free laws in restaurants, bars or workplaces had lower systolic [top number] blood pressure by the end of the…  read on >

The advent of the e-cigarette appears to have spurred a huge drop in tobacco smoking rates among teenagers and young adults, a new study claims. Previous research has argued that vaping could prove to be a gateway drug for smoking, by getting youngsters hooked on nicotine and used to the physical actions associated with smoking.…  read on >

As the U.S. opioid epidemic rages unchecked, new research shows that pregnancy-related deaths due to opioid misuse more than doubled between 2007 and 2016. Deaths during or soon after pregnancy rose 34 percent during that time, and the percentage involving heroin, fentanyl or prescription painkillers (such as OxyContin) jumped from 4 percent to 10 percent,…  read on >

Women are no more likely than men to have health problems due to strenuous training and extreme physical exertion, researchers report. “Our findings contain some potentially myth-busting data on the impact of extreme physical activity on women. We have shown that with appropriate training and preparation, many of the previously reported negative health effects can…  read on >

If you’re a pot-smoking parent and you think your kids aren’t affected, think again. New research found evidence of secondhand marijuana smoke exposure in nearly half of children whose parents smoke the drug. “While the effects of tobacco smoke have been studied extensively, we are still learning about marijuana exposure,” said researcher Dr. Karen Wilson,…  read on >