Author: Jane Farrell

Lack of Sleep Leads to Risky Behavior in Teens

High school students who don’t get enough sleep are likelier to engage in risky activities ranging from carrying a weapon to attempting suicide, according to research from Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston.. Previous studies have demonstrated that insufficient sleep among youth can result in learning difficulties, impaired judgment and risk of adverse health behaviors.… Continue reading Lack of Sleep Leads to Risky Behavior in Teens

5 Things NOT to Do in The Morning if You Want A Good Day – and What to Do Instead

Your current morning routine could be adversely affecting your quality of life. Set yourself up for success by replacing these harmful habits with actions that empower you to create a life you love. So, determine that you WON’T: Hit the snooze button. “Sleeping in” by hitting snooze can actually make you feel more sluggish, and… Continue reading 5 Things NOT to Do in The Morning if You Want A Good Day – and What to Do Instead

Despite Restaurant Pledges, Most Children Still Receive Unhealthy Items with Kids’ Meals

Seventy-four percent of children still get unhealthy drinks or side items when their parents buy them “kids’ meals” at the four largest restaurant chains, a new study shows. The finding, part of a report from the Rudd Center for Food Policy and Obesity at the University of Connecticut, analyzed meals bought at McDonald’s, Burger King,… Continue reading Despite Restaurant Pledges, Most Children Still Receive Unhealthy Items with Kids’ Meals

Heart Disease and Stroke Deaths Hitting Middle-Aged Adults in Large Numbers

Despite being largely preventable, heart attacks, strokes, heart failure and other related conditions caused 2.2 million hospitalizations in 2016, resulting in $32.7 billion in costs and 415,000 deaths, according to the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC). Many of these events were in adults ages 35-64, with over 775,000 hospitalizations and 75,000 deaths… Continue reading Heart Disease and Stroke Deaths Hitting Middle-Aged Adults in Large Numbers

The Death of Hope

We’re all familiar with the phenomenon of suicide, but there’s another kind of death that results from losing all hope. It’s called “give-up-itis,” and a researcher has now identified markers of the extraordinary condition as well as areas of the brain that may influence it. Give-up-itis, formally known as psychogenic death, usually follows a trauma… Continue reading The Death of Hope

5 Ways for Parents to Become Savvy about Hidden Sugars

Ask ten parents how much added sugar their child consumes each day and there’s a good chance that at least nine of them will have no clue or will underestimate it. In fact, research published in the International Journal of Obesity reported that 92 percent of the parents surveyed in the study underestimated the added… Continue reading 5 Ways for Parents to Become Savvy about Hidden Sugars

News Alert: HPV Vaccine Approved for People 27 to 45

The anti-cancer HPV vaccine Gardasil 9, previously approved only for people aged 9 through 26, has now been given the go-ahead by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for women and men aged 27 through 45. FDA officials said that the expanded application of the vaccine would prevent thousands of cases of cancer caused by… Continue reading News Alert: HPV Vaccine Approved for People 27 to 45

Hip-Surgery Patients Can Suffer Severe Post-Operative Problems

Many patients who had hip surgery are reporting new health problems, including sleep disturbances and cardiovascular disease, for up to two years after their procedure, new research shows. According to a news release from Duke University Medical Center, although such problems can diminish with the return of full mobility, the findings indicate that patients and… Continue reading Hip-Surgery Patients Can Suffer Severe Post-Operative Problems

Alcohol, Not Drugs, Most Popular Among College Students

A federal survey on substance use among teens transitioning to adulthood showed that 13 percent of non-college young adults report daily, or near daily, use of marijuana. Among full-time college students, alcohol use is much more common. Those figures come from The National Institute on Drug Abuse (NIDA) and its latest Monitoring the Future (MTF)… Continue reading Alcohol, Not Drugs, Most Popular Among College Students

Ingredient Used in Erectile-Dysfunction Drugs Could Cause Lasting Eye Problem

Color vision problems caused by retinal damage on a cellular level may be caused by an ingredient used in some erectile-dysfunction medication, according to a first-of-its-kind study from Mount Sinai researchers. The results demonstrate that excessive use of the drug, sildenafil citrate, could lead to long-term vision problems, including possible irreversible damage. The findings were… Continue reading Ingredient Used in Erectile-Dysfunction Drugs Could Cause Lasting Eye Problem

Yo-Yo Dieting Raises Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke

Fluctuations in weight, blood pressure, cholesterol and/or blood sugar levels in otherwise healthy people may be associated with a higher risk of heart attack, stroke and death from any cause compared to people with more stable readings, according to new research in the American Heart Association’s journal Circulation. This is the first study to suggest… Continue reading Yo-Yo Dieting Raises Risk of Heart Attack and Stroke

Are You Stuck in A Toxic Friendship?

  Friendships can bring about some of life’s greatest joys and shared moments. But what happens when a friend makes you feel like you’re constantly walking on eggshells and doing something wrong? Even if she’s a close friend, it doesn’t mean she’s a “good” friend—in fact, it means she’s a toxic one. “A toxic friendship… Continue reading Are You Stuck in A Toxic Friendship?

Early Parkinson’s Patients Waiting Too Long Before Seeking Medical Evaluation

Too many patients with early stage Parkinson’s disease are waiting too long before seeking medical attention, while others start taking symptomatic medications before that is required, according to new research. As a result, the pool of candidates for clinical trials is dramatically reduced, says the paper, published in npj Parkinson’s Disease. Parkinson’s disease (PD) is… Continue reading Early Parkinson’s Patients Waiting Too Long Before Seeking Medical Evaluation

Alcohol and the Aging Brain

There’s really no way around it. Like all other organs and tissues of the human body, the brain is subject to the aging process and the typical structural and functional changes that go along with it. With normal aging, the brain begins to shrink in middle age, losing volume primarily in the frontal lobes and… Continue reading Alcohol and the Aging Brain

Many Young Addicts Aren’t Getting The Treatment They Need

A majority of adolescents and young adults diagnosed with opioid use disorder are not getting the recommended medicine to treat their disease, according to a new study. The results, from Boston Medical Center’s Grayken Center for Addiction,  show that only 24 percent of youths receive one of the FDA-approved medications – methadone, buprenorphine or naltrexone… Continue reading Many Young Addicts Aren’t Getting The Treatment They Need

How to Get the Best Occupational Therapy

Occupational therapists (OTs) and occupational therapy assistants (OTAs) help people of all ages and abilities take part in what they need and want to do through the therapeutic use of everyday activities (or “occupations”). They consider each person’s physical and mental health and abilities (and barriers), along with their environment, to create an individual treatment… Continue reading How to Get the Best Occupational Therapy

Thinking Positively Can Improve Health Habits

Unhealthy people were more inclined to act on public-health messages (stop smoking, get moving) when they were prompted to think positively about other people and things. People who weren’t encouraged to engage in positive thinking, on the other hand, didn’t follow the advice. The findings, from University of Pennsylvania researchers, were published in PNAS. The… Continue reading Thinking Positively Can Improve Health Habits