Men who suffer from stress urinary incontinence often endure it for more than two years before asking for medical help, researchers say. And one third of those men put up with it for more than five years. The findings, according to UT Southwestern researchers, indicate the importance of physicians’ checking for the problem. Published in… Continue reading Men Tolerate Stress Incontinence Years Before Seeking Help
Author: Jane Farrell
Our Brain Signals Us in Favor of Foods Containing Fats and Carbs
The “reward center” of our brain values foods high in both fat and carbs – i.e., many processed foods – more than food containing only fat or only carbs, according to new research. The 206-adult study, published in Cell Metabolism, indicates that these combination fat/carb foods hijack our body’s innate signals regarding food consumption. “The… Continue reading Our Brain Signals Us in Favor of Foods Containing Fats and Carbs
A Link Between Red-Meat Allergen and Heart Disease
High saturated fat levels in red meat have long been known to contribute to heart disease to people in general. But, researchers say, a subgroup may be at risk for a different reason – a food allergen in red meat. And now, for the first time, investigators have identified a specific blood marker for that… Continue reading A Link Between Red-Meat Allergen and Heart Disease
11 Things You Need to Know About the HPV/Oral Cancer Connection
Maybe you think that because you’ve been vaccinated against the human papillomavirus (HPV) you’re in the clear when it comes to cervical cancer. Maybe you think that since you don’t drink or smoke that you can’t get oral cancer. Here are some surprising and sobering facts. So much of what we hear about HPV has to… Continue reading 11 Things You Need to Know About the HPV/Oral Cancer Connection
New Compound as Effective as FDA-Approved Drugs against Life-Threatening Infections
Researchers have identified a new compound that in preliminary testing has shown itself to be as effective as FDA-approved antibiotics in treating life-threatening infections while also appearing to be less susceptible to bacterial resistance. The compound, called F6, has been potent against antibiotic-resistant pathogens such as methicillin-resistant Staphylococcus aureus (MRSA), which is often found in hospitals… Continue reading New Compound as Effective as FDA-Approved Drugs against Life-Threatening Infections
Cash and Goal Setting Help Motivate Heart Patients to Take Healthy Steps
The thought of losing up to $14 a week along with personalized goal setting may have motivated ischemic heart disease patients to increase their exercise, according to a new clinical trial published in Journal of the American Heart Association, the Open Access Journal of the American Heart Association/American Stroke Association. Ischemic heart disease is the… Continue reading Cash and Goal Setting Help Motivate Heart Patients to Take Healthy Steps
13 Restaurant Strategies to Help You Eat Healthy + Avoid Type 2 Diabetes
Eating out is a part of our lives. Whether it’s a dinner date with your spouse, a lunch meeting with clients, or a quick fast-food meal with your children, enjoying a restaurant meal is a special treat. However, many of us struggle with trying to stick to a diet plan when dining out. For the… Continue reading 13 Restaurant Strategies to Help You Eat Healthy + Avoid Type 2 Diabetes
Both Quantity and Quality of Sleep in Adolescents Affect Cardiovascular Risk
Young adolescents with poor sleeping habits experience significant effects on blood pressure, cholesterol levels and abdominal fat deposition, according to a new study. The research, led by a Massachusetts General Hospital for Children (MGHfC) physician, was published in the journal Pediatrics. “While many studies have associated shorter sleep duration with increased obesity levels in children,… Continue reading Both Quantity and Quality of Sleep in Adolescents Affect Cardiovascular Risk
An Almost Unknown Psychedelic to Kick the Habit
Addiction is a public-health crisis in America today, without many good treatment options. But researchers are looking into ibogaine, an hallucinogenic drug that shows promise for getting rid of both cravings and withdrawal symptoms for a wide variety of substances, including heroin, cocaine, and opioids. Ibogaine, which is derived from a Central West African shrub,… Continue reading An Almost Unknown Psychedelic to Kick the Habit
Millions May Have Incorrect Prescriptions for Aspirin, Statins and Blood Pressure Medications
More than 11 million Americans may have incorrect prescriptions for aspirin, statins and blood pressure medications, according to a study led by researchers at the Stanford University School of Medicine. Their findings, published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, are based on an updated set of calculations — known as pooled cohort equations, or PCEs… Continue reading Millions May Have Incorrect Prescriptions for Aspirin, Statins and Blood Pressure Medications
Laser Hair Removal: What You Need to Know
“If I prayed as much as I plucked,” talk show veteran Kathie Lee Gifford wrote in her memoir, “I’d be the Dalai Lama.” Fortunately, advances in laser hair removal now allow us to put aside the tweezers – for good. Since the early lasers of the 1990s, the technology has been refined so that there… Continue reading Laser Hair Removal: What You Need to Know
Drowning Deaths Increasing in Older Adults
Drowning risk isn’t limited to children or inexperienced swimmers, according to an article by Tom Griffiths, EdD, of the Aquatic Safety Research Group, and colleagues. Drowning deaths have decreased in recent years in all age groups except adults aged 45 to 84, in part reflecting the popularity of swimming as a form of exercise for… Continue reading Drowning Deaths Increasing in Older Adults
A Smartphone Guide to Herbal Supplements
Not sure which herbal supplement to buy – or whether to buy at all? There’s a free app for that. To help consumers navigate information about popular herbs and herbal supplements, the National Institutes of Health’s National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health has developed HerbList™ – an app for research-based information about the safety… Continue reading A Smartphone Guide to Herbal Supplements
The Mystery of the “Cancer Enzyme”
Cancer, aging-related diseases and other illnesses are closely tied to an important enzyme called “telomerase.” UCLA researchers report in the journal Cell the deepest scientific understanding yet of this once-mysterious enzyme, whose catalytic core — where most of its activity occurs — can now be seen in near atomic resolution. “We’re now seeing not just… Continue reading The Mystery of the “Cancer Enzyme”
Many Insurers Deny Coverage for Highly Effective Hep C Drugs
Drugs that can cure chronic hepatitis C infection in approximately 95 percent of patients first became available in the U.S. in 2014. But both public and private insurers continue to deny coverage for these costly drugs at high rates nationwide, despite efforts to remove treatment restrictions, according to a new study published in Open Forum… Continue reading Many Insurers Deny Coverage for Highly Effective Hep C Drugs
How to Fight Medical ID Theft
Having your records stolen in a healthcare data breach can be a prescription for financial disaster. If scam artists break into healthcare networks and grab your medical information, they can impersonate you to get medical services, use your data to open credit accounts, break into your bank accounts, obtain drugs illegally, and even blackmail you… Continue reading How to Fight Medical ID Theft
14 Foods for Type 2 Diabetes Prevention
The typical American diet leaves a lot to be desired. It’s heavy on calories, saturated fats, added sugars, fatty meats, baked goods, and highly processed grains. This type of diet is disastrous to your health and is even linked to type 2 diabetes and a host of other health problems like heart disease and some… Continue reading 14 Foods for Type 2 Diabetes Prevention
E-Cigarette Flavors Linked to Heart Damage
Flavor additives used in electronic cigarettes and related tobacco products could impair blood vessel function and may be an early indicator of heart damage, according to new laboratory research in Arteriosclerosis, Thrombosis and Vascular Biology, an American Heart Association journal. The health effects of “combustible” tobacco products including traditional cigarettes and hookah are well-established, but… Continue reading E-Cigarette Flavors Linked to Heart Damage