Health in a Heartbeat

Brain damage that occurs after a traumatic brain injury, or TBI, may one day be reduced when treated with a drug prescribed for cancer and another drug that treats depression and bipolar disorder, according to research published in Scientific Reports. Lithium is used to manage depression and bipolar disorder. Rapamycin [wrap-a-mice-in] is used to treat […]

Hand sanitizer, a flu-season must-have for parents desperate to help their sniffle-prone children ward off sickness, can pose some dangers itself if it is misused. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention highlighted this growing problem in a recent report that said the most prevalent problem is children ingesting the gel, accidentally or on purpose, […]

A juicy peach is a sweet snack that tastes great on a hot summer day, but did you know that it has endless health benefits, too? One medium-sized peach has 50 calories, just point-five grams of fat, and contains two grams of fiber and one gram of protein. It also provides 6 percent of your […]

For a while earlier this year, a small sampling of a potentially deadly, antibiotic-resistant superbug occupied a coveted spot in the super-sterile world of the International Space Station, 220 miles above Earth. And it was sent there on purpose. In February, Elon Musk’s SpaceX rocket brought the MRSA sample to the station as part of […]

Do you smile while eating chocolate? Feel less irritable after a cup of coffee? If you are nodding in agreement, then you know that food can affect your mood. There’s plenty of scientific research that supports the link between food and mood, noting that certain foods make us happy, ease anxiety and depression and aid […]

Exercising regularly can help control your weight, lower your risk for cardiovascular disease and improve your overall health and mood. But, can it also slow down the aging of our body’s cells? A study published in the journal Cell Metabolism suggests it can help. Researchers at the Mayo Clinic split 36 men and 36 women […]

If you are the parent of an asthmatic child, you may want to consider buying your child a mite-proof bed cover, according to a study published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Magazine. These special bed covers form a barrier to common household dust mites, which are among the most common asthma […]

Have you ever tried to recall a long list or beat your friends at a memory game like concentration? A recent study shows that, with practice, you can strengthen your recall powers. Researchers at the Radboud University Medical Center in The Netherlands studied 51 people who had typical memory skills and no former memory training. […]

It turns out your aunt’s knitting needles may serve another purpose other than creating hats and scarves. Researchers are looking at ways to use this ancient technology to create artificial muscles. A group of chemists, engineers and textile specialists in Sweden joined forces to knit and weave together new materials that have the potential to […]

The widening income gap between the wealthiest 1 percent of Americans and everyone else has been well-documented in recent years. Now, a series of reports published in The Lancet examines this disparity through a health care lens, and the results are startling. For example, if you are rich, you can expect to live 10 to […]

Taking medicine ranks right up there for most people with flossing their teeth or dieting — you know that you should, but it’s a chore. But there’s a hidden cost to NOT taking your medicine that impacts both your health and your wallet. A review in the Annals of Internal Medicine shows that patients don’t […]

Gluten-free diets are becoming increasingly popular, but eliminating gluten might also pose a risk to certain people. Low-gluten diets might be associated with a higher chance of developing Type 2 diabetes, new research has shown. Gluten, which is a protein found in wheat, rye and barley, provides elasticity to dough and gives baked goods their […]

Research has long shown that women who have cardiometabolic risk factors during pregnancy such as hypertensive disorders, diabetes or obesity are more likely to have children with high blood pressure. But a study has shown that if at-risk women can raise their levels of folic acid they can lower the chance their child will be […]

Little scientific research exists on the role of empathy in effective interactions between patients and health care providers, but most people probably think they can spot empathy when they hear it. A new study from University of Florida researchers and their colleagues looks at the language of empathy and suggests that it involves a word […]

What’s for lunch today? Do you plan to wait in line at a restaurant, or did you bring your lunch from home? While packing a lunch can feel like a lot of extra work, in the long run, the benefits of brown-bagging far outweigh the hassle. Research in the Journal of the American Academy of […]