Health News

Consuming a vegetarian diet has been associated with greater health outcomes, but a recent study found that eating meat doesn’t significantly raise the risk of heart disease over a 10-year span. So the question remains, is a vegetarian diet better for the heart? The researchers do not suggest that a vegetarian diet is useless when ...click here to read more

Sleep apnea increases the risk of developing two possible post-operative problems. Detecting your sleeping problems prior to surgery and treating them can help improve the recovery. The two post-operative complications are blood clots in the veins and irregular heartbeat. These problems were most common among patients with undiagnosed – and, hence, untreated – sleep apnea. ...click here to read more

A new study has found that cholesterol-lowering statins may interact with other heart medications. New recommendations from the American Heart Association (AHA) outline some of the ways to get around this problem. Statins are one of the most commonly prescribed medications. Roughly one-quarter of Americans over the age of 40 are taking statins in order ...click here to read more

Exercise can help manage type 1 diabetes, according to research findings. The three-month study looked at six type 1 diabetics who completed aerobic exercise. The researchers found these patients had better blood sugar control, used less insulin, and had fewer high blood sugar events, compared to seven patients who did not exercise. Type 1 diabetics ...click here to read more

Additional evidence has come to light linking obesity to liver cancer. The study found that a larger waistline, high body mass index, and type 2 diabetes increase a person’s risk for liver cancer. Coauthor Peter Campbell said, “We found that each of these three factors was associated, robustly, with liver cancer risk.” Rates of liver ...click here to read more

An inhaled version of a Parkinson’s disease drug may better help manage symptoms related to the progressive neurological disorder. The drug known as levodopa may help alleviate symptoms in between pill dosages. Levodopa is prescribed to help combat tremors, rigidity, and balance problems which are associated with Parkinson’s disease. Lead researcher Michael Lipp explained, “Off ...click here to read more

A small device synced to a smartphone may help identify irregular heartbeats, which can be potentially fatal. Irregular heartbeat, or atrial fibrillation, is a known risk factor for stroke, but often goes undiagnosed. Hopefully, this new device can be used widely to detect more cases of atrial fibrillation and thus reduce the rates of stroke. The study involved ...click here to read more

The presidential election is causing Americans mounds of stress, according to new survey results. Lynn Bufka, associate executive director for practice research and policy at the American Psychological Association (APA), explained, “We’re seeing that it doesn’t matter whether you’re registered as a Democrat or Republican — U.S. adults say they are experiencing significant stress from the ...click here to read more

Prostate cancer patients taking testosterone-lowering drugs may be twice as likely to develop dementia. The researchers found that males who underwent androgen-deprivation therapy (ADT) had an eight percent risk of dementia within five years of treatment, compared to only 3.5 percent among those who did not receive ADT. Lead researcher Dr. Kevin Nead said, “People ...click here to read more

A new study has found that women find bearded men to be more attractive when establishing a long-term relationship. The findings suggest that a beard may signify benefits, such as enhanced fertility and survival, to females. The researchers used computer graphic manipulation to morph male faces varying in facial hair from clean-shaven all the way ...click here to read more

There is a rise in popularity of wearable devices that track steps and even heart rate, but research has shown many of these devices do not provide accurate information. Researchers tested four popular wearable heart rate devices for their study. Research lead Dr. Marc Gillinov said, “All worked pretty well at rest. But as people ...click here to read more

Researchers have identified additional genes associated with the autoimmune skin condition vitiligo. Vitiligo causes white patches on the skin due to loss of pigmentation. The researchers identified 23 new genes tied to vitiligo, thus doubling the number of known genes to date. Vitiligo may be linked to other autoimmune diseases, including thyroid diseases, rheumatoid arthritis, ...click here to read more

Supplementation is a growing trend among Americans as a way to boost one’s health, but which supplements are used the most? As it turns out, multivitamins are losing their appeal to American consumers, while vitamin D, fish oil, and probiotics are gaining popularity. Between 1999 and 2012, overall supplement use among Americans has remained stable. ...click here to read more

Calcium supplements – but not calcium-rich food – may pose a risk to the heart, according to research findings. Although the study could not establish causality, the researchers still want to raise awareness about the possible risk. Lead author of the study Dr. Erin Michos said, “When it comes to using vitamin and mineral supplements, ...click here to read more