Health News

A new study has found that having strong heart health also means strong brain health, too. The researchers found that seniors who meet over seven heart health goals had faster thinking ability and less memory decline up to six years later. Lead researcher Hannah Gardener said, “The results of our study highlight the need for ...click here to read more

A new study suggests going “cold turkey” is the best method when it comes to quitting smoking, as opposed to gradual quitting methods. Going cold turkey refers to stopping all at once. The researchers found that after four weeks, nearly half of those who went cold turkey still continued abstaining from smoking. For those who ...click here to read more

A new study found that children with autism are not at a higher risk for stomach disorders, compared to those without autism. The study focused on stomach problems that have been previously linked to autism, such as intestinal inflammation, deficiency of lactase, and leaky gut – an increased intestinal permeability. The findings revealed that autism ...click here to read more

Any form of physical activity – dancing, gardening, cleaning – has been shown to help cut a person’s risk of Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers found the reduction in Alzheimer’s disease risk may be lowered by up to 50 percent. The researchers analyzed lifestyle habits of 876 seniors and conducted brain scans to determine if movement ...click here to read more

Nearly half of Americans obtain most of their calories from what is deemed as “ultra-processed” foods. These foods make up for nearly 90 percent of excess sugar. Ultra-processed foods consist of foods with a combination of the following ingredients: salt, sugar, oils and fats, chemicals and flavorings not typically used in traditional cooking, as well as emulsifiers and ...click here to read more

African Americans face higher rates of kidney failure compared to Caucasians. This may be due to a gene variant found in blacks, but there is still not enough evidence to support such a claim. Therefore, gene screening in blacks for the variant may not be justified. The variant occurs in a gene called apolipoprotein L1 (APOL1), ...click here to read more

A Pennsylvania-based study has found that drug overdoses are on the rise, with a 14-fold increase seen between 1979 and 2014. The findings are similar to a national trend. In December, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) revealed record high numbers of drug overdoses all across the U.S. Majority of drug overdoses are linked ...click here to read more

Bel Marra Health’s weekly health news roundup has stories regarding ulcerative colitis, fibromyalgia, migraine in women, and Alzheimer’s disease. New breakthroughs reveal that a cancer treatment drug may benefit Alzheimer’s disease, exercise can help with fibromyalgia pain, natural remedies can be used to help treat kidney stones, and migraine in women increases the depression risk. ...click here to read more

The risk of a dangerous staph infection is higher in diabetes patients, compared to those without diabetes. Staph infections can lead to a dangerous blood disease that can be lethal, but normally the bacteria can live on the skin without posing any threat. The germs become harmful when they enter the bloodstream. To conduct their ...click here to read more

This weekend, we switch to daylight saving time, and for many of us losing one hour of sleep can be a difficult adjustment. In order to better cope with the time change, doctors have put together some helpful tips to smooth out the transition. Dr. Yosef Krespi, director of the Center for Sleep Disorders at ...click here to read more

Multiple sclerosis (MS) patients are at a higher risk of developing other illnesses, according to a new study. Patients with MS are more likely to suffer chronic illnesses, compared to individuals without the neurological disorder. The researchers looked at how common several chronic conditions were in over 23,400 newly diagnosed patients and over 116,000 individuals ...click here to read more

Colon cancer is the second leading cause of cancer death. Nutritionists and cancer experts have compiled a list of six tips that can help reduce your risk of colon cancer. Alice Bender, head of nutrition programs at the American Institute for Cancer Research, said in a news release, “Research now suggests that 50 percent of ...click here to read more

Many of us wind down when it comes to the weekends as a well-deserved break, but new research has found that taking part in lazy weekends may actually contribute to greater body fat. In fact, researchers suggest that being a couch potato may be more harmful than sitting at your desk all week. The researchers ...click here to read more

Memory problems are quite common in seniors, but new findings suggest that seniors’ memory may improve through computer use. The findings reveal that using computer even once a week is enough to help ward off age-related memory decline and improve thinking. Computer users had a 42 percent lower risk of developing mild cognitive impairment (MCI), ...click here to read more