Health and Wellness News

(HealthDay News) - If you enjoy burning candles, be sure to follow basic safety rules to help prevent fires. The National Fire Protection Association offers these suggestions: - Extinguish candles before going to bed or leaving a room. Don't burn candles in rooms where someone may sleep. Make sure any candle is at least 12 inches away from anything that may catch fire. Use a candle on a sturdy, uncluttered...
December 26, 2014
FRIDAY, Dec. 26, 2014 (HealthDay News) - People who use methamphetamine have a greatly increased risk of developing Parkinson's disease, a new study warns. Researchers analyzed the medical records of more than 40,000 people in Utah. About 5,000 of that group were methamphetamine - or "meth" - users. Around 1,800 were cocaine users, and about 34,000 didn't use drugs, according to the researchers. The...
December 26, 2014
FRIDAY, Dec. 26, 2014 (HealthDay News) - A new study finds that adults with HIV tend to have worse hearing than those not infected with the AIDS-causing virus. Researchers led by Peter Torre, of San Diego State University, assessed the hearing of 262 men averaging 57 years of age, and 134 women averaging 48 years of age. A total of 117 of the men and 105 of the women were HIV-positive. While the study...
December 26, 2014
THURSDAY, Dec. 25, 2014 (HealthDay News) - During the hustle and bustle of the holidays, poisonings involving children increase, experts say. The Nebraska Poison Center offers the following advice for a safe holiday season. More than 50 percent of calls to the poison center involve medications, according to a center news release. Relatives and friends often bring medications when they come to stay...
December 25, 2014
THURSDAY, Dec. 25, 2014 (HealthDay News) - Holiday parties and home-cooked meals offer plenty of opportunities for germs to find their way into food. The U.S. Department of Agriculture's Food Safety and Inspection Service offers advice about keeping food safe. At the store: - To prevent cross-contamination, separate raw meat, poultry and seafood from other foods in the grocery cart. Ask for these foods...
December 25, 2014
THURSDAY, Dec. 25, 2014 (HealthDay News) - Overeating is common during the holidays, but there are strategies that can help you eat in moderation, an expert says. "Don't arrive at a party hungry. It may seem logical to save up calories if you know you'll be attending a party, but deprivation leads to hunger, and hunger leads to overeating," Jill Ashbey-Pejoves, lead dietitian at Northern Westchester...
December 25, 2014
THURSDAY, Dec. 25, 2014 (HealthDay News) - The risk of burns from fires and cooking accidents increases during the holidays, so you need to be extra cautious, an expert says. "Between Thanksgiving and New Year's Day, we see a significant increase in patients coming in with burns," said Dr. Steven Sandoval, medical director at the Suffolk County Volunteer Firefighters Burn Center of Stony Brook University...
December 25, 2014
(HealthDay News) - An occasional drink isn't much of a problem for most people. But drinking too much, too often can lead to long-term complications. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention mentions these potential problems associated with long-term alcohol abuse: - Increases risk of high blood pressure, heart disease and stroke, as well as liver disease and digestive problems. Increases...
December 25, 2014
(HealthDay News) - Heart disease, usually characterized by plaque buildup in the arteries that reduces blood flow to the heart, can lead to emotional problems from anxiety to depression. The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute says potential sources of support include: - Talking with your health care team about your emotions and concerns. Joining a support group to meet others who live with heart...
December 25, 2014
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) - Very sick children with complex chronic illnesses can receive effective, less expensive care from a clinic that functions as a "medical home," with easy access to a team of dedicated health care professionals, a new study shows. Children were less likely to become seriously ill and need either hospitalization or a trip to the emergency room when they received...
December 24, 2014
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) - The holidays can be a challenge for people who suffer migraines, which can be set off by certain foods and drinks. "This is the season in which many people overindulge in things that can trigger attacks of migraine," Dr. David Dodick, chair of the American Migraine Foundation, said in a news release from the foundation. "It's important to think through food...
December 24, 2014
Here are some of the latest health and medical news developments, compiled by the editors of HealthDay: - Oldest American Man Dies at 110 - C. Conrad Nelson, the oldest man in the United States whose age can be verified, died in a nursing home in Rockford, Ill., on Tuesday, the -Rockford Register Star- reported. Nelson was born in 1904 in Kymbo, Sweden, but lived in Rockford most of his life, working...
December 24, 2014
(HealthDay News) - Preparing fresh fruit and vegetables isn't always as simple as peeling and eating. Many require preparation to get rid of harmful bacteria and pesticides. The Home Food Safety website offers this advice: - Just before eating any fresh vegetable or fruit, rinse with cool tap water. Do this even with fruit that must be peeled. Peel and discard the outer leaves of a head of lettuce....
December 24, 2014
(HealthDay News) - If you push your body hard during exercise, you may have sore muscles the next day. The American Academy of Family Physicians offers these suggestions: - Gently stretch sore muscles. Treat your muscles to a gentle massage. Use an ice pack to ease inflammation. Use a heating pad to promote blood flow. Use an over-the-counter pain medicine, such as a nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory...
December 24, 2014
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) - Researchers could be closing in on a "fountain of youth" drug that can delay the effects of aging and improve the health of older adults, a new study suggests. Seniors received a significant boost to their immune systems when given a drug that targets a genetic signaling pathway linked to aging and immune function, researchers with the drug maker Novartis...
December 24, 2014
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) - Among early stage breast cancer patients who undergo chemotherapy and/or radiation treatment, less than half of one percent will eventually develop leukemia as a result of their treatment, a new analysis reveals. The finding comes from a review of more than 20,000 breast cancer cases treated between 1998 and 2007, and it suggests that the risk for developing...
December 24, 2014
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) - Teens are more likely to start smoking or drinking with each additional symptom they have of attention-deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) or conduct disorder, new research suggests. "Our findings underscore the need to counsel families about the risk of substance use as [these] children approach adolescence," said study author Dr. William Brinkman, research...
December 24, 2014
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) - Researchers say they have used human embryonic stem cells to create cells that develop into eggs and sperm. While this had already been done using rodent stem cells, this is the first time that these types of cells - called primordial germ cells - have been produced efficiently using human stem cells, according to the team at the University of Cambridge in...
December 24, 2014
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) - Adults who experienced childhood abuse or neglect have a higher risk of migraine headaches, suggests a study published online Dec. 24 in the journal -Neurology. "Childhood maltreatment can have long-lasting effects, like associated medical and psychological conditions including migraine in adulthood," study author Dawn Buse, director of behavioral medicine...
December 24, 2014
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) - A new, injectable weight-loss drug has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. The agency on Tuesday approved Saxenda (liraglutide) for adults who are obese or for those who are overweight and have at least one weight-related health condition, such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol. Patients taking the drug, made...
December 24, 2014
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) - Saxenda (liraglutide) has been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to treat chronic obesity. The injected drug is approved for people with a body mass index (BMI) of 30 or greater, or for those with a BMI of 27 or greater who have at least one other weight-related condition, such as high blood pressure, type 2 diabetes or high cholesterol. BMI...
December 24, 2014
WEDNESDAY, Dec. 24, 2014 (HealthDay News) - Hepatitis C infection does not contribute to mental decline in people with HIV, according to a new study. Treatment advances have made it possible for people with HIV to survive much longer, but many develop memory and thinking problems, mood swings and other types of mental impairment as they age, the study authors said. It's believed that long-term infections...
December 24, 2014
TUESDAY, Dec. 23, 2014 (HealthDay News) - More Americans than ever are taking cholesterol-lowering medications, federal health officials reported Tuesday. The percentage of adults aged 40 and older taking drugs that combat high cholesterol rose from 20 percent to 28 percent between 2003 and 2012, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Moreover, the use of statins increased...
December 23, 2014
TUESDAY, Dec. 23, 2014 (HealthDay News) - Obesity is a big contributor to type 2 diabetes, but Asian-Americans may need to pile on fewer excess pounds to develop the disease than other groups do, according to new guidelines from the American Diabetes Association (ADA). The ADA has now lowered the body-mass index (BMI) - a standard measurement of weight versus height - at which Asian-Americans should...
December 23, 2014
(HealthDay News) - Ready to get walking? It's great exercise, but first make sure your feet are equipped with the proper walking shoes. AARP.org offers these suggestions: - Always measure your feet and shop for the size of the largest foot. Look for shoes that accommodate your special feet, such as those for flat feet or high arches. Opt for a cushioned, supportive shoe if you struggle with knee, back...
December 23, 2014