Not such good news for butter lovers like myself: seesawing research on how healthy or unhealthy butter might be received a firm push from a recent Harvard study published in JAMA Internal Medicine. Drawing on decades of data gathered through long-term observational studies, the researchers investigated whether butter and plant oils affect mortality. One basic […]
Category: YOGA
Measles is making a comeback: Can we stop it?
Has the recent news about measles outbreaks in the US surprised you? Didn’t it seem like we were done with measles? In the US, widespread vaccination halted the ongoing spread of measles more than 20 years ago, a major public health achievement. Before an effective vaccine was developed in the 1960s, nearly every child in […]
How is metastatic prostate cancer detected and treated in men over 70?
National guidelines on prostate cancer screening with the PSA test are set by the US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF). This independent panel of experts in preventive and primary care recommends against screening for prostate cancer in men older than 70. Why? Prostate cancer tends to be slow-growing. Men in this age group are more […]
Celiac disease: Exploring four myths
Celiac disease is a digestive and immune disorder that can keep the body from absorbing necessary nutrients. “Our conception and awareness of celiac disease has evolved over the past few decades, but there are still aspects that remain poorly understood,” says Dr. Ciaran Kelly, medical director of the Celiac Center at Beth Israel Deaconess Medical […]
Supporting a loved one with prostate cancer: A guide for caregivers
Looking after a loved one who has prostate cancer can be overwhelming. Caregivers — usually partners, family members, or close friends — play crucial roles in supporting a patient's physical and psychological well-being. But what does that entail? You as a caregiver might not know what to say or how to help. "Patients diagnosed with […]
Counting steps is good — is combining steps and heart rate better?
Have you met your step goals today? If so, well done! Monitoring your step count can inspire you to bump up activity over time. But when it comes to assessing fitness or cardiovascular disease risk, counting steps might not be enough. Combining steps and average heart rate (as measured by a smart device) could be […]
Two jobs may lower the odds of dying from Alzheimer’s disease — but why?
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a devastating disease. Despite decades of research, science has not pinned down causes or discovered highly effective treatments. And while a healthy diet, regular exercise, and other measures can help people slow or avoid AD, we badly need more routes for preventing it. That’s why a new study is so intriguing […]
Can a routine vaccine prevent dementia?
It’s fairly common for a medical treatment to cause side effects: think headache, upset stomach, sleepiness, and occasionally more severe side effects. Far more rarely, a side effect provides an unexpected benefit. This might be the case for the shingles vaccine. Shingles is a painful, blistering skin rash caused by the varicella zoster virus responsible […]