The reasons low-fat diets disappeared
Q: Why for so many years was a low-fat diet the craze and now it seems to be gone? A: For decades, the message was loud and clear: High intake of fat causes weight gain, heart disease and maybe even cancer. The solution? Go low-fat. Unfortunately, that often meant consuming more carbs and more sugar, and the advice turned out to be misguided. Nutritionists now suggest people... READ MORE
Pair tender cutlets with a bright sauce
These sautéed, super-thin chicken cutlets are easy to make and look so good, they evoke the feeling of an evening out. Paillard is a French term that refers to boneless meat that has been pounded thin to tenderize it and help it cook faster. In this recipe, we halve boneless chicken breasts horizontally and pound them to an even thickness under plastic wrap, so they cook at the same ... READ MORE
Questions about hair loss and blackouts
Q: Since menopause, my hair keeps getting thinner. Why do older women lose their hair? What treatments are available? A: Among postmenopausal women, as many as two-thirds develop hair thinning or bald spots. The main type of hair loss in women is the same as it is in men. It’s called androgenetic alopecia, or female (or male) pattern hair loss. In women, the condition begins with ... READ MORE
Brain stimulation therapy holds promise
Imagine this as a morning routine that replaces your first cup of coffee: You wake up feeling a bit foggy, so you slip on a wearable device that looks like an extra-thick headband. You turn on the power source and settle in while electrical current flows into your brain. Twenty minutes later, feeling more focused and energized, you start your busy day feeling grateful for this new... READ MORE
Much of mom’s wellness advice is myths
Dear Mayo Clinic: My mom always scolded me for not drying my hair after washing it, telling me I’d catch cold. She also talked about dressing right for the weather, starving a fever and lots of other things. I’m wondering if there is any truth in any of these sayings. With Covid still lingering, I’m trying to convince my grandchildren, ages 8 and 12, to be more mindful about... READ MORE
Researchers study meditation for anxiety
Can a once-a-week meditation class alleviate anxiety and depression? That’s what researchers at Georgetown University Medical Center want to find out. Its previous study found meditation could be as effective as an anti-anxiety medication. In January, they published their findings in JAMA Psychiatry that a study of more than 276 people found mindfulness-based stress reduction was more... READ MORE
Tech may reverse paralysis due to stroke
A stroke left Heather Rendulic with little use of her left hand and arm, putting certain everyday tasks like tying shoes or cutting foods out of reach. “I live one-handed in a two-handed world, and you don’t realize how many things you need two hands for until you only have one good one,” the Pittsburgh woman said. So Rendulic volunteered for a first-of-its-kind experiment:... READ MORE
Health Shorts — April 2023
Can’t take statins? Try this new pill Drugs known as statins are the first-choice treatment for high cholesterol, but millions of people who can’t or won’t take those pills because of side effects may have another option. In a major study, a different kind of cholesterol-lowering drug named Nexletol reduced the risk of heart attacks and some other cardiovascular problems in people ... READ MORE
New technologies can keep food fresher
Hate mealy apples and soggy french fries? Science can help. Restaurants, grocers, farmers and food companies are increasingly turning to chemistry and physics to tackle the problem of food waste. Some are testing spray-on peels or chemically enhanced sachets that can slow the ripening process in fruit. Others are developing digital sensors that can tell — more precisely than a label ... READ MORE
Who should buy new OTC hearing aids?
It’s now a lot easier — and cheaper — for many hard-of-hearing Americans to get help. Hearing aids can now be sold without a prescription from a specialist. Over-the-counter, or OTC, hearing aids started hitting the market in October at prices that can be thousands of dollars lower than prescription hearing aids. About 30 million people in the United States deal with hearing... READ MORE
