Lifestyle may offset Alzheimer’s genetic risk

By Marilyn Marchione
Posted on July 31, 2019

A large study has found that, regardless of how much genetic risk someone had for Alzheimer’s or other forms of dementia, a good diet, adequate exercise, limiting alcohol and not smoking made dementia less likely. About 50 million people worldwide have dementia, and Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type. Genes and lifestyle contribute to many diseases, but researchers only... READ MORE

A second look at MSG corrects the record

By Carrie Dennett
Posted on July 30, 2019

It’s commonly accepted as fact that MSG, a.k.a. monosodium glutamate, is something we should avoid. It’s the culprit behind so-called “Chinese Restaurant Syndrome” and contributor to myriad health problems, right? But is there any substance behind MSG’s bad reputation? What is MSG? Glutamate is one of 20 amino acids — the building blocks of protein — but it’s also an... READ MORE

Surprise medical bills are a national issue

By Kimberly Lankford
Posted on July 29, 2019

Even if you carefully select a healthcare provider in your insurance plan’s network, you could still end up with an unexpected bill for thousands of dollars. A study by the Health Care Cost Institute found that one in seven patients received a surprise bill even though the care was delivered at an in-network hospital. These surprise medical bills tend to happen when one member of the... READ MORE

Hot chili peppers could help with chronic pain

By Ivey Noojin
Posted on July 23, 2019

Many people like a little kick to their dish, whether that’s through hot sauce or some other type of spicy ingredient. But can a fiery sensation help treat chronic pain? A possible method for understanding chronic pain better could be through capsaicin, an irritant from hot chili peppers that produces a burning sensation, according to Dr. Claudia Campbell, Ph.D., associate professor of ... READ MORE

Hearing is essential to health, well-being

By Charlotte S. Yeh, M.D.
Posted on July 22, 2019

For many years, it was clear that my father was becoming hard of hearing. Normally gregarious and the life of the party, he became increasingly withdrawn because he couldn’t hear well enough to partake in conversations around the table. He began to walk with a shuffling gait. He was declining in front of my eyes. And yet, when we communicated by email, his intellectual curiosity and... READ MORE

Your smartphone can help with meds

By Wylie Crane
Posted on July 18, 2019

Q: It’s hard for me to keep up with my daily medication routine, and I sometimes forget a dose. Are there any tools or technology out there that I can use to help? online pharmacy order cytotec online with best prices today in the USA A: If you have trouble remembering to take the right medicine at the right time, you’re not alone. Taking medications as prescribed, also known as... READ MORE

How cooking helped me cope with Mom

By Miriam Green
Posted on July 16, 2019

The following is excerpted from the new book, The Lost Kitchen, by Miriam Green. In it, the author shares family recipes and discusses her mother’s Alzheimer’s and how it affected her family. Those early months were difficult. I didn’t want to believe the diagnosis. If I was being honest with myself, though, I knew with certainty that Mom had Alzheimer’s. I was not prepared... READ MORE

Drugmakers must reveal prices in TV ads

By Ricardo Alonso-Zaldivar
Posted on July 15, 2019

Correction: Several days after this story was posted, three pharmaceutical companies sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, and a federal judge blocked the rule that would have required drugmakers to list the prices of their products in television ads. Those ever-present TV ads for prescription drugs will soon carry prices, too, the nation’s top health official said... READ MORE

On meds for RA? Volunteer for this study

By Margaret Foster
Posted on July 12, 2019

Enbrel, Humira and Remicade can successfully treat painful, swollen joints due to rheumatoid arthritis, but the medications carry risky — and potentially fatal — side effects. “The biggest side effect we worry about is infection because these drugs are immunosuppressants,” said Dr. Michael Ward of the National Institute of Arthritis and Musculoskeletal and Skin Diseases.... READ MORE

New drugs are improving cancer survival

By Marilynn Marchione
Posted on July 11, 2019

Newer drugs are substantially improving the chances of survival for some people with hard-to-treat forms of lung, breast and prostate cancer, doctors reported recently at the world’s largest cancer conference. Among those who have benefited is Roszell Mack Jr., who at age 87 is still able to work at a horse farm in Lexington, Kentucky, nine years after being diagnosed with lung cancer... READ MORE