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Across cultures, languages and economic systems, feeling connected to the natural world is consistently linked to living a more hopeful, purposeful and resilient life.  nymphoenix/iStock via Getty Images Plus

A connection to nature fuels well-being worldwide, according to a study of 38,000 people

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

When life feels overwhelming, many people instinctively turn to nature. A walk in a park. Sitting by the ocean. Watching a sunset. Is this just a pleasant feeling, or is there something deeper at work?

A multitude of studies have linked spending time in nature with different aspects of mental health and wellness. For example, ...Read more

Abortion pills have been shown to be safe and effective. MementoJpeg/Moment via Getty Images

Teens are driving the demand for online abortion pills via telehealth – new research

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Teens in the U.S. are obtaining medication abortion pills through telehealth, and young people age 18 to 24 are ordering medication abortion at much higher rates than older adults.

Those are the key findings of a new study that my colleagues and I published in the journal JAMA Health Forum.

We examined requests for medication ...Read more

Environmental Nutrition: Macronutrients are important when it comes to a healthy diet

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Q: What percentage of my diet should come from each macronutrient?

A: Macronutrients — carbohydrates, proteins and fats — are the building blocks of a healthy diet. The right balance can improve energy and support muscle growth, as well as overall wellness.

Health experts recommend the following daily macronutrient distribution for adults ...Read more

Think sugar is the worst for your teeth? These 5 popular foods are just as bad

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

When we snack on delicious foods like candy and popcorn, we don’t always realize what happens once they enter our bodies. However, problems occur when these foods begin negatively affecting our health, specifically, our teeth. “Food plays a major role in oral health, often more than most people realize,” says dentist Sandip Sachar, DDS. �...Read more

Mayo Clinic Q&A: Men’s health: Why am I leaking urine?

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: This is kind of embarrassing, but, for a while, I’ve been leaking urine. Can something be done to fix this problem?

ANSWER: You don’t have to live with this issue. The three main types of urinary incontinence are:

Incontinence can be treated with behavioral changes, exercises, medications, nerve stimulation and injections...Read more

Is it safe to dermaplane my face?

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Q: I’ve got a lot of peach fuzz on my face, which makes me self-conscious. My friend told me I should try dermaplaning. But is it safe?

A: Dermaplaning has gained popularity as various “influencers” tout it on social media. While a variety of at-home gadgets are now available to perform it, all of them are essentially shaving the face. If...Read more

Lasting Pain

Health Advice / Scott LaFee /

Generally speaking, chronic pain lasts longer for women than it does for men. New research suggests differences in hormone-regulated immune cells called monocytes may explain why.

Some monocytes release a molecule that switches off pain. These cells are more active in males due to higher levels of sex hormones such as testosterone; they are ...Read more

Dusan Zidar/Dreamstime/TNS

Mayo Clinic Q&A: Sports injury prevention strategies that boost performance

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: For the past several years, I've been competing in half-marathons. This year, I've decided to challenge myself and enter full marathons. What recommendations do you have for preventing sports injuries as I go to this next level?

ANSWER: Congratulations on continuing to stretch your goals — and for thinking about preventing ...Read more

Kayla Bartkowski/Getty Images North America/TNS

Lawmakers seek to protect crisis pregnancy centers as abortion clinic numbers shrink

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Conservative lawmakers in multiple states are pushing legislation drafted by an anti-abortion advocacy group to increase protections for crisis pregnancy centers, organizations that provide some health-related services but also work to dissuade women from having abortions.

The legislation would prohibit state and local governments from ...Read more

Skypixel/Dreamstime/TNS

Psychiatrists' use of biomarkers could open a new window into mental health diagnoses

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Amanda Miller was 30 and pregnant with her second child in Hershey, Pennsylvania, when she developed depression. After she gave birth, her depression worsened. It was joined by a slew of unexplained health problems.

Miller, a neuroscientist, said she saw several psychiatrists and got prescriptions for drug after drug. Over two years, she tried ...Read more

Saul Loeb/AFP/Getty Images North America/TNS

Commentary: Being insured in America is not the same as having access to care

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

In April 2022, my mother-in-law, Karla, went for a routine physical therapy visit for carpal tunnel pain. The clinic was full and nearly turned her away. Only after she insisted that something felt wrong did a therapist send her to the emergency room.

A CT scan revealed a mass in her brain.

Karla was 50 years old. She was a first-generation ...Read more

D-Dimer Blood Test Causes Confusion In 83-Year-Old Male

Health Advice / Keith Roach /

DEAR DR. ROACH: What are D-dimers? Are they something I should be concerned about? I am an 83-year-old male with the usual problems that men my age have, such as an enlarged prostate, high blood pressure, and high cholesterol. With medication and monitoring by my doctors, all of these conditions are under control. I also exercise and play golf...Read more

Magnificent multis

Almost 40% of folks ages 60 and older take a multivitamin/multimineral, and, as I have always said, they are doing themselves a world of good, especially if they take half in the morning and half in the evening (that keeps nutrient levels steadier throughout the day).

And a study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition reaffirms one of ...Read more

Elizabeth Robertson/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS

The health care industry fueled most of Philadelphia's job growth in the last decade

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

PHILADELPHIA — The health care industry accounted for more than 70% of new jobs in the Philadelphia area over the past decade, nearly double the growth rate for health care nationally, according to U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics data.

The region added approximately 184,000 jobs since 2015. More than 132,000 were in health care, with home ...Read more

Urologists market vasectomies to their clients during March Madness, when they can watch the basketball tournament while recovering from the procedure. Lew Robertson/Stone via Getty Images

‘Vas Madness’ shows the power of messaging on men’s contraceptive decisions

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Bracket-busting upsets, Cinderella stories, OT buzzer beaters – March Madness is here! Or, as some urologists think of it, vasectomy promotion season.

Since 2004, urologists have been promoting vasectomies every March, promising patients who elect the procedure an excellent excuse to relax on the couch and watch college basketball.<...Read more

Aneri Pattani/KFF Health News/Aneri Pattani/KFF Health News/TNS

Maker of device to treat addiction withdrawal seeks counties' opioid settlement cash

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

LOUISVILLE, Ky. — In the early 2000s, Michelle Warfield worked at a factory, hauling heavy seats for Ford trucks on and off an assembly line. To suppress daily aches in her back and hips, her doctor prescribed opioid painkillers.

They worked for a bit. But by 2011, Warfield struggled to walk.

And “by that time, I was addicted,” said ...Read more

Marcin Zdrojewski/Dreamstime/TNS

Mayo Clinic Q&A: Why is fiber good for your overall health?

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Fiber has been getting a lot of attention in the news lately. What exactly is dietary fiber, and why is it important to my overall health?

ANSWER: Dietary fiber refers to the parts of plant-based foods that your body can’t digest or break down. Unlike proteins, fats or simple carbohydrates, fiber passes through the digestive...Read more

Amanda McCoy/Star-Telegram/TNS

The fight to stay home: How a Texas lawsuit could upend disability care

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

FORT WORTH, Texas -- In his homeschool curriculum, 12-year-old Luke Lunday is learning about Section 504, a cornerstone of disability rights.

Championed by disability rights activist Judy Heumann, Section 504 of the Rehabilitation Act is responsible for what’s known as the integration mandate, which requires that people with disabilities have...Read more

How to know if the foods you're buying are ultra-processed

What do most packaged breads (even ones claiming to be whole wheat or multi-grain), and many pastas, baby foods and frozen French fries have in common? They're highly or ultra-processed foods. Foods don't have to be prepackaged snacks, desserts or gloppy sauces to qualify as highly processed.

If you're wondering about the processing level of ...Read more

At-Home Kits Aren't Intended For People With Lynch Syndrome

Health Advice / Keith Roach /

DEAR DR. ROACH: Why didn't you recommend one of the at-home kits for the person with Lynch syndrome who had a bad reaction during her colonoscopy? I don't ever intend to have another colonoscopy. It is invasive, the prep is too much (yes, I understand why), and it takes up 24 hours of your time. -- A.T.

ANSWER: Lynch syndrome, also called ...Read more

 

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