Two key pieces of research were released on either side of the Atlantic this week, shedding new light on what we can do to live longer — and why experts will be squabbling over the secrets of longevity long after most of us …
Medicine
Worried About Radiation Exposure? Watch Out for Fake Treatments
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are warning American consumers about counterfeit medications claiming to protect against radiation exposure.
Smoking Ban at NYC Apartments? Health Experts Would Likely Approve
When the WSJ‘s Craig Karmin reported yesterday that at least half a dozen Manhattan co-ops may begin prohibiting residents from lighting up at home come spring, more than a handful of New Yorkers were no doubt peeved. Still, at …
The Secrets to Long Life: Worry, Work Hard and Marry Well (If You’re a Man)
Worrying is good for your health. Optimism is overrated. Women thrive post-divorce (men don’t). These are just a few of the unexpected findings that psychologist Howard Friedman explores in The Longevity Project, a new book based …
Making Sense of Medical Statistics: What Patients Should Do
Seung Kang died in a Philadelphia hospital in 2005. He was only 59, and just a week before his death he’d been feeling quite healthy. But a heart catheterization showed blocked vessels to his heart, and a cardiothoracic surgeon …
Japan’s Next Nightmare: Health Problems from Radiation Exposure
As workers continue to attempt to contain damage of the four reactors in Japan’s Fukushima Dai-Ichi nuclear plant, residents of the country are becoming increasingly worried about the health risks associated with radiation …
Will the FDA Ban Menthol Cigarettes?
The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) Tobacco Products Scientific Advisory Committee is due in the coming week to submit to the agency its final report on the health effects of menthol cigarettes. The FDA is considering a ban …
House Watch: Return to the Dark Side
Like any show in its latter days, House M.D. has struggled during its seventh season to do two things: seem relevant to young audiences and also stay true to the procedural rhythms that have made it a reliable slot in the Fox …
Radiation Exposure: Fast Facts About Thyroid Cancer and Other Health Risks
There’s growing alarm worldwide about radiation poisoning, with an explosion Monday morning at the No. 3 reactor of the Fukushima Daiichi nuclear complex.
Is Daylight Saving Time Bad for Your Health?
Once again, it’s time to turn the clocks forward (at 2 a.m. Sunday) for Daylight Saving Time. The yearly change is sure to cause more than a few missed brunch dates, and perhaps some confusion over why the alarm is going off an hour early. But the shift in sleep schedule could have more serious effects on some people’s health, according …
Could a Simple Blood Test Predict Emphysema Early?
If you’re a smoker, you know by now how dangerous tobacco can be to your health. You also know how addictive cigarettes are, and how hard it is to kick the habit — especially if you’re still healthy. But what if doctors could …
Apple Shapes May Not Be At Higher Risk of Heart Disease After All
If you’re one of those people who tends to put on weight around your middle, what doctors call an “apple shape” — what the rest of us call a beer belly — you’ve probably been told that you’re at higher risk of heart disease. …
Did Your Doctor Call You Fat? You Should Thank Her For It
If you were overweight or obese, would you know it? You’d think so, but research suggests that people aren’t good at recognizing when they’ve hit an unhealthy weight. That’s why they need an outsider to tell them.