Health news is always changing — and fast. Here are five new rules for good health that you need to know for the new year.
Medicine
5 Tips for Kicking Bad Habits
So you’ve made the decision to quit. Congratulations! Now you’ll need a few tried-and-true ways to change your bad habit — whether it’s problem drinking, eating or smoking — and stick with it.
EPA Warns of High Mercury Levels in Skin-Lightening Creams
The Illinois Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is warning against skin-lightening creams that may contain dangerous levels of mercury.
Why Smart Humans — and Honeybees — Live Longer
While scientists have long recognized a link between intelligence and longevity, new research on a species not always known for its intellectual wattage — the honeybee — has helped explain exactly why smarter people tend to …
Study: You Are What Your Dad Ate
Imagine if you bequeathed your children not just your genetic material, but also the consequences of your own eating habits. A study published on Dec. 23 in the journal Cell demonstrates that your diet can indeed make a …
The New-Old Practice of Vaginal Steam Baths
Spas offer treatments for just about every body part these days, so it isn’t terribly surprising that the Tikkun Holistic Spa in Santa Monica is now offering a $50 V-Steam — literally a steam bath for their female clients’ …
Study: Earphone-Loving Teens Can Hear Just Fine
Teens aren’t always the best listeners but a new study shows that their hearing may not be to blame.
Parabens Outlawed in Childrens’ Products in Denmark
Denmark’s environmental ministry announced on Dec. 20 that it will ban parabens in lotions and other cosmetic products for children under 3.
Is Eating Fish Good For You — Even If It’s Fried?
Among the most familiar foods on the good-for-you list are fruits, vegetables and fish. But does fried fish count?
Heading South for the Holidays? Why You Should Be Careful About Eating Local Fish
Few meals rise to the level of a life-changing event. For Andrew Kirsop, however, a fresh seafood dinner in the Cook Islands was just that. Devastatingly so.
Even Small Amounts of Holiday Drinking Boost Cancer Risk
More evidence for the conventional wisdom of “everything in moderation”: even a small increase in alcohol intake can up the risk of several different kinds of cancer, according to researchers at the MD Anderson Cancer Center in …
Sudden Cold Fronts Mean More Heart Attacks
Jack Frost doesn’t just nip at your nose. Sudden cold fronts can increase your risk of heart attack too.
Study: Asthma Hits Poor Minorities Worst in California
Asthma rates are on the rise in California, but the condition disproportionately affects low-income children and adults, according to a study [PDF] from the UCLA Center for Health Policy Research.