After TIME.com ran my story about how moderate and even heavy drinking are both associated with living longer than average, lots of readers e-mailed me their skepticism.
Medicine
Post-H1N1, Why You Still Need to Worry About Flu
The H1N1 pandemic has come and gone, but that doesn’t mean we’ve seen the last of the flu strain that started it all.
Latest Ruling Opens Stem Cell Research, But Experts Worry for the Long Term
The former Congressman behind a 1996 law that prohibits the government from funding research that harms or destroys embryos say he is “gratified” by a recent federal judge’s ruling that current federal funding of embryonic …
The Truth About B Vitamins and the Alzheimer’s Brain
Senior moments are normal — scary, but normal. Forgetting a friend’s phone number, a celebrity’s name, or even what you came into a room to retrieve are all part of the typical aging process. It’s only when forgetfulness …
MorningRx: Upholding the French Paradox, a Clue to Type 1 Diabetes, and Bans on Chocolate Milk
Immune System Genes May Contribute to Type 1 Diabetes: Researchers may be one step closer to understanding what causes Type 1 diabetes, which causes an inability to produce insulin and prevents the body from breaking down sugars …
American Academy of Pediatrics: Make the Flu Shot Mandatory
The American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) has called for mandatory annual flu shots for all health-care workers, a position similar to that of other organizations, including the Society for Healthcare Epidemiology of America and the American College of Physicians. Many hospitals and some health-care systems, including the clinical …
The Daily Dose: Weight Loss Can Be Toxic, But Obesity Is Expensive
FDA Takes On Green Tea: Dr Pepper Snapple Group’s Canada Dry and Unilever’s Lipton are in hot water for overextended health claims on labels and promotional websites for their green tea products, reports the Los Angeles Times.
Study: Exercise Can Protect People at High Risk of Alzheimer’s
Staying active is good for the body, and the latest research shows it might benefit the mind as well.
In a study of individuals who carried a high-risk gene for Alzheimer’s disease, researchers found that those who exercised …
A Study Links Kids’ Cholesterol and Nonstick Coating on Cookware
Chemicals in nonstick cookware and waterproof fabrics could be raising cholesterol levels in children and teens, according to a new study appearing in the Sept. issue of the Archives of Pediatrics & Adolescent Medicine. The study …
Declines in U.S. Smoking Rates Remain Stalled at 20%
For the fifth year in a row, the decline in smoking rates among adult Americans remains stalled. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), 20% of adults still smoke, a figure that hasn’t changed since 2005.
The Daily Dose: Superbug Hits Japan, Magic Mushrooms and Fancy Sneaker Smackdown
Custom Running Shoes Don’t Lower Injury Risk: Sporting goods stores that evaluate foot shape to help customers buy running shoes may have it wrong. A study of Marine recruits who had running shoes customized to their arch heights showed that nice shoes didn’t lower the instance of injury during basic training.
Using Videos to Help Diagnose Autism in Babies
The causes of autism are still unclear, but evidence is building that early intervention — before age 1 — may help mitigate or even prevent the developmental disorder from occurring in the first place. Making such early treatment more possible, researchers now report a promising new way of detecting autism in infants as young as 14 months.
The Daily Dose: Pill Popping, Hand Transplants and How Unemployment Makes You Sick
RxAmerica: Nearly half of all Americans have taken a prescription drug in the last month, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Center of Health Statistics. So what are we on?