Does marijuana cause addiction? As Californians prepare to vote on Prop 19 — which would legalize recreational use of the drug, at least under state law — the question is more pertinent than ever. The answer, however, is less …
Study: Many Obese People Think They Look Great the Way They Are
Getting obese patients to lose weight is tricky to begin with, but doctors may have a bigger battle than they thought: many clinically obese men and women think they’re already at a healthy weight.
Suffer from Migraines? FDA Says Try Botox Injections
It began as an odd observation among plastic surgery patients, and ended up as an FDA approved drug — on Friday, the agency green-lighted the use of Botox, a popular wrinkle-reducing procedure, to control migraines.
CommittedCulture
Mom Sues TV Host Tyra Banks Over Daughter’s Guest Appearance
It’s possible, with some effort, to believe that Tyra Banks imagines her talk show to be as uplifting and current as a new Victoria’s Secret bra — “Tomorrow on Tyra: Women Who Escaped the Sex Industry!” It’s also possible to …
Mad Mad Men Men: Why People Love Repetitive Brand Names
No one ever pretended that shopping for anything is a rational experience. If it were, would there be Fluffernutter? Laceless sneakers? Porkpie hats? Would the Chia Pet even exist? To the list of ridiculous reasons we often buy …
Family MattersPregnancy
Eating Poppy Seeds in Pregnancy, an Ill-Advised Habit
The advice to stop eating once labor kicks in has always seemed a bit draconian to me. Giving birth is hard work; why not munch if you’re hungry?
Balancing the Risks: Skin Cancer Patients Are Deficient in Vitamin D
It’s a health conundrum that doctors have been trying to resolve for several years now: most Americans are deficient in vitamin D, which can help to build bones and even protect against certain cancers and autoimmune diseases …
CommittedChildhood
Deaths Rise in Children Monitored by Los Angeles Child Services
The number of neglected or abused children dying in Los Angeles, even after the county’s Department of Children and Family Services has become involved in their cases, is on the rise, according to confidential documents seen by …
Wah, I’m Tired. Is ‘Exhaustion’ a Legitimate Medical Condition?
Lady Gaga had it, and so did Wyclef Jean: exhaustion. In early October, the Chicago Symphony Orchestra music director, Riccardo Muti, was also diagnosed with exhaustion and had to withdraw from the last two weeks of his program, …
‘Oops, My Bad!’ The Scariest Words Your Surgeon Can Say
The last time I went under the knife was not a particularly ennobling experience. It wasn’t just the hospital gown or the hair net or the fashionable paper slippers — the classic pre-surgical ensemble — I was wearing, it was …
CommittedRelationships
An Evolutionary Explanation for Altruism: Girls Find It Sexy
One of the big unsolved mysteries in evolutionary theory is why creatures are altruistic. Selflessness doesn’t seem to be one of those qualities that ensure survival of a bloodline, since, by definition, it means acting against oneself.
It’s National Teen Driver Safety Week (Oct. 17-23), So Talk to Your Kids
Car accidents are the leading cause of death among teens — 16-to-19-year-olds are four times more likely to be in a fatal car crash than 25-to-69-year-olds — so it makes sense to devote a week to a national discussion about …
How a Study of a Failed Antidepressant Shows That Antidepressants Really Work
The British Medical Journal recently released a study finding that the antidepressant reboxetine, which is manufactured by Pfizer and has been used in Europe since 1997 — but is not approved in the U.S. — does not work at …