War anxiety: How to cope
The past few months have not been kind to us. It seems almost impossible to turn on the news or scroll through social media without encountering a disturbing image. Whether it’s viewing a photo of a child injured through a bombing in Ukraine, reading a gruesome description of assaults on innocent women and children, or […]
Diabetes: Does a long-term study reinforce or change approaches to prevention?
Two decades ago, the Diabetes Prevention Program (DPP) clearly demonstrated that type 2 diabetes could often be slowed or prevented in people diagnosed with early signs of it (prediabetes). One approach tested was a low-calorie healthy diet combined with at least 150 minutes of activity to help participants lose at least 7% of body weight. […]
If climate change keeps you up at night, here’s how to cope
A forest fire in northern California and a mile-long glacier breaking apart appear in your news feed. The stark reminders of climate change are constant, and may cause additional stress to your daily tasks. For example, in surveying your shopping cart filled with wipes, sandwich bags, and packets of baby food, you may question your […]
Heart-healthy habits for children and teens lengthen lives
A new study shows something we’ve always figured was true: our health and habits as children and teens affect our health as adults. And not just our health, but how long we live. What did the study measure and find? The International Childhood Cardiovascular Cohorts Consortium Outcomes Study has been collecting data on almost 40,000 […]
Numb from the news? Understanding why and what to do may help
In the spring of 2020, the pandemic catapulted many of us into shock and fear — our lives upended, our routines unmoored. Great uncertainty at the onset evolved into hope that, a year later, a semblance of normalcy might return. Yet not only do people continue to face uncertainty, but many of us have also […]
Weight stigma: As harmful as obesity itself?
Weight stigma, as defined in a recent BioMed Central article, is the “social rejection and devaluation that accrues to those who do not comply with prevailing social norms of adequate body weight and shape.” Put simply, weight stigma is a form of discrimination based on a person’s body weight. The authors of this article assert […]
Can we prevent depression in older adults by treating insomnia?
Depression is common among older adults. By some estimates, more than 10% of adults over the age of 60 have struggled with major depressive disorder (MDD) within the past year. There are a number of symptoms of MDD, including depressed mood, loss of interest in pleasurable activities, difficulty concentrating, thoughts of worthlessness or guilt, thoughts […]
I’m too young to have Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, right?
If you’re in your 80s or 70s and you’ve noticed that you’re having some memory loss, it might be reasonable to be concerned that you could be developing Alzheimer’s disease or another form of dementia. But what if you’re in your 60s, 50s, or 40s… surely those ages would be too young for Alzheimer’s disease […]
Monkeypox: An unfamiliar virus spreading fast — sound familiar?
Here we are, well into year three of the COVID-19 pandemic, and now we’re having an outbreak of monkeypox? Is this a new virus? How worried should we be? While new information will continue to come in, here are answers to several common questions. What is monkeypox? Monkeypox is an infection caused by a virus […]
Some men whose prostate cancer progresses can safely delay treatment
Prostate cancer can progress over long durations, and if a man’s tumor has features that predict slow growth, he can opt for active surveillance instead of immediate treatment. Men on active surveillance get routine PSA blood tests and prostate biopsies, and are treated only if the cancer advances or shows evidence of increasing activity. But […]