McDonald’s to use only cage-free eggs by 2025
McDonald's Corp.'s 16,000 U.S. and Canadian restaurants will serve only eggs laid by cage-free chickens within 10 years, the company said on Wednesday. McDonald's USA has been buying more than 13 million cage-free eggs annually since 2011. The long-awaited switch is happening as North American egg suppliers are slowly starting to...California Assembly approves assisted suicide bill
SACRAMENTO, Calif — A hard-fought measure to legalize physician-assisted suicide in California cleared the State Assembly on Wednesday, despite opposition from religious groups and advocates for the disabled, and moved to the state Senate, where it was widely expected to gain final passage. The measure, patterned after an Oregon law...Women, minorities still underrepresented in medical specialties
Diversifying the physician workforce may be key to addressing health disparities and inequities, Dr. Curtiland Deville of Johns Hopkins University in Baltimore, who worked on the study, said in an email."Minority physicians continue to provide the majority of care for underserved and non-English speaking populations,” Deville...Study: Depression not contagious, but happiness spreads among friends
COVENTRY, England — Researchers found that while depression does not spread among friends, happiness is contagious in circles of friends and may be the key to treating and preventing depression. Parents have long been wary of friends who have a bad influence on their children. Using a mathematical model to study teenagers' influence...Study: Walking while texting slows you down
Texting while driving is clearly a bad idea, but it may be dangerously distracting while walking, too, a new study suggests. Researchers asked 30 people to navigate an obstacle course three times and found they were significantly slower while texting and walking than when completing the route without any distractions. When the...Music boosts recovery from surgery, reduces pain
Listening to music before, during and after surgery reduces patients' pain, eases anxiety and lessens the need for painkillers, British scientists said on Thursday. After reviewing evidence from around 7,000 patients, the scientists said people going for surgery should be allowed to choose the music they'd like to hear to maximize the...Early detection decreases chance of death from lung cancer
Lung cancer is the leading cause of cancer-related deaths. In 2014, approximately 160,000 deaths occurred in the U.S. alone. Early detection is key for decreasing the incidence of death from lung cancer. Lung cancer is typically asymptomatic in early stages and is usually diagnosed in advanced stages when the chances of...Quick, healthy breakfast and lunch ideas
Summer is flying by and soon it will be time for kids to swap summer activities for homework. With a new school year quickly approaching, it’s the perfect time to start thinking of ways to integrate healthier foods into the school day—including breakfast and lunch— that the whole family will enjoy. Breakfast is the most...Eleven reasons you are always hungry
"Hunger is the physiological need for calories, water and salt and it's driven by a mix of factors, including your diet, appetite hormones and emotional factors, such as stress," said Maggie Moon, RD, a Los Angeles-based nutritionist and owner of Everyday Healthy Eating. Figuring out why you can't stop shoveling it down is...Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan stresses snow shoveling safety
DETROIT — This past weekend, Michigan experienced its third largest snowfall since 1880, forcing residents to head outdoors to clear driveways and walkways. Physicians at Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan and Blue Care Network recommend residents keep heart health in mind and pace themselves when clearing snow from their property...Government approves Medicare coverage for lung cancer screening
WASHINGTON D.C. — U.S. health regulators on Thursday approved Medicare coverage for lung cancer screening by low-dose CT, the first time the government health insurance program for the elderly and disabled will pay for such a program of early detection in an effort to save lives. The decision applies to Medicare beneficiaries aged...Steps to prepare for severe winter
LANSING — With the arrival of winter weather, Michigan residents are encouraged to make emergency preparedness a priority.Severe winter weather poses health and safety concerns with extremely cold temperatures, freezing pipes, potential propane shortages and power outages. The Michigan State Police Emergency Management and Homeland...10 healthy dessert… and they’re tasty too
A sweet tooth is meant to be satisfied—yes, even if you're watching your weight. Dessert, after all, is one of life's pleasures and deprivation typically backfires. It doesn't have to be a high-calorie, high-fat disaster, either: The trick is making smart choices and substitutions. "Take advantage of foods that are naturally sweet...Five practices to prevent the sun from damaging your skin
Nothing is more important than protecting your skin at all times during the summer. While the sun’s rays can be comforting and refreshing, they can also damage your skin if you do not take appropriate precautions. The summer is a great time to be outdoors and active, but it is always important that you take the sun’s strength...Swimming safety tips for the summer season
Swimming is a great recreational sport that people of all ages can enjoy. But it’s important to know how to be safe while you’re in the water. Here are important swimming safety tips you should be aware of before you head out to the pool or beach:Make water safety your priority• Swim in designated areas supervised by......
First West Nile virus activity of 2014 detected in Michigan
LANSING —The first West Nile virus (WNV) activity for Michigan this summer has been identified in a mosquito pool from Saginaw County. With this activity prior to the holiday, the Michigan Department of Community Health (MDCH) is urging residents to apply repellents during peak mosquito biting periods such as dusk and dawn and to drain...Identifying as Muslim on resumes may lead to fewer job opportunities, survey says
Recent college grads, take note: Mentioning a campus religion group on your resume — particularly a Muslim club — may lead to significantly fewer job opportunities.Two new sociology studies find new graduates who included a religious mention on a resume were much less likely to hear back from potential employers.The studies used......
7 reasons why it’s good to speak another language
It's one of life's truths: Being bilingual or multilingual can only be considered a good thing. The ability to travel seamlessly in another country; to interact with people you wouldn't otherwise be able to communicate with; to really understand and immerse yourself in culture, whether it be your own or another's; and on the most...Summer safety tips for kids
We hope that everyone enjoys this special time of year, but we want to also remind parents that there are potential dangers during the summer months. It’s important to be aware of what they are. The more information one learns about how to prevent illnesses and injuries, the less likely they will occur.There are many areas to cover...Stop mosquito breeding with proper yard drainage
As you enjoy time outdoors, it’s important to remember that warmer weather means prime mosquito breeding season in outdoor areas around your home and yard.With the risk for mosquitoes carrying West Nile Virus (WNV), families are being urged to take preventative steps to protect themselves, such as by using mosquito repellant and...Cooking with frozen meat common in Arab and Chaldean households
A local Iraqi woman made several pounds of potato chop and put them in her freezer for her family to eat over the next few months. DETROIT — It is common for many Arab and Chaldeans to have two or three freezers at home. In addition to the freezer in their kitchen, some keep one in both the garage and basement.......
vBlue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan recognized for excellence in diversity management for fourth consecutive year
DETROIT – Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan is once again the only company in the state to receive top regional honors on DiversityInc’s Top 10 Regional Companies list for diversity management. For the fourth consecutive year, the Blues edged out over a thousand companies for a spot on the coveted list, which recognizes...Stressful relationships may raise risk of death
NEW YORK — Worries, conflicts and demands in relationships with friends, family and neighbors may contribute to an earlier death, suggests a new Danish study.“Conflicts, especially, were associated with higher mortality risk regardless of whom was the source of the conflict,” the authors write. “Worries and demands were......
Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan marks 10 years of grants to strengthen safety net programs
DETROIT — Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan continues its efforts in supporting free health clinics throughout the state of Michigan by announcing the opening of its 2014 grant funding program. Through its Strengthening the Safety Net grant program, free clinics through Michigan are encouraged to apply for a grant of up to $15,000...Tips for healthy and safe swimming
LANSING — Every year, thousands of Americans get sick with recreational water illnesses. To protect Michigan residents during the holiday when swimming is common, the week before Memorial Day is recognized as Recreational Water Illness and Injury (RWII) Prevention Week.Have your eyes ever started to sting and turn red while you......