Early detection decreases chance of death from lung cancer
Lung cancer is typically asymptomatic in early stages and is usually diagnosed in advanced stages when the chances of a cure are lower. With effective treatment, only 15 to 16 percent of all patients diagnosed in various stages of lung cancer manage to survive five years. There are four stages of lung cancer: from early, when...U.S. teens smoked, drank, used drugs less in 2015
A decades-long decline in teenage drinking and smoking continued in 2015 and use of some drugs by eighth-graders and high school students also fell, while marijuana consumption extended a five-year flat trend, according to results of a study released on Wednesday.Teen cigarette smoking fell to its lowest level since the University of...More than one in 10 U.S. kids have ADHD as diagnosis rates surge
(Reuters Health) - More than 10 percent of U.S. children have been diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), reflecting a surge in recent years particularly among girls and minority groups, a new study finds. Spikes in diagnoses among girls, Hispanics and older kids may be the result of better screening and...Moderate coffee drinking may be tied to lower risk of death
People who drink coffee daily, even up to four cups per day, are less likely to die from heart disease, neurological disease, type 2 diabetes or suicide than others, according to a new study. Researchers did not test how upping coffee consumption would change health outlooks, so they cannot conclude that coffee "causes" a decreased...Study: Men may eat more when women are watching
"People should calm down when eating with members of the opposite sex"If women are prone to “eat like a bird” when men are watching, men may be similarly programmed to “eat like a horse” when women are around, suggests a small U.S. study by behavioral scientists.Researchers observed diners at an all-you-can-eat Italian buffet...Red meat linked to increased stroke risk
Red meat – but not other types of protein - is linked to an increased stroke risk, and the odds go up the more meat people eat, a recent study suggests.Researchers analyzed data on about 11,000 middle-aged people who didn’t have other risk factors for strokes such as diabetes or heart disease, and followed half of them for...Michigan safest state to have prostate biopsy
The Michigan Urological Surgery Improvement Collaborative (MUSIC) and Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan released findings that show Michigan is the safest state to have a prostate biopsy. Using the unique Collaborative Quality Initiative (CQI) model, they reduced the post-biopsy infection rate in Michigan to 0.6%. The national average...UNICEF: Cholera spreads from Iraq to Syria, Kuwait, Bahrain
A cholera outbreak in Iraq has spread to neighboring Syria, Kuwait and Bahrain and risks turning into a region-wide epidemic as millions of pilgrims prepare to visit the country, UNICEF's Iraq director said. The disease, which can lead to death by dehydration and kidney failure within hours if left untreated, was detected west of...Pop linked to increased heart failure risk
Men who drink two or more glasses of pop or other sweetened drinks a day may have a greater risk of heart failure, a Swedish study suggests. Previous research has linked high consumption of sugary beverages with several risk factors for heart failure, including high blood pressure, high blood sugar, weight gain, diabetes and obesity,...Most tobacco-using teens start with flavored products
(Reuters Health) - A survey of teen smokers has added more evidence that flavored tobacco products are particularly attractive to people younger than the legal smoking age.Cigarettes can include menthol flavoring, and other tobacco products like hookah are available in wide variety of flavors.“Consistent with national school-based...Mediterranean diet linked to healthier aging brain
(Reuters Health) - Following a Mediterranean diet rich in fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fish and healthy fats may preserve a more youthful brain in old age, a U.S. study suggests. Previous research has connected a Mediterranean diet to a reduced risk of developing Alzheimer's disease and other degenerative brain...Perceived discrimination linked to smoking and poor diet
Feeling like the target of discrimination may increase a person’s odds of harmful behaviors like smoking, eating fatty foods and getting less sleep, a study of African-Americans suggests. Researchers examined the connection between discrimination and these unhealthy habits among almost 5,000 African-American residents of the...Study: Young people on antidepressants more prone to violence
Young people taking antidepressants such as Prozac and Seroxat are significantly more likely to commit violent crimes when they are on the medication, but taking higher doses of the drugs appears to reduce that risk, scientists said on Tuesday. In research published in the journal PLOS Medicine, the scientists wrote that while their...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......