Longer Rx for Birth Control Pills a Smart Idea for Female Vets: Study

FRIDAY, July 19, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Giving U.S. female military veterans a year's supply of birth control pills would reduce their risk of unwanted pregnancies and lower health care costs, a new study finds.

The researchers also found that the health care cost savings would more than outweigh the expense of providing birth contro...

AHA News: Know the Flax: A Little Seed May Be What Your Diet Needs

FRIDAY, July 19, 2019 (American Heart Association News) -- Adding seeds to your diet can be an easy way to shore up your defenses against heart risks without adding too much work to meal prep.

Many types of seeds can be valuable as part of a healthy diet – commonly added as a snack or add-on to salads or desserts – because...

Preterm Births to Hispanic Women Climbed After Trump's Election

FRIDAY, July 19, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- The number of preterm births to Hispanic women in the United States inched up shortly after the 2016 election -- raising the question of whether the political climate played a role, researchers say.

The study, of births between 2009 and 2017, found an uptick in preterm deliveries among Hispanic...

Astronauts: Exercise More in Space, Faint Less on Earth

FRIDAY, July 19, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- As Americans mark the 50th anniversary of the Apollo 11 mission and man's first steps on the surface of the moon, a new study offers a solution for a vexing problem that many astronauts experience on their return to Earth.

All the time that astronauts spend floating weightless can trigger faint...

Pot Use During Early Pregnancy on the Rise

FRIDAY, July 19, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Pot use and pregnancy hardly go hand-in-hand for health reasons, but more American women are using marijuana just before and right after they become pregnant, new research warns.

"These findings should alert women's health clinicians to be aware of potential increases in daily and weekly cannab...

Diabetes Raises Heart Failure Risk More in Women Than Men

FRIDAY, July 19, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Diabetes brings with it a variety of long-term complications, but at least one of those -- heart failure -- is a bigger threat to women than men, new research suggests.

The risk difference was even more pronounced for women with type 1 diabetes.

"Our global review of 12 million peopl...

Is Caffeine Fueling Your Anxieties?

FRIDAY, July 19, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- If you struggle with anxiety, you might want to skip that second cup of coffee, new research suggests.

For some people, caffeine may help with concentration and provide an energy boost, but it can cause problems for those with general anxiety disorder, said Dr. Julie Radico, a clinical psycholo...

Music Soothes the Stressed Soul Before Surgery

FRIDAY, July 19, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Music may be as powerful as drugs in calming patients before they undergo surgery, new research suggests.

It worked just as well as a tranquilizer before patients received a peripheral nerve block prior to their procedure, the researchers said. Peripheral nerve block numbs a specific area of t...

Strength-Training Exercises You Can Do Anywhere

FRIDAY, July 19, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- You don't have to go to the gym to get a great muscle-building workout. You don't even need equipment. There are many bodyweight-only exercises for strength training that you can do anywhere -- at home, when traveling, even at work if you've got a space you can exercise in. Here are two to try.

Delicious, Do-It-Yourself Cauliflower Rice

FRIDAY, July 19, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- In the quest to lighten up on carbs and refined grains, cauliflower rice is the hands-down favorite substitute. But you don't have to buy pricy, pre-riced bags of cauliflower when a simple countertop appliance can do the job for you quickly and easily.

Cauliflower is one of the healthiest veget...

Hey! That's the Wrong Knee, Doctor

THURSDAY, July 18, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Say you go in for knee surgery and find the surgeon operated on the wrong leg. Or you received a drug you know you're allergic to.

It happens. In fact, about 1 in 20 patients is a victim of preventable medical errors, and 12% of such cases result in permanent disability or death, research...

Number of American Smokers Who've Tried to Quit Has Stalled

THURSDAY, July 18, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Even if it takes multiple attempts, a majority of smokers do finally kick the habit. But new research finds the percentage of smokers who are even trying to quit has flatlined.

Between 2001 and 2013, the rate of quit attempts rose steadily among U.S. smokers. But newer data, for the years 201...

15 Minutes Matters With Strokes

THURSDAY, July 18, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Just 15 minutes can make a difference when someone is struck by a stroke, new research suggests.

The study included more than 6,700 patients in the United States and Canada who suffered an ischemic stroke (blocked blood flow to the brain) and were treated with anti-clotting therapy.

Another Study Casts Doubt on Safety of Herbal Drug Kratom

THURSDAY, July 18, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- The herbal supplement kratom regularly causes serious side effects and doesn't appear safe for use, a new study argues.

Kratom, made from the leaves of a Southeast Asian plant, is usually used to treat pain and addiction. But poison control center data shows it has been tied to seizures, with...

The 'Bottom' Blood Pressure Number Matters, Too

THURSDAY, July 18, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- When it comes to blood pressure readings, the "top" number seems to grab all the attention.

But a large, new study confirms that both numbers are, in fact, critical in determining the risk of heart attack and stroke.

Blood pressure measurements are given as a "top" and "bottom" numb...

As Heat Bakes the Nation, Expert Offers Tips to Stay Safe

THURSDAY, July 18, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- The heat is on.

Across two-thirds of the United States, over 115 million Americans live where some level of heat alert is already in effect, and 290 million will see temperatures soar past 90 degrees at some point in the next week, USA Today reported Wednesday.

As a dome of h...

Money Motivates Smokers to Quit Long Term, Study Finds

THURSDAY, July 18, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Financial rewards for quitting smoking do help smokers -- including pregnant women -- kick the habit and remain smoke-free, a new study confirms.

"Rewards, such as money or vouchers, have been used to encourage smokers to quit, and to reward them if they stay stopped. Such schemes have been ...

How to Make Your Child's Hospital Stay Safer, Less Stressful

THURSDAY, July 18, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- More than 3 million kids are hospitalized in the United States every year. Whether it's for a planned test or surgery or an injury or other emergency, knowing how to be involved in your child's care can help you get through what's often a stressful event.

The single most important thing you c...

How to Eliminate Added Sugars From Your Diet

THURSDAY, July 18, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- People are getting the message about the dangers of sugar. Nearly 70% of Americans have cut back on foods high in added sugars, according to a survey by the International Food Information Council Foundation. But there's still a long way to go.

One of the key ways to reduce your sugar int...

New Test Can Pinpoint Which Pancreatic Cysts Might Turn Cancerous

WEDNESDAY, July 17, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- To have surgery or not to have surgery? That is the big question for hundreds of thousands of Americans diagnosed each year with a pancreatic cyst.

The dilemma? While cysts are very common, most will not actually lead to cancer. But for doctors, determining which will from which won't is oft...