News and Views from Harvard Health Blog

Laxative-free colonoscopy on the way?
May 14, 2012

iPad apps and screen time for kids: learning or babysitting?
May 11, 2012

Probiotics may help prevent diarrhea due to antibiotic use
May 09, 2012

New from Harvard Health Publications

• Painful sex after menopause is common and treatable

  Millions of women experience pain before, during, or after sexual intercourse—a medical condition called dyspareunia. This common problem can sap sexual desire and pleasure, strain relationships, and erode a woman’s quality of life. For... Read more »

• Light from laptops, TVs, electronics, and energy-efficient lightbulbs may harm health

  Humans once spent their nights in relative darkness. No longer. When the sun sets, TVs, computers, mobile devices, and artificial lighting burn on. The May issue of the Harvard Health Letter reports that this aspect of modern life may be great for... Read more »

• Arm-to-arm variations in blood pressure may signal cardiovascular problems

  For your next blood pressure check, you may want to roll up both sleeves, according to the May 2012 issue of the Harvard Heart Letter. An analysis of 20 different studies found that a substantial difference between the blood pressure readings from a... Read more »

• Smoking: Unsafe at any dose

  Is smoking just a little bit, or only now and then, really a health problem? Yes, says the May issue of Harvard Men’s Health Watch. Light and intermittent smoking are nearly as bad as heavy smoking. The way doctors explain risk and smoking... Read more »

• Harnessing the placebo effect

  Attitudes about the placebo effect are shifting, even in conventional medical circles, according to the April 2012 Harvard Health Letter. Recognition that the placebo can—and should—be harnessed by doctors and patients to improve medical care is... Read more »

• Peripheral artery disease: A hidden problem in women

  If ever a disease deserved a new name, peripheral artery disease is it. "Peripheral" smacks of something on the sidelines. Nothing could be further from the truth. Peripheral artery disease affects at least 12 million Americans, more than heart... Read more »

• Do vitamins and other supplements live up to their promise?

  Dietary supplements are wildly popular. Over one millions Americans take at least one supplement. The attraction is understandable. Many people want to optimize their health and well-being. The supplement industry has a strong financial interest in... Read more »

• Doing your part to stem overuse of the health care system

  You may have read about a Maryland cardiologist who lost his medical license because he implanted hundreds of unneeded stents into people's coronary arteries. In the April 2012 issue of the Harvard Heart Letter, Editor in Chief Thomas Lee, M.D.,... Read more »