But be vigilant about over-the-counter acetaminophen, too.

In January 2011, the FDA ordered makers of prescription acetaminophen drugs — mostly acetaminophen-plus-opioid combinations such as Vicodin and Percocet — to put no more than 325 milligrams (mg) of acetaminophen (better known as Tylenol) in each pill or capsule; currently, these combinations may contain as much as 750 mg. Manufacturers were also told to include a "black box" warning (the most serious kind) on product labels highlighting the risk of severe liver injury. Acetaminophen overdose causes most cases of acute liver failure in the United States, and acetaminophen-containing prescription drugs account for ...

New guidelines include several changes.

If you've seen a clinician in the past few months, you were probably reminded to get a flu shot. You should be vaccinated against the flu every year because the viruses that cause influenza — and the vaccines that protect you from those viruses — change from year to year. But there's more to staying current with your vaccinations than that.

For one thing, you can't assume that the vaccines you received as a child will protect you for the rest of your life. Some childhood immunizations require a periodic booster shot. Work, travel, and ...

Treating enlarged leg veins can improve their appearance and reduce the risk of swelling, aching, and other problems.

If you have varicose veins — those dark blue or purple leg veins that bulge above the skin's surface — you may dread wearing beachwear and other clothes that expose your legs. With summer just a few months away, this may be a good time to do something about that. But it's not just a cosmetic consideration. Varicose veins can cause pain and discomfort and even, in rare cases, bleeding leg sores. Treating enlarged leg veins can relieve discomfort and prevent complications.

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Mindfulness meditation alters regions of the brain associated with memory, awareness of self, and compassion, according to a brain imaging study by researchers at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston and the University of Massachusetts Medical School in Worcester. Other studies have found differences in the brains of experienced meditators compared with non-meditators, but this is the first investigation to document brain changes occurring over time in people learning how to meditate mindfully. Results were published in Psychiatry Research: Neuroimaging (Jan. 30, 2011).

Mindfulness meditation is the practice of paying attention to what you're experiencing from moment to moment without drifting ...

Many postmenopausal women and their clinicians are avoiding hormone therapy (HT) because of the health risks, but there's been some hope that it might be safer in younger women near or at menopause. In the case of breast cancer, at least, that isn't so, according to results from the Million Women Study in the United Kingdom. In this study, taking HT in early menopause was actually associated with a higher than average risk of breast cancer. Also important — for the many women wondering about the impact of their past HT use — results showed that soon after quitting HT, ...

I'm 50 years old and have never had an HPV test. Do I need one as part of my health screening?

I recently developed a craving to chew on several ice cubes a day. What causes this? Is it unhealthy?