Even a little exercise linked with lower stroke risk in people with afib
Testosterone therapy without evidence of deficiency may boost heart risk
Weight-loss drug may lower risk of heart attacks and infections
What to eat on the DASH diet
Migraine: How it's diagnosed and what that means
Tricep workouts you can do at home
Mindfulness practices to reduce stress and improve focus
Antihistamines may not offer meaningful relief from eczema symptoms
Overweight and taking blood pressure medications: Study finds it's a trend that's working
FDA approves first mRNA-based flu vaccine
Mental Health Archive
Articles
Low-tar cigarettes are not a safer choice
Studies show smoking high-tar unfiltered cigarettes, as opposed to medium-tar filtered cigarettes, greatly increases your risk of lung cancer. So, cigarettes labeled as low-tar or ultra light are an even safer choice, right? Wrong. A study comparing the lung cancer risks of different types of cigarettes found this seemingly logical assumption is false.
The study six years and involved over 900,000 Americans over the age of 30. The researchers compared the risk of death from lung cancer among men and women who were smokers, former smokers, or had never smoked. When analyzed according to the tar rating of cigarette smoked, the results of the study showed the risk of lung cancer death was greatest for smokers of high-tar unfiltered cigarettes. The risk of lung cancer death was no different among smokers of medium-, low-, and very low-tar cigarettes.
What the 21st Century Cures Act means for behavioral health
The 21st Century Cures Act, passed by Congress and signed into law by President Obama in December, provides or extends funding for a variety of health initiatives, including support for people with mental health and substance use issues. It builds on important innovations introduced in the Mental Health Parity and Addictions Equity Act and the Affordable Care Act.
3 easy ways to boost your brain
Mind-bending puzzles aren't the only route to improving memory and reason. Activities that engage your emotions and senses may be even better.
Image: JDwow /Thinkstock
In the midst of promotions for commercial brain training programs to ward off age-related cognitive decline, a few studies are beginning to indicate that simple pleasures may be even more productive. You may find that doing one of the following is an easier and more rewarding way to boost your brain than doing computer-based exercises.
1. Care for a dog
2. Color a picture
It's little wonder that 12 million adult coloring books—based on topics ranging from endangered species to art nouveau designs—were sold in 2015. Crayon sales also jumped by $11 million. Creating art—even if it means coloring inside the lines—can be both stimulating and relaxing.
Moreover, according to a 2015 German study, actively creating art also improves spatial reasoning. The German researchers randomly assigned 28 retirees in their 60s to two groups, both of which met weekly for 10 weeks. One group took classes in which they drew, sculpted, or painted; the other went to museums and analyzed the art they viewed. Both groups underwent tests and brain MRI scans at the beginning and end of the study. The researchers determined that, compared with the people who analyzed art, those who created art had greater improvement in the ability to detect spatial relationships and more activity in the region of the brain responsible for spatial perception.
3.Play with a child
Loneliness may be a marker for Alzheimer’s disease
Older adults who report feeling lonely had a greater risk of testing positive for high amyloid levels in the brain, a marker of Alzheimer’s disease, according to research from the Harvard Aging Brain Study.
Are heart attack triggers real?
A large international study of people around the world suggests that extreme physical exertion or emotional upset may be triggers for a heart attack.
Even a little exercise linked with lower stroke risk in people with afib
Testosterone therapy without evidence of deficiency may boost heart risk
Weight-loss drug may lower risk of heart attacks and infections
What to eat on the DASH diet
Migraine: How it's diagnosed and what that means
Tricep workouts you can do at home
Mindfulness practices to reduce stress and improve focus
Antihistamines may not offer meaningful relief from eczema symptoms
Overweight and taking blood pressure medications: Study finds it's a trend that's working
FDA approves first mRNA-based flu vaccine
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