Month: April 2024
How well do you worry about your health?
Don’t worry. It’s good advice if you can take it. Of course that’s not always easy, especially for health concerns. The truth is: it’s impossible (and ill-advised) to never worry about your health. But are you worrying about the right things? Let’s compare a sampling of common worries to the most common conditions that actually…
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Ready to give up the lead vest?
At a dental appointment last month, I spotted a lead vest hanging unassumingly on the wall of the exam room as soon as I walked in. “Still there, but now obsolete,” I thought. I’d just learned about new guidelines from the American Dental Association (ADA) saying lead vests and thyroid collars that cover the neck…
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Why eat lower on the seafood chain?
Many health-conscious consumers have already cut back on hamburgers, steaks, and deli meats, often by swapping in poultry or seafood. Those protein sources are better than beef, and not just because they’re linked to a lower risk of heart disease, diabetes, and cancer. Chicken and fish are also better for the environment, as their production…
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What complications can occur after prostate cancer surgery?
Earlier this year, US defense secretary Lloyd Austin was hospitalized for complications resulting from prostate cancer surgery. Details of his procedure, which was performed on December 22, were not fully disclosed. Press statements from the Pentagon indicated that Austin had undergone a minimally invasive prostatectomy, which is an operation to remove the prostate gland. Minimally…
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When should your teen or tween start using skin products?
Social media and stores are full of products that promise perfect skin. Increasingly, these products are being marketed not just to adults but to teens and tweens. Many are benign, but some can cause skin irritation — and can be costly. And even if these products are benign, does buying them support unhealthy notions about…
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Is snuff really safer than smoking?
Snuff is a smokeless tobacco similar to chewing tobacco. It rarely makes headlines. But it certainly did when the FDA authorized a brand of snuff to market its products as having a major health advantage over cigarettes. Could this be true? Is it safe to use snuff? What did the FDA authorize as a health…
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Ever worry about your gambling?
Are online gambling and sports betting new to your area? Are gambling advertisements catching your eye? Have you noticed sports and news shows covering the spread? Recent changes in laws have made gambling widely accessible, and its popularity has soared. Occasional bets are rarely an issue. But uncontrolled gambling can lead to financial, psychological, physical,…
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Stepping up activity if winter slowed you down
If you've been cocooning due to winter’s cold, who can blame you? But a lack of activity isn't good for body or mind during any season. And whether you're deep in the grip of winter or fortunate to be basking in signs of spring, today is a good day to start exercising. If you’re not…
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