In an effort to pinpoint the earliest signs of diabetic kidney disease, researchers at University of California, San Diego School of Medicine are leading a multi-institutional international effort dedicated to finding a new breed of disease indicators. The study, funded by a $2.5 million JDRF (formerly known as the Juvenile Diabetes Research Foundation) grant, will…

(StatePoint) Want a glowing complexion? The services of a professional esthetician can run you a pretty penny, but luckily, an at-home routine can promote great skin, too. For a convenient and affordable spa effect at home, consider the following. Healthy Habits Your skin truly is a reflection of your overall health, so adopting habits that…

(StatePoint) Dry eye syndrome — when your body doesn’t produce enough tears to keep your eyes moist — is not just uncomfortable, it can lead to eye damage. Unfortunately, the problem is common and can worsen with age. In fact, Americans spend about a third of a billion dollars annually on over-the-counter eye drops, or…

Numerous studies have identified obesity and poor diet as risk factors for insulin resistance and diabetes. A new study adds another risk factor to the list: inflammatory lung disease. Published in the American Journal of Physiology—Regulatory, Integrative and Comparative Physiology, the study reports that inflammation in the lungs is enough to induce the body-wide inflammation…

A Loma Linda University research team, led by Lee Berk, DrPH, MPH, has confirmed brain health benefits from the consumption of dark chocolate (cocoa). The team’s initial studies have shown that absorbed cocoa flavonoids penetrate and accumulate in the brain regions associated with learning and memory. Shared properties of nerves and these cocoa flavonoids sequence…

(StatePoint) It’s that time of year again: The Medicare Annual Election Period (AEP) begins October 15 and runs through December 7. Medicare is a critical source of health care for millions of Americans, and the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) sets this time for people to select and make changes to their plans…

The end of the “hormone therapy era” appears to have been greatly exaggerated. More than a decade ago, the “Women’s Health Initiative,” published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, advised menopausal women to stop their hormone replacement therapy due to a reported increase in breast cancer, strokes and heart attacks. In the years…

Early physical therapy for recent-onset low back pain resulted in statistically significant improvement in disability compared to usual care, but the improvement was modest and did not achieve a difference considered clinically important at the individual patient level, according to a study in the October 13 issue of JAMA. Lifetime prevalence of low back pain…

(StatePoint) For years, bottled water has been a go-to for clean drinking. Many believe it tastes better than tap water and assume it’s safer to drink. But at-home filtered water is another alternative, and while it gets less attention, there are many reasons why it could be the best option available. 1. You’ll Drink More…