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Short Sleepers Are Four Times More Likely to Catch a Cold
A new study led by a UC San Francisco sleep researcher supports what parents have been saying for centuries: to avoid getting sick, be sure to get enough sleep. The team, which included researchers at Carnegie Mellon University and University of Pittsburgh Medical Center, found that people who sleep six hours a night or less…
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Protect Your Eyes and Health from Harmful “Blue Light”
You already know to protect your eyes from harmful UV-light when you are outdoors. But did you know that another dangerous light emission is all around us — in our homes, our workplaces and in the palms of our hands? New research is illuminating the dangers of blue light, a high-energy wavelength of light emitted…
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What to Ask Your Doctor Before Scheduling Surgery
If you are planning to have surgery, you may be anxious. Asking the right questions before scheduling surgery can help ensure good care and give you a better idea of what to expect. Here are a few areas you may want to cover with your surgeon in advance of the big day. Reviewing Your Options…
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The Importance of Knowing your Family Health History
The information you gain when you look into your family’s past is vast and full of pertinent knowledge. You might learn the geographic location of your ancestors and what social or political positions they held. More importantly, you can also find out crucial information regardingthe health history of your family members. There are over 23.5…
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Hand Washing Not the Answer to Combat Germs
They are everywhere. On every surface; on our hands, our lips and noses and everywhere on us and in us. There is no crevice, nook or cranny of our bodies that is excluded. They will find us, no matter what we do. It’s just fact. Germs are everywhere, all around us, and it will always…
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Protein-Rich Nutrition Key to Helping Patients Recover from Severe Burns
For someone recovering from severe burns, eating is often the last thing they want to do. However, burn specialists at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center say nutrition is so vital to their patients’ recovery that they make it a quality indicator for patient care. “The metabolism goes into hyper drive, trying to heal…
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Six Reasons for Headaches in School-Age Children and How Parents Can Help Relieve the Pain
As the school year approaches and begins, many parents may start to hear their children complain about headaches. According to Nick DeBlasio, MD, a pediatrician in Cincinnati Children’s Hospital Medical Center’s Pediatric Primary Care Clinic, about 10% of school-aged children and 15-27% of teens experience them from time to time. Headaches can be triggered by…
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Back-to-School Anxiety Common for Kids and Adolescents
As the number of days of summer vacation decrease, children and adolescent anxiety levels often increase. In addition to getting school supplies, registration completed and vaccinations up to date, it’s important for parents to talk to their kids and understand how they feel about heading back to school. “Anxiety is one of the most common…
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‘Drink When Thirsty’ to Avoid Fatal Drops in Blood Sodium Levels During Exercise
For hikers, football players, endurance athletes, and a growing range of elite and recreational exercisers, the best approach to preventing potentially serious reductions in blood sodium level is to drink when thirsty, according to an updated consensus statement on exercise-associated hyponatremia (EAH). The recommendations appear in the June issue of the Clinical Journal of Sport…
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Even Moderate Picky Eating Can Have Negative Effects on Children’s Health
Picky eating among children is a common but burdensome problem that can result in poor nutrition for kids, family conflict, and frustrated parents. Although many families see picky eating as a phase, a new study from Duke Medicine finds moderate and severe picky eating often coincides with serious childhood issues such as depression and anxiety…