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This Is Your Brain in High School
Numerous studies have shown that education offers protective effects against late-life cognitive impairment. College-educated people are at lower risk.
But the quality of one's high school experience seems to play a role too.
"When we talk about education, the quality of your high school experience, not just whether you received a diploma or...Read more

Mayo Clinic Minute: Preventing stroke
May is National Stroke Awareness Month, and as part of everyday awareness, Mayo Clinic health care professionals suggest reducing stroke risk and knowing the signs. A stroke happens every 40 seconds in the U.S., and the likelihood of stroke increases with age, according to the National Institutes of Health.
Preventing a stroke is a crucial ...Read more

Meet the Florida group chipping away at public benefits one state at a time
PHOENIX — As an Arizona bill to block people from using government aid to buy soda headed to the governor’s desk in April, the nation’s top health official joined Arizona lawmakers in the state Capitol to celebrate its passage.
Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. said to applause that the legislation was just the ...Read more

Wyandotte County, Kansas, offering low-cost measles vaccines to prevent potential outbreak
WYANDOTTE COUNTY, Kan. — Although Wyandotte County has yet to see a reported measles outbreak, public health officials are readying public guidance and offering vaccine services as the disease inches north from southwest Kansas.
As of May 7, Kansas’s 48 reported measles cases remained among eight counties in the state’s southwest corner, ...Read more
Patient With Scoliosis Is Advised To Get 10-Hour Back Surgery
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 72-year-old woman, and I have developed painful burning and tingling in my feet over the past several months, to the point that I cannot sleep many nights. Unfortunately, I cannot tolerate gabapentin on an ongoing basis, and topical anesthetic creams only help a little.
I do not have diabetes, but I do have significant ...Read more
A bone to pick about guys and osteoporosis
Hardly anyone realizes that around 2 million men in the U.S. have osteoporosis and another 16 million are at an increased risk for "brittle bone" disease because of low bone mass. The risk factors that men have include low testosterone levels, alcohol misuse, taking steroids (either for medical reasons or off the books) and/or smoking. And guys ...Read more

GOP House bill lays groundwork for thousands of Georgians to lose insurance
ATLANTA — Congressional Republicans’ proposed cuts to health care, unveiled this week, lay the groundwork for thousands of Georgians on subsidized private insurance plans under the Affordable Care Act to lose their coverage and go uninsured.
Some of the cuts are made directly in the bill, such as revoking ACA insurance from about 21,000 ...Read more

Children's health services could see trims even under scaled-back Medicaid cuts
Even as Republicans in Congress walk back their most aggressive proposal to slash federal Medicaid spending, they are weighing other options that could force states to cut services for children and other vulnerable populations.
U.S. House Speaker Mike Johnson told reporters last week that his caucus won’t reduce the 90% federal funding match ...Read more
HIIT and miss -- your chance to dodge full-blown Type 2 diabetes
Almost 100 million Americans have prediabetes. If most of them convert to full-blown Type 2 diabetes, that's an individual and public health crisis of unimaginable proportions. But many folks can make a U-turn, increase their insulin sensitivity and slash their risk for Type 2 diabetes.
A new study in the European Journal of Endocrinology ...Read more
Shingrix Vaccine Can Provide Some Protection Against Dementia
DEAR DR. ROACH: I recently read this morning that the shingles vaccine, Shingrix, "may have a protective effect against dementia." It goes on to say the studies that have been conducted so far are only observational. Is this something that you could address? -- J.S.B.
ANSWER: There have been several studies showing that people who get a ...Read more
Diabetes and cancer risk
Let me make it clear: I'm talking to you about the association of Type 2 diabetes with increased cancer risk, not to scare you, but to incentivize you to stick up for yourself, take charge of your future health, and embrace a longer, younger, happier life. You have to recognize life's potential potholes to successfully drive around them. So, let...Read more
Learning The Available Options For Dealing With A Kidney Stone
DEAR DR. ROACH: I just found out that I have a kidney stone. I'm 77 years old, and I don't want to deal with it. I've heard of potassium citrate and pulverizing it with sound waves. Are these options? -- J.M.
ANSWER: When a person gets a kidney stone, the goals are to manage any symptoms, determine if a person's health is at risk (especially ...Read more

On Nutrition: More on oxalates
A recent column on oxalates — natural components in plant foods that, when consumed in excess, can interfere with calcium absorption and contribute to kidney stones — brought these questions from readers:
“Thanks for your recent article on oxalates and calcium. I have osteoporosis and I'm trying to get enough calcium, magnesium and ...Read more
The Air Up There
Airplane air quality is generally regarded as good, comparable to or better than other indoor environments thanks to high air exchange rates and the use of high-efficiency particulate air filters. But any air traveler will tell you that flying seems to provoke a particular kind of air turbulence. Namely, increased flatulence.
It's a matter of...Read more

On Nutrition: What is the Mediterranean diet, really?
My husband and I traveled to Italy in 2019. Everything was wonderful, even the “house” wine in restaurants. We were surprised, however, that much of food we were served did not exactly match what we expected in this Mediterranean country.
In particular was the abundance of meat products, especially cold cuts, in the meals provided by our ...Read more
Homeopathy for Fatigue-Related Mood Swings: Natural Remedies for Emotional Balance
• Ignatia: Ignatia, derived from the seeds of the Ignatia amara tree, is a homeopathic remedy that may help alleviate mood swings caused by fatigue and emotional stress. It can be beneficial for individuals experiencing sudden changes in mood, such as sadness, anger, or irritability.
• Nux Vomica: Nux Vomica, prepared from the seeds...Read more
Cut Friday as an Option
People who get a common surgery on a Friday have a significantly higher risk of complications, readmission to the hospital and death as compared to people who got the same types of operation on a Monday, say researchers in a new study.
It's colloquially known as the "weekend effect," alluding to everybody's -- even surgeons' -- distraction ...Read more
Homeopathy for Anxiety and Stress: Natural Supplements to Find Inner Calm
• Aconite: Aconite, derived from the plant Aconitum napellus, is a homeopathic remedy that may help alleviate sudden and intense anxiety. It can be beneficial for individuals experiencing panic attacks or anxiety triggered by specific events or situations.
• Argentum Nitricum: Argentum Nitricum, prepared from silver nitrate, is a ...Read more
Homeopathy for Creativity: Natural Supplements to Boost Your Artistic Flow
• Anacardium: Anacardium, derived from the marking nut, is a homeopathic remedy that may help stimulate creativity and enhance concentration. It can be beneficial for individuals experiencing mental blocks or self-doubt that hinder their creative expression.
• Kali Bromatum: Kali Bromatum, prepared from potassium bromide, is a ...Read more
Homeopathy for Test Anxiety: Natural Supplements to Promote Calmness and Focus
• Argentum Nitricum: Argentum Nitricum, derived from silver nitrate, is a homeopathic remedy that may help alleviate test anxiety. It can be beneficial for individuals who experience nervousness, anticipatory anxiety, and fear of failure before exams.
• Gelsemium: Gelsemium, prepared from the yellow jasmine plant, is a homeopathic ...Read more
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