Are you getting health care you don’t need?
Ever wonder if every medical test or treatment you've taken was truly necessary? Or are you inclined to get every bit of health care you can? Maybe you feel good about getting the most out of your health insurance. Perhaps a neighborhood imaging center is advertising discounted screening tests, your employer offers health screens as […]
Should you be sleepmaxxing to boost health and happiness?
If you’ve been on TikTok lately, you know it’s hard to avoid countless influencers touting a concept called sleepmaxxing. Their posts provide tips and tricks to get longer, better, and more restorative sleep. And why not? Sleep is considered a pillar of good health and is related to everything from brain health to cardiovascular health, […]
Respiratory health harms often follow flooding: Taking these steps can help
Heavy rains and sea level rise contribute to major flooding events that are one effect of climate change. Surging water rushing into buildings often causes immediate harms, such as drowning deaths, injuries sustained while seeking shelter or fleeing, and hypothermia after exposure to cold waters with no shelter or heat. But long after news trucks […]
A muscle-building obsession in boys: What to know and do
By the time boys are 8 or 10, they’re steeped in Marvel action heroes with bulging, oversized muscles and rock-hard abs. By adolescence, they’re deluged with social media streams of bulked-up male bodies. The underlying messages about power and worth prompt many boys to worry and wonder about how to measure up. Sometimes, negative thoughts […]
Can saw palmetto treat an enlarged prostate?
Marketed as a natural remedy for an enlarged prostate, saw palmetto is a top-selling dietary supplement. It’s extracted from berries that grow on saw palmetto palm trees, which are native to the southeastern United States. By one estimate, more than a third of all US adults who take supplements use saw palmetto specifically. Some evidence […]
Healthier planet, healthier people
Everything is connected. You’ve probably heard that before, but it bears repeating. Below are five ways to boost both your individual health and the health of our planet — a combination that environmentalists call co-benefits. How your health and planetary health intersect Back in 1970, Earth Day was founded as a day of awareness about […]
Supporting a loved one with prostate cancer: A guide for caregivers
Looking after a loved one who has prostate cancer can be overwhelming. Caregivers — usually partners, family members, or close friends — play crucial roles in supporting a patient's physical and psychological well-being. But what does that entail? You as a caregiver might not know what to say or how to help. "Patients diagnosed with […]
Can a routine vaccine prevent dementia?
It’s fairly common for a medical treatment to cause side effects: think headache, upset stomach, sleepiness, and occasionally more severe side effects. Far more rarely, a side effect provides an unexpected benefit. This might be the case for the shingles vaccine. Shingles is a painful, blistering skin rash caused by the varicella zoster virus responsible […]