Month: March 2019

Recent research shows that more than one-third of people who are recovering from addiction continue to experience chronic physical disease. Excessive use of alcohol and drugs can lead to mental and physical health issues, some of which include anxiety, depre…

A recent study in mice showed that reheated cooking oil might trigger cell changes that can promote late-stage breast cancer growth. Researchers from the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign tested “thermally abused frying oil,” which is cooking oil th…

Many people say that helping others through acts of charity or volunteer work makes them feel better and happier. New research goes further and finds that simply wishing someone well may have a similarly positive effect on our moods. Whether it is escaping t…

Bob Marley once said, “One good thing about music, when it hits you, you feel no pain.” A recent study using a mouse model backs up Marley’s musing with some scientific data. In the past, scientists have explored the idea of using music as a therapy in a var…

Practicing meditation or mindfulness techniques is, at least anecdotally, supposed to smooth your way to a happier, more healthful life. But what does science say about these practices? Meditation “keeps our minds and hearts calm, peaceful, and loving, i.e.,…

Vitamin C could be a cost-effective way to reduce the time that patients spend in intensive care. This was the conclusion of a recent analysis of evidence from published trials. Dr. Harri Hemilä of the University of Helsinki in Finland and Dr. Elizabeth Chal…

There is no doubt that smoking damages health and increases the risk of many diseases and premature death. However, a study that followed hundreds of older adults for more than 10 years found no link between tobacco smoking and raised dementia risk. Dementia…

A new review, which appears in The BMJ journal, examines the benefits of non-invasive brain stimulation for treating major depression and finds that the technique is a valid alternative to existing treatments. Over 17 million adults in the United States have…

Research has revealed a biological explanation for why some people with depression do not respond to a class of antidepressants that doctors commonly prescribe. It has to do with fundamental differences in the nerve cells that produce and use serotonin. Sero…

A randomized controlled study finds that a diet low in carbs can relieve pain for people who have knee osteoarthritis. Osteoarthritis is the most widespread form of arthritis among older adults in the United States. Knee osteoarthritis, in particular, affec…