Mind and Body from Lifespan

Are Multivitamins Worth the Cost?

Tue, 14 May 2013 00:00:00 EDT

A pill packed with lots of nutrients-a multivitamin-may seem like the perfect shortcut to healthy living. Chances are, though, you're already getting all the vitamins and minerals you need from the foods you eat. So unless you have a nutritional deficiency, multivitamins may not provide much health benefit.

The Total-Body Toll of Obesity

Mon, 15 Apr 2013 00:00:00 EDT

Many Americans realize that obesity is more than a cosmetic concern. A recent poll found that 78 percent knew that obesity can raise the risk for heart disease. Seventy percent recognized a link with diabetes. But what about high blood pressure? Cancer? Arthritis? When asked about obesity’s effects on the body, fewer people mentioned such consequences.

E-Cigarettes: A Safer Source of Nicotine?

Fri, 15 Mar 2013 00:00:00 EDT

Anyone who has tried to quit smoking knows it can entail herculean efforts. Withdrawal symptoms from nicotine and constant cravings for a cigarette cause many smokers to quit on quitting. Some smokers may be tempted to try electronic cigarettes - or e-cigarettes. They may sound like a healthier option. But these devices may be no safer than traditional cigarettes.

Protecting Older Family Members from Financial Abuse

Fri, 15 Feb 2013 00:00:00 EST

It can be hard to discuss money matters with older family members. Many of us may prefer to avoid such a sticky subject entirely. This reluctance can make it easy to overlook a potentially serious problem: financial abuse. It's a type of elder abuse, which affects more than 5 million older adults each year. And experts believe it's becoming more common.

Americans Need to Learn More about Antibiotics

Sat, 12 Jan 2013 00:00:00 EST

Do antibiotics cure the common cold? If you answered yes, you've got good company in being wrong. A recent poll found that many Americans don't know enough about antibiotics and their proper use.

Too Much Sitting Can Harm Your Health

Fri, 14 Dec 2012 00:00:00 EST

If you spend a lot of time sitting every day, you may be harming your health, even if you exercise. A recent review of 18 studies with nearly 800,000 participants found a link between sedentary living and overall health.

Shoppers Who Read Food Labels Are Slimmer

Fri, 16 Nov 2012 00:00:00 EST

If you read food labels while you shop for groceries, you may have taken an important step toward maintainging a healthy weight. A new study found that people - especially women - who check food labels at the supermarket are thinner than people who don't.

Why Some People Get Cold Feet

Fri, 12 Oct 2012 00:00:00 EST

Folk wisdom links cold hands and feet with a warm heart. But that wisdom also refers to the natural process in which the body slows or reduces circulation to the hands and feet in order to boost blood flow and warmth for the internal organs in response to cold conditions.

Cancer Risk Higher with Mental Illness

Thu, 13 Sep 2012 00:00:00 EST

People who have schizophrenia or bipolar disorder appear to have more than a two-fold higher risk for cancer.

Large Jump in Imaging Scans Since 1996

Thu, 16 Aug 2012 00:00:00 EST

Many more imaging scans are done these days, greatly boosting the amount of radiation that patients receive and raising questions about overuse of these imaging methods, a new analysis concludes.

Asthma Cases on the Upswing

Sun, 15 Jul 2012 00:00:00 EST

Asthma continues to be a major health problem in the U.S., with the rate of new asthma cases increasing by almost 15 percent between 2001 and 2010, the CDC says in a new report.