Health Advice
/Health
/ArcaMax

Strokes can cause debilitating damage. Researchers have found a way to limit it
HARTFORD, Conn. -- With limited treatment options for stroke patients available, two UConn researchers are developing an experimental drug that is capable of protecting the brain and improving recovery after a cerebral vascular accident also known as a brain attack.
Rajkumar Verma, assistant professor at UConn Health who leads a research ...Read more
California moves to close overdose protection loophole that deters students from seeking emergency help
LOS ANGELES — On the night TJ McGee overdosed from a mixture of drugs and alcohol in his freshman year at UC Berkeley, his friends found him passed out in the hallway by their shared dorm room.
The roommates tried to help, but when McGee stopped breathing, they called 911.
McGee survived and, racked with guilt over what happened that night, ...Read more

On Nutrition: Chemists weigh in on hydrogen water
A recent column on hydrogen water brought a well-deserved slap on the wrist from two experts.
Rodney H. from Texas writes (with a few of my added comments): “Sorry about being picky, but as a retired chemist, I just wanted to set the record straight about the differences between atoms and molecules. I know what you're thinking...oh no, here ...Read more
Man Weighs Whether A Gluten-Free Diet Is Necessary For Him
DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a reasonably healthy 81-year-old retired man, although I wear a pacemaker and have bad arthritis. My daughter insists that I'd be much healthier and happier if I eliminated gluten from my diet. I don't even know what gluten is or which foods it's in. So, am I flying blind into a storm about all this? -- Prof. G
ANSWER: ...Read more
Why you want your kids jumping out of their seats
It may seem counterintuitive, but a new study in the journal Psychology of Sport and Exercise indicates that kids ages 9-12 do better on school tests when they are allowed to have 9 minutes of high-intensity interval exercise (HIIE) in the classroom before they pick up their pencils and take an exam. Not only does their elevated heart rate ...Read more
LA child dies from complication of measles infection contracted in infancy
A school-aged child in Los Angeles County has died from a rare complication of measles after contracting the disease in infancy, the county public health department announced Thursday.
The child — who was not old enough to be vaccinated at the time of infection — died from subacute sclerosing panencephalitis, a fatal progressive brain ...Read more

Florida surgeon general says vaccines should be a choice. But what's his advice?
Gov. Ron DeSantis and Florida Surgeon General Joseph Ladapo shocked America’s medical establishment last week when they said they would try to remove requirements that kids get vaccinated to attend school.
They said it is a matter of medical ethics — a philosophical belief that the government shouldn’t require people to put things in ...Read more

Responding to federal changes, Maryland seeks to clarify 'confusing' COVID-19 vaccine rules
BALTIMORE — With the cold and flu season approaching, Maryland health officials issued guidance Wednesday on who may receive COVID-19 vaccines and whether insurance will cover the shots — a shifting landscape a top regulator described as “confusing.”
“I very much appreciate that it’s confusing,” Maryland Insurance Commissioner ...Read more

Many Black, Latino people can't get opioid addiction med. Medicaid cuts may make it harder
Pharmacies in Black and Latino neighborhoods are less likely to dispense buprenorphine — one of the main treatments for opioid use disorder — even though people of color are more likely to die from opioid overdoses.
The drug helps reduce cravings for opioids and the likelihood of a fatal overdose.
While the nation as a whole has seen ...Read more

Researchers shift tactics to tackle extremism as public health threat
Rebecca Kasen has seen and heard things in recent years in and around Michigan’s capital city that she never would have expected.
“It’s a very weird time in our lives,” said Kasen, executive director of the Women’s Center of Greater Lansing.
Last November, a group of people were captured on surveillance video early one morning ...Read more

In the fallout from Trump's health funding cuts, states face tough budget decisions
Patients begin lining up before dawn at Operation Border Health, an annual five-day health clinic in Texas’ Rio Grande Valley. Many residents in this predominantly Latino and Hispanic region spanning the Mexican border lack insurance, making the health fair a major source of free medical care in South Texas for more than 25 years.
Until this ...Read more
What Is The Reasoning Behind Prescribing Weight-Loss Drugs?
DEAR DR. ROACH: In a recent column, you answered a question regarding weight loss. You stated that you do not recommend weight-loss drugs unless the person is very overweight or has medical complications. I'm curious to know your reasoning behind this. Can you please elaborate on your answer? -- J.S.
ANSWER: In my opinion, being overweight is...Read more
Recovering from a bad night's sleep
If you -- like 84 million of your fellow Americans -- frequently get only fair or poor-quality sleep, it's time to turn back the clock on the health risks associated with sleep problems. They include difficulty with short-term memory and hand-eye coordination; trouble with alertness and the ability to learn; moodiness; and a significantly ...Read more

Average life expectancy in Chicago rebounds to 78.7 years, following worst years of pandemic
CHICAGO — Chicago’s average life expectancy bounced back to 78.7 years in 2023, nearly hitting its prepandemic peak — though large gaps remain between races and neighborhoods, according to the city health department.
City health officials attributed the overall improvement to a drop in COVID-19 deaths, after leaving the worst years of the...Read more

West Nile virus footprint expands in San Diego County
SAN DIEGO — The West Nile virus threat continues to increase in San Diego County this week, with routine monitoring picking up the presence of the pathogen in San Diego’s City Heights and Skyline neighborhoods. The latest detection comes a little more than one month after workers sprayed about 4,000 parcels in the Rolando neighborhood just ...Read more

Medicare prior authorization expands to ambulatory surgical centers
Medicare beneficiaries in 10 states will soon be participating in a new prior authorization program. The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS) is implementing a five-year demonstration project for prior authorization of certain services provided in Ambulatory Surgical Centers (ASCs), starting in December 2025. The targeted ...Read more

Environmental Nutrition: Keep your cool in the kitchen
Certain ingredients (mostly herbs and spices) have naturally cooling effects on the body, and incorporating them into meals and snacks can help support hydration, digestion, and temperature regulation. Isn’t that cool? (Pun intended). Here’s a look at a few of our favorites.
Mint. Perhaps the best-known cooling herb, mint contains menthol, ...Read more

Is your breakfast cereal healthy?
I have a confession: I like cereal. And not just a little.
When I was a kid, I’d have ready-to-eat breakfast cereal in the morning and again after dinner as dessert. Raisin Bran, Corn Flakes, and Rice Krispies were in regular rotation. And if there was milk left over after finishing the cereal, I’d do what so many other cereal lovers do: ...Read more

Mayo Clinic Q&A: Does vitamin C help us when we’re sick?
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Growing up, I was told to drink orange juice when I had a cold because “vitamin C is the cure.” Does vitamin C actually help us when we’re sick? What are its benefits?
ANSWER: Vitamin C supports our immune systems, helps our bodies heal wounds, protects our joints and contributes to collagen formation, the main protein ...Read more
I, Robot
Typically, less than 1% of intravenous drugs reach the target tissue. Researchers at the University of Oxford and University of Michigan hope to change that using drug-carrying microrobots and magnets.
The microrobots are two-sided particles composed of a gel that can carry medicines and magnets that enable their control. In an experiment ...Read more
Inside Health Advice
Popular Stories
- Is your breakfast cereal healthy?
- Many Black, Latino people can't get opioid addiction med. Medicaid cuts may make it harder
- Responding to federal changes, Maryland seeks to clarify 'confusing' COVID-19 vaccine rules
- Researchers shift tactics to tackle extremism as public health threat
- Environmental Nutrition: Keep your cool in the kitchen