Climate change — to those who indulge in counter-factual thinking and who hold anti-science beliefs — may be an abstraction and a mere theory. But weather extremes became a startling, real, and deadly health threat to tens of millions in a swath of the Pacific Northwest in this country and Canada. Days of unrelenting, record-shattering….
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San Francisco, Beverly Hills blaze new regulatory path with e-cigarette bans
Cities are daring to tread where federal regulators have not: They’re cracking down on vaping and its potential harm, particularly to the young, by banning e-cigarettes and tobacco products. San Francisco supervisors’ e-cigarette ban, recently enacted, packs a symbolic punch because Juul, a “tech startup” whose product has become the market-dominating maker of vaping devices,….
Continue ReadingIn celebrity death and diagnosis, cautions for all on stroke and cancer
For Americans of a certain age, the power of celebrity and sad news — the early death of acting heart-throb Luke Perry and the announced Stage 4 cancer diagnosis of game show host Alex Trebek — may offer important health warnings about two leading causes of death: strokes and cancer. Strokes kill 140,000 Americans each year—that’s 1 out….
Continue ReadingCommon sense on kids and concussions, adult heart disease, frats and booze
Common sense and moderation can matter a ton in maintaining good health, as recent news reports show, particularly with kids and concussions, middle-aged adults and heart disease, and collegiate alcohol abuse. With youngsters returning to school and so many of them participating in sports and recreation programs, it’s good that the federal Centers for Disease….
Continue ReadingWhy are some ER doctors refusing to give stroke patients ‘brain-saving’ care?
It’s no April Fool joke: Emergency doctors across the country, according to the New York Times, have been defying widely accepted standards of care and withholding a drug that rigorous clinical trials and medical specialists long have recommended for stroke victims. Administration of the drug, tPA or tissue plasminogen activator, helps to prevent brain injury after a….
Continue ReadingIt’s not a stretch: Avoid those over-use boo-boos, older yogis are warned
For seniors who may be rushing to squeeze in a few more pretzel-twisting sessions to ease their stress from a hectic holiday season, this is a gentle reminder: Take it easy with the yoga. It can be good for you, but don’t overdo it or you may hurt yourself. The Washington Post reported that the….
Continue ReadingNew normal reclassifies millions as having high blood pressure, so now what?
Did you feel yourself just get less well? U.S. heart experts have just issued new guidelines on what Americans’ optimal blood pressure should be—effectively and suddenly shifting just under half of the adults in the nation younger than 45 into an unhealthful status as hypertensive. Doctors say there’s no doubting data that shows that blood….
Continue ReadingSkepticism is wise about “brain” toys & games for kids, seniors
Yes, the ancient adage caveat emptor still rules in the high-tech age. It may have sounded so simple, nice, and sweet to plunk grandma and grandpa in front of a computer screen to let them run a program to play games touted to help them prevent the cognitive ravages of age. It may seem wonderful, easy,….
Continue ReadingTeens inundated with e-cigarette ads, which pay off for Big Tobacco
Here’s a disturbing trend: Teenagers are getting inundated with advertisements touting electronic or so-called e-cigarettes. Health authorities at the same time note that “vaping” is a growing way for millions to take in harmful nicotine and other substances. Almost 7 in 10 10 youths were exposed to manufacturers’ tidal wave of e-cigarette ads, which are broadcast,….
Continue ReadingToo Many Older People Take Statins
In the last couple of years, the class of medications known as statins has gotten a lot of attention, most recently this month when NPR reported concern over the popularity of prescribing statins for the elderly. Statins are cholesterol-lowering drugs with “statin” somewhere in the generic name; brand names include Crestor, Lipitor and Zocor. People with….
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