HPV Vaccine Making Headway Against Cancer-Causing Virus Worldwide

WEDNESDAY, June 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- HPV vaccination programs significantly reduce human papillomavirus infections and precancerous cervical lesions, a new global review finds.

Vaccination protects against the HPV strains that cause the majority of cervical cancers.

Researchers analyzed 65 studies that included data ...

Suicide Rates Soaring Among Black Teens

WEDNESDAY, June 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Tragically, teens can be vulnerable to suicide as they navigate the emotional pitfalls of growing up, and a new U.S. study suggests black teens might be the most vulnerable of all.

Suicide deaths among black females aged 13 to 19 rose 182% between 2001 and 2017, while the rate among blac...

Could Heavier Folks Be at Lower Risk for ALS?

WEDNESDAY, June 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- It's not often that anything good is associated with obesity. Yet heavy folks and those who bulk up as they age may have less risk for the deadly disease amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a new study finds.

The Norwegian study found that over several decades, people who packed on the most...

Just 30 Minutes of Light Exercise a Week May Keep Deadly Stroke at Bay

WEDNESDAY, June 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Just a little exercise may help protect you against a type of deadly bleeding stroke, a new study suggests.

As many as half of people who suffer a subarachnoid hemorrhage die within three months.

While smoking and high blood pressure have been shown to increase the risk of this de...

Why Your Foot Calluses Might Be Good for You

WEDNESDAY, June 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Before you take a pumice stone to your foot calluses just because they're unsightly, you might want to consider the idea that they are actually nature's shoes.

That's one of the messages from a new study suggesting that in certain ways, walking on callused feet can be better for you than the...

When Traditional Rx Fails, Psoriasis Patients Seek Alternatives

WEDNESDAY, June 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Many Americans with the chronic skin condition psoriasis use complementary or alternative therapies to treat their symptoms, a small survey finds.

Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease marked by raised, red, scaly patches on the skin. It is associated with other serious health problems, includi...

New Urine Test Might Show Whether Prostate Cancer Needs Treatment

WEDNESDAY, June 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- A man who learns he has prostate cancer faces a difficult choice: whether to immediately treat the cancer despite potential side effects or wait and see if it's a slow-growing tumor that never needs treatment.

Men may soon have help making that decision.

Researchers from the Unit...

Americans Aware of Antibiotic Resistance, but Don't Always Follow Rx: Poll

WEDNESDAY, June 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Most Americans consider antibiotic resistance a threat to public health, but 45% say they've used antibiotics improperly, a new poll reports.

Of those, 39% did not finish a course of antibiotics and 16% took them without talking first to a health care provider, according to a pho...

AHA News: Adjusting BMI Eliminates Lead Asian Americans Hold in Heart Health

WEDNESDAY, June 26, 2019 (American Heart Association News) -- Asian Americans are more likely to have better overall cardiovascular health than white Americans, but they lose that standing when the comparison is made using a lower, Asian-specific threshold for body mass index, according to new research.

Asian Americans are one of the ...

TV Watching May Be Most Unhealthy Type of Sitting: Study

WEDNESDAY, June 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Next time you're ready to hit the sofa for an evening of TV, think twice -- it just might kill you.

Though too much sitting has long been linked to health risks, a new study suggests all sitting isn't the same -- and sitting in front of the TV after dinner for long hours at a stretch is esp...

Big Decline Seen in Use of Annual Pelvic Exam by Young Women

WEDNESDAY, June 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Young women are far less likely now to get an annual pelvic exam than they were in decades past, a new report finds.

In 1988, about 42% of those aged 15 to 20 got the standard gynecologic exam, but by 2017 that number had dropped by half, to just under 22%, according to researchers ...

What's The Most Effective Way to Tone Your Biceps?

WEDNESDAY, June 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- The biceps, the very visible muscles in the front of the upper arms, are a target in every comprehensive strength-training regimen, but what exercise is the most effective?

To answer that question, the American Council on Exercise asked scientists from the University of Wisconsin-La Crosse t...

A Tasty Way to Enjoy More Carrots

WEDNESDAY, June 26, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Carrot sticks are fine for a snack, but that's far from the only way to get these tasty veggies into your diet.

Carrots are naturally high in beta carotene, and they're great for liver and skin health. These sweet root vegetables come in a wide range of colors, all of which are nutritious. W...

Childhood Brain Tumor Survivors Face More Struggles

TUESDAY, June 25, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Adult survivors of childhood brain tumors often face intellectual and financial struggles, a new study finds.

Advances in treatment have prolonged the lives of many childhood brain tumor patients, but survivors may have to contend with a number of effects from the disease and its treatment, t...

FDA Warns Two Kratom Marketers About False Claims

TUESDAY, June 25, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday took two kratom marketers to task over false claims that their products can treat or cure opioid addiction.

The latest salvo is part of the agency's continuing efforts to alert consumers about the potential dangers of the herbal drug.

...

Many Young Men Putting Health at Risk to Bulk Up

TUESDAY, June 25, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Image is everything for most teens and young adults, and 22% of young men and 5% of young women turn to potentially dangerous methods to "bulk up," a new study says.

These unhealthy methods -- dubbed "disordered eating behaviors" -- include eating to gain weight and using supplements ...

Buyer Beware: Many Stem Cell Clinics Lack Docs Trained in Treatments

TUESDAY, June 25, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- There's a good chance the doctor treating you at a stem cell clinic doesn't have any professional training related to your illness, researchers report.

Anesthesiologists, dermatologists, plastic surgeons, radiologists and family doctors are among a wide range of physicians overseeing treatment...

Could Antibacterial Triclosan Weaken Women's Bones?

TUESDAY, June 25, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Triclosan, a chemical commonly added to a myriad of consumer products to kill bacteria, may be bad for women's bones, a new study suggests.

"We found that higher triclosan levels in urine were associated with lower bone mineral density in the femur and lumbar spine and increased the risk for o...

AHA News: Genetics May Help Predict the Right Blood Pressure Drug for You

TUESDAY, June 25, 2019 (American Heart Association News) -- Medication can play a huge role in reducing high blood pressure, a leading cause of stroke, heart attack and other serious health problems. Yet given the wide selection of drugs for doctors to choose from, figuring out which drug works best for someone is difficult.

But resea...

Sperm Seems to Survive Just Fine in Space, Study Shows

TUESDAY, June 25, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- The reality of humans getting reproductive help in space just got a little bit closer.

Scientists in Spain report frozen sperm samples subjected to space-like gravity conditions were as viable as those that remained on Earth, a finding that could eventually lead to sperm banks in space.