Healthy Living Boosts Life Span, Even for Former Smokers

THURSDAY, Sept. 29, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Eating well and exercising can make for a longer life, and that holds true for former smokers, too, a new study shows.

Researchers found that of nearly 160,000 former smokers, those who exercised, ate healthfully and limited their drinking were less likely to die over the next...

AHA News: For This Race Car Driver, Curing a Racing Heart Was Key to Crossing the Finish Line

Bryce Cornet is no stranger to a racing heart. His heart beats faster each time he puts on his helmet, slides into the cockpit of his race car, snaps on the buckles of his harness and puts the pedal to the floor to careen around a twisting, turning racetrack.

"I always wanted to be a race car driver," Bryce said. "Once my parents saw my in...

1 in 5 Young Women Has No Plans to Get a Mammogram

THURSDAY, Sept. 29, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Terlisa Sheppard knows the value of tracking changes in her body.

The Orlando Health patient was eight and a half months pregnant and just 31 years old when she felt a lump under her arm. She left work to get it checked out and "didn’t return back to work because that is th...

Hurricanes Threaten Many U.S. Coastal Hospitals With Serious Flooding

As Hurricane Ian slams Florida, a new study finds that many hospitals positioned near the Gulf and East Coasts are vulnerable to severe flooding from such storms.

Ian struck the West Coast of Florida Wednesday and careened toward the East Coast. It's then expected to veer north.

Researchers found that even relatively weak hurricanes ...

Perceptive Pooches Can Smell Your Stress

THURSDAY, Sept. 29, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Everyone knows dogs have a keen sense of smell, but now researchers have discovered they can even smell stress in the breath and sweat of humans.

"Dogs possess an incredible sense of smell. Previous research has demonstrated their ability to detect changes within the human bod...

Jynneos Vaccine Protects Against Monkeypox in Early U.S. Data

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 29, 2022 (HealthDay News) – The Jynneos vaccine, originally designed to guard against smallpox infection, also seems to protect against monkeypox, new U.S. government data shows.

The potency of the vaccine in a real-world setting was impressive: While two doses of the vaccine offered more protection against monkeypox, ev...

'Bionic Pancreas' Could Make Life Easier for People With Type 1 Diabetes

THURSDAY, Sept. 29, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- A new technology dubbed the "bionic pancreas" may beat standard treatment in helping people with type 1 diabetes control their blood sugar levels, a clinical trial has found.

Among adults and children with type 1 diabetes, those who used the bionic pancreas for three months sa...

Weight-Loss Surgery Linked to New-Onset Epilepsy

THURSDAY, Sept. 29, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Weight-loss surgery can change a person's life and health, but new research warns it might also come with a slight risk of developing epilepsy.

People who had the surgery had a 45% relative increased risk of developing epilepsy, compared with people who did not have the surger...

Not Enough Older Americans Are Checking Blood Pressure At Home

Regular home monitoring can help with blood pressure control, but only half of people who have hypertension or other related conditions actually do it, a new study found.

Of Americans ages 50 to 80 who take blood pressure medications or have a health condition affected by high blood pressure, only 48% regularly check their pressure at hom...

Does Your Surgeon's Gender Matter?

Folks having surgery have lots of things to worry about as they go under the knife, but the gender of their surgeon isn't one of them, a new study finds.

There's no difference in rates of death or complications between male and female surgeons, Japanese data shows.

And that’s even though in Japan female surgeons are more likely to ...

Smoking Costs U.S. Economy Almost $900 Billion a Year

Smoking isn't only costly in terms of health risks, it also cost the U.S. economy $891 billion in 2020.

That was almost 10 times the cigarette industry's $92 billion revenue, according to the authors of a new American Cancer Society study.

"Economic losses from cigarette smoking far outweigh any economic benefit from the tobacco indu...

COVID Shot in Pregnancy Helps Baby, Even If Mom's Been Infected: Study

Pregnant women who get COVID-19 and then get vaccinated before giving birth are more likely than other moms to pass protective antibodies to their newborns, new research shows.

Babies can't get their own shots until they're 6 months of age.

For this study, a team at the University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA), studied both vacc...

Experts Issue Warning About Carbon Monoxide Dangers Ahead of Hurricane Ian

As Florida and nearby states brace for the potential impact of Hurricane Ian, residents in the storm's path should also think about the hazards they may face in its aftermath.

If high winds take out your electricity, the U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) offers tips for staying safe.

First, be cautious about using ...

Less Salt, More Whole Grains: FDA Updates Food Label Definition of 'Healthy'

Salmon can't be labeled a "healthy" food under existing federal regulations, because it contains high levels of fat.

But sweetened cereals can bear the "healthy" label on their packaging if they tick specific boxes related to individual nutrients -- even though they might be loaded with added sugars.

These contradictions fly in the ...

Katie Couric Announces Breast Cancer Diagnosis

Former TV newswoman and TODAY show anchor Katie Couric has breast cancer.

Couric shared that information Wednesday on Instagram, while also releasing an essay about the experience on her media website.

"Every two minutes, a woman is diagnosed with breast cancer in the United States," Couric wrote on Instagram. "On June 21st, I becam...

Longevity Calculator Could Aid Planning After Dementia Diagnosis

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 28, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- How long can someone newly diagnosed with dementia expect to live?

It’s a tough question but definitely one that many family members and friends grapple with after a loved one is diagnosed with dementia and begins to decline. Now, a new statistical model may help answer thi...

AHA News: The Benefits of Adding a Drizzle of Olive Oil to Your Diet

The ancient Greeks were on to something when they referred to olive oil as an "elixir of youth and health." Centuries later, research offers evidence about the benefits of olive oil in our daily diets.

Consuming more than half a tablespoon of olive oil a day may lower heart disease risk, a 2020 study found. And earlier this year, researche...

New Alzheimer's Drug Shows Promise in Phase 3 Clinical Trial

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 28, 2022 (HealthDay) -- Japanese drugmaker Eisai on Wednesday said its experimental drug lecanemab helped slow thinking declines among people in the early stages of Alzheimer's disease.

The findings from a phase 3 clinical trial have yet to be peer-reviewed in any medical journal. But according to a company news release,...

'Breakthrough' Infections After COVID Vaccine Can Help Prevent Future Illness

It's very frustrating to get a COVID-19 vaccine and then wind up catching the virus anyway.

But these breakthrough infections actually do you a world of good, providing a powerful boost to your existing vaccine-induced immune protection, a new study reports.

People infected after getting a basic two-dose COVID vaccination experienced...

Regular Weightlifting Could Lengthen Your Life

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 28, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- Combining weightlifting with aerobic exercise can significantly lower your odds dying early, especially from heart disease, new research shows.

Depending how much weightlifting they did, older adults reduced their risk of premature death by between 9% and 22%, the study found...