04Mar 2023 by Janice Holland
Drinking Alone as a Young Person Linked to Later Alcohol Use Disorder

Drinking Alone as a Young Person Linked to Later Alcohol Use Disorder

Main
Drinking alone during adolescence and young adulthood is associated with a higher risk of alcohol use disorder (AUD) later in life, and this risk is especially high for women, according to a new study published on July 11 in Drug and Alcohol Dependence. “When young people drink alone, it’s a red flag that predicts future alcohol problems,” says the study's lead author, Kasey Creswell, PhD, an associate professor of psychology at Carnegie Mellon University in Pittsburgh.“Most young people who drink alcohol only do so with others in social settings — with friends and at parties. Drinking alone as a young person may signify a problematic relationship with alcohol, in which drinking is used as way to cope with negative emotions,” says Dr. Creswell.About 3 in 10 High School Students Report Drinking AlcoholUnderage…
Read More
04Mar 2023 by Janice Holland
Opioid Prescription Rates Higher Among Some People With Disabilities

Opioid Prescription Rates Higher Among Some People With Disabilities

Main
When adults with spina bifida and cerebral palsy get prescribed opioids, they’re given much higher doses on average than people without these pediatric-onset neurodevelopmental disorders, a new study suggests.Chronic pain is a common symptom of both cerebral palsy and spina bifida, and adults with these conditions often take multiple daily medications. One previous study, for example, found individuals with cerebral palsy and other neurodevelopmental disabilities were 2.4 times more likely to take at least five daily medicines than people without these conditions.When one or more of these medications is an opioid such as oxycodone, hydrocodone, or tramadol, patients can be at increased risk for addiction, overdose, psychiatric issues, and breathing problems, says lead study author Mark Peterson, PhD, an associate professor of physical medicine and rehabilitation at the University of…
Read More
03Mar 2023 by Janice Holland
Surprising a Friend With a Text or Note Could Make Their Day

Surprising a Friend With a Text or Note Could Make Their Day

Main
For many of us, pandemic social distancing has gradually morphed into a different (and less healthy) kind of “social distance” — one in which we have little or no contact with many people we once considered close friends. If you’re ready to reconnect but not quite sure how your text or phone call will be received, a new study has some good news for you: It’s probably going to make your friend happier than you might imagine.The research, published in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology (PDF) and discussed in an article from the American Psychological Association (APA) on July 11, found that people consistently underestimated how much others in their social circle might appreciate an unexpected phone call, text, or email just to say hello — and the more…
Read More
03Mar 2023 by Janice Holland
On the Right to Choose: What Leading Women’s Health Advocates Say

On the Right to Choose: What Leading Women’s Health Advocates Say

Main
When the Supreme Court overturned its own nearly 50-year-old ruling in the case of Roe v. Wade, which had created federal protection for abortion, millions of people spoke out; and many were shocked speechless. Some turned to the words of wise women and shared eloquent comments that captured the emotions stirred by this loss of reproductive freedom.Here are some of our favorite voices, both from the social media conversation after the June 24, 2022, decision and from previously published statements about birth control and a woman’s right to choose.“Let me be clear: This won’t put an end to abortions. It will only put an end to safe abortions.”― Stacey Abrams, Democratic nominee for governor of Georgia, on Twitter“Contraceptives unlock one of the most dormant, but potentially powerful assets in development: women as…
Read More
03Mar 2023 by Janice Holland
6 Ways Climate Change Affects Health — and How to Protect Yourself

6 Ways Climate Change Affects Health — and How to Protect Yourself

Main
You’ve likely seen numerous headlines about climate change on websites and TV lately, but you may be wondering what factors such as rising sea levels and warmer temperatures mean for you now. Believe it or not, environmental changes like these and others have direct and indirect effects on your health.“Climate change is no longer just a problem for polar bears,” says Surili Sutaria Patel, a climate and health equity advocate and vice president at the Metropolitan Group, a social change agency in Washington, DC. “It’s not a problem of the future. It’s harming our health and threatening our well-being as we know it today, and some communities are bearing the brunt of it.”When the U.S. Supreme Court issued its ruling on West Virginia v. Environmental Protection Agency in June, public…
Read More
03Mar 2023 by Janice Holland
People Who Add Salt to Every Meal May Die Earlier Than People Who Rarely Do

People Who Add Salt to Every Meal May Die Earlier Than People Who Rarely Do

Main
People who never miss an opportunity to add extra salt to their meals may not live as long as those who rarely reach for the saltshaker. At the age of 50, always adding salt to your meals could reduce life expectancy by 2.28 years for men and 1.5 years for women, compared with those who don’t add extra salt, according a study published in the European Heart Journal on July 10.“To my knowledge, our study is the first to assess the relation between adding salt to foods and premature death,” lead author Lu Qi, MD, PhD, HCA Regents Distinguished Chair and professor at Tulane University School of Public Health and Tropical Medicine in New Orleans, said in a release.These findings present new evidence to support recommendations to modify eating behaviors to…
Read More
03Mar 2023 by Janice Holland
How Can Menopause Change Your Gut Microbiome?

How Can Menopause Change Your Gut Microbiome?

Main
A decline in sex hormones after menopause may leave women with a mix of gut bacteria that more closely resembles what’s seen in men, and a new study suggests that this change may also be associated with an increased risk of cardiometabolic diseases in some women.Post-menopausal women are at an increased risk of what’s known as cardiometabolic syndrome — which includes heart disease as well as metabolic disorders like type 2 diabetes — because of changes in their bodies that accompany decreased sex hormone production. Previous research suggests that as women go through menopause, they are more likely to experience cardiometabolic risk factors like:Sleep disruptionsElevated cholesterolWeight gainIncreased blood sugarHigh blood pressureA few studies have also linked menopause to changes in the gut microbiome, which is the collection of bacteria and other microorganisms…
Read More
03Mar 2023 by Janice Holland
CDC Alerts Healthcare Providers to Surge in Parechovirus Cases Among Children

CDC Alerts Healthcare Providers to Surge in Parechovirus Cases Among Children

Main
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) issued a health alert in response to the growing numbers of parechovirus (PeV) cases among children and infants in the United States since May. Parechoviruses are extremely common pathogens that usually lead only to mild, if any, illness. The current surge of cases has been caused by a subvariant called A3, which tends to cause more serious disease, according to the CDC report.William Schaffner, MD, a professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases at the Vanderbilt University School of Medicine in Nashville, Tennessee, says this CDC alert doesn’t necessitate panic. The announcement notifies healthcare providers and public health professionals about the increased cases of PeV so they can be on the lookout for it among their patients.“It doesn’t have to…
Read More
03Mar 2023 by Janice Holland
‘Bennifer’ Is Back: 7 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Getting Back With an Ex

‘Bennifer’ Is Back: 7 Questions to Ask Yourself Before Getting Back With an Ex

Main
Ben Affleck and Jennifer Lopez — affectionately known as “Bennifer” — are back together after nearly two decades apart. The actor and singer-actor have made a dramatic return to the headlines that has many people asking the age-old question: Should I get back with my ex, too?It’s a question that plagues a lot of people, says Laura F. Dabney, MD, a psychiatrist specializing in marriage and relationships, based in Virginia Beach, Virginia.“It’s comforting to know somebody already,” Dr. Dabney says — versus the fear of something new. “And when the attraction is still there, too, that desire to make it work can be very appealing.”What’s more, it can be difficult to grieve the loss of a relationship, says Bonnie Scott, a licensed professional counselor in private practice in San Antonio,…
Read More