With Fewer PSA Tests, Rate of Advanced Prostate Cancers Rose

WEDNESDAY, March 16, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Ever since routine prostate-specific antigen (PSA) screening tests have no longer been recommended, there has been a troubling rise in advanced prostate cancer cases in the United States, new research has found. The tests measure the amount of PSA in the blood, and elevated levels can signal the…

What Is Good Stress? Eustress vs. Distress

There’s a secret weapon for dealing with something unexpected. And you might be used to thinking of it as something that would undermine you, not help you shine. Just ask Wendy Berry Mendes, PhD. She’s the Sarlo/Ekman Professor of Emotion at the University of California, San Francisco. But earlier in her life, she was a…

Even a Mild Concussion Could Cause Long-Term Problems

March 16, 2022 — At age 32, Carole Starr, a Maine-based teacher and professional musician, was in a car accident and had a concussion. “Everything in my life changed,” she says. She became extremely sensitive to sounds and had to give up playing in an orchestra and singing. She also developed problems with her thinking…

Pfizer’s CEO Says Fourth COVID Shot Is Needed. Is He Right?

March 15, 2022 — The CEO of vaccine maker Pfizer made news over the weekend when he said people who have already gotten three shots of his company’s COVID-19 vaccine will need a fourth dose. Albert Bourla, PhD, said data the company has submitted to the FDA — but has not yet released publicly —…

With COVID & Ukraine, Crisis Fatigue Thrives

March 15, 2022 — In casual conversation these days, you’re likely to hear: “I’m just done with COVID.” The problem is the virus isn’t done with us yet. Nor is the war in Ukraine, inflation, or gas prices, among other concerns. The statistics 2 years into the pandemic are sobering, or should be. Deaths from…

America’s College Mental Health Crisis

By MARISA COHEN Randi*, a 20-year-old basketball player from Nashville, had struggled with depression for a few years before she left for college in 2019, but the abrupt switch to remote classes at the onset of the COVID pandemic in March 2020 – and then the return to a completely different college experience later that…

French Fries Vs. Almonds Every Day for a Month: What Changes?

David B. Allison, PhD, professor, Indiana University School of Public Health, Bloomington. Rebecca Hanson, registered dietitian nutritionist, research study coordinator, University of Alabama at Birmingham. Melissa Majumdar, registered dietitian, Emory University Hospital Midtown, Atlanta; media spokesperson, Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics. The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition: “French-fried potatoes consumption and energy balance: a…

‘Skinfluencers’ Promote Risky Beauty Hacks on TikTok

Safety communication, FDA. News release, State of California Department of Justice, Office of the Attorney General. CNBC: “TikTok says 1 billion people use the app each month.” Journal of the American Academy of Dermatology: “TikTok and dermatology: An opportunity for public health engagement.” TikTok: @hyram; @james_s_welsh; @bauerbeauty; @yayayayoung; @dermdoctor; @drpimplepopper; @dr.tomassian; @teawithmd; @dermbeautydoc; @drdorisday;…

Anxious? Try Hugging Your ‘Breathing Pillow’

THURSDAY, March 10, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Could hugging a soft, mechanized pillow that simulates slow breathing help test-stressed students ward off anxiety and stress? British researchers are betting on it. The pillow in question looks like any typical cushion, noted study author Alice Haynes. She’s a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Bristol in…

New Health Crises Emerge in Ukraine as Fighting Continues

March 10, 2022 — Hypothermia, frostbite, respiratory diseases, mental health issues, and a lack of treatment for heart disease and cancer are the biggest health concerns at the moment for the people of Ukraine, the World Health Organization says. The WHO also is monitoring for infectious disease outbreaks, which are likely within Ukraine where, out…