‘Walkable’ Neighborhoods Linked to Less Obesity, Diabetes

March 4, 2022 — People who live in neighborhoods that are more walkable are much more physically active and less likely to gain weight or get type 2 diabetes or high blood pressure, researchers concluded after reviewing the results of dozens of previous studies. Gillian L. Booth, MD, and Nicholas A. Howell, MD, both…

A Call to Address Health Inequities Now, Before Next Pandemic

March 4, 2022 — With new cases of COVID-19 continuing to fall, this could be the time to focus on making sure everyone has equal access to vaccines and other drugs before the next public health emergency. The coronavirus pandemic, now in its third year, saw major issues develop around equal access to diagnosis, care,…

Nonprofit Plans to Make Affordable Generic Insulin

March 4, 2022 — Everyone knows that insulin prices in the United States are ridiculously high and unaffordable to many people with diabetes, but nobody has done anything about it — until now. Civica Inc., a nonprofit organization governed by health systems and philanthropies, announced Thursday that it plans to manufacture and sell generic insulin…

The Healthy Way to Be Angry

You have an important dinner to attend tonight after work and the clothes you need are at the cleaners. The dry cleaner will be closed by the time you leave the office, so your partner has graciously agreed to pick the clothes up for you. But when you get home, your partner looks up, claps…

Beware of the Latest TikTok Trend: Nasal Spray Tans

Still, another U.K. company, 2bTanned, posted a TikTok showing a user spraying the product up his nose and, in the comments, @2btanned suggested that the spray should be used at least a week or two before sun exposure “in order to get full effects.” @sashawoodx tells her viewers “Don’t walk … RUN for these…

Safe Weight Loss for Overweight Kids

SOURCES: Tamara Melton, MS, RDN, LD, program director and clinical instructor, Georgia State University. American Heart Association: “Overweight in Children.” Hammons, A. Pediatrics, June 2011. Boutelle, K. Obesity, July 2012. CDC: “Tips for Parents – Ideas to Help Children Maintain a Healthy Weight.” Lutes, L. Annals of Behavioral Medicine, June 2008. National Institute of Diabetes…

What Is a Lactation Massager?

While shopping for breastfeeding gear, you may have noticed lactation massagers in addition to breast pumps, nipple cream, and nursing pillows. What are they? And do you need one? A lactation massager is a handheld device that’s intended to help women overcome certain breastfeeding challenges, like engorged breasts or clogged milk ducts. Should…

Early Menopause May Raise a Woman’s Odds for Dementia

TUESDAY, March 1, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Women who enter menopause early may be more likely to develop dementia later in life, new research indicates. During menopause, production of the female sex hormone estrogen drops dramatically and a woman’s periods come to an end. While women typically enter menopause in their early 50s, many do…

As Fires Rage, Survivors Struggle to Find Care

SOURCES: The New York Times: “Climate Scientists Warn of a ‘Global Wildfire Crisis.’ ” “ ‘Build Back Better’ Hit a Wall, but Climate Action Could Move Forward.” National Fire Protection Association: “Fire Loss in the United States During 2020,” “Home fires with ten or more fatalities.” CNN: “Survivors of California’s deadliest wildfire are now helping other survivors…

Study Says Pfizer COVID Vaccine Wanes in Kids Ages 5 to 11

March 1, 2022 — You may have already seen the headline: The Pfizer vaccine’s effectiveness against COVID-19 infection drops to 12% in 5- to 11-year-olds. But how do experts interpret this and other results from this preprint study? Despite the findings, which have not been peer-reviewed, researchers at the New York State Department of Health,…