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Good Daycare Is An Escape Route
Daycare that offers children living in poverty a chance to learn school-readiness skills and exposure to adult role models helps them keep pace with their wealthier peers.....more
10/26/09

Online Support Helps Drinkers
College students who have harmful drinking patterns can be helped to rein in their drinking by receiving personalized online feedback....more
10/08/09

Bullies and Victims at Risk
Victims of bullying as well as bullies themselves are at risk for mental health problems. In some cases, bullying may itself be a sign of an underlying mental health issue....more
10/07/09

Bedtime Rituals Help Kids Sleep
A bedtime routine that includes a bath and quiet activity such as rocking or reading can help babies and toddlers fall asleep more easily and stay asleep longer...more
09/30/09

Couch Potatoes, Take Heart!
When it comes to exercise, your body has a short memory. So starting to exercise now can put you ahead of those who were fit, but quit. And of course, the fitter you are, the longer you live...more
09/28/09

Multitasking Drains Focus
Is being able to surf the Web, IM and grocery shop at the same time a good thing? Not really, according to a recent study. It's more a sign of distractibility than productivity...more
09/24/09

Even Toddlers Get The Blues
Depression is not something one sees often in toddlers, but it does exist. It’s useful to intervene early, before depressive patterns become ingrained...more
09/23/09

Depression Made Visible
The areas of the brain responsible for processing pleasure and rewards are notably inactive in depressed people. This is likely no news to them, but it does point toward an approach to treatment...more
09/18/09

Larger Waists, Smaller Brains
As your waist is getting larger, your brain is growing smaller, a new study has found. Obese and overweight people have between 4% and 8% less brain tissue...more
09/14/09

Stuck on Stress
Stress appears to rewire the brain, making it respond in an obsessive, repetitive rather than creative fashion. The good news is that the flexible, creative thinking comes back when the brain is allowed...more
09/09/09

Health Is A Four Lane Road
Following four basic healthy behaviors – not smoking, eating well, staying trim, and exercising – can cut your risk for most major diseases by 80%. But you have to do all of them together...more
09/07/09

Men and Alcohol And Cancer Risk
Men who consumed the most alcohol in a recent study had an up to 700% increased cancer risk. Wine appeared not to be implicated, but it is too soon to tell...more
09/04/09

Antidepressants Trend Upward
Antidepressant use has doubled over the last decade according to a recent study. Is this a good thing or a sign that the drugs are being over-prescribed?...more
09/03/09

No Place Like Home
Premature infants face a variety of medical challenges. But when it comes to helping them become “school−ready,” the home environment is incredibly important...more
09/01/09

Many Vets Face War At Home
It is no surprise: there is an epidemic of mental disorders among veterans of the wars in Afghanistan and Iraq. A lack of social support and homelessness complicate the picture...more
08/10/09

Doctors and Parents Unite!
Pediatricians can help parents plan a realistic strategy for helping kids lose weight. Make small, gradual changes and keep the health risks and benefits in mind...more
08/07/09

Star Smokers vs. Team Players
Two protective factors help reduce the risk that teens will begin smoking: playing a team sport and viewing fewer movies that show actors smoking...more
08/04/09

Clozapine Reconsidered
Clozapine, a highly effective anti-psychotic, is rarely prescribed because of its dangerous side-effects. But a new study finds that its benefits may outweigh its risks...more
07/29/09

These Are the Good Times
People who pay attention to positive moments each day, no matter how small, are happier, more resilient, and more satisfied with their lives than people who don’t. Even when negative events occur...more
07/27/09

Anxious and Distracted
People who tend to be quite anxious are more easily distracted than those who aren’t. For students this means much more work is required to complete school tasks...more
07/17/09

Dogs Make Good Trainers
When it comes to building exercise into your life, it's hard to beat owning a dog. Dog owners walk nearly twice as much as non-dog owners. Walking the dog is not a bad way to socialize, either...more
06/30/09

“Let Me Sleep On It,” Works
If you have a problem that needs some creative problem solving, a good solid nap may be just the ticket, according to a new study...more
06/26/09

Revenge of The Cell Phones
Attention, all those folks with their cell phones permanently pasted to their ears: it’s not good for you. While cell phone elbow is hardly epidemic, it’s on the rise, and unnecessary...more
06/25/09

Exercise Offers A 12-Hour Glow
The good feelings we get from exercising last much longer than anyone suspected. Now to find a way to remind those who don't exercise regularly how good they'll feel...more
06/22/09

A Good Mood Expands Focus
When we are in a good mood, we are more likely to see the big picture, enjoying the forest and the trees. But when our mood is not so positive, the trees are all we see...more
06/18/09

Teens, Screens, And Caffeine
Teenagers are staying up late using the Internet, texting friends, watching videos, and often drinking caffeinated beverages to fuel their electronic nighttime habit. The results are not good...more
06/16/09

TV Delays Language Skills
Television interferes with babies’ and toddlers’ developing language skills in a number of ways. Verbal interactions with parents are reduced by 500 to 1000 words per hour...more
06/12/09

Sleep Well, Weigh Less
A study at Walter Reed Medical Center found that the BMI (body mass index) of “short sleepers” was considerably higher than that of those who slept longer...more
06/01/09

Hope for Major Depression
Early studies suggest that cortical brain stimulation may offer hope for people suffering from long-term depression. Symptoms in the treatment group decreased by 22% and three subjects reported...more
05/29/09

Mental Health Agenda Update
In an effort to help prevent mental health issues before they occur, a new report by the National Academy of Sciences seeks to promote resilience, integrated therapies and...more
05/27/09

Work And Depression
Job stress can bring on major depression, according to a new study. Of course, at present, unemployment may be an even bigger stressor...more
05/20/09

Teen Vegans, What to Know
Vegetarianism in all its forms can be a very healthy thing. But for some, particularly adolescents, it can be a cover for an eating disorder that is far from healthy. New research looks at the odds...more
04/29/09

Be Smart -- Sleep More
Every day as you learn new information, you form new connections in your brain. At night, while you sleep, the brain may prune redundant connections for faster processing and better mental efficiency...more
04/27/09

The Power of Play
Do you find exercise a bore? Is your fitness routine becoming stale? Get off the treadmill. Go dancing; go hiking; or pick up a frisbee. There are many playful ways we can expend the energy we need to to reap exercise’s benefits...more
04/20/09

Keep It Simple 100 Steps/ Min.
Walking at a rate of 100 steps a minute, for 150 minutes a week, ensures that most people will get the moderate level of exercise recommended by doctors...more
04/02/09

Hey Kid – Get a Bike!
For most kids, bikes are a readily available ticket to controlling weight. A new study suggests that riding a bike beats most exercise programs for effectiveness and instilling...more
04/01/09

Exercise -- It's Never Too Late
When it comes to exercise, people who begin exercising in midlife reap the same health benefits over time as those who have been exercising all through adulthood...more
03/27/09

One Drink May Be Too Many
Do teetotalers live longer? A new study of over a million women seems to suggest that they do. Bad news for wine lovers...more
03/26/09

Parents Send Smoke Signals
When parents smoke, their children are three times more likely to start smoking themselves. But if parents quit, the risk of their kids smoking was...more
03/25/09

Iron's Link to Serotonin
The serotonin transporter protein, SERT, is involved in anxiety, depression and alcoholism. Now, researchers have found that iron is needed to generate SERT, suggesting...more
03/23/09

Curb Impulses -- Take a Break
New research has given scientists insight into what it takes to curb those impulsive, indulgent, behaviors like overeating or making purchases just to cheer yourself up. One key element: spend time... more
03/20/09

Gamers Don’t Feel Your Pain
Playing violent video games and watching violent films make people insensitive to others’ pain, according to two new studies. Viewing violence makes people less likely to even notice those in distress... more
03/19/09

Gamers’ Hands Risk Injury
Prolonged time holding the controls of a video game has provoked tendonitis and now, strange painful lumps on a 12-year-old girl’s hands. When your hands start to hurt, it’s time to turn it off... more
03/17/09

Teens, TV and Depression
A study of 7th through 12th graders found that the more time a teen spent isolated in front of a screen, the greater was his or her risk for depression. Headphones were another story... more
03/12/09

Exercise, How Much is Enough?
Numbers may not lie, but they can confuse. There is a great deal of inconsistency among the various exercise guidelines out there today. What's a person to do?... more
03/09/09

Play Games for Better Memory
Games, books and even time on the computer can help us maintain mental power as we age. But TV doesn't appear to offer the cognitive exercise the brain needs to stay... more
03/06/09

Look Both Ways And Hang Up
Cell phones present kids with a dangerous distraction when it comes to crossing the street, according to a new study. Limiting kids’ minutes may help...more
03/04/09

Beta Blockers May Ease Fears
The beta blocker propranolol, typically used to regulate the heart and lower blood pressure, appears to reduce the power of fearful memories, suggesting ...more
03/02/09

All Work And No Play...
...Really does make Jack – and Jill -- dull. Students who have little or no free time during the school day have more in-class behavior problems...more
02/20/09

Go It Alone To Lose Lbs.
A large study by Consumer Reports found that people who are successful at weight loss tend to do it on their own, without fancy programs. They also end up eating very much like people who have never had a weight problem...more
02/11/09

The Easy-Going Stay Sharper
People who are calm and outgoing are less likely to develop dementia than those who are easily stressed, according to new research...more
02/10/09

Can Meditation Help ADHD?
Children with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder) who practiced transcendental meditation showed reduced anxiety and a better ability to plan...more
02/09/09

Syphilis Rises, Other STDs Too
Sexually transmitted diseases -- chlamydia, gonorrhea, and syphilis are all on the rise. Chlamydia, the most commonly-reported disease of any variety, can cause infertility...more
02/04/09

Fat? It’s About the Food
As important as exercise is to health and staying trim, it is no cure for obesity, a new study has found. Weight gain, and subsequently, weight loss, happen because of what we do and don’t consume...more
02/02/09

Exercise Cuts Hunger Hormone
A good workout suppresses ghrelin, the hormone that prompts us to feel hungry. It also activates peptide YY, the body's own appetite suppressant...more
01/28/09

You’re Smarter Than You Think
If we let our subconscious make decisions, we are more likely to make the correct ones, according to new research. In fact, most decisions are made without conscious...more
01/26/09

Alcohol & The Prenatal Brain
Drinking alcohol changes the connection network of the brain. The changes have been found to affect decision-making, planning, attention and other mental skills in older children...more
01/20/09

Resolutions Gone Wrong
‘Tis the season for doctors to see lots of patients with foot and ankle pain. Why? In their effort to stick to New Year's resolutions to lose weight or get fit, people do too much, wear shoes that are too small...more
01/12/09

Nighttime Is The Right Time
The immune system -- of fruit flies at least – functions better at night than during the day. Flies were more likely to survive when encountering infectious bacteria at night...more
01/08/09

Teens’ Brains Differ in Fear
People who are depressed tend to have negative patterns of thinking that promote and prolong their mood. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy can derail this self-defeating...more
01/06/09

Mindfulness Therapy
People who are depressed tend to have negative patterns of thinking that promote and prolong their mood. Mindfulness-based cognitive therapy can derail this self-defeating...more
01/05/09

Exercise Helps Kids’ Anger, Too
Exercise not only helps overweight kids lose weight, but also reduces the emotional baggage of anger, depression and anxiety...more
12/24/08

Happiness Is Contagious
Yes, you can catch and spread happiness – and other moods – from people with whom you regularly interact. Grumpiness is not so contagious...more
12/19/08

Social Skills Carry Forward
When schools help children learn social skills - such how to work through conflicts or to stand up to peer pressure - they support success into adulthood...more
12/16/08

Napping Helps Us Remember
While it may not help you remember where you left the car keys, napping does help the brain solidify complex memories...more
12/04/08

A Phone Call Keeps Lbs. Off
A phone call from a diet counselor helps dieters keep the weight off, a new study has found. The news is particularly welcome to people in rural areas who find it hard to get to face-to-face sessions...more
12/03/08

Magnetize Me, Transcranially
Transcranial magnetic stimulation, short pulses of magnetic energy to the brain, has recently been approved by the FDA as a treatment for depression...more
11/25/08

Illiteracy = Ill Health
Patients’ limited literacy and numeracy (number) skills can cause problems when it comes to communicating with their physicians. A new study suggests what might help...more
11/17/08

Red Wine Aids Liver Health??
It’s true. Resveratrol, a compound found in red wine and a few other foods, helps the liver get rid of the accumulated fat that is connected to cirrhosis and fibrosis...more
11/14/08

Noise-Induced Hearing Loss
A new website helps parents protect their children – and themselves -- from the permanent damage loud noise can do to the delicate hair cells which process sound...more
10/31/08

Small Changes, Huge Effects
Two new studies paint a vivid picture of just how valuable to your health and mood a little exercise can be...more
10/29/08

Music As Medicine
Patients who listen to music they like experience less pain, anxiety and are in a better mood. They type of music does not appear to matter...more
10/16/08

If You Think, You May Be Fat
Intellectual pursuits stimulate the need to eat, even though they burn about the same number of calories as...more
10/10/08

TV -- No Good For Child’s Play
Young children don’t understand adult TV, but having it on in the background interferes with their ability to pay attention to their own play and may retard development...more
9/22/08

Confusion in the ER
Emergency room patients very often leave with a less than complete understanding of the care they have received and what they need to do going forward. Worse, they think they understand when they don’t...more
9/22/08

Fatal Medication Errors at Home on the Rise
Fatal medication errors such as Heath Ledger's - lethal accidental overdoses - are up over 3000%...more
8/5/08

Fine Young Moralists
A new study found that children not only feel empathy, but also have a strong moral sense...more
8/4/08

School Environment Affects Likelihood of Student Smoking
Do certain kinds of schools encourage smoking? more
7/24/08

Smokers Quit in Clusters
Smokers huddled together on the sidewalk unite! A new study has found that it's much easier to quit if you do it with friends...more
7/10/08

A Social Life Is a Long Life
People who feel a sense of belonging tend to live longer than those who tend to avoid social commitment...more
6/27/08

Rats on the Wagon
Alcohol-loving rats lost their interest in drinking when injected with a new drug...more
6/24/08

A Bad Night's Sleep
People with sleep apnea actually run the risk of damaging areas of their brains central to memory...more
6/20/08

It's Not Just Your Skin - Protecting Eyes from the Sun
Put on those sunglasses and a broad-brimmed hat...more
6/11/08

"Appetite" Hormone Discovered
Scientists have discovered the hormone that gives food its appeal even when we aren't hungry...more
5/21/08

Understanding Scientific Studies
Understanding the major types of health studies and what they do -- and don't -- prove...more
5/15/08

A Weight Loss Surgery Guide
With obesity on the rise, more and more people are considering bariatric (weight loss) surgery...more
5/2/08

Burying the "Graveyard Shift"
Simple work schedule adjustments can help ease the physiological stress of shift work...more
4/17/08

Meditation Can Reduce Reliance on Hypertension Medication
Learning meditation and relaxation techniques can help patients reduce their reliance on hypertensive drugs...more
4/8/08

The Down Side to Exercise: Stopping
A new study dramatically illustrates both the health benefits and the risks that quickly surface when you stop exercising...more
4/7/08

Fitness: Where You Live Can Make a Difference
Where you live can make a difference in how physically active you are...more
4/3/08

Spring Allergies: End the Suffering
Learn what you can do to relieve or reduce your allergy symptoms when the pollen count rises...more
3/31/08

The Teen Diet: Breakfast Every Day
A new study shows that teenagers who eat a healthy breakfast tend to stay thinner in the long run...more
3/28/08

Less TV and Computer Time Helps Kids Lose Weight
Study finds reduced time in front of the TV and computer = weight loss in overweight kids...more
3/25/08

Price and the Placebo Effect
When it comes to believing a treatment is effective, consumers make price a bigger factor than it should be...more
3/14/08

Failing the Smell Test?
Can scents like lemon and lavender help heal? Scientists devised a study to try to find out...more
3/12/08

A Stimulating Experience
They were searching for a way to short-circuit appetite; they found a way to stimulate memories deep in the brain...more
2/18/08

Smoking and Sleep
Smokers spend less time in deep sleep and feel less rested than non-smokers...more
2/13/08

Scratch that Itch
Scratching an itch actually reduces activation in areas of the brain associated with unpleasant emotions or memories...more
2/6/08

Eat Less Or Exercise More? A Little of Either Will Help Your Heart
Even a minor weight loss improves the elasticity of heart tissue...more
1/23/08

Sleep and Health
With sleep, too much can be as bad for you as too little, shortening life and increasing the chances of diabetes...more
1/7/08

The Chemistry of Calm
Why do some people handle stress better than others? more
12/12/07

Days Off
Workers took over a billion mental health days last year...more
11/12/07

Can't Carry a Tune?
True tone deafness is very rare...more
8/27/07

Air Force Women and the Stress of War
Serving for long periods of time increases PTSD risk...more
8/21/07

Heart Disease and Anger Mismanagement
Hostility and anger increases heart disease risk...more
8/6/07

Pot Worse for Lungs than Cigarettes
One joint = 5 cigarettes at once...more
7/31/07

Is Freedom From Pain a Right?
A growing consensus toward pain treatment...more
6/28/07

Parkinson's Disease and the Environment
Could environmental factors instigate PD? more
6/28/07

The Yin and Yang of Alzheimer's
Are peptides the answer? more
6/6/07

ECT -- Fact and Fiction
Electro-shock therapy effective? more
5/9/07

A New Memory Aid: Sleep
Sleep protects and strengthens memories...more
4/30/07

Smell: the Underrated Sense?
Sense of smell more powerful than previously believed...more
4/30/07

Good News About Coffee and Cigarettes?
How much does coffee and smoking affect chances of Parkinson's Disease? more
4/16/07

Summer Academics? Yes and No, Say the Experts
Study or play time during the summer? more
4/9/07

The Children of 9/11
Children who lost a parent in the 9/11 attacks suffering from psychiatric illness...more
3/22/07

Gastric Bypass & Vitamin B1 Deficiency
Weight-loss surgery can lead to dangerous vitamin deficiency...more
3/12/07

Childcare Critical in Language Development
Children in low-quality childcare lag behind those in high-quality care...more
3/7/07

Body Clocks and Sports Performance
Time of day does affect athletic performance...more
2/27/07

Cause of Antipsychotic Weight Gain Found
Some antipsychotics trigger appetite...more
2/14/07

Blood Alcohol and Brain Injury
Traumatic brain injury + moderate alcohol drinking = less likely death? more
12/29/06

Huntington's Linked to Cholesterol Levels in Brain?
Cholesterol accumulation indicates Huntington's disease...more
12/5/06

Childhood Trauma Linked to Adult Chronic Fatigue Syndrome
Evidence that traumatic event at any life stage is associated with CFS... more
11/7//06

Another Reason Not to Do Meth
Broken smiles for meth users... more
9/27/06

Sleep Loss and Diabetes
African-Americans + high blood-sugar = poor sleep... more
9/22/06

Can a Vitamin Fight MS?
Vitamin B3 fights long-term MS disability? more
9/22/06

Rapid Weight-Loss and Dementia
A link between weight loss and dementia...more
9/18/06

Autism and the Over-40 Dad
Children born to over 40 dads more likely to to autistic? more
9/7/06

Born to Drink?
Link between drinking during pregnancy and alcoholics? more
9/7/06

Two Ways to Quit -- One New, One Old
Quit smoking one of 2 ways... more
8/14/06

It's Not the Year, It's the Mileage
How you handle stress affects your life expectancy... more
8/14/06

Marry -- or Die?
Strong marriage = long life... more
8/14/06

You Gotta Believe -- or Not
Religion may or may not affect addiction recovery... more
7/26/06

Autism and the Brain
New findings in brain development of autistic people... more
7/18/06

Direct From Brain to Screen
Brain chip implantation for the paralyzed... more
7/13/06

OCD: In Your Genes
Genetics basis behind OCD? more
6/12/06

"Stress" Allergies
Surprising connections between hay fever and stress... more
5/19/05

Brain Static
Researchers find a genetic clue about schizophrenia... more
11/30/04

Teen Depression
A new study finds brain shrinkage in depressed adolescents... more
2/17/04

Smart Stuff
Your IQ may affect whether or not you suffer from PTSD... more
3/8/02

Terror's Hidden Toll
In the wake of recent terror attacks, a new study suggests that many people who don't show "classic" symptoms of post-traumatic stress may have serious psychological reactions..." more
10/1/01

Debt Stress
High credit card debt may be bad for your health..." more
4/17/00

School Daze
The long-term effects of stress and violence on learning...more
6/23/00



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