Health & Medicine
- Climate
Harmful heat doesn’t always come in waves
Even without reaching heat wave levels, sustained high temperatures may contribute to a litany of health issues.
By Nikk Ogasa - Health & Medicine
Many U.S. babies may lack gut bacteria that train their immune systems
Too little Bifidobacterium, used to digest breast milk, in babies' gut microbiomes can increase their risk of developing allergies and asthma.
- Health & Medicine
Mailed self-sample kits boosted cervical cancer screening
People who are uninsured or part of a minority racial or ethnic group are underscreened for cervical cancer. Mailing them a self-sample kit may help.
- Health & Medicine
Cancer DNA is detectable in blood years before diagnosis
Tiny, newly formed tumors shed small fragments of DNA that are swept into the bloodstream. Future cancer screening tests could detect them early.
By Meghan Rosen - Health & Medicine
Want to eat healthier? Add to your diet, rather than limit it
Nutrition experts say add more greens and beans to your diet; cooking classes can teach people to make these nutrient-dense foods taste delicious.
By Meghan Rosen - Health & Medicine
Summer is a great time to protect your hearing
Concerts, fireworks and other hallmarks of summer can hurt your hearing long-term. But there are safe ways to enjoy them.
- Health & Medicine
A genetic test may predict which weight loss drugs work best for patients
Variants of obesity-related genes influence how much weight patients lose on specific weight loss drugs like liraglutide, two studies report.
- Health & Medicine
How one mom is navigating vaccines’ uncertain future
With CDC upheaval, new limits on who can get some vaccines and an ongoing measles outbreak, parents like me face unfamiliar hurdles to protecting our kids.
- Humans
FDA cuts imperil food safety, but not how you might think
Layoffs at the FDA, USDA and CDC could erode the U.S. food safety system. Experts aren’t so worried about milk or chicken today; they’re concerned about the future.
By Meghan Rosen - Health & Medicine
A cup of chickpeas a day lowers cholesterol
Adding a cup of chickpeas or black beans to people’s daily diets could improve health by lowering cholesterol and inflammation, a new study suggests.
By Meghan Rosen - Health & Medicine
A diet full of tiny plastics triggered health problems in mice
Mice exposed to polystyrene nanoplastics developed problems in their guts and livers. It’s not yet clear if humans are similarly affected.
By Meghan Rosen - Health & Medicine
U.S. moms say their mental health is getting worse
A national survey finds that mothers of children ages 0 to 17 years report mental health declines from 2016 to 2023.