Throughout April and early May 2013, news headlines focused on a bird flu virus that was sickening people in China's urban centers. Chinese influenza experts isolated the avian (bird) flu virus and determined it was an influenza A (H7N9) subtype, which had never been identified in humans before. As new cases and fatalities were reported almost daily, media headlines focused on the pandemic potential of the virus.

The blasts at the Boston Marathon are not a tragedy. They are something far worse.

Last Saturday, my four-year-old ran her first race. It was a just-for-kids, 1.2 mile run in the midst of a panopoly of races that I can only call a celebration of running. There was a marathon, a half-marathon, a 10K, a 5K, and then the kids’ race, with 1500 kids and parents all trotting around a soft, grassy Midwestern park. It took half an hour to get to the start line –and almost as long to run the mile.

It’s time to “spring forward” into daylight savings time on March 10, 2013. That one-hour shift in time can disrupt sleep patterns, especially people who have sleep problems and children. But with a little preparation, you can indeed “spring” out of bed on Sunday morning after a good night’s sleep.

Why is it so hard to adjust to a simple one-hour shift in the clock? The answer has to do with your circadian rhythm – the internal clock that tells your body when it’s time to sleep, rise, eat, exercise, be alert, and … you guessed it… sleep.

Asparagus contains compounds that may help cure alcohol hangover and protect liver cells.

Planning to imbibe this New Year’s Eve? Eat some asparagus before and after you drink, and you just might lessen the misery of a hangover.

Asparagus – genus Asparagus officinalis – is part of many cuisines. It is widely used by herbalists, who claim a range of benefits for the spear-like green vegetable, ranging from hangover cure to aphrodisiac to anticancer properties. Asparagus has been shown to have antifungal, anti-inflammatory, and diuretic properties.

Beta-blockers, a type of drug frequently prescribed for people with heart disease, may not reduce the risk of a second heart attack, death, or stroke in people with coronary artery disease (CAD). In people with risk factors for heart disease, beta-blockers may increase the risk of such events, according to findings from a recent large observational study conducted by a team of investigators from the Cardiac and Vascular Institute at NYU Langone Medical Center.

Chances are, you’re sitting inside right now. But do you know what’s in the air that you’re breathing? How much do you know about your in home air quality? Most people spend the majority of time indoors, whether in homes, workplaces, school, or other buildings. Yet indoor air pollutants are often abundant in homes and other indoor spaces.