Topical issues

When is an increase in the number and percentage of deaths a good sign? When the deaths are occurring in people 100 years of age or older. It’s not that we’re celebrating anyone’s death at any age. But the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported on Thursday, November 21 that the number of deaths

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

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,

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

When the winter’s snow and rain gather at your window pane, how do you get out the door for your daily workout? Cold weather, icy streets, and winter winds may dissuade you from your morning run, but they don’t have to equal loss of fitness. Whether your winter fitness goals are improving overall health, weight

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,

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

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

A few mice caused havoc in the United States during the summer of 2012, as officials from Yosemite National Park warned up to 10,000 park visitors that they might have been exposed to a deadly form of hantavirus (hanta virus). As of September 1, 2012, at least six people had fallen ill from infection with

The Patient Protection and Affordable Care Act (ACA), popularly known as “healthcare reform,” passed a major hurdle on Thursday, June 28 when the Supreme Court of the United States upheld all but one of the law’s major provisions. While the court ruled that the “individual mandate” (the requirement that almost all Americans purchase health insurance