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2 days ago | 
phillyvoice.com | Courtenay Harris Bond
Heart attack deaths have plummeted in the last five decades, but deaths from all other heart disease issues have spiked, a new study shows. Heart disease has been the leading cause of death in the United States for more than a century, but overall heart disease deaths fell 66% between 1970 and 2022, according to an analysis of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention data published Wednesday. That drop was spurned by a nearly 90% decline in heart attack fatalities during that time.
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3 days ago | 
phillyvoice.com | Courtenay Harris Bond
As if nightmares aren't frightful enough, new research links frequent bad dreams to aging faster and dying earlier. Nightmare frequency is a stronger predictor of premature death than smoking, obesity, lack of exercise and poor diet, according to a study presented Monday at an international neurology conference. MORE: Summertime got you feeling down?
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3 days ago | 
phillyvoice.com | Courtenay Harris Bond
Ice cream, swimming pools, barbecues and beaches – summer has many positive associations. But some people feel more anxious and depressed during the hotter months and may suffer from a type of seasonal affective disorder known as summer SAD. Research has found a link between heat waves and an increase in anxiety and mood disorders. A 2019 study found hotter temperatures increase emergency department visits for mental illness and suicides. And climate change is aggravating these outcomes.
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1 week ago | 
phillyvoice.com | Courtenay Harris Bond
But napping also can backfire. Napping too long can lead to daytime grogginess and insomnia at night. Lengthy siestas also have been linked to obesity and metabolic syndrome and death from any cause. Also, though research has found an association between planned naps and improved memory, unplanned naps – especially if they are long – may be detrimental to cognition.
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1 week ago | 
phillyvoice.com | Courtenay Harris Bond
Most of the time, people breathe automatically, without conscious thought. But the rate and depth of breathing is actually regulated by a complex system in the brainstem that processes information from sensors detecting everything from movement to lung irritants to oxygen and carbon dioxide levels. And given that every brain is unique, researchers at the Weizmann Institute of Science in Israel hypothesized that breathing patterns may also be unique.
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1 week ago | 
phillyvoice.com | Courtenay Harris Bond
New federal dietary guidelines for Americans reportedly may remove specific limitations on the maximum amount of alcohol Americans should consume in favor of more general language about drinking in moderation. The change, reported by Reuters, would be a marked departure from language that has been in place since the 1990s. The guidelines have long stated that men should have no more than two drinks a day and women no more than one.
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1 week ago | 
phillyvoice.com | Courtenay Harris Bond
Instead of fretting about the amount of time children spend scrolling TikTok or playing video games, parents should worry more about whether their kids seem addicted to their screens. That's the conclusion of a study, published Wednesday, that tracked the social media, cell phone and video game use of more than 4,000 children beginning around age 10 for four years.
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1 week ago | 
phillyvoice.com | Courtenay Harris Bond
At each school, period products are available in restrooms and at the nurse's office. Students who need menstrual hygiene products outside of school hours or when schools are closed can ask the school nurse for kits containing three pads and flushable hygiene wipes. "Period poverty is a real issue that can impact attendance, academic performance, and overall well-being," Dr. Kendra McDow, the school district's medical officer, said in a statement.
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1 week ago | 
phillyvoice.com | Courtenay Harris Bond
Fatal drug overdoses have declined in Philadelphia and nationwide, but a new report shows many city residents believe the opioid addiction crisis is getting worse. Drug overdose deaths in Philadelphia dropped from 1,413 in 2022 to 1,100 in 2024, according to provisional data. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention is projecting a nearly 24% drop in fatal drug overdoses for the 12 months ending in September 2024, compared to the previous year. The final data is not yet available.
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1 week ago | 
phillyvoice.com | Courtenay Harris Bond
A single dose of psilocybin significantly decreased depression and anxiety in people with cancer, according to a new study. Psilocybin is a chemical in certain mushrooms that causes hallucinogenic effects, such as an altered sense of time and space, distorted sights and sounds, and intense emotions. A previous study found psilocybin-assisted psychotherapy had potential for reducing psychiatric distress in people with life-threatening cancer, but concluded that more research was needed.
