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US Study Examines Effects of Ultraprocessed Foods
Sam Srisatta, a 20-year-old Florida college student, spent a month living inside a government hospital here last fall, playing video games and allowing scientists to document every morsel of food that went into his mouth. From big bowls of salad to platters of meatballs and...
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Dr. Crandall: Make These Lifestyle Changes Now to Boost Longevity
Make lifestyle changes now and you can enjoy a long, healthy life. Many of us grew up eating foods that were not heart healthy, but we can all change that now and reap the benefits, according to Dr. Chauncey Crandall, world-renowned cardiologist and director of preventive...
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Breastfed Children Have Lower Blood Pressure
Breastfeeding can promote lower blood pressure among children, a new study says. Longer-term breastfeeding appears to populate a baby's gut with diverse bacteria that could help lower blood pressure, researchers found. Children who were breastfed for at least six months had...
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How to Prepare to Spring Forward This Weekend
Most of America "springs forward" Sunday for daylight saving time and losing that hour of sleep can do more than leave you tired and cranky the next day. It also could harm your health. Darker mornings and more evening light together knock your body clock out of whack -...
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COVID Hospitalization Raises Death Risk for 2 Years
People hospitalized for a severe bout of COVID-19 are far from in the clear after they've recovered enough to return home, a new study says. COVID hospital patients have an increased risk of death from any cause for at least two and a half years following their initial...
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Poor Sleep Raises Early Death Risk By 29 Percent
About two-thirds of Americans are getting too little or too much sleep, risking their health, a new study suggests. In fact, people not getting the right amount of sleep - seven to nine hours a night - had a 29% increased risk of premature death from any cause, researchers...
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No Spike in Athlete Cardiac Arrest During Pandemic
A new study has found no evidence that COVID vaccines increase the risk of sudden cardiac arrest in young athletes, despite numerous claims that circulated during the pandemic. The six-year study - published Feb. 24 in JAMA Network Open - compared sudden cardiac arrests and...
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Heart Disease Remains Leading Cause of US Deaths
The American Heart Association (AHA) says that more than 940,000 Americans died of cardiovascular causes in 2022, making it the leading cause of death in this country. The AHA's latest statistical report shows that cardiovascular disease (CVD) accounted for 941,652 deaths in...
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NIH Research Cuts Go Before a Federal Judge
A court battle is set to resume Friday over the Trump administration's drastic cuts in medical research funding that many scientists say will endanger patients and delay new lifesaving discoveries. A federal judge in Massachusetts temporarily blocked the cuts from taking...
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Adding Walking Exercises Improves Stroke Recovery
Stroke patients leave the hospital with better prospects if they're forced to hoof it more during recovery, a new study suggests. Adding a half-hour of progressive walking exercises to standard stroke rehab measurably improves patients' quality of life and mobility by the...
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N.Y. Sues Vape Distributors for Fueling Youth Vaping
New York on Thursday sued some of the country's biggest distributors of electronic cigarettes, accusing the companies of violating state laws that prohibit the sale of vaping flavors and designs that appeal to children. Attorney General Letitia James announced the lawsuit...
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Young Smokers Double Risk for Unexplained Stroke
Smoking more than doubles the risk of unexplained strokes among younger adults, a new study warns. And heavy smoking is even worse, with stroke risk more than quadrupled among adults who smoke more than a pack of cigarettes every day for 20 years compared to people who don't...
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The Many Health Benefits of Dark Chocolate
If you want to give a Valentine's Day gift that blends great taste and health benefits, dark chocolate may be your best choice. Dark chocolate is rich in antioxidants, which can help protect your body from free radicals, unstable molecules that can cause cellular damage. It...
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Birth Control Linked to Higher Heart Risks
The most common formulation of birth control pills has been linked to a doubling of relative risk of heart attack and stroke, a new study finds. Contraceptive vaginal rings and skin patches formulated in the same way were also linked to higher heart risks. Danish researchers...
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Surprising Causes of Your Itchy Skin
People often experience more itching in winter due to the dry air and lower humidity levels. The cold weather can strip the skin of its natural moisture, leading to dryness and irritation. Indoor heating systems further exacerbate the problem by reducing humidity indoors....
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Most Keep Chronic Health Conditions Hidden at Work
Chronic ills like heart disease, asthma or diabetes afflict a majority of U.S. workers, but 60% of those affected say they've kept their health issue a secret from employers, a new poll finds. More than a third of workers battling chronic conditions also said they'd skipped...
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Sister Study Links Pregnancy, Heart Complications
It's long been known that certain complications of pregnancy can raise a woman's risk for heart trouble years later. But new research shows that even the sisters of these women can be at higher heart risk - suggesting risks may be genetically shared within families. "It may...
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Heart Patients Who Eat Big Breakfasts Are Happier
When and what you eat might play a role in maintaining good mental health, a new study suggests. Researchers in China found that folks with heart disease were more likely to keep depression at bay if they ate a big, calorie-rich breakfast. There's evidence that heart disease...
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Dr. Crandall: Heart Disease Often Overlooked in Women
According to the annual update just released from the American Heart Association (AHA), heart disease remains the leading cause of death in the U.S. for both men and women. Cardiovascular disease, which include heart disease and stroke, claims more lives than all forms of...
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New Study Reveals How Wildfires Raise Heart Risks
With Los Angeles still reeling from the devastating Palisades and Eaton fires, a new report on California blazes from earlier years finds the toll on survivors' hearts can be severe. However, the study also found that the cardiovascular effects of smoke exposures vary...
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Survey: Many Americans Misguided on Daily Aspirin
Many Americans don't see anything wrong with taking daily low-dose aspirin, even though experts have concluded its risks outweigh its benefits, a new survey has found. Nearly half (48%) of people incorrectly think that the benefits of taking low-dose aspirin daily to reduce...
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Migraine Medication May Reduce Stroke Risk
A common drug used to prevent migraines might have an additional benefit - protecting women against stroke. Women taking the beta blocker propranolol to ward off migraines have a lower risk of strokes caused by blood clots, according to new research to be presented Thursday...
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Severe Infections Double Heart Failure Risk
Landing in the hospital with COVID or the flu can put your heart health at dire risk, a new study suggests. Adults hospitalized for a severe infection are more than twice as likely to develop heart failure years later, according to findings published Jan. 30 in the Journal...
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Dr. Crandall: New Guidelines for Preventing Stroke
For the very first time in a decade, both the American Heart Association and the American Stroke Association have updated their stroke prevention guidelines.
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Rapid Blood Test Can Improve Stroke Treatment
A rapid blood test could speed treatment for people who've suffered a stroke related to brain bleeding, a new study says. Stroke victims with brain bleeds have nearly seven times higher blood levels of a brain protein called glial fibrillary acidic protein, or GFAP, compared...