Health and Healing | The Good For You Network

U.S. sicker than other developed nations
- Health & Healing
- July 15, 2013
People in the U.S. are living a little longer, but that doesn't mean they are living longer in good health. According to a University of Washington survey by Dr. Christian Murray and his colleagues, our bad dietary habits, obesity and smoking are more a cause for alarm than even pollution or radiation. Dr. Murray explains,
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Dr. Oz on the Real Threat to the Sopranos
- Health & Healing
- June 26, 2013
Dr. Mehmet Oz reflects on the untimely death of actor James Gandolfini, reminding us not to ignore the most obvious risk factor that may have caused the actor to have a heart attack at the age of 51: obesity. More than two-thirds of people in the U.S. are overweight, but many are hesitant to address
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More women opting for preventive mastectomy – but should they be?
- Health & Healing
- May 18, 2013
Angelina Jolie's announcement that she had both breasts removed- after finding out she had an 87% chance of getting breast cancer due to the BRCA1 gene- has brought much attention to the procedure. Apparently, rates of women opting for preventive mastectomies have increased by an estimated 50 percent in recent years. Since genetic tests for breast cancer risks have
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A “fountain of youth” for hearts?
- Health & Healing
- May 14, 2013
Doctors Rich Lee and Amy Wagers have honed in on a hormone called GDF-11, which declines with age in mice. "When old mouse hearts are exposed to this hormone at the levels the young mice have, then their hearts go back quite dramatically to the appearance of the young mouse heart in just a few
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The Talking Cure for Health Care
- Health & Healing
- April 17, 2013
Improving the ways doctors communicate with their patients can lead to better health care — and lower costs. Robin Diamond, chief safety officer for Doctors Co., a malpractice insurance company, explains, "If a doctor and a patient have a strong relationship, even if something goes wrong, they are less likely to sue for it." The
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Docs say keep trained eye on possible concussions
- Health & Healing
- March 27, 2013
The American Academy of Neurology has put out new guidelines saying that athletes with suspected concussions shouldn't resume playing until they've been fully evaluated and cleared by a doctor or other professional with concussion expertise. Associated Press, 3/19/2013
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Neurologists warn against prescribing ADHD drugs to kids as “study drugs”
- Health & Healing
- March 21, 2013
The American Academy of Neurology is telling doctors that they should not prescribe ADHD drugs to help healthy children study. The Academy's official statement covers the ethical, social, legal and developmental issues surrounding prescribing ADHD drugs to children, and warns that doctors need to be sure to educate patients and their parents about what ADHD medications
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New guidelines issued on ear infections
- Health & Healing
- March 6, 2013
The American Academy of Pediatrics recently released new guidelines for the diagnosis and treatment of ear infections. For most children with ear infections, it turns out antibiotics aren't the way to go. The majority of ear infections are caused by viruses, not bacteria, and these kinds of infections will get better on their own in a few
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These Doctors Make Condo Calls
- Health & Healing
- February 12, 2013
At the Edge — two buildings in Brooklyn with about 565 condo units — a program called Your Well-Being has been offering on-site consultations with medical doctors, as well as services like nutrition counseling, acupuncture, chiropractic treatment and personal fitness training. The program is offered by an amenities company called American Leisure, who believe they are
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Hospitals Try House Calls to Cut Costs, Admissions
- Health & Healing
- February 8, 2013
Many hospitals are now bringing back house calls, partially because they're facing financial penalties for re-admitting certain patients soon after discharge. Hospitals are also dealing with growing pressure to keep patients with chronic illness from being admitted in the first place. The Wall Street Journal, 2/5/2013
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Effective Addiction Treatment
- Health & Healing
- February 8, 2013
Many people addicted to drugs and alcohol have managed to overcome their addictions and stay clean, with the help of very structured organizations such as Alcoholics Anonymous as well as thousands of residential and outpatient clinics devoted to treating addiction. However, many other addicts have failed at achieving sobriety… and it is most likely not
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Should Doctors and Patients Be Facebook Friends?
- Health & Healing
- February 7, 2013
Social media has become the go-to communication tool, but is Facebook and Twitter an appropriate way for doctors to interact with patients? There are concerns about protecting patient's privacy and maintaining appropriate boundaries between professional and social relationships. Kansas family physician, Dr. Brull, claims her small-town practice inevitably gives her social contact with many patients,
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Why Stress Makes You Sweat
- Health & Healing
- February 7, 2013
Sweat is an all too familiar result from stress, and researchers have been diving deeper into the reasons for this. Scientists believe stress-sweat has an evolutionary role in sending warning signals to those around us. The brain reacts negatively to a stranger's body odor; meanwhile, the scent of a family member can be calming to
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Government Crackdown on Painkillers
- Health & Healing
- January 26, 2013
The Drug Enforcement Administration is fighting to make Vicodin-type drugs harder to get, in order to reduce the abuse potential. We have a national crisis on our hands when it comes to addiction to prescription painkillers; the majority of vicadin-type drugs are indeed consumed in the U.S. At the same time, the legal use of prescription painkillers does
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Who Can Outgrow or Recover From Autism
- Health & Healing
- January 24, 2013
A new study from the University of Connecticut has sparked a debate about early diagnosis of autism, while calling for further research into why some people diagnosed with autism as children are able to grow out of their symptoms and recover. The Wall Street Journal, 1/21/2013
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