Month: September 2014

The Wall Street Journal reports that some leading cancer experts say that while screening and advanced diagnostics are finding smaller abnormalities in prostate, breast, and other tissues, these minor abnormalities may not ever harm the patient and should not be treated as aggressively as they are now. (more…)

The Wall Street Journal reports an outside panel of FDA advisers recommended approval of two new obesity treatments. (more…)

The Chicago Tribune reports that according to a study published online in the journal Translational Psychiatry and partly supported by the National Institute of Mental Health, “a group of Northwestern University professors and researchers have developed a blood test to diagnose depression in adults.” (more…)

The New York Times reports in its “Well” blog that two new studies published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise have found that becoming less sedentary by simply standing up has health benefits. (more…)

The New York Times reports in “Well” blog that a relatively small number of medications are responsible for thousands of accidental poisoning cases in children, citing a CDC study published in the journal Pediatrics. (more…)

The Washington Post reports in depth on persistent symptoms which develop in 10-20% of Lyme disease patients. (more…)

The Today Show Online reports research suggests that, as we sleep our brains are “organizing and storing away memories of events,” as well as “open to other activities.” (more…)

The Washington Post reports in its “Wonkblog” blog that teenagers who smoke marijuana on a daily basis are more than 60 percent “less likely to complete high school than those who never use.” (more…)

The Washington Post “To Your Health” blog reported that a number of studies found that sitting about eight hours a day “can be deadly,” but a new study by researchers at Indiana University published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise that found “impaired blood flow in leg arteries can be reversed” by breaking the sitting regimen with five-minute walking breaks. (more…)

In an editorial, the Los Angeles Times appropriately slams parents who choose not to provide their children with medically necessary vaccinations. (more…)

On the front of its Personal Journal section, the Wall Street Journal reports that mile-long races are making a comeback at a time when research indicates that intense exercise in short bursts may provide an equivalent fitness benefit to workouts based on endurance. (more…)

I’m pleased to let you know that my newest book, The Ultimate Girls' Body Book: Not-so-silly questions about your body, will be featured on the national Focus on the Family radio program today, Wednesday, September 24. You can learn more about the broadcast here. (more…)

USA Today reports that according to a study published in the Journal of Autism and Developmental Disorders, “signs of autism symptoms can be erased if babies begin therapy even before they can toddle.” (more…)

The New York Times “Well” blog reported that according to a study published in the Journal of Pediatrics, “even small amounts of exercise enable children to improve their focus and academic performance.” (more…)

The AP reports a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention study has found that more than eight out of 10 U.S. homes do not allow smoking. (more…)

USA Today reports that research published in Cancer Epidemiology, Biomarkers & Prevention suggests that wearing bras may not increase the risk of breast cancer. (more…)

The Los Angeles Times reports pilots and flight attendants potentially face increased risk of developing melanoma, with pilots 2.22 times “more likely than folks in the general population at large” while cabin crew face 2.09 times greater risk, citing a study in JAMA Dermatology. (more…)

TIME reports that according to research presented at the European Society of Cardiology meeting, “eating fruit every day can lower [the] risk of heart disease by up to 40%.” (more…)

The New York Magazine “Science of Us” blog reports that, according to a study published in the journal Neurology, “years of sleep difficulties seem to be associated with a brain that shrinks in size over time.” (more…)

The NBC Nightly News reported in its broadcast that the FDA “says there’s little evidence that testosterone boosting drugs taken by millions of American men are actually effective.” (more…)

TIME reports that according to a study published in the Annals of Internal Medicine, obesity appears to be the “single biggest culprit to blame” for escalating rates of type 2 diabetes (T2DM). (more…)

CNN reports a pilot study published in the journal Nutrition & Diabetes says changing your eating will rewire how your brain reacts to various foods. (more…)

The NPR “Shots” blog reported that, according to the results of a 340-patient study published in the journal Pediatrics, taking stimulant medications for attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (AD/HD) in childhood appears not to lead to “height deficits in adulthood.” (more…)

The AP reports that research published in the Journal of the American Medical Association suggests that “removing both breasts to treat cancer affecting only one side doesn’t boost survival chances for most women, compared with surgery that removes just the tumor.” (more…)

The New York Times in its “Well” blog of potential risks to newborn babies stemming from pregnant women’s use of selective serotonin reuptake inhibitor antidepressants such as Prozac (fluoxetine). (more…)

Reuters reports a study published in JAMA Pediatrics found that regular dinners with their families may help children cope with online bullying. (more…)

The AP reports that research indicated that “people snacked more watching fast-paced television than viewing a more leisurely paced talk show.” (more…)

According to Memorial Sloan Kettering Cancer Center study published in JAMA Surgery, patients need better post-surgery breast reconstruction education in order to address misunderstandings, Reuters reports. (more…)

USA Today reports that “twenty-one states and the District of Columbia do not meet emergency planning standards for schools and child care providers, according to a new report from Save the Children.” (more…)

The AP reports that research published in JAMA Internal Medicine suggests that “Americans’ eating habits have improved – except among the poor, evidence of a widening wealth gap when it comes to diet.” (more…)