Imagine this as a morning routine that replaces your first cup of coffee: You wake up feeling a bit foggy, so you slip on a wearable device that looks like an extra-thick headband. You turn on the power source and settle in while electrical current flows into your brain. Twenty minutes later, feeling more focused …
Can electrical brain stimulation boost attention, memory, and more? Read More »
Love isn’t the only reason your heart may skip a beat. While abnormal heartbeats can be alarming, they’re usually harmless. They occur for different reasons. Which types are common — and when should you be concerned? Palpitations Your heartbeat normally keeps a predictable pace: speeding up when you’re active and slowing down when you rest. …
Everyone has moments when their brain suddenly goes haywire. They repeatedly fixate on the same thought, like being stuck on a hamster wheel. Or their thoughts aimlessly bounce from one random topic to the next like a pinball. People often refer to these thought patterns as racing thoughts, and the most common cause is anxiety, …
Proton-pump inhibitors (PPIs) are a common type of anti-acid medication, and are available both by prescription and over the counter. Omeprazole and pantoprazole are examples of PPIs. They are the treatment of choice for several gastrointestinal disorders, such as peptic ulcer disease, esophagitis, gastroesophageal reflux disease, and H. pylori infection. New guidelines by the American …
Proton-pump inhibitors: Should I still be taking this medication? Read More »
Infertility is a remarkably common problem. It affects up to one in five people in the US who are trying to become pregnant, and 186 million people worldwide. A thorough medical evaluation can spot key contributing issues in many cases — whether in a woman, a man, or both partners — that might respond to …
Lifestyle changes like regular exercise, a healthy diet, and sufficient sleep are cornerstones of self-care for people with type 2 diabetes. But what about mind-body practices? Can they also help people manage or even treat type 2 diabetes? An analysis of multiple studies, published in the Journal of Integrative and Complementary Medicine, suggests they might. …
Many people and their families associate the term palliative care with the end of life. Some may think that palliative care and hospice care are one and the same. So it’s worth explaining that palliative care is a medical specialty able to help people during many different stages of health, not just during a terminal …
Palliative care frightens some people: Here’s how it helps Read More »
We all want our child to have friends. We want them to be happy, and to build the social skills and connections that will help them now and in the future. Sometimes, and for some children, making friends isn’t easy. This is particularly true after the COVID-19 pandemic. Because of isolation and remote school, many …
Helping children make friends: What parents can do Read More »
Hot flashes and sleep or mood changes are well-known, troublesome symptoms that may occur during perimenopause and menopause. Now, one survey suggests nearly 80% of midlife women use cannabis to ease certain symptoms, such as mood issues and trouble sleeping. Mounting numbers of US states have legalized marijuana for medical or recreational use in recent …
Are women turning to cannabis for menopause symptom relief? Read More »
The current shortage of semaglutide (Ozempic), an important diabetes drug, has an unusual origin: too many people without diabetes are taking it. Here’s how that happened, and how we might course-correct to help ensure that those with the greatest need for this medicine can get it. A diabetes drug with an important side effect: Weight …