Radio Health Journal
The latest in health, science, technology, and the intersection of medicine and public policy.
Most infants are breastfed in the US today, but breastfeeding often doesn’t look the way most of us think of it, as a result of adoption, same sex marriage, and other changes in parenting. An expert discusses some of the hurdles and challenges to getting infants the best nutrition possible.
Pharmaceutical commercials are about to change by including their prices in the ad's and MDMA, or "ecstasy" is being used for PTSD with a high success cure rate. Finally, a study highlighting what makes us reach for our smartphones.
The proportion of severely obese teenagers continues to rise. Doctors increasingly understand that only weight loss surgery is likely to help them lose weight and avoid health consequences of obesity. But teens are often held back until they’re so heavy that even bariatric surgery isn’t enough to return them to normal weight. Experts discuss.
Millions of Americans cannot afford the medications they’ve been prescribed. Many skip doses, split pills or don’t fill prescriptions at all as a result, with sometimes even fatal consequences. But doctors are often unable to consider cost very well in prescribing, as the same drug often costs patients vastly different amounts due to insurance differences. Experts discuss the problem and what …
Could a poor sense of smell be a sign of a downturn in health? Then, hospital guidelines regarding eating food and drinking liquids before surgery, and finally, teamwork is great, but studies show that's only the case when team members take time to step away to solve problems on their own.
Autoimmune diseases such as rheumatoid arthritis and lupus carry a genetic predisposition, but need an environmental trigger to take hold. Triggers are poorly understood, but some women claim their disease is a result of contraceptives, including birth control pills and IUDs. Experts and one women suffering from autoimmune disease discuss the issue.
Preeclampsia, an irregularity in the placenta during pregnancy, is the leading cause of premature delivery worldwide, and causes nearly 20 percent of maternal deaths in the US. Little is known about its cause and how it can be treated, but an inexpensive new test could help flag those suffering from it and lessen complications. The test’s inventor discusses it and the disorder.
A blood test that proves Chronic Fatigue Syndrome is real. Then, new studies to indicate an hour of walking can help you stave off "mobility disability" later in age. And finally, your doctor's white coat could be teeming with bacteria according to a study from the University of Maryland.
DNA mutations happen all the time in the body, but the immune system usually detects and deals with them. When the system fails, cancer results. Yet some animals, such as elephants, almost never get cancer, and scientists have learned that the elephant DNA repair system is 20 times more powerful than the human system. Experts explain how they hope to tap this knowledge.
Dementia has a much wider range than most people think, and people with dementia are usually functional for years. An expert discusses the course of the disease and how life can still be positive for years before it reaches the late, debilitating stage most people think of when they hear the word “dementia.”
A major tactic deployed by police called "Pro-active Policing" may be backfiring. Then, preschoolers are just as bad as adults at resisting large portions of food and finally, a study showing that young children are swallowing more foreign objects than ever...
Millions of Americans cannot afford the medications they’ve been prescribed. Many skip doses, split pills or don’t fill prescriptions at all as a result, with sometimes even fatal consequences. But doctors are often unable to consider cost very well in prescribing, as the same drug often costs patients vastly different amounts due to insurance differences. Experts discuss the problem and what …
Brain aneurysms affect 1 in 50 people and are generally without symptoms until they burst. This occurs in about 30,000 people per year in the US, accounting for 3-5 percent of all new strokes. A survivor shares her story.
A new cure for infants with Bubble Boy's Disease. Then, a study in the American Journal of Public Health shows that depression, suicide, drug use, and alcohol abuse are rising for people in their late 30s. And finally, does smiling make you happier?
Millions of Americans believe they are allergic to penicillin. However, most of them are wrong.
The flu’s unique ability to mutate makes it one of the toughest diseases to solve, as it evades vaccines and treatment. It also has a deadly history, which prompts fears each flu season. A noted expert discusses all about the flu and its myths.
About a quarter of people over 65 have heart valve disease, and the medication Celebrex might be increasing that risk. Then, flu season is almost over, but be aware, come Fall, that what you eat can sabotage your flu shot. Then, adult cannabis use and the correlation of increased need for more sedatives during surgery. Then, A new study showing pay-for-performance compensation may make employees …
Many people having a mental health crisis go to the emergency room. However, ER’s are not well equipped to handle them, and many patients are boarded there for hours or even days without treatment. Experts discuss the reasons for the failure, the outcomes it produces, and solutions that have been successful in limited trials.
Heart disease is often preventable, but how people look at it often keeps them from doing as much about it as they could. Often this is a result of myth and misinformation. An expert physician discusses some of the most harmful of these myths.
A new study concludes the number one public health threat worldwide is a poor diet. Then, rapid eye movement sleep disorder and the link to Parkinson's disease, and, a rare form of cancer has now been linked to textured breast and buttocks implants. Finally, outfitted smart toilet seats are now being used to detect heart failure in those with pre-existing conditions.
Organ transplantation has dramatically changed lives and is raising hopes it could do even more for millions of people. But getting where we are has not been easy. A transplant surgeon traces the history of transplant research and notes the courage to fail among pioneering researchers and patients.
Research shows that friends are the most powerful people in our lives, influencing our behavior, attitudes and health even more than our parents or spouses. An expert discusses the many ways friends determine our destinies.
A major study showing a daily aspirin does nothing to prolong life, and increases risk in gastrointestinal bleeding. Then, soda with sugar and the connection to heart death and increased cancer risks. Then, how preventive road maintenance can save drivers costs. And finally, eating nuts to maintain brain function as you age.
Two Congressional plans, one from each side of the political spectrum, are competing to blow up the current healthcare system. Here experts examine one of them—the left’s bid to replace private insurers with a government-run single-payer plan labeled “Medicare for All.” Alternatives may include bolstering the Affordable Care Act, or getting rid of it completely.
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