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Show 1084: Psilocybin, Cancer & Spiritual A…
People facing a life-threatening cancer diagnosis may struggle with more than the medical treatment. They sometimes experience an existential crisis, in which life loses its meaning. In such situation…
Hair Dye & Breast Cancer?
A new study published in the journal Carcinogenesis suggests that dark-colored hair dyes may be linked to breast cancer. That means that millions of baby boomers are caught on the horns of a dilemma. …
How to Ease RA Pain with Fish
Should you eat a sardine sandwich or tuna salad for lunch if you have rheumatoid arthritis? Surprisingly, fish on the menu might ease RA pain and joint inflammation. Fighting RA Pain with Fish: Resear…
Will Yoga Help Back Pain?
Lower back pain is common and debilitating. It is frequently treated with medications, but the American College of Physicians has issued new guidelines emphasizing nondrug approaches for acute lower b…
Risk of High-Carb Bedtime Snacks
Does munching refined carbohydrates contribute to the risk of developing type 2 diabetes? This hypothesis is plausible, since foods that make blood sugar rise rapidly (high-glycemic index foods) inter…
Get Your Exercise by Walking the Dog
How can people be encouraged to be active rather than sedentary? One study suggests a dog might help. Older people who have dogs get more exercise than those without canine companionship, probably bec…
How to Buy Your Medicine from Canada
With the high cost of medications in the US, many people look to Canada for more affordable prescriptions. That can bring down the price considerably, but you must know what you are doing. Otherwise, …
Do Zolpidem (Ambien) Side Effects Include Horrib…
Zolpidem remains a very popular prescription sleeping aid. When it was only available as the brand name drug Ambien, millions took it to get a "good night's sleep." These days zolpidem (Ambien) side e…
How Did Grapefruit Lower Blood Pressure So Fast?
Grapefruit has a reputation for having lots of health benefits. It has been promoted for its ability to help people lose weight. One study reported that a grapefruit extract reduced weight gain in obe…
What Are the Downsides to Your Nasal Spray?
Allergy season makes millions miserable. They react to pollen and other allergens with nasal congestion, itchy watery eyes, sneezing and sniffling. No wonder so many people reach for a nasal spray. Na…
What Is the Impact of Soy Products on Thyroid?
When people turn away from meat and cow's milk, often they replace these foods with soy products. Indeed, soy is central to the diets of many North American vegetarians. But do soy foods carry unantic…
What Are the Natural Remedies for Gout?
Gout is a miserable condition. It causes intense, excruciating pain, redness and swelling in one or more joints. Often, the pain may start at the base of the big toe, but other joints frequently hurt…
What Is the Risk of Red Yeast Rice?
One of the pillars of heart disease prevention is keeping blood fats, especially cholesterol, under control. But doctors don't always agree on the best way to achieve this goal. Most recommend a healt…
Show 1083: Should You Be Worried About Salt or S…
You've probably heard that lifestyle is the most important factor in keeping your heart healthy. Don't smoke, exercise, and eat right seem simple. But what does it really mean to eat right? Should you…
Does Metformin Save Lives?
Doctors have been prescribing drugs to people with type 2 diabetes for decades. The goal has been to lower blood sugar levels and prevent the complications of diabetes. Many of those meds helped cont…
Is There a Link Between Poverty and Heart Diseas…
It's no secret that Americans are not all equal when it comes to income. A new study in JAMA Cardiology shows that these income disparities are related to the risk of heart disease. How Does Income R…
The Unexpected Risks of French Fries
French fries may be tempting, but giving in to temptation could be deadly. Nutrition scientists from Italy, Great Britain and the US noted that potatoes have a high glycemic index. That is, they tend …
Will Grilled Meat Raise Your Risk for Diabetes?
People who want to avoid type 2 diabetes might want to limit use of the barbecue grill. There's new evidence that grilled meat can increase the chance of this disorder. What Is the Story on Grilled Me…
What Bread Is Best for Your Microbiome?
Previous research has identified bread, especially bread made from refined white flour, as a food that can raise blood sugar and insulin levels rapidly. This is considered a food with a high glycemic …
Did Hydrochlorothiazide Lead to Dangerously Low …
Hydrochlorothiazide (HCTZ, HCT) is a diuretic (water pill) that is widely prescribed to lower blood pressure. Roughly 50 million prescriptions were written for this "thiazide" diuretic last year. That…
Is Lowering Cholesterol with Saturated Fats a Pa…
If you have been paying attention, you are no doubt aware that saturated fats like butter or coconut oil are a dietary no-no. The theory is that these fats, which are solid at room temperature, can cl…
Do Doctors Know How to Help Patients Stop Medica…
Starting a new prescription is easy. If your doctor tells the pharmacist to write on the label, "take once a day with food," you know exactly what to do. Most people can manage such a simple instructi…
What Will Ease Painful Hemorrhoids After Giving …
Women have to make a lot of adjustments right after giving birth. Their bodies change dramatically in that process. While many of the alterations are nature's way of helping a mother nurture the infa…
How Did Blackstrap Molasses Make Ice Addiction D…
Doctor classify the compulsion to eat anything that isn't food as pica. Some children eat paint, clay or chalk; chewing on old paint chips is a common cause of lead poisoning. Ice addiction may also …
What Is the Best Approach to Overcome Constipati…
How healthy is your digestive tract? Unless it is functioning appropriately, you may not feel as well as you would like. Many readers have written to ask how to overcome constipation. Can You Overcome…
How Can You Get to Sleep Without Zolpidem?
Americans tend to be sleep deprived, and the problem may be getting worse. Watching the evening news could be enough to make a person anxious, and anxiety frequently leads to insomnia. No wonder so m…
Show 1082: How Does Being in Nature Make You Hea…
When you listen to bird song, smell pine needles or watch tree branches swaying in the wind, what is happening in your brain? For that matter, what is happening in your body? Does your level of stres…
Does CAR-T Offer Hope for Multiple Myeloma Cance…
A new kind of immunotherapy called CAR-T captured attention at an American Society of Clinical Oncology conference in Chicago. CAR-T stands for chimeric antigen receptor T-cell therapy. How Does This …
Are Olive Oil and Wine Really Good for You?
Independent research has shown that both olive oil and wine appear to protect people from cardiovascular disease. For example, a recent review pointed out that red wine, in particular, contains polyph…
Are You Cutting Back On Salt? Does It Matter?
For decades, public health experts have been exhorting Americans to eat less salt. This is supposed to reduce their risk of high blood pressure and heart disease. Have food manufacturers succeeded in …