U.S. life expectancy ranking will plummet by 2040, researchers predict
Americans will be living longer by 2040, but that improvement in lifespan will not be as great as that of many other countries around the world.
Health
U.S. women are having fewer babies and at later ages, CDC report finds
Teen pregnancies have also been at historic lows in recent years, including in Minnesota.
Social class affects whether buying things or experiences makes you happier, study suggests
“For lower-class consumers, spending money on concert tickets or a weekend trip might not result in greater happiness than buying a new pair of shoes or a flatscreen TV,” explains Deborah Hall, one of the study’s authors.
Dietary supplements may contain potentially harmful active drugs
The tainting of supplements with pharmaceutical ingredients “does not happen by accident and poses a serious public health risk as consumers unknowingly ingest these drugs,” write the authors of the study.
Do not give decongestants or antihistamines to young children, experts warn
Children under the age of 6 should not be given decongestants or medicines containing antihistamines for the common cold, and children under the age of 12 should be given those drugs only with considerable caution, experts say.
Minnesota Recovery Corps pilots ‘people power’ approach to tackling the addiction crisis
For many people, an important part of recovery from addiction is giving back to the community through volunteer service.
Genetic factors, not diet, are the prime drivers behind gout, study finds
Gout affects about 4 percent of American adults, or about 8.3 million individuals. The condition can strike anyone at any age, but it is most common among men over the age of 40.
Mike Osterholm: A Q&A on AFM, the rare polio-like illness diagnosed in 6 Minnesota children
When dealing with acute flaccid myelitis, (AFM), “early and aggressive physical therapy intervention can actually be very, very important,” Osterholm said.
Taking Vitamin D doesn’t improve bone health, study concludes
The study’s findings apply to Minnesotans and others living in northern latitudes. It doesn’t take much exposure to sunlight for the body to manufacture enough vitamin D to be healthy.
Regular exercise helps family caregivers improve fitness and reduce stress, study finds
Helping family caregivers take care of themselves is an urgent and growing health issue.
More than 90 people die annually in selfie-related deaths, study finds
By comparison, five people died from shark attacks in 2017.
For some patients, spinal cord stimulation offers a non-addictive option for pain relief
Spinal cord stimulation is an option for people who have tried other methods of treatment for their pain but have not found significant relief, said Dr. Peter Stiles.
No, cardiac arrests are not more common on Monday mornings, study finds
This finding calls into question the long-standing belief — bolstered by several previous studies — that the morning hours present a kind of “danger time zone” for life-threatening heart-related events, such as heart attacks, stroke and sudden cardiac arrest.
Sexual harassment and assault linked to long-term health risks in women
The study also found that middle-aged women who have been sexually assaulted are at greater risk of depression and anxiety.
New cancer drugs often fail to improve quality of life, study finds
Future research involving cancer drugs should focus on overall survival and/or include “rigorous and trustworthy” measures of quality of life as an endpoint, the researchers concluded.
Women who drink more water have fewer UTIs, study finds
Scientists believe water may help protect against urinary tract infections by diluting and then flushing out bacteria from the urinary tract before an infection can take hold.
Limiting children’s screen time linked to better cognitive skills
When limited screen time is coupled with a good night’s sleep — at least nine hours a night — children tend to score even better on cognitive tests, the study also found.
Last year’s flu season was deadliest in decades, says CDC
The CDC estimates at least 80,000 Americans died of flu-related complications last winter, exceeding the 56,000 deaths that occurred during the 2012-2013 flu season.
Mixing herbal ‘remedies’ and other supplements with prescription drugs can be hazardous, study finds
Many people are unaware that herbal “medicines” and other over-the-counter dietary supplements can cause side effects or drug interactions.
Workers overdose on the job, and employers struggle to respond
As the opioid epidemic continues to rage across the country, with a record 72,000 drug overdose deaths estimated in 2017, the fallout is increasingly manifesting itself at construction sites, factories, warehouses, offices and other workplaces.