Health
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Mortality rates between Black, white Americans narrow — except in case of infants
70-year study finds widening gap despite longer life expectancy for both racial groups
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More evidence for power of exercise in study of colon cancer survival
Post-treatment physical activity narrows gap between patients and general population
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Is your shirt making you sick?
ChemFORWARD, winner of Belfer Center award, explains how its database of industrial chemicals can help protect human, environmental health
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Sniffing out signs of trouble
Researchers develop at-home test to ID those at risk of Alzheimer’s years before symptoms appear
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Machine healing
Artificial intelligence is up to the challenge of reducing human suffering, experts say. Are we?
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Sick again? Maybe your building is to blame.
Take our research-based quiz to learn more about how indoor air quality can harm or protect your health
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Engineered probiotic developed to treat multiple sclerosis
Researchers are working on a new approach to target autoimmunity in the brain — a condition at the core of several diseases, including multiple sclerosis.
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The road that ends with Alzheimer’s
Genetic detective work sheds light on SORL1 gene offering possible new treatments, especially for patients not responsive to existing therapies.
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Longevity benefits of Mediterranean diet know no boundaries
In a study of adults in the U.K., those who adhered closely to a Mediterranean lifestyle had a 29% lower risk of all-cause mortality and a 28% lower risk of cancer mortality.
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Vaginal bacteria must eat to survive — but how?
Chemical analysis brings understudied microbiome into sharper focus.
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Daily soft drink linked to increased risk of liver disease
Study finds women who consumed sugar-sweetened beverage daily had higher risk of developing liver cancer, chronic liver disease.
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Mental health ills are rising. Do mood-tracking apps help?
Public health data specialist says they can raise patient awareness, but there are pitfalls.
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Strong, silent, and suffering inside
Mental health experts, Indianapolis Colts owner discuss efforts to end the stigma around asking for help.
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Extending lives of old mice by connecting vessels to young ones
Connecting circulatory systems allowed animals in study to live 6-9 percent longer, lowered their biological age.
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Turns out lowly thymus may be saving your life
Study suggests organ plays vital role in immune health, particularly cancer prevention
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So why does my dog get Lyme disease vaccine, and I don’t?
Science can protect your dog, but not you. Expert explains why ’90s vaccine for humans disappeared and details efforts to develop a new one.
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COVID-19 came from animals. Why aren’t we working to prevent new scourge?
A new study suggests we are as vulnerable as ever to the emergence of another virus as deadly, or even more so, than COVID-19.
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Too busy for daily exercise? Study finds same benefits for ‘weekend warriors.’
Study finds similar health benefits for those who concentrate workouts 1-2 days a week.
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Keep the dog cool
Science has shown that violence among monkeys, rats, and mice increases when the weather is warm. Now it seems we can add dogs to the list.
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How did E-ZPass help expectant mothers who live near toll booths?
Anupam Jena and Christopher Worsham sift data to find hidden forces at work in healthcare in new book.
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Are new weight-loss drugs the answer to America’s obesity problem?
Some doctors call them a godsend, particularly as part of wider treatment plan; others warn against halting research into root causes of obesity.
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The social life of a dermatologist
It might be jarring when a friend, or complete stranger, pulls down their shirt while you’re trying to eat dinner. It’s also an opportunity.
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Seem like Lyme disease risk is getting worse? It is.
The risk of Lyme disease has increased due to climate change and warmer temperature. A rheumatologist offers advice on how to best avoid ticks while going outdoors.
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Another study links omega-3s and health
Alpha-linolenic acid — an omega-3 fatty acid found in many nuts, seeds, and oils — showed the strongest link to slowing the progression and premature death of people living with ALS.
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Feeling anxious? Stuck? Problem is psychological avoidance
In her new book, professor of psychiatry Luana Marques says that too many mistake symptoms for underlying problem
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More evidence moderate drinking is good for your heart. Also: a reason.
A new study offers an explanation for why light to moderate alcohol consumption may be associated with lower risk of heart disease.
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Your memory might benefit from a multivitamin
Can a simple multivitamin stave off age-related cognitive decline? A recent study says yes.
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Birth control for cats?
A single dose of a naturally occurring hormone prevented ovulation and conception in female cats for at least two years.
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Start of new era for Alzheimer’s treatment
Neurologist explains why recent trial of the drug lecanemab may offer hope for those with deadly disease.
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Ketamine found effective in treating severe depression
A new study finds ketamine as effective as electroconvulsive therapy (without its major side effects) for the treatment of nonpsychotic, treatment-resistant depression.
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The brain on ketamine
It’s a powerful antidepressant, but science needs more answers on out-of-body experiences and other “dissociative effects,” says the first author Fangyun Tian.
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Estrogen a more powerful breast cancer culprit than we realized
A Harvard Medical School study shows the sex hormone estrogen — thus far thought to be only a fuel for breast cancer growth — can directly cause tumor-driving genomic rearrangements.
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Newly identified genetic variant protects against Alzheimer’s
Researchers identified a first-of-its-kind patient with a genetic predisposition for early-onset Alzheimer’s disease who remained cognitively intact more than two decades beyond the expected age of memory impairment.
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When to get first mammogram? Doctor explains latest advice.
Guidance shifts amid troubling breast cancer trends in young and Black women.
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Deaths from alcohol-related liver disease soared during COVID
During the pandemic, American Indian and Alaska Native populations experienced nearly six times the mortality of white people from alcohol-associated liver disease.
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‘Happiness is not a destination … Happiness is the way’
Harvard Chan School of Public Health celebrates opening of $25 million Thich Nhat Hanh Center for research, approaches to mindfulness.