National Smoking Bans Improve Health. A review of 77 studies indicates that in countries with national bans on smoking in public places, there has been a corresponding decrease in hospital admissions for nonsmokers related to cardiovascular disease. Review author Dr. Cecily Kelleher adds, “The current evidence provides more robust support for the previous conclusions that…

Can Flashes of Light Prevent Jet Lag? A light-based therapy involving short flashes of light during sleep appears to be a faster and more efficient way to prevent jet lag by tricking the body’s internal clock into adjusting to a different wake/sleep routine. The researchers behind this discovery believe their technique may also help people…

Regular Mammograms Worthwhile for Elderly Women. Previous research has shown that mammography screening reduces breast cancer death in women up to age 74. Now, a new study indicates that regular mammograms also benefit elderly women. An analysis of Medicare data from 1995 to 2009 on about 65,000 women aged 75-84 years found that those who…

Doctor-Patient Emails May Help Chronically Ill. For those with chronic health conditions, the ability to communicate with their doctor via email appears to improve their health. A survey of 1,000 patients with chronic conditions revealed that 56% had sent their doctor an email within the past year and 46% had used email as the primary…

Excess Mass in Mid-Life Increases Dementia Risk. After reviewing data from 21 published studies, a team of researchers from Imperial College in London reports that individuals who are obese during later adulthood are 1.41 times more likely to develop dementia than those who maintain a healthy weight. Future research will assess how weight loss prior…

How to Make Resolutions Stick. Clinical psychologist Dr. Josh Klapow says that resolutions to improve your health are more easily made than kept, but there are ways to turn them into lifelong habits. He advises following the “S.M.A.R.T.” system, which includes the following five steps: Set specific goals, Monitor actions by keeping track of progress,…

Smoking and Poor Nutrition Affect Fertility. For couples having difficulty getting pregnant, eating more fruits and vegetables along with not smoking may be good advice. Researchers followed the weekly activities of couples undergoing fertility treatment and found male smoking increased the risk of pregnancy loss, female smoking caused an adverse effect on ovarian reserve, and…

Weight Loss Can Benefit Knee Cartilage. Obesity is a significant risk factor for the development of osteoarthritis of the knee. A new study shows that losing a large amount of weight can slow the loss of knee cartilage in obese individuals. The study included over 500 overweight and obese participants and found that cartilage degenerated…

Keep Safe While on the Road. When traveling in your car, whether it’s for your daily commute or a long trip, it’s important to protect yourself. The American Red Cross recommends: never drive when impaired, use your seatbelt, make sure to stay alert and are well-rested, never use cell phone while driving, pay attention when…

Night / Shift Work May Increase Breast Cancer Risk. Women who work non-traditional hours over the course of a career may have a slightly greater risk for a breast cancer diagnosis than those who work “9-5.” Researchers combed through 25 studies regarding “breast cancer risk” and “night work” or “shift work” published during the last…