New Screening Recommendations for Depression

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force has recommended depression screening for all individuals between the ages of 19 and 65. First published in June, in JAMA , the recommendations are an important first step for instituting preventive mental health measures as a part of ongoing primary healthcare.     The task force is a volunteer… Continue reading New Screening Recommendations for Depression

A CPAP Alternative for Treating Sleep Apnea

Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is a life-disrupting condition. A disorder of the upper airway, it involves the air passage closing during sleep, causing snoring, gasping, choking, and episodes of jerking awake. Sufferers often don’t realize that they’re going through this traumatic cycle on a nightly basis, sometimes dozens of times a night. The results, however,… Continue reading A CPAP Alternative for Treating Sleep Apnea

New Uses for Continuous Glucose Monitoring

Continuous glucose monitoring (CGM) is a technology that automatically tracks blood glucose levels on a 24-hour basis. Not only does it allow users to determine their levels at any given moment, the data can also show trends over time. The technology has only been available for about twenty years, but has seen widespread adoption among… Continue reading New Uses for Continuous Glucose Monitoring

Avoiding the “Dirty Dozen”

Each year the non-profit Environmental Working Group (EWG) compiles a list of the 12 fruits and vegetables that contain the highest levels of potentially toxic pesticide chemicals. The organization uses test results compiled by the USDA to determine how saturated different produce is, and what contaminants they contain.       The testing for 2022 found… Continue reading Avoiding the “Dirty Dozen”

New Hope for Battling High Cholesterol

When it comes to reducing high cholesterol in patients, doctors have long turned to statin drugs as their tools of choice. For persistently high levels of LDL (the bad cholesterol) that statins do not adequately reduce, the alternative is a class of drugs known as PCSK9 inhibitors. Although both are powerful weapons against heart disease… Continue reading New Hope for Battling High Cholesterol

Heart Health and Insomnia

Sleep disruption is often life disrupting. Any disturbance to a good night’s sleep affects both mental and physical well-being. New research reveals just how seriously chronic sleep disruption in the form of insomnia can be, and the potentially deadly impact it can have on cardiovascular health.      The review of existing data—called a meta-analysis—was… Continue reading Heart Health and Insomnia

New Hope for Chronic Back-Pain Sufferers

Chronic back pain is an alarmingly common ailment, one that can degrade quality of life and even lead sufferers to become addicted to prescription painkillers in the hunt for any measure of relief. Effective solutions have proven elusive, but a treatment recently approved by the FDA may represent a new and pain-free lease on life… Continue reading New Hope for Chronic Back-Pain Sufferers

Update for Prostate Cancer Patients

A British study recently published in the New England Journal of Medicine supports the growing trend of men diagnosed with prostate cancer choosing active surveillance rather than treatment. The long-term study following the cases of 1,600 men found that those who opted for the active surveillance track lowered their risk of treatment complications without increasing… Continue reading Update for Prostate Cancer Patients

The Healthiest Refined Sugar Substitutes

Refined sugar is one of the unhealthiest ingredients in the modern American diet. Abundant evidence has shown a link between white sugar and serious diseases from diabetes to cancer. Sugar’s prevalence in a vast array of processed foods—even surprising products like canned soups—has also contributed to America’s epidemic of obesity.     That should come… Continue reading The Healthiest Refined Sugar Substitutes

More Exercise, Longer Life

The beneficial role exercise plays in both physical and mental health has long been established through vast reams of research. Studies continue to look at the ideal balance of intensity and duration, the best exercises for different demographic groups, and other specifics. But the fact that regular—meaning everyday—exercise can significantly benefit your health is not… Continue reading More Exercise, Longer Life