More Health News

Do’s and don’ts for some popular yoga positions.

It’s when the light is just right.

Three yoga teachers address potentially harmful mistakes and offer easy ways to correct them.

To detect breast cancers with better precision, scientists are exploring a range of technologies.

Such screening can let couples know if they are at risk of passing along genetic diseases to their children.

Studies suggest that ginkgo biloba may offer some relief, but more widely, no evidence confirms reduction or elimination of constant ringing in the ears.

Retired grandma, 66, finds weightlifting battles flab and old age.

Use a chair as a helpful tool in stretching the backs of your upper thighs, or hamstrings.

Men mostly suffer from coronary artery disease, but women predominantly suffer from problems with smaller arteries. Diagnosis and treatment affect outcomes.

Cardiac stress tests, also called exercise or treadmill tests, are commonly used to find evidence of blockages in the arteries of the heart. But they’re not 100% reliable.

Do you need coronary angioplasty? Nonsurgical treatment opens clogged arteries, but there are risks.

Decorum doesn’t matter: You need to heed the symptoms and call 911.

The differences in men and women’s hearts may not be limited to problems of the small and large arteries.

After a series of tests and misdiagnoses, he discovers his weakness and nausea were caused by allergic reactions to milk, wheat and other foods.

Cancer, diabetes, accidents — heart disease trumps them all, killing more people in the United States than any other condition.

You see the word more and more, but what does it say about what it’s on? Here are tips for fruits and vegetables, dairy and meat, cosmetics, processed foods and cotton and coffee.

Milk thistle products contain silymarin, which has shown to be good for the liver in high doses but hasn’t proved effective when taken orally.

Relatives can have questions but can’t always attend appointments for elderly patients. One doctor sees firsthand the need and shares her advice.

A cross-country outing with my daughter ends in a burst bubble.

You’ll feel this exercise more in the abdominal muscles — and less in the hip flexors — by gripping a roller with the backs of your thighs.

Whether it was a boyfriend, health goals, personal time or beautiful views, one senior has tried to find a reason and a plan to get or stay in shape.

In bike racing and triathlons, aerodynamics can become an obsession.

Using a yoga block in your practice helps bring the floor up to you, allowing you to focus on correct technique while feeling a sense of stability.

Crime scenes may one day make use of germ makeup, which can be traced to individuals. ‘There’s a rain forest of bacteria on your skin.’

If you have an issue with a facility, there are ways to address it. Help can come from facility staff, state regulators, insurers and other agencies.

Humans’ emotional tears are unique. How they developed is unclear, but they seem to be beneficial. So go ahead, have a good cry.

The sinus-clearing devices may just do the trick.

Some run for accolades, some to lose weight. But the reason a person runs can make a difference in if they finish the race.

Contact information for complaints against California nursing homes and hospitals.

In seated twists like this one, it’s important to sit up tall and focus on lengthening your spine before you begin to twist.

Prenatal, infancy, early childhood — factors in all may affect a person’s future weight and health.

The 24 Hours of Adrenalin Solo World Championship is often a grueling showcase for the world’s toughest bikes and riders, but the July event in Canmore, Canada, was something special.

Eating habits, physical activity, access to parks, ethnicity, poverty and TV watching all play a role in the epidemic, as do many other factors.

Have you noticed that, when you’re stressed and your mind is scattered, it’s hard to find your balance?

It may be easier to learn young, but it may be more fun to learn later.

If you want music to sharpen your senses, boost your ability to focus and perhaps even improve your memory, you need to be a participant, not just a listener.

A physician is surprised by the homeopathic medicine’s apparent side effects.

Yes, yes, it hath charms to soothe a savage breast (or beast, if you prefer to repeat a common mistake).

The words ‘FDA approved’ or ‘FDA registered’ don’t mean as much as consumers often assume.

To avoid damaging your credit score and hearing from a collection agency, open all mail from your doctors and insurers and work out any issues over bills with your doctor’s billing office.

Playing an instrument seems to make learning math and foreign languages easier, but researchers aren’t sure why.

Leonardo da Vinci took them, as did Napoleon Bonaparte, Johannes Brahms and Winston Churchill.

For a more intense stretch in the backs of your thighs and calves, try elevating your foot on a roller.

Adding pounds during the first trimester can increase the danger of the disease, which can affect both the mother and infant even after birth.

Residents in the San Joaquin Valley town suspect a toxic waste dump, although that’s only one possibility. Gov. Schwarzenegger has ordered an investigation. Cluster cases are often hard to prove.

Do the electromagnetic fields of power lines, cells and Wi-Fi cause harm? Experts disagree, so anxieties persist.

The New York City public hospital has a gritty reputation. But patient by patient, it’s a mirror on a vulnerable, volatile population and the care each person needs.

There are several state and nonprofit organizations that can help patients who feel they are victims of mistakes.

Before you pay, make sure you understand all of the charges. Here are some tips.

Some studies say a link between EMFs and health issues is possible, others don’t. And scientists interpret the data differently.

Scientists haven’t found a direct link between the symptoms of headaches and general complaints and being near electromagnetic fields. Some speculate that it is a mental instead of a physical disorder

Those surrounding cellphones and their towers, power lines and Wi-Fi are often relatively weak.

A calorie is . . . A unit of energy.

Those elusive numbers can help you reach and maintain a healthy weight.

This is a safe and effective way to train your abdominal muscles to stay flat and firm when you stand.

Experts call for listing binge eating and gambling as official disorders, but not sex addiction or obesity.

Various causes can dictate the type of medication. But there is debate about what’s best to try first or to combine.

Some high blood pressure patients do all the right things -- make every recommended lifestyle choice, take their drugs completely as prescribed -- and they still can’t get their blood pressure down.

So how much good will it do if you get more exercise, consume less salt, ramp up on potassium, eat the DASH way, give up smoking, take up meditation?

Is having a bad habit ever a good thing?

Blood circulating through your body moves with a certain force -- that’s your blood pressure.

Results haven’t been unanimous, but a good deal of research suggests that healthy doses of potassium can help lower your blood pressure.

It’s wise to pay attention to your blood pressure -- but don’t lose sleep over it.

Everyone agrees that stressful situations make your blood pressure take off.

As people gain weight, their blood pressure tends to go up.

Dozens of studies have reported a link between exercise and lowered blood pressure: Some have found reductions of up to 10 mm Hg (systolic) and 6 to 10 mm Hg (diastolic) blood pressure units in people who already have hypertension.

Everybody needs salt, but health experts generally agree that most Americans get too much of it.

DASH stands for Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension, an eight-week clinical trial, reported in 1997, that tested the effects of three diets on 459 adults.

Studies consistently show that lowering blood pressure significantly lowers the risk of stroke and also, though less dramatically, the risk of heart attacks, heart failure and kidney problems. ¶ Drugs may be necessary sometimes, especially when blood pressure is dangerously high, but other things can help.

Used for toxic cleanup, it’s also sold as a dietary supplement, even though it hasn’t been evaluated for safety.

Though the product has been shown to kill germs, a spritz in the mug after exposure does little to prevent colds and flus. Hand-washing and protective gear are better options.

CPR kept her husband alive after suffering sudden cardiac arrest, but he hasn’t been the same since.

When times get tough, people go hiking.

Have you ever thought of using a folding chair when performing abdominal crunches? Try it.

Here’s a nice stretch for your middle and lower back that fits easily into your workday.

Physical activity is the No. 1 preventive-care tip for seniors.

Maybe it is the fault of genetics. But she tries modifying her diet before resorting to prescription medicine.

An unemployed Nevada resident is forced to seek treatment at a crowded state facility. But a sensitive and understanding nurse named Jeff makes the visits worthwhile.

The assessments from the CDC indicate that Americans may have turned a corner in fighting weight problems. But health experts say there’s more to be done to reverse the trend.

Psychologists who favor the more medical-minded cognitive behavioral model point to growing evidence of its efficacy. Proponents of psychoanalysis deride a one-size-fits-all approach.

The step-tracking gadgets are easy to use and relatively inexpensive. Plus, evidence indicates that they truly inspire people.

Fitness stores sell a variety of spinal decompression/traction devices -- inversion tables and ankle boots that hang you upside down and stretch out your back -- on the promise that they help relieve back pain, enhance general back fitness, provide deep relaxation and maybe even slow age-related height shrinkage.

Here is a very easy, yet amazing stretch that you can do anytime your back and legs feel tight.

In a policy shift, infection with the virus will no longer be a factor in deciding whether to admit travelers or allow people to become permanent residents.

Dieters, beware: Food and restaurant labels might be sabotaging your calorie-counting efforts.

Last night at dinner, my 6-foot-tall husband looked down at my plate and said, “You eat more than I do.”

A new accrediting system, tied more to science, is debated.

The current rumbling over psychotherapy methods centers on a type of therapist degree called the PsyD, which emerged in the 1970s and has since exploded in popularity.

The healthcare industry favors psychotherapies that have been found effective in randomized controlled studies.

Instructors shuffle exercises between cardio and muscle building, and participants foster camaraderie not found in gyms.

A GPS watch, gait analysis and music were among the tools that helped his progress.

The body-building supplement label and website are short on helpful specifics.

Stopping disease before it starts may be a noble goal, but don’t count on such a strategy to save money.

The test, called, coronary artery calcium scoring, is meant to reveal patients at risk for heart attack but may prompt some to get unnecessary surgery.

I’d always had a vague feeling that my mother needed to be aware of skin cancer.

Antismoking campaigns and exercise programs, often needing only small investments, can yield major savings.

Ideas about who should be screened and how often vary widely among physicians and agencies.

Lozenges, supplements, and nasal sprays that contain the mineral should be taken in small doses, researchers say. Too much can cause a myriad of health problems.

FMF, which primarily affects Greeks, Armenians, Turks, and Sephardic Jews, has ancient roots but remained a medical mystery until the mid-20th century.

Studies are mixed on effectiveness, and not all products are alike.

Each year that today’s scanners are used, 14,500 deaths could result, researchers say. When healthy people are exposed to the radiation, the imaging may create more problems than it solves.

A study finds that 17% more Americans have myopia than 30 years ago. Close-up computer work could be a reason.

Drug companies defend the practice of mining data from pharmacies and insurers, but others are alarmed.

The folks on your shopping list are likely an eclectic mix, with various interests and opinions and points of view.

Here Comes Science They Might Be Giants Disney Sound: $18.98 Lately, my 3 1/2 -year-old daughter has been asking lots of questions about blood.

Don’t wait for a New Year’s resolution. Take advantage of offers for nicotine replacements.

But the jury’s still out on those claims.

Recommended: JadeYoga mats, Speedo Hydro Resistant Arm and Leg Trainers, REI Shuksan jacket, Petzl e+LITE, Lululemon Athletica’s Brisk Arm Warmers and Swiftly Tech T-shirts.

They’re ideal for the Type A personality in your life.

Re-gifting isn’t an inherently bad idea, but the very idea that somebody is off-loading his or her unwanted holiday or birthday junk makes a re-giftee feel dirty and unworthy.

Desperate parents try alternative therapies that aren’t based in science and may hurt kids, an investigation finds.

Many users swear by its effectiveness, but the drug, developed to treat glaucoma, can have unpleasant side effects.

Will they or won’t they extend the COBRA subsidy?

They might not want to face their own mortality.

Sara DiFucci says she vividly remembers the day a pediatrician said her daughter, then a preschooler, could wind up in a group home later in life.

Heart rate monitors, vibration plates and pedometers make the experts’ must-have list.

The antiviral, which is already being tested for safety in humans, has exhibited no toxic side effects and has not allowed development of resistance, a characteristic that plagues other treatments.

The increase in overweight Americans offsets the decline in smoking and threatens greater life expectancy, a study finds.

One physician says their years of training make them ‘walking encyclopedias’ on drug effectiveness, side effects and interactions.