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With winter approaching, perhaps you or somebody you know will be unlucky enough to catch a nasty "stomach flu" or "24-hour flu," (which will produce some quality time in the bathroom). Now while you will almost certainly feel better within 24-72 hours, here's the catch: There's no such thing as the stomach or 24-hour flu.

More than 40 million people across the country watched the Cubs win Game 7 of the World Series. Thinking about America in 1908, when the Cubs last were champs, could be one big reason why their story has resonated with the public. So we compared some of today's public health issues to those of 108 years ago. 

It seems that the Journal of American Medical Association is really stretching the word "medical." A recent article highlighting the role of complementary medicine in pain management summarized the findings of a large study published in September. But when you dig a bit deeper, its conclusion is a stretch, at best. 

By any measure, opioid medications are much harder to get. But has this helped or hurt us? Some evidence suggests the latter. 

And, so it begins. With The Daily Mail's story of Anthony Weiner’s reported entry into a rehab facility for sex addiction treatment, the media headlines have ignited. They blare: "Is Anthony Weiner a Sex Addict?" But that's not the right question we all should be asking. Here's what is.

Human milk is the gold standard for feeding babies — its benefits are well-known. And now formula manufacturers are bringing their products closer to the composition of breast milk by the addition of compounds — oligosaccharides — that are commonly found in mothers' milk.

Postpartum depression is a very serious mood disorder that cannot be lumped together with the commonly reported "baby blues" and certainly cannot be helped by any service that is offered on a spa menu. However, certain spa owners are starting marketing campaigns that dangerously mislead new mothers.

Peanut allergies range from inconvenient to potentially fatal. The cause is unknown, but it's likely to involve a combination of immunogenetic and environmental factors. For the latter, research suggests peanut allergies are more common among Westerners, possibly because they eat dry roasted peanuts while Asians eat boiled ones.

We've literally already said everything there is to be said about the flu vaccine! So here's completely uneventful video of Ana Dolaskie following through and getting this year's flu shot — a quick reminder to get yours if you haven't!
 
 

Avid golfers and plant pathologists normally don't have a whole lot in common, their interests likely intersecting with the frequency of a hole-in-one. But when several golf courses in the south faced a mysterious grass disease that was fouling their fairways, researchers were able to come up with a solution. It amounted to another crowd-pleasing win for science.

The International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) was founded with a noble goal - to put an end to environmental claims based on weak observational anecdotes, like Rachel Carson claiming that she knew people who sprayed DDT in their basement and died (1) or that cranberries were going to poison everyone.

Many natural remedies do not work. Despite those who swear by herbal medicines and other traditions that stretch back, in some cases, thousands of years, modern science often cannot verify the claimed benefits. But that isn't always the case. Occasionally, scientists confirm that a traditional remedy indeed does work, and one such example has been reported recently in the Journal of Agricultural and Food Chemistry.

The horror stories about pain and suffering arising from the CDC's new "voluntary guidelines" to physicians regarding opioid prescription policies keep rolling in. But it would difficult to find anything worse than what happened to former Seattle resident, Denny Peck. And it could just as easily happen to any of us.

The burden of contraception rests heavily on a woman’s shoulders. Male options have been limited to the pull-out method, condoms and the dreaded “V’ word – vasectomy. But according to a recent study, injectable male contraception proved to be highly effective and comparable in efficacy to female contraceptives. So why not continue the research?

Gene drives are the hottest new technology in molecular biology. Although they are opening up boundless possibilities in the world of genetic manipulation, real concerns lie in the unknown consequences of using them. We will bring you the latest information, to close the gap between the lab bench and your living room. 

The North American Mycological Association keeps records of mushroom poisonings; it reported 67 incidents of human poisoning from mushrooms in 2013. Fortunately, none were lethal. There were also 49 cases of dogs being poisoned, as well as one cat.

Why America's supposed newspaper of record has become a voice for anti-biotechnology food activists remains a profound mystery. Maybe it's calculated, in that the paper is tailoring its reportage to its customers, consisting of mostly affluent, organic-food-eating elites. Evidence plays a small part in the Times' coverage of controversial scientific issues.

While seeming contrived, spray-on tanning is actually considered safe -- provided the consumer uses the product smartly and follows its guidelines. So if appearing tan or golden brown is important and it helps combat the winter blues, then this artificial skin coloring option may be for you. (And the tanning bed is dangerous, so stay away from it.)
 

Age plays a role in how people view food and make food choices, as depicted by a recent survey. In particular, baby boomers and millennials differ as to (1) whom they most trust to advise them about foods, and (2) what health aspects of food they're most concerned about.

Concluding our two-part series on important melanoma topics, we focus on immunotherapy and the new frontier in the areas of research and treatment by engaging three experts from the Wistar Institute Melanoma Research Center.
 

Just when you thought that chiropractors focus solely on back pain, think again. Didn't you know that their degree makes them experts on everything -- even nutrition and vaccinations?! Just check out these Halloween tips from Lakeland Chiropractic, a Michigan practice, if you want some trickery to go with your kid's candy collection. 

The emotional agony of losing a baby in utero can only be understood by the people that have experienced it. But a new study delves into a massive amount of data surrounding a large number of stillbirths, in order to learn more about the methods used to determine their causes of death.

Unbeknownst to David Seidemann, a Brooklyn College geology professor and ACSH scientific advisor, he was placed on a "hit list" by the academic politically-correct mafia. In an article for Minding the Campus, Prof. Seidemann recalls a chilling tale in which he was investigated by the administration for alleged misconduct.

What we eat – as opposed to how much – is a hot topic, and meat consumption is often scrutinized. A study that tracked almost 100,000 Americans for five years found that non-meat eaters were less likely to die – of any cause – during the study period than meat eaters. Now not all studies agree, however, as some show no difference at all in longevity between meat eaters and non-meat eaters. 

A research team consisting of an anthropologist, a geographer and an archeologist just released a study that is providing scientists insight as to how ancient seafarers likely used climate conditions to discover and eventually populate some of the "most remote regions on Earth."