Search results

Apricot seeds are all over the internet - marketed as cancer fighters. But the seeds contain a chemical compound that, when ingested in high quantities (and by high we mean several seeds), can cause cyanide poisoning. 

Telling the difference between a viral and bacterial infection isn't always easy. Physicians end up guessing, which results in prescriptions being given for unnecessary antibiotics. A group is working on a new tool that could take the guesswork out of this important issue. 

In response to soaring opioid addiction and deaths, the U.S. is cracking down hard on the prescription of these painkillers. Aric Hausknecht, M.D., a neurologist and pain management specialist, speaks about pain control at a time when opioids, and the people who depend upon them, are being ostracized. 

A new kind of genetically engineered wheat is more efficient at absorbing phosphorus from the soil and, hence, should require less fertilizer.

John Urschel, 26, an offensive lineman for the Baltimore Ravens, abruptly retired from the NFL. The decision by the soft-spoken genius pursuing a math doctorate at MIT, came just two days after the release of a a weighted CTE study, which stated that of the late NFL players' brains 99% tested positive for the disease's irreversible, degenerative brain damage.

Here's some advice for you ambitious urban cowboys out there: Wash your hands after you touch your chickens. Cook your eggs thoroughly. And be on the lookout for predators.

There's been a lot of back-and-forth about the value of electronic cigarettes for helping smokers quit. Some have said they're just gateways to smoking for youth, while others – us included – see them as valuable harm reduction tools for recalcitrant smokers. A new study supports the latter view.

As millions of uninspired, would-be exercisers know all too well, the reasons to avoid working out are endless.
"I can't fit it into my schedule" ... "it takes too long" ... "I don't go enough to make a gym membership worthwhile" ... and "I don't see enough results from going" are just a few of the tried-and-true, go-to excuses. 
If this is beginning to sound a little like your way of thinking, here are two words to strongly consider: jumping rope.

A pesky parasite lurks warm freshwater lakes and ponds in the dog days of summer.. It's not serious, but it's certainly itchy!

An interesting finding, that a sunscreen chemical may be useful in treating multiple sclerosis, gave us an unexpected treat: an opportunity to pound the chemical-scares industry. The sunscreen ingredient, homosalate, like just about every other chemical in the world, has been called an "endocrine disruptor" by groups like EWG. Too bad the paper that's cited as proof shows that it's not one at all. 

Once again, the meme that "natural" is good is disproven by the recent news that some Mexican papayas are contaminated with (natural) Salmonella. One person has died from the bacterial illness and people are being warned to avoid one particular brand.

Sometimes health advice is just too good to be true, like these beauties: "Eat pomegranates to prevent cancer" ... and "Organic food will make your kids smarter." But as for "Use sunscreen to treat an autoimmune disease" ... what? That's not possible, right? Well, the truth is that last one, as crazy as it sounds, just might be real. 

There are not a lot of firsts left here in New York; we've basically seen it all. However, a squirrel that's attacking park-goers in Prospect Park, Brooklyn may be just that. The city's Department of Health thinks that this squirrel might have rabies. If true, it would be the first rabid squirrel NYC has ever known. 

Did the North Korean regime hire former Soviet scientists to build a biological weapons program? Given what we know about both countries, the possibility cannot be ruled out.

Love it or hate it, kale is now omnipresent in modern life. And it may perhaps be the plague of the 21st century. Just because it's disgusting doesn't mean it's worthless, like some rather interesting chemistry that explains why you have to give this stuff a rubdown.

Wonder why "fake news" is taking hold as a concept and a description? Look no further than a recent CNBC article and its accompanying video, showcasing a new blood collection product. 

New mothers learn how to protect their new arrivals from sudden infant death syndrome. But when it actually comes to implementing those safety practices while in a sleepy stupor, that's when dangers arise. So researchers developed a "mobile health program" delivering safety reminders  – when they needed to be seen – which helped moms keep their newborns safer.

Ever on the alert to protect consumers from non-existent threats, E.U. member states have voted to set legal limits on the amount of acrylamide in foods. Acrylamide, of course, is the chemical naturally formed when foods containing large amounts of carbohydrates are cooked at high temperatures — think fried and baked potatoes and bread. And we predict that no-one's health will benefit from this ruling.

A new therapy involving a medication requires the approval of the FDA. Not so for a new surgical technique or device. For my surgical brethren, we need a good idea and our “can do” attitude takes over, and we try out a new technique, instrument or operation, studies can wait.

The headlines all imply that nearly all football players who make it to the NFL will develop CTE. That couldn't be further from the truth. Here are four major reasons why.

Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy is being more widely discussed following a high-profile research study on the brains of deceased football players, including 111 from the NFL. But what is CTE and how does it differ from other brain diseases?
 

Senator John McCain has been in the news over his health issues this past week. It is ironic that another Republican senator from Arizona, Barry Goldwater is being invoked over the role of medical experts and what they say to the media. What should the talking heads of the media, especially media physicians, say in these political times.

A new, headlines-grabbing study reports that CTE, a type of irreversible and degenerative brain damage, was found in the tissue of 110 of 111 late NFL players tested. Does this mean all pro players will eventually be diagnosed with CTE? No, not exactly. But this news does mean that the league's long-term health has been thrown for a big loss.   

It never ceases to amaze me how easily people can be manipulated into worrying about nothing simply because the "nothing" is portrayed as (but really isn't) scary, while at the same time pay no attention to a "something" because it is portrayed as healthy (which is just as wrong).

While bariatric surgery is the most effective means of dealing with extreme obesity, subjects must still exercise some degree of dietary discipline to obtain the most benefit. A new analysis finds that the degree of early weight loss predicts long-term success, and both are linked to decreases in energy intake.