health Archives

Exercise boosts survival rates in colon cancer patients, study shows

A first-of-its-kind experiment shows a three-year exercise program improved survival in colon cancer patients. The findings were featured Sunday at a cancer meeting in Chicago and published by the New England Journal of Medicine. Experts say cancer centers and insurance plans should consider making exercise coaching a new standard of care. Researchers followed 889 patients with treatable colon cancer who had completed chemotherapy. Half were given health information while the others worked with an exercise coach. Over time, the people in the structured exercise program had 28% fewer cancers and 37% fewer deaths from any cause.… Continue Reading

Boys with cancer can face infertility as adults. Can storing their stem cells help?

WASHINGTON (AP) — Researchers have performed the first known transplant of sperm-producing stem cells in hopes of restoring fertility in a man who survived childhood cancer. There’s no proven way to preserve boys’ future fertility if cancer strikes before puberty. But a University of Pittsburgh study for years has frozen testicular tissue and cells before boys begin treatment to see if they eventually might help. Now the first study participant has returned as an adult to reimplant those cells in hopes of one day fathering a biological child.… Continue Reading

FDA floats plan to make cigarettes nonaddictive, but its fate rests with Trump

WASHINGTON (AP) — The Biden administration is floating a long-awaited proposal to make cigarettes less addictive by capping their nicotine levels. But the plan comes in the final days of his presidency and is unlikely to take effect anytime soon. Implementing low-nicotine cigarettes would fall to the administration of incoming president-elect Donald Trump, who has generally favored lighter regulation of tobacco products. The FDA says making cigarettes nonaddictive would help millions of Americans quit smoking and stop future generations from starting. Antismoking advocates have long urged the FDA to take that step. But FDA efforts have been slowed by lobbying and political pushback.… Continue Reading

What makes walking so great for your health and what else you need to do

LOUISVILLE, Ky. (AP) — Health experts say walking is an easy way to improve physical and mental health, bolster fitness and prevent disease. Getting steps in also helps lower the risk of heart problems, high blood pressure, dementia, depression and many types of cancer. Walking also improves blood sugar levels and helps people lose weight and sleep better. The well-known goal of 10,000 steps is just a guideline, which experts say people can work up to gradually. Doctors say people should also add other activities to their fitness routines, including resistance exercises like lifting weights and doing activities that keep you flexible like yoga or stretching.… Continue Reading

US suicides held steady in 2023 — at a very high level

NEW YORK (AP) — U.S. suicides last year remained at about the highest level in the nation’s history. Preliminary data shows that a little over 49,300 suicide deaths were reported in 2023. That number that could grow at least somewhat as some death investigations are wrapped up and reported. Just under 49,500 were reported in 2022. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention on Thursday released more information about recent suicide trends. It’s the nation’s 11th leading cause of death overall. But it’s the second leading cause of death for people ages 10–14 and 20–34. The highest suicide rate for any group — by far — was in men ages 75 and older.… Continue Reading

Fluoride in drinking water poses enough risk to merit new EPA action, judge says

NEW YORK (AP) — A federal judge has ordered the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to further regulate fluoride in drinking water because high levels could pose a risk to the intellectual development of children. U.S. District Judge Edward Chen cautioned that it’s not certain that the amount of fluoride typically added to water is causing lower IQ in kids. But he concluded that mounting research points to an unreasonable risk that it could be. He ordered the Environmental Protection Agency to take steps to lower that risk, but didn’t say what those measures should be. The agency says it is reviewing the decision.… Continue Reading

Want to burn calories? Climbing stairs might be the most effective exercise for you

TOKYO (AP) — If you’re trying to lose a bit of weight and want a new way to do it, stair-climbing as a regular exercise — or just adding a few flights a day — might be for you. It’s accessible, and research shows it’s more effective than walking on level ground. You burn about 20 times more calories going up stairs than walking on flat ground. Even going down stairs you burn roughly five times more, the muscles being stretched to slow the body’s descent.… Continue Reading