Latest Health News

15Oct
2020

Bringing the Forest to Kids' Daycare May Boost Young Immune Systems

Bringing the Forest to Kids` Daycare May Boost Young Immune SystemsTHURSDAY, Oct. 15, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Want to give your kids an immune system boost? Try letting them play in the dirt more often, a new study suggests. Researchers in Finland found that when they brought nature into daycare playgrounds -- including forest soil and vegetation -- preschoolers' immune function showed a change for the better. In simple terms, it shifted to a less inflammatory state. That immune system redirect was also accompanied by some changes in the children's microbiome -- the vast collection of bacteria and other microbes that naturally live on and in the body. Research has revealed those bugs to be vital in normal body processes -- from metabolism to brain function to immune system regulation. It's too early to know whether bringing the forest to urban...

Pandemic Silver Lining: Steep Drop in Kids' Fractures

7 October 2020
Pandemic Silver Lining: Steep Drop in Kids` FracturesWEDNESDAY, Oct. 7, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- In a rare bit of good news tied to the coronavirus pandemic, researchers say pediatric fractures plummeted by nearly 60% this past spring. Investigators say the finding likely reflects the sudden evaporation of organized sports and curtailed playground use due to the threat of COVID-19. "We compared fracture incidence in the early stages of the COVID-19 pandemic -- March 15 to April 15 -- to the same monthly interval in the years 2018 and 2019," explained study author Joshua Bram, a fourth-year medical student at the University of Pennsylvania. "There was a 58% decrease in the number of fractures per day presenting to our hospital in 2020 compared to the previous years," noted Bram. Fracture cases dropped from roughly 23 per day in...

Early School Sports Reduce ADHD Symptoms Years Later for...

6 October 2020
Early School Sports Reduce ADHD Symptoms Years Later for GirlsTUESDAY, Oct. 6, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Girls who played after-school sports in elementary school seem to have fewer symptoms of attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) once they reach middle school, a new study suggests. The research included both boys and girls, but the effect of sports on attention and behavior symptoms was only significant in girls. "Girls, in particular, benefit from participation in sport when it comes to ADHD symptoms," said lead author Linda Pagani. She's a professor at the University of Montreal School of Psychoeducation in Quebec, Canada. ADHD is a condition that includes ongoing patterns of inattention, hyperactivity and/or impulsivity -- issues that interfere with a person's functioning or development, according to the U.S. National...

Got Sciatica? Stay Active and Start Early on Physical...

5 October 2020
Got Sciatica? Stay Active and Start Early on Physical TherapyMONDAY, Oct. 5, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- For people with back pain caused by sciatica, it might be a good idea to start physical therapy sooner rather than later, a new clinical trial suggests. Sciatica refers to pain that radiates along the sciatic nerve, which runs from the lower back, through the hip and down the back of the leg. It's often the result of a bulging spinal disc that compresses the nerve. In general, people with sciatica should try to remain active and not take to bed, said study author Julie Fritz, a physical therapist and associate dean for research at the University of Utah's College of Health, in Salt Lake City. But it's one thing to tell patients to stay active, and another to give them targeted exercises to deal with the condition, Fritz said. So her team...

Shall You Dance? Study Finds Dancing Helps Seniors Avoid Falls

1 October 2020
Shall You Dance? Study Finds Dancing Helps Seniors Avoid FallsTHURSDAY, Oct. 1, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Preventing falls in older age could be as fun as dancing them away, new research shows. Researchers found a 31% reduction in falls and a 37% reduction in fall risk for those aged 65 and older when reviewing clinical trials on "dance-based mind-motor activities" from around the world. "We were positively surprised by the consistency of our results," said study author Michèle Mattle, a movement scientist and doctoral candidate at the University of Zurich, in Switzerland. "Although previous research in the field of falls prevention and exercise was suggesting that interventions, including multitasking activities, are promising falls-prevention strategies, it was unclear if dance-based mind-motor activities would lead to comparable results,"...

Why Early Bedtime May Be Best for People With Type 2 Diabetes

30 September 2020
Why Early Bedtime May Be Best for People With Type 2 DiabetesWEDNESDAY, Sept. 30, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- It's long been said that early to bed, early to rise can make you healthy, wealthy and wise. Now, new research supports at least the health benefits. A study of people with type 2 diabetes found that night owls -- people who go to bed late and get up late -- tend to get little exercise, putting their health at greater risk. Understanding how sleep time can affect physical activity might help people with type 2 diabetes manage their health, said researcher Dr. Joseph Henson of the University of Leicester in the United Kingdom. "There is a massive need for large-scale interventions to help people with diabetes initiate, maintain and achieve the benefits of an active lifestyle," he said. "For people who prefer to go to bed later and get...

Exercise Ups Life Span for Type 2 Diabetics

24 September 2020
Exercise Ups Life Span for Type 2 DiabeticsTHURSDAY, Sept. 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- For someone with type 2 diabetes, exercise can cut the risk of dying early by as much as one-third, researchers report. Exercise improves insulin sensitivity, reduces the risk of heart disease, and inhibits inflammation, said the Taiwanese research team. Among nearly 5,000 men and women with type 2 diabetes, those with a higher level of exercise had a lower risk of dying during the study period, compared with those who didn't exercise, the researchers found. Those who did a moderate amount of exercise had a 25% lower risk of early death, and those who exercised the most had a 32% lower risk of dying. The study was done by Dr. Yun-Ju Lai and colleagues at Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Puli Branch, in Nantou, Taiwan. Lai's team...

After COVID-19 Exposure, When Can Young Athletes Resume Play?

24 September 2020
After COVID-19 Exposure, When Can Young Athletes Resume Play?THURSDAY, Sept. 24, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- Young athletes who've had moderate COVID-19 symptoms should be symptom-free for 14 days and get their doctor's OK before returning to practices or games, according to a leading group of U.S. pediatricians. An electrocardiogram (EKG) is also recommended for those who've had moderate COVID-19 symptoms, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) said in updated guidance. "Exercise and sports offer so many health benefits to youth, and we know that many are eager to return to play," Dr. Susannah Briskin, an author of the guidance, said in an AAP news release. "We have many suggestions on how to reduce the risks, and they require being candid and forthcoming about anyone who is feeling unwell. Parents, children and coaches need to make safety...

Common Heart Defect Limits Exercise Ability: Study

WEDNESDAY, Sept. 23, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- People born with a hole in their heart may lose 20% or more of their exercise capacity as they age, even if the defect is repaired. A ventricular...

A Good Workout Could Boost Your Thinking for Up to 2 Hours

THURSDAY, Sept. 17, 2020 (HealthDay News) -- A few minutes of moderate- to high-intensity aerobic activity -- like running or biking -- can boost young adults' memory and concentration for up to...
RSS
First4748495052545556Last