A long-running study from Canada has added to the debate about the value of screening mammograms. After 25 years, death rates were equal between groups that did and did not get regular mammograms. The study included nearly 90,000 women. Their ages ranged from 40 to 59 when the study began. They were randomly assigned to receive mammograms or not. Those who got the tests received a mammogram each year for 5 years. All of the women 50 and older also received annual breast exams by trained nurses. So did the women in their 40s who got mammograms. The younger no-mammogram group received a single exam at the start of the study. During the next 25 years, 3,250 women in the mammogram group and 3,133 in the no-mammogram group developed breast cancer. About 500 women in each group died of breast cancer. The journal BMJ published the study online. HealthDay News wrote about it February 11.
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A stubborn “lump in the throat” feeling can stem from postnasal drip, reflux, irritation, or even a small pouch in the esophagus. Explore possible causes.
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Spring vegetables taste great and provide important nutritional benefits that aren’t found in a pill bottle. Dietitians recommend taking advantage of spinach, asparagus, cherries, strawberries, and sugar snap peas.
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Obstruction of the airways-and snoring-is more likely when people sleep on their back.
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Using proton-pump inhibitors or H2 blockers is associated with vitamin B12 deficiency. Taking the drugs may require a check of B12 levels or a B12 supplement.
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Not all drugs in a class are affected by grapefruit juice. So simply switching to another type within that class may enable people to enjoy a drink of grapefruit juice.
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The FDA is considering removing trans fats from its list of ingredients “generally regarded as safe.” If this ruling is made final, companies will have to prove that trans fats are safe if they want to continue to put them in their products.
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Yoga has mental and physical benefits for people of all ages, especially seniors. It is a series of postures and breathing techniques that include an element of awareness.
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It appears that using a small bedside air pump and mask that keep the airways open with continuous positive airway pressure can lower average daily blood pressure by a few points.
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When undertaking a strength training program, it’s important to work with a certified personal trainer or a physical therapist, use both weights and resistance bands, get enough sleep to allow muscles time to rebuild, and eat a healthy diet.
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