In Brief: Avoiding kidney stones
Ways to prevent kidney stones mainly revolve around dietary choices, along with drinking plenty of water.
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Heart Beat: Another day in the sun for olive oil?
Another study promotes the heart-healthy virtues of olive oil, but it’s also important to be mindful of the broader impact of diet on cardiovascular health.
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Wake up and use the microwave, Health Letter, say our readers
Eating oatmeal is a great way to add fiber to your diet, and using a microwave oven is a convenient way to speed up the cooking time.
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More than the usual forgetfulness
Age-related memory loss is common, but forgetting things like significant dates or events could be a sign of mild cognitive impairment, which increases the likelihood of progression to dementia.
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Adult food allergies
Sometimes adults suddenly develop allergies to foods they have eaten since they were children. Such reactions may be caused by a cross-reaction to another allergen.
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In Brief: Fiber on a winning streak
Eating high-fiber foods helps lower cholesterol, and research is now suggesting that it may also help protect against respiratory and infectious diseases.
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Conversation with a Harvard expert
The Health Letter interviews a researcher and professor whose area of expertise is medications.
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Ask the doctor: Have I given up steak for nothing?
I read that Harvard researchers found no association between eating red meat and developing heart disease and diabetes. Have I been depriving myself of steak for more than 20 years for no good reason?
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The Challenge of Quitting Smoking
I’ve been sober for a few years and I’m ready to stop smoking. But people tell me it’s harder than quitting alcohol. Why? Is there anything I can do to make it easier?
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Most Kids Hurt in Low-Height Window Falls
Nearly 5,000 U.S. children are hurt each year in falls from windows, a new study reports. And they didn’t just fall from high-rise apartments. In cases where the height of the fall was recorded, 94% were from first- or second-story windows. The new study was based on data from hospital emergency departments. About 1 out of 4 children needed to stay in the hospital. About 1 out of 500 died. But researchers said the death rate is probably a low figure. Some children who died may have not been taken to hospitals. Preschool children were most likely to fall. The study covered 19 years, ending in 2008. Within that period, injury rates from window falls declined slightly. Researchers said that may be because of more public awareness and safety measures. For example, New York City requires window guards in households with children under age 10.
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