Category: harvardhealth_news_UNDEFINED

Some supplements can interfere with lab tests to diagnose or monitor health conditions, which can lead to life-threatening misdiagnoses or unnecessary additional testing. Biotin (vitamin B₇) can skew results from a blood test to diagnose heart attack. Other problematic supplements include vitamin C, which can interfere with blood sugar readings and stool tests; calcium, which can make bones appear denser than they are on bone density scans; and creatine, which can lead to falsely high readings of creatinine, a marker for kidney disease.

Two studies found that managing stress and eating a plant-based diet with at least seven servings of leafy green vegetables per week can help improve cognitive function and protect against Alzheimer’s disease, respectively.

People who take an average of 4,500 steps each day may have a lower risk of heart disease, stroke, and heart failure than those who take less than 2,000 steps per day.

Artificial intelligence (AI) has the potential to assist doctors in the exam room. One day, AI may listen to doctor and patient conversations in order to suggest tests or treatments the doctor should consider, highlight possible diagnoses, and draft notes for medical records.

Going for a brisk walk with one or more friends has many health benefits. It’s a form of socializing, which is good for thinking skills and helps stave off loneliness, isolation, and many chronic diseases. Walking with others helps people stay accountable and stick to an exercise regimen, and motivates and challenges them to work harder. Plus, it’s safer to walk with buddies, who can all watch for hazards and call for help in an emergency.

A 2022 study suggests that sleep irregularity—night-to-night variations in sleep duration and timing (when someone falls sleep)—are linked to atherosclerosis (plaque buildup in the arteries).

Sun-protective clothes are made of materials that shield your skin from harmful ultraviolet (UV) rays. The most effective fabrics for the job have high thread counts, are tightly woven, and are dark or bright colors (which absorb light). Examples include polyester, nylon, lightweight wool, or canvas. Many clothing manufacturers now use high-tech fabrics for sun-protective garments. Some wick away moisture and dry quickly. Some are embedded with chemicals used in sunscreens (such as zinc oxide and titanium dioxide). High-tech fabrics offer at least as much protection as regular densely woven fabrics, and maybe more.

For many people, attacks of vertigo recur periodically. The attacks are usually caused by a disorder of the balance (vestibular) system. Examples of balance disorders include benign paroxysmal positional vertigo (BPPV), cervical vertigo, Meniere’s disease, and vestibular migraine. Treatment for recurring vertigo involves getting the underlying cause under control; seeking physical therapy tailored to people with balance disorders; and (for people with BPPV) doing a particular maneuver to reposition loose debris in the ear canal.

A 2022 study found that yoga may offer some protection against frailty. Participants who practiced yoga improved two markers of frailty—walking speed and the ability to get up from a chair—compared with people who didn’t practice yoga.

Blood pressure measurements taken at a doctor’s office can vary widely from one visit to the next, according to a 2022 study. It included blood pressure measurements from almost 537,000 people, each with an average of 13 doctor visits over two years.