Category: harvardhealth_news_UNDEFINED

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends more people should undergo lung cancer screening.

Breast centers and the federal government often differ when it comes to breast cancer screening recommendations.

A study published Feb. 16, 2021, in Circulation found that women with blood pressure readings in a normal range may still be at higher risk for cardiovascular events. For example, heart attack risk in women rose at a systolic (the upper number) reading of 110 to 119 millimeters of mercury (mm Hg) and was the same at this level as men with a systolic pressure of 160 mm Hg. But experts say it’s too soon to change blood pressure recommendations for women until more research confirms the results.

People who are vaccinated against COVID-19 can safely visit with family members who aren’t vaccinated, provided they are not at high risk for severe illness and don’t live with someone who is.

The COVID-19 vaccine may cause a harmless temporary swelling of lymph nodes that could be mistaken for cancer on a mammogram or other imaging test.

Naps can be healthy for adults who need to catch up on sleep or work odd hours, but they can also make it more difficult to sleep at night and be a sign of a sleep disorder. Naps should be short and limited to the early afternoon to prevent them from interfering with nighttime sleep. People who have the urge to nap daily should consider whether they need to improve their nighttime sleep habits.

Using magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) to screen for prostate cancer can identify higher-grade cancers just as well as a standard biopsy, and may help some men with high prostate-specific antigen (PSA) numbers avoid biopsies.

Nutritional guidelines continue to advocate eating five daily servings of fruits and vegetables—the so-called five-a-day. New research found that eating more than this amount does not offer extra benefits, and that a ratio of two servings of fruit and three of vegetables might offer the most health benefits.

As Americans begin to slowly move out of the COVID-19 pandemic, they may face old and new challenges. People should use this transition period to prepare mentally and emotionally for a post-COVID world. Steps include planning how to safely return to social gathering, restarting health habits that have fallen away, and addressing mental health issues.

People who are not ready to return to the gym can get an all-around workout at home by using only their body weight. Body-weight exercises are often comparable to using weights and machines, and help people return to fitness after an injury or long layoff. They also can help older adults improve everyday movements. A simple workout might include chair squats, step-ups, and push-ups.