Jan 3, 2017
Leveraging existing relationships with friends and family may be a more effective way to improve patients’ health and encourage new healthy habits and behaviors than increasing interactions with physicians or other clinicians. In a new perspective published by the New England Journal of Medicine, Penn Medicine behavioral economists suggest a five-step ladder to effectively engineering social engagements that promote health and to test their acceptability and effectiveness. (more…)
Jan 3, 2017
Image: pixabay.com
Frequent sauna bathing may protect men against dementia, Finnish study suggests.
Frequent sauna bathing can reduce the risk of dementia, according to a recent study carried out at the University of Eastern Finland. In a 20-year follow-up, men taking a sauna 4-7 times a week were 66% less likely to be diagnosed with dementia than those taking a sauna once a week. The association between sauna bathing and dementia risk has not been previously investigated. (more…)
Dec 29, 2016
By Teresa Dumain, first published here
Women are at greater risk for stroke than men, but these simple steps can lower your risk.
Midlife women are twice as likely as men to have strokes, an alarming fact in and of itself. But what’s even more alarming is that if you crunch the numbers, it just doesn’t make any sense. Men smoke more, drink more, and see their doctors less—probably to avoid confessing their sins. Cigarettes and alcohol up the risk of stroke, yet each year, about 55,000 more women than men suffer from them. (more…)
Dec 27, 2016
By Susan Young | Posted: December 27, 2016 on Healthcare Communication News
Image: pixabay.com
People are using technology to enhance their overall health.
Effective digital communicators have a deep understanding of where their prospects are spending time, and how best to reach them.
They’re quite busy on computers, tablets and mobile devices, according to this infographic. What exactly are folks looking at online? (more…)
Dec 27, 2016
Written by Ana Sandoiu
First published here
With their rich content of fiber, low saturated fats, and high levels of antioxidants, nuts are one of the healthiest and most nutritious snacks out there. New research shows that the health benefits of nuts may be even more wide-ranging than we think.
Nuts are packed with nutritional value. Rich in unsaturated fatty acids, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and various antioxidants, nuts have earned their spot in the “superfood” category. (more…)
Dec 24, 2016
UCLA researchers have shown that the brain can be repaired — and brain function can be recovered — after a stroke in animals. The discovery could have important implications for treating a mind-robbing condition known as a white matter stroke, a major cause of dementia.
White matter stroke is a type of ischemic stroke, in which a blood vessel carrying oxygen to the brain is blocked. Unlike large artery blockages or transient ischemic attacks, individual white matter strokes, which occur in tiny blood vessels deep within the brain, typically go unnoticed but accumulate over time. They accelerate Alzheimer’s disease due to damage done to areas of the brain involved in memory, planning, walking and problem-solving. (more…)
