Stay Active for a Healthy Pregnancy Want an easier pregnancy and a healthier newborn? Stay active! There’s great new research rolling in about the beneficial effects of exercise on a variety of outcomes for pregnant moms, including reduced depression, anxiety, and the rate of cesarean deliveries. “Twenty-plus years ago, there were so many recommendations for […]

A Hidden Epidemic Alongside the opioid overdose crisis, another hidden epidemic is quietly raging. Every year in the United States, more people die of alcohol-related causes than from opioids and other drugs. Even before the COVID-19 pandemic, rates of excessive alcohol use were high and getting higher. The stress and isolation of the pandemic appear to […]

Is Dieting Effective for Weight Loss? We always seem to be looking for the next diet, the one that will melt off weight without making us obsess over food in the process. But we don’t need fad diets at all. The answer to weight loss is simple and unchanging. We need to add more fruits […]

Palm Vein Scans: Exciting or Alarming? It is now possible to make retail purchases and gain access to restricted areas like sports arenas with just a wave of your hand. A biometric scan of the intricate patterns of veins in an individual’s palm is now being used for commercial purposes. Uniquely encoded by nature and […]

Sunlight and Depression Many people find that a sunny day lifts their mood like nothing else. Culturally, we associate sunshine with happiness and relaxation, and as it turns out, there’s science to back that up. We know that a lack of sunshine can have a negative effect on mental health. Research across different countries and […]

Green Sabbaths “A shared day of rest, at a minimum, might slow the pace of consumption, curb emissions or ease the burden of so many people working weary weekends. But slowing down, even for a day, may also be at the heart of a cultural change convincing society that a more sustainable way of life […]

Turmeric vs. Leading Indigestion Medication A new study has found that turmeric may be an effective treatment for dyspepsia (indigestion, including occasional heartburn). Turmeric has traditionally been used in Southeast Asia, while in the US, doctors often recommend omeprazole (also known as Prilosec and Losec), a proton-pump inhibitor (PPI), to reduce stomach acid when a person […]

Food Insecurity Rises Across the US In 2023, across all regions and states in the US, food banks and food assistance programs experienced record-breaking demand from families unable to feed themselves. The rising cost of food, the inability of wages to keep up with soaring prices, and the elimination of federal pandemic food assistance programs […]

Enrich Your Brain Power with Fragrance! Researchers at the University of California recently uncovered strong evidence that enriching the air with fragrances improves cognitive performance. In a study, they provided 20 people with an assortment of natural oils containing fragrances. Others were provided with a “sham” that contained trace amounts of an odorant. All of […]

Bank Closures Growing numbers of Americans are being left without access to basic financial services as bank branches are being closed across the country. Data from S&P Global Market Intelligence shows that a total of 1,144 national and regional banks were closed between January 1 and July 31 across 49 states. California had the most closures, […]