Wellness
EPA promised a Make America Healthy Again agenda. It has yet to materialize, frustrating activists
WASHINGTON | Last December, after Make America Healthy Again activists drew up a petition to get him fired, Environmental Protection Agency administrator Lee Zeldin pledged to release a formal agenda of MAHA priorities that his agency would pursue, including protections against harmful chemicals and other health concerns. But eight months after its first mention and […]
Why losing weight isn’t just about counting calories — and what to do about it
BOSTON | When it comes to losing weight, it turns out the simple math of counting calories doesn’t always add up. Fad diets come and go, but the underlying message almost always follows a simple equation. If you consume fewer calories than you burn, the weight will melt away. In principle, it’s true. And counting […]
Nutrition apps can help build healthy habits. For some users, their gaming features carry risks
Green means go, red means stop. Trophies or confetti come with good performance, and people who fall behind get nudged to do better. Those brightly colored engagement tactics long ago jumped from smartphone games to everything from online shopping to sports betting and classrooms. So it should come as no surprise that many nutrition-tracking apps […]
Scratching that bug bite might feel good at first but science explains why it’s a bad idea
WASHINGTON | You’ve likely heard it since childhood: Don’t scratch that bug bite or rash, you’ll make it worse. But why would something that feels so good be bad? A lot of things can cause itchiness, sometimes serious diseases. Whatever the cause, doctors have long warned that scratching too much can damage the skin. Now […]
A cancer patient’s cats inspired a push for pets in hospice wards
WARSAW, Poland | When Ewa Lutka-Krawczyk was diagnosed with gallbladder cancer, her first thought was for Gaja, a shelter dog she took in three years ago. She asked her doctor to assure her she would live a few more years so the deeply attached Gaja “wouldn’t be left behind.” But the prognosis was grim, and […]
For a soothing cup of herbal tea, here’s how to grow and prepare your own herbs
Drink a fragrant cup of herbal tea, and the intoxicating scent of steeped herbs might calm your mind before you even take a sip. Even better is when they come from your own backyard herb garden. Mine includes several ingredients for my daily cup, and they’re all easy to grow and prepare. Herbal teas are […]
The world wants more high-protein products, but there’s not enough whey to go around
Global consumers want more protein in every bite, but the dairy industry is struggling to give it to them. Athletes and older adults have long used smoothies and shakes blended with whey protein concentrate – a powdered byproduct of cheese-making – to build or maintain muscle. More recently, food companies have sprinkled it into everything […]
FDA’s e-cigarette authorization: Fruity vapes not significantly better than tobacco ones
WASHINGTON | Fruit-flavored e-cigarettes recently authorized by the Food and Drug Administration were not significantly better at helping smokers quit than tobacco-flavored e-cigarettes, according to a new memo that’s likely to stir more questions about the agency’s decision. The FDA last month gave its first OK to fruit-flavored vapes — essentially endorsing them as a […]
OB-GYN group makes vaccine recommendations for the first time
A prominent OB-GYN group announced vaccine recommendations on Wednesday that differ from what the U.S. government advises. The immunization schedule is specifically for pregnant, postpartum and breastfeeding women. It aligns with prior recommendations from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, before changes were made under the Trump administration and Health Secretary Robert F. […]
Accessorize with earplugs at this summer’s concerts so you can enjoy more music in the future
NEW YORK | When her favorite band took the stage, Kristin Shires was in the front row. As the Misterwives started to play, the drums and saxophones blared from the trembling speakers. Shires soaked in the music — but on the way home, a different sound played in her ears. “The half hour after the […]