• How to Handle Family Conflict During the Holidays
  
  'Tis the season to be jolly but the reality is that nearly nine in 10 adults Americans say that they experience increased stress during the holiday season. The main source of anxiety centers around economics, with over half of people surveyed worried about buying gifts and...
• Dr. Crandall: Gratitude Bolsters Holiday Heart Health
  
  We need to be extra careful about our heart health during the holidays. Research shows that more heart attacks occur during December than any other time of the year, according to the American Heart Association. A study published in Circulation found that more cardiac deaths...
• As Flu Surges in Some Areas, Vaccination Lags
  
  The U.S. flu season is underway, with cases surging across much of the country, health officials said Friday. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention noted sharp increases in several measures, including lab tests and emergency room visits. "It's been increasing at a...
• Novo to Begin New Trial of Combo Weight-Loss Drug
  
  Novo Nordisk said on Friday it will begin a new trial of its experimental next-generation CagriSema drug in the first half of 2025 that it hopes will show greater weight-loss, after posting disappointing late-stage trial data. "We plan to optimize dose titration to further...
• CDC: Norovirus Sickens Hundreds on Cruise Ships
  
  Just over 300 people have been sickened in norovirus outbreaks on three different cruise ships in December, new government data shows. This is the only month this year in which the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has reported three confirmed norovirus...
• Existing Drug Promising Sjögren's Disease Treatment
  
  An existing drug might be able to treat an autoimmune disorder that causes dry eye, dry mouth, fatigue and muscle or joint pain. Baricitinib (Olumiant), a drug currently used to treat rheumatoid arthritis, appears to effectively curb the symptoms of Sjögren's disease,...
• Antibiotics Do Not Increase Dementia Risk in Seniors
  
  Seniors with an infection can take antibiotics without fear of harming their brain health. Antibiotics don't appear to increase the risk of cognitive decline or dementia in older adults, researchers report in the journal Neurology. "Given that older adults are more frequently...
• King Charles to Continue Cancer Treatment Next Year
  
  King Charles' cancer treatment is progressing well and will continue into next year, a Buckingham Palace source said, as the British royals prepare for their annual Christmas get-together after a "brutal" year for the family. In February, the palace revealed the 76-year-old,...
• FDA Updates Meaning of 'Healthy' on Food Labels
  
  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration wants to redefine the meaning of healthy food, issuing a new rule Thursday that changes the way food companies can claim their products are indeed nutritious. What foods will qualify for the new designation? Under the final rule, pretty...
• Why We Crave Rich Foods During the Holidays
  
  We can blame our cravings for rich foods during the holidays on science. Research shows that people do gain weight during the months between Thanksgiving and Christmas, which cumulatively increases overall weight gain during our adult years. We eat more decadent food and...
• Cold Weather Deaths Rising in the US
  
  It's a perhaps unexpected consequence of climate change that periods of deep cold now occur more frequently during American winters, despite an overall trend to warmer temperatures year round. That uptick in cold snaps, along with other possible factors, has been linked to a...
• Study Links Moderate Drinking to Lower Mortality
  
  A large new analysis finds that people who drink moderate levels of alcohol have a lower risk of dying from any cause than those who never drink. The new study findings contradict recent research that concluded that drinking has no health benefits at all and is linked to a...
• Life Expectancy in US Rising - Slowly
  
  U.S. life expectancy jumped last year, and preliminary data suggests there may be another - much smaller - improvement this year.
• Blue States Bring Back Mask Mandates Ahead of 'Quad-demic'
  
  Multiple blue states are reinstating mask mandates ahead of a surge of four viruses that some are calling a "quad-demic": flu, COVID, RSV, and Norovirus.
• FDA: Lilly Weight-Loss Drug Shortage Resolved
  
  The U.S. Food and Drug Administration said on Thursday that Eli Lilly's weight-loss drug shortage has been resolved, following a re-evaluation of the drug's supply by the agency. Still, the FDA said it would not take any action against compounding pharmacies making cheaper...
• Researchers Develop New Test for Osteoarthritis
  
  Knee arthritis could become easier to detect and diagnose thanks to a new test involving the lubricating fluid inside the joint. A new study shows that arthritis of the knee often is diagnosed in its late stages, after cartilage has degraded and bones are rubbing against...
• New Research Points to Possible Parkinson's Drug
  
  Parkinson's is a relentless disease for which few treatments, and no real cure, exists. Now, researchers say they are on the trail of a potential new therapy for the disabling neurological illness. It's early research, still in the animal-testing stage, as explained by...
• California Declares State of Emergency for Bird Flu
  
  California Democrat Gov. Gavin Newsom has issued a proactive state of emergency concerning the bird flu in the wake of concerns growing in the state and nationwide.
• New Blood Test May Predict Risk for Dementia
  
  Folks worried that they're developing dementia have few options for catching their brain decline before it's too late. But a new blood test might be able to detect early changes that wind up leading to cognitive impairment and dementia. The test looks at a protein that...
• Sleep Apnea May Accelerate Brain Aging
  
  Sleep apnea is known to wreak havoc with the body, contributing to heart problems, diabetes and liver disease.The sleep disorder also appears to have direct effects on brain health, a new study shows.People with sleep apnea appear to experience accelerated aging of the...
• US Healthcare Spending Neared $5T in 2023: Govt Report
  
  U.S. healthcare spending rose by 7.5% to $4.9 trillion in 2023, driven by increased use of medical services as enrollment climbed for private health plans, particularly those under the Affordable Care Act, the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services said in a report on...
• CDC Confirms First Severe Case of Bird Flu in US
  
  The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Wednesday that a patient has been hospitalized with a severe case of H5N1 infection in Louisiana, marking the first known instance of a severe human illness linked to the bird flu virus in the United States.
• US Teen Drug, Alcohol Use Remains at Low Levels
  
  Rates of vaping, drug, and alcohol use among American teens plummeted during the pandemic and have remained at relatively low levels ever since, new government statistics show.
• With Correct Measurements, Wine Really May Protect Heart
  
  A little wine every day can protect your heart health, a new study suggests.
• Is it More Than the Winter Blues?
  
  Winter solstice, the shortest day of the year, occurs this Saturday, December 21, in the Northern Hemisphere. Many people feel the effects both mentally and physically of less sunlight. You might feel sad, tired or anxious during these dark days but sometimes the "winter...

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