MiamiHerald.com: Health

Gut-brain connection a 2-way street, researchers find

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:58 EDT

I’ve got a tip on a mind-altering substance that is inexpensive, legal and readily available. UCLA researchers demonstrated that the beneficial bacteria in yogurt altered brain function during tasks and rest.

Vixen Workout gets heart pumping in South Florida

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:23 EDT

A new workout has professional women finding their inner vixen

Waist circumference is competing with BMI for health risk measure, expert says

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:27 EDT

Waist-to-height ratio may be a more accurate measure of cardiovascular health risk than the current standard, the body mass index, a St. Louis expert says.

Gut-brain connection a 2-way street, researchers find

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:58 EDT

Vixen Workout gets heart pumping in South Florida

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:23 EDT

A new workout has professional women finding their inner vixen

Waist circumference is competing with BMI for health risk measure, expert says

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:27 EDT

Waist-to-height ratio may be a more accurate measure of cardiovascular health risk than the current standard, the body mass index, a St. Louis expert says.

Surprised by the stork

Tue, 18 Jun 2013 13:29 EDT

Trish Staine had just finished running 10 miles while training for a half-marathon when she started going into labor. The mother of three said she hadn’t gained any weight or felt any fetal movement in the months before and had no idea she was pregnant. Is it possible for a woman not to know she’s pregnant before she starts giving birth?

Why science won’t help us live longer anytime soon

Sat, 15 Jun 2013 00:00 EDT

Recent headlines make it seem that the cure for old age is just around the corner. “Brain Experiment Could Give You an Extra 20 Years,” one promised. “Telomerase reverses ageing process,” another declared. “Can a Jellyfish Unlock the Secret of Immortality?” asked The New York Times Magazine.

Former Miami Beach health clinic leader sentenced in embezzlement case

Wed, 12 Jun 2013 19:43 EDT

Former Miami Beach Community Health Center CEO Kathryn Abbate was sentenced to 42 months in prison for embezzling almost $7 million.

After rains in South Florida, mosquito boom raises health concerns

Tue, 11 Jun 2013 22:46 EDT

Public health authorities have increasing concerns about mosquito-borne diseases, with dengue fever a particular concern for South Florida

Feds: Morning-after pill appeal officially on hold

Mon, 10 Jun 2013 21:27 EDT

The Obama administration's appeal in the legal fight over morning-after pills has been officially put on hold until a judge weighs a new plan to allow girls of all ages to buy the contraceptives without a prescription, according to a government letter filed Tuesday.

Castaways Against Cancer set to kayak for a cure

Tue, 04 Jun 2013 00:00 EDT

A group of kayakers is about to set out on its yearly 165-mile trek to Key West for the cause of fighting the nation’s second-most common cause of death.

Clicking in knee could mean meniscal tear

Mon, 03 Jun 2013 18:59 EDT

The clicking or catching sensation in the knee most likely is related to a meniscal cartilage tear.

Gut-brain connection a 2-way street, researchers find

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 10:58 EDT

University of Miami Hospital sends team to Panama to save NCIS agent’s life

Fri, 17 May 2013 21:59 EDT

University of Miami Hospital sent a team to Panama with the special Impella heart pump to help save an NCIS agent’s life.

British fast-diet fad hitting our shores

Wed, 15 May 2013 12:26 EDT

The most recent trendy U.K. import is not music or fashion but a weight-loss plan. The British bestseller The Fast Diet by Dr. Michael Mosley isn’t as popular here yet, but it is in Amazon’s health books Top 10.

High-protein breakfast can cut cravings all day

Wed, 03 Apr 2013 13:55 EDT

Would you be interested in a pill that decreases the hunger-stimulating hormone ghrelin and increases the satiety hormone peptide YY? This potent combination exists, but it is nutrient, not a pill. Today’s topic is protein.

Frozen produce a nutritional asset

Tue, 05 Mar 2013 00:00 EST

As I was describing the virtues of frozen produce to a class recently, one of my students shot me a “Where did you get your degree?” look.

Try these foods for better sleeping

Tue, 19 Feb 2013 12:06 EST

Do you jump out of bed ready to start the day or are you making deals with the alarm clock for five more minutes? Negotiating for more morning slumber could mean a lack of nighttime restorative sleep.

Eating more fruits and vegetables associated with lower risk of ALS

Tue, 05 Feb 2013 00:00 EST

Produce power strikes again. The role of vegetables and fruits in reducing the risk of heart disease, certain types of cancer, cataracts and macular degeneration has been demonstrated time and again. Now ALS, often referred to as Lou Gehrig’s disease, is being added to the list.

Weight-loss tech, the bad and the good

Tue, 22 Jan 2013 00:00 EST

When does a weight-loss intervention cross the line?

New tools for a new you

Fri, 04 Jan 2013 14:31 EST

Have you made your New Year’s resolutions? After eating through the holiday parties, healthier living goals often top the list. Food and activity changes can be challenging, but when goals are well crafted, the path to success is easier.

Soda-size fight has broader appeal

Tue, 12 Jun 2012 09:40 EDT

No matter which side you take in the Mayor Bloomberg soda-pop debate, you have to give the man credit for igniting a conversation. Americans are getting heavier and 42 percent of the population will be obese (not overweight) by 2030. And when that happens, our nation will be dealing with $550 billion in obesity-related health care costs. Dramatic action is needed.

How to avoid spring break injuries

Tue, 12 Mar 2013 14:46 EDT

Inevitably, a week after a spring break I see an increase of injured athletes in my office. In terms of volleyball, I recommend you warm up and stretch before going out onto the sand. You are likely to get tired while playing more than you used to, so stay hydrated.

Eyelid lifts for Medicare patients cost taxpayers millions

Tue, 28 May 2013 06:00 EDT

Critics question rising federal payments for a procedure that's often merely cosmetic.

Caught in mom's trap again

Tue, 14 Aug 2007 03:01 EDT

Q: Every vacation, I visit my mother for several days and spend the rest with my partner. Mom's always trying to get me to stay longer and attend parties with her friends, which I do NOT enjoy. This year, when I told her no, she got very quiet. She always does this when I disappoint her. Now I feel guilty. Should I?

New MERS virus spreads easily, deadlier than SARS

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 17:13 EDT

A mysterious new respiratory virus that originated in the Middle East spreads easily between people and appears more deadly than SARS, doctors reported Wednesday after investigating the biggest outbreak in Saudi Arabia.

HPV vaccine cut infection by half in teen girls

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 13:39 EDT

A vaccine against a cervical cancer virus has cut infections in teen girls by half, according to a study released Wednesday.

EU fines pharma firms over generics delay

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 09:31 EDT

The European Union has fined Danish pharmaceuticals multinational Lundbeck and several other producers a combined 146 million euros ($195 million) for delaying the market entry of cheaper generic alternatives to a major antidepressant.

Study: Wiser medication use could cut health costs

Wed, 19 Jun 2013 06:11 EDT

If doctors and patients used prescription drugs more wisely, they could save the U.S. health care system at least $213 billion a year, by reducing medication overuse, underuse and other flaws in care that cause complications and longer, more-expensive treatments, researchers conclude.