Last week, we discussed the evidence on using exercise to treat depression. This week, there is a new review on the benefits of exercise – this time to treat heart disease. [Read more…]
More evidence on exercise
October 7, 2013 By 2 Comments
Does exercise help alleviate depression?
October 3, 2013 By 2 Comments
If I come home in a bad mood, my husband usually suggests I head out for a run or over to the pool for a swim. That’s because he knows that exercise helps to improve my frame of mind. But does it also help improve the symptoms for people suffering from clinical depression? [Read more…]
New evidence on the stress of parenting sick children
October 2, 2013 By 1 Comment
It’s no surprise that the parents of chronically ill children face more stress than other parents. But now a systematic review lays out the evidence on exactly what causes this stress, and what health care providers should do to help. [Read more…]
The evidence on schools and risky behavior
September 20, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Millions of youth across the globe returned to school this month after an extended summer break. In our family, we sent one to kindergarten and the other to preschool for the first time, which came with its own set of worries: bus rides, blankies and healthy snacks.
Cinnamon to treat diabetes?
September 18, 2013 By 1 Comment
For at least 4,000 years, the human race has prized the use of spice cinnamon in religious rituals and to flavor foods. And in traditional medicine, cinnamon was used to improve circulation, relieve abdominal discomfort and treat infections.
Midwives: Good for moms and babies
September 13, 2013 By Leave a Comment
In the United States, it’s common for pregnant women to see an obstetrician for prenatal care and to deliver their baby. But in most other parts of the world, it’s primarily midwives – care providers who are often nurses and certified by a national organization – who care for pregnant women.
The Mediterranean diet: Does it really prevent heart disease?
September 9, 2013 By 1 Comment
If you pay attention to diet advice, you’ve probably noticed the recommendation that we should follow a “Mediterranean” diet. The trend began when a well-known study conducted in the 1960s found that people who lived near the Mediterranean Sea were less likely to die from heart disease, most likely due to their diets. But does that evidence hold true today?
The link between media and violence
September 2, 2013 By Leave a Comment
Each time there is a tragic shooting that makes the headlines, media pundits question whether the violence found in many U.S. movies, TV shows and video games is a contributing factor to real acts of violence.
The evidence on babies, sleep and crying
August 27, 2013 By 51 Comments
I’ve still got babies on the brain as I refresh my memory on how to care for a newborn. By the time they were two months old, my two older children were learning to sleep in their cribs. That meant letting them cry and learn to settle themselves when I knew all of their needs were met. So I was curious to read some recent media reports about the evidence on “crying-it-out.”
New evidence on religion
August 21, 2013 By 9 Comments
Most people don’t relate the concepts of religion and evidence because, by its definition, religion involves a faith or belief outside of facts and data. Nonetheless, there are plenty of researchers who have dedicated their careers to studying how religion impacts people and society. So I was intrigued to come across a new meta-analysis last week that delved into the relationship between intelligence and religiosity.
Skin-to-skin is best for newborns
August 12, 2013 By 1 Comment
With only about 9 weeks until our third child is due, I’m starting to think once again about everything that comes along with a new baby. At a recent birth preparation class, the instructor encouraged us to look up the evidence about holding your baby skin-to-skin immediately after he or she is born.
What we know about fruit
August 8, 2013 By Leave a Comment
