Americans spend more than $36 billion a year on vitamins and nutritional supplements – all in the hopes for leading healthier lives. More than half of Americans take at least one vitamin a day, and millions take more than that. But do vitamins actually improve your health? [Read more…]
New Evidence Finds Vitamins Are Often Unnecessary
February 20, 2018 By 1 Comment
Meditation Does Not Make You a Better Person
February 11, 2018 By Leave a Comment
Many people think of meditation as a magic bullet that can improve our health, sharpen our focus, and make us better people overall.
But in reality, the evidence on meditation is mixed. According to reviews by the Cochrane Collaboration, there is little evidence that mindfulness can help improve health problems such as fibromyalgia, anxiety, depression, and neck pain. There are some credible data that demonstrate meditation can improve risk factors for cardiovascular disease. And research on brain function shows that meditation can reduce feelings of pain. [Read more…]
New Evidence Finds Dementia Treatments Fall Short
January 8, 2018 By Leave a Comment
More than 6 million Americans suffer from Alzheimer’s disease or dementia, and that number is expected to grow significantly as the U.S. population ages. For decades, doctors across the globe have been looking for ways to strengthen aging brains and prevent dementia later in life. Researchers have tested a wide variety of treatments including exercise, “brain games” and medicine. [Read more…]
The Evolving Evidence on Chiropractors for Low Back Pain
May 24, 2017 By 2 Comments
The majority of people experience low back pain at some point during their lives—and it can be a miserable experience. Research shows that low back pain is the most common cause of missed work days. [Read more…]
What We Know About Aging and Pain
April 17, 2017 By Leave a Comment
Do you think that growing older involves experiencing more pain? You’re right.
Research shows that older adults experience more frequent pain compared to their younger counterparts, and they are less likely to receive treatment for that pain. A study by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control shows that approximately 50 million older adults experience significant or chronic pain every year – a result of stiff, aging joints, diseases such as cancer, injuries and surgeries. And a significant number – up to 40 percent – don’t receive adequate treatment for their pain. [Read more…]
How effective is medical marijuana?
July 8, 2015 By Leave a Comment
A total of 23 states and the District of Columbia allow the sale of marijuana for medical purposes. Despite these state laws, marijuana is not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration as a prescription medication. Essentially, this means the U.S. government has not approved marijuana as safe and effective. But is it?
Acupuncture for itchiness: An evidence-based solution
May 13, 2015 By Leave a Comment
There are dozens of medical conditions that include itchiness as a symptom – including allergic reactions, viral rashes and nerve disorders and drug reactions. Most likely, you’ve felt itchiness at some point during life, and you know how miserable it can be. [Read more…]
Evidence gap: What we don’t know about health apps
April 23, 2015 By 3 Comments
Smart phones have changed our society in a myriad of ways, making it faster and easier to communicate with each other, conduct research, access entertainment, and navigate the world.
The health care industry has also capitalized on this new technology. Today, there are dozens of apps designed to help people improve their fitness, lose weight and monitor medical conditions. But do they actually work? [Read more…]
More evidence challenges homeopathy
March 18, 2015 By 1 Comment
Homeopathy is a form of alternative medicine based on the premise that “like cures like.” The idea is something that leads to disease symptoms in healthy people will cure similar symptoms in sick people. [Read more…]
What we know about cardiac rehab
February 26, 2015 By 2 Comments
More than 600,000 Americans die each year from heart disease, making it the leading cause of death for both men and women in the U.S. Our medical system is full of treatments to slow the progression of heart disease or reverse it altogether, including the use of medications and surgeries. [Read more…]
The evidence on video games and brain function
October 28, 2014 By Leave a Comment
As the U.S. population continues to age, researchers warn us more people than ever before will grapple with neurological disease like dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. According to the Alzheimer’s Association, as many as 16 million Americans could be suffering from some form of dementia by the year 2050, up from 5 million today. [Read more…]
Gardening as a treatment for dementia
August 5, 2014 By Leave a Comment
Researchers believe nearly 4 million Americans over age 60 suffer from some form of dementia. Their symptoms may include memory loss, impaired judgment and reasoning, loss of communication skills, agitation and paranoia. [Read more…]
