Saturday, January 11

HEALTH & WELLNESS

Among Black Youths At Racially Segregated Schools – Alcohol Use More Likely
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EDUCATION, HEALTH & WELLNESS

Among Black Youths At Racially Segregated Schools – Alcohol Use More Likely

Black youths who attend racially segregated schools are more likely to have drinking and behavior problems during childhood than Black youths in less segregated schools. This is according to a new study we conducted using national survey data from 1997 to 2014. School segregation, defined as the physical separation of students in schools based on their race, was ruled unconstitutional in 1954 as part of the U.S. Supreme Court’s Brown v. Board of Education decision. Consequently, about 1,000 districts nationwide were under court orders to desegregate. However, school segregation has increased since 1991, when the first of a series of court decisions allowed districts to be released from court-ordered desegregation. Highly segregated schools – where less than 10% of students are white – in...
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A Family Physician Explains – How To Navigate Self-Managed Abortion Issues Such As Access, Wait Times And Complications
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HEALTH & WELLNESS, IN OTHER NEWS

A Family Physician Explains – How To Navigate Self-Managed Abortion Issues Such As Access, Wait Times And Complications

“Are these pills legit? If I send money, am I even going to get these pills?” These are the kinds of questions people have when they are curious about ordering medication abortion pills online. This process, often called “self-sourced medication abortion,” refers to an individual finding or sourcing medications to induce an abortion on their own, without going through their primary care provider, OB-GYN or other clinic like Planned Parenthood. Globally, abortion pills might be found without prescriptions at neighborhood pharmacies or by accessing local community networks. In the U.S., even prior to the fall of Roe v. Wade, someone could order abortion pills online. As a family physician practicing in Washington, I expect that abortion care will remain legal in my state. Even so, in the ...
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A Dermatologist Explains – It’s A Myth That Sunscreen Prevents Melanoma In People Of Color
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HEALTH & WELLNESS, Journalism

A Dermatologist Explains – It’s A Myth That Sunscreen Prevents Melanoma In People Of Color

Melanoma is a potentially deadly form of skin cancer that effects people of every racial and ethnic group. The risk factor most closely linked to developing melanoma is exposure to ultraviolet, or UV, rays from the sun. In fact, sunburns have been associated with doubling one’s risk of melanoma. Sunscreen can block UV rays and therefore reduce the risk of sunburns, which ultimately may reduce the risk of developing melanoma. Thus, the promotion of sunscreen as an effective melanoma prevention strategy is a reasonable public health message. But while this may be true for light-skinned people, such as individuals of European descent, this is not the case for darker-skinned people, such as individuals of African or Asian descent. The public health messages promoted by many clinicians and p...
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10 Great Benefits Of Pilates
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HEALTH & WELLNESS, TOP FOUR

10 Great Benefits Of Pilates

Have you been going to other exercise classes and want to try something different? Do you suffer from a bad back and need to find an answer? Read this article to find out about the 10 benefits of Pilates. Benefits of Pilates 1: Pilates Creates a Strong Core By careful training and precise control over the smaller muscles in the lower abdominal region and lower back region Pilates is able to improve your core stability. This can result in better control of the small spinal joints during movement of the spine and better control of the pelvis and hip regions. This can have many beneficial effects including improving pelvic stability, lower back pain reduction, better control of the bladder and stronger pelvic floor muscles. Benefits of Pilates 2: Pilates improves relaxation By slowing down ...
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Will The New COVID-19 Variant BA.2, Cause Another Wave Of Infections In The US?
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COVID-19, HEALTH & WELLNESS, IN OTHER NEWS

Will The New COVID-19 Variant BA.2, Cause Another Wave Of Infections In The US?

A new omicron subvariant of the virus that causes COVID-19, BA.2, is quickly becoming the predominant source of infections amid rising cases around the world. Immunologists Prakash Nagarkatti and Mitzi Nagarkatti of the University of South Carolina explain what makes it different from previous variants, whether there will be another surge in the U.S. and how best to protect yourself. What is BA.2, and how is it related to omicron? BA.2 is the latest subvariant of omicron, the dominant strain of the SARS-CoV-2 virus that causes COVID-19. While the origin of BA.2 is still unclear, it has quickly become the dominant strain in many countries, including India, Denmark and South Africa. It is continuing to spread in Europe, Asia and many parts of the world. The omicron variant, officially known...
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Would You Consider Wellness Advice From Influencers
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HEALTH & WELLNESS, TOP FOUR

Would You Consider Wellness Advice From Influencers

The scandal that should force us to reconsider wellness advice from influencer. Former social media influencer and “wellness guru” Belle Gibson first caught public attention after claiming she cured herself of terminal cancer by rejecting conventional medicine in favour of a healthy diet and lifestyle. Her story was documented on a blog and social media, which became the basis for a successful book and app, featuring lifestyle advice and healthy recipes. In 2015, however, Gibson was exposed as a fraud. It was revealed that she never had cancer and failed to donate the proceeds from her app to charity, as promised. Now, she has been summoned to appear in Federal Court following her failure to pay a AUD410,000 penalty for misleading health claims. Beyond the psychological factors motivating...
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Patients Setting In Abortion Clinic Waiting Rooms As Roe Fell Had To Be Turned Away
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HEALTH & WELLNESS

Patients Setting In Abortion Clinic Waiting Rooms As Roe Fell Had To Be Turned Away

Patients were in the lobby, waiting, the moment it became a post-Roe America. The staff at Alamo Women’s Reproductive Services Clinic in San Antonio had just received a call from their attorney: Abortion procedures in Texas would have to stop immediately. The dozen or so patients in the lobby Friday morning would have to be turned away. The clinic staff would have to be the ones to tell them. Andrea Gallegos, the clinic’s administrator, and the rest of the staff walked out and addressed the room: “The Supreme Court made this decision today and, unfortunately, your geographical location affects your bodily autonomy,” she said they told waiting patients. Gallegos watched each word land like a blow. People cried. They screamed. They begged for help, she said. It was “complete despair.” Ho...
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Celebrities Have A Moral Responsibility To Help Promote Lifesaving Vaccines
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HEALTH & WELLNESS

Celebrities Have A Moral Responsibility To Help Promote Lifesaving Vaccines

In the heated debate about vaccine mandates, celebrities have not hesitated to raise their voices. Most prominently, Serbian tennis star Novak Djokovic has stated he would rather not participate in tennis tournaments than get the vaccine required to play. And Joe Rogan has used his highly popular podcast to spread vaccine misinformation, saying the vaccine could alter one’s genes. While some resistance is based on misinformation or distrust of the vaccines, some is rooted in concerns about bodily autonomy. In January 2022, actor Evangeline Lilly attended a rally protesting vaccine mandates in the name of bodily sovereignty, claiming she was “pro-choice” and stating, “I believe nobody should ever be forced to inject their body with anything, against their will.” Comedian Rob Schneider echo...
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In Any Way Is Drinking Good For You? If Not, Why Is Alcohol Legal For Adults?
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HEALTH & WELLNESS, Journalism

In Any Way Is Drinking Good For You? If Not, Why Is Alcohol Legal For Adults?

Margie Skeer, Tufts University Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com. Is alcohol consumption of any benefit to humans? If not, why aren’t we thinking about banning it forever? – Lamiah S., Kerala, India Scientists have been trying to figure out whether alcoholic beverages can be good for your health for a long time, often reaching contradictory conclusions. What is clear is that wine, beer and other alcoholic beverages can be bad for you for many reasons. That’s especially true for people who frequently drink heavily. The effects of drinking alcohol, which is made by fermenting the sugars found in grapes, barley, potatoes and other plants, vary according to how much som...
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Yearning For An Emotional Connection – Why We Missed Hugs
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HEALTH & WELLNESS, Journalism

Yearning For An Emotional Connection – Why We Missed Hugs

HEALTH & WELLNESS Kory Floyd, University of Arizona Rose Gagnon could not hug her grandchildren for several months. Not being able to see and touch her loved ones every day because of COVID-19’s social distancing protocols was taking a toll on the mental health of the 85-year-old. Like many, she was feeling lonely and yearning for an emotional connection that had been hampered by the inability to embrace those most important to her. That’s when Gagnon’s granddaughter Carly Marinaro devised an innovative solution in the form of a “hug time” device. Inside a frame made of PVC piping, Marinaro fashioned a see-through plastic barrier with two arm attachments, so that grandmother and granddaughter could share a hug while minimizing the risk of exposure to the coronavirus. Like Gagnon, ...
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