Pediatric health Archive

Vaccines and immunizations

Should you get vaccinated against these germs?

Updated August 17, 2021

Diseases & Conditions

Bracing for flu season: Steps to protect yourself right now

Updated August 16, 2021

Healthy aging and longevity

Shingles vaccine may also reduce stroke risk

Updated August 16, 2021

The shingles vaccine was associated with a 10% to 20% lower risk of stroke among adults ages 66 and older, according to a recent study.

Mind & Mood

Will getting more sleep help protect me from dementia?

Published August 1, 2021

A study published online April 20, 2021, by the journal Nature Communications suggests thatgetting too little sleep in midlife increases the risk for dementia later in life. Researchers analyzed the sleep data of 8,000 middle-aged adults who were followed for 25 years. People who slept six hours per night at age 50 were 22% more likely to develop dementia, compared with people who slept seven hours. People who slept six hours per night at age 60 were 37% more likely to develop dementia, compared with people who slept seven hours. The study was observational and can't prove causation.

Mind & Mood

Exercise can add to your sense of purpose — and vice versa

Published August 1, 2021

Researchers found that being active increases one’s sense of purpose in life, and that the opposite was also true—having a strong purpose in life makes it more likely a person will stay active.

Mind & Mood

The benefits of volunteering, without leaving home

Published August 1, 2021

Volunteering has many benefits, enabling people to gain a sense of purpose, connect with others, and get a break from their own problems. Those benefits are associated with better health, including greater levels of physical activity, better sleep quality, a healthier diet, reduced rates of cardiovascular disease, and even longevity. A person may be able to reap many of those benefits by volunteering from home, such as doing work for a nonprofit group via computer or phone.

Healthy aging and longevity

A vaccine that can prevent shingles

Published August 1, 2021

The best way to avoid shingles and long-lasting pain that may result from it is to get the shingles vaccine (Shingrix), given in two doses. The vaccine contains a protein from a dead varicella-zoster virus. The shot is 90% effective and is recommended for adults ages 50 or older, even those who have had shingles before, received an older shingles vaccine called Zostavax, or don’t recall having had chickenpox. People should avoid the vaccine if they currently have shingles, are allergic to components of the vaccine, or are pregnant or breastfeeding.

Cancer

7 strategies to prevent cancer

Published August 1, 2021

Making healthy lifestyle changes can prevent an estimated 40% of cancers. These include eating a healthy diet, exercising regularly, getting adequate sleep, and maintaining a healthy body weight. People can also help prevent cancers by seeking recommended cancer screenings. Some screenings merely identify cancers early, but others, such as colonoscopies and Pap tests, can find precancerous conditions and are actually able to prevent cancer.

Mind & Mood

The book of neurogenesis

Published August 1, 2021

The brain can continue to produce new neurons as people age, even late into life, through a process called neurogenesis. Right now, scientists are looking at why neurogenesis especially happens in the hippocampus, the region responsible for learning information and storing memories. Animal studies have shown that regular aerobic exercise is associated with an increased production of neurons in the hippocampus. If the same is true in humans, it may be the reason for the observed link between physical activity and maintaining cognitive fitness, and perhaps a lower risk of dementia.

Mind & Mood

Nicotine addiction explained — and how medications can help

Published July 27, 2021

Addiction is now understood to be a neurological disorder that results from changes to the brain's reward center caused by addictive substances. Ideally, treatment for nicotine addiction combines medication to suppress cravings with counseling to help patients reprogram their behavior.

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Pediatric health Archive

Articles

Should you get vaccinated against these germs?

Bracing for flu season: Steps to protect yourself right now

Shingles vaccine may also reduce stroke risk

Will getting more sleep help protect me from dementia?

Exercise can add to your sense of purpose — and vice versa

The benefits of volunteering, without leaving home

A vaccine that can prevent shingles

7 strategies to prevent cancer

The book of neurogenesis

Nicotine addiction explained — and how medications can help

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