By C. Claiborne Ray
Q. It is well known that mosquitoes, fleas, lice and ticks transmit human diseases, but what about cockroaches?
A. Read More…
Health
It May Well Be Wrong.
The Online Gene Test Finds a Dangerous Mutation.
By Gina Kolata
Dr. Joshua Clayton, a 29-year-old radiology resident at Baylor University Medical Center in Dallas, wanted to learn about his ancestry. So he sent a sample of his saliva to 23andMe, the genetic testing company.
His report was pretty mundane — no new revelations. But then he sent the profile created by 23andMe to a separate company called Promethease, which promises to do a more in-depth analysis for genetic mutations that cause disease. Cont
Unplug
How to Have a Healthier Relationship with Your Phone
By CHARLOTTE LIEBERMAN
A few weeks ago, my sister and I went to our parents’ place for dinner. Over a glass of wine before the meal, cont
How Many People Can’t Tolerate Statins?
By Richard Klasco, M.D.
Medical researchers, normally a genteel lot, disagree sharply on the extent to which side effects from statin drugs are a problem.
Q. Are there studies concerning the number of people who cannot tolerate statins?
A. Yes. Studies show that about 5 percent to 10 percent of people are unable to tolerate statins, largely because of muscle aches and related side effects, including potential muscle damage. But… cont
Saunas May Reduce Stroke Risk
After adjusting for other variables, they found that compared with people who took saunas once a week, those who took them two to three times weekly were 12 percent less likely to have a stroke. People who took saunas four to seven times a week reduced their risk for stroke by 62 percent.
By Nicholas Bakalar
Is Alkaline Water Really Better for You?
Ask Well
ALICE CALLAHAN APRIL 27, 2018
Q. Are there benefits of drinking alkaline water, or is what I’m reading just a bunch of hooey?
A. Despite the claims, there’s no evidence that water marketed as alkaline is better for your health than tap water. Continue reading the main story
A Good Appointment
Going to the doctor isn’t most people’s favorite activity. But it is part of staying healthy (the other major parts are what you eat and how much you exercise). So you may as well get the most out of it. As a doctor I often get asked by friends and family how to make the most of a medical visit. Here’s my advice, and it’s basically the same whether you are the patient, or a family member or a caregiver of the patient. 
Global Health
A column by Donald G. McNeil Jr. about global health news.
Bill and Melinda Gates Grade the World’s Health
Bill and Melinda Gates handed the world a report card last week, assessing its progress on 18 global health indicators: infant mortality, AIDS, vaccine use, smoking rates and so on.
Lasting Merit Found in a Tuberculosis Vaccine Invented a Century Ago
Tuberculosis kills almost two million people a year. A perfect vaccine could save many of them, but the one now in use — invented in the 1920s and known as BCG, for Bacillus Calmette-Guérin — has so many flaws that some countries, including the United States, have never adopted it.
The Silent Tragedy
The Silent Tragedy Affecting Today’s Children
There is a silent tragedy developing right now, in our homes, and it concerns our most precious jewels – our children. Through my work with hundreds of children and families as an occupational therapist, I have witnessed this tragedy unfolding right in front of my eyes. Our children are in a devastating emotional state! Talk to teachers and professionals who have been working in the field for the last 15 years. You will hear concerns similar to mine. Moreover, in the past 15 years, researchers have been releasing alarming statistics on a sharp and steady increase in kids’ mental illness, which is now reaching epidemic proportions:
Lessons in the Delicate Art of Confronting Offensive Language
By Benedict Carey and Jan Hoffman
What if Billy Bush had just changed the subject?As unlikely as that may sound to anyone who has heard the infamous 2005 tape of Donald J. Trump boasting about sexually accosting women to the chuckling encouragement of Mr. Bush, an “Access Hollywood” host at the time, it just might have stifled the celebrity billionaire.
A body of psychological research shows that even mild pushback against offensive remarks can have an instant effect — as difficult as that can be, especially with a boss, a friend or a celebrity.
It is research worth considering in a political season when ethnic, racist and sexual slurs, not to mention general insults, seem to have become part of everyday chatter. Polls show that people are increasingly unhappy with the tenor of the national debate but unsure what to do about the decline in civility. Cont
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