The issue of personal responsibility for health and weight control comes up frequently in my professional circles, generating strong and opposing views. I have addressed this theme recently -- and many times in the past -- and expressed my own opinions.
February is American Heart Month, which makes this a good time to talk about the ways the Affordable Care Act helps us take better care of our hearts. Right now, heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States.
Of all of the myths about cancer, I believe one of the most harmful misconceptions today is that cancer is a disease exclusive to wealthy, or developed, countries such as the United States.
BVO is much in the news of late. This is the ingredient a teenage girl noticed in her Gatorade, prompting her to find out what it was. Her investigation revealed potential health risks associated with BVO, and she started an online petition to get this ingredient out of her sports drink.
In the scientific world, we live by the tenet "association does not assume causation." That is, just because two things happen to be related, does not mean that one caused the other.
I see personal genomics more generally evolving rapidly to become a major part of everyday life for Americans and around the globe. At the same time, potential problems associated with it will continue to emerge in parallel and merit serious evaluation.
The magazine ScienceNews begins a recent article on depression with a blanket judgment: "A massive effort to uncover genes involved in depression has largely failed." A general reader would probably not feel the shock waves that spread from this assessment.
Loneliness weakens the immune system, increases sensitivity to physical pain, and creates depression and fatigue. Moreover, it can generate inflammation throughout the body, leading to a range of health risks.
I like funerals. I don't like them for the sadness or for the realization that we have lost someone we love. And I suspect that I won't like my own f...
We've seen evidence that vitamin D deficiency is associated with sleep problems, particularly with daytime sleepiness. A new study examined the link between daytime sleepiness and vitamin D, and also considered one of the major risk factors of vitamin D deficiency: skin pigmentation.
As evidence mounts that innovations such as smart devices can improve the health and care of an individual, more resources must be focused on their development and integration into the health care system.
As a society, we should try to maximize the happiness of children, purely for ethical and altruistic reasons and not because it makes them better earners.
The Duke Healthy Lifestyle program includes talking to children -- mostly adolescents -- and their families about healthy eating, and providing them with a fitness routine at a local gym. A program for the entire family to do together.
What happens to women when we do not embrace our own duality? Where does the dark side go if we aren't allowed, by society -- or worse, by ourselves -- to express it?
I share my colleagues' visceral opposition to everything Coke. But I think we may be letting our abdominal viscera get the better of vital organs situated higher up.
Opportunities are being missed, and time and money are being wasted. We all know people who are struggling with cancer and the intense challenges of the current treatment protocols. The needs are urgent and the time to act is now.
The headlines this time of year usually tell us how to shed pounds fast and get healthy with a pill, a gadget, or a procedure. This year, however, the message has been slightly different.
For decades many scientists have believed that "the dose makes the poison" -- a chemical may be harmless in small amounts but devastating in higher amounts. But this latest research demonstrates that endocrine-disrupting chemicals act differently than other substances.
Biceps curls are a staple in many men's workout routines. They also happen to be a staple of ridicule in the training world. But I think we might be rushing to judgment by convicting the curl -- which, as it turns out, might be a great core exercise!
Lance now has the opportunity to become a powerful advocate for change. For all his faults, he has been a tremendous leader in the fight against cancer. He's not a despicable person and I'd love to see him channel his positive energy into a new cause.
