Black Americans die up to 8 years sooner in some states

A new study shows that white Americans are outliving black Americans by up to 8 years.

The study was conducted by UCLA researchers, and results showed that, though the gap is narrowing, the difference in death expectancy between the two races remains large, and varies by state. African-Americans in Washington DC showed the least [...]

Sex lives: Fact or fiction

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There are many stereotypes, myths and incorrect information about sex for boomers and beyond. Contrary to popular opinion, older couples are doing the deed a lot — and STDs are more of an issue than you might think.

Claim: Younger couples have better sex lives than older couples.

Reality: A study by the [...]

Bigger warnings on cigarette packs blocked by federal judge

 U.S. District Judge Richard Leon blocked the Fed’s plan to require cigarette manufacturers to cover half of each package with a graphic health warning. Leon said the government mandate amounted to an “impermissible expropriation of a company’s advertising space for government advocacy.”

Seeing more than just blurred vision in your eye exam

 According to a recent study, “eye care providers often detected signs of chronic disease before other healthcare providers — 65 percent of the time for high cholesterol, 20 percent of the time for diabetes and 30 percent of the time for hypertension.”

When people come to the Reisterstown office of Drs. Eickhoff & Rowe for [...]

10 things your cardiologist wants you to know

 Sure, you should keep your weight, cholesterol and blood pressure in check. But getting there — and staying there — includes a multitude of physical, nutritional and emotional components. Here are cardiologists’ top 10 secrets for getting heart healthy in a hurry.

10. Everyone should have a support team: Without a support system, it’s nearly [...]

Birth-control fight turns into a campaign and fundraising tool

 The Obama administration’s new requirement that most health insurance plans provide contraceptive services has exploded into a high-octane political weapon, with combatants on both sides scrambling to score points among the electorate and gin up fundraising from their most ardent supporters.

Measles at Super Bowl festivities threatens public health

 Less than a week after the game, the Indiana State Department of Health circulated a release that touched on a Super Bowl health hazard few had considered: measles vaccinations. State health officials reported two confirmed and two probable cases of the respiratory ailment.

Coping with pet loss

  Anyone who ever told a grieving pet owner, “Get over it — it’s just a dog,” never met Keeper.

Fuzzy Davis met Keeper when he was just a stray puppy hanging around the dock where Davis was a charter fishing boat captain. The shaggy-haired husky-golden retriever mix spent every night sleeping under the ramp [...]

Fetal heart monitor also tracks oxygen level

 A new fetal heart rate monitor goes one step further and tracks the baby’s oxygen level too. This gives the physician more information so he can determine whether intervention is appropriate, experts say.

Killer bird flu? What’s behind the controversy over bird flu research

 Last year, two teams of scientists reported that the virus could be made to spread easily from ferret to ferret — an animal that has long been used as a stand-in for people in influenza research. An H5N1 virus that could pass easily from person to person would be new and dangerous.

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