Author: vpzkum
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Respiratory health harms often follow flooding: Taking these steps can help
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Heavy rains and sea level rise contribute to major flooding events that are one effect of climate change. Surging water rushing into buildings often causes immediate harms, such as drowning deaths, injuries sustained while seeking shelter or fleeing, and hypothermia after exposure to cold waters with no shelter or heat.…
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Boosting your child’s immune system
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Parents often wonder: What can we do to keep our children healthy? Are there ways to boost the immune system and ward off illnesses? The answer is yes — but there are no magic wands or magic supplements. The best way to keep the immune system healthy is, basically, to…
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Weighing in on weight gain from antidepressants
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If you’re struggling with depression, the most important question about taking an antidepressant is whether it will work. But another question on your mind may be whether it will fuel weight gain. A new study provides some context by suggesting how much weight, on average, people taking one of eight…
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Protect your skin during heat waves — here’s how
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Global average temperatures have soared in 2024, surpassing records set just last year. Extreme heat poses numerous health risks, some of which are visible on our skin. Understanding how heat affects your skin can help you take measures to prevent or ease heat rash, eczema, rosacea, the discoloration of melasma,…
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Want to cool down? 14 ideas to try
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You’re huffing and puffing and starting to sweat — and that’s just from walking across the parking lot in blistering heat and humidity. This summer has left us all struggling to stay cool. “The last 13 months have been the hottest on record. We’re seeing increased levels of heat-related illness,…
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When should your teen or tween start using skin products?
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Social media and stores are full of products that promise perfect skin. Increasingly, these products are being marketed not just to adults but to teens and tweens. Many are benign, but some can cause skin irritation — and can be costly. And even if these products are benign, does buying…
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Want to stop harmful drinking? AA versus SMART Recovery
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Ready to address excessive drinking in your life? Many people find peer support helps them take steps toward recovery. Two well-known self-help organizations built around peer support are Alcoholics Anonymous (AA) and Self-Management and Recovery Training (SMART Recovery). While some people seeking recovery even attend both programs, others forego both…
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Mpox is back: What to know and do
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Ever heard of mpox? Wondering why it’s back in the news? Many of us first learned about mpox (formerly called monkeypox) in 2022, when the largest known outbreak spread to nearly 100,000 people in more than 100 countries. While mpox often circulates in central and western Africa, the 2022 outbreak…