Health

A look at risk as colorectal cancer rises in younger people

WASHINGTON — Colorectal cancer is a threat not just to older adults but increasingly to young men and women, too. It’s now the top cancer killer of Americans younger than 50. The deaths of “Dawson’s Creek” actor James Van Der Beek at 48 last week, and a few years ago “Black ...

Do you need to control your cortisol? Probably not, doctors say

Cortisol, what is known as the stress hormone, is the talk of the internet. Wellness influencers warn about the various symptoms of chronically high cortisol: waking up at 3 a.m., swollen “cortisol face” and accumulating belly fat. And many offer diet and exercise routines that they claim ...

Study ties particle pollution from wildfire smoke to 24,100 US deaths per year

Chronic exposure to pollution from wildfires has been linked to tens of thousands of deaths annually in the United States, according to a new study. The paper, published Wednesday in the journal Science Advances, found that from 2006 to 2020, long-term exposure to tiny particulates from ...

What is atrial fibrillation and how is it treated?

NEW YORK — Daniel Moore was about 30 the first time it happened. At the end of a long, hot, stressful day, he chugged an ice-cold glass of milk. “It felt like a bunny rabbit trying to jump out of my chest,” said Moore, now 60. Moore, a radiologist, knew what it was: A-fib. Short for ...

Trump administration launches TrumpRx website for discounted drugs

NEW YORK — The Trump administration on Thursday launched TrumpRx, a website it says will help patients buy prescription drugs directly at a discounted rate at a time when health care and the cost of living are growing concerns for Americans. "You're going to save a fortune," President ...

How breast self-awareness fits into cancer prevention

NEW YORK — What does it mean to have breast self-awareness? It’s a more general, flexible approach to breast cancer prevention that involves staying familiar with how your breasts look and feel. It goes along with other early detection measures like getting regular mammograms. Doctors ...