Limited research backing cannabis for mental health issues
Review Questions Effectiveness of Cannabis for Mental Health Alongside chronic pain, mental health issues rank among the leading reasons individuals seek to use marijuana for medical purposes. Nonetheless, a comprehensive analysis spanning 45 years of cannabis research reveals minimal to no high-quality evidence supporting its effectiveness. The findings, published in The Lancet Psychiatry, illustrate a […]
Honey as a superfood: Is it truly capable of healing wounds, battling resistant bacteria, and offering soothing relief for coughs?
Exploring the Varied Benefits of Honey Humans have enjoyed honey for millennia. Ancient Egyptians and Greeks used it not just as a sweet addition to their diets but also as a treatment for wounds. Hippocrates, often called the “father of medicine,” even promoted honey for a range of purposes, some of which, well, probably weren’t […]
Clear indications of reduced dementia risk: the advantages of shingles vaccination
Understanding Shingles and Its Vaccination About one in three individuals in the US will experience shingles at some point. However, vaccination rates among adults, particularly those over 60, linger at around 35%. This aligns with broader vaccination trends in the country, which some experts attribute to what Dr. Andrew Wallach, ambulatory care chief medical officer […]
Ozempic-Style Medications Can Aid in Weight Loss, But There’s a Drawback
Post-Ozempic Weight Retention: A Mixed Bag A recent analysis indicates that individuals who stop using medications similar to Ozempic manage to retain roughly 25% of the weight they lost for up to a year. However, the key detail remains: it’s unclear how much of this weight is muscle versus fat. This situation points to a […]
I assisted my mother-in-law following a severe storm. Then I faced an unexpected accusation.
I lost my first husband two decades ago when he passed away from a heart attack at just 27. It was surreal waking up to find him cold beside me, especially since we had been married for less than a year. “Jenna,” my mother-in-law, really became my second mom, as my own mother was quite […]
I’m worried about my blood pressure. Is it possible to monitor it at home?
Have a medical question and want an honest answer from a doctor? Dr. Mara Gordon, a family physician from Camden, N.J., tackles reader health inquiries each month. Feel free to write to us at: thrive@npr.org. Question: I had a high blood pressure reading during my annual check-up, but my doctor didn’t prescribe medication. What steps […]
A review of data finds that cannabis offers minimal advantages for most mental health conditions.
Cannabis-Based Medicines’ Effectiveness Questioned WASHINGTON — A recent comprehensive review published in a significant medical journal reveals that cannabis-based medications lack substantial evidence of effectiveness in treating most mental health and substance-use disorders. As the medical use of cannabinoids rises—especially in countries like the United States, Canada, and Australia—many patients claim to use cannabis to […]
Predicting insulin resistance using wearables and common blood markers
Remote recruitment of participants through the GHS platform The study protocol received approval from Advarra (IRB no. Pro00074093). Participants were recruited via Google Health Services (GHS) and the Fitbit applications. GHS serves as a platform for conducting digital studies, allowing participants to enroll, check their eligibility, and provide informed consent. It also enables data collection […]
Magnesium or Melatonin: Which Works Better for Sleep?
Ten years back, saying you only got four hours of sleep might have seemed impressive. But today, the gold standard is eight hours. In this age of biohacking—think apps for tracking sleep, icy cold plunges, and endless podcasts about longevity—a full, uninterrupted night’s sleep is hailed as the best way to enhance performance. However, recognizing […]
The “Sleep” Loop of Being Awake: Understanding Attention Gaps in ADHD
Understanding “Local Sleep” in Adults with ADHD Have you ever experienced a moment where your mind just seems to switch off briefly during uninteresting tasks? Well, it turns out that these moments are actually due to sleep-like brain activity occurring while we’re wide awake. Interesting, right? While everyone can relate to these fleeting lapses—often when […]