Fitness & Nutrition

Joseph Ravenell: Could Barbershops Become The New Doctor's Office?

9:57am December 22, 2017

by NPR/TED Staff

Many black men trust their barber more than their primary care doctor, if they even have one. Physician Joseph Ravenell wants to turn barbershops into a place where men can access basic health care.

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Life expectancy in the U.S. has fallen for the second straight year, in part because of the surge of overdoses on opioids, such as oxycodone.

Health & Safety

Life Expectancy Drops Again As Opioid Deaths Surge In U.S.

2:44pm December 21, 2017

by Rob Stein

The opioid epidemic caused U.S. life expectancy to fall for the second year in a row, marking the first time that has happened since the early 1960s. Death rates also continued to rise.

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Samantha Pierce of Cleveland has a 7-year-old daughter, Camryn. In 2009, Pierce gave premature birth to twins. The babies did not survive. Scientists say black women lead more stressful lives, which makes them more likely to give birth prematurely and put

How Racism May Cause Black Mothers To Suffer The Death Of Their Infants

10:05am December 20, 2017

African-American women are more likely to lose a baby in the first year of life than women of any other race. Scientists think that stress from racism makes their bodies and babies more vulnerable.

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Michele Comisky of Vienna, Va., enrolled her 8-year-old son, Jackson, in a study to test the value of probiotics in preventing the gut distress often experienced when taking antibiotics.

Could Probiotics Protect Kids From A Downside Of Antibiotics?

7:26pm December 11, 2017

by Rob Stein

Many marketing claims about the potential benefits of probiotics have raced ahead of the science, say researchers who are now trying to catch up. One NIH study is investigating kids' gut microbes.

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How does lead wind up in crockpots and other ceramic food and drink containers? Ceramic ware is glazed before entering a kiln to bake. These glazes sometimes contain lead to give products an attractive shine.

Can Your Ceramic Cookware Give You Lead Poisoning?

8:00am December 08, 2017

by Natalie Jacewicz

Mass-produced crockpots and other ceramic food containers are probably safe, but handmade earthenware might merit a home test.

The USDA says it will give states more flexibility in how they deliver federal benefits known as SNAP or food stamps.

USDA Opens Door For States To Impose New Rules On Food Stamps

5:10pm December 07, 2017

by Grant Gerlock

The USDA says it will give states more flexibility in how they deliver federal food benefits. That could potentially include requiring drug testing or imposing time limits for adults with children.

A woman farmer makes hay bales in Kashmir, India. In India, women comprise about a third of the agricultural labor in developing countries.

Working Moms Have Been A 'Thing' Since Ancient History

10:36am November 30, 2017

by Michaeleen Doucleff

Who ruled early farming? Women! Studies of ancient bones show that women's physical labor was crucial to driving the agricultural revolution in Europe.

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A Quechua woman tends to her clay oven in her outdoor kitchen on the road to the Sillustani archaeological site in Puno, Peru. The stone table is laid with a collection of potatoes and other tubers, as well as homemade cheese and bread.

The Ancient Andean Tradition of Eating Clay May Have Helped To Protect Health

2:33pm November 28, 2017

by Megan Jula

Farmers in Peru's Andean highlands have been consuming clay for centuries. Scientists now think it may have allowed them to eat wild potatoes, which are rich in toxic chemicals.

A new report reveals how the industry influenced research in the 1960s to deflect concerns about the impact of sugar on health — including pulling the plug on a study it funded.

What The Industry Knew About Sugar's Health Effects, But Didn't Tell Us

11:39pm November 21, 2017

by Allison Aubrey

The sugar industry pulled the plug on an animal study it funded in the 1960s. Initial results pointed to a link between sugar consumption and elevated triglycerides, which raises heart disease risk.

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U.S. Surgeon General Jerome Adams, shown here testifying before a Senate committee in 2017, says President Trump's top health priority is addressing opioid addiction.

Health & Safety

U.S. Surgeon General Says Working Together Is Key To Combating Opioid Crisis

7:06pm November 20, 2017

by Greta Jochem

The country's top public health advocate says the cycle of opioid addiction won't be stopped without more money from Congress and cooperation among federal, state and local officials.

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