Your Health

Researchers are now looking into possible medical uses for LSD.

VIDEO: For LSD, What A Long Strange Trip It's Been

7:00am December 16, 2017

by Angus Chen

It's been reviled and revered, criminalized and exploited by the CIA. And now and other psychedelic drugs are being tested as legitimate medical treatments. NPR's original animation tells the tale.

People are seen walking past the "You Are Beautiful" sign, an art installation by Matthew Hoffman, in the Englewood neighborhood on Chicago's South Side. Nearly half of the people in this African-American neighborhood live below the poverty line, and many

Sometimes It Takes A 'Village' To Help Seniors Stay In Their Homes

3:22pm December 15, 2017

by Ina Jaffe

Hundreds of "villages" have been created across the country as a "grass-roots movement on the part of older people who did not want to be patronized, isolated, [or] infantilized."

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Hey docs, be sure to ask the patient how it went.

Want Help Explaining A Medical Procedure? Ask A 9-Year-Old

7:18am December 15, 2017

by April Fulton

Much of the information doctors hand patients before surgery is too complex and hard to understand. So British researchers asked 9-year-olds to rewrite a brochure about a hip replacement.

Teens' use of vape devices is increasing, and they're not always aware if nicotine is in the mix.

Teens: Pretty Sober, Except For Marijuana And Vaping

2:05pm December 14, 2017

by Angus Chen

A national survey finds teen substance abuse at the lowest levels since the early 1990s. But marijuana use hasn't declined, and the number of teenagers who are vaping is rising quickly.

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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About one child a month dies from being entangled in cords from blinds and shades, a study finds. Efforts are underway to get corded blinds off the market, but many will remain in homes.

Window Blind Cords Still Pose A Deadly Risk To Children

12:02am December 11, 2017

by Tara Haelle

Nearly one child a month dies after being entangled in window blind cords, despite years of effort to reduce the toll. A new industry standard to remove most corded blinds from the market may help.

Small acts of kindness are what make us feel loved.

This Year, Consider Giving Presence Instead Of Presents

7:02am December 09, 2017

by Juli Fraga

Science says consciously spending time with our loved ones is more important to them than receiving expensive presents.

Australia had a particularly hard flu season this year, which may predict similar challenges for the U.S.

In The U.S., Flu Season Could Be Unusually Harsh This Year

5:34pm December 08, 2017

by Rob Stein

Health officials fear the U.S. may have a nasty flu season because the main flu virus circulating this year tends to hit people hard and the flu vaccine may be weaker than normal.

David Lazarus developed Type 1 diabetes as an adult, and it took a while for doctors to recognize what it was.

Adults Can Get Type 1 Diabetes, Too

10:59am December 08, 2017

by Miriam E. Tucker

It used to be called juvenile diabetes because it was thought to often start in childhood. But adults are just as likely to be diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes. Not knowing that can delay treatment.

Millions of people watched the Aug. 21 total solar eclipse in the U.S. Most emerged unscathed.

Health & Safety

Here's What It Looks Like When You Fry Your Eye In An Eclipse

5:39pm December 07, 2017

by Nell Greenfieldboyce

Most people seem to have heeded the warning not to look at August's total eclipse without eye protection. But an unlucky few suffered serious injury, and doctors could see changes at a cellular level.