Health and Fitness
How to keep your child safe
By Tribune-ReviewYou may be the big, strong papa bear, but no matter how hard you try, you cannot protect your kids from everything. If you’re a …
‘Powerful study’ at AGH finds genetic markers predict response to breast cancer treatment
By Megan HarrisSome women have genetic markers that can tell doctors whether certain breast cancer medications will or won’t work for them, according to data that Allegheny General Hospital and the Mayo Clinic published on Thursday. The development could be a step …
Posture pointers and pitfalls
By Danielle BraffWe’ve been told to stand up straight as long as we’ve been able to stand, but sometimes it’s harder than it seems. We know why we should do it: Good posture looks good, feels good and makes us look slimmer. …
Pittsburgh swimming pools to open Friday
By Tribune-ReviewPittsburgh’s outdoor swimming pools will open for the summer season Friday, Citiparks announced. The pools will be open from 1 to 7:45 p.m. weekdays and from 1 to 5:45 p.m. Saturdays, Sundays and holidays. The daily admission rate is $3 …
Exercise regimens change daily, keeping people motivated, challenged
By Doug GulasyAfter being diagnosed with hip arthritis last year, Keith Lawrence knew he had to find a workout to replace running. He found what he was …
Walkers, wheelchairs need to be maintained like a car
By Andrea K. WalkerOwning a cane, wheelchair or walker is a little bit like owning a car, said Brad Barnhart, a physical therapist at North Oaks, a senior living community in Pikesville, Md. Skip maintenance, and it could lead to unsafe conditions. Barnhart, …
Heart association: Get the beat
By Kellie B. GormlyAmerican Heart Association officials are promoting hands-only CPR, a simple technique that anyone can learn. The importance of learning this skill is the point of …
Study: Daily sunscreen use slows signs of aging skin
By The Los Angeles TimesAs if reducing the threat of skin cancer was not enough, scientists report they have shown using sunscreen daily can slow the signs of aging skin — even into middle age. Skin ages as people age, and the sun is …
Breast cancer treatment by AGH ‘gold standard’
By Chris TogneriThe results of a 10-year clinical trial by Allegheny General Hospital doctors confirm that a less invasive breast cancer treatment technique is the “gold standard,” allowing surgeons to remove a few lymph nodes from a woman’s underarm area instead of …
Legionella bacteria found at Altoona VA hospital but officials say water safe
By Adam SmeltzWaterborne Legionella bacteria found in Department of Veterans Affairs medical facilities in Pittsburgh, Butler and North Franklin turned up last month in a VA hospital in Blair County, the VA confirmed Tuesday. But VA spokeswoman Andrea R. Young said the …
Surgery to reduce the sag in arms increases 4,000 percent
By Kellie B. GormlyAfter Charlene Stewart of East Hills underwent gastric bypass surgery, she “lost a whole person,” with more than 100 pounds of fat gone. But her …
Fitness myths busted: There’s no quick fix
By Gabriella BostonMuscle can turn into fat, lifting weights makes you look like Arnold, and a thousand crunches a day will give you a six-pack. Yes, fitness myths are many, and they are persistent — like mosquitoes on a late-summer night. And …
Penn State researchers zero in on Salmonella ID
By Jason CatoPenn State researchers report they have found a faster method of identifying Salmonella strains, which could help health officials more quickly discover the source of food-poisoning outbreaks. “We need to be able to trace outbreaks as soon as they happen,” …
How to sleep well while traveling
By Trib Total MediaEveryone feels better after a good night’s sleep, but often when we travel, it can be difficult to fall asleep and stay asleep. Between time-zone …
Pitt researchers verify cancer drug improves Alzheimer’s symptoms in mice
By Chris TogneriUniversity of Pittsburgh researchers have confirmed that a federally approved cancer drug reverses cognitive disabilities in mice with symptoms of Alzheimer’s disease. Rada Koldamova, associate …
Pittsburgh Ballet thrives from 30-year affiliation with sports therapy
By Mark KannyDancers’ bodies essentially are their instruments, says ballerina Julia Erickson. The eight hours daily of rehearsing, performing and cross training subject their bodies to stresses …
Jolie’s news prompts calls to doctors
By Liz SzaboActress Angelina Jolie’s revelation last week that she had a preventive double mastectomy has struck a nerve with women, many of whom have called doctors to ask about their breast-cancer risk. Jolie, 37, carries a genetic mutation that increases her …
Can too little stimulation lead to flabby mental function?
By Rachel WeaverAlmost anyone can think of a time they entered a room then immediately forgot why they were there. We’ve all lost our keys once or …
City Spree debuts this weekend as 'race without a course'
By Rex RutkoskiThose who can think on their feet may have the most success — and fun — as City Spree debuts this weekend. Entrants in this …
Earlier age for morning-after contraceptive pill pits old vs. new
By Aaron AupperleeTeens can’t drink alcohol or gamble in casinos. They have to turn 18 to smoke cigarettes, buy lottery tickets, vote or join the military. A 16-year-old can’t drive with friends in the car. A 13-year-old can hunt, but only if …
