Wellness Advice
Heed the Mind to Treat the Back
Adding psychological interventions to physiotherapy (aka physical therapy) may help manage chronic low back pain better than physiotherapy alone, according to a systematic review in BMJ of 97 randomized...
10,000 Steps a Day: Not Written in Stone
If you type the phrase “10,000 steps” into the Amazon.com search bar, about a half dozen book titles will come up with promises to help you take 10,000 steps...
Covid Tests Get Extended Expiration Dates
If you have expired Covid-19 tests on hand, don’t toss them just yet: The FDA has authorized extended expiration dates for some of them, including Abbott BinaxNOW, CareStart, Flowflex,...
Beach Umbrella vs. Sunscreen: And the Winner Is…
Don’t count on a beach umbrella to protect you fully from the sun’s ultraviolet (UV) rays—you still need to use sunscreen and take other sun-protective steps. That’s because scattered...
Monkeypox: No Monkeying Around
I’ve read that the monkeypox virus is similar to the smallpox virus. Does that mean that if I received the smallpox vaccine when I was younger, I am protected...
Nutrition by the Numbers
If you like detailed nutrition information about food and beverages, you can consult the USDA nutrient database, now referred to as FoodData Central. It covers thousands of fresh and...
When a Fat Wallet Is a Pain in the Butt
To prevent “fat wallet syndrome,” avoid tucking your wallet into a back pocket and sitting on it. The wallet can irritate the sciatic nerve in the buttock, either directly...
Build Your Family Health Tree
To keep track of your family health history, check out the free online My Family Health Portrait tool from the Surgeon General. After you enter your personal health data...
Vaccines: A Pain in the Arm—Some More Than Others
Do some vaccines hurt more than others? I just got my Covid-19 booster, and like with my previous Covid shots, it really stung, and my arm was sore for...
The Washington Post Discovers ‘Wellness’
I had to smile when I read a recent headline that the Washington Post was creating a Wellness section. When we published our first issue of the Wellness Letter...
