HealthBeat
Quit smoking with help from an app
The state Department of Health wants to help you kick your tobacco habit and is using a smartphone app to do it. The health department is offering 1,900 free downloads of the SmartQuit app, an evidence-based smoking cessation program created at Fred Hutchinson Cancer Research Center. A study conducted by the Seattle cancer research center […]
February 25, 2015 5:26 pm
Uninsured rate drops in Washington
Washington’s uninsured rate dropped nearly 7 percentage points since the Affordable Care Act’s requirement to have insurance took effect at the beginning of 2014. A new Gallup poll found Washington’s uninsured rated dropped from 16.8 percent in 2013 to 10.1 percent in 2014. That’s the fourth greatest reduction in the country. Arkansas saw a change […]
February 24, 2015 3:08 pm
Nestle is ditching artificial flavors, colors
Butterfinger and Crunch bars are about to get a makeover. Nestle announced this week it will remove artificial flavors and colors from all of its chocolate candy by the end of the year. That means artificial flavors and Food and Drug Administration-certified colors – such as Red 40 and Yellow 5 – will be removed […]
February 18, 2015 5:39 pm
More people are purchasing health insurance – for their pets
In 2014, pet owners spent more than $15 billion ($15 billion!) on veterinary care for their pets. That’s up nearly $1 billion from 2013 – from $14.37 billion to $15.25 billion. The rising cost of veterinary care is apparently leading more people to purchase health insurance plans for their pooches (and kitties), according to a […]
February 17, 2015 4:33 pm
Are you getting enough sleep?
Humans spend up to 1/3 of their lives asleep. But are you getting enough? While the standard recommendation is eight hours per night, the National Sleep Foundation recently came out with new sleep recommendations for people of all ages. The foundation tasked an expert panel of 18 scientists and researchers with updating the official recommendations. […]
February 16, 2015 5:08 pm
Survey: Mind and body practices are widespread
The number of Americans using mind and body approaches to improve their health and well-being has remained high over the last decade. One approach’s popularity nearly doubled from 2002 to 2012: Yoga. Roughly 21 million adults and 1.7 million children practiced yoga in 2012, according to a nationwide survey. The National Institute of Health and […]
February 12, 2015 5:12 pm
The Jolie Effect
BRCA testing rates jumped nearly 40 percent after actress Angelina Jolie announced that she carried the gene mutation and opted for an elective double mastectomy. A new study by AARP Public Policy Institute found that after Jolie announced she had the BRCA1 gene mutation in May 2013, the Google search rates for “BRCA” doubled and […]
February 12, 2015 3:32 pm
Rumored revival of measles parties
Rumors of parents hosting “measles parties” in California are spreading across the country. Health officials haven’t received any reports of such parties taking place, but they have received a number of calls from parents asking about the benefits of “natural immunity” (immunity gained from contracting a disease), according to the Los Angeles Times. In response […]
February 10, 2015 2:02 pm
58 million people exposed to secondhand smoke
While secondhand smoke exposure has declined significantly since 1999, about 58 million nonsmokers are still exposed to secondhand smoke. And some groups – children, black people, those living in poverty and those living in rental properties – are exposed at a higher rate. The findings were published in the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s […]
February 4, 2015 5:28 pm
More young adults say vaccines are parent’s choice
The majority of Americans think vaccines for childhood diseases should be required for all children, but younger adults are less likely than older generations to agree. A recent Pew survey examined attitudes and beliefs on science and technology topics. The survey asked adults whether vaccines for diseases such as measles, mumps, rubella (MMR vaccine) and […]
February 2, 2015 12:50 pm