Study: Moderate Exercise Lowers Breast Cancer Risk
Yet another reason to lace up those sneakers: Regular exercise can lower women's risk of breast cancer, suggests a new study published in the journal Cancer. Researchers found that women who exercised two hours a day, five days of the week, were 30 percent less likely to develop breast cancer than less active women. Exercise intensity didn't make a differenceâ€"moderate activity, such as gardening, walking, or doing household chores, sufficed. The study included 1,504 women ages 20 to 98 with breast cancer, and 1,555 women without the disease. Overall, women who did any exercise had a 6 percent lower risk of breast cancer than those who did not, but the effect was strongest among those with children who exercised for 10 to 19 hours each week. The findings held true for both women who were in the midst of their reproductive years and those who had already gone through menopause. "I was excited by the results because as women tend to age, they get set in their habit s, and think that if they haven't been active their whole life, why start now," study author Lauren McCullough, a doctoral candidate in epidemiology at the University of North Carolina-Chapel Hill, told Time. "But it's important to show that there is research-based evidence that says that you can start exercising after menopause and still enjoy really good benefits."
6 Symptoms You Shouldn't Self-Treat
Watching Grey's Anatomy won't help you heal yourself, though it may make you happy. While it's fine to self-treat symptoms such as a runny nose or a mild headache, others require a health professional's attention. And a phone consult isn't always enough: Your doctor may need to see you. For instance, if you're having symptoms for the first time and are unsure why, consider scheduling a visit with your healthcare provider. And if you're experiencing familiar symptoms, you may still need medical advice, especially if the problems stick around.
"I certainly understand a patient wanting to just get some information over the phone. But a description over the phone doesn't always tell us what's going on," says Randy Wexler, a physician and associate professor of family medicine at Ohio State University. Read on to get information about common symptoms you shouldn't self-treatâ€"even though a quick trip to the drug store can be very, very tempting.
1. Heartburn. You're starting to pop antacids like candy, and that's a problem. If you have heartburn twice a week or more and have been taking antacids or heartburn medications for more than two weeks, see your doctor, advises the National Institute of Diabetes and Digestive and Kidney Diseases (NIDDK). You could have gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), a more serious form of acid reflux that can cause complications like ulcers and cancer if left untreated. [Read more: 6 Symptoms You Shouldn't Self-Treat]
Internet Safety: Tips for Keeping Kids Safe Online
Dear Parents,
We have arrived at the season that can inspire considerable joy and fear. Yay! You can take that family vacation. Yelp! Your kids are always aroundâ€"and seeking entertainment. You may be asking yourself: How in the heck am I going to occupy my offspring all summer long? And, egads! How can I keep them out of trouble?
For many American kids, summer vacation means more time spent online. Appropriately, June marks National Internet Safety Month, which has a range of groups rolling out advice to empower parents and kids in the virtual world.
First, a little perspective. Internet use comes with risks, but they may not be the ones you imagine. The fear of sexual predators online, for example, may be inflated. Among the 50,000 arrests made in child molestation cases in 2009, only 850, or less than 2 percent of them, involved offenders who met the victim online, says David Finkelho, director of the Crimes Against Children Research Center at the University of New Hampshire. It's possible, he argues, that the Internet has enabled more intervention of such crimes. In any case, the vast majority of sexual abuse cases are perpetrated by acquaintances or family members of the victim. "Far greater concerns are things like cyberbullying," oversharing, spending excessive time online, and easy access to mature material, says Stephen Balkam, CEO of the Family Online Safety Institute, an international nonprofit that works to make Internet use safer for kids and families. [Read more: Internet Safety: Tips for Keeping Kids Safe Online]
Angela Haupt is a health reporter for U.S. News World Report. You can follow her on Twitter or reach her at ahaupt@usnews.com.Â
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