Ibuprofen may ward off altitude sickness
Flickr/cpmrphotos
(Health.com) Ibuprofen has been used for decades to treat pain. Now, research suggests the drug's anti-inflammatory properties also may help prevent the piercing headaches and other symptoms of altitude sickness.
More from Health.com:
Surprising Headache Triggers
The 10 Most Slimming Vacations
Essentials for Healthy Hiking
A small new study, published this week in the Annals of Emergency Medicine, found that people who took four 600-milligram doses of ibuprofen over a 24-hour period in which they ascended to 12,570 feet above sea level were less likely to experience altitude sickness than people taking a placebo.
Continue »
Confirmed: Women can orgasm while exercising
iStockPhoto
(CBS News) Not only can exercise improve your health, a new study suggests it can make some women a lot happier.
Researchers at Indiana University confirmed through a study that women can have orgasms while they exercise, sometimes called a "coregasm" because it often happens in conjunction with core abdominal muscle exercises. The study was published in a March 19 special issue of Sexual and Relationship Therapy.
Does a woman's G-spot actually exist? Study has answer
Why do women fake orgasms? Study suggests surprising answer
"It may be that exercise -- which is already known to have significant benefits to health and well-being -- has the potential to enhance women's sexual lives as well," Debby Herbenick, co-director of the Center for Sexual Health Promotion at IU's School of Health, Physical Education and Recreation, said in a written statement.
Continue »Forever young? Not if you do these 6 things
istockphoto
When you think of factors that prematurely age you, your mind probably turns to smoking, overeating, or excessive stress. And if you've been following the news, you might add tanning to the list (it makes you more susceptible to skin cancer - and we won't even get started on the wrinkles and sun spots.) But what you might not know is that your exercise patterns, listening habits, and even your cooking style can negatively affect your life. Luckily, you can make changes. Read on for tips from Leslie Quander Wooldridge at U.S. News, on how to counteract these six surprising behaviors that age you...
Continue »
Cool palms may lead to a smaller waistline
iStockPhoto
A Stanford University study, presented this week at an American Heart Association Meeting in San Diego, found that when obese women who never exercised wear a cooling device on their palms, they were able to reduce blood pressure, lose more inches off their waist and improve their overall speed compared to the control group.
Continue »
Not taking work breaks can be hazardous to health
CBS
(CBS News) - Taking a break from work may be good for you, according to a study published in Diabetes Care.
PICTURES: 20 most sedentary cities in America
Researchers found that if people do as little as get up and walk around every 20 minutes, their glucose and insulin levels will fall after eating. Blood sugar spikes following a meal have been tied to heart disease and diabetes risks.
Dr. David Dunstan, a researcher at Baker IDI Heart and Diabetes Institute in Melbourne Australia, and his team took a look at how prolonged sitting affected the body's response to food. Dunstan had led an earlier study that showed that every hour of television watched after age 25 cut almost 22 minutes off a person's lifespan.
Experts: iPad, computer screens may cause computer vision syndrome
Continue »Exercise can change your DNA almost immediately
istockphoto
(CBS News) Exercise doesn't only change your body's appearance, it can change your core - right down to your DNA.
A new study in the March issue of Cell Metabolism shows that that when people exercise for something as little as a 20 minute workout, it can alter their DNA almost immediately.
Exercise shown to curb effect of "obesity gene"
Even a little exercise spells big help for heart
Exercise helps teen smokers quit: Study
"Active" video games won't boost kids' fitness
Flickr/ianus
(CBS) Kids who play lots of video games may not be as active as kids who play sports, which is why some parents prefer games that get their kids off the couch and moving around. But according to a new study, those "active" games such as Wii Sports won't actually make a kid more physically active.
PICTURES: 10 high-tech fat burners for fitness geeks
According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, children and adolescents should get at least one hour of physical activity each day. Previous research suggests active video games lead to increases in kid's physical activity.
Why aren't you losing weight? 5 surprising sabotages
istockphoto
Ask yourself these questions, and if you answer yes to any of them, you may have found your personal diet defeaters. Outwit them and you'll soon be back on track to a leaner, fitter you.
Continue »
4.5 million Americans over 50 have artificial knees
CBS
(CBS/AP) More than 4 million Americans over 50 have artificial knees, according to a new study. That's almost 1 in 20 Americans walking around with the help of metal or plastic.
"These data are sobering because we didn't know what an army of people we've created over the last decade," said study author Elena Losina, co-director of the Orthopedics and Arthritis Center for Outcomes Research at Harvard's Brigham and Women's Hospital. "The numbers will only increase, based on current trends."
Continue »
Yoga room opens in San Francisco airport
AP
Open to all ticketed passengers, the room contains a few chairs and yoga mats but no instructors or televisions. No shoes, food, drinks or cell phones are allowed. "Silence is appreciated," says a sign spelling out "Yoga Room Etiquette." A prominent blue-and-white sign with a Buddha-like pictogram beckons visitors: "Come check out our Yoga Room."
Continue »Can crossword puzzles ward off Alzheimer's?
istockphoto
(CBS) Doctors always talk about the importance of daily exercise to stay healthy and ward off disease, but when it comes to fitness, are you doing enough to work out your brain?
PICTURES: Alzheimer's disease: 7 things that raise your risk
A new study suggests you better. The study found people who who kept their brains active most of their lives by reading, writing, completing crossword puzzles, or playing challenging games were a lot less likely to develop brain plaques that are tied to Alzheimer's disease.
Continue »
Marathons won't boost cardiac arrest risk: Study
Medics transport a competitor from the Philadelphia Marathon, Sunday, Nov. 20, 2011, in Philadelphia, following an emergency.
/ AP Photo/ Joseph Kaczmarek(CBS/AP) The sight of a marathon runner collapsing or being carted off in a stretcher can be scary to say the least, but a new study might ease some worries for people considering running long distances.
The study found the odds of a long distance runner suffering a cardiac arrest or dying are extremely low unless you have a pre-existing medical condition.
PICTURES: NYC marathon's oldest runners: How'd they do?
Continue »
Boring playgrounds tied to sedentary kids: Study
Flickr/Dana Kosko
(CBS) Without risk there's nothing to lose, right? When it comes to kids' playgrounds these days, that means there's no weight to lose, either.
PICTURES - Oops! 8 ways parents make kids fat
A new study suggests a new cause behind childhood obesity and children leading sedentary lifestyles: Boring playgrounds.
Continue »Is Common Cold Making Your Kid Fat?
Did a common cold add on the pounds? (GraphicsBank)
(CBS) When it comes to the childhood obesity epidemic, the message has been pretty clear: cut the junk food and get the kids outside to move! But there may be a new culprit for your child's portly posterior... the common cold.
Continue »How fast is the Grim Reaper? Study has answer
istockphoto
(CBS) What's the secret to cheating death? A new study suggests an extra spring in your step might do the trick.
PICTURES: 6 ways to sit less every day
The study says the Grim Reaper - a.k.a. the "Angel of Death" or just "Death" for short - can't walk faster than 3 mph.
Continue »