Harvard Health Blog

Read posts from experts at Harvard Health Publishing covering a variety of health topics and perspectives on medical news.

Articles

Does your child need to bathe every day?

Bathing daily is a habit for many people, but does it need to be for children, preteens, and teens? Not necessarily. Of course, it depends on what they have been doing and whether or not they are visibly dirty or stinky, but most don't need a top-to-toe daily scrub.

Evoking calm: Practicing mindfulness in daily life helps

It's easy to feel too busy to be mindful, but everyone can find a few minutes during the day to pause and reflect. Even a brief, regular mindfulness practice provides a respite from the pace and stress of life, and can help with memory, concentration, and focus.

How well do you worry about your health?

It's impossible to never worry about your health — but are you worrying about the right things? Popular fears and Google and TikTok searches suggest our top concerns may bypass common health issues. So what should concern us and what can we do about it?

Do parasocial relationships fill a loneliness gap?

Following celebrities on social media or being a fan of fictional characters can be enjoyable –– though one-sided, these relationships offer a sense of connection. But parasocial relationships also have downsides, especially when people rely on them too much.

Feel like you should be drinking less? Start here

As research turns up new evidence about the harmful effects of alcohol, many people are considering the benefits of drinking less, even if they're not ready to give it up completely. If you are considering drinking less, these tips can help guide you.

How to help your preschooler sleep alone

Many parents face the challenge of getting their child to move from sleeping in bed with them to sleeping in their own bed. Changing this habit takes time; being practical and consistent about it helps.

Is the portfolio diet the best diet ever?

What we eat plays an important role in health and quality of life — but is there a single best diet? One newer choice is the largely plant-based portfolio diet, which combines aspects of highly regarded eating patterns and focuses on foods proven to lower harmful blood lipids and enhance cardiovascular health.

Which skin creams are most effective for eczema?

A common form of eczema called atopic dermatitis can interfere with daily activities. There are a number of prescription creams available to ease this chronic skin condition, but some are more effective than others, and a recent study compared them.

Why follow a vaccine schedule for children?

Research suggests just 63% of families follow the recommended childhood vaccination schedule. Altering the schedule by skipping vaccines or spreading them out may be putting children at risk, as well as others in the community.

CAR-T immunotherapy for prostate cancer?

The specialized cells of our immune systems help to keep us healthy and free of infectious diseases. Immunotherapies teach those same cells to recognize and destroy cancer. Researchers are reporting promising results with a different method that involves engineered cells studded with receptors that bind to specific targets on cancer cells.

Boosting your child's immune system

As children go through another school year under the cloud of the COVID-19 pandemic, parents are asking what they can do to keep their children healthy. While no magic solutions can ward off every illness, parents can take steps to help children — and everyone in their household — protect their health by keeping their immune systems robust.

Gratitude enhances health, brings happiness — and may even lengthen lives

Gratitude has the power to boost well-being, improve sleep, lessen depression, and help heart health. Now new data from the long-term Nurses' Health Study shows that it may extend lives. How can you jump start a gratitude practice in your life?

The popularity of e-bikes and e-scooters is soaring, but are they safe?

The convenience, affordability, and flat-out fun of e-bikes and e-scooters are undeniable. But as their popularity grows, the rate of accidents involving e-bikes and e-scooters is climbing. So how do we minimize risks for accidents?

Helping children make friends: What parents can do

The COVID-19 pandemic affected children's developing social skills. Many children either didn't learn the skills they need to make friends — or those skills got rusty. Here are some ways parents can help.

Want to stop harmful drinking? AA versus SMART Recovery

People reckoning with problem drinking choose different paths, including two well-known self-help organizations built around peer support: Alcoholics Anonymous and SMART Recovery. Researchers questioned people participating in these programs, or no program, about their approach.

Mpox is back: What to know and do

In 2022, the largest known outbreak spread to nearly 100,000 people in more than 100 countries. Now, a new outbreak of mpox has put it back in the news. What should you know — and do — about this latest international health emergency?

How well do you score on brain health?

Many efforts to improve health are also good for the brain. A study of nearly 400,000 people led researchers to develop a scorecard assessing 12 factors that contribute to the risk of dementia or stroke, making it easy to see where you're doing well and where you might do better.

When should your teen or tween start using skin products?

Social media and stores are full of products that promise perfect skin. Increasingly these products are being marketed to tweens and teens as well as adults. For the most part tweens and teens do not need specialized skin products — but sometimes they make sense.

How — and why — to fit more fiber and fermented food into your meals

A healthy diet is key to a healthy gut microbiome, which helps the immune system function well and reduces chronic inflammation among other important tasks. And increasing evidence suggests that fiber and fermented foods can play important roles in gut health.

Protect your skin during heat waves — here's how

As global temperatures continue to soar, extreme heat poses numerous health risks, some of which are visible on our skin. Understanding how heat affects your skin can help you take measures to prevent or ease many skin conditions that are sparked or worsened by high temperatures.

Respiratory health harms often follow flooding: Taking these steps can help

Flooding due to major storms or heavy rains can harm lung health, both from toxic contaminants that end up in the air and from the growth of mold caused by dampness. Taking steps to prevent flooding when possible and moving quickly to reduce health risks if flooding occurs can help protect your family's health.

Want to cool down? 14 ideas to try

Climate change has made summers hotter, and the struggle to stay cool has led to more cases of heat-related illness. Don't wait until you're overheated to figure out how to cool down; use these ideas to get you started.

A fresh look at risks for developing young-onset dementia

Young-onset dementia, which occurs in people younger than age 65, is uncommon. A new study has identified 15 factors linked to a higher risk of young-onset dementia.

Are you getting health care you don't need?

Just because you can get a particular test or treatment or take a supplement doesn't mean you should. One study suggests as much as 20% of all health care in the US is unneeded. Skipping unnecessary care might actually improve your health, while saving time and money.

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