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Is Echinacea effective at preventing or treating colds?

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Dec. 30, 2011   2 Comments  

Echinacea has gained popularity in recent years as a remedy for the common cold. But because it is not regulated as a medical drug by the FDA -- and given the variation between dosages and formulations available to consumers -- it is difficult to get definitive answers as to its effectiveness. (iStock)

Maybe?

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Report: Asthma rates on the rise

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Dec. 17, 2011   Leave a Comment  

Asthma rates have doubled since the 1980s, in spite of air quality in U.S. cities having increased over the same time period. This has led some experts to conclude that other factors -- including Vitamin D deficiency, obesity, overuse of acetaminophen (i.e. Tylenol) and spray mist from glass cleaners and air fresheners -- are now playing a role. (Thinkstock)

New factors contributing

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Lauren’s Hope medical IDs: Jewelry that can save your life

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Dec. 16, 2011   Leave a Comment  

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And it looks good, too

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Does eating garlic and onions help prevent cancer?

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Nov. 20, 2011   1 Comment  

Although there is no definitive proof, many studies seem to indicate that consumption of onions, garlic and other members of the allium family (leeks, shallots and chives) reduces the risk of certain cancers. (Thinkstock)

Short answer: Probably

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Chemicals, pollution … and cancer.

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Nov. 12, 2011   Leave a Comment  

Most researchers now agree that environmental factors -­ including exposure to chemicals and pollution -­ play a significant role today in determining who gets cancer and who doesn't. (Thinkstock)

President urged to take action

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Research: Sinus surgery also clears up fatigue

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Oct. 21, 2011   2 Comments  

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Stops more than blockages

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Red Sox pitchers listen up: 9 foods that are worse for you than Popeyes fried chicken

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Oct. 15, 2011   1 Comment  

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There’s even a salad on the list!

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Dogs promote a healthy lifestyle, according to experts

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Sept. 26, 2011   3 Comments  

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A furry friend can help make a better you!

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Does medical waste still wash up on American beaches?

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Aug. 26, 2011   Leave a Comment  

Medical waste washing up on New Jersey beaches was a big problem in the late 1980s, closing beaches along a 50-mile stretch of the New Jersey shore. Although that problem was addressed for the most part, bacterial contamination from sewage treatment outflows, contaminated storm water and other sources caused more than 24,000 beach closures or advisories across the U.S. last year. Pictured: a washed-up syringe. (iStock)

An analysis of potential problems

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The brave new world of “green chemistry”

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July 1, 2011   Leave a Comment  

A brave new world known as “green chemistry” seeks to reduce or eliminate the use or generation of hazardous substances in the design, use and disposal of products. (Thinkstock)

Questioning everyday materials

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A sedentary life can be as bad for you as smoking, research says

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June 24, 2011   Leave a Comment  

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Cambridge-based personal trainer gives advice on easy ways to sneak exercise into your day

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What became of the 2010 Safe Cosmetics Act?

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May 28, 2011   1 Comment  

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration has only limited say in what cosmetics manufacturers can and cannot put into their products. And the cosmetics industry has essentially been regulating itself for some three decades. But critics argue that self-regulation isn't appropriate for an industry trading in potentially carcinogenic products. (Media credit/Jupter Images via Thinkstock)

Do you know what you’re putting on your body?

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Pesticide use and thyroid disease

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March 12, 2011   Leave a Comment  

The nonprofit group Beyond Pesticides warns that some 60 percent of pesticides used today have been shown to affect the thyroid gland’s production of T3 and T4 hormones. Commercially available insecticides and fungicides have also been implicated. Women are most at risk. (Getty Images)

Cases on the rise

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Jump in flu outbreaks going around Massachusetts

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Feb. 11, 2011   Leave a Comment  

It’s going around. Your neighbors. Your co-workers. You. We’re sick lately. It’s not all in our head. The Massachusetts Department of Public Health reports that rates of flu and flu-like illnesses have been rising over the past week and are expected to keep jumping. “Rates of flu-like illness continues to rise in Massachusetts this past [...]

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The top 10 gadgets we should see (or not) by 2020

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Jan. 26, 2011   4 Comments  

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The near-future is coming

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EarthTalk: Energy efficiency tax incentives for 2011? Health effects of pollution?

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Jan. 22, 2011   1 Comment  

During 2011, purchases of any of the new all-electric cars, such as the Chevy Volt or Nissan Leaf (pictured here), qualify for up to a $7,500 federal tax credit. The federal government now also offers a tax credit for 10 percent (up to $4,000) of the cost of a kit to convert an existing hybrid vehicle into a plug-in hybrid. (Nissan)

What’s the environment doing to your health?

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Ten questions to ask before picking a gym

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Jan. 4, 2011   Leave a Comment  

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Don’t dive blindly into your resolution

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EarthTalk: Prostate cancer? National recycling law?

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Nov. 20, 2010   Leave a Comment  

Just a few decades ago, Americans recycled less than 10 percent of their solid waste. Today, Americans recycle some 32 percent of the 350 million tons of refuse they generate annually (Media credit/Tom Magliery via Flickr)

Should you be forced to recycle?

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Six apps for healthy living

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Sept. 12, 2010   1 Comment  

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Lose weight and track your fitness

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EarthTalk: CT scan radiation? Return to the wild?

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Aug. 21, 2010   Leave a Comment  

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Should you fear radiation exposure from medical procedures?

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