Pennsylvania House panel advances bill to regulate kratom

Philly Voice (Health) 10/2 11:00P Ian Karbal, Pennsylvania Capital

A panel of Pennsylvania House members advanced a bill Tuesday that would allow the sale of some kratom products to continue in the state, while banning others and creating stricter regulations for sellers.

Adopting healthy habits at 50 can lead to a longer, disease-free life. Here's a playbook to get...

Philly Voice (Health) 10/1 11:00P Louis Bezich

A man who adopts consistent healthy lifestyle habits at age 50 can add about eight disease-free years to his life, research shows. Here's a playbook for adopting healthy habits.

Prescriptions for Valium, Xanax and other benzodiazepines have steeply declined

Philly Voice (Health) 10/1 10:35A Courtenay Harris Bond

Benzodiazepine prescriptions dropped by 27% from 2013 to 2024, a Rutgers University study shows. The decline may be due to more stringent prescribing practices enacted in response to the opioid epidemic. Benzodiazepines have been mixed with...

Running hard isn't always necessary —slow jogging has health benefits, too

Philly Voice (Health) 9/29 11:00P Courtenay Harris Bond

Slow jogging has physical and mental health benefits. Running at a 'niko niko' or 'smiling' pace boosts mood, endurance and strength, research shows. Here's how to do it.

After years of falling, infant mortality rates are rising again, and racial disparities are...

Philly Voice (Health) 9/29 7:54A Courtenay Harris Bond

Sudden unexplained infant deaths are a major contributor to the increase in infant mortality rates and widening racial disparities, new research shows. The study suggests that an increase in SUID among Black infants in recent years grew more than...

Fishtown man is biking from Indiana to Pittsburgh to raise money for cancer research

Philly Voice (Health) 9/28 11:00P Courtenay Harris Bond

Danny Lai, 30, of Fishtown, is biking from Indiana to Pittsburgh as part of Bristol Myers Squibb's Coast 2 Coast 4 Cancer ride. The collaborative effort seeks to raise $1 million for V Foundation for Cancer Research.

Know an unsung hero? The Flyers and IBX are looking to honor volunteers this hockey season

Philly Voice (Health) 9/28 11:03A PhillyVoice Staff

The Flyers and Independence Blue Cross will recognize six volunteers who are making a difference in their communities through their new IBX Caring MVPs program. Volunteers can be nominated through Oct. 23.

Fiber is both diet fad and fixture for good health

Philly Voice (Health) 9/26 11:00P Jean Liew, Boston University

High-fiber diets are linked to significant health benefits, including a lower risk of cardiovascular disease and colorectal cancer, as well as improved arthritis symptoms. But there remains a significant fiber gap in the typical American diet.

Cholesterol control gets personalized – how new guidelines tailor treatment to your unique risk...

Philly Voice (Health) 9/25 11:00P William Cornwell, University of

New cholesterol guidelines emphasize the need to treat high cholesterol and fatty acids earlier in life and more aggressively in order to reduce the risk of developing atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease later in life.

Older adults are advised to take calcium and vitamin D to prevent bone breaks. But it might not...

Philly Voice (Health) 9/24 6:35A Courtenay Harris Bond

Older adults have long been advised to take calcium and vitamin D supplements to boost their musculoskeletal health. But new research suggests doing so does little to improve bone density and protect against fractures.

Preterm babies often face early language delays as children. CHOP teamed up with a Philly mom to...

Philly Voice (Health) 9/22 11:00P Courtenay Harris Bond

The NICU Nest Read to My Preemie program offers free educational workshops, books and emotional support to parents of preterm babies born at the Children's Hospital of Philadelphia. It aims to reduce the risk of early language delays common among...

Why the right prostate cancer treatment isn't the same for everyone

Philly Voice (Health) 9/22 2:59A Peter Key

At Fox Chase Cancer Center, specialists consider PSA levels, biopsy results, imaging, risk group, overall health, and personal priorities when helping patients choose a course of care.

Why the right prostate cancer treatment isn't the same for everyone

Philly Voice (Health) 9/22 2:48A Peter Key

Fox Chase Cancer Center specialists explain how PSA levels, biopsy results, overall health and personal priorities guide prostate cancer treatment.

Why does your brain mix up memories? A new study examines how memories are misplaced in your brain’s...

Philly Voice (Health) 9/19 11:00P Ian McDonough, Binghamton Univer

Memories become less precise, not entirely forgotten, as people age. New research attempts to explain why: the hippocampus inappropriately changes memories between different memory phases as people get older.

3 common drugs older adults might be overusing

Philly Voice (Health) 9/18 11:00P Paula Span, KFF Health News

Recent studies on benzodiazepines, antibiotics and aspirin — all widely used among older Americans — illustrate how long it takes for new findings and recommendations to be widely adopted.