A new job benefit aims to help Philly workers improve their well-being

Philly Voice (Health) 4/17 8:27A Courtenay Harris Bond

The 26,000 city workers in Philadelphia now have access to On the Goga, a corporate wellness platform that offers workshops on stress reduction, healthy recipes, desk yoga classes, guided meditation and other resources that encourage healthy...

Achieving equity in kidney care

Philly Voice (Health) 4/17 5:25A Dr. Seun Ross, DNP, CRNP-F, NP-C

The more we all work together, the faster we can dismantle racial bias in medicine.

A Temple Hospital worker needed a kidney transplant. When the call finally came, his colleague...

Philly Voice (Health) 4/16 10:47A Courtenay Harris Bond

Julian Harmon, a perioperative services assistant at Temple University Hospital, received word that he was up for a kidney transplant in January 2023. Within hours, his colleague, Dr. Kenneth Chavin, was performing the surgery. One year later,...

Laughter may be the best medicine

Philly Voice (Health) 4/16 7:57A The IBX Insights Team

While you should always take your mental and physical health seriously with appropriate medical treatment, finding opportunities to laugh is a great way to help yourself through tough times.

People with obesity may benefit most when exercise is done in the evening

Philly Voice (Health) 4/15 10:14A Franki Rudnesky

Working out in the evening may be linked to a lower risk for cardiovascular disease, microvascular disease and premature death among people with obesity, according to a new study. The study of nearly 30,000 adults with obesity also found the...

Exceptional nurses can be nominated to receive IBX's Sunshine Award

Philly Voice (Health) 4/15 7:31A PhillyVoice Staff

Independence Blue Cross will honor three outstanding nurses with through its annual 'Celebrate Caring' campaign. The winners will receive the health insurer's Sunshine Award and $500 gift cards. IBX also will donate $2,500 to the charities of...

Understanding the importance of kidney health

Philly Voice (Health) 4/12 10:42A Peter Key, sponsored by Independ

When you think of your vital organs, you probably think of your heart and lungs. But your kidneys also play a big role in how your body functions.

CDC investigates botulism-like illnesses linked to possibly fake Botox injections

Philly Voice (Health) 4/12 10:17A Courtenay Harris Bond

People in several states have developed Botulism-like illnesses after receiving possibly fake Botox injections outside medical settings, prompting the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to investigate the matter. Botulism can lead to...

As bans spread, fluoride in drinking water divides communities across the U.S.

Philly Voice (Health) 4/12 6:10A Melba Newsome, KFF Health News

Hundreds of U.S. communities have stopped adding fluoride to their water supplies or voted to prevent its addition. Supporters of such bans argue that people should be given the freedom of choice, noting the broad availability of dental products...

High caregiving costs have many Americans claiming their parents as dependents on their tax returns

Philly Voice (Health) 4/11 10:27A Courtenay Harris Bond

More than half of adults 25 and older are claiming their parents as dependents on their 2023 tax returns, according to a new survey from Caring.com. Out of the survey respondents, 35% said that they were overwhelmed by their parents' medical...

A new UTI vaccine shows promise in preventing recurrent infections

Philly Voice (Health) 4/10 10:58A Courtenay Harris Bond

A new urinary tract infection vaccine may offer an alternative to antibiotic treatment for recurrent UTIs, according to new research. The oral spray kept more than half of the participants in a study infection-free for nine years. The...

Social barriers prevent many women from getting regular mammograms

Philly Voice (Health) 4/10 8:08A Courtenay Harris Bond

About one-third of women ages 50-74 facing at least three social barriers do not get regular mammograms, a new CDC study finds. Barriers include social isolation, life dissatisfaction, job loss, a lack of health insurance and transportation...

Young adults are aging faster, and that may help explain their rising cancer risk

Philly Voice (Health) 4/8 10:44A Franki Rudnesky

Accelerated aging is more common among younger generations and may be linked to rising rates of early-onset cancers, a new study suggests. Researchers found a greater risk of developing early-onset lung, gastrointestinal and uterine cancers in...

How to prepare for a 10-mile race

Philly Voice (Health) 4/8 10:37A Peter Key, sponsored by Independ

Longer than a 10K (6.2 miles) but shorter than a half marathon (13.1 miles), a 10-mile race offers athletes a unique running challenge.

Loneliness may cause unhealthy food cravings, study suggests

Philly Voice (Health) 4/7 7:17A John Kopp

New research from UCLA Health helps explain why binge eating is a common coping mechanism for loneliness. In a study, women who felt lonely had increased brain activity in regions tied to cravings – particularly when they were shown images of...