Every year, farm animals swallow an estimated 30 million pounds of antibiotics before we swallow them. Many of these medications are the very same type your doctor might prescribe—and health experts fear if these meds are used in animals, their ability to fight your infection will diminish. Now, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is taking steps to cut back on this barnyard drug problem. Here’s what you need to know about the ruling, and how to protect yourself in the meantime. Read the full article in Men’s Health.
medication
Are You Getting Pain Meds You Don’t Need?
Oxycontin. Vicodin. Percocet. Opiates like these can make the agony of surgery or cancer more bearable. But potent painkillers come with serious risks—namely addiction and even death. And a new report finds more than half of hospital patients were given some opioid pain medications. Read the full article in Men’s Health.
Decoding Blood Test Results
If there’s one time to brag about being a runner, it’s at the doctor’s office—especially when your appointment includes blood or urine analyses. “Let your physician know if you are exercising heavily, and also how often and how recently you did tough workouts; it can influence how we interpret tests,” says William Roberts, M.D., a family physician and medical director for the Twin Cities Marathon. Read the full article in Runner’s World.
8 Secrets Your Hospital Keeps
From leaked records to medication mix-ups, it’s what you don’t know that can hurt you during your hospital stay. Read the full article in Men’s Health.
What Your Doctor Won’t Tell You—Unless You Ask
Modern medicine can do miraculous things—but every test and treatment has a downside. And your doctor may not disclose the dangers without prompting, a new survey finds. Read the full article in Prevention News.
Stay Cool During Hot Workouts
Exercising in a heat wave? Ditch this pre-run pill: Aspirin might raise your body’s temperature in hot weather, finds a new study from Penn State. Read the full article in Men’s Health News.
Should You Pop This Cancer-Fighting Pill?
Aspirin may fight more than the Irish flu. People who took the drug at least once or twice per week had a 20 percent lower risk of developing melanoma than those who didn’t, finds new research in the journal Cancer. Read the full article in Men’s Health News.
3 Things Your Doctor Might Miss
If the Pope’s resignation wasn’t enough to shake your faith in authority, now there’s this: Your doctor may be wrong about your diagnosis. Read the full article in Men’s Health News.
5 Arguments Your Doctor Wants to Have with You
In a new survey, only 14 percent of patients said they would speak up if they differed with their doctor about the best way to treat a health issue. But believe it or not, sometimes your physician would prefer a face-off. Read the full article on MSN Healthy Living.