For most people in the U.S. a vacation in sunny Hawaii would be at the top of their lists. However, living in Hawaii is even better than that said Hawaiians. For the fourth consecutive year Hawaii was given the ranking as No. 1, as the U.S. state where residents report the best sense of well-being overall, based on their physical health, job satisfaction, outlook on life as well as other factors affecting the quality of life. This is according to an annual Gallup Well-Being Index released this week. There... 

A rich in olive oil and nuts Mediterranean diet lowered the risk of developing cardiovascular events amongst individuals who were already at an increased risk for those same events, said researchers. The study was performed in Spain and was randomized. The study included people already at high risk that ate a Mediterranean diet that had an additional supplement of either olive oil or nuts. Those eating either one of those two diets compared to the control group diet, which was low fat, saw their... 

An analysis performed by the U.S. government of the flu vaccine for this season suggests it only was effective in just over 56% of the people who received it. The analysis also said the vaccine failed largely to protect elderly people against a very deadly strain of flu that has circulated during this flu season. The findings, said the U.S. Center for Disease and Control underscore the necessity for addition effective weapons against influenza, which has killed between 3,000 and 5,000 each year in... 

Adults, who are older and eat diets that have a high level of antioxidants, might not have less of a risk of developing dementia or having a stroke, says a new study. Researchers said that people who drank or ate lots of oranges, coffee, tea or red wine were just as apt to develop neurological problems during the next 14 years, as were those who did not eat foods rich in anti-oxidants. Literature has been mixed on dementia and antioxidants said one of the lead authors in the new study. Although some... 

You are most probably of the oft-repeated advice of doctors and dieticians alike that exercise and a balanced diet are vital to healthy living – but did you know that the following foods – known as superfoods – actually help prevent illness?  Andrew Watt from British Life insurance provider said: “Long term dedication to health and fitness is a sure fire way to live a more fruitful life” Avocado A staple of many a modern-day salad, avocado can also used to make delicious dips from... 

For years we have been aware that exposure to the sun can lead to developing skin cancer as well as smoking can develop lung cancer. However, a recently published report has revealed that alcohol drinking is responsible for more than 3.5% of all deaths due to cancer in the United States. The new findings outline the risks of cancer linked to alcohol consumption. This type of examination is the first of its kind in more than 30 years. Analyzed by researchers were cancers of the esophagus, colon, rectum,... 

A recently published study reveals that woman who used folic acid supplements prior to as well as during their pregnancies were nearly 40% less apt to have children that would be diagnosed later with autism. A great deal of interest in the study has been taken by members of the medical community. Over a number of years, the amount of children diagnosed with one of the different autism spectrum disorders has made a dramatic increase. Today, one child in 88 is affected by the disorders and that has... 

A couple from Florida loves their coffee. Mike loves an espresso grind that is cold, while Trina prefers a thicker and warmer saturated blend. The couple from St. Petersburg, Florida will not drink the highly caffeinated drink, which both say is not healthy. Instead, the two use the coffee in an enema. Each month both have a minimum of 100 coffee enemas and since they started 24 months ago with their addiction, they have had a total of 6,000. Trina, who does not want anyone to know her last name,... 

American researchers, for just the first time, have found new evidence that bacteria that causes whooping cough are now beginning to be resistant to vaccines. Previously whooping cough was found to be vaccine resistant in France, Finland and Japan according to the new report. U.S. health officials have been concerned with whooping cough, also referred to as pertussis, due to the recent outbreaks of the sickness. U.S. officials said last year that the country suffered the largest outbreak of whooping... 

A new study indicates that men who take calcium supplements might have an increased risk of 20% of dying from a cardiovascular disease. Men and women both take calcium to prevent bone loss. The study showed that the risk of dying was higher for males than females from heart disease. Evidence is increasing that indicates too much ingestion of supplemental calcium could increase the risk of developing cardiovascular disease. The new study was published online on February 4. Researchers attempted to... 

This week the U.S. Center for Disease Control announced that the recent outbreak of salmonella in some states was thanks to hedgehogs. The popular pocket pet as they have come to be referred to, are very popular today in the United States, especially in families with children. It is not surprising since the pets tend to be small and are not like the typical pets most people see in home such as a dog and cats. The type of care that the pet owner carries out with these hedgehogs is different from the... 

The pharmaceutical giant Novartis Consumers Health has recalled more than 2.3 million units of Triaminic and Theraflu after the cold and cough syrups were accidently opened by children and four of them ingested the medicines. In some cases, the child-resistant caps do not function correctly and children can open them even when a tamper seal is still present, said a statement made by the U.S. CPSC – the Consumer Product Safety Commission. That federal agency is in charge of protecting consumers... 

A U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel has recommended that the regulatory agency reclassify the drug hydrocodone, Vicodin’s active ingredient to a schedule II narcotic to help stem the epidemic of deaths due to prescription drugs. The advisory panel voted 19 to 10 to recommend to the FDA to reclassify the drug. The reclassification would put the drug in the same category as medications that have been widely abused such as fentanyl and OxyContin. If the change is approved by the FDA,... 

An advocacy group has been giving out awards for the past six years to restaurants that have excessively large portions and that use ingredients that have been deemed to be unhealthy. The “Xtreme Eating Awards” are given out annually and among the winners for 2013 are some of the country’s most popular restaurants such as the International House of Pancakes and the Cheesecake Factory. The list, published on cspinet.org rates menu items in restaurants for their calorie count, fat, sugar as well... 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved the Zecuity Patch for use amongst adults who suffer migraines without aura and with aura. The battery-powered, single use patch offers relief from nausea related to migraines, along with the migraine headache itself. It is estimated that more than 16 million U.S. adults suffer from migraines. Of those 16 million, 8 million also suffer from nauseas related to the migraine. They, because of their nausea, refrain from using any medications that are oral. Migraines... 

World Health Organization officials announced on Wednesday that Dengue is the fastest spreading tropical disease in the world representing a pandemic threat as it infects over 50 million people each year across every continent. The disease is transferred when a female mosquito that is a carrier bites someone. It is occurring on a wider basis now because of the increased movement of goods and people. Carrier objects, such as used tires and bamboo plants are helping the disease spread along with floods... 

A new device that is the size of a pill has been made by doctors that are able to take microscopic detailed images of inside the stomach. Doctors hope the new technology from the U.S. will become an easier method of screening people for the condition known as Barrett’s esophagus, which can eventually lead to the development of cancer. Unlike imaging techniques currently available, the new device can be used with the patient conscious and takes just a few short minutes. The new camera has been tested... 

A new study published this week examined data taken from a survey of close to 150,000 drivers across 19 states and in the District of Columbia. It found that over 4% of drivers had admitted to falling asleep at the wheel in the past 30 days. Men were more apt to report falling asleep driving than were women. Younger drivers were also more apt to report falling asleep than their older counterparts. Prevalence of drivers driving drowsy was the highest in Texas with 6.1%, while it was the lowest at... 

Women who average walking for a minimum of three hours weekly are less apt to have a stroke than those women who do not walk as much or at all, says a recent study that took place in Spain. For the general population the message remains the same if an individual engages in a moderate recreational activity it will help them to remain healthy, said the study’s lead author. Previous studies have tied physical activity to fewer strokes, which can occur by the buildup of plaque in the arteries or due... 

A recent study says that recess at school is as important for children as math and spelling. Playtime, said doctors, is as important as their class time for helping the youngster to perform at their best. For most children recess is their favorite period of the day and Pediatricians say both teacher and parents should continue to encourage that. Recess, said paediatricians is a critical time for children’s development and their social interaction. The research started in 2007 and was expected to... 

On Monday, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said it approved Juxtapid, an Aegerion Pharmaceutical drug that is used to treat a very rare cholesterol disease. Due to the potential toxicity in the user’s liver, the drug requires a safety precaution on the label. Juxtapid is Aegerion’s first drug to be approved by the FDA. The company’s investors will now get the chance to see how well the company is able to navigate the challenges it will face in the marketing and sales for the drug. The... 

A new study by John Hopkins School of Medicine shows that surgeons in the U.S. make 4,000 errors each year. Researchers also estimate that surgeons leave foreign objects, like a towel or sponge, inside their patient’s body following an operation 39 times each week, perform an incorrect procedure on their patients at least 20 times weekly and operate on the wrong part of the body 20 times each week. Researchers said they believe that over 80,000 of these “never events” happened in hospitals... 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration approved a seasonal flu vaccine that is four-strain by pharmaceutical giant GlaxoSmithKline, it was announced Monday. Fluarix Quadrivalent was approved by the FDA to be used for immunization of children three years of age or older and for adults against subtypes A and B of the flu virus. This is the first intramuscular vaccination that is used to protect against four different flu strains. Vaccines that are three-strain are administered currently to help protect... 

Adults who are older and have high distress levels are more apt to have a certain form of stroke than those people who are not as troubled, a recent study indicates. Distress is made up of a measure of depression, stress, dissatisfaction with one’s life and negativity. Researchers said that many previous studies look at depression and its relationship to risk of heart attack or stroke. However, this study wanted to find a general tendency that a negative outlook has on someone’s life. In the... 

A link has been found between the low birth weight of a baby and a higher risk of health problems over the long term during childhood. Those problems included learning disabilities and delays in development. A study that was just published says that iron supplements administered to underweight newborns might help protect them against certain behavioral problems that are tied to a lower than normal birth weight like attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. The new research involved over 285 infants...