Sugary sodas are not on anyone’s list of healthy choices anymore, but we drink an average of 43 gallons of soda apiece each year here in the United States, so knowledge about the health drawbacks of sugary drinks is not changing our behavior. Here’s one more piece of information to put on the scale when […]
Understanding Group B Streptococcus
Group B Streptococcus (GBS) is a type of bacteria that naturally resides in the intestines and genital tract of around 25% of healthy adults. While it doesn’t usually cause harm to healthy individuals, it can be a significant risk factor for newborns if transmitted from mother to child during childbirth. GBS can be transmitted from […]
What Do You Need to Know about Malaria?
Malaria has been in the headlines recently as the first U.S.-origin cases in nearly a century turned up in Florida and Texas. Is it time to worry about malaria? The last time cases of malaria were reported in Arkansas — aside from cases people developed while traveling and brought home with them — was in […]
Tick Bites and Tick Borne Diseases
Ticks may seem like an unavoidable part of Arkansas life, especially in the summer. Unfortunately, tick bites can have health consequences. How can you avoid these negative consequences? The dangers of tick bites Ticks can carry viruses, bacteria, and parasites. They are implicated in quite a few diseases, including these: Lyme disease Anaplasmosis Ehrlichiosis Babesiosis […]
WHO Speaks out against Artificial Sweeteners
Artificial sweeteners are part of daily life for many of us, from those packets of Splenda in the coffee shop to diet sodas at the game to keto sweets for dessert. The World Health Organization wants to change that, though. Sugar Alternatives: 5 Options In a recommendation published earlier this month, WHO said that non-nutritive […]
Finishing Up National Bike Month
National Bike Month is ending, but the biking adventure doesn’t need to! National Bike Month, celebrated annually in May, is a time to promote and celebrate the benefits of bicycling. This month-long event encourages people of all ages to hop on their bikes, embrace a healthy and eco-friendly mode of transportation, and enjoy the many […]
Can AI Give You Nutrition Advice?
ChatGPT, an artificial intelligence (AI) tool that generates human-sounding language automatically, is the fastest-growing electronic tool in history, with over 100 million users. It can write bad poetry, create good 5th grade essays, and answer search questions as long as you don’t mind getting false answers. Thousands of people find that it’s a useful tool, […]
Primary Care Doctors: Does Gender Matter?
Finding a doctor to serve as your primary care physician, or PCP, is an important step on your health and wellness journey. But does it matter whether your doctor is a man or a woman? Personal preference Polls show that most people don’t care whether their doctor is the same gender as they are. A […]
Understanding Strep Throat
Respiratory infections like RSV, COVID-19, and the flu are in the headlines right now. But there are other causes of some common symptoms of respiratory infections. Strep throat is one. Strep throat is a respiratory infection of the upper respiratory tract, but it is not caused by a virus. Unlike COVID-19, RSV, and the flu, […]
Is Soy Good for You?
Soy beans turn up in a lot of processed foods, and also in soy-based foods and drinks like edamame, tofu, and soy milk. Soy is also found in soy sauce, miso, and other flavorings. It’s considered a low-fat, low cholesterol alternatives to animal foods. But is soy good for you? Soybeans provide protein and a […]