60-Second Health
Activity Overview
Episode publication activity over the past year
Episodes
Stress Linked to Aging Chromosomes
22 Feb 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Chromosome-protecting telomeres are shorter in people with depression--which has been linked to irregular stress hormone levels. Katherine Harmon repo...
Stem Cells Help Heal Broken Hearts
14 Feb 2012
Contributed by Lukas
After a heart attack, cells from the patient's bone marrow can help improve heart function. Katherine Harmon reports
Smart-Phone App Catches Depression Onset
09 Feb 2012
Contributed by Lukas
A smart-phone app in development for depression patients tracks contacts and movement, and prompts activities when patterns show withdrawal. Katherine...
Honey Helps Heal Wounds
31 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Manuka honey stopped a skin strep in its tracks. Katherine Harmon reports
Brown Fat Furnishes Physiological Furnace
25 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
Men with more brown fat burn more calories in the cold to keep warm. Katherine Harmon reports
Dish Color Affects Serving Size
19 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
When dishes were the same color as the food served, people took bigger portions. Katherine Harmon reports
Soda Tax Could Turn Health Profit
10 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
A penny-per-ounce tax on sweetened drinks would cut consumption, obesity and health care costs. Katherine Harmon reports
Hit the Gym to Help Hit the Books
03 Jan 2012
Contributed by Lukas
A meta-analysis finds that keeping kids active also boosts their academic performances. Katherine Harmon reports
Fat May Put Hypothalamus on the Fritz
27 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Obesity and high-fat diets might alter brain function, changing, in particular, the hypothalamus and hunger. Katherine Harmon reports
Cruise Ship Bug Takes to the Skies
21 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Norovirus, famous for ruining cruises, sickened successive crews and passengers on an Air New Zealand plane. Katherine Harmon reports
Motorcycles Take Bite out of Snake Venom Deaths
06 Dec 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In rural Nepal volunteer motorcyclists are transporting snakebite victims to medical care soon enough to cut deaths by 95 percent. Katherine Harmon re...
Soccer Headings Can Harm Brain
29 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
A specialized form of brain imaging finds that soccer players who head the ball more than 1,000 times a year face risks similar to those with head tra...
Get Ready to Gobble Drug-Resistant Bacteria
22 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Many meat and poultry products probably carry drug-resistant bacteria before cooking. Katherine Harmon reports
1 in 5 Has Significant Hearing Loss
16 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
One in five Americans has their daily life affected by hearing loss--and earbuds blaring loud music may be just a small factor. Katherine Harmon repor...
Hybrid Grapefruit Busts Drug Interactions
08 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Common grapefruits have a compound that can negatively interact with some medications. A new hybrid grapefruit solves the problem. Katherine Harmon re...
Computer Training Boosts Bedside Manner
02 Nov 2011
Contributed by Lukas
A computer training program improves how oncologists respond to negative patients. Katherine Harmon reports
BP Meds at Night Lowers Cardiovascular Risk
27 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
People who took at least one of their blood pressure medications before going to bed had a reduced risk of circulatory problems compared with morning ...
Hairdressers Can Be Skin Cancer Detectors
19 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Hair care pros often spot possible skin cancers on the scalp. Dermatologists recommend they be trained to do it more and better. Katherine Harmon repo...
Diet Counters Bad Gene
11 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
People with genetic variant 9p21, which predisposes them to heart disease, lowered their risk with a healthful diet. Katherine Harmon reports
Sewage Is a Virus Gold Mine
04 Oct 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Researchers looking to expand our knowledge of viruses should dip into some raw sewage. Katherine Harmon reports
Docs Think We Get Too Much Doctoring
28 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Many U.S. physicians think that their patients and their patient's purses could get by with less medical care. Katherine Harmon reports
Eternal Vigilance Fingers the Flu
20 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
The influenza virus is hiding and changing in animal populations. Virologist Ab Osterhaus explains how that could make it more lethal and how we have ...
Five Factors Cut Diabetes Risk
13 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Dealing with any one of five key lifestyle risk factors can lower the risk of developing diabetes by about a third. Katherine Harmon reports
Yellowing Eyes May Keep Seniors Awake
06 Sep 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Yellowing of the eye lenses changes the array of incoming light wavelengths, which can affect circadian rhythms, including sleep patterns. Katherine H...
Best Acne Treatment Remains Elusive
30 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
For picking off pimples, few reliable studies exist to show clear benefits of one treatment over another. Katherine Harmon reports
Being Married Affects Heart and Waist
23 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Married women gain weight but survive bypass surgery better than unmarried people do. Katherine Harmon reports on two studies
Pre-Bed Booze May Bust Rest
16 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
A nightcap may force the body to work harder at repair during sleep, making for a less restful night. Katherine Harmon reports
Beat Gluttony with Gullibility
09 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Eating-behavior expert Brian Wansink offers tips on fooling yourself into eating less. Katherine Harmon reports
Study Says Avoid Colon Cleanses
03 Aug 2011
Contributed by Lukas
The alternative therapy of colon cleansing typically does little good, and may cause significant harm. Katherine Harmon reports
Hospitals Try to Become Mickey Mouse Institutions
26 Jul 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Hospitals are hiring Disney to help them create environments that patients prefer. Katherine Harmon reports
Health Literacy Affects Individuals' Health
19 Jul 2011
Contributed by Lukas
People who have trouble understanding health and medical information are more likely to get hospitalized. Katherine Harmon reports
Sodium and Potassium Together Determine Risk for Heart Disease Death
12 Jul 2011
Contributed by Lukas
A new study says high sodium and low potassium intake are the twin culprits in many cardiovascular syndromes. Katherine Harmon reports
Women's Study: Exercise, Good Diet and Non-Smoking Greatly Reduce Sudden Heart Death Risk
05 Jul 2011
Contributed by Lukas
The Nurses' Health Study finds that the risk of death from sudden cardiac arrest in white women can be lowered by 92 percent through lifestyle mainten...
Cleaner Water Worldwide But Still Out of Reach for Millions
28 Jun 2011
Contributed by Lukas
In the last decade, more than a billion people have seen improved water safety and sanitation. But 800 million are still at risk of water-borne diseas...
Accurate Blood Pressure Needs Multiple Measurements
21 Jun 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Many blood pressure assessments rely on too few measurements in an intimidating environment. Katherine Harmon reports
Infant Exposure to Pets May Lower Risk of Later Allergies
14 Jun 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Having pets in the house during a baby's first year was associated with a lower risk for allergies through the child's teens. Katherine Harmon reports
Mouse Study: Yo-Yo Dieting Beats Not Dieting at All
07 Jun 2011
Contributed by Lukas
Mice fed an alternating high-fat and low-fat diet lived almost as long as mice on a constant low-fat diet--and longer than mice on a constant high-fat...
Cell Phones in Hospitals May Be Covered with Germs
31 May 2011
Contributed by Lukas
A study in a hospital in Turkey found that three quarters of cell phones belonging to patients and visitors carried staph bacteria. Katherine Harmon r...
Future Cars Could Count Miles per Heartbeat
24 May 2011
Contributed by Lukas
On the drawing board are cars that would monitor the health markers of its passengers. Katherine Harmon reports