Bad Medicine

Christopher Wanjek is the author of the health books "Bad Medicine" and "Food At Work" and the novel "Hey, Einstein!" a comical nature-versus-nurture tale about raising clones of Albert Einstein in less-than-ideal settings. His column, Bad Medicine, appears regularly on LiveScience.

Related Topics: Medicine, Smoking, Opioids

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Sweet Lullaby: Scientists Uncover How Herpes Virus Sleeps and Wakes

October 27, 2017 | Article

Viruses are tricky beasts. Some of these "submicroscopic" pathogens can "go to sleep" inside a person's body, essentially hiding from the immune system indefinitely, only to reactivate and cause illness later.
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Say What? Computer Game Improves Hearing in Noisy Situations

October 19, 2017 | Article

Want to follow conversations better in a noisy restaurant or bar? There soon may be an app for that.
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Babies Learn Perseverance by Watching You Sweat

September 21, 2017 | Article

Have you ever struggled to open a stubborn package? If so, that may be a good thing…if your baby is watching.
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Hunter-Gatherer Gut Microbes Show What We're Missing

August 28, 2017 | Article

The gut microbiome of the hunter-gatherer Hadza people is very different from that of Americans, varying with diet and season, and that's likely good for the Hadza ... and bad for Americans.
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People Who Get Less REM Sleep May Be at Greater Risk of Dementia

August 23, 2017 | Article

Consider it another strike against not getting enough sleep...
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Why You May Not Have to Finish All Your Antibiotics

July 26, 2017 | Article

The mantra to "complete the course" for antibiotics is wrong and possibly dangerous, scientists say.
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How 'Bad' Gut Bacteria Can Change Their Evil Ways

July 21, 2017 | Article

The idea that gut bacteria can either be "good" or "bad" may not tell the whole story.
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Who Would Win a Human-vs.-Chimp Wrestling Match?

June 26, 2017 | Article

In the most detailed study to date comparing the muscles of chimps and humans, researchers found that chimps are 1.35 times more powerful than people.
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Doctors Want Sugar and 'Cancer-Causing' Foods Out of Hospitals

June 19, 2017 | Article

The AMA is taking aim at hospitals with a policy recommendation encouraging healthier food and drink options for patients, visitors and staff.
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Chronic Pain May Stem from Pain Receptors in Hiding

May 31, 2017 | Article

Scientists find that pain receptors can hide inside cells; but they can still find them and deactivate them, which may lead to better pain medication.
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