HEALTH

Apr 13 2026HEALTH

AI as a helper in obesity care: what works and what doesn’t

Obesity rates are climbing worldwide, pushing doctors and patients to look for smarter tools. One tool getting attention is ChatGPT, an AI chatbot that can chat in plain language. Studies published from late 2022 to late 2025 were reviewed to see how well this AI actually supports obesity care. Out

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Apr 13 2026HEALTH

Keeping muscles strong as you age isn’t complicated

Muscles naturally weaken with time, but the decline speeds up after 30 and jumps sharply after 60. This process, called sarcopenia, doesn’t just make movement harder—it can steal independence. Research shows two simple habits make a huge difference: how much protein you eat and how active you stay.

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Apr 13 2026HEALTH

Bipolar II and the Hidden Risks After First Hospital Stay

After someone with Bipolar II disorder is hospitalized for the first time, their risk of attempting suicide doesn’t disappear—it actually spikes. New research shows that the months right after discharge are some of the most dangerous periods for these patients. Scientists tracked a group of Bipolar

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Apr 12 2026POLITICS

Food Trucks Move Into Downtown Spokane: A Look at the New Rules

Spokane is thinking about letting food trucks set up shop in more downtown spots. The city council will discuss a small plan that could drop a $60 permit fee for trucks that stay in town more than two weeks each year. That fee is rarely used, so it would cost the city only about $500 a year to keep.

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Apr 12 2026SPORTS

Athletes’ Menstrual Health: Trends from Tokyo to Beijing

In recent years, scientists have watched how female Olympic competitors in Japan handle their menstrual cycles. They noticed that the number of athletes who report problems like severe cramps or missed periods has changed over seven Olympic Games. The study followed thousands of athletes from both t

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Apr 12 2026SCIENCE

Undergraduate Tackles Alzheimer’s with Data and Determination

Mina Mahmood, a junior at Indiana University Northwest studying neuroscience, grew up watching her father’s memory fade. His struggle with a cognitive disorder sparked her curiosity about the brain and a desire to help. During summer 2025, Mina travelled to Indianapolis for a student research progr

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Apr 12 2026HEALTH

Cleaner Air, Safer Lungs

Air quality today is a different beast than it was decades ago. While the government has cut back on lead and sulfur dioxide, new dangers have taken center stage: tiny particles from factories, cars and power plants; ozone that forms under the sun; and smoke that travels far beyond its source. The

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Apr 12 2026HEALTH

Citizens’ Views on Health Benefits for Low‑Income People

The way governments decide which new medicines to fund usually looks only at the total health improvement they bring. Who gets those benefits and how that affects wealth gaps is rarely considered. In the Netherlands, researchers asked ordinary people to weigh in on this question. They used a techni

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Apr 12 2026POLITICS

Massachusetts Health Milestone and Gubernatorial Debate Sparks Local Buzz

The state’s health insurance landmark will be highlighted on Monday at Boston’s historic Faneuil Hall, where former governors and current leaders gather to mark twenty years since the 2006 law that brought coverage to nearly all residents. The gathering will feature speeches from Gov. Maura Healey a

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Apr 12 2026POLITICS

California Mental‑Health Program Faces Big Change

The state’s mental‑health diversion plan, created in 2018 to keep people with serious illnesses out of jail, is under fire from prosecutors who say it lets dangerous offenders slip through the cracks. A high‑profile case that fuels this debate involved a man who was allowed to live in an LA shelt

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