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Patients and health care providers share a very personal relationship. Doctors need to know a lot about you, your family, and your lifestyle to give you the best medical care. And you need to speak up and share your concerns and questions. Clear and honest communication between you and your physician can help you both make smart choices about your health. Begin with some preparation. Before your…

You hear and read health advice all the time—from friends, online sources, radio, TV, and more. How do you know what health information you can trust? This issue marks the 10-year anniversary of, NIH News in Health, , the monthly newsletter based on research supported by the U.S. National Institutes of Health—the nation’s medical research agency. Every article in this newsletter is carefully reviewed by NIH experts, so you can be confident that the health news you read here is trustworthy. So far, we’ve brought you 600 articles on all kinds of topics. They’ve ranged from healthy eating and physical activity…, NIH News in Health, undergo multiple levels of review before you ever see them. Researchers interviewed for each story read and comment on draft articles to make sure they’re correct. NIH health and science experts also review each story before it’s published. The goal is to give you reliable, science-based information so you can make informed decisions about staying healthy and seeking medical care. In recognition…, NIH News in Health, and other health information with your community. We’ve learned that the articles are shared in many different ways. Teachers in California and elsewhere have shared stories with their students on how sleep affects learning and health ( Why You Need a Good Night's Sleep and How Snoozing Strengthens Memories ). A middle school nurse in Texas copies and shares articles with school staff and makes…, NIH News in Health, with their communities. In Florida, the Franklin County Health Department distributes the newsletter to patients and staff in 2 rural, remote public health clinics. At the Friend Family Health Center in Illinois,, NIH News in Health, is shared at large neighborhood clinics in the southeast and southwest sides of Chicago. In the Rocky Mountains, a nonprofit agency has been sharing, NIH News in Health, with older adults and their caregivers for nearly a decade. “The newsletter regularly offers relevant health information for our seniors. It’s something they really look forward to each month,” says Stephen M. Holland, director of the Upper Arkansas Area Agency on Aging, based in Salida, Colorado. The newsletter is available at the agency’s meal sites. It’s also given to older adults who receive…, NIH News in Health, are distributed to a largely Native American community by the Confederated Tribes of Grand Ronde, a tribal organization that provides a range of services, including home health care visits and transportation to medical facilities. “We place the newsletter in our elders’ meal site and in the lobby of the community health clinic, in adult foster care, and next to the pharmacy, so people can read it…, NIH News in Health, in the school’s health clinic and counseling waiting rooms. He also brings the newsletters to lectures and presentations on health and wellness. “Although students search for a lot of health information online, they still like to read some information on paper, especially while they’re waiting or relaxing in a common area,” Keady says. “Stories on stress and other psychological issues are of…, NIH News in Health, stories in their publications because they know they can trust the content. Organizations focused on diabetes, healthy aging, mental illness, and other medical issues also reprint, NIH News in Health, stories in their own publications. The articles aren’t copyrighted, so they can be freely republished, as long as, NIH News in Health, is credited as the source (see http://newsinhealth.nih.gov/about for details). No matter where you gather and read health information, it’s a good idea to discuss what you’ve found with your health care provider. Your provider can help you understand and interpret what you’ve found. “Being well informed about a condition can be helpful when you visit your doctor,” Dailey says. “You may wish to…, NIH News in Health, . Thanks for sharing your feedback, story ideas, and other comments over the past decade. We look forward to bringing you 10 more years of evidence-based health information. Share your thoughts with us at [email protected] or send us a photo of how you or others use the newsletter, and we may post it to our Facebook page .

Winter holidays—do they fill you with joy or with worries about gift-giving and family gatherings? Do summer vacations leave you relaxed or fretful over travel and money? If you’re feeling stressed out over supposedly fun things, it might be time to reassess. Take a few moments to learn how stress affects your health and what you can do about it. Everyone feels stressed from time to time. Stress…

You may have seen the flowing postures and gentle movements of tai chi and wondered what it’s all about. Tai chi is an ancient mind and body practice. While more research is needed, studies suggest that it may have many health benefits. Tai chi is sometimes referred to as “moving meditation.” There are many types of tai chi. They typically combine slow movements with breathing patterns and mental…

Conditions such as cancer, heart disease, and diabetes often run in families. Tracing the illnesses of your parents, grandparents, and other blood relatives can help your health care practitioner predict your risk for specific disorders. It could suggest vital screening tests and treatments before any disease is evident. That’s why it’s so important to discuss your family’s health history. The U.…, My Family Health Portrait, , that can help you gather and record your family health history. The tool lets you save family information to your own computer and share health histories with other family members. The tool is available in English, Spanish, Italian, and Portuguese. Before you start using this tool, talk with family members to gather details about their health histories. The Surgeon General offers tips on…

Have you ever heard that something, like a gene or toxin, can cause disease? Or that a drug can prevent illness? How about a behavior, like too much sitting, that’s “linked” to health problems? Such news reports are often based on some type of clinical research, which is the study of health and illness in people. There are many types of clinical studies. Each has its own strengths and weaknesses…, Why Do Researchers Do Different Kinds of Clinical Studies?, ,, that outlines different types of clinical studies and explains why scientists might use them. The guide notes that a study’s strength depends on its size, methods, and design. The ideal way to prove that a treatment works is through a well-designed “randomized controlled trial.” In such trials, people are randomly assigned to either a “treatment” or a “control” group for comparison. Other…

You’re feeling pretty lousy. You’ve got sniffles, sneezing, and a sore throat. Is it a cold, flu, or allergies? It can be hard to tell them apart because they share so many symptoms. But understanding the differences will help you choose the best treatment. “If you know what you have, you won’t take medications that you don’t need, that aren’t effective, or that might even make your symptoms…

Most children get restless, rowdy, or distracted at times. That’s all part of being a kid. But some kids have such trouble paying attention, staying focused, and finishing tasks that it interferes with their schoolwork, home life, and friendships. These difficulties might be signs of a developmental disorder called attention deficit hyperactivity disorder, or ADHD. ADHD is a common brain…

How would you react to a medical emergency? When it comes to life-threatening conditions like heart attack or stroke, every minute counts. Get to know the signs and symptoms of these health threats. If you think you or someone else might be having a heart attack or stroke, get medical help right away. Acting fast could save your life or someone else’s. Heart disease and stroke are 2 of the top…

Have you ever wondered what it means to “follow the science?” Sometimes it may seem like what’s true one day changes the next. But when what we know changes, it often means science is working. Research helps us understand the world through careful testing. Each advance builds on past discoveries. This process can take a long time. But the end result is a better understanding of the world around…