Health: News, features, tips and alerts to keep you healthy - Spokane, North Idaho News & Weather KHQ.com

Sigmoidoscopy, an alternative to colonoscopy, may help one gender more than the other, new research shows.

Fitness buffs who push themselves to the limit during workouts might slightly increase their risk of developing amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS), a new study suggests.

In the wake of an E. coli outbreak that has made more than 50 people in 16 states sick, Americans are now being warned to toss out any romaine lettuce they might have bought in a grocery store.

Older adults, drink up. You need plenty of water during exercise so your brain gets the full benefits of working out, researchers say.

There are differences in the brains of athletes who play contact sports and those who play noncontact sports, according to researchers.

For most, playing online video games is largely a harmless hobby. But a new review finds that some fall prey to what experts call "internet gaming disorder."

The makeup of bacteria in your dog's digestive tract may be more like your own than you think, researchers say.

New research sheds light on why some people's blood pressure is especially sensitive to salt.

Women are more likely than men to suffer a knee injury called an anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) tear. But -- surprisingly -- the injury occurs the same way in both genders, a new study reveals.

Americans may be trying to eat healthy, but they're throwing away mountains of produce in the process, a new study suggests.

Wanda Sihanath didn't like the fact that her inherited blood disorder would not allow her to travel far from Chicago to attend college, but what could she do?

Girls whose moms were overweight or had high blood sugar during pregnancy may be more likely to enter puberty early, a large new study suggests.

Drugs designed to trigger a patient's immune system may help boost survival for those battling lung cancer, two new studies found.

Women who survive a heart attack are less likely than men to receive cholesterol-lowering statin drugs that can reduce the risk of another heart attack or stroke, a new study finds.

People with chronic back pain often try painkillers and other treatments without success. Now, a new study suggests a program of education and exercise may provide relief.

While only 5 percent to 10 percent of cancers are caused by an inherited gene mutation, genetic testing may benefit people with a strong history of family cancer, an expert in genetics suggests.

Yoga at school might work wonders for the younger set, new research suggests.

It's no secret that weight gain results from consuming too many calories. But at its core is an imbalance of healthy and unhealthy habits.

The overall rate of heart disease in the United States has declined 38 percent since 1990, a new report shows.

You might be a drowsy driver without knowing it, and new research finds that can make you more dangerous on the road.

A traumatic brain injury (TBI), even a mild one such as a concussion, may raise your risk for dementia, a new study suggests.

Highly expressive eyebrows likely played a big role in humans' evolutionary success, researchers report.

The way that Alzheimer's disease is defined for research should be based on brain changes rather than symptoms.

People struggling with COPD might find some relief in an ancient art.

Parents who read to their infants and toddlers may help them develop skills that pay big dividends when they start school, a new study suggests.

Sometimes, headaches can warn of a serious health issue. That's why it's important to know when to take action

Having a chronic heart condition is stressful enough, but new research suggests the cost of caring for the condition is also a huge financial burden for poorer families in the United States.

If an overweight child slims down before puberty, the risk of type 2 diabetes seems to slide away with the lost pounds.

Self-administered magnetic pulses from a hand-held device may help head off debilitating migraines, researchers report.

A new stem cell transplant might help preserve or even restore vision being lost to the dry form of age-related macular degeneration, a new pilot clinical trial has shown.

Babies who contract Zika virus early in infancy should have long-term monitoring, a new animal study suggests.

Science says you can get your coffee buzz without fear of cancer, so experts say you can forget that recent controversial California law.

Another study, this time in British women, finds that diets high in red meat are linked to higher odds for colon cancer.

Before you give up on your exercise program, know that new research suggests the decision may put more than your fitness at risk.

Depression and anxiety is nearly seven times more common among graduate students than in the general population, a new study finds.

Hay fever sufferers often choose the wrong medication for their seasonal sniffles, new research suggests.

New research shows that for people with type 1 diabetes who can no longer sense when their blood sugar levels drop too low, an islet cell transplant can dramatically improve their lives.

Obesity rates in children have been rising for years, and the consequences of that extra weight may be showing up in cancer cases.

Even after a relatively milder stroke, people can be left with challenges that go beyond the physical, researchers say.

Tempted to cheat on your diet? You might want to think twice.

Besides staying alert, coffee lovers who drink more than three cups of java a day may lower their risk for clogged arteries, a new Brazilian study suggests.

New research suggests that a special MRI technique can spot abnormal connections in the brains of preschoolers with autism.

Dieters sometimes chalk up their lack of weight-loss success to a lack of willpower. The truth about willpower, though, is that everyone has some.

Hoverboards may look cool, flashy and fun, but they're less safe than you might think.

Less than 40 percent of American adults with extremely high cholesterol levels get the medications they should, a new study finds.

Though doctors recommend an early introduction to peanuts, many new moms prefer to delay giving them to their babies, researchers report.

Obesity rates have continued to climb significantly among American adults, but the same hasn't held true for children, a new government report finds.

Low back pain affects 540 million people worldwide and is the leading cause of disability, but it's often treated improperly, researchers report.

When you're trying to lose weight, cutting calories counts. But so does burning them off with exercise.

Get ready for extreme heat. Researchers warn that climate change will soon trigger more severe summers across the United States.

Would that ice cold soda be as tempting if you knew that it might shorten your life?

Losing weight comes down to eating fewer calories than you burn.

Warning signs of heart disease in women, such as fatigue, body aches and upset stomach, may be shrugged off as symptoms of stress or a hectic lifestyle.

This typical scenario may be more dangerous than you think

An attempt to develop a safe and effective "male pill" is making headway, according to preliminary results of a small study.

A new British study of nearly 300,000 people dismantles the "obesity paradox," a theory that claims being obese does not necessarily raise heart risks.