Southwest Lifestyle
Health
Flu shot better protects seniors
Experts say regular flu shots tend to be only about 30 percent to 40 percent effective in people 65 and older, who generally have weaker immune systems. Sanofi Pasteur’s Fluzone…
Health
More strokes striking world’s younger folks
Though the chances of a stroke jump dramatically with age, the growing number of younger people with worrying risk factors such as bulging waistlines, diabetes and high blood pressure means…
Health
Mystery diseases solved in youths, adults
Decoding patients’ genes tells doctors at least some of story
Health
The quantified self: Apps manage health
Devices track your activity, calories, sleep and much more
Southwest Life
Utah couple brings house goose on frequent trips about town
Diane and Kevin Wescott shop with their goose, Gladys, at a Home Depot in Liberty, Utah.Kelly Keiter/Standard-Examiner There’s down aplenty, of course, but some pretty big feathers, too – along…
Family
More victims of online abuse reach out for help
Sarah Ball, a victim of cyberbullying during her high school years, maintains a Facebook site called “Hernando Unbreakable,” an anti-bullying page and mentors local kids identified by the schools as…
Southwest Life
Farmer on Eastern Plains watches bird refuge go dry
Unless some other source of water is found, the two reservoirs that provide habitat for migrating birds, including some endangered species, could become just so many more acres of weeds…
Family
Quintuplets reunited, home ‘bursting at the seams’
Their living room is lined with infant carriers. Boxes of formula are stacked high in their tiny kitchen. On Sept. 5, Jessica Hicks, 28, gave birth to the first quintuplets…
Religion
Vatican fields cricket club as sport, faith merge
Cricket players attend a training session in front of a Vatican flag in Rome. The Vatican has officially launched its cricket club, an initiative aimed at forging ties with teams…
Food
Don’t toss those pumpkin seeds, keep them around for a snack
This healthy Halloween snack includes chickpeas, pumpkin seeds, dried cranberries and nuts.Matthew Mead/Associated Press Then again, my family and I are New Yorkers, and a little defect like this was…
Food
What if the Italians had given us hummus?
This recipe for Italian-Style Hummus with Diced Tomatoes connects the similar flavors of Italian and Middle Eastern cuisines.Matthew Mead/Associated Press I decided to answer the question for myself with this…
Food
Local holiday markets feature seasonal produce
Take heart, you lovers of fresh vegetables and local crafts. Vendors from the market will hold two holiday markets, the first Nov. 23, the Saturday before Thanksgiving, and the second…
Health
Air pollution can cause cancer, agency says
A walker wears a mask in Beijing, China, on a polluted day. The World Health Organization now considers pollution to be “the most important environmental carcinogen.”Associated Press file photo The…
Health
Volunteers testing students’ eyes
Serving the other end of the age spectrum, Lions Club volunteers since Oct. 8 have visited preschools and early-childhood centers to screen for vision problems. The Lions KidSight Program screens…
Health
Doctors ignore advice on sore throats, bronchitis
The results are in two analyses of national health surveys from the late 1990s to 2010, representing more than 2 million annual visits to doctors’ offices or emergency rooms. Antibiotics…
Health
Portly Taft ushered in modern obesity care
President and later Supreme Court Chief Justice William Howard Taft also made headlines for his weight, which sometimes exceeded 300 pounds.Associated Press Got a nagging doctor? The 27th president, William…
Family
Fertility clinics helping more gay couples
Procedures allow for increased sharing of biological role
Travel
Around U.S., Halloween attractions ask guests to take part
Now, visitors aren’t just shrieking at the sight of zombies – they’re shooting them with paintball guns at Saint Lucifer’s Haunted Asylum in Flint, Mich. They’re not just listening to…
Travel
New seats let airlines squeeze in passengers
Southwest Airlines aircraft technicians install skinnier seats on a 737. The new seats will allow Southwest to add an extra row in the coach cabin.John Mone/Associated Press The big U.S.…
Religion
$1M recruitment plan revitalizes synagogue
Larry Blumberg, founder of Blumberg Family Jewish Community Services of Dothan, says, “I think the program has created a lot of buzz and attention both in our local community and…