Health
Counting steps for health? Here’s how many you really need
Counting steps is easy using a phone, a wearable or fitness tracker. And Scientists have lots of data to figure out how many daily steps you need to improve health. Here's what they've found.
Why certain medications can increase your risk in the heat
Some medicines affect your ability to sweat, stay hydrated, or even to notice if you're overheating. Doctors say keep taking them, but make sure to keep yourself cool.
USA swim team members recovering from stomach bug at world championships
Some USA swim team members have missed events during the competition.
Warning labels on menopause treatments ‘scare women’, doctors tell FDA
The FDA may remove the warning labels on hormone replacement therapies used to treat the symptoms of menopause. Doctors say the warning is scaring people who could benefit from these treatments.
You can’t outrun a bad diet. Food not lack of exercise fuels obesity, study finds
One explanation for the rise in obesity in industrialized countries is that people burn fewer calories than people in countries were obesity is rare. A major study finds that's not the case.
The health of U.S. kids has declined significantly since 2007, new study finds
A new study in the journal JAMA finds the health of America's children has worsened across several key indicators over the last two decades. That includes the number of children with chronic diseases.
How a rural clinic is changing lives in Alabama and why it’s at risk
Cahaba Medical Care, a collection of clinics that get doctors into some of the poorest, sickest communities in Alabama, never turns away patients. But a federal grant that supports the doctors there is at risk of getting cut in the midst of the Trump administration’s efforts to downsize.
How to delete your 23andMe data after the company filed for bankruptcy
When the California biotech firm filed for bankruptcy, there was one looming question for customers: What's going to happen to my data?
Eating yogurt regularly may reduce the risk of colon cancer, a study finds
Humans have been eating yogurt for millennia. Ancient texts reference its health-promoting properties. Now a new study finds yogurt may reduce the risk of certain types of colon cancer.
Igloo recalls over a million coolers after handle hazard causes fingertip amputations
Consumers in possession of the coolers are urged to stop using them immediately — and contact Igloo for a free replacement handle.
A farewell to WBHM’s Mary Scott Hodgin
Friday is a bittersweet day WBHM as we say goodbye to our longtime health and science reporter Mary Scott Hodgin.
Residents worry about unknown health impacts of toxic landfill fumes
Officials have advised people to stay inside, seek medical care if they feel sick and relocate if necessary, a response that frustrates many residents.
Will Alabama And Mississippi Expand Medicaid To Low-Income Adults This Time Around?
Many advocates and politicians argue the new incentive is an offer that’s too good to refuse, but it still might not move the needle.
Health Care Disparities: Being The Target Of Racism Can Make You Physically Sick, Research Shows
The American Academy of Pediatrics has found that racial discrimination against Black children and youth can affect their health.
Businesses Eagerly Reopen As Others Take A Phased Approach
On the first day many businesses were allowed to reopen since the pandemic, not all opted to jump back in.
Gov. Kay Ivey Declares State Of Emergency Due To Coronavirus
Alabama schools will close and a second coronavirus case is confirmed -- this one in Jefferson County.
New UAB Initiative Seeks to Improve Health Statewide
Alabama often ends up at the bottom in health rankings on indicators such as obesity and high blood pressure. A new initiative launching Tuesday aims to pull Alabama out of the bottom ten among states over the next decade.
Birmingham Approves No-Smoking “Health District”
The Birmingham City Council unanimously approved an ordinance Tuesday to ban smoking in a portion of downtown Birmingham.
Frustration With Health Department Intensifies as Environmental Groups Seek to Overturn ABC Coke’s Air Permit Renewal
Environmental groups say ABC Coke’s air permit renewal issued in April is flawed and are appealing to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency to agree that it does not comply with requirements of the federal Clean Air Act.
Neighborhoods Want Trust Fund Set Up From Proposed ABC Coke’s Benzene Pollution Case
The North Birmingham community made clear this week that it wants money from an ABC Coke pollution penalty to be used to create a trust fund to benefit residents in the surrounding area.
Alabama House Approves Near Total Abortion Ban
The Alabama House voted overwhelmingly Tuesday to outlaw almost all abortions in the state as conservatives took aim at the 1973 U.S. Supreme Court decision that legalized abortion nationwide.
Report: Violence, Housing Costs Affect Health Outcomes
A report out Tuesday ranks the health of all 67 counties in Alabama. It found that things like violence and housing costs are important predictors of health outcomes.
Drummond to Pay $775,000 Penalty to EPA, Jefferson County Health Department
Drummond Company has agreed to pay a $775,000 civil penalty as part of a settlement contained in a consent decree relating to alleged violations of environmental laws at its ABC Coke Plant in Tarrant.
“It’s Just Plum Sad:” Ivey Disputes Reports of Health Issues, Chastises Maddox Campaign
Gov. Kay Ivey is again disputing that her health is an issue in her re-election campaign and called out her Democratic challenger for trying to make it one.
Another Legislator Indicted in Corruption Case Involving Diabetes Health Clinic
by Virginia Martin Alabama Rep. Randy Davis has been indicted on allegations he was involved in a plan to pressure Blue Cross Blue Shield to cover diabetes treatments […]
White Girl In Yoga Pants Author Talks Trauma, Healing
If you're getting into yoga, you might come across Melissa Scott. She teaches yoga in Birmingham and online, and for her, it's more than a hobby. She's published a book called "White Girl in Yoga Pants: Stories of Yoga, Feminism, and Inner Strength." She tells WBHM's Dan Carsen that yoga has helped her overcome painful struggles, including an eating disorder and a sexual assault.
Alabama Receives Best Ever Report on Overall Child Well-Being
Alabama improved last year in 11 of 16 indicators used to measure overall child well-being, according to the national Kids Count Data Book released annually by the Annie E. Casey Foundation.
Affecting your surroundings…
Aspiring hip-hop artist and vegan activist, Walter Duke of Birmingham…
Sociologists’ Book Urges End of Sex Division in Sports
Can you imagine a world with no gender divisions in sports? University of Alabama at Birmingham sociologist Adrienne Milner can. Not only that — she wants to help make it […]
Jefferson County 20/20 Health Plan Aims to Improve Overall Health of Community
It takes 20/20 focus to identify the multitude of factors impacting the health of Jefferson County residents. After months of planning, the County Department of Health has developed a plan and is putting it into action. The county and community organizations are partnering to improve health and quality of life with its Community Matters 20/20 Plan.
See Photos From Issues and Ales: Concussions and the Price of Playing Football
On Thursday, WBHM gathered a panel of doctors, former football players and concussion experts at Workplay for the annual Issues and Ales. Andrew Yeager led the panel and opened up the […]
Kids Count: Improvement for Alabama’s Children
Alabama often does poorly when it comes to education or health outcomes for children. But a new survey out Monday offers some good news for Alabama's youth. In the Annie E. Casey Foundation's annual Kids Count report, Alabama rose to 44th in child well-being, putting it out of the bottom five among states for the first time. WBHM’s Sarah Delia speaks with Kids Count national coordinator Laura Speers about the survey.
