With nearly 10 percent of the nation’s workforce unemployed, the emotional impact of a job loss is well-known to millions of Americans. But the psychological fallout can be equally tough for their children. Children living in homes where at least one parent is jobless potentially face a range of emotional issues — from stress and depression to poor school performance and behavioral problems. What’s more, the lower standard of living and lo ... Jump to full article >>

Are you ambitious and highly competitive, a corporate high-flyer who values achievement and status, and for whom perfection comes as standard? Would others describe you as workaholic, possessing a quick temper, and impatient to the point of being hostile to your colleagues? If so, you may have what psychologists call a Type A personality. While this can be great for business – such attributes have no doubt propelled you to the top of your game ... Jump to full article >>

Dear Readers’ Clinic Following recent reports about the elderly needing more sleep than they think, I am worried that, at 68, I’m not getting enough. I sleep for only four or five hours a night. Over the past few years, my sleep patterns have become increasingly disturbed. I’m slim, keep myself active, don’t smoke, drink well within recommended limits, and limit myself to one cup of coffee and two cups of tea a day. Altho ... Jump to full article >>

Dr. Ilan Wittstein, MD, a cardiologist at Johns Hopkins Hospital, in Baltimore, once had a middle-aged patient who discovered that her husband was cheating on her. Shortly after a heated argument over the infidelity, the woman began to experience shortness of breath and a crushing chest pain. Although it felt like a heart attack, it wasn’t. Quite literally, the woman was suffering from a broken heart. Officially known as takotsubo cardiomyopat ... Jump to full article >>

CHARLESTON, W.Va. — Rosa Lara remembers a doctor advising her not to quit smoking during her pregnancy because her baby was used to it. Lara had been living in California at the time. Most of her sisters had smoked and did not seem to have issues with it, and no one had told her about the health risks associated with smoking while pregnant. “My doctor never really explained to me what can be the consequences for my daughter,” L ... Jump to full article >>

With asthma rates on the rise, are there any steps parents can take to prevent it from developing in their children? Judith Palfrey: The worldwide increase in asthma is thought to be due to many factors, including air pollution, climate change, environmental allergens, respiratory infections, and stress. By keeping the home environment free of triggers such as dust, mites, animal dander, and cockroaches, parents can minimize the chance that c ... Jump to full article >>