5K: Child's play as more kids head for the races

Ascher Cahn, 9, ran in the 8th Annual Breakthrough for Brain Tumors with 3,500 people over the weekend. And this is far from his first race.

Natural performance enhancers closer than expected

Eufemiano Fuentes, a doctor who specialized in sports medicine in Spain, was sentenced to a year in jail Monday for his role in a 2006 blood-doping ring that spanned multiple sports and included 35 athletes. It's the latest example of the lengths professional athletes will go to gain a physi…

Nasal tissue may hold the key for diagnosing schizophrenia

A new, non-invasive method to determine symptoms of schizophrenia may result in earlier detection of the disorder.

Stroke survivors find footing with ancient Chinese martial art

Dr. Kristi Kirschner wasn't surprised by recent study results that showed tai chi may reduce falls among older adult stroke survivors.

CDC reports flu no longer widespread in Illinois

The worst may be over for the flu season that hit earlier than expected this season. Influenza levels in Illinois are no longer "widespread," according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention's most recent data.

The Oscars: Glitz, glamour... and gloom?

With the Oscars around the corner, psychologists and critics weigh in on why the Academy and the box office are drawn to movies with dramatic and dark psychological themes.

Dark Energy Survey quests to explain the unexplainable

One of the biggest mysteries for human beings remains finding the components of the universe. And when it comes to Dark Energy, things get even more baffling.

Heart-healthy habits extend lifespan

A new long-term medical study from Northwestern Medicine suggests that individuals with healthy hearts in middle age live up to 14 years longer than peers with two or more cardiovascular risks.

Combat ready: Fighting diabetes on Chicago’s South Side

Combat ready: Fighting diabetes on Chicago's South Side

Diabetes strikes African-Americans on Chicago's South Side at twice the national average. An innovative program strikes back with fresh food options, health care and exercise to combat the high prevalence of the disease.

Chicago River flows through history

The fate of the Chicago River sounds precarious, with drought conditions and a potential carp invasion on the horizon. But the city and state plan to make the river clean enough to swim in by 2016. The future builds on the critical role that the waterway played in Chicago's history.

Coke's new obesity ad raises eyebrows in scientific community

Coca-Cola's new ad-campaign targeting obesity has created a backlash in the science community. Scientists and marketing professors weigh in on the new ad and respond to the company's claim that it has improved the health content of its products.

'I feel I have to give back'

Volunteers huddled in teams, stuffing surveys and sharpened pencils into their backpacks. They grabbed a last cup of hot coffee, and headed out into the cold Tuesday night for Chicago's point-in-time homeless count.

Neuromuscular training for female athletes at early age may offset ACL ruptures

Sutton asserts that women's increased participation in sports and exercise will inevitably lead to more ACL ruptures, already one of the most common injuries in athletics, unless preventive measures are taken to reduce the risk of injury.

Mindfully meditate: with your eyes and inner eyes open

My 30-minute meditation session did not yield any major personal changes like those experienced by Adams and Reese, but I did notice I was much more relaxed and awake once it was over.

Dieting in older adults futile, may have adverse affects

Regardless of their diet, older adults are still at risk for obesity-related health concerns, as heart disease and hypertension, according to a study published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health & Aging, from Pennsylvania State University, in University Park, Pa.

Chicago River reversal nothing to be concerned about, experts say

Rumors circulating that the Chicago River may reverse itself due to low water levels in Lake Michigan are bogus, according to experts at the Metropolitan Water Reclamation District and U.S. Army Corps of Engineers.

Flu epidemic kills 27, hospitalizes 369 in Illinois

The Illinois Department of Public Health is not expecting a decrease any time soon with more reported cases from previous weeks coming in, but the flu vaccine is still available and may help those with current health problems avoid the virus.

To Get a Shot or Not?

The only thing that is spreading faster than the flu these days seems to be this question: Did you get a flu shot this season?

Winter gear

Choose winter apparel that covers all extremities.

Blueberries, strawberries linked to lower risk of heart attacks in young women

A recent study published by the American Heart Association found that eating three or more servings of blueberries and strawberries a week might reduce the risk of heart attacks in young and middle-aged women by one-third.

Dress for success in winter work-outs

Dressing for the weather can keep your fitness goals from dropping with the temperature.

Chicago River

The Chicago River's flow was reversed to flow away from Lake Michigan, instead of its natural course of running into the lake. This keeps sewage and waste out of Lake Michigan, which is used by millions of citizens as drinking water.

Student #athletes need to tweet responsibly

Initial signing day for college football is around the corner and student athletes, as well as potential recruits, need to realize the good and bad of their Twitter and social media accounts, a recent study shows.

Mental abuse changes kids' brains, study finds

Kids who suffer psychological damage undergo brain changes that render them less able to control their aggression as adults, according to a study published this week by Swiss researchers.

Making muscles smarter

Separate research teams have redesigned the elliptical and treadmill to work more muscles and cause less stress on the body. The idea is that muscles can work smarter than they do on your typical gym equipment. Developers believe they have the potential to become workout room staples.

Listening to his neighborhood

A police scanner is the soundtrack to Timmy Granzow's existence.

Diagram

This overhead view of the off-axis trainer's foot track shows its pivoting and sliding mechanisms. These devices make the workout more challenging — but researchers say also more beneficial — for exercisers.

Diagram2

Researchers hope to have the off-axis muscular trainer ready for commercialization in the next five years. Its design is similar to an elliptical.

Light pollution outshines the stars in Chicago

Artificial light opened the door for many nighttime activities, but it closed the door for astronomy in large cities.

App

NU study participants on average lost weight as they recorded their caloric intake and physical activity on a smartphone app.

Coffee may reduce risk of getting oral cancer

A study released this week by the American Cancer Society found that caffeinated coffee may reduce the risk of oral cancer.

Weight loss apps can benefit dieters

So, once again, you resolve to lose weight for the New Year. There's an app for that; or, rather, more apps.

Probiotics: The good bacteria gains in popularity

We don't often think of bacteria as a good thing, especially in our bodies. Antibacterial soaps fill drugstore shelves, and antibiotics treat countless diseases. But now, a new kind of "good" bacteria is taking up shelf space in the same stores as hand sanitizers.

Illinois sparking a refugee health care revolution

A movement spreading across Illinois is creating a health care revolution for refugees from countries including Burma, Bhutan and Iraq.

Autism

Making muscles smarter

This new machine, called the off-axis neuromuscular trainer, is an offshoot of the trusty elliptical trainer that has been a workout favorite for decades.

Mental diagnostic manual drops Asperger's syndrome as a separate mental disorder

"Asperger's syndrome" is dropped as a separate diagnosis in the first major rewrite in almost two decades of the American Psychiatric Association's Diagnostic and Statistical Manual.

"Computational thinking" critical for new K-12 standards

At a a workshop at Niles North High School, educators got an update on a new proposal to use "computational thinking" to strengthen K-12 science and math learning.

Mushrooms

Flustache

What travelers need to know about the flu season this year

As flu season approaches, germs are spreading faster than holiday cheer. Traveling through a highly populated place, such as an airport, raises the risk of contracting the seasonal flu.

Ponder before picking: Don't let that false morel be your last mouthful

For foodies and naturalists alike, foraging for wild mushrooms offers a flavorful foray into the wilderness. But there's danger as well.

Treating asthma? There's an app for that

Researchers hope a new sports-themed cell phone app will encourage asthmatic kids to use their inhalers and allow doctors to more closely monitor their patients.

Grant Park looks ugly for the holidays, but redesign aims for a natural wonderland

Last week’s tree plucking of northern Grant Park, marked the most drastic change so far in a planned $55 million reconstruction, baring the unfamiliar epidermis of a park that once was.