Louisiana Health

Protein powder 101: How to find one that works for you

By Molly Kimball
23 hrs ago

If you're looking to incorporate a protein powder into your wellness routine, I have good news. With so many brands available, you’re bound to find a product that suits your nutritional needs,…

For 32 years, Sister Uyen Vu has brought joy, healing and prayer to Lafayette hospitals

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Sep 17, 2024

Sister Uyen Vu wakes up every single day at 3:30 a.m. She sits in a chapel for at least one hour of prayer — to anchor herself.

Choosing a hospital or doctor? Here's what experts recommend you consider

By EMILY WOODRUFF | Staff writer
Sep 17, 2024

How should you choose a doctor or hospital? It’s a question many find themselves facing after a troubling diagnosis, moving to a new city or simply attempting to get a new primary care physician.

'Think locally. Act locally.' Louisiana Cancer Center provides resources to rural communities

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Sep 15, 2024

Louisiana ranks low in almost every cancer prevalence data set, ranking 42nd in overall cancer prevalence compared to other states. Cancer is the second-highest leading cause of death in Louis…

Louisiana fertility clinic selects patients for free IVF treatment to become parents

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Sep 15, 2024

Alexia Carey, a 37-year-old social worker, spends her days being the “state mom” for many men, both young and old trying to find their way in the correctional setting.

Cigarette smoking trending upward in Louisiana. State ranks high above national average.

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Sep 15, 2024

In Louisiana, 17.8% of adults reported “currently smoking” in 2021 — a 0.08% increase from 2020 — according to data from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Explaining the dairy case: Choosing the right plant-based ‘milk’ for you

By Molly Kimball
Sep 15, 2024

Ever notice how certain sections of the grocery store can bottleneck? The store may not be crowded overall, but in certain areas, shoppers stop, shoulder-to-shoulder, often looking confused.

Tulane receives $4M for national research on monkeys to study brain aging in Louisiana

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Sep 9, 2024

Tulane's National Primate Research Center, one of only seven in the nation, will champion efforts to consolidate research and data from various studies across the country.

New data reveals slight decline in stroke deaths in the U.S. See the data over 20 years.

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Sep 8, 2024

Cerebrovascular disease (stroke) is a leading cause of long-term disability and premature death in people ages 45–64, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The CDC relea…

Baton Rouge hospital uses AI technology, software to detect pancreatic cancers at early stages

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Sep 8, 2024

The American Cancer Society predicts that 66,440 people in 2024 will be diagnosed with pancreatic cancer, and 51,750 people will die of pancreatic cancer by the end of the year.

Night routines can help the 'chronically sleep deprived,' Louisiana doctors say

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Sep 8, 2024

On average, 40% of Louisiana adults reported sleeping less than seven hours in a 24-hour period, according to America's Health Rankings analysis of the CDC's 2022 Behavioral Risk Factor Survei…

New Orleans doctor dedicates his life to understanding the condition that killed his aunt

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Sep 8, 2024

Dr. Nicolas Bazan is the director of the Neuroscience Center of Excellence at the Louisiana State University Health New Orleans’ School of Medicine. Originally from Argentina, received his med…

Football fan fuel: A more nutritious line up for game day gatherings

By Molly Kimball
Sep 8, 2024

I'll confess, I'm just a casual football fan, but I absolutely love the atmosphere on game day. The energy and camaraderie at tailgating parties can be electric, but I also enjoy watching game…

1 in 3 adults in Louisiana and the U.S. suffer from insufficient sleep. See the data.

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Sep 1, 2024

Insufficient sleep in adults, according to the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, is defined as getting less than seven hours of sleep in a given 24-hour period.

Louisiana doctors look at medication, Botox and lifestyle changes to prevent migraines

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Sep 1, 2024

Around the U.S., 37 million men, women and children suffer with migraines, but less than 5% of those affected have been diagnosed and receive appropriate care. According to the World Health Or…

Ochsner Health supports women and babies across Louisiana with comprehensive, compassionate care

BY AMANDA MCELFRESH | BRANDED CONTENT SPECIALIST
Sep 1, 2024

This Labor Day weekend, Ochsner Health hospitals are among many community assets that never close. And while some may spend the holiday boating or picnicking, others are laboring -- growing th…

Food or supplements: What’s the best way to get omega-3 fatty acids?

By Molly Kimball
Sep 1, 2024

Last week, I shared information on the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids, from supporting brain function and heart health to reducing inflammation and symptoms of rheumatoid arthritis. Th…

LSU sports doctor says 'laughter is medicine' when treating mental health for patients

By ALENA MASCHKE | Staff writer
Aug 30, 2024

When it comes to the impact of a student athlete's health impact on his or her performance, most people’s thoughts immediately go to physical health.

Louisiana robotics surgeon can peel the skin of a grape and sew it back on with new technology

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Aug 27, 2024

Dr. Daryl Marx, a New Orleans-born Louisianan, comes from a family of physicians. His father, uncle and grandfather all practiced medicine in Louisiana. When Marx was in the in the Boy Scouts,…

Louisiana ranks 48th in kidney disease-related deaths. See the parish data.

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Aug 25, 2024

The national average number of patients who died from a kidney-related disease between 2018 and 2022 was 13.2 per 100,000, according to data from the National Institutes of Health.

Breathing problems in Louisiana? Mold could be the culprit.

By EMILY WOODRUFF | Staff writer
Aug 25, 2024

After about six months in his Irish Channel apartment, Allen Clayton started having coughing episodes.

Tides Medical makes national impact from Lafayette. CEO talks using placentas to heal wounds.

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Aug 25, 2024

Joe Spell was born at Lafayette General and — aside from school and early career moves — has lived in Lafayette his entire life. He met his wife, Annie Wingate Spell, when they were students a…

Smart devices in the digital age: Balancing the benefits and risks for children

BY AMANDA MCELFRESH | BRANDED CONTENT SPECIALIST
Aug 25, 2024

In today’s world, it’s increasingly rare to see youth without a device nearby. Whether it’s a smartphone, tablet, laptop or smartwatch, children and teens are almost always connected. It’s a r…

Good and fatty: What are the health benefits of omega-3 fatty acids?

By Molly Kimball
Aug 25, 2024

Popular for their role in heart and vascular health, omega-3 fatty acids are also recognized for their part in supporting whole-body wellness, including brain function and mood, reducing infla…

New AI stethoscope at LSU can flag heart defects and more: Technology helps protect athletes

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Aug 21, 2024

T-ball, gymnastics, a parent wanting to exhaust a kid before bedtime or a passion for basketball, baseball, soccer or football — the love of sport plays a big role in Louisiana's tried and tru…

Inspiring change: What does it take to turn a challenge into a transformation?

By Molly Kimball
Aug 18, 2024

Change is hard, especially if it requires us to shift habits that have been engrained for years.

Louisiana parents opt out of standard vaccines with highest exemption rates in a decade

Staff Report
Aug 16, 2024

As schools, parents and students are getting ready to return for the school year, statistics show that more Louisiana parents are opting out of standard childhood vaccines for their kindergart…

Psychedelic therapy for PTSD treatment is rejected by FDA, Louisiana patient still has hope

By MARGARET DELANEY | Staff writer
Aug 14, 2024

In 1999, Lori Tipton’s brother overdosed and died while he was visiting her at Tulane in New Orleans. In 2005, Tipton’s mother murdered two women and killed herself. Tipton found the bodies.