health Archives - The Philly Files

July 3, 2020

Snack hacks that really pop

If spending more time at home than usual has you reaching for snacks more often, keep some quick, flavorful options on-hand to help fuel…

June 26, 2020

Video: Fire up the grill for smoked… fruit!

As summer grilling season sets in, Americans grab their tongs to take advantage of backyard barbecue opportunities. In addition to classic cookout fare like…

June 17, 2020

The best bottles of wine as Father’s Day gifts

We don’t think anyone will dispute the fact that the last several months have been challenging. For many the challenge has been struggling with…

June 16, 2020

Can your pet catch Coronavirus?

You have probably seen and heard a lot about coronavirus and how to keep you and your family safe. But what about the other,…

June 15, 2020

Solving puzzles boosts mental health

Fears of contracting Coronavirus coupled with strict shelter-at-home measures are causing all of us to be stressed. Studies show adults and children have elevated…

June 14, 2020

Go ahead, make his day!

Dad-approved gifts for Father’s Day An entire day dedicated to dear ol’ dad may not be enough to show the depths of your appreciation,…

June 9, 2020

Help teens manage mental strain

COVID-19 may have begun as a physical health crisis, but like their parents, children, teens and college students (or young adults) are likely to…

June 7, 2020

Smart summer skin care

Get back to basics with warm weather skin care tips If you’ve ever noticed how thirsty you get when it’s hot outside, that’s because…

June 5, 2020

Family foods with a weight loss focus

Losing weight and focusing on a healthful diet may lead you back to the same tried-and-true tricks, however, conventional wisdom doesn’t always pay dividends….

June 3, 2020

Nothing says welcoming each other and warm weather like rosé

Despite the death and economic chaos brought on by COVID-19, we are searching for normalcy in our world – a time when we went…

May 26, 2020

Balancing medical discovery and respect for patients

Tissue and blood samples taken from patients can hold the keys to biomedical discovery. But the research community must consider patient privacy, a new…

May 23, 2020

COVID-19: Finding safety when home isn’t safe

As cities across the globe began to lock down because of the COVID-19 pandemic, reports of domestic abuse began to rise. In Seattle, one of…

May 22, 2020

Comfort food consumption on the rise

As families spend more time at home, Americans are finding comfort in a surprising source: bread. In fact, a 20-year trend of declining grain…

May 20, 2020

Planning for warm weather wine, post-pandemic

As we write this column, the black cloud of the Novel Coronavirus continues to wreak havoc on the health of our citizens and the…

May 19, 2020

Cotton and silk make best face masks when worn correctly

If the fit is right, face masks made of a combination of high thread-count cotton and natural silk fabric or a chiffon weave can…

May 18, 2020

Could inactivity cause Coronavirus?

Dr. Felipe Lobelo is sad but not surprised the Coronavirus pandemic appears to be taking a greater toll on African Americans and Latinos. The pandemic and…

May 17, 2020

Pa. primary election deadlines approaching, including vote-by-mail

HARRISBURG, Pa. — Pennsylvania’s primary election will be held two weeks from Tuesday, but you only have until this Monday to register if you…

May 15, 2020

Video: A spring salad celebration

Fresh fruits and veggies are often the flavors of spring, and you can bring them all together by celebrating National Salad Month with a…

May 13, 2020

Property project: Clearing weed killers and chemical fertilizers for healthy vines, delicious wines

Plus, reducing the causes of wine-induced headaches In our wine education programs we often get asked about sulfites and whether they are to blame…

May 12, 2020

CDC adds 6 new Coronavirus symptoms to list

Six new Coronavirus symptoms have been added to a list from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The new symptoms include: chills repeated…

May 9, 2020

5 weekend tasks for a week of healthy eating

We know it isn’t easy to prepare home-cooked, healthy meals every night of the week, but your chances of success are much higher if you’re not…

May 7, 2020

$6.8 million in Pew grants to help 38 Philadelphia-area nonprofits overcome COVID-19 emergency

PHILADELPHIA — Millions of dollars are going to help dozens of area health and human service organizations. The Pew Charitable Trusts announced it’s going…

May 6, 2020

More wine on the mind: Q&A from recent seminar

There may not have been another time when people were so interested in wine. Sales show quite an uptick in consumption in recent years,…

May 4, 2020

How does Coronavirus affect pregnancy?

As the novel coronavirus continues to spread, pregnant women report concerns about how COVID-19 could affect them and their unborn babies. Current guidelines from the Centers…

May 3, 2020

5 tips for 1st foods for babies

Ask any parent what he or she remembers most about a child’s first year and you’re likely to hear quite a bit about sleep…

May 2, 2020

Q&A: How to fight Coronavirus transmission under home quarantine

Health care providers and researchers are learning a lot about coronavirus and how it spreads. Public health messages emphasize the importance of frequent, thorough hand washing…

May 1, 2020

Video: Serve a protein-packed salad

A salad can fill an empty stomach for nearly any purpose, from an al fresco snack to a family appetizer. When combined with protein…

April 29, 2020

Wine for Mom can complement acts of appreciation on her holiday

Since the Coronavirus struck the United States, there has been a heap of well-deserved praise for the sacrifices of first-response teams, medical workers, grocery…

April 28, 2020

Increased hand washing requires special attention to skin

One of the best defenses against the spread of coronavirus, which causes COVID-19, is hand washing. But frequent rubbing and scrubbing can take its…

April 27, 2020

7 ways you could be making your spring allergies worse

The days are warming and the flowers are blooming. You know what that means: It’s time for spring allergies. And it may sound crazy, but…

April 25, 2020

‘It impacts weight, sleep and mental health’: What you need to know about your thyroid

Michele Adams is quick to say, “I don’t want to throw anyone under the bus,” but it took her being hit by a car…

April 24, 2020

Unleash your inner home chef

With many Americans staying home, the pressure is on to maintain fun and variety in the kitchen, so family meals don’t get boring. However,…

April 23, 2020

Get away without going away

5 family staycation ideas that won’t break your budget Family vacations are a great way to bond and take a step back from the…

April 22, 2020

Going to grill? Which wine should you sip with your steak?

We used to think of “comfort food” as a dish to ward off the chills of winter – stews, soup, hearty pastas. Now, the…

April 21, 2020

4 ways to help nurses during the Coronavirus pandemic

America’s nurses are on the front lines of the fight against coronavirus, providing safe, quality, compassionate and nondiscriminatory care to those they serve, many…

April 20, 2020

Welcome to the world of evolving microbes

In 1945, when Alexander Fleming, the father of penicillin, received the Nobel Prize for Science, he noted that microbes evolve and would soon develop…

April 18, 2020

3 things to know about asthma

More than 25 million Americans suffer from asthma, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s National Health Interview Survey. This chronic condition…

April 15, 2020

Eating, and drinking more wine, while stuck at home? You’re not alone!

Why some wines are less expensive, plus examples and a free seminar As we continue to hunker in our bunkers, there is every indication…

April 13, 2020

Yoga: Good for body and mind

Could yoga be the missing piece to your whole body health puzzle? Many people experience increased energy and lower stress when practicing yoga regularly….

April 12, 2020

Tap into employer benefit resources in times of uncertainty

For many American workers, how they do their jobs dramatically changed with the spread of COVID-19. Some have shifted to working from home while…

April 11, 2020

5 tips to fight sleep deprivation

Despite a desire for perfect sleep, Americans are not even close to getting the recommended eight hours a night, and 1 in 4 Americans…

April 10, 2020

Now is the time to teach at-home nutrition

With a lot of parents facing the challenge of keeping housebound kids happy and healthy, this is the perfect time to teach kids the…

April 3, 2020

4 steps to better health with black foods

Get your antioxidants from black foods Remember those sayings you grew up hearing: once you go black … the darker the berry …? When it…

April 1, 2020

Wine, memories and making plans

As we write this column, most people are confined largely to their homes as the Coronavirus continues to spread across the country. Like you,…

March 31, 2020

Coronavirus: Should you be worried?

So far, according to official World Health Organisation reports as of March 29, the Wuhan novel coronavirus, called 2019-nCoV, has sickened 638,146 people and led to…

March 30, 2020

7 ways to boost immunity

As coronavirus runs roughshod across the country, having an immune system functioning at its peak is critically important. Vitamins and supplements may promise to…

March 29, 2020

A spring cleaning to-do list

Spring cleaning often lands in a perfect spot on the calendar to serve as an annual reminder of your regular home maintenance to-do list…

March 28, 2020

Navigating pollen season amid Coronavirus fears

Spring brings warmer temperatures, blooming flowers and, for millions of Americans, the arrival of pollen season. It also coincides this year with the arrival…

March 23, 2020

Why black men are most at risk of kidney disease

African Americans are less likely to have life-threatening complication under control, new study finds Among people diagnosed with kidney disease and high blood pressure,…

March 22, 2020

5 tips for better home safety this spring

As people become more active during the warmer months, keeping home safety top of mind can sometimes go by the wayside. However, when it…

March 20, 2020

Supplement meals with a nutritious addition

Adding nutrition to meals is all about the ingredients you include. The next time you’re looking to add nutrients to your recipes, consider adding…

March 16, 2020

Ditching unhealthy eating excuses, one by one

We can all come up with dozens of excuses for loading up on unhealthy foods. But it’s just as easy to load up on…

March 13, 2020

City announces further restrictions on public gathering

PHILADELPHIA — This news release on Philadelphia’s response to Coronavirus was dated Thursday but published Friday. Here it is in its entirety, almost verbatim,…

March 13, 2020

Video: A St. Patty’s Day sandwich

In honor of the day when everyone is Irish, welcome family and friends to a traditional St. Patrick’s Day lunch with this Reuben sandwich…

March 12, 2020

Sustainable home upgrades for better health

When you’re on a quest to create a home environment that promotes wellness, it can be difficult to know where to begin. One easy…

March 10, 2020

Understanding rare cancers

Although rare cancers don’t occur often, they can affect people of all ages and genders. A rare cancer is defined as fewer than 15…

March 9, 2020

What coffee can do for your workout

Your morning cup of joe just keeps getting better and better. When you need to hydrate for your workout, forget about sports drinks or…

March 3, 2020

5 ways to improve your heart health

If you worry that you or someone you love will get heart disease or even have a heart attack, it’s understandable. Heart disease is…

March 2, 2020

“Sitting is the new smoking”

In her role as an emergency room physician, Melissa Clarke, M.D., founder and CEO of the BHE Group, sees all manner of lifestyle behavior that…

February 28, 2020

Dairy-inspired, plant-based dishes to serve from morning to night

From cereal and milk to yogurt and fruit to broccoli and cheese, combining dairy with plant-based foods creates a superfood power couple that can…

February 25, 2020

Want to live longer? Get a dog!

Letting your health go to the dogs might turn out to be a great idea: New research bolsters the association between dog ownership and…

February 24, 2020

Sad topic needs talking: Suicide rate rising among women

Suicide is a serious problem, and the rate of suicide among women is on the rise. People who consider suicide often feel like there…

February 17, 2020

Regular biking may reduce heart disease risk

People who bike regularly for pleasure or to commute have a lower risk of cardiovascular disease, according to two studies. In a study of 45,000…

February 14, 2020

Peanut-powered protein: Nutritious ideas for flavor-filled family meals

Sitting down for a homemade meal may feel harder to come by these days, but recipes that are both nutritious and flavorful can help…

February 12, 2020

The right wine for your Valentine’s Day dinner

We always have found Valentine’s Day a bit galling. Steeped in mythical interpretations, it is a holiday cleverly marketed by greeting card companies, florists,…

February 11, 2020

Videos: 3 Valentine’s Day snacks and desserts

Watch and try these recipes for Kristoff ice box cupcakes (think Frozen), cherry coffee cake, and mini-marbled cherry cheesecake cupcakes Kristoff Ice Box Cupcakes…

February 9, 2020

Winter Skin Care 101

Cold weather can take a real toll on your skin. Dry skin can lead to discomfort and, if neglected, can affect your skin’s elasticity…

February 3, 2020

Small weight loss brings big benefits

A 5 percent weight loss can dramatically improve health. Obese folks trying to lose weight can focus on smaller goals. A new study shows…

February 1, 2020

Bonus: 7 dishes perfect for game day

Fried, grilled, baked or slow-cooked, game day dishes come in all flavors and textures so everyone comes out a winner. Try these classic ideas…

January 27, 2020

Something in green tea may help reduce prostate cancer

Prostate cancer, the second most common type of cancer in men, is predicted to result in an estimated 220,000 cases in the United States…

January 20, 2020

Mammogram screening guidelines don’t help black women

New York Governor Andrew Cuomo took a step in the right direction to facilitate early detection of breast cancer by signing a bill into…

January 19, 2020

Not so hard to make time for better health on busy days

Fitting in time to exercise and eat sensible meals can be impractical, if not impossible, when the demands of daily life get in the…

January 16, 2020

Understanding medical ‘sharps’ and localized safe disposal options

If you’re among the millions of people in the United States who suffer from a chronic illness, you may use “sharps” to manage your…

January 13, 2020

Can chemical hair straighteners cause breast cancer?

Scientists at the National Institutes of Health found women who use permanent hair dye and chemical hair straighteners have a higher risk of developing breast cancer…

January 8, 2020

Feds: 2 Phila. men stalked delivery company in series of violent pharmaceutical van robberies

PHILADELPHIA — Two Philadelphia men face various federal charges “for a series of violent robberies across the Delaware Valley over a four month period…

January 6, 2020

Philadelphia hires ‘Outlaw’ as next police commissioner

PHILADELPHIA — The next commissioner of the Philadelphia Police Department will be coming from Oregon. Mayor Jim Kenney (D) appointed Chief Danielle Outlaw of…

January 6, 2020

‘Tis flu season again, and the message remains the same: Get your shot (still)!

It’s that time of year again: sniffles, body aches, fever and sore throat. And we repeat the message we share every year: Get your…

Flag DaySunday, June 14, 2020

Flag Day is celebrated on June 14. It commemorates the adoption of the U.S. flag on June 14, 1777, by resolution of the Second Continental Congress. It stated: "The flag of the 13 United States be 13 stripes, alternate red and white; that the union be 13 stars, white in a blue field, representing a new constellation." Flag Day is not an official federal holiday. In 1916, Pres. Woodrow Wilson issued a proclamation officially establishing Flag Day, and in 1949, an Act of Congress established National Flag Day. The U.S. Army also celebrates its birthday on this date; Congress adopted "the American continental army" on June 14, 1775.

Independence DaySaturday, July 4, 2020

Independence Day — also known by its date, the Fourth of July — is an American holiday commemorating the signing of the Declaration of Independence here in Philadelphia on July 4, 1776. The Continental Congress declared the 13 colonies were no longer part of Britain and were united, free, and independent states. The Congress had voted to declare independence on July 2, but it was not declared until July 4. Look for fireworks, parades, barbecues, concerts, family get-togethers and other ceremonies.