Lisa Fields
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Freelance writer. Single mom. Swimmer. Quilter. '80s music lover. Optimist. @WebMD @ReadersDigest
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Articles by Lisa Fields
Large language model-based system identifies cardiac event data in cancer patients' electronic health records
Confusion matrices for the LLMs in the development cohort. This initial screening phase assessed the models' classification. The top row demonstrates that general-purpose reasoning models (DeepSeek-R1-70b, Llama-3.3, and Mistral-Large) achieved a strong balance of high diagnostic accuracy and near-perfect formatting adherence. Based on these profiles, the top three models were advanced to the validation cohorts. Credit: International Journal of Radiation Oncology*Biology*Physics (2026).
Social determinants of health linked to more fatalistic cancer beliefs
Credit: Unsplash/CC0 Public Domain New research from Thomas Jefferson University shows that greater cumulative exposure to adverse social determinants of health is associated with beliefs that cancer is unavoidable or a death sentence. This can influence whether people choose to be screened for common cancers or seek treatment after a diagnosis. The study analyzed survey data from Sidney Kimmel Comprehensive Cancer Center—Jefferson Health on cancer beliefs and social risk factors.
Finding a rhythm of their own
Growing up in suburban Philadelphia, Shana Pistilli watched with mounting frustration as her neurodiverse and special-needs classmates were excluded from activities she loved. “I was always hyper-aware of the [neurodiverse kids] when I was in high school and them not even having the chance to try out for things,” Pistilli says. “I had the ability to sign up for soccer, no questions asked.
AI tool differentiates between tumors in shared brain region
When an MRI shows a mass in the brain’s parasellar region, physicians must determine the tumor type to recommend treatment. A study from Jefferson Health researchers shows that automated machine learning (AutoML), a user-friendly AI-powered tool, can recognize subtle differences between benign tumors. Pituitary macroadenomas (PA) and parasellar meningiomas (PSM) are the most common benign tumors in the parasellar region, near the pituitary gland.
Causes, Treatments for Excessive Hairiness in Women
Hirsutism is a condition in women and people assigned female at birth (AFAB) that causes a lot of hair growth. The hair typically grows in areas where it usually appears in men or people assigned male at birth (AMAB). It can also affect men, but the condition is often harder to identify. In men, hirsutism may look like typical hair growth. The hair is often dark and coarse instead of the light, fine “peach fuzz” that covers most of the body. About 5%-10% of women in the U.S. have hirsutism.
Your Pregnancy Week by Week: Weeks 31-34
Baby: Your baby can hear distinct sounds, including familiar voices and music. All major organ development is done, although the lungs are still immature. At this stage, your baby starts gaining weight rapidly. Measured from head to heel, your baby is as long as a stalk of rhubarb: 16.5 in. Mom-to-be: Your uterus now fills a large part of your abdomen, and you've probably gained 21-27 pounds. Stretch marks may be more noticeable now, especially near your belly button.
Your Pregnancy Week by Week: Weeks 9-12
Baby: Your baby is about the size of a peanut: 0.70 inch. The head is more erect, and the neck is more developed. Your baby's skeleton is forming, but the bones are still soft. Little eyelids form but stay closed, and a nose appears. During an ultrasound, you might see how your baby moves, even though you can't feel it yet. Mom-to-be: Your uterus is continuing to grow, and you may notice your waistline thickening.
Posttraumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD)
Posttraumatic stress disorder (PTSD) is a serious condition that can develop after someone experiences or witnesses a traumatic or terrifying event involving serious physical harm or the threat of it. Examples of things that can bring on PTSD include sexual or physical assault, the unexpected death of a loved one, an accident, a war, or a natural disaster. Families of victims can develop PTSD, as can emergency personnel and rescue workers.
Can Exercise Help People with Parkinson’s Disease? 5 Things to Know
Exercise is good for everyone, but it may be particularly beneficial for people with Parkinson’s disease. Recent studies suggest that exercise may help slow the progression of the condition. Experts estimate that up to one million people in the United States have Parkinson’s disease, a movement disorder that affects the nervous system. It occurs when the brain doesn’t produce enough dopamine, a neurotransmitter that helps deliver messages from the brain to nerve cells.
7 Expert Tips for Walking a 5k: What to Know Before Signing Up
Signing up for a 5K is a great way to level up your walking routine. Use these expert tips to enjoy your way to the finish line. If there’s a 5K run happening in your area and you love to walk, you may be inclined to sign up. But whether you have a welcoming experience or feel left behind in the runners’ dust depends on which event you pick. Many 5Ks touted as fundraisers, fun runs, or community events are open to walkers.
Pickleball: 5 Hidden Health Benefits for Older Adults
Pick up a paddle to protect your heart, boost your mood, and more! By now you’ve heard of pickleball. The increasingly popular paddle sport, which has similarities to tennis and ping pong, has attracted 8.9 million U.S. players of all ages and fitness levels, according to the 2023 Sports & Fitness Industry Association (SFIA) Report on Pickleball.
Hepatitis C Treatments on the Horizon Original
In October, the FDA approved a drug that can cure hepatitis C quicker than ever before -- and with fewer side effects. Plus, more effective drugs are on the horizon. “A number of companies are trying to develop other drugs with greater ease of administration and cost,” says Thomas D. Boyer, MD. He's the director of the Liver Research Institute at the University of Arizona Medical Center in Tucson.
Artificial Nails: What to Know Before You Get Them
Artificial nails can help you make a fashion statement or wear long nails if your real ones won’t grow. While the nails aren’t harmful, putting them on and taking them off can involve acids and other chemicals that could cause allergic reactions. Damage to artificial nails also can lead to fungal infections and other problems. Here’s what you should know before you head to your salon or to the drugstore. Artificial nails come in two main kinds: acrylic and gel.
The Genetic Roots of Pompe Disease
When two parents each pass on a mutated copy of a particular gene to their baby, that child can get Pompe disease. Because this rare condition doesn’t affect you if you carry just one faulty gene, parents usually don’t realize they could pass it to their children. “Most of our families come to us without any knowledge of the disorder,” says Damara Ortiz, MD, director of the Lysosomal Storage Disorders Program at UPMC Children’s Hospital of Pittsburgh.
How to overcome life's setbacks
HomeInspireLife How to overcome life's setbacks Living joyfully despite adversity benefits your mental and physical health, so here's how to overcome life's setbacks and live a happier life Two women I know, both in their late 40s, were diagnosed with cancer in the past year, and they’ve had dramatically different reactions to their situations. Andrea,* a petite stay-at-home mum and artist, is married with two school-age children.
9 Things You May Not Know About Cholesterol
Everyone knows that high cholesterol is a health problem. But you may be surprised to learn that cholesterol itself—a waxy, fat-like substance—is essential for important body functions, like making hormones, cell membranes, and certain vitamins. Cholesterol is produced and regulated by the liver.
9 Things You May Not Know About Cholesterol
Everyone knows that high cholesterol is a health problem. But you may be surprised to learn that cholesterol itself—a waxy, fat-like substance—is essential for important body functions, like making hormones, cell membranes, and certain vitamins. Cholesterol is produced and regulated by the liver.
Blood Pressure: Your Questions Answered
Your doctor takes your blood pressure whenever you have an appointment because it’s a quick, simple way for physicians to gauge your cardiovascular health. But fewer than half of patients know the upper limits of healthy blood pressure levels, even if they think they do, according to a 2023 study published in Medical Decision Making.
Blood Pressure: Your Questions Answered
Your doctor takes your blood pressure whenever you have an appointment because it’s a quick, simple way for physicians to gauge your cardiovascular health. But fewer than half of patients know the upper limits of healthy blood pressure levels, even if they think they do, according to a 2023 study published in Medical Decision Making.
How to conquer your heartburn and acid reflux
A variety of new treatments could finally mean relief from heartburn and acid reflux In 2019, after enduring three years of headaches and frequent bouts of heartburn, Murali Bharadwaj of London learned what sparked his discomfort: gastro-oesophageal reflux disease (GORD), a chronic condition caused by stomach acid repeatedly rising into his oesophagus. Whenever Bharadwaj drank beer or ate late in the evening, he experienced symptoms.
Dogs React to Psoriasis, Other Conditions Original
Whenever Russell Hartstein's psoriasis flares up, count on his 6-year-old German shepherd, Koa, to try to lick the dry patches on his elbows. “He always seems attuned and curious about people, is very affectionate and observant,” says Hartstein, who is tuned into such things himself as a certified dog trainer. Harstein has had psoriasis since childhood.
6 Ways to Diversify the Mediterranean Diet
Share it: Consistently ranked among the top of the U.S. News & World Report’s annual Best Diets lists, the Mediterranean diet is known for its heart health benefits and focuses on fish, olive oil, whole grains and red wine. Maybe you’re intrigued by the concept of the Mediterranean diet but you don’t love Greek or Italian food.
Can Counting Your Blessings Improve Your Life? Here Are the Benefits of Practicing Gratitude Original
Your initial introduction to giving thanks may have been back when your grandmother bought you the Barbie Dream House. (“Say thank you to Grandma!”) But gratitude encompasses so much more than an acknowledgment for a gift. You can appreciate someone in your life, like a spouse or a child, or an experience you’ve had, such as a good night’s sleep, or a beautiful sunset. Or, these days, you can applaud your good health and the health of your family.
How Many Pet Treats for Cats and Dogs?
Are you giving your pet too many treats? Many pet owners give these little extras as rewards -- or to show their love for their dogs or cats -- without thinking about the number of calories that are in each handout. Snacks like these may be one reason why more than half of pets in the U.S. weigh too much. If you want to be smart about giving your dog or cat treats, follow some guidelines to avoid adding too many calories to their diet.
Your Comprehensive List of Nut Butters and Their Health Benefits
If you’re eager to eat more plant-based protein, consider adding nut butter to your menu. These healthy spreads are brimming with vitamins and minerals, and they’re available in enough flavors to appeal to nearly every palate. “The variety of nut butters allow us to have more options, resulting in a greater variety of nutrients in our diet,” says Katie Hake, RD. If you don’t love peanut butter and jelly sandwiches, there are plenty of other ways to eat nut butter.
Sleep Foundation
Hawaii conjures many images: pristine beaches, stunning volcanoes, and tourists soaking in the sights. Add restless nights to the list? Among all states, Hawaii has the highest percentage of adult residents getting insufficient sleep, according to the 2022 County Health Rankings & Roadmaps report. “Insufficient sleep” is defined as sleeping less than the seven hours each night that the American Academy of Sleep Medicine, Sleep Research Society, and others recommend. Surprising?
7 Hydration Tips For Hot-Weather Walks
It’s always important to stay hydrated, but even more so when you’re walking for exercise. Drinking water helps your heart pump efficiently, keeps your muscles from cramping and better regulates your body temperature. What’s more, your hydration needs may ramp up during hot weather, when heat and humidity mean you’ll be sweating more than usual.
Sleep Foundation
In June 2022, the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP) revised its long-standing Safe Sleep recommendations with a specific goal: address inequities to reduce sudden unexpected infant death (SUID) and sudden infant death syndrome (SIDS) among Black, American Indian, and Alaska Native babies. Building off the academy’s call earlier in 2022 for removing race-based medicine, these revisions outline differences that may exist because of structural racism, poverty, cultural norms, and other factors.
Sleep Foundation
Key Findings Watching TV is the top bedtime ritual for U.S. adults, according to a survey. Why watch TV before bed? It’s a habit, say 73.1% of adults. 72.6% of respondents watch programming on a television set before bed, as opposed to a phone, laptop, or tablet. 88.6% of adults say they binge-watch a show at least once a month. 80.6% of adults say their binge-watching habits have stayed the same or increased since May 2020.
Can You Breastfeed if You Have HIV?
Baby formula is recommended for moms living with HIV in the U.S. because of a slim chance that babies may contract HIV through breast milk. Women living with HIV who take antiretroviral therapy and have undetectable viral loads may give birth to HIV-free babies. They may see “breast is best” posters in their doctors’ offices and wish to breastfeed their babies. But they may not think that it’s an option for them.
Sleep Foundation
Bedtime may have become safer for babies this past May 16, when President Biden signed the Safe Sleep for Babies Act of 2021 into law. This act outlaws the manufacture and sale of inclined sleepers and crib bumpers, which have been linked to nearly 200 infant deaths in recent decades.
Sleep Foundation
Older adults, whose sleep quality tends to decline with age, may want to find ways to sleep better. New research from researchers in Zurich suggests that pink noise may help improve older adults’ brain activity during deep sleep. Pink noise includes sounds such as falling rain, a flowing river, crashing ocean waves, or rustling leaves. Like white noise, it covers all frequencies that humans can hear. It emphasizes lower frequencies.
How Do Sleep Apps Account for Day Sleepers?
The sleep-tech market is growing: Research and Markets estimates that global sleep-tech-device revenue will increase from $12.9 billion in 2020 to $49.9 billion by 2030. We are increasingly turning to wearables, sleep tracker apps, and other sleep accessories to help us get a good night’s sleep. But what about getting a good day’s sleep?
Serious Symptoms in Children: Signs not to Be Ignored
Runny noses. Stomach aches. An itchy rash. These are a few of the typical ailments that occur in children everywhere. But what if something more serious develops, like a fever above 103 degrees or a stiff neck? You may not know whether to rush to the emergency room, call the doctor, or simply wait it out at home.
What Is a Lactation Massager?
While shopping for breastfeeding gear, you may have noticed lactation massagers in addition to breast pumps, nipple cream, and nursing pillows. What are they? And do you need one? A lactation massager is a handheld device that’s intended to help women overcome certain breastfeeding challenges, like engorged breasts or clogged milk ducts. Should you get one to help induce lactation? That’s up to you. Breastfeeding experts say that the device doesn’t do anything that you can’t already do by yourself.
Get Your Body Ready for Baby
When you're pregnant, your body has an important job to do for 9 months. So if you're planning to have a baby soon, take some simple steps now to get ready for a healthy baby. Get to a Healthy Weight If you're overweight or underweight, it may be harder to get pregnant. Your weight affects whether your ovaries will release an egg, or ovulate, each month.
Sleep More, Lose Weight? Study Says Yes
A new study suggests that sleeping an extra hour could be an effective weight-loss tactic — if you’re not getting enough sleep to begin with. Researchers from the University of Chicago and University of Wisconsin-Madison found that study participants consumed 270 fewer calories over two weeks if they slept at least one hour more than normal.
Are You Eating Enough Protein?
Share it: When you hear the term “protein intake,” you might just think about building muscle, but it’s much bigger than that. Protein is essential for our bodies to work properly from head to toe. Getting the right amount of protein is important and depends on each individual. You can think of protein as the worker bees of your body. The body doesn’t store protein at all.
Preparing For a Potentially Severe Flu Season
When you’re experiencing a medical emergency, the best place to go is the emergency department, rather than an urgent care center. But how can you tell when your illness or injury is an emergency? Before you seek medical care, ask yourself some key questions. “What’s my general health? Am I young? Am I old? Do I have multiple medical problems?” says Maryland-based emergency medicine specialist Dr. James M. Williams, spokesperson for the American College of Emergency Physicians.
Is Your Dental Anxiety Something More Serious?
If you start sweating at the thought of seeing the dentist, you—like 40 million other Americans—might have dental anxiety. But if you start skipping your dental appointments because you can’t stand the thought of being in that chair, you might have dental phobia. A phobia is when your anxiety gets so high that it interferes with your life. Studies show that people with dental phobia, officially known as odontophobia, tend to forego dental treatment, often for years.
When To Go To Urgent Care Vs The ER
It’s easy to determine the urgency of some medical conditions: A heart attack requires prompt care at an emergency department. Bronchitis can be diagnosed and treated at an urgent care center. But what about conditions that could be treated appropriately at either? These choices usually depend on the intensity of the condition and/or the length of time that someone has been affected.
4 Big Medical Problems Urgent Care Can’t Treat
When you’re experiencing a medical emergency, the best place to go is the emergency department, rather than an urgent care center. But how can you tell when your illness or injury is an emergency? Before you seek medical care, ask yourself some key questions. “What’s my general health? Am I young? Am I old? Do I have multiple medical problems?” says Maryland-based emergency medicine specialist Dr. James M. Williams, spokesperson for the American College of Emergency Physicians.
How to outsmart kidney disease
Its symptoms are elusive but there are ways to combat this silent killer. Read on for what you need to know Dick de Jonge used to ride his bike to work daily, but in 2014, he noticed his cycling was getting slower. “I thought there was something wrong with my bicycle,” says de Jonge, 69, of Groningen in the Netherlands. But he was the one slowing down: he didn’t know it, but he'd lost much of his kidney function. One night he went to bed, exhausted, and slept for two days.
What To Know About Silver Fillings
aidarrowcaretcheckclipboarderrorexperienceeyegooglegownlogo-smallmicroscopenavigatepillTimer IconSearchshare-emailFacebookLinkedInTwitterx Does your smile include a flash of silver? While the internet abounds with rumors about the dangers of mercury in metal fillings (aka dental amalgam, the clinical term), you can close those browser tabs: Your fillings are not going to harm you.
Top 3 Reasons To Go To Urgent Care
If you religiously pop a probiotic pill every morning, you’re not alone. Since they rose to prominence in the U.S. in the 1990s, probiotics, the strains of “good bacteria” found in foods like yogurt, have become a de facto miracle cure for gut health issues and other pesky ailments. Around 4 million Americans take probiotic supplements. Medical providers often prescribe them to patients with gut health issues, such as ulcerative colitis and inflammatory bowel disease.
Starting an Anxiety Medication? Here’s 9 Things You Should Know
Key takeaways: Many people experience anxiety and take medication to improve symptoms. Each anxiety medication has unique benefits and possible side effects. It’s recommended to take your anxiety medication as directed by your healthcare provider, even if you don’t feel improvements in your symptoms right away. simon2579/E+ via Getty Images Most people experience some type of anxiety throughout their life. Some amount of anxiety is normal, but anxiety can often go undiagnosed and untreated.
How Insomnia and Depression are linked
Thousands suffer from insomnia and depression—and for some they're seemingly inextricable companions. The good news is that treating one can improve both A few months into the pandemic, Héctor González*, 57, visited the Álava Reyes Psychology Centre in Madrid. He had developed insomnia in response to the widespread fear and uncertainty of the virus.
Dogs React to Psoriasis, Other Conditions
Whenever Russell Hartstein's psoriasis flares up, count on his 6-year-old German shepherd, Koa, to try to lick the dry patches on his elbows. “He always seems attuned and curious about people, is very affectionate and observant,” says Hartstein, who is tuned into such things himself as a certified dog trainer. Harstein has had psoriasis since childhood.
How I Manage My Psoriasis Scarring
People with psoriasis sometimes have flare-ups that cause raised, itchy, and red patches on their face, body, arms, or legs. This can happen even when they follow their doctors’ advice to manage the condition. Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease. It causes skin cells to grow more quickly, which may cause thick or scaly patches, or plaques, to form. When these fade, some people get discoloration of the skin in the form of dark spots, white spots, or scars where the patches appeared.
Are Psoriasis and Allergies Linked?
If you have psoriasis and allergies, maybe you've wondered if your allergy flares make your skin condition worse. There's no need to guess: Doctors and researchers haven't found links between the two problems. Here, four experts break down both conditions and explain what can trigger them. Although psoriasis and allergies both involve your immune system, the causes for them aren't related. Psoriasis is an autoimmune disease.
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