Health & Wellness News

Join Megan Frank at 9:30 a.m. and 6:30 p.m. every Friday for Insights with LehighValleyNews.com on WLVR. This week, she's joined by Bethlehem reporter Will Oliver and Digital News Content Producer Makenzie Christman.

Northampton County Council voted 5-4 Thursday to provide free pads and tampons in every county-owned restroom equipped with running water, including men's rooms.

A Lehigh Valley woman thanks her German stem cell donor in-person nearly a decade and a pandemic after the transplant. St. Luke's University Health network helped connect the two.

Among the winners are projects to repaint the basketball court at Building 21; build several community gardens; and plant trees.

Northampton Community College has a new center dedicated to those going into the health care field. The school now offers cardiac sonography and respiratory care training, a state-of-the-art simulation center, and a center for interdisciplinary health sciences workforce development.

Four years into his massage therapy career, Jared Skinner set out to master a relatively "new" technique to the practice — rolfing. It's a 10-step practice on a weekly basis that aims to relieve the body naturally of pain for upwards of five to 10 years. Only 2,000 body workers professionally practice it worldwide.

Good Shepherd Rehabilitation is introducing groundbreaking robotic exoskeleton technology in the Lehigh Valley. The device helps people who may have suffered a spinal chord injury, stroke, or other paralyzing conditions walk.

The River Crossing YMCA in the Lehigh Valley is enrolling people for free programs this fall. The programs include health and wellness classes for veterans, those needing mental health assistance, those struggling with diabetes, and 7th grade students.

For Overdose Awareness Day, Easton will host a march from the free bridge to the amphitheater where community advocates will be recognized for their efforts, followed by an evening event where authorities and experts will share their thoughts and experiences concerning overdoses.

This time of year can be hectic for families sending kids back to the classroom. A culinary medicine specialist has some quick, easy ways to add nutrients into meal time.

A bike repair station donated by the Whitehall Area Rotary Club was dedicated at the Ironton Rail Trail pavilion on Monday.

The court is optimized to offer a brief but effective workout experience if needed. Users can exercise for 45 seconds, follow that with 15 seconds of rest and be through each zone around the seven-minute mark.

Millions saw Buffalo Bills safety Damar Hamlin suffer cardiac arrest on the football field. Now, Lehigh Valley residents are learning how to use AED machines and perform chest compressions.

The rule was published earlier this month and applies to all 3,117 water systems. Both chemicals belong to the group of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, known collectively as PFAS, which are used in products such as nonstick cookware, carpets, firefighting foam and fast-food wrappers.

The organization got a $120,000 grant to jump-start the process and says diversity is important for successful blood transfusions.

A free dental clinic is being offered in Easton next month. Neighborhood Health Centers of the Lehigh Valley will provide free oral health care services at their Easton location.

Lehigh Valley Health Network establishes a new partnership with a clinic offering resources to those with Down syndrome. The partnership is expected to add more variety to the care the patients receive.

Initial vaccine doses for people 6 months and older and booster shots for people 5 years and older now will be available at all Lehigh Valley Physician Group primary care practices.

For the 15th year in a row, the region, including the Lehigh Valley, is being recognized for the most organ donations in the country. Gift of Life Donor Program aided in reaching that goal.

Amanda Buss plans to resign as executive director from the Cancer Support Community of the Lehigh Valley. She’s stepping down to focus on her own health while battling cancer.

Living a healthier lifestyle is one of the top new year's resolutions. A Good Shepherd physical therapy expert talks about how to avoid the “workout warrior” aches and pains and ease into a new routine.

Some Lehigh Valley school districts are reviewing their safety protocols for responding to injuries at area football games after Damar Hamlin's recent collapse brought renewed attention to the dangers of the sport.

Two Lehigh Valley fitness gurus talk about their exercise classes and why you should try them in the new year. Both women agree that group fitness is the key to success.

OSHA documentation shows a prior inspection history for the company that resulted in 3 serious violations involving trench excavation hazards