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.

Host families raise the pups for a year before turning them over as fully trained guide dogs.

Lehigh Valley Health Network plans to visit about a dozen schools with the Pfizer vaccine.

Flu shots will be distributed from 9 a.m. to 3 p.m. Saturday, Nov. 13.

An appeal by the Wolf administration put a court order to end the mandate on hold.

School districts will establish their own policies in January.

The governor said he will turn over masking decisions to local school officials on Jan. 17.

Kids aged 5-11 can now receive a COVID-19 vaccine. Shots are already being administered across the Lehigh Valley.

More kids in Lehigh Valley can now get vaccinated against COVID-19.

Local health providers are rolling out plans to vaccinate children ages 5 to 11 for COVID-19.

Some insects like mosquitos are thriving later in the season as temperatures reach well into the 70s.

More salt puts people at greater risk for health problems such as high blood pressure, a dietitian says.

The bill has bipartisan co-sponsors but a House Republican spokesperson says it is not a priority this fall.