A Genetic Test Could Someday Predict Your Heart Attack Risk (Discover, 2020)

When it comes to health risks, genes are major tattletales - researchers have discovered a group of genetic changes that could point to an increased risk of heart attack.

Yes, CBD Creams Relieve Pain. But Science is Still Learning About the Benefits and Risks (Discover, 2020)

Researchers have confirmed that CBD works against pain and inflammation, and they’re still finding new ways that it works in the body. T

The Story of You (Family Circle, March 2018)

Home genetic testing can bring some surprises.

The familiar Plants and Animals that have Invaded America's Landscape (Discover, 2020)

Palms in Southern California, tumbleweeds in the desert West, earthworms in rich American soils: These well-known species aren’t what you think they are.

Telltale Hearts

My favorite reporting trip (Mayo Clinic) for my favorite story, "Telltale Hearts," Nature Medicine, November 2013.
I’m an independent journalist specializing in health and science. I frequently write about genetics, genetic testing, heart disease, aging, and end-of-life issues. I’m a regular contributor at Discover, and my work has also appeared in the Washington Post, Nature Medicine, Real Simple, Nature, Family Circle, Next Avenue, Spectrum, Slate, and other publications. I am co-founder and editor-at-large at The Open Notebook, and a board member of the Association of Health Care Journalists, where I lead the freelance committee. In a past existence, I decoded the lives of bone cells.

What Happens When Hearts Attack
What Happens When Hearts Attack
For a feature in Discover's summer 2020 issue on health, I wrote about what happens during a heart attack and how to prevent heart disease.
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Here's What You Need to Know About Home DNA Kits
Here's What You Need to Know About Home DNA Kits
For Real Simple's December 2019 issue I reported on the nuances of at-home genetic testing for health concerns.
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UV Light Wands are Supposed to Kill Viruses But do They Really Work?
UV Light Wands are Supposed to Kill Viruses But do They Really Work?
For Discover I wrote about UV light wands and how to spot fakes.
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