Paper straws, meant to be an eco-friendly alternative to plastic, may not be better for the environment, a new study concludes, warning that they also contain “forever chemicals” that can harm human health. “Straws made from plant-based materials, such as paper and bamboo, are often advertised as being more sustainable and eco-friendly than those made… read on > read on >
New COVID-19 booster shots, reworked to target variants circulating now, could be available by mid-September. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is expected to approve them in a few weeks, CNN reported, citing unnamed senior administration officials. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention will soon follow with a safety review and its recommendations.… read on > read on >
Older people who take adult education classes may lower their risk for dementia, including Alzheimer’s disease, Japanese research suggests. Middle-aged folks and older people in adult education classes had a 19% lower risk of developing dementia within five years, the researchers found. “We also found that nonverbal reasoning performance was well preserved in the adults… read on > read on >
People working in certain jobs had greater risk of being hospitalized for COVID-19, even in the later stages of the pandemic, researchers report. Bus drivers rank high on that list, with double the risk of being hospitalized compared to lower-contact jobs. Several occupations in education and health care were also at greater risk of serious… read on > read on >
FRIDAY, Aug. 25, 2023 (American Heart Association News) — For more than half a century, scientists have debated the role of dietary cholesterol in a healthy diet. Because it was often associated with saturated fat, limiting dietary cholesterol – especially by restricting egg consumption – seemed to benefit heart-health efforts. More recently, accumulating data has… read on > read on >
Alice Tapper felt deathly ill, suffering from severe abdominal pain, a 102-degree fever and vomiting. Emergency room doctors found that Alice — the daughter of CNN anchor Jake Tapper — had a rapid pulse of 135 beats per minute and a very high white blood cell count, indicating her body was fighting off a severe… read on > read on >
Smoke from Canadian wildfires sent high numbers of people suffering from asthma attacks to America’s emergency rooms this spring and summer, according to two new reports. From April 30 to August 4, 2023, smoke from out-of-control wildfires in Canada increased emergency room visits for asthma by 17% over average, according to data from the U.S.… read on > read on >
Weight-loss drug Wegovy (semaglutide) and its diabetes-focused cousin, Ozempic, have already upended the treatment of both obesity and diabetes, with sales of both drugs skyrocketing. Now, injected Wegovy could prove a boon for many patients battling heart failure, a new study suggests. The trial results were presented Friday in Amsterdam at the annual meeting of… read on > read on >
Coupons for tobacco products appear to have a big impact on relapse rates for smokers who have recently kicked the habit, researchers report. A study of more than 5,000 former smokers who participated in a national survey found double the relapse rate for those who received cigarette coupons by direct mail or email. “We hypothesized… read on > read on >
It might not seem like constipation or difficulty swallowing could signal a neurological problem, but new research suggests that these gut conditions could be an early indicator of Parkinson’s disease. Gastrointestinal symptoms are also thought to precede the development of cerebrovascular disease, including stroke, brain aneurysm or Alzheimer’s disease. It has previously been suggested that… read on > read on >
