Swapping salt out for the salt substitute potassium chloride lowers blood pressure, and thereby the risk of heart attack, stroke and cardiovascular disease, a new analysis finds. “It’s in processed and prepared foods where most people in developed countries get their salt,” explained senior researcher Dr. Bruce Neal, executive director of the George Institute for…  read on >  read on >

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 10, 2022 (HealthDay News) – The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday issued warning letters to three companies, including Amazon, for selling unapproved products for removing moles and skin tags. No over-the-counter medications have FDA approval for that purpose, and the Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act prohibits interstate sale of unapproved drugs…  read on >  read on >

Cat owners should not feed their pets certain lots of Darwin’s Natural Pet Products, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration warns. Some lots of the raw cat food tested positive for salmonella and were associated with illness in three kittens, the agency said in a news release. Salmonella can cause illness and death in both…  read on >  read on >

While a plant-based diet may be associated with lower bone mineral density and increased fracture risk, there might be a way to counteract that: pumping iron. New Austrian research shows that vegans who lift weights or do strength training have stronger bones than vegans who only do other forms of exercise such as biking or…  read on >  read on >

If your diet is low in fiber, you can do your gut some good by adding more — regardless of the fiber source, new research suggests. Many people know fiber as the nutrient that keeps you regular. But it’s also a key player in the makeup of the gut microbiome — the vast collection of…  read on >  read on >

The United States has an opioid epidemic, but there’s one bright spot in the fight against it: Prescriptions for these addictive drugs have declined for patients with private insurance. Amid guidelines over the past decade from governments, health systems and insurers aimed at reducing opioid prescriptions, previous studies have pointed to a nationwide drop in…  read on >  read on >