Kids and teens are already struggling to learn outside the classroom during the pandemic, but lockdowns and quarantines are also making it hard for them to control their weight, child health experts say. Lost routines, economic insecurity and grief are making things more challenging for children who struggle with their weight, whether it’s with obesity… read on > read on >
All Food:
Spring Cleaning Can Sweep Away Allergens From Your Home
If seasonal allergies get you down, try tackling them with a good spring cleaning. This can not only ease some of those spring symptoms, but also get rid of allergens you’ve been living with for a while, according to the American College of Allergy, Asthma and Immunology (ACAAI). “If you aren’t someone who regularly undertakes… read on > read on >
High Vitamin D Levels May Help Prevent COVID-19, Especially in Black Patients
Vitamin D — better known as the “sunshine vitamin” — might protect you from COVID-19, a new study suggests. Researchers said that the protection is particularly potent among Black people. While vitamin D levels of 30 nanograms per milliliter (ng/ml) or more are typically considered sufficient, Black people who had levels of 30 to 40… read on > read on >
Lockdowns Are Putting People With Eating Disorders in Crisis
At Eating Recovery Center, which offers treatment and services for people who have eating disorders, intensive outpatient and partial hospitalization programs were switched to virtual when the pandemic began. But that didn’t sit well with people who were working on their recovery. “Our patients said, ‘You can’t do this. This is not enough support for… read on > read on >
1 in 3 Older Thyroid Patients Takes a Med That Can Interfere With Tests
Nearly one-third of seniors who take thyroid hormone also take drugs known to interfere with tests of thyroid function, a new study finds. It’s common for older adults to take a thyroid hormone (levothyroxine) to treat low levels of natural thyroid hormone. But tests used to determine the dose and effectiveness of treatment can be… read on > read on >
Black Women More Prone to Postmenopausal Weight Gain Than White Women
Black American women are more likely to gain weight after menopause than white women, and a number of factors may underlie the difference, researchers say. They analyzed data from nearly 71,000 American women who had gone through menopause and were enrolled in a long-term health study. The analysis found that Black women were more than… read on > read on >
Fish Oil, Vitamin D Won’t Prevent A-Fib: Study
For people hoping to prevent the heart rhythm disorder known as “a-fib,” new research shows that taking vitamin D or fish oil supplements won’t help. A-fib, also known as atrial fibrillation, affects more than 33 million people worldwide and is the most common type of abnormal heart rhythm. It can cause symptoms that affect a… read on > read on >
‘Slow Walkers’ at Higher Odds for Severe COVID-19
If you saunter and shuffle instead of scurry when you walk, you are at higher risk of severe illness and death from COVID-19, British researchers warn. For the study, the investigators analyzed data from more than 412,000 middle-aged Britons and found that among those whose weight was normal, slow walkers were more than twice as… read on > read on >
Could a Yeast Found in Cheese Be Key to Easing Crohn’s Disease?
A new tissue infection has been identified in Crohn’s disease patients, and researchers say their finding could ultimately lead to better treatment of the common inflammatory bowel disease. Areas of unhealed wounds in the intestines of Crohn’s patients have elevated levels of a type of yeast widely found in cheese and processed meat, the new… read on > read on >
Doubly Good: Healthy Living Cuts Your Odds for the 2 Leading Killers
The same lifestyle habits that protect the heart can also curb the risk of a range of cancers, a large new study confirms. The study of more than 20,000 U.S. adults found both bad news and good news. People with risk factors for heart disease also faced increased odds of developing cancer over the next… read on > read on >