Some people severely ill with COVID-19 may struggle to regain lost weight for months afterward, a new study shows. While COVID-19 is primarily a respiratory illness, it’s become clear that the infection can wreak havoc on the body in many ways. Gastrointestinal (GI) symptoms — like nausea, diarrhea and even bleeding in the digestive tract…  read on >  read on >

Although tens of millions of Americans turn to muscle relaxants for lower back pain relief, a new Australian review finds little evidence that such drugs actually work. That’s the conclusion of a deep-dive into 31 prior investigations, which collectively enlisted more than 6,500 lower back pain patients. Enrolled patients had been treating lower back pain…  read on >  read on >

Could your children’s eating habits be a reflection of their personalities? A new study finds a link between the two, but researchers say it’s not clear exactly how they influence each other. They found that slow eaters are less likely to be extroverted and impulsive, and that youngsters who are highly responsive to external food…  read on >  read on >

Brushing and flossing is good not only for your teeth: It might also benefit your brain, a new study suggests. The findings showed that tooth loss is tied to an increased risk of dementia, though getting dentures may help reduce that risk. For the study, New York University researchers analyzed 14 studies that included more…  read on >  read on >

Want to be good to your ticker? Load up on veggies — especially beans, Italian researchers recommend. They’ve published a comprehensive review of research on eating habits and heart disease that provides consistent evidence that eating less salt and animal proteins and more plant-based foods is associated with a lower risk of heart disease. Those…  read on >  read on >

One death has been reported in a listeria outbreak that appears to be linked to precooked chicken served in health care facilities, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention says. Three people in Texas and Delaware became sick after they ate foods at a long-term care home or hospital, and interviews and lab tests…  read on >  read on >

Eating lots of fatty fish and cutting out polyunsaturated fats may reduce the frequency and intensity of migraines, a new study suggests. Omega-3 fatty acids from fish like tuna, salmon, bluefish and mackerel may help manage migraine, especially in tandem with eliminating omega-6 fatty acids from vegetable oils, the researchers found. “It’s moderate evidence that…  read on >  read on >