Marijuana users may be building up high levels of toxic metals in their blood, a new study suggests. According to researchers, people who use marijuana exclusively have significant levels of lead and cadmium in their bodies. These are the same toxic metals found in some cigarette smokers. Marijuana is the world’s third most commonly used… read on > read on >
All Health and Wellness:
Segregation Has Close Ties With Lead Poisoning in Black American Kids
Young Black children living in racially segregated U.S. neighborhoods are at heightened risk of potentially brain-damaging lead exposure, a new study warns. The study, of nearly 321,000 North Carolina children under the age of 7, found that those living in predominantly Black neighborhoods had higher blood levels of lead than those living in more integrated… read on > read on >
As Another Hurricane Targets Florida, Experts Warn of Carbon Monoxide Dangers
Hurricane Idalia is expected to make landfall in the United States Wednesday. Idalia was forecast to be a powerful Category 3 storm by the time it reaches Florida’s Big Bend, an area prone to storm surge that stretches from Tampa to just south of Tallahassee. It’s also expected to hit eastern parts of Georgia and… read on > read on >
Antidepressants for Postpartum Depression Could Mean Better Mental Health for Kids, Too
If you are a new mom struggling with postpartum depression, taking antidepressants known as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs) may also bear benefits for your child’s development. That’s according to new research that found the medications were associated with improvements in a child’s behavior up to five years after birth. Researchers from the Institute of… read on > read on >
Heart, Diabetes, Cancer Drugs on List for Medicare Price Negotiations, White House Says
The Biden administration on Tuesday named the first 10 medicines that will be subject to price negotiations between Medicare and participating drug companies. The list represents the first step in a landmark program aimed at reducing the government’s drug spending, and potentially U.S. drug prices in general. However, six major drug companies are already challenging… read on > read on >
Doctors Pulled Live Worm From Australian Woman’s Brain
Doctors plucked a wriggling roundworm from the brain of an Australian woman in the world’s first-known case of human infection with a parasite common in some pythons. The woman, who had been experiencing worsening symptoms for at least a year, is believed to have gotten the infection from foraging and eating grasses where a snake… read on > read on >
Eat Your Veggies: Writing ‘Produce Prescriptions’ Could Boost Patients’ Health
An apple a day may be just what the doctor ordered. New research on “produce prescription” programs finds that when access to free fruits and vegetables is offered, recipients see measurable benefits in health and hunger. “To me, this shows that there’s a very strong proof of concept behind produce prescriptions and this should, I… read on > read on >
AHA News: The Real-Life Health Effects of Fantasy Sports
TUESDAY, Aug. 29, 2023 (American Heart Association News) — Fantasy sports are full of contrasts. They use stats from real athletes to build make-believe teams. They fuel both casual fun with friends and a seriously lucrative industry. And while nobody is saying that sitting and staring at screens is great for you, experts who know… read on > read on >
Rising COVID Hospitalizations, New Variants Have Americans on Edge
A new COVID-19 surge is underway, with seasonal changes and new variants fueling an increase in hospitalizations and deaths. A new Omicron variant, named Eris, has become dominant in the United States amid signs that an even more highly evolved COVID variant called BA.2.86 is starting to spread across America. However, experts say the public… read on > read on >
Autopsy Study of Athletes Who Died Young Shows Many Had Signs of CTE
The degenerative brain disease known as chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) may be striking some at much younger ages than thought possible: New research has uncovered early signs of the condition in amateur athletes who died young after playing contact sports. The troubling finding was discovered during the brain autopsies of 152 athletes. All had engaged… read on > read on >