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 >
All Health and Wellness:
Smoking Still Ends 123,000 American Lives Each Year
Cigarettes are still responsible for far too many cancer deaths every year in the United States, a new study finds. In 2019, nearly 123,000 U.S. cancer deaths were from cigarette smoking (30% of all U.S. cancer deaths), leading to nearly $21 billion in annual lost earnings. These losses were much higher in states with weaker… read on > read on >
For Back Pain, Earlier Is Better for Physical Therapy
When people have backaches bad enough to send them to the doctor, prompt physical therapy may be a wise choice, a new study suggests. Researchers found that when those patients had “early” PT — within a couple weeks of seeing a doctor — they were less likely to need other, often pricey, types of medical… read on > read on >
Climate Change Making 218 Infectious Diseases Even Worse
Flooding, heat waves and drought have made 58% of infectious diseases worse, a new analysis claims. For the review of previous studies, published Aug. 8 in the journal Nature Climate Change, researchers found that 218 of the known 375 infectious diseases have been made worse by climate change, including malaria, hantavirus, cholera and anthrax. The… read on > read on >
AHA News: What’s New This Year For School Lunches?
TUESDAY, Aug. 9, 2022 (American Heart Association News) — In the past, school cafeterias might have served as a source for more punchlines than nutrition. But lunch is a more dynamic and, these days, healthy part of students’ lives than many people realize. Some of its importance is obvious. “You really don’t need to do… read on > read on >
B 8/10 — FDA Warns Amazon, Other Vendors About Sale of Skin Tag Removal Products
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 >
Pot Users Less Likely to Think Cigarettes Are Unhealthy: Study
Could cannabis end up being a gateway drug for cigarettes? Possibly, said researchers from Columbia University, who found that adults who use pot daily do not perceive smoking a pack a day as being as harmful as those who do not use pot do. “In the context of recent findings that perception of risk plays… read on > read on >
Rural Americans With Early Alzheimer’s Find It Tough to See Specialists
Rural Americans with early-onset Alzheimer’s disease are less likely than city dwellers to see a specialist and undergo tests that can help them and their families manage, new research reveals. While most Alzheimer’s patients are over 65, about 6% develop the disease between the ages of 30 and 65. Typically, their mental decline is faster… read on > read on >
Crohn’s, Colitis Tied to Higher-Risk Pregnancies
Women who have inflammatory bowel disease (IBD) should work with a doctor to get it into remission before pregnancy, a new study indicates. Researchers found that women with Crohn’s disease and ulcerative colitis, both types of inflammatory bowel disease, had a greater risk of pregnancy complications and poor maternal and fetal outcomes. The disease causes… read on > read on >
B 8/9 — Ashton Kutcher ‘Lucky to Be Alive’ After Battle With Vasculitis
Actor Ashton Kutcher is opening up about dealing with a rare condition called vasculitis that for a time left him seriously disabled. In an episode of “Running Wild with Bear Grylls: The Challenge,” airing Aug. 14 on National Geographic channel, Kutcher, 44, reveals that “two years ago I had this rare, super rare, form of… read on > read on >