FRIDAY, March 12, 2021 (American Heart Association News) — Michelle Whiteman woke up and realized that her left arm felt numb. She figured it was a pinched nerve and made an appointment to see her chiropractor. The 40-year-old hair stylist who was getting her master’s degree in special education felt in excellent health. She’d been… read on > read on >
A single measles outbreak cost one U.S. county $3.4 million, a new government study estimates, underscoring the societal burden of inadequate vaccination rates. The outbreak occurred in Clark County, Wash., in early 2019, and ultimately infected 71 people — mostly children younger than 10 who hadn’t received the measles-mumps-rubella (MMR) vaccine. The county’s low MMR… read on > read on >
One in four U.S. households use smart speakers to check the weather, play music and query search engines. But a new technology may soon have folks asking, “Hey Google, how’s my heart?” Researchers from the University of Washington, Seattle, have developed a skill for Amazon Alexa and Google Home that allows the devices to check… read on > read on >
Does COVID-19 help create heart problems, or are people with preexisting heart issues simply more prone to getting the illness? The issue remains unclear, with a new British study finding that people with heart problems appear to have an increased risk of contracting COVID-19. “In this research, we’ve discovered that poorer heart structure and function… read on > read on >
Cotton masks provide better protection against the new coronavirus than those made with synthetic fabrics, researchers say. In a new study, investigators tested different mask fabrics under conditions that mimic the humidity of a person’s breath in order to assess how the fabrics perform in actual use. Under humid conditions, filtration efficiency (a measure of… read on > read on >
Could whether your governor is a Democrat or a Republican have influenced how many coronavirus cases and deaths your state has seen during the pandemic? Yes, claim researchers who discovered a strong link between the two — by late last summer, the odds of dying from COVID-19 was nearly twice as high in states whose… read on > read on >
A healthy, plant-based diet could reduce your risk of stroke by up to 10%, researchers say. This type of diet includes greater amounts of foods like vegetables, whole grains and beans, and fewer less-healthy foods like refined grains or added sugars. “Many studies already show that eating a diet rich in fruits and vegetables can… read on > read on >
Yes, you really are seeing double — more twins are being born now than ever before. There are a number of reasons why, according to a new study. Since the 1980s, twin births rose by a third worldwide — from 9 to 12 per 1,000 deliveries. About 1.6 million twins are born each year and… read on > read on >
Social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic appears to have prevented an anticipated outbreak of a rare polio-like syndrome in children, researchers report. Acute flaccid myelitis (AFM) is a spinal condition that causes weakness in the limbs, impairs motor function and can lead to lifelong disabilities. It was first reported in the United States in 2012,… read on > read on >
If you’re drinking more, sleeping less, seeing downright scary numbers on your scale and fretting about the future, you’re far from alone, a new survey reveals. “We’ve been concerned throughout this pandemic about the level of prolonged stress, exacerbated by the grief, trauma and isolation that Americans are experiencing,” said Arthur Evans Jr., chief executive… read on > read on >
