Chemicals found in plastic personal care products, kids’ toys, and food and drink packaging could be raising the risk of type 2 diabetes among women, new research suggests. To study the impact of these chemicals, known as phthalates, researchers followed just over 1,300 U.S. women for six years to see if exposure contributed to the… read on > read on >
Parents in the United States may assume baby food is free of impurities, but a recent research review highlights the much different reality: Most foods made for babies and toddlers have some amount of toxic heavy metals. The contaminants include metals, such as lead and arsenic, that can harm brain development, and contribute to learning… read on > read on >
Americans received unprecedented access to health care during the pandemic, including hassle-free public insurance and free tests, treatments and vaccines for COVID-19. Now, they need to prepare for most of that to unwind, experts say. “Essentially, Congress and the administration moved to a model of universal health coverage for COVID vaccines, treatments and tests” during… read on > read on >
Primary care doctors are no longer just in the physical health business: Americans are increasingly turning to them for mental health care, too, a new study finds. Looking at Americans’ primary care visits between 2006 and 2018, researchers found a 50% increase in the proportion of visits that addressed mental health concerns. That figure rose… read on > read on >
Getting hitched could help middle-aged and older folks get a better handle on their blood sugar, a new study reports. People living with a spouse appeared to be better able to maintain lower blood sugar levels than single folks, according to the findings. This benefit held regardless of the state of their relationship, the researchers… read on > read on >
Many cancer patients who are infected with COVID-19 are left with lingering symptoms. A new study, published Feb. 7 in eLife, found that more than half of cancer patients develop long COVID, and women were especially at risk. “Although cancer patients fall into a higher COVID-19 risk group there is limited data on PASC in… read on > read on >
The U.S. flu season is expected to extend into spring, and experts say it’s not too late to get a flu shot. Last year’s flu season was mild, but this season has already seen triple the number of flu-related deaths in the United States. “Even a minor respiratory virus can be hard on someone with… read on > read on >
Pregnant women can help protect their newborns from whooping cough by getting a Tdap vaccine during the third trimester of pregnancy. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention tracked cases of infant whooping cough between Jan. 1, 2000, and Dec. 31, 2019. The researchers found a link between reduced rates of whooping cough in… read on > read on >
That feeling of crushing pain in your chest can be a medical emergency, but it can also be angina pectoris, or “stable angina” — a symptom of coronary heart disease that can be managed with medication. Angina can be stable, unstable, variant or refractory, so it’s important for people having chest pain to see a… read on > read on >
People who get COVID-19 are at risk for long-term health consequences, but a healthy lifestyle may protect against long COVID, a new study suggests. Women who maintained six healthy habits — a healthy weight, didn’t smoke, exercised regularly, slept and ate well, and drank alcohol in moderation — cut their risk of long COVID by… read on > read on >
