Lifestyle « Weekly Sauce

Exercise and sports appear to help kids avoid mental health problems as they grow into young adults, a new study says. Young children who participated in sports teams and physical education classes were less likely to develop problems like depression, anxiety and addiction as they aged into teenagers, researchers reported May 13 in the British… read on > read on >

U.S. health officials are telling travelers aged 60 and older to avoid a chikungunya vaccine while they investigate possible side effects. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued the warning late last week. The concern focuses on the Valneva vaccine, known as Ixchiq, the Associated… read on > read on >

Any parent who has been jolted awake by the squeals of a toddler with an ear infection knows that relief won’t be swift — or sure. Kids often build resistance to the usual days-long antibiotic treatment regimen so the painful infections can come roaring back. But Cornell University researchers report encouraging results from animal tests… read on > read on >

A new vaccine that combines flu and COVID-19 protection in one shot shows promising results, but the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) says it wants more data before it can be approved. Moderna researchers reported that the combo shot produced a stronger immune response against COVID-19 and most flu strains than the individual vaccines… read on > read on >

Knowing your risk for Alzheimer’s disease can provide peace of mind, but also might contribute to complacency regarding your overall health, a new study says. People who underwent brain scans to learn their Alzheimer’s risk experienced less anxiety, even if the results showed higher risk, researchers reported May 7 in the journal Alzheimer’s & Dementia.… read on > read on >

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has chosen Dr. Vinay Prasad, a professor at the University of California-San Francisco, to lead its Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research. The division oversees vaccines and biologic medicines, including gene therapies, CNN reported. Prasad is a hematologist-oncologist, a specialist in treating cancers of the blood. He has… read on > read on >

Stress can make it even worse for people to deal with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, or COPD, a new study says. High levels of perceived stress are associated with a quadrupled risk of moderate or severe COPD flare-ups (excerbations), researchers reported recently in the Journal of the COPD Foundation. “There is increased evidence that psychosocial… read on > read on >

The shingles vaccine has benefits that stretch beyond protecting older adults from the painful skin condition, a new study says. Folks who get the shingles jab have a 23% lower risk of health problems like stroke, heart failure and heart disease, researchers reported May 6 in the European Heart Journal. This protective effect lasts for… read on > read on >

Newborns can be effectively protected against respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) infection through the use of nirsevimab, a monoclonal antibody treatment, researchers report. Babies treated with nirsevimab had an 83% reduced risk of hospitalization due to RSV infection, researchers reported May 1 in The Lancet Child & Adolescent Health. The antibody treatment also reduced the risk… read on > read on >