(HealthDay News) – A brain-eating amoeba has killed a Florida man, state health officials reported. The man may have acquired this very rare infection after rinsing his sinuses with tap water, the Florida Department of Health in Charlotte County said in a news release. While health officials continue to investigate the cause of the Naegleria… read on > read on >
All Mommy:
Buzzkill: Don’t Try the Burt’s Bees TikTok Trend
Don’t put lip balm on your eyelid, even if you saw it on TikTok. It’s bad for your eyes, according to a Michigan Medicine expert. The trend first began back in the 2010s, but has seen a resurgence in 2023. Called “beezin’,” because the trend is to use Burt’s Bees lip balm in particular, some… read on > read on >
Two Bird Flu Cases in Cambodia Did Not Spread Person-to-Person
Two cases of bird flu in Cambodia, in a girl and her father, were not spread from one to the other. Both got the virus from poultry, according to health officials, easing concerns about a potential public health crisis, the Associated Press reported. The 11-year-old girl died Feb. 22 at a hospital in the capital,… read on > read on >
COVID Lockdowns Linked to Decline in Premature Births
Premature births dropped during lockdowns in the early months of the COVID-19 pandemic. A groundbreaking study, which included a group of mostly high-income countries — including the United States, Belgium, Canada, Chile, Denmark and Switzerland — found there were about 4% fewer preterm births than would have been expected in spring 2020. That’s nearly 50,000… read on > read on >
Cancer Screenings Rise in States With Mandatory Paid Sick Leave
Many Americans are not getting recommended cancer screenings, and a new study hints at one way to push the needle: paid sick leave from work. Researchers found that in areas of the United States that passed mandates on paid sick leave, cancer screening rates inched up in the years afterward. Breast cancer screening rose by… read on > read on >
Smoking Plus Mental Illness Can Send Caffeine Intake Soaring
One group of Americans drinks more caffeinated beverages than all others. That’s people who smoke cigarettes and also have serious mental illness, including schizophrenia and bipolar disorder, according to new research. While Americans overall are drinking more caffeinated beverages than ever, this group consumes the highest amount and also has the highest risk of negative… read on > read on >
High Blood Pressure in Pregnancy Tied to Thinking Problems Later
A new study links high blood pressure during pregnancy with cognitive issues later in life, adding to known risks such as stroke and heart disease. Women with preeclampsia — high blood pressure during pregnancy that may be accompanied by kidney or other organ damage — may have even more cognitive decline later compared to those… read on > read on >
Vaping Tobacco or Weed Appears Tied to Higher Anxiety in Teens
For decades, people turned to cigarettes in times of stress. Now, a preliminary study hints that young people are using vaping in the same way. The study, of nearly 2,000 U.S. teenagers and young adults, found that those who vaped nicotine or marijuana were more likely to report anxiety, depression or suicidal thoughts. In fact,… read on > read on >
Could Tiny Plastic Particles Reach the Fetus From Mom’s Food? Rat Study Raises Concerns
Most food and water contains “nano-sized” microplastics, and new animal research suggests these tiny particles pass from pregnant rats to their unborn offspring and may impair fetal development. The same could be true in humans, the study suggests. “Much remains unknown, but this is certainly cause for concern and follow-up study,” said Philip Demokritou, a… read on > read on >
Loneliness a Key Factor in Postpartum Depression
When expectant or new moms experience depression, known as perinatal depression, loneliness may be a driving factor. “We found that loneliness was central to the experiences of expectant and new mothers with depression. We know that depression and loneliness are often interconnected — each one can lead to the other — and this may be… read on > read on >