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Is your workout too easy? Challenge yourself to get more fit and age better.

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The more you exercise, the easier it gets. That’s why, at some point, you may need to power up your workouts.

It’s important to “find ways to challenge yourself again,” said Chris Jordan, an exercise physiologist and the creator of the original, science-based 7-minute workout. Our bodies adapt to the demands of our current workouts, he continued, adding more heart and lung capacity and other changes that make the same workout you’ve been doing for months feel progressively easier.

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This process, known as exercise adaptation, makes us more athletic and fit. But, even more important, it can “contribute toward the delayed onset of age-related disease,” according to a comprehensive 2018 review of how regular exercise benefits our bodies.

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To help increase your fitness, Jordan developed the 7-Minute Power Workout for The Washington Post. It builds on the scientific principles he used in the original 7-minute workout — featuring 12 movements that increase strength, power and endurance. The exercises focus alternately on the upper and lower body and are meant to be completed at a relatively high intensity.

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That means your effort should feel like an eight on a scale from zero to 10, Jordan said. Or, more informally, you should be able to speak a few words before pausing for breath, he said, but you shouldn’t be able to sing during the workout.

Since the exercises in the new workout are more complex than before, involving a greater range of muscles and coordination, it’s fine to start deliberately and dial in the proper form, Jordan said. Then gradually speed up until you’re pushing yourself during each move for the full seven minutes.

As always, consider talking with your doctor before trying a new exercise routine. Warm up with a few stretches, jumping jacks or high knees. Then complete as many of each exercise as you can in 30 seconds.

So, how can you tell if you’re ready for this power version? If you’ve been doing the 7-Minute Gentle Workout and feel ready for a new challenge, try the original 7-minute workout first, before progressing to the power workout, Jordan suggested.

“But if you can easily hold a conversation with someone without gasping, or you can sing” while completing the original 7-minute workout, he said, it’s time to level up.

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Is your workout too easy? Challenge yourself to get more fit and age better.

Take your fitness to the next level with the 7‑Minute Power Workout

Light-impact exercises like jumping rope stimulate your bone density, but if you have knee pain, try shallow squats or other types of conditioning instead. - jacoblund/iStockphoto/Getty Images

Editor’s note: Shift Your Mindset is an occasional series from CNN’s Life, But Better team. We talk to experts about how to do things differently to live a better life.

Anti-aging aspirations have turned longevity products and services into a wellness-industry gold mine. But who wants to add on years only to spend them struggling to move, dependent on others and unable to enjoy basic activities?

What’s the point of sticking around longer if you can’t actually live life? Building and maintaining strength and mobility helps preserve the independence you need to age with dignity — and the actions you take now make all the difference.

In their new book “The Complete Bone and Joint Health Plan: Help Prevent and Treat Osteoporosis and Arthritis,” dietitian and personal trainer Sydney Nitzkorski and orthopedic surgeon and sports medicine specialist Dr. Jocelyn Wittstein share the strategic diet and exercise choices you can make now to help maintain your quality of life well into your later years. Nitzkorski is a sports dietitian at Marist University in Poughkeepsie, New York, and she runs a private fitness and nutrition practice. Wittstein is an associate professor at Duke University School of Medicine in Durham, North Carolina.

This conversation has been edited and condensed for clarity.

CNN: What’s the biggest misconception about bone and joint health?

Dr. Jocelyn Wittstein: Most people don’t realize that bone mineral density (BMD) peaks at around age 30. After that, your goal is to maintain your BMD and try to slow down bone loss. For women, bone density decreases about 1% annually until menopause and then accelerates to 2% a year. Men experience a roughly 1% annual decline. The key is to build a strong foundation early and continue supporting your bone and joint health throughout your life.

Another misconception is that cardiovascular exercise alone is enough to preserve mobility, but strength training and light impact exercises are critical, too. These activities can elevate the peak bone density of people in their teens and 20s, while people older than 30 need those same exercises to minimize loss.

This is important considering that 1 in 4 adults will get osteoarthritis, and anyone older than age 50 has a heightened risk for both arthritis and osteoporosis, women in particular. A full 77% of postmenopausal women reported joint pain in a randomized study.

Sydney Nitzkorski: As a dietitian, I find that people don’t think enough about how much calcium they’re taking in, and most people are not getting enough. Your body can’t make the calcium it needs, not just for bones and teeth but also heart, muscle and nerve function. If you’re not consuming enough, your body will raid the reserves in your skeleton to meet its requirements.

This is why everybody, at every age, needs to get enough calcium. If you have kids, make sure they’re consuming enough now, because this is when they’re building bone mass. But sufficient calcium is still important even if you’re 60 or beyond. Boosting your bone health is incredibly important at every age, and it’s never too late to start taking proactive steps.

CNN: Are calcium supplements necessary?

Nitzkorski: Whole foods are the best sources for calcium, with supplementation as a secondary option. I recommend that people track their intake for a typical week and then adjust accordingly. Adults need 1,000 to 1,200 milligrams of calcium daily. Good sources include milk, fortified plant milks, broccoli and kale, as well as sardines and anchovies because you eat the bones.

Bok choy is an excellent source of calcium, fiber, and vitamins A and C. - vm2002/iStockphoto/Getty Images

Wittstein: Plus bok choy, which I consider a superfood. It’s the green vegetable with the highest bioavailability of calcium. The calcium your body gets from a food depends on two factors: the total calcium the food contains and the bioavailability of that calcium, or how well the body absorbs and uses the mineral. A cup of milk has 300 milligrams of calcium that is 30% bioavailable, while a cup of bok choy has 160 milligrams that is 55% bioavailable. Yet, each one provides the body with an equivalent amount of calcium: about 87.5 milligrams. Along with bok choy’s excellent calcium bioavailability, it also provides fiber and vitamins A and C. I love to prepare this green vegetable superfood with garlic, ginger and olive oil, making it an excellent anti-inflammatory food for joints and overall health.

CNN: Pressing question: Can we count the calcium from milk in coffee?

Nitzkorski: Yes! In the book, Jocelyn and I share that we both nail our calcium targets by drinking a lot of milk with a little bit of coffee. It’s true that consuming more than 300 milligrams per day of caffeine lowers your body’s calcium absorption — but that’s a high bar when you consider an 8-ounce cup of coffee contains around 100 milligrams and a double shot of espresso contains about 140 milligrams.

Wittstein: Milk, whether it’s from cows or a plant-based type that’s been supplemented, is a good source of vitamin D, too. We know that consuming 2,000 IU of vitamin D a day can benefit bone health and may help decrease joint pain. When it comes to coffee, people are often glad to learn that it is rich in anti-inflammatory antioxidants. It contains the polyphenol quercetin, which may help alleviate pain and has anti-inflammatory properties.

I like to add cinnamon to my coffee for added anti-inflammatory effect and glucose control. You can also add whey protein — which provides amino acids that your body uses to build muscle — and/or collagen supplements, which can improve both bone density and joint pain, depending on the type.

CNN: What’s the connection between inflammation and joint health?

Wittstein: Inflammation can break down cartilage and contribute to joint pain. Chronic inflammation accelerates joint deterioration. Anti-inflammatory nutrition taken in through diet and supplements like omega-3 fatty acids and curcumin, for example, can help ease symptoms like pain and swelling.

CNN: What does an anti-inflammatory diet look like?

Nitzkorski: What I love about recommending anti-inflammatory foods is that they provide so many other benefits, too, such as decreasing heart attack risk, increasing longevity, improving digestion and giving you more energy.

An anti-inflammatory diet is rich in lean proteins, which could be animal-based — such as non- or low-fat dairy, eggs, fish, chicken or turkey — or plant-based like beans, lentils and soy as well as pea proteins, which are found in a lot of protein powders. An anti-inflammatory diet also includes healthy fats, such as olive oil and foods containing omega-3 fatty acids like fish as well as walnuts and flax, chia and basil seeds.

Alliums — including garlic, onion, leeks and shallots — are flavorful plants that have multiple anti-inflammatory properties. And there’s a whole spectrum of spices including turmeric, cayenne, black pepper and ginger.

Wittstein: Also important is dietary fiber from fruits, vegetables, beans and whole grains that provides short-chain fatty acids, higher levels of which are associated with lower levels of inflammation. Fruits and vegetables also contain myriad anti-inflammatory phytochemicals — naturally occurring compounds that provide an array of health benefits.

Avoiding or limiting inflammatory ingredients like processed meats, red meat, fried foods, saturated fats and processed carbohydrates is also important.

Making small changes to your diet and exercise routine now can make a big impact on your strength and mobility later in life, say the authors of this new book. - W.W. Norton & Company

CNN: What types of exercise promote bone and joint health?

Wittstein: It’s critical to incorporate resistance training and impact exercises. The goal is to work into your 150 minutes of weekly activity a combination of the following: three days of weight-bearing aerobic exercise, two days of resistance training, and two days of balance work and light-impact exercises.

That might sound like a lot, but these don’t have to be long, intense sessions, and several of these types of conditioning can be combined. Standing on one leg and doing an overhead press counts as resistance training as well as balance work, for example. There are multiple things we want you to do to stimulate your bones and your muscles in different ways, but some of these activities can count as two.

Nitzkorski: You can also integrate little exercises into your daily life. Just as we lose muscle and bone mass with age, we also lose our ability to balance. Practice intentionally throwing yourself off balance a little bit so your body must work to find its equilibrium again.

Stand on one foot while brushing your teeth. Instead of sitting while watching TV, stand on one leg. Pretend a paintbrush is strapped to your toe and try to write your name or the alphabet. Write A through M on your right leg, and then switch and do N through Z on your left. To work on muscular endurance, do little arm circles. These start out super easy, but if you do them for two or three minutes it becomes exhausting.

CNN: What do you mean by light-impact exercises?

Wittstein: These include small jumps, jumping jacks or jumping rope. Studies show that doing 10 to 50 jumps three times a week is enough to stimulate your bone density. I encourage people to weave them into their day. By doing a little bit of hopping while you’re waiting for the bus, you’re getting your heart rate up and getting in some light-impact conditioning.

CNN: Do you recommend jumping if it causes knee pain?

Nitzkorski: No, people should listen to their joint pain! If jumping hurts your knees, focus on other kinds of conditioning like shallow squats, for example. You can also spread out your jumps over the course of the day or a week so you are not doing too many in a row. Or you can modify jumping exercises by using the back of a chair, or something else, for balance.

Wittstein: Or try modifications like pool jumping, which adds resistance and partly reduces impact. Water-based exercises are not as effective as land-based jumping exercises, but they are definitely beneficial for bone mineral density.

Although the gains from some of these exercise-based interventions may seem small, they actually translate to big risk reductions. We know from studies of pharmaceutical interventions that a 2% increase in lumbar-spine-bone density reduces spine fracture risk by 28%. A 4% improvement in hip-bone density decreases hip fracture risk by 32%. So even small improvements matter significantly.

CNN: Is it ever too late to start boosting your bone and joint health?

Nitzkorski: Absolutely not. While it’s ideal to start early, you can always benefit from improving your diet and exercise routine. Start small — even 10 minutes of activity is better than nothing. Over time, small dietary changes can become a habit that sticks. The goal is consistency and gradual improvement so you can enjoy the life you live for that much longer.

Editor’s note: Sign up for CNN’s Fitness, But Better newsletter series. Our seven-part guide will help you ease into a healthy routine, backed by experts.

Jessica DuLong is a Brooklyn, New York-based journalist, book collaborator, writing coach and the author of “Saved at the Seawall: Stories From the September 11 Boat Lift” and “My River Chronicles: Rediscovering the Work That Built America.”

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Strength and mobility are key to living independently as you age. A new book by an orthopedic surgeon and a trainer explain how to maintain joint and bone health.

Instead of worrying about your weight, focus on avoiding fragility

A new study using advanced brain scans shows how changes in smell and sight could offer early signs of Parkinson’s disease. (CREDIT: CC BY-SA 4.0)

Diagnosing Parkinson's disease has always been a race against time. The later it’s found, the harder it is to treat. But a group of researchers may have just unlocked a way to detect this illness earlier than ever before. Their new method focuses on how the brain processes two simple senses: smell and sight.

Scientists from the Champalimaud Foundation in Portugal, working with teams from the University Medical Center Gottingen, believe they’ve found a possible early warning sign for Parkinson’s. Published in the Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism, their study used high-resolution brain scans in mice to identify patterns of brain activity that could help predict the disease years before symptoms show.

Why the Senses Matter in Parkinson's

Parkinson’s disease is known for shaking hands, stiff muscles, and slow movement. But what many don’t realize is that it often starts quietly. People can begin to lose their sense of smell five to ten years before any tremors begin. They may also develop visual problems, even hallucinations. Still, these symptoms alone aren’t enough to diagnose the disease.

Experimental setup for fMRI experiments. (CREDIT: Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism)

The problem is that losing your sense of smell or sight doesn't always mean you have Parkinson’s. Many people experience these issues and never develop the disease. That’s why scientists have been looking for a more reliable way to spot Parkinson’s earlier.

Noam Shemesh, who leads the Preclinical MRI lab at the Champalimaud Foundation, wanted to go further. Along with Tiago Outeiro, a Parkinson’s specialist in Germany, they tried something new: testing both senses at the same time using ultra-high-resolution brain scans. “The vast majority of fMRI studies in animal models focus on a single sense,” Shemesh said. “We analyzed both visual and olfactory sensory modalities. That's pretty rare.”

Powerful Imaging, Clearer Answers

To test their idea, the researchers used a powerful type of brain scanner called fMRI — functional magnetic resonance imaging. This tool lets scientists see which parts of the brain are active in real time by tracking blood flow and oxygen levels.

Their scanner was no ordinary machine. It produced a magnetic field of 9.4 Tesla, three times stronger than most hospital machines. This allowed them to study the brains of genetically engineered mice that produce too much of a human protein called alpha-synuclein. That protein builds up in the brains of people with Parkinson’s and is believed to trigger the disease.

When these mice were shown light or exposed to smells, the researchers watched how their brains responded. Compared to healthy mice, the Parkinsonian mice showed far less brain activity in areas responsible for processing those senses. Francisca Fernandes, one of the lead analysts, found that this lack of response was consistent across both senses.

But the team knew fMRI data could be tricky. Brain activity seen in scans depends not just on neurons but also on how well blood vessels work. Shemesh explains, “It doesn't detect neural activity per se. Since it relies on interactions between ongoing neural activity and vascular properties, it detects a complicated combination of both effects.”

So, to separate those effects, the team added two more tests. One measured blood flow using a method called pseudo-continuous arterial spin labeling (pCASL). The other looked for a protein called C-FOS, which appears when neurons fire. These tests confirmed that the mice had both reduced blood flow and less neural firing, with the neurons showing more severe decline.

Olfactory fMRI in human aSyn tg mice reveals decreased activation compared to healthy controls. (CREDIT: Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism)



A Real Path Toward Early Detection

The most exciting part of the study is what it suggests for future human testing. If similar brain activity patterns can be seen in people who are just beginning to lose their sense of smell or vision, doctors may have a powerful new tool. Early detection could mean early treatment, which might slow the disease before it causes major damage.

Shemesh sees promise: “If we saw something weird in both sensory modalities, we could potentially say that there is something more global happening in their neural circuits, and that we need to follow up on that.”

Because fMRI is non-invasive and widely used, this method could be added to current screening tools with little risk. Outeiro agrees: “This could add to the toolbox for diagnosing and classifying PD, something that is urgently needed.”

Importantly, this study is the first to show these specific brain activity patterns across both smell and vision in a well-studied mouse model. These mice overproduce alpha-synuclein, just like humans with Parkinson’s. They also start to show movement problems at a similar age in mouse years — around nine months — when the scans were taken.

c-FOS levels. (CREDIT: Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism)

More Than Movement: The Broader Impact of PD

Parkinson’s is not just a movement disorder. It causes serious problems in the brain’s communication systems. Many of these begin before visible symptoms appear. As alpha-synuclein builds up, it forms harmful clumps known as Lewy bodies. These disrupt how neurons work, especially in a region called the substantia nigra, which makes dopamine. Losing dopamine leads to motor issues like tremors and stiffness.

But even before that damage, changes happen in brain areas tied to smell and sight. Studies have shown that mice overproducing alpha-synuclein lose their ability to recognize smells and see clearly. In some mice, the retina — the light-sensing part of the eye — becomes thinner and stops working properly. Their brain activity during smell and light tests drops sharply.

By using c-FOS protein levels as a guide, this study showed that brain activity fell by over 50% in Parkinsonian mice. Meanwhile, their blood flow dropped by about 10%. This suggests that the main problem lies in the neurons themselves, not just poor circulation.

Outeiro emphasized how useful this mouse model is: “It produces the human type of alpha-synuclein.” That makes it an excellent model for testing both new diagnostic methods and potential treatments.

pCASL CBF maps. (CREDIT: Journal of Cerebral Blood Flow & Metabolism)

A Hopeful Future for Earlier Treatment

For now, this discovery is still in its early stages. But the findings open the door to new research. If doctors can spot Parkinson’s before it takes hold, they might have a better chance at stopping it or at least slowing it down.

The Champalimaud team is already looking ahead. They hope future studies will check if the same brain changes can be seen in humans. If people complaining of smell loss or visual problems also show these fMRI patterns, early treatment may become a reality.

Shemesh is optimistic: “It gives us some hope that, with future studies, there will be more things we can look at that hint at early development stages of PD and also determine which treatments might help if they're given early on.”

The research was supported by the €200,000 Mantero Belard Award, given by Santa Casa da Misericórdia de Lisboa. That support helped fund the state-of-the-art equipment used in this study.

Early signs like changes in how the brain smells and sees might one day become powerful tools for fighting one of the world’s most common brain disorders. For the millions who live with Parkinson’s — and for those who may develop it in the future — that’s a hopeful step forward.

Note: The article above provided above by The Brighter Side of News.

New brain scan study finds changes in smell and sight responses may detect Parkinson's years before symptoms start.

Smell and sight can spot Parkinson’s disease years earlier, study finds

The thought of getting back to an exercise routine after surgery might make you wince. It can be a struggle to know where to begin, especially if your body isn’t working the way it used to. The good news is that heading to your local pool or aquatic therapy can be a great alternative to land-based physical therapy and exercise. Research, including a 2024 study, says aquatic exercise can significantly help patients recover both mentally and physically after most surgeries.

“Water therapy is sometimes even more effective than land-based therapy because surgery patients don’t have the same range of motion and mobility,” says Mara Karamitopoulos, a pediatric orthopedic surgeon at NYU Langone Health in New York.

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Water’s unique benefits

For those struggling with inflammation and muscle and joint tightness, the pool can be a game changer.

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The natural buoyancy of water helps people move in ways they might not be able to on land, says Carol Stillman, a physical therapist specializing in aquatics at Sutton Place Physical and Aquatic Therapy in New York. Standing in water reduces the impact of body weight, taking pressure off joints and lessening discomfort, all of which make postsurgical movement more tolerable.

The viscosity of the water also provides natural resistance, which helps build endurance. “You can work on strengthening, walking and reacquiring skills after surgery, even if you have significant restrictions,” Karamitopoulos says. And it can be done without breaking a sweat.

Beyond that, water feels protective — it’s difficult to take a hard fall in a pool, so it’s a great way to practice exercising before moving to a gym or workout room. And, for those who get to a therapeutic pool, where the water ideally is kept at temperatures of 88 to 92 degrees, there’s an additional benefit because warm water reduces swelling, also known as edema.

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“The pool is like a wraparound compressive wrap, or a giant Spanx, that slashes edema, one of the biggest post-op symptoms after surgery,” says Stillman. It can also improve your circulation and decrease postsurgical pain, according to a study involving some 190 patients undergoing rotator cuff repair surgery.

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Mental health boost

After major surgery, it’s common to experience residual anxiety. You can’t do the things you once did, and your body may look different. In a 2022 meta-analysis, water exercise was correlated with significantly reduced symptoms of anxiety, depression and stress.

In a 2023 study, 12 months of aquatic therapy relieved fatigue, tension, depression and anger in 60 breast cancer patients and improved the overall well-being of the women after treatment. It was also found to be more effective than yoga or Pilates, researchers said.

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Like most physical activity, aquatic exercise can increase dopamine — the feel-good hormone — allowing you to relax and have fun.

“You can hang from a pool noodle or put dumbbells under your arms, and all of a sudden, you release tension in the body that the land exercises wouldn’t allow you to do,” says Shea Andreone, a certified water fitness instructor at the YMCA in Culver City, California.

If that’s not enough incentive, Andreone says, moving in the water engages muscles most people don’t ordinarily use, but it doesn’t feel as challenging. “You’re getting quite a workout, and you’ll sleep really well, too,” she adds.

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Unfortunately, Karamitopoulos says, even though aquatics is beneficial, not enough doctors are prescribing it, and it’s difficult to find certified licensed therapists who offer the service.

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“There are many people who can’t do an aerobics class, either from a bone and joint perspective, from a cardiac perspective or from a balance perspective, but they may be able to do a program that’s modified in the water,” she explains. If you can’t find aquatic physical therapy, she suggests checking out aqua aerobics classes once you get clearance from your doctor.

How to choose

Choosing the right water exercise will depend on your surgery and requires a conversation between you and your doctor.

“For some people, depending on their baseline, they’ll be working on stretching, being upright or their posture. For other people, it can include walking. Then you can work up to resisted running in the water,” Karamitopoulos says.

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Stillman adds that participants should plan on aquatic therapy twice a week for six to eight weeks and then graduate to aqua aerobics classes in a group setting to maintain strength. Don’t worry, she adds, you don’t have to be a great swimmer to join a class.

Five tips before taking the plunge

Get your doctor’s go-ahead: Always talk to your doctor before beginning any kind of exercise post-surgery. Make sure your wounds are allowed to get wet and find out how soon you can get in the water after your operation.

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Be pool-ready: If you have open wounds, experience seizures or have incontinence, you might have to avoid water, though urinary incontinence is often acceptable in therapeutic pool settings, Stillman says.

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Take a tour: Before your first session, tour the facilities to make sure you can get in and out of the pool. Some aquatic therapists have a chair that will lift you, but many aqua aerobics classes only have pool ladders that can be difficult to navigate post-surgery.

Talk to the instructor or therapist: Let the person you’re working with know your limitations. If you’re in a group setting, ask for modifications.

For those struggling with inflammation and muscle and joint tightness, the pool can be a game changer.

Recovering from surgery isn’t easy. Exercising in the water can help.

A woman who gained 10st (6.3kg) because of a rare hormonal disorder credits one daily exercise for helping her lose the weight without the help of Ozempic in just two years.

Hannah Mai, 37, was diagnosed with Cushing's disease in October 2020 after she put on 10st in two and a half years.

The condition is caused by prolonged exposure to high levels of cortisol. Some of the most significant symptoms of the disease include weight gain around the middle of the body and around the upper back, as well as a rounded face.

It is the same syndrome that US comedian Amy Schumer discovered she had earlier this year, having been diagnosed after receiving comments about her 'moon face' appearance.

Hannah, from Coventry, Warwickshire, underwent brain surgery in February 2021 to remove the pituitary tumour that causes the condition and was placed on steroid medication to control it.

Then in 2023, she was taken off the steroid medication and became determined to lose the weight she had gained because of the disease.

At the time, she weight 20st 5lbs (approximately 129kg) and was a dress size 26.

However, she says that doing pilates everyday, in tandem with a high-protein diet, has helped her slim down to 10st 4lbs (approximately 65kg) - all without taking weight-loss jabs which are currently soaring in demand across the UK.

Hannah Mai, 37, found herself suddenly gaining weight rapidly because of a hormonal disorder called Cushing's disease

Dramatic change: After undergoing brain surgery and taking steroid medication to control the condition, she was able to shed the 10st she gained due to the disease without weight-loss jabs

Commenting on Ozempic, which is a diabetes medication but used off-label for weight loss, Hannah said: 'I think Ozempic is great for people who need it, and for medical reasons.

'It is really helping some people, but I feel if you give yourself a chance, you can really push yourself.

'Once I started losing the weight, I just kept going.

'It isn't easy, you really have to push yourself, and focus on who you want to be and think about who you want to be.'

Hannah first noticed she started rapidly gaining weight when she turned 30, putting on seven stone in just a few months that took her from nine stone to 16st.

She visited the doctor multiple times out of concern, but kept being asked if she was pregnant or that the weight gain could be blamed on hormones.

She said: 'I was always around nine stone, but I noticed how I started to gain a bit of weight.

'I knew there was something wrong with me, but people around me thought I had changed my diet and asked if I was eating more.

Hannah said the weight piled on rapidly, which was cause for concern and she went to the doctor multiple times

However, she was asked if she was pregnant or if the weight gain could be put down to hormones

Hannah said she printed off a list of her symptoms that suggested she had Cushing's disease and brought it to the doctor, which finally led to a diagnosis

'I was asked if I was pregnant six times, and told that my weight gain could be caused by hormones.

'I went up to 20 stone at my heaviest.'

Then in October, more than two years after the sudden weight gain started, she said she woke up one morning with a hunched back.

She turned to Google to research the symptoms, including the weight gain, and came across Cushing's disease, prompting her to go straight back to the doctor with a printout of the list of symptoms.

Hannah was referred to University Hospital Coventry and Warwickshire, where she underwent a blood test and MRI scan that confirmed the had the condition.

'I was relieved but scared when I got the diagnosis,' Hannah recalled. 'I had been saying for years that there was something wrong with me.'

She underwent brain surgery in February 2021 to remove the pituitary tumour that causes the condition.

A small, benign tumour of the pituitary gland is the most common cause of spontaneous Cushing's, which accounts for around 70% of cases, according to The Pituitary Foundation.

After she was taken off steroid medication, Hannah was determined to shed the weight she had gained due to the condition and does pilates everyday

She also follows a strict low-carb, high-protein diet, but worries the weight will come back

'It wasn't easy to lose weight whilst I was still on steroids, as soon as I came off them, I knew this was my body and I was a lot better,' she said

The tumour causes the pituitary gland to produce too much of a hormone called adrenocorticotrophic hormone (ACTH), which then triggers the release of too much cortisol - leading to Cushing's.

Removing the tumour usually solves the issue, as Hannah found, but she had to be on steroid medication to control the condition. She got better after two years on steroids and was taken off it.

She said: 'It wasn't easy to lose weight whilst I was still on steroids, as soon as I came off them, I knew this was my body and I was a lot better.

'I really pushed myself, I worked super hard, cut out all sugar, cut out dairy, and gluten after I was diagnosed with celiac disease.

'I have a low-carb, high-protein diet with lots of vegetables, and I do pilates every day.'

Hannah said she was also diagnosed with celiac disease and cut out all sugar, dairy, and gluten

With her new exercise and diet regime, Hannah says she feels 'so much happier', but feels 'very sad about what happened to me' when she looks back at old photos

Hannah, who is now raising money for The Pituitary Foundation, was able to shrink from a size 26 to a size 10, which was the dress size she wore before being diagnosed with the syndrome.

She added: 'I am super proud of myself, I am always worried that the weight will come back.

'I feel so much happier. When I look back at myself, I just can't believe I was that size.

'When I look back at old photos, I feel very sad about what happened to me, but it makes me think that I need to be proud about how far I have come.'

Amy Schumer was diagnosed with the same condition in February 2024, after fans pointed out how different she looked from normal in a televised interview.

In an appearance on the Call Your Daddy podcast earlier this year, the I Feel Pretty star said she initially ignored comments about her 'swollen' face as she put them down to trolling, but then physicians began expressing concern.

She said: 'Doctors were chiming in in the comments and they were, like, 'No, no, something's really up. Your face looks so crazy.''

She noticed that people were speculating that she could have Cushing syndrome.

'At first, I was like, 'F*** off,',' she said, before recalling that she was 'getting steroid injections for my scars' from her breast reduction surgery and Caesarean section after she and her husband Chris Fischer welcomed their son Gene in 2019.

'So I was getting these steroid injections and so it gave me this thing called Cushing syndrome — which I wouldn't have known if the internet hadn't come for me so hard,' Amy explained.

Hannah Mai, 37, from Coventry, gained 10st (6.3kg) because of a rare hormonal disorder - but credits one daily exercise for helping her lose weight without the help of drugs.

Woman says she lost 10st in two years - without Ozempic - by doing one daily exercise

Rochester, N.Y. (WHAM) — has been helping people locally and across the state get rid of pests for the last 40 years.

"Rats in general are horrible all over Rochester," said Caleb Fabry, the company's president.

Fabry said Town & Country's phones have been ringing nonstop for the last six months, with some of the worst infestations he's ever seen.

"Ten years ago, we would get calls, but it was here and there," he said. "(Now) we're seeing them every day. We're seeing some of the worst infestations we've ever seen in the Rochester area. I would say that it's aligning with what you would expect in a bigger city like New York City and things like that."

On Thursday, the pest control company went out to a home in Gates whose owner had to be removed due to the condition of her home.

"It's a really sad situation," Fabry said. "She was living there last week, and her mattress is on the floor. She's an elderly lady."

Fabry said the home was littered with urine and feces from pests.

"We go in there to evaluate how we can stop it, and there's rats everywhere," Fabry continued. "I'm telling you, she was just sleeping in this house a prior week. Rats everywhere. There was a chicken running around in the house. That story is, I want to say it's unusual, but we're seeing more like that."

Fabry said not only do rodents cause damage to property, but they can also carry diseases.

"We've recently heard some famous people down in New Mexico died of hantavirus, and it is from rats and mice, and it's the viruses that they spread, and these things are real and that’s what pest control does," he said. "We're in charge of public health, and in so many ways, but you have to take it serious and just us coming in and trapping and giving you all the good ideas doesn't solve it. You have to do something, too."





Rochester, N.Y. (WHAM) — Town & Country Pest Solutions has been helping people locally and across the state get rid of pests for the last 40 years.

'Worst I've ever seen': Pest control company seeing big increase in calls for rats

Studies have since suggested it might also reduce dementia risk

HARDEN UP Sex drug Viagra has surprising new health benefit and could help 3 million ageing Brits, say scientists

SEX aid pill Viagra helps stiffen your skeleton, a study suggests.

The little blue tablet was found to increase production of vital bone cells — so could one day prevent back pain and fractures in old age.

Researchers found sildenafil, which is branded as Viagra, helped human stem cells transform into osteoblasts, the bone-building cells.

These are vital as the human skeleton regenerates and is completely replaced roughly once every ten years.

As we age, we lose more bone than we build, increasing the risk of breaks or osteoporosis, which makes bones brittle and painful.

The Peking University team’s follow-up tests on mice also suggested sildenafil would prevent bone loss.

Dr Menglong Hu and Dr Likun Wu said: “Our findings offer new insights into the physiological effects of the medicine.

“Sildenafil enhanced stem cell osteogenic differentiation and inhibited bone loss ­— it may usefully treat osteoporosis.”

More than three million Britons suffer osteoporosis. Other treatments exist but the researchers said it would be handy to have more cheap and readily available drugs.

They said: “Any new drug must be evaluated. This is time-consuming, expensive and risky. But sildenafil is approved and safe.”

Viagra was invented as a heart drug in the 1980s before it was found to help with erectile dysfunction.

Studies have since suggested it might also reduce dementia risk.

Why You Should Think Twice Before Popping Viagra Just For Fun (1)

SEX aid pill Viagra helps stiffen your skeleton, a study suggests.The little blue tablet was found to increase production of vital bone cells — so c

Sex drug Viagra has surprising new health benefit and could help 3 million ageing Brits, say scientists

Embrace The Challenge

Keith’s note: this weekly ‘Embrace The Challenge Update’ includes a link to a site where y ou can post questions for a 25 June agency wide town hall. It asks for name an email. So I used Wehrner von Braun – [email protected] and I got in and posted “So much for cybersecurity.” FYI the comment field says “After submitting, your question will enter a moderation queue for approval” – In other words someone is going to filter the questions that Janet answers. Of course no one would ever think of censoring any of the questions that touch on certain topics. Just sayin’. Full memo below.

As we move through summer, I know many of you are balancing mission demands, upcoming transitions, and well-earned time off. I want to thank you for everything you’re doing to keep us steady – whether you’re supporting a mission milestone, planning for what’s ahead, or helping maintain continuity at your center.

As a reminder, we have an agencywide town hall scheduled for 1 p.m. EDT on Wednesday, June 25. You should have received a calendar invite, and here’s the link to submit questions online. Vanessa, Casey, Brian, and I know this is a challenging time, and we’re committed to having an open and honest conversation.

Ahead of that, I want to acknowledge the very real challenges many organizations are facing as we work through the potential for a more focused budget. These impacts vary across mission directorates, centers, and support offices, but no part of the agency is untouched. Some have asked why we’re acting now, or whether we should wait to see how Congress acts. The reality is we must make responsible choices based on the funding we are projected to receive and begin shaping the workforce toward the missions we’ve been called to do. Using voluntary tools like the Deferred Resignation Program, Voluntary Early Retirement Authority, and Voluntary Separation Incentive Payment now gives us the best chance to prepare for the next Fiscal Year without resorting to other more disruptive actions. These are NASA’s decisions, made in service of our mission, and our people.

Still, a lot continues to happen across the agency:

More than 260 stakeholders from government, industry, and academia joined our Advanced Modeling & Simulation Seminar to learn about the Launch, Ascent, and Vehicle Aerodynamics (LAVA) framework as the team gears up for its public release this fall. The framework is a computational fluid dynamics software system that can accurately simulate challenging problems central to our mission, from aircraft performance evaluation to launch environment characterization.

I signed a new agreement this week at the Paris Air Show with our longtime partners at the German Aerospace Center – DLR – that will extend our collaboration in space medicine research. As part of this effort, DLR will provide radiation sensors to fly aboard Orion during Artemis II, helping us better understand the health risks of deep space exploration.

This week, Expedition 73 aboard space station centered efforts on exercise research, spacesuit readiness, and science operations – including studying fluid behavior in microgravity using containerless liquid systems – while NASA teams on the ground continue to review the recent repair to the Zvezda module’s aft segment.

Our TRACERS mission has reached an important milestone this week. The twin spacecraft – designed to study how solar wind interacts with Earth’s magnetosphere – arrived at Vandenberg Space Force Base. They will soon be integrated with a SpaceX Falcon 9 rocket ahead of a planned July launch.

On June 13, years of space technology investments to expand commercial launch capabilities culminated in the successful maiden flight of UP Aerospace’s Spyder hypersonic rocket. The new launch system offers a low-cost vehicle to enable enhanced suborbital missions and planetary re-entry test environments.

Finally, I’d like to congratulate Rich Burns at Goddard and John Blevins at Marshall on being named 2025 Service to America Medal honorees – better known as the Sammies. Rich led the OSIRIS-REx mission, which successfully returned samples from asteroid Bennu and is helping us better understand the origins of our solar system. John, as chief engineer for SLS (Space Launch System) rocket, played a key role in the Artemis I mission and is helping us prepare for Artemis II. These awards recognize the highest levels of public service, and Rich and John’s work reflects the dedication and excellence that define our NASA team.

Embrace the Challenge,

Janet

This is not a NASA website. You might learn something. It's YOUR space agency. Get involved. Take it back. Make it work – for you.

Acting NASA Administrator Janet Petro ‘Embrace The Challenge’ Update June 20, 2025

SALT LAKE CITY – Utah public health officials announced the first case of measles to originate in the state in at least two years, urging those who may have come in contact with the person to watch closely for symptoms.

In a release, the Utah Department of Health and Human Services said it has "identified an adult from Utah County who has been diagnosed with measles." On Friday, Dr. Leisha Nolen, state epidemiologist, said the person is between 20 and 40 years old, she but did not identify the individual.

The department said the person was unvaccinated "and has no out-of-state exposures, which indicates the infection was transmitted within Utah." The release stated that the department had identified anyone else with measles as of Friday.

The department said during thier "infectious period but prior to diagnosis," the person visited "several" public places. This included the Timpanogos Regional Emergency Room on June 14 between 2:14 p.m. and 7:02 p.m., and the Parkway Health Center in Orem on June 13, though no specific time was immediately known.

Nolen said the individual visited healthcare providers due to measles symptoms and was advised to stay home to quarantine, which they reportedly did following their diagnosis.

"People who were at these sites at the same time or two hours after this person could have been exposed to measles," the department said.

Health officials urged those who may have crossed paths with the infected Utah County resident, especially those who are unvaccinated, to watch for symptoms.

"We do have to suspect there are additional measles cases in Utah," Nolen said, noting the affected individual had not traveled outside of the state, pointing to the disease originating from Utah.

"We have not been able to identify how that happened, so certainly there is some person who was able to transmit the virus to this individual. So we do think there are additional cases," Nolen said.

Related:

Utah health officials monitoring potential measles exposure in southwestern Utah Utah health officials on June 4 said they are "closely watching" another potential measles situation in the southwestern part of the state.

Measles symptoms

The department said measles symptoms appear seven to 14 days after exposure.

"People who have a high fever (higher than 102.2°F or 39°C) and a cough, runny nose or red eyes may have early stages of measles," the department said. "A rash will usually appear after four days of fever."

The rash, usually showing up first at the hairline then spreading down a person's body, is described as one of the main identifying signs of measles, Nolen said in a press conference Friday.

The department noted that a person with measles can spread the disease before symptoms occur. Health officials urged those who develop symptoms to steer clear of others and call their health care provider.

"Call first before you go to a clinic or hospital to prevent other people from exposure," the department said.

According to the department, over "90% of Utahns have been vaccinated against measles and are highly protected against infection." The department noted that infants under 1 year old cannot get the vaccine, meaning they are not protected from measles.

Nolen recommended people speak with their clinicians to track down what vaccines they've had and learn more about an option to get an antibody test that will show if antibodies are present. Nolen noted there is no danger in having additional doses of the vaccination. It is recommended that people get two doses of the vaccine to make sure they are fully protected, she said.

"Public health in Utah wants to reassure the community that immediate action is being taken to contain the situation," the department said. "We encourage those who are not vaccinated to talk to their doctor about receiving the vaccine."

Nolen said in the press conference that the last case of measles in Utah occurred two years ago, "in an international traveler."

For more information on measles, click here.

This story may be updated

Public health officials announced the first case of measles to originate in the state in at least two years.

Utah's first measles case in years reported in Utah County

Screen addiction and suicidal behaviors are linked for teens, a study shows

toggle caption Catherine McQueen/Moment RF/Getty Images

If you or someone you know is in crisis, contact the 988 Suicide & Crisis Lifeline via call, text or chat.

A new study finds that addiction to social media, mobile phones and video games is linked to a higher risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors.

The study, published in JAMA on Wednesday, looked at data on more than 4,000 kids from an ongoing longitudinal study following them for years, starting at ages 9 to 10. It found that by age 14, about a third of the kids had become increasingly addicted to social media, about a quarter had become increasingly addicted to their mobile phone and more than 40% showed signs of addiction to video games.

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"And these youth are significantly more likely to report suicidal behaviors and thoughts," says study author Yunyu Xiao , a professor at Weill Cornell Medicine in New York.

"It's an important study and raising awareness about screen addiction," says Dr. Jason Nagata , a pediatrician specializing in adolescent screen use at the University of California, San Francisco. "It shows that elements of addiction related to screen use are more strongly predictive of poorer mental health and even suicide risk compared to just screen time. So, I think that it provides more nuance."

A large study known as ABCD

Xiao and her colleagues used data from a large-scale ongoing longitudinal study called the Adolescent Brain Cognitive Development (ABCD) Study . It's been following thousands of kids over the years, and assessing them periodically for both their average daily screen time as well as for symptoms of addiction, which also allowed them to see how these addictive behaviors changed over time.

They assessed addiction with a standardized questionnaire asking them to respond to statements like, "'I spend a lot of time thinking about social media apps or planning to use the social media apps,'" explains Xiao. "'I try to use the social media app less, but I can't.' And also 'I feel stressed and or upset if I am not allowed to use my social media apps' or 'I use it so much already it has a bad effect on my schoolwork.'"

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Her team was able to group the teens based on how these answers changed over time.

With social media, they found that almost 60% had low levels of addiction to social media and that stayed stable over the years. But about a tenth had increasing addiction that peaked around year three and four of the study, and a third showed increasing addiction.

With mobile phone use, about half showed high addiction and a quarter had increasing addiction. With video games, they found only two groups — with about 60% showing low addiction that stayed stable over time, and 41% were highly addicted to it through the period.

Questions about suicidal behavior

The study also evaluated suicidal thoughts and behaviors. It uses a questionnaire that asked about passive and active thoughts of suicide, as well as any suicide attempts. At year four of the study, nearly 18% reported having had suicidal thoughts, and 5% admitted to suicidal behaviors, which includes making suicide plans and attempts.

The groups with high and increasing addiction to mobile phone and social media were associated with a higher risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors. The highly addictive group for video games also had a higher risk of suicidal thoughts and behaviors compared to the group with low addictive use. However, total screen time was not linked to a higher suicide risk.

"What surprised us is that these are substantial groups, and they are associated with 2 to 3 times [risk] of suicidal behaviors," says Xiao.

Screen time is not inherently good or bad

Researchers, educators, and parents often point to the amount of time teens spend on their screens to gauge problematic use, say Xiao and Nagata.

"We all get reports from our phones about our weekly screen time," says Nagata. "Screen time is an easily understandable metric because it's minutes or hours a day that we're spending on screens."

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But, he adds, screen time isn't inherently good or bad, so he welcomes the nuance this study adds to the conversation since it flags signs of addiction.

"Some kids might spend their time on screen reading the news, and some might be trolling some pretty dangerous sites," says psychologist Mitch Prinstein , a professor at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. "So it's really hard to know what to make of screen time as a risk factor."

That's why screen time alone is "not a helpful measure," says psychologist Mary Alvord. It's more important to understand how a teen is using their screen time.

"They may be talking to a friend, but are they talking to a friend I-R-L, or are they talking to an avatar created by AI?" says Alvord. "And are they using screens to avoid things in real life?"

Avoidance of real life is a red flag

One of the statements in the addictive use questionnaire is: "I play video games so I can forget about my problems."

"Avoidance is a key symptom of both anxiety and depression," says Alvord, and it is revelatory about a teen's mental health status and relationship with video games or screens in general.

"We're starting to really try and understand what are the specific features or the specific behaviors that might be more concerning," explains Prinstein, who has co-chaired the American Psychological Association's advisory panel on social media use in adolescents . "And the extent to which kids say, 'I can't stop even when I'm trying to. I'm having withdrawal, dependence, tolerance symptoms,' that's important."

Nagata has also used data from the ABCD study to understand how teens are using social media over time and how that's affecting their risk of mental health symptoms.

"One thing that was really striking to me is that, unfortunately, these symptoms of screen addictions are actually pretty common," says Nagata. He also found that some of the symptoms get more common over time.

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He and his colleagues found that 47.5% of 11-12 year olds said that "I lose track of how much I am using my phone," 22.5% said "I spend a lot of time thinking about social media apps or planning my use of social media apps" and 18.4% said "I use social media apps so I can forget about my problems."

By age 12-13, 25% said they use social media to forget about their problems , and 25% admitted to spending a considerable amount of time thinking about social media apps.

Using the same data from the ABCD study, he and his colleagues also found that time on social media increased for preteens over the course of the study. "At the beginning of the study, the average time was only 7 minutes a day, but four years later, the average time was over 70 minutes a day."

And the more time these kids spent on social media , the more their depressive symptoms increased.

"Parents, teachers, clinicians should be, on the lookout for warning signs for screen addictions, particularly as they may relate to higher depression risk or suicide risk in teenagers," Nagata says.



The study, published in JAMA, followed teens for years and evaluated addictive behaviors, as well as suicidality.

Screen addiction and suicidal behaviors are linked for teens, a study shows

DENVER— Psilocybin , the main psychoactive ingredient in magic mushrooms, can alleviate depression for at least five years after a single dose, a new study finds.

The research, presented June 18 at the Psychedelic Science 2025 conference in Denver, focused on patients with major depressive disorder (MDD), which is often called clinical depression. The serious mood disorder causes a persistent feeling of sadness and a loss of interest or pleasure in activities that were once enjoyable. The most common treatments for MDD include talk therapy and medications such as selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors , and both can take a long time to show any benefits.

When early studies hinted at psilocybin's potential as an antidepressant, a team of researchers undertook the first-ever randomized clinical trial to explore the use of the psychedelic for treating severe depression. The trial included 24 patients, half of whom received psilocybin at the very start of the trial and half of whom received the same dose eight weeks later—the "waitlist" group. Each patient also received 11 hours of psychotherapy.

Even in that short time frame, "there was a significant reduction in depression in the immediate-treatment group compared to those on the waitlist," study co-author Alan Davis , director of the Center for Psychedelic Drug Research and Education at The Ohio State University, told Live Science.

Once all of the patients had completed the four-week study, the psilocybin appeared to be four times more effective than traditional antidepressant medications , based on previous research data . One month after the treatment, 17 patients had relieved symptoms, including 14 who were in full remission from depression. Patients also responded much faster to psilocybin than is typical for conventional antidepressants.

But do these benefits of psilocybin last?

Related: Magic mushrooms temporarily 'dissolve' brain network responsible for sense of self

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Very few long-term studies of psilocybin for depression have been conducted to date, said Dr. Charles Raison , a professor of human ecology and psychiatry at the University of Wisconsin-Madison who was not involved in the research.

"They are very difficult to do because people drop out," Raison told Live Science in an email. "But also because they go on all sorts of other treatments that obfuscate the degree to which any longer lasting benefits result from the psychedelic or because the participant got therapy or restarted an antidepressant."

To investigate whether the benefits for psilocybin lasted and if the patients had experienced any side effects, the researchers contacted the original trial participants several years later to request their enrollment in a follow-up study. Twenty-one patients enrolled, and their clinicians rated any changes in the participants' levels of depression from before the original treatment to the present day.

The patients also filled out a series of self-reported, online questionnaires and met up with clinicians to document their ability to engage in everyday tasks, their levels of anxiety and their general mental health. The researchers assumed that the three patients that didn’t sign up for the follow up, and the three that didn’t complete the questionnaires had not remained in remission.

Even so, the researchers found that 67% of the participants who had suffered from depression half a decade earlier remained in remission after a single psychedelic therapy session. These patients also reported less anxiety and less difficulty functioning on a daily basis. In general, the two-thirds of the patients who responded well reported lasting positive changes in their mindsets, emotional health and relationships.

"I'm excited by these deeper aspects of their lives that really speaks to the importance of these interventions beyond just reduction of depression," Davis said.

Most of the patients shared that, following the original treatment, they'd engaged in self-reflection and therapy to help understand themselves and navigate life's challenges. Davis hypothesizes that the psychedelic experience catalyzes a deeper therapy process and would like to conduct future studies comparing the relative influences of psilocybin and psychotherapy in alleviating depression.

"The biggest caveat of this study is the small sample size, and the fact that the original trial showed larger antidepressant effects than subsequent larger multi-site studies seem to be showing," Raison said. In a multi-site clinical trial with 233 participants, 37% of the 79 who received a single 25 mg dose of psilocybin, coupled with psychotherapy, went into remission from major depression.

While these trials report less widespread antidepressant effects, they support the idea that psilocybin can effectively treat depression, Davis said, and he is keen to see how the findings of multi-site trials hold up five years post-treatment.

Half a decade after receiving a psychedelic treatment for depression, two-thirds of patients in a new study remained in remission.

Just 1 dose of magic mushroom compound eases depression for at least 5 years in most patients, small study suggests

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Warning: Photos of addictively smooth skin ahead.

Tired of paying for pricey in-office chemical peels? Me too. Though they’re unmatched for minimizing pores and fine lines and smoothening and brightening skin, the cost and time commitment are a bit much.

So it felt serendipitous when the editor-approved Noble Panacea Overnight Chronobiology Peel came my way. The celeb-approved skincare has graced the ageless faces of Salma Hayek and Jenna Lyons — plus supermodel Christy Turlington is such a fan, she’s even partnered with the brand.

Did my skin-goals celeb crushes know something that I didn’t?

Noble Panacea

The Overnight Chronobiology Peel is an at-home chemical peel created to work while you sleep, and each package includes eight treatments.

Made with Organic Super Molecular Vessels (OSMV), it’s designed to deliver active ingredients via tiny cells that are 10,000 times smaller than a skin cell. It also contains AHAs and BHA to target a plethora of skin woes, including fine lines, wrinkles, hyperpigmentation, acne scars, enlarged pores and uneven skin tone. (It’s meant to work with your sleep cycle, releasing soothing agents towards the end.)

Our Review

The heavy-duty sustainable packaging opens to packets of a clear, unscented gel, packed with enough product to apply on your face, neck and décolleté.

The first time I slathered it on, I immediately felt a tingle — a must for me to feel like it’s working. You leave it on for five to ten minutes before applying your regular night cream (though the instructions say don’t use it with retinol or other AHAs).

Over my 10 minutes of use, the sensation was there but not uncomfortable; it was on par with what I’ve experienced in a doctor’s office.

As I dozed off to bed, I noticed a glassy, taught look to my face. Hoping for the best, I said a little prayer, “Lord, make me glowy.”

Looking for smooth skin after my first use. Erica Radol

While I was a bit concerned that I had tried it the night before an event — and didn’t want to wake up looking burned or flaky — thankfully that wasn’t an issue; the next morning, I awoke to slightly pink cheeks, and my pores seemed to have run away, as I couldn’t find them anywhere.

Eager for more benefits, I promptly contacted Noble Panacea to ask if I must wait a full week for the next application. The brand confirmed that if the first treatment doesn’t cause much sensitivity, two times per week is fine. I gleefully applied again after four days.

My skin began to acclimate, and it was a little less spicy the second time. I followed the same steps and awoke to glowy, soft and poreless skin — now, I’m hooked. Since I’m of the baby-oil-over-SPF generation, I have plenty of sun damage that I’m hoping to say goodbye to, thanks to this peel.

Also of note? For a “peel,” my skin doesn’t peel at all, which was unexpected — routine-wise, it’s more like using a mask.

While I’ve only applied it three times thus far, based on the results, I can’t wait to finish the treatment. According to the brand’s clinical trials, the results really start showing after four uses.

The Final Verdict

Noble Panacea was developed by a Nobel-prize-winning chemist, Sir Fraser Stoddart, with a science-based approach to skincare. Despite its lab origins, the line is made with non-irritating, planet- and human-friendly ingredients and is cruelty-free.

While I’ve tested my fair share of luxe skincare as a beauty editor, this overnight treatment has me waking up like I just got my favorite Hydrofacial: smooth, bright and soft, without any real irritation.

Though not inexpensive, it certainly saves me a bundle from seeing a facialist.

If you’re looking for a gentle yet effective anti-aging treatment that can be done from the comfort of your home, consider Noble Panacea’s The Exceptional Overnight Chronobiology Peel.

Why Trust Page Six Style Shopping

This article was written by Erica Radol, Page Six Commerce Reporter. From identifying the top anti-aging skincare secrets the stars trust to pinpointing the season’s next big fashion trends to finding a great deal on all of the above, Erica has a knack for reporting on – and even testing – Hollywood’s bestselling fashion and beauty products. Before joining Page Six in 2025, she wrote about entertainment, lifestyle and shopping trends for Us Weekly, The Daily Beast, Entertainment Tonight, Well+Good and Hearst.

We tried Noble Panacea's Overnight Chronobiology Peel to see if it lives up to the hype. Salma Hayek and Christy Turlington are both fans of the brand.

I’m skipping pricey facials after trying this luxe brand’s gentle overnight peel

A knee brace appears to be one of the more effective ways to treat the pain — as well as improve function and stiffness — from osteoarthritis, the common degenerative process where the cartilage cushioning the joint deteriorates over time. Researchers in China ranked the relative effectiveness of a dozen treatments, ranging from laser and ultrasound therapy to wedged insoles and kinesiology tape, studied in 139 randomized controlled trials.

Based on the results from 9,644 participants, the simple knee brace ranked highest in effectiveness to alleviate symptoms of arthritis, the researchers concluded.

However, “the challenge,” said Prakash Jayabalan, the director of musculoskeletal research at the Shirley Ryan AbilityLab in Chicago, “is getting patients to actually wear knee braces.”

Jayabalan and other clinicians who weren’t involved in the study said knee braces can provide certain people immediate relief by supporting the load on the joint. But, some patients find braces uncomfortable to wear.

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Hydrotherapy and exercises such as weightlifting and yoga placed second and third in the meta-analysis ranking. Hydrotherapy, also known as water exercises or aquatherapy, is a treatment approach designed to improve symptoms.

And experts said staying active and maintaining a healthy weight are the most effective ways to relieve symptoms of knee osteoarthritis.

“Both of those can improve symptoms and slow the progression of arthritis,” said Morgan Jones, a sports medicine orthopedic surgeon at Mass General Brigham.

The peer-reviewed study published in PLOS One on Wednesday. It was led by Yuan Luo, a researcher in the department of rehabilitation at the First People’s Hospital of Neijiang, China, who did not respond to questions by the time of publication.

What causes knee osteoarthritis?

When cartilage in the knee breaks down, the joint is left with “bone on bone motion,” Jayabalan said. Cartilage can’t repair itself like other tissues in the body and, oftentimes, people don’t know they’ve lost the cartilage in their knee until it’s gone, he said.

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There are two common risk factors for knee arthritis — a previous knee injury such as an ACL tear and unhealthy weight gain, said Steve Messier, the director of the J.B. Snow Biomechanics Laboratory at Wake Forest University.

Every pound of additional body weight amounts to four pounds of stress on the knees when a person is walking, Messier said. Once someone has arthritis in their knee, they need to make broad lifestyle changes with regular exercise to manage the pain, he said.

“It really doesn’t matter what type of exercise you do, just so you’re being active,” Messier said. “They all will reduce pain.”

Other clinicians agree staying active is one of the best ways to relieve knee arthritis pain. It’s the first recommendation in guidelines published in 2019 from the Osteoarthritis Research Society International.

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Around 33 million U.S. adults have osteoarthritis, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. People commonly take NSAIDs such as ibuprofen to relieve the symptoms. But, these pain-relievers can damage the lining of your gut. Jayabalan said he recommends people use NSAIDs for no more than 10 days when they’re experiencing “debilitating pain” that is impacting their function.

“You should not be taking these every day,” he said.

Knee replacements have long been the gold standard for damaged joints, but it can take up to a year for some people to fully recover from surgery. Emerging alternatives target the nerves to stop the knee pain and block blood flow to reduce inflammation.

“Two people can have the same amount of structural damage in their knee and have totally different pain profiles,” said Jones, also an assistant professor of orthopedic surgery at Harvard Medical School. “The decision for knee replacement ends up being really individualized, and the focus is on the person’s symptoms.”

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What did the study find?

The knee brace ranked best on various scores of pain, stiffness and function, and had the “highest probability of being the best technique,” the researchers wrote.

Jones said a knee brace can be “very effective” in people who have arthritis in certain compartments of the knee because the brace can shift the load to another part of the joint.

“But, if somebody has arthritis throughout their knee, an unloader brace is not as likely to be helpful,” he said. “They don’t have a more-normal area to off-load the force to.”

The researchers compared a dozen interventions: low-level laser therapy, high-intensity laser therapy, transcutaneous electrical nerve stimulation, interferential current, short wave diathermy, ultrasound, lateral wedged insole, knee brace, exercise, hydrotherapy, kinesio taping and extracorporeal shock wave therapy.

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Hydrotherapy ranked second in some scores. Water buoyancy takes pressure off the knee joints and helps improve range of motion for some people, Jayabalan said.

Ultrasound pulse therapy to treat knee arthritis “remains contentious” and performed the worst across multiple scores, the researchers wrote. And, they concluded that wedged insoles, which attempt to shift the load on the knee by lifting one side of the foot, did not “outperform neutral devices in pain reduction.”

Insoles used to be a popular therapy for knee osteoarthritis but “multiple studies” have shown they don’t help, Jones said.

The study’s limitations

Many of the studies in the meta-analysis are short, six to 12 weeks, Messier said. Therefore, the results support only short-term pain relief from these treatments.

“It may relieve pain for a little while, but it’s not going to change pain in the long run,” Messier said. “The most effective thing they have here is exercise.”

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Jayabalan said none of the studies are looking at whether the treatments led to mechanistic improvements in the knee — “they were not regrowing cartilage, or something like that.” Instead, the studies recorded clinical observations that these treatments may provide a potential benefit.

Knee braces, hydrotherapy and exercise are some of the most effective ways to address arthritis-related knee pain and stiffness, a new study shows.

These may be the 3 most effective non-drug ways to treat knee arthritis

Bats carry an assortment of viruses, including infectious diseases that have jumped into humans in a process known as zoonotic spillover. In some cases, the aerial mammals have infected people directly. But in other cases, scientists believe, bats have passed deadly viruses onto other animal species, which subsequently infected humans.

A remarkable new video from Uganda provides direct visual evidence of many different wild animals interacting with wild bats, revealing just how many opportunities there are for potentially deadly bat viruses to jump into new species. It was published along with a paper posted online on Monday but not yet peer reviewed.

On Feb. 17, Bosco Atukwatse, a young Ugandan wildlife biologist working with the Kyambura Lion Project, set up solar-powered camera traps near the mouth of Python Cave in the Maramagambo Forest, in Queen Elizabeth National Park in Uganda. He was collecting data about leopards and spotted hyenas in the forest.

Through a mixture of what he called “curiosity and luck,” he filmed far more than leopards. Hundreds of nights of footage revealed a steady procession of 13 additional predator species, among them large-spotted genets, African civets, African fish eagles, African rock pythons, L’Hoest’s monkeys and baboons. Python Cave is home to as many as 50,000 Egyptian fruit bats, and the predators emerged from the cave with a winged snack, which they either hunted or scavenged, in their mouths.

Video from a national park in Uganda depicted a parade of predatory species feeding on and dispersing fruit bats that are known natural reservoirs of infectious diseases.

Bat Cave Footage Offers Clues to How Viruses Leap Between Species

A landmark discovery by scientists has uncovered a common genetic fault linked to autism—raising hopes for a new generation of targeted treatments.

While it has long been understood that autism often runs in families, exactly how inherited changes in DNA lead to the condition has remained unclear.

Now, researchers at Kobe University in Japan have found that many of the mutations associated with autism appear to disrupt the brain's natural 'maintenance' system—the internal process that clears out waste and damaged material, allowing brain cells to function as they should.

When this clean-up system fails, as the study suggests it does in many cases of autism, waste begins to build up inside nerve cells, damaging their ability to send and receive signals.

This breakdown may help explain some of the core features of autism, including difficulties with learning, language and social interaction.

The research, published in Cell Genomics, focused on identifying what different high-risk genetic variants actually do inside the brain.

Scientists have known for years that certain genetic mutations are more common in people with autism—but until now, there was no standardised way to study the effects of those mutations in the lab.

To solve this, the Kobe team created a library of 63 specially engineered cell lines—groups of cells grown in the lab that are genetically identical, allowing researchers to conduct consistent experiments.

Scientists have uncovered a common genetic fault linked to autism—raising hopes for a new generation of targeted treatments. Pictured, activist Greta Thunberg, who has the condition

Autism often runs in families, but exactly how inherited changes in DNA lead to the condition has remained unclear. Pictured, billionaire Tesla founder Elon Musk, who has the condition

Each line carried one of the genetic mutations most strongly associated with autism spectrum conditions (ASC).

These cells were created using mouse embryonic stem cells—taken from early-stage mouse embryos—which have the unique ability to develop into any kind of tissue in the body, including brain cells.

No human embryos were used.

To introduce the mutations, the scientists used CRISPR, a gene-editing technology that allows precise changes to DNA.

It enabled the team to effectively model autism in the lab—creating what some researchers describe as 'autism in a dish.'

From these modified cells, the team was able to grow various types of brain tissue—and even generate adult mice with the same mutations—giving them a powerful way to study how genetic changes affect both brain structure and behaviour over time.

What they found was striking. Across many of the mutations, a common problem emerged: the brain's waste-disposal system wasn't working properly.

Brain cells—particularly neurons, which carry electrical signals and control thought, emotion, and behaviour—were struggling to get rid of faulty internal components.

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As the study puts it, 'a lack of quality control of these proteins may be a causal factor of neuronal defects.'

The authors note this is 'particularly interesting since the local production of proteins is a unique feature in neurons.'

In simple terms, neurons are constantly producing new components to help them send messages.

But if they can't clear out old or broken parts, the system becomes clogged and starts to malfunction—potentially disrupting the brain networks that support communication, learning and social development.

The implications may go beyond autism.

Many of the same genetic mutations are also found in people with other mental health conditions, such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

As the authors note: 'Interestingly, the genetic variants we studied are also implicated in other neuropsychiatric disorders such as schizophrenia and bipolar disorder.

'So, this library may be useful for studying other conditions as well.'

The research, published in Cell Genomics, focused on identifying what different high-risk genetic variants actually do inside the brain

The researchers hope that by better understanding what these mutations do, scientists will be able to identify new drug targets—and eventually, develop treatments tailored to a person's unique genetic profile.

While any clinical application is still likely years away, the discovery marks a turning point in autism research—moving beyond simply spotting risk genes to uncovering the biological chain of events that may cause the condition in the first place.

It follows soaring rates of autism—with a 787 per cent rise in the number of diagnoses in the UK between 1998 and 2019 reported in a 2021 study.

Last month NHS data showed that more than 200,000 people—triple that in 2021—are waiting for an autism assessment in England.

Famous figures with ASC include environmental activist Greta Thunberg, 22, and billionaire entrepreneur Elon Musk, 53, founder of Tesla and owner of X (formerly Twitter).

As the condition affects people in many different ways, some autistic individuals do not view it as an illness requiring a 'cure'.

Instead, they see it as a difference—one that should be understood and accommodated, rather than treated or fixed.

The Kobe University research is not the first to examine genetic links to the condition to provide an answers.

Earlier this year, experts found some cases of autism may be caused by the genetic condition myotonic dystrophy type 1 (DM1).

Those with the little-known genetic condition were found to be 14 times more likely to develop autism.

Other studies have suggested environmental factors could be a potential cause of autism.

Last year, research found a common plastic additive found in everything from pacifiers to metal foods had been linked to an increased risk of autism in boys.

It found that higher levels of chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in a pregnant mother's urine more than tripled the chances a young boy developing autism symptoms by the age of two.

Those same boys were six times more likely to be diagnosed with autism by age 11 — compared to those whose mothers had lower BPA levels during pregnancy.

The chemical BPA is intended to harden plastics and prevent metals from rusting, among other uses.

It has also been dubbed a 'gender-bending' chemical due to its apparent role spurring hormonal and sexual disruptions in humans, fish and other species.

While it has long been understood that autism often runs in families, exactly how inherited changes in DNA lead to the condition has remained unclear.

Experts FINALLY pinpoint cause of autism - landmark discovery paves the way for drug treatments

Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with any advertisers on this site. The abundance in Black skin of melanin, the pigment that gives skin its color, offers extra protection from damaging ultraviolet rays. That makes Black people less likely than White people to get melanoma, the most dangerous skin cancer.

But that fact comes with a tragic footnote: Black people who are diagnosed with melanoma are about five times as likely as White people to die within five years.

That dramatic difference is largely the result of late diagnoses, likely caused in large part by a lack of awareness about how melanoma typically presents on Black bodies.

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If we know how and where to look for the disease, in other words, fewer of us will die of it.

The other form of melanoma

Reggae pioneer Bob Marley’s death at the age of 36 is a cautionary tale of delayed detection. A dark spot under his toenail that Marley believed to be the result of a soccer injury was eventually diagnosed as acral lentiginous melanoma.

ALM is an aggressive cancer that usually appears as a freckle or dark brown spot or patch on the palms or the soles of the feet, or as a band running lengthwise under a nail — rather than on parts of the body that are more exposed to sunlight, where melanoma is usually found on lighter skin. Though it can occur in anyone, ALM is the most common type of malignant melanoma among people with darker skin tones.

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Why does ALM often go unrecognized until it’s too late? For starters, the characteristics of ALM aren’t covered under the widely disseminated early detection strategy known as the ABCDEs of melanoma, which since 1985 has encouraged the public to check for moles that are: Asymmetrical; have blurry, scalloped or jagged Borders; are multi- or haphazardly Colored; are larger than 6 millimeters in Diameter (a little bigger than a pencil eraser); or Evolve in size, shape or feeling. (ALM has its own diagnostic acronym, which we’ll get to below.)

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Dermatologists should know to look for ALM, of course, especially when examining people of color. But it seems the medical community may not be doing a good enough job spreading the word among practitioners. A 2012 study in the journal Dermatology Clinic reported that in a recent survey, 47 percent of dermatologists and dermatology residents reported that their medical school or residency program offered inadequate training on skin conditions in Black people. It wasn’t until a decade later that the American Academy of Dermatology introduced the Skin of Color Curriculum to train residents and practicing dermatologists on dermatologic conditions of the skin, hair and nails in patients with skin of color.

The problem seems to be compounded by a consistent lack of images in dermatology textbooks and a lack of skin-of-color-focused articles in top dermatology journals. (When I did a Google image search using the query “What does skin cancer look like?” I had to scroll through 10 pages of results before a single image of a Black person appeared.)

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“Because there are a dearth of images of skin cancer on dark skin, doctors and patients are less aware of what it looks like, leading to delays in recognition and treatment,” says Adewole Adamson, board-certified dermatologist and assistant professor in the department of internal medicine at Dell Medical School at the University of Texas at Austin.

Efforts are underway to address the issue. On Instagram, for example, Brown Skin Matters encourages its 118,000 followers to submit photos to create an image bank of what various dermatological conditions look like on skin of color. It was started by a mother who searched online for “eczema on infant” and noticed that none of the images she found looked like her biracial son’s symptoms. And in 2020, an international team of medical educators launched Skin Deep, a free, open-access medical education resource featuring photographs of dermatological conditions on a range of skin tones.

A lack of diversity among dermatologists may also play a role in delaying ALM diagnoses. One 2020 JAMA study shows improved patient experience when physicians shared a racial/ethnic background with their patients. Yet only 3 percent of dermatologists in the United States are Black, while Black people make up 13 percent of the population.

How to check for ALM

Regardless of the reasons for delayed ALM diagnoses, there are simple ways anyone can decrease their own risk. Early detection is key. Here’s what to do:

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Perform regular self-checks. The AAD recommends using a full-length mirror to check your entire body for spots, moles, discoloration, rough or dry patches, and sores that won’t heal or that heal and then return. A handheld mirror will let you examine hard-to-see areas like the top of the head, back, groin, buttocks and behind the ears. (You can also enlist help from a loved one.) And ask your barber or hairdresser to tell you if they notice any new or odd-looking growths or spots on your scalp.

Check areas that usually are covered. Keep in mind that skin cancer in darker-skin populations most often develops on the soles of the feet, palms of the hands and nail beds, says Andrew Alexis, dermatologist at Weill Cornell Medicine.

In 2010, a panel of podiatrists and dermatologists developed a clinical guide to aid in early identification of melanomas on the feet and nails known as CUBED, which is detailed below.

What to look for

The standard early detection strategy for spotting dangerous melanomas on the skin is not effective at detecting ALM, which typically manifests as a freckle or dark brown spot on the palms, soles of the feet or nail beds. To encourage early ALM detection, experts created the acronym CUBED.

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C: Colored lesions where any part is a different color.

U: Uncertain diagnosis or a lesion without a clear clinical diagnosis.

B: Bleeding lesions on the foot or under the nail.

E: Enlargement of a lesion.

D: Delay in healing of any lesion beyond two months.

A few other things to keep in mind: Although it can occur on any toenail, ALM has a tendency to develop on the big toe, according to the AIM at Melanoma Foundation. Pay close attention to any narrow dark streaks in a nail not caused by an accident. On the surface of the foot, an ALM lesion could be flat, even as the tumor grows deep into the skin. The Foundation also cautions that thickening ALM is sometimes mistaken for a plantar wart on the sole of the foot and can make walking painful.

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Keeping a close watch on your own body parts is critical, but if you use a manicurist or pedicurist, they can also be helpful in spotting abnormalities on your hands and feet and under the nails.

Find a dermatologist who is familiar with darker skin. Various institutions and individuals are working to bring dermatologists up to speed when it comes to communities of color. The Skin of Color Society is a member organization with a directory of physicians and board-certified dermatologists promoting awareness in skin-of-color dermatology. And there are a growing number of academic “ethnic skin centers” in the U.S. that focus on the care and research of conditions common among people of color, preparing residents to treat skin of color and educating the medical community and public.

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Protect your skin from the sun. Recognizing that Black people tend to get melanomas on body parts that solar rays don’t typically reach is important, but dark-skinned people still must protect themselves from direct sunlight. Even the darkest skin has a natural sun protection factor of only 13, according to the Dermatology Education Foundation — while the AAD recommends correct consistent use of broad-spectrum, water-resistant sunscreen with an SPF of at least 30.

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For some people of color, sunscreen is a hard sell. “The acceptance of sunscreen use by people with skin of color has been at least in part affected by challenges finding sunscreen formulations that do not leave a visible cast,” Alexis says. Sunscreen can manifest on darker complexions as a white overtone that makes skin look like a powdered doughnut — but some are better than others in this respect. In a Consumer Reports evaluation, 83 people with olive to deep-brown complexions were asked to judge the look and feel of 21 sunscreens on their skin. The participants found several products that absorbed quickly and did not make their skin look chalky or ashy, including Black Girl Sunscreen Kids Spray & Play SPF 50 and Supergoop Play Everyday Lotion SPF 50.

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Of course, limiting your skin’s exposure to the sun, by either staying in the shade or wearing protective clothing, can also mitigate the risk of developing skin cancer.

Copyright 2024, Consumer Reports Inc.

For Black people, surviving skin cancer begins with knowing what to look for — and where to look.

Too often, Black patients get late diagnoses of deadly skin cancer

Sherri Pender, right, receives her COVID-19 vaccination from nurse Breiona Lang at a Kaiser Permanente clinic in Venice in September.

• COVID rising in wastewater in parts of California

• New subvariant, ‘Nimbus,’ increasingly dominant nationally

• Concerns rise about Trump’s appointees making vaccine access more difficult

COVID-19 appears to be on the rise in some parts of California as a new, highly contagious subvariant — featuring “razor blade throat” symptoms overseas — is becoming increasingly dominant.

Nicknamed “Nimbus,” the new subvariant NB.1.8.1 has been described in news reports in China as having more obvious signs of “razor blade throat” — what patients describe as feeling like their throats are studded with razor blades.

Although “razor blade throat” may seem like a new term, the description of incredibly painful sore throats associated with COVID-19 has emerged before in the United States, like having a throat that feels like it’s covered with shards of glass. But the increased attention to this symptom comes as the Nimbus subvariant has caused surges of COVID-19 in other countries.

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“Before Omicron, I think most people presented with the usual loss of taste and smell as the predominant symptom and shortness of breath,” said Dr. Peter Chin-Hong, a UC San Francisco infectious-disease expert. But as COVID has become less likely to require hospitalization, “people are focusing on these other aspects of symptoms,” such as an extraordinarily painful sore throat.

Part of the Omicron family, Nimbus is now one of the most dominant coronavirus subvariants nationally. For the two-week period that ended June 7, Nimbus comprised an estimated 37% of the nation’s coronavirus samples, now roughly even with the subvariant LP.8.1, probably responsible for 38% of circulating virus. LP.8.1 has been dominant over the past few months, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

California A new COVID subvariant spreads rapidly as Trump pivots away from vaccines A new, highly transmissible COVID subvariant has been detected in California — heightening the risk of a summer wave as recent moves by the Trump administration threaten to make vaccines harder to get, and more expensive, for many Americans, some health experts warn.

The Nimbus subvariant has also been increasing since May in California, the state Department of Public Health said in an email to the Los Angeles Times. Projections suggest the Nimbus subvariant comprises 55% of circulating virus in California, up from observations of just 2% in April, the agency said.

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The rate at which coronavirus tests are coming back with positive results across California is now 2.8%. That’s up from the seasonal low of 1.1% reported in March, the California Department of Public Health said.

“We are seeing some indicators of increased COVID-19 activity, including the rise of the NB.1.8.1 variant, elevated coronavirus levels in wastewater, and an uptick in the test positivity rate,” Dr. Elizabeth Hudson, regional chief of infectious diseases for Kaiser Permanente Southern California, wrote in an email to The Times.

“Wastewater surveillance across Southern California shows variability: Santa Barbara watersheds are reporting moderate-to-high levels, Ventura and Los Angeles counties are seeing low-to-moderate levels, Riverside is reporting low levels, while San Bernardino is experiencing high activity,” Hudson said.

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While viral concentrations remain relatively low, Los Angeles County has observed an increase in coronavirus levels in sewage, the local Department of Public Health told The Times. For the 10-day period that ended May 30 — the most recent available — viral levels in wastewater rose by 13% versus a comparable period that ended May 9.

In addition, there is a slight increase in the rate in which COVID surveillance tests are turning up positive in L.A. County. For the most recent week, 5% of COVID surveillance tests showed positive results for infection, up from 3.8% in early May. COVID-related visits to the emergency room remain low in Los Angeles County.

There were still low rates of COVID-19 illness in San Francisco, the local Department of Public Health said.

Yet coronavirus levels in wastewater in Northern California’s most populous county, Santa Clara County, are starting to increase, “just as they have over past summers,” the local Public Health Department said in an email to The Times. As of Monday, coronavirus levels in the sewershed of San José was considered “high.” Viral levels were “medium” in Palo Alto and “low” in Sunnyvale. Nimbus is the most common subvariant in the county.

Across California, coronavirus levels in wastewater are at a “medium” level; the last time viral levels were consistently “low” was in April, according to the state Department of Public Health’s website.

“Future seasonal increases in disease levels are likely,” the California Department of Public Health said in an email to The Times.

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The uptick in COVID comes as many medical professional organizations and some state and local health officials are objecting to the Trump administration’s recent moves on vaccine policy, which some experts fear will make it more difficult for people to get vaccinated against COVID-19 and other diseases.

Federal officials in May weakened the CDC’s official recommendations from recommending the COVID vaccine to everyone age 6 months and up. The CDC now offers “no guidance” on whether healthy pregnant women should get the COVID vaccine, and now asks that parents of healthy children talk with a healthcare provider before asking that their kids get inoculated.

The American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists issued a rebuke of the changing vaccine recommendations for pregnant women, accusing the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services — led by the vaccine-skeptic secretary, Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — of “propagating misinformation.” The American Pharmacists Assn. wrote that dropping the vaccine recommendation for pregnant women did “not appear to be based on the scientific evidence provided over the last few years.”

And an open letter by 30 organizations specializing in health — including the American Medical Assn. — said that “we must continue to prioritize high levels of COVID-19 vaccine coverage in pregnant patients to protect them and their infants after birth.”

Chin-Hong said he recommends pregnant women get vaccinated “one million percent.”

“The data are incredibly clear that pregnant women do have a higher rate of complications, hospitalization and premature births when they did not get vaccinated [against COVID] compared to the ones that did,” said Dr. Yvonne Maldonado, an infectious-disease expert at Stanford University. The vaccines also help newborns, as antibodies generated by the mom-to-be cross the placenta, and can protect the newborn for a certain number of months, she said.

That’s essential protection, given that newborns can’t be vaccinated under 6 months of age, Maldonado said. If newborns are infected, they have relatively high rates of hospitalization — as high as those age 65 and over, Maldonado said.

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Then, last week, Kennedy abruptly fired all members of a highly influential committee that advises the CDC on vaccine policy. In an op-ed to the Wall Street Journal, Kennedy criticized the previous members of the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices, founded in 1964, as being “plagued with persistent conflicts of interest and has become little more than a rubber stamp for any vaccine.”

Maldonado, a professor in pediatric infectious diseases and epidemiology, was one of the fired vaccine advisors. She called their mass dismissal unprecedented in the history of the ACIP.

“We are absolutely in uncharted territory here,” Maldonado said. “I think it’s going to be really hard to understand what vaccines are going to go forward. ... They’re also going to review the entire vaccination schedule.”

World & Nation Dismissed members of CDC vaccine committee call Kennedy’s actions ‘destabilizing’ Kennedy last week announced he would “retire” the entire panel that guides U.S. vaccine policy. He also quietly removed Dr. Melinda Wharton — the veteran Centers for Disease Control and Prevention official who coordinated the committee’s meetings.

In general, routine review of vaccine schedules are a good thing, and prior reviews have concluded that the current recommended shots are safe and effective, Maldonado said. But the criteria being circulated by recently appointed federal officials “could actually wind up refusing to recommend, say, measles vaccine or HPV vaccine, because I’ve seen some of the misinformation that has been out there about some of these vaccines. ...

“And if any of that is accepted as truth, we could wind up losing some of these vaccines,” Maldonado said.

“The question, then, is: ‘Would those vaccines disappear?’ ... Hard to know,” she said. But it’s also possible that federal officials could begin to stop paying for certain vaccines to be administered to children of low-income families.

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A federal notice said that a meeting of the newly appointed immunization committee, which will meet June 25-27, will schedule “recommendation votes” for a number of inoculations, including the COVID-19, human papillomavirus (HPV), flu, respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) and meningococcal vaccines.

Maldonado rejected Kennedy’s characterization of the committee as a rubber stamp for vaccine makers. “Generally, a decision to not pursue a vaccine happens usually well before anything gets to a vote,” Maldonado said.

Writing in an op-ed in the Journal of the American Medical Assn., Maldonado and the other fired vaccine advisors said Monday that Kennedy’s actions, and the recent reduction of CDC staff assigned to vaccine policy, “have left the U.S. vaccine program critically weakened. These actions have stripped the program of the institutional knowledge and continuity that have been essential to its success over decades.”

A joint statement by the governors of California, Oregon and Washington condemned Kennedy’s dismissal of the vaccine advisors as “deeply troubling for the health of the nation” and defended the fired vaccine advisors as having been “carefully screened for major conflicts of interest.”

“We have grave concerns about the integrity and transparency of upcoming federal vaccine recommendations and will continue to collaborate to ensure that science and sound medicine prevail to prevent any loss of life,” Gov. Gavin Newsom said in a statement Thursday.

Traditionally, the advisory committee’s recommendations on who should get vaccinated were adopted by the director of the CDC.

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“It was one of the most depressing weeks in American health ... a dark period for everyone right now, and demoralizing,” said Chin-Hong, of UC San Francisco. “It’s very destabilizing.”

California A pediatrician’s dilemma: Should a practice kick out unvaccinated kids? Keeping an unvaccinated child as a patient could give pediatricians the chance to educate families on vaccines but may also expose more kids to preventable diseases.

The American Academy of Pediatrics called the purge of the vaccine advisors “an escalating effort by the administration to silence independent medical expertise and stoke distrust in lifesaving vaccines.” Kennedy’s handpicked replacements include people known for their criticism of vaccines, the Associated Press reported.

The mass firing “likely puts vaccine access and insurance coverage at serious risk,” the L.A. County Department of Public Health said in a statement. “It corrodes trust in the recommended schedule for vaccines, not only by the public, but by medical providers who rely on the ACIP for science-based, apolitical guidance.”

The departments of public health for California, Oregon and Washington said they “continue to recommend all individuals age 6 months and older should have access and the choice to receive currently authorized COVID-19 vaccines, with an emphasis on protecting higher risk individuals, such as infants and toddlers, pregnant individuals, and others with risks for serious disease.”

The L.A. County Department of Public Health said in a statement that, “at this time in Los Angeles County, current vaccine recommendations for persons aged 6 months and older to receive the COVID-19 vaccine remain in effect and insurance coverage for COVID-19 vaccines is still in place.”

COVID-19 appears to be on the rise in some parts of California as a new, highly contagious subvariant — featuring 'razor blade throat' symptoms overseas — is becoming increasingly dominant.

COVID ‘razor blade throat’ rises as new subvariant spreads in California

Your gut impacts digestion, immunity, mood and even how long you live—it's that vital.

Mint supports gut health by easing cramps, reducing inflammation and fighting bad bacteria.

Use fresh mint leaves or tea to gently aid digestion. Just be cautious if you have acid reflux.

Gut health is a hot topic—and, quite frankly, for good reason. Your gastrointestinal system doesn’t just digest your food, it also houses your unique microbiome, or the trillions of bacteria and microbes that reside within your gut. To say it’s kind of a big deal would be an understatement.

Whether you struggle with a digestive condition like irritable bowel syndrome (IBS) or you’re simply a health enthusiast who is eager to care for your gut health, we’ve got you covered. Leading gut-health dietitians have shared their No.1 herb to add to your diet if gut health is on your radar.

Why Is Gut Health Important?

Feeling sick, tired, fatigued, irritable, moody? If any of these sound like something you’ve experienced before, then it’s time to take a closer look at your gut health. Feeding and fueling your microbiome to the fullest is crucial for not only your physical well-being, but your mental well-being, too.

Research shows a direct impact of the gut on both health and disease–even suggesting that a healthy microbiome plays a role in longevity. One study found that people who tend to live the longest consume more fiber, and as a result, have microbiomes that resemble those of much younger people. (It’s safe to say that fiber is our favorite F-word!)

“Prioritizing a healthy gut is crucial for several reasons, including digestive efficiency, immune support and mental health and mood regulation,” says Jessie Wong, RDN, a gut-health dietitian and founder of Poopedia, a website devoted to improving poop consistency. “Having a healthy gut optimizes the breakdown and absorption of nutrients, ensuring that the body gets the essential vitamins and minerals it needs for overall health and functioning,” she says.

In addition, gut health is also important for disease prevention and management. “Given the microbiome is responsible for the inflammatory response, it’s crucial to optimize your gut health to prevent chronic inflammation that can occur in diseases like cardiovascular disease and diabetes,” says Beth Rosen, M.S., RD, owner of Beth Rosen Nutrition. “Plus, a balanced microbiome can help to reduce constipation, diarrhea, gas and bloating in digestive disease diagnoses,” she says.

Health Benefits of Mint

This small but mighty herb packs a flavorful punch of nutrition in every bite. According to gut-health experts, mint is the No. 1 herb you need to add to your eating plan.

But, just why is this popular flavor in toothpaste and chewing gum so stellar when it comes to gut health? Mint has properties that help reduce inflammation and stomach cramping and can kill harmful microorganisms, says Wong.

Mint is the general term given to the family of plants that exhibit that minty-fresh feeling you’ve come to know. While two of the most common forms of mint you’ve likely encountered include spearmint and peppermint, the latter is the one most frequently encountered when you hear mint and gut health combined.

In fact, research has found that peppermint oil, for example, can help relieve digestive discomfort in people who have IBS, as well as quell indigestion—and it’s been shown to be safe to use for short-term relief. “Mint’s antispasmodic properties help relax the muscles of the digestive tract, while its anti-inflammatory and antimicrobial effects promote a balanced gut environment,” says Wong.

It is worth noting that doses used in research don’t exactly translate to the same mint we’d use in a kitchen. Meaning you can’t expect a leaf of mint to alleviate symptoms associated with IBS overnight. However, drinking mint tea has been used to alleviate stomach pain and nausea. If you are interested in using something stronger, like peppermint oil, talk to a healthcare professional before using supplements to make sure they’re safe for you.

Mint is a great choice, but it’s not the only herb that bodes well for your GI tract. “Other herbs like ginger, turmeric and fennel also offer substantial benefits. It’s essential to adopt a holistic approach, incorporating a variety of herbs and foods to support overall gut health,” says Wong.

Tips for Including Mint in a Healthy Eating Pattern

Adding fresh mint into a healthy eating pattern doesn’t require a trip to a specialist. “While using fresh mint leaves may not reproduce the same effects seen in clinical trials, it still adds a refreshing flavor to dishes,” says Wong.

With that in mind, Wong recommends clients use three to five fresh mint leaves in recipes. “This amount is a good starting point for adding freshness and a mild digestive benefit to their meals,” says Wong.

Rosen agrees, adding that peppermint can also be steeped as a tea. One thing to keep in mind is being careful with mint if you have acid reflux. Mint can be a trigger for GERD (gastroesophageal reflux disease), especially if you consume a lot of it. Understanding how mint affects you will be important for deciding how to include it in your eating plan. “While this may irritate those with GERD, for others it can help alleviate indigestion and nausea,” says Wong.

To get you started on your journey using mint in your own kitchen, first and foremost, store it properly. This can be done on the counter or in the fridge, as long as you follow these tips for storing fresh mint.

Our Expert Take

Mint is a powerful herb that has shown to have beneficial properties that bode well for gut health. Not only is it easy to toss into recipes during the summer months, it’s also a wonderful flavor enhancer to upgrade water. Consider stocking up on fresh mint and other herbs and spices during your next grocery haul and, we promise, your gut will thank you.



Looking to improve your gut health? See what herb dietitians say will improve your digestion, including less stomach pain and nausea.

The #1 Herb for Better Gut Health, According to Dietitians

Fenugreek, known scientifically as Trigonella foenum-graecum, has long been valued for its dense nutritional content.

It contains a notable amount of protein, fiber, and magnesium that can help meet daily needs without complicated meal planning. Many traditions have used these seeds for their subtle taste and nourishing properties.

Muhammad H. Alu’datt, lead author of a recent study on fenugreek and its impact on human health, noted that fenugreek offers a unique combination of macronutrients and minerals that support daily health.

The researchers highlighted that the seeds are especially rich in protein, magnesium, and soluble fiber, which can aid in muscle maintenance, blood sugar control, and digestion.

Early uses of fenugreek seeds

Fenugreek’s history crosses multiple cultures. Some groups enjoy it as a cooking spice, while others appreciate its practical uses in daily life.

Today, its popularity is growing because newer findings suggest these seeds might promote healthy muscle upkeep. One reason is the protein content, which helps maintain tissues vital for movement or exercise recovery.

A steady magnesium intake is just as important for anyone trying to stay active. Fenugreek seeds offer this mineral in amounts that make it easier to reach the recommended daily target.

Researchers have associated magnesium with basic metabolic reactions and muscle relaxation. This connection means that those who include fenugreek in their diets might notice fewer nagging muscle strains during busy weeks.

Fenugreek packs a nutritional punch

Fenugreek has more than protein and magnesium. The first mention of galactomannan in fenugreek highlights the presence of a type of soluble fiber.

This component seems to support a balanced digestive system by regulating intestinal movement.

Experts say the seeds also provide additional minerals, like iron and potassium, though magnesium often takes the spotlight for its role in muscle control.

Some find fenugreek seeds a bit chewy and slightly aromatic, especially when lightly crushed. Toasting them in a dry pan helps soften their sharper notes.

People who prefer milder textures can soak them overnight and blend them into dips for an easy way to boost daily protein.

Muscle support and normal digestion

A balanced diet with plenty of protein often supports muscle tissue. Fenugreek participates as an excellent plant-based source that contains amino acids, which may aid in muscle repair.

Those dealing with a hectic schedule can toss these seeds into rice dishes or soups. Substituting other condiments with crushed fenugreek seeds may enhance taste and add a nutrient advantage.

Fiber in fenugreek seeds also promotes satiety, which can help manage portion sizes. Combined with water, certain components in these seeds expand and encourage a feeling of comfortable fullness.

A calmer digestive experience often follows, because fiber is linked to a steady glycemic response as well.

The result is more stable energy, which comes in handy for maintaining an active routine.

Everyday pointers for using fenugreek

Ground fenugreek powder goes well with marinades or rubs on lean meat. It can also flavor vegetarian stews, giving them a subtle, savory edge.

Some prefer a cooled fenugreek “tea,” steeped briefly to highlight its mild, nutty essence. Others go for fenugreek sprouts in salads or sandwiches, which add an extra crunch packed with vitamins.

Alu’datt and colleagues emphasized that moderate daily intake of fenugreek can contribute to muscle support and digestion.

They recommended consistent use in small amounts, but cautioned that guidance from a health professional is essential before introducing new ingredients into a regular diet.

Nursing mothers and fenugreek seeds

Fenugreek may also help women during breastfeeding. In a clinical trial with 78 nursing mothers, those who consumed fenugreek seed tea reported increased milk supply.

Babies in that group showed improved growth in weight, length, and head circumference compared to those in the control group.

This seed may also play a role in blood sugar balance. Another recent study involving 62 people with type 2 diabetes showed that taking fenugreek powder twice daily for two months led to reduced blood glucose and body mass index.

Researchers believe this effect comes from the seed’s high soluble fiber, which can slow sugar absorption and blunt post-meal spikes.

Improves well-being

Frequent bloating or other digestive troubles motivate many individuals to look for plant foods that are less burdensome. Fenugreek’s soluble fiber might soothe common issues.

It can support the microbiota that line the gut, which may encourage both nutrient absorption and comfort after meals.

Many simply appreciate how fenugreek offers variety in the kitchen. Livening up everyday staples with an extra layer of flavor encourages healthy eating.

The seeds might also suit those exploring legume-based diets, since fenugreek belongs to the same family as lentils and beans.

Sensible measures and professional advice

Healthy adults often do well with moderate amounts of fenugreek, but cautious steps are wise for some. If individuals have special conditions, it’s good to speak with a dietitian or physician before altering meals.

Most find no problems when integrating fenugreek into a varied diet. A steady intake of these seeds can complement a plan that includes quality proteins, vegetables, and fruits.

Athletes and those who train regularly sometimes find fenugreek beneficial due to its high protein content. It’s considered a simple way to refuel muscles without an abrupt shift in meal routines.

Adding water-rich vegetables with fenugreek seeds can also enhance hydration, which is valuable during intense exercise.

The study is published in the Journal of Food Science.

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A study reveals that fenugreek seeds, rich in protein, fiber and magnesium, benefit muscles, digestion, glycemic control and daily health.

This seed is rich in protein, magnesium, and helps grow muscle mass

Vegan diets are on the rise—but a growing body of research raises unexpected questions about their impact on mental health. A closer look at the data reveals patterns that many haven’t yet considered.

While plant-based diets continue to surge in popularity, a comprehensive review published in Cureus reveals a troubling pattern that deserves attention. The research, which analyzed 18 studies involving over 160,000 participants, found that people following vegan diets face significantly higher risks of depression, anxiety, and other mental health challenges than their omnivorous counterparts.

The numbers are stark. According to the Cureus review, vegans showed a 35.2% lifetime prevalence of depression compared to 19.1% in meat-eaters. For anxiety disorders, the gap was similarly pronounced: 31.5% lifetime prevalence in vegans versus 18.4% in meat-eaters. Perhaps most tellingly, 11 of the 18 studies examined found that meat-free diets were associated with worse psychological health.

These findings align with a meta-analysis published in Nutrition Reviews, which found that vegans and vegetarians were at more than double the risk for depression compared to omnivores, with an odds ratio of 2.142.

What's driving this mental health crisis? Researchers point to several critical nutrient deficiencies endemic in unsupplemented vegan diets, with vitamin B12 deficiency emerging as a primary concern. The Cureus review notes that this essential nutrient, found almost exclusively in animal products, plays a crucial role in neurological function and mood regulation. Low B12 levels have been directly linked to neurologic and hematologic problems.

The implications extend beyond mood disorders. Research published in Molecular Nutrition & Food Research suggests that B12 deficiency may increase cancer risk. The study found that "a B12 deficiency leads to increased uracil misincorporation, leading to impaired DNA synthesis and genomic instability," and causes "global hypomethylation of DNA, a hallmark of early carcinogenesis."

But B12 isn't the only concern. The Cureus review identifies multiple nutrients commonly deficient in vegan diets: zinc, which has poor bioavailability in plant foods and is linked to depression; iron, as non-heme iron from plants is less bioavailable than heme iron from meat; and vitamin D and calcium, with insufficient intake linked to increased fracture risk and potential mood disorders.

Perhaps most concerning is the emergence of orthorexia nervosa—an obsessive fixation on "healthy" eating—among vegan populations. The Cureus review notes that "vegetarian, and vegan, women are more prone than males to have disordered eating attitudes and practices."

This observation is supported by research published in Eating and Weight Disorders, which found that individuals following a vegan diet showed higher levels of orthorexic behaviors compared to omnivores. The researchers observed that "a vegan diet might become a guise for disordered eating, including for orthorexia nervosa, and might provide an excuse for following food rules that result in the removal of whole food groups."

Certain populations appear particularly vulnerable. According to the Cureus review, women "notably appeared to be adversely impacted by mental disorders such as stress." The research also raises serious concerns about pregnant women, finding that "the vegan diet was substantially linked with an elevated risk of small-for-gestational-age infants" with significantly lower birthweights compared to babies born to omnivorous mothers.

The relationship between veganism and mental health is complex. Research published in Nutrition Bulletin notes that while 44% of reviewed outcomes indicated vegetarian and vegan diets were associated with higher rates of depression, the relationship may involve reverse causation. As the researchers explain, "individuals who have psychosocial disorders may be more inclined to follow a vegetarian or vegan diet in order to improve their mental health."

Despite these concerns, experts emphasize that awareness and proper supplementation are key. Researchers from the Quadram Institute warn of "a quiet epidemic of vitamin B12 deficiency in people who follow increasingly popular plant-based diets," with deficiency rates as high as 62% in pregnant vegan women.

Professor Martin Warren from the Quadram Institute states: "There are many good reasons to follow a planned and balanced plant-based diet but for a vegan diet especially you should be aware of the potential for nutritional deficiency and the need to take appropriate vitamin B12 supplements."

His colleague, Dr. Kourosh R Ahmad, adds: "Our paper is not about convincing people they are wrong for becoming vegans, but about making sure they are safe and don't sleepwalk into being B12 deficient."

The message emerging from this body of research is nuanced but clear. While plant-based diets offer documented benefits for cardiovascular health and environmental sustainability, they require careful planning and supplementation to avoid potentially serious mental health consequences. As the Cureus review authors conclude: "Given the growing interest in diets without animal protein intake in the general population, it is crucial, now more than ever, to have a clear understanding of both the risks and benefits of such diets among clinicians, policymakers, and the public."

For those committed to plant-based eating, the research suggests several essential steps: regular B12 supplementation or consumption of fortified foods, vitamin D supplementation especially in winter months, consideration of algae-based omega-3 supplements, regular blood work to monitor nutrient levels, and consultation with healthcare professionals familiar with plant-based nutrition—particularly for vulnerable populations including women, adolescents, and those with existing mental health conditions.

Vegan diets are on the rise—but a growing body of research raises unexpected questions about their impact on mental health. A closer look at the data reveals patterns that many haven’t yet considered.

The unexpected mental health consequences of veganism, according to medical research

Dogs aren’t just companions who brighten our daily routines. They may also be key players in monitoring how Valley fever moves through certain regions in the United States.

This disease, also called coccidioidomycosis, involves inhaling fungal spores found in dry soil conditions.

Jane Sykes, lead author of a recent UC Davis study, worked with her team to see how information from dog infections could apply to humans.

Understanding Valley fever

When disturbed by wind, construction, or agricultural activity, the spores of Coccidioides immitis and Coccidioides posadasii can ride on dust particles and travel into the lungs.

Some pets like to dig into dirt, creating an ideal chance to breathe in fungal particles. These Valley fever spores thrive in the Western parts of the country, often in places with specific soil moisture levels.

Though many people who are exposed may not experience symptoms, those who do often report flu-like illness, including fatigue, cough, fever, chest pain, and muscle aches.

In some cases, especially in individuals with weakened immune systems, Valley fever can become severe, spreading from the lungs to other parts of the body such as the skin, bones, joints, or even the brain, where it may cause meningitis.

Diagnosis is typically confirmed through blood tests or imaging, and while mild cases often resolve without treatment, antifungal medications like fluconazole are prescribed for moderate to severe infections.

Unusual canine clues

The researchers discovered patterns by checking large collections of dog blood tests.

They found that most positive results are linked to certain states with known contamination zones, but they also noticed smaller clusters appearing in locations not typically flagged for this infection.

“Dogs are sentinels for human infections,” said Jane Sykes.

Her team collected blood test data in different areas to identify rising trends and potential health concerns for people.

What puts dogs at risk

Some vets note that certain breeds may be more prone to lung ailments, but any fungus exposure can be an issue.

This might involve dusty backyards, fields, or construction sites, where spores in the soil can become airborne.

In regions with droughts or strong winds, soil dryness allows fungal particles to swirl into the air. Intense rainfall can also boost fungal growth, which further contributes to sporadic spikes in infection.

Researchers see these canine cases as indicators for possible spread in the broader population. Common symptoms in people include fatigue, cough, and sometimes sore joints.

Health agencies note that valley fever can become serious for those with weakened immune systems. Because dogs are tested more readily in certain regions, their results may warn us before human cases spike.

Mapping valley fever in new zones

Scientists have spotted positive canine cases outside historically recognized areas. Jane Sykes explained that pockets of infection can appear in nearby states that might be overlooked.

“We should be closely watching those states because there could be under-recognition,” she said. This under-recognition means some doctors in these regions may not be aware of the disease and could miss early signs in humans.

Decades of shifting climate patterns have altered soil conditions. Over 130 places in the United States have recorded heavier bursts of rain in recent years, raising concerns about potential fungal growth when storms finally soak the land.

As new weather extremes develop, the fungus might have more opportunities to spread. Researchers keep emphasizing how environmental changes can shift the boundaries of diseases, leading to surprises in infection data.

Protecting yourself and your pet

Many dog owners wonder if this infection is preventable. Avoiding areas with visible dust clouds is one measure, though it can be tough when your pet loves running outdoors.

Some vets provide guidance on ways to limit exposure if your area is known for this fungus.

Though these spores are hard to avoid entirely, regular checkups and early tests may help pets and owners stay aware of new health risks.

Veterinarians who live in spots with many valley fever cases watch for respiratory problems in dogs. A sudden cough or limp can signal hidden issues, prompting tests that reveal infection.

If caught early, there are antifungal treatments that can relieve symptoms. The goal is to manage lung damage and reduce further spread.

Dogs, valley fever, and the future

Researchers who track these infections see a bigger picture beyond local hotspots. They hope more states will gather accurate data so public health teams can warn residents who may be at risk.

Better knowledge about where the spores hide allows for timely alerts. Clear communication between veterinarians and medical professionals could help limit the toll on both animals and people.

Trends linked to heavy rain, population growth, and soil changes highlight the complexity of valley fever. Officials suggest that improved teaching for doctors could keep illness from going unnoticed.

Dogs may help identify emerging dangers because their health data can fill the gaps where human data are patchy. Scientists remain hopeful that continued studies will keep the public informed about this evolving fungal risk.

The study is published in the Journal of Infectious Diseases.

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UC Davis study reveals: canine infections anticipate spread of valley fever linked to fungi in dry soil in western United States.

Scientists discover that dogs can alert humans to this quickly-spreading disease

Night after night, our bodies cycle through light and heavy slumber. Most of us judge a good night’s rest by how spry we feel over morning coffee, but there is a deeper story. During the night, when muscles go limp and dreams fade, the brain slips into slow-wave sleep – the quietest, most restorative phase.

Researchers now point to a slow erosion of that phase as a silent warning sign for dementia. The issue is not the total number of hours you sleep each night, it’s about how deeply we sleep year after year.

Losing too much of that deep stretch appears to open the door to memory problems later in life. Even small nightly losses, study authors argue, can snowball over time and quietly shape cognitive destiny.

Understanding slow-wave sleep

Often called deep sleep, slow-wave sleep is the most restorative phase of the sleep cycle. During this stage, the brain produces slow, high-amplitude delta waves, and the body enters its most relaxed state – heart rate slows, blood pressure drops, and muscles become nearly immobile.

During these spells, cerebrospinal fluid washes through brain tissue, sweeping away proteins such as amyloid and tau that gather while we are awake.

Both are major suspects in Alzheimer’s disease, which already affects about one in nine Americans older than 65.

When deep sleep shrinks, that nightly rinse falters. Laboratory work confirms that even a single restless night nudges amyloid levels upward.

Over decades, a chronic shortfall can allow debris to pile up, fraying the circuits that handle recall, planning, and mood.

Tracking sleep over decades

An analysis drawn from the Framingham Heart Study followed 346 adults older than 60 who completed two overnight sleep studies five years apart.

Over the next 17 years, 52 of them developed dementia, and a clear pattern emerged: each 1 percent annual drop in slow-wave sleep was linked to a 27 percent increase in risk.

“Slow-wave sleep, or deep sleep, supports the ageing brain in many ways, and we know that sleep augments the clearance of metabolic waste from the brain, including facilitating the clearance of proteins that aggregate in Alzheimer’s disease,” explained Associate Professor Matthew Pase of Monash University.

“However, to date we have been unsure of the role of slow-wave sleep in the development of dementia. Our findings suggest that slow-wave sleep loss may be a modifiable dementia risk factor.”

Genes, sleep, and risk

The same project highlighted a genetic wildcard: APOE ε4. Carriers of this variant lost deep sleep faster than their peers. Even without that gene, though, a steep decline in slow-wave minutes still spelled trouble.

Brain-volume measurements did not explain the trend, hinting that sleep itself is the driver. By tracking nightly brain waves, clinicians may gain an early heads-up long before symptoms appear.

Studying slow-wave sleep

A separate study at the University of California, Berkeley, shows how deep sleep might soften the blow even when pathology is already in place.

Sixty-two older volunteers spent a night undergoing electroencephalography and then tried to match names to faces.

Those with heavy beta-amyloid deposits but plentiful slow-wave sleep performed as well as participants with cleaner brains.

“With a certain level of brain pathology, you’re not destined for cognitive symptoms or memory issues,” said Zsófia Zavecz, a postdoctoral researcher at UC Berkeley’s Center for Human Sleep Science.

“People should be aware that, despite having a certain level of pathology, there are certain lifestyle factors that will help moderate and decrease the effects. One of those factors is sleep and, specifically, deep sleep.”

Keeping memory afloat

Neuroscientist Matthew Walker, senior author of the UC Berkeley study, posed a compelling question: If sleep is truly essential for memory, could it be a missing piece in the puzzle explaining why two people with the same level of amyloid pathology experience such different memory outcomes?

He noted that if this theory proves true, it would be exciting – because sleep is something we can actually change. It’s a modifiable factor.

Walker went on to compare deep sleep to a life raft: it keeps memory afloat rather than letting it sink under the weight of Alzheimer’s disease.

He suggested that non-REM, slow-wave sleep may be a crucial piece in understanding cognitive reserve. Even better, it’s something we can improve, even later in life.

Getting more slow-wave sleep

Laboratory gadgets cannot guarantee longer slow-wave stretches, yet everyday choices matter.

Regular bedtimes anchor the body clock; a cool, dark bedroom keeps overheating at bay; and avoiding caffeine after lunch reduces late-night jitters. A warm shower before lights-out also nudges the brain toward deeper stages.

“One of the advantages of this result is the application to a huge population right above the age of 65,” Zavecz said.

“By sleeping better and doing your best to practice good sleep hygiene, which is easy to research online, you can gain the benefit of this compensatory function against this type of Alzheimer’s pathology.”

Wearable sensors are not perfect, but they now offer a glimpse into nightly slow-wave trends at home.

By understanding and supporting this critical stage of sleep through consistent habits and healthy routines, we gain a powerful, accessible tool for maintaining cognitive resilience well into older adulthood.

Spotting a downward drift early gives older adults a chance to course-correct with simple habits – an investment that could pay off in sharper memories for years to come.

The full study was published in the journal JAMA Neurology.

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During the night, when muscles go limp and dreams fade, the brain slips into slow-wave sleep - the quietest, most restorative phase.

Scientists point to one particular sleep stage as being most important for preventing dementia

Imagine inhaling hundreds of invisible spores every day. Most float in and out of our airways without leaving a trace. Yet some of those spores belong to molds that don’t respect boundaries.

Many fungus species will infect lungs, spoil crops, and disrupt ecosystems all at the same time. In short, they can wreak massive havoc and leave death in their wake.

Most molds and fungi are helpful, but some fungus and mold will jump from hospital wards to honeybee hives, and the line between helpful recycler and harmful invader grows blurrier each year.

Most of the time, healthy immune systems swat away dangerous spores and fight off infection. Trouble arises when weakened defenses, rising temperatures, and heavy fungicide use tip the scales.

Suddenly, the same fungus that quietly decomposes the fallen leaves in your yard can trigger relentless coughs, damage corn silos, and shrug off medicines that once kept it in check.

Aspergillus fungus easily adapts

After studying fungal threats for years, Dr. Norman van Rhijn and colleagues at The University of Manchester mapped how three notorious Aspergillus species – A. flavus, A. fumigatus, and A. niger – might spread through the end of the century.

They fed climate change scenarios into global models and watched the virtual spores drift. One scenario (SSP585), which assumes a fossil-fuel-dependent future, paints an unsettling picture: habitats across Europe become markedly friendlier to these pathogens.

Aspergillus fungus thrives because its genome bends easily to new pressures. It lives on soil, grains, animal feathers, even coral skeletons. Out in the wild, it recycles nutrients, but on farms and in clinics, the story shifts.

Farmers spray azole fungicides to protect wheat and peanuts; doctors use nearly identical azole drugs to save patients with lung infections. That overlap nudges Aspergillus toward drug resistance – similar to bacteria evolving against antibiotics.

Climate reshapes global mold map

Temperature, humidity, and extreme weather events dictate where spores settle.

“Changes in environmental factors, such as humidity and extreme weather events, will change habitats and drive fungal adaptation and spread,” said Dr. van Rhijn.

“We’ve already seen the emergence of the fungus Candida auris due to rising temperatures, but, until now, we had little information on how other fungi might respond to this change in the environment.”

He added that fungi remain “relatively under-researched compared to viruses and parasites,” yet the new maps show they will likely reach “most areas of the world in the future.”

MaxENT model accurate described Aspergillus global distributions. Click image to enlarge. Credit: University of Manchester

Those maps point to striking numbers. Under the high-emissions pathway, the range of A. flavus in Europe could jump about 16 percent, potentially putting another one million people at risk of infection.

A. fumigatus – the chief culprit behind invasive aspergillosis – could expand its European footprint by 77.5 percent, threatening up to nine million more residents.

In Africa, paradoxically, parts of the continent may become too hot for some fungi to survive, hinting at complex regional trade-offs.

Forecasting Aspergillus fungus spread

Forecasting pathogens decades ahead may sound speculative, but it builds on earlier warnings. Hospitals already grapple with Aspergillus fungus outbreaks after building renovations or severe dust storms.

Meanwhile, intensive-care units report stubborn cases in patients recovering from influenza or COVID-19.

Rising outdoor spore loads could translate to more hospital admissions and costlier treatments, especially because diagnostics for fungal infections lag far behind those for bacteria or viruses.

Mycotoxin contamination adds another layer. A single year of heavy Aspergillus growth can saddle the U.S. corn industry with losses topping $1 billion.

Increased heat and humidity extend the window for mold growth in silos and fields, forcing farmers to discard grain or blend batches to dilute toxins – strategies that still carry economic and health risks.

Current drugs don’t work

Azole resistance has climbed steadily in Europe and Asia. Patients with resistant Aspergillus fungus infections face mortality rates exceeding 50 percent, partly because alternative drugs can damage the kidneys or liver.

Each hectare treated with agricultural azoles raises the odds that environmental spores will carry resistance genes into hospitals.

Public-health agencies now track these genes in soil and compost piles, hoping to spot trouble before it reaches intensive care.

Fungicide demand is also changing. As some African regions exceed the thermal limits for certain molds, farmers elsewhere may spray more to protect lengthening growing seasons.

That feedback loop – more fungicide, stronger resistance – complicates food security and patient care alike.

Farms, food, and rising bills

Aspergillus isn’t the lone shapeshifter. Fusarium, which devastates wheat and oat fields, and Cryptococcus, an opportunistic pathogen in AIDS patients, also respond to warming climates.

“Fungal pathogens pose a serious threat to human health by causing infections and disrupting food systems. Climate change will make these risks worse,” explains Viv Goosens of Wellcome.

“To address these challenges, we must fill important research gaps. By using models and maps to track the spread of fungi, we can better direct resources and prepare for the future.”

Aspergillus fungus and human health

Fungi account for an estimated 1.5 to 3.8 million species, yet fewer than 10 percent carry official descriptions, and only a sliver have sequenced genomes.

The scarcity of basic data hinders vaccine development and slows the hunt for safer drug targets.

Recognizing this blind spot, the World Health Organization added Aspergillus fungus and Candida species to its priority list for emerging threats in 2022.

Researchers now call for coordinated monitoring – combining air quality sensors, agricultural sampling, and hospital surveillance – to trace spore movement in near-real time.

Such efforts could flag hotspots, guide fungicide regulations, and spark investment in rapid diagnostics. Without them, today’s manageable mold may evolve into tomorrow’s silent pandemic.

No single fix will erase the risk. Cutting greenhouse gas emissions limits the environmental changes that favor Aspergillus fungus.

Smarter fungicide policies slow resistance on farms. Better ventilation in buildings reduces indoor spore counts, while new antifungal classes extend doctors’ toolkits.

Piece by piece, these steps can keep an ancient decomposer from becoming an outsized menace in a warming world.

The study has been published on preprint platform Research Square, available here.

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Aspergillus fungus thrives because its genome bends easily to new pressures. It lives on soil, grains, animal feathers, even coral skeletons.

Deadly fungus that can "eat you from the inside out" is quickly spreading around the world

Viruses have no life of their own. They survive only by entering living cells and stealing what they need. Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) is no different.

Known mostly for causing cold sores, this virus is silent in most people. But inside of our cells, the herpes virus does something extraordinary to DNA.

A new study published in the journal Nature Communications shows that HSV-1 does more than hijack the host’s machinery. It reshapes the 3D layout of the human genome. This gives the virus access to specific human genes useful for its own replication.

“HSV-1 is an opportunistic interior designer, reshaping the human genome with great precision and choosing which bits it comes into contact with,” explained Dr. Esther González Almela.

This reshaping is not a side effect; it is intentional. The virus rewires DNA contacts within hours of infection. These changes let HSV-1 build the perfect space to multiply.

Understanding herpes HSV-1 – the basics

Herpes simplex virus type 1 (HSV-1) infects a vast portion of the global population, with estimates suggesting that over two-thirds of people under 50 carry the virus.

Most individuals acquire HSV-1 during childhood through nonsexual contact, such as sharing utensils or close personal interactions.

In many cases, it remains dormant in nerve cells, reactivating sporadically due to stress, illness, or immune suppression.

Although the physical symptoms are often mild, the social stigma surrounding herpes can lead to anxiety, embarrassment, and emotional distress, particularly when outbreaks become visible.

Beyond its common association with oral lesions, HSV-1 can have more severe consequences in rare cases. The virus occasionally causes genital herpes through oral-genital contact, contributing to sexual health concerns.

Even more seriously, HSV-1 may lead to encephalitis – a potentially fatal inflammation of the brain – especially in infants or individuals with weakened immune systems.

How the herpes virus controls DNA

Within one hour of entering the cell, HSV-1 hijacks the host’s RNA polymerase II (RNAP II). This enzyme normally makes RNA from human DNA. The virus redirects it to copy its own genes.

Topoisomerase I (TOP1), which snips DNA to relieve strain, joins the viral effort. Cohesin, which helps fold DNA, also moves toward the viral genome. Together, these enzymes help HSV-1 build viral replication compartments (VRCs).

In these compartments, human transcription slows dramatically. RNAP II and TOP1 abandon host DNA. As a result, chromatin – the tightly packed form of DNA – collapses into a shell just 30% of its normal volume.

VRCs grow quickly. Host DNA is pushed to the edges of the nucleus. Human gene activity plummets. Viral RNA floods the cell within a few hours.

Surprising turns in genome folding

Cohesin partially joins the virus party and forms short loops near viral DNA. But much of its usual function is lost. Some host DNA loops vanish, while others stay intact. The virus rewires specific loops to boost genes it benefits from.

Despite this damage, parts of the human genome resist. A/B compartments – large regions of active or inactive DNA – stay largely intact. This shows that chromatin can keep its broad structure, even under viral attack.

Another twist: HSV-1 does not rely on altering chemical markers like H3K27me3 or H3K9me3. It leaves these epigenetic marks unchanged. Instead, it changes the physical shape and positioning of DNA.

“We always thought dense chromatin shut genes down but here we see the opposite: stop enough transcription first and the DNA compacts afterwards. The relationship between activity and structure might be a two-way street,” noted Dr. Álvaro Castells García from Southern Medical University in Guangzhou, China.

One enzyme blocks the virus

The researchers found a key weakness in the viral plan. Blocking just one host enzyme, TOP1, completely halted HSV-1’s genome reshaping. Without this enzyme, VRCs failed to form. The virus could not make a single new particle.

“In cell culture, inhibiting this enzyme stopped the infection before the virus could make a single new particle,” noted Professor Pia Cosma.

TOP1 is now a potential target for new therapies. Since nearly two-thirds of people under 50 carry HSV-1, a treatment like this could have a huge impact.

The herpes virus rewires DNA

The researchers used advanced tools to uncover HSV-1’s tactics. Super-resolution microscopy let them see features just 20 nanometers wide. Hi-C showed which parts of DNA were in contact.

The virus genome tends to associate with active, gene-rich regions in human DNA. These contacts likely help the virus turn on the genes it needs.

Throughout infection, HSV-1 genome clusters remain stable in size. RNAP II binds closely to them. Cohesin binds loosely. This balance supports ongoing replication.

The findings show that HSV-1 does not just invade. It rewires and reorganizes human cells with precision. Right now, there is no cure for HSV-1. People can treat symptoms, but the virus stays in the body for life. This study shows a new way to fight it.

If we stop the virus from reshaping human DNA early in the infection, we might stop it from spreading which could lead to new treatments.

The study is published in the journal Nature Communications.

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Researchers discovered that HSV-1 (herpes simplex virus) actively reshapes the 3D layout of human DNA within hours of infection.

Herpes virus reshapes human DNA within one hour of infection

When it comes to exercising for heart's sake, you don't want to peak too early in life. Research suggests that if you want to protect yourself against high blood pressure in your twilight years you need to keep your exercise levels up through middle age.

But according to a study of more than 5,000 people across four US cities, social factors can make this more difficult for some people to do than others.

"Teenagers and those in their early 20s may be physically active but these patterns change with age," study author and epidemiologist Kirsten Bibbins-Domingo from the University of California, San Francisco (UCSF) explained in April 2021, when the study was published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

Numerous studies have shown that exercise lowers blood pressure, but the 2021 research suggests that "maintaining physical activity during young adulthood – at higher levels than previously recommended – may be particularly important" for preventing hypertension," Bibbins-Domingo said.

Hypertension, also known as high blood pressure, is a serious condition affecting billions of people worldwide. It can lead to heart attack and stroke; it's also a risk factor for developing dementia in later life.

Upwards of one in four men and about every fifth woman has hypertension, according to the World Health Organization. But most people with high blood pressure don't even know they have it – hence why it's often called the "silent killer".

Yet there are ways to turn high blood pressure around: exercise being the focus of this study.

Over 5,100 adults were recruited to the study, which tracked their health over three decades with physical assessments and questionnaires about their exercise habits, smoking status, and alcohol intake.

At each clinical assessment, blood pressure was measured three times, a minute apart, and for the data analysis, participants were grouped into four categories, by race and gender.

Across the board – amongst men, women, and in both racial groups – levels of physical activity slumped from 18 to 40 years of age, with rates of hypertension rising and physical activity falling over subsequent decades.

According to the researchers, this suggests that young adulthood is an important window for intervening to prevent midlife hypertension with health promotion programs designed to boost exercise.

"Nearly half of our participants in young adulthood had suboptimal levels of physical activity, which was significantly associated with the onset of hypertension, indicating that we need to raise the minimum standard for physical activity," said lead author Jason Nagata, a UCSF expert in young adult medicine.

When the researchers looked at the people who had done five hours of moderate exercise a week during early adulthood – double the minimum amount currently recommended for adults – they found this level of activity lowered the risk of hypertension considerably, and especially if people maintained their exercise habits until age 60.

"Achieving at least twice the current minimum adult [physical activity] guidelines may be more beneficial for the prevention of hypertension than simply meeting the minimum guidelines," the researchers wrote in their paper.

But it's not easy to step up weekly physical activity amidst life-changing decisions and growing responsibilities.

"This might be especially the case after high school when opportunities for physical activity diminish as young adults transition to college, the workforce, and parenthood, and leisure time is eroded," said Nagata.

As for another sobering truth, the study also showed how Black men and Black women experience starkly different health trajectories compared to their White counterparts. At 40 years of age, physical activity levels plateaued among White men and women, whereas activity levels in Black participants continued to decline.

By 45 years, Black women surpassed White men in rates of hypertension, while White women in the study experienced the lowest rates of hypertension through midlife.

And by age 60, between 80 to 90 percent of Black men and women had hypertension, compared with just below 70 percent for White men and around half of White women.

The research team put these well-known racial disparities down to a multitude of social and economic factors; not that these factors were assessed in this study, although high school education was noted.

"Although Black male youth may have high engagement in sports, socioeconomic factors, neighborhood environments, and work or family responsibilities may prevent continued engagement in physical activity through adulthood," Nagata said.

The study was published in the American Journal of Preventive Medicine.

An earlier version of this article was published in April 2021.

When it comes to exercising for heart's sake, you don't want to peak too early in life.

Study Reveals How Much Exercise You Need Each Week to Control Blood Pressure

A new longitudinal study has found that problematic pornography use tends to remain stable over time and is strongly associated with psychological distress such as anxiety and depression. The findings, published in the journal Addictive Behaviors, suggest that while some people may experience short-term relief from distress through pornography use, long-term patterns of dysregulation are tied to more persistent psychological difficulties.

Pornography is widely used in the United States and globally, but for some individuals, it can become problematic. People who experience problematic pornography use often report difficulty controlling their use and suffer negative consequences in their personal, professional, or emotional lives. The condition has recently gained clinical recognition under the diagnostic label of Compulsive Sexual Behavior Disorder in the World Health Organization’s latest classification system. Despite this recognition, little research has explored how problematic pornography use develops and changes over time, especially in relation to mental health symptoms.

Robin Engelhardt of Bundeswehr University, the lead author, was motivated by “the necessity to scientifically catch up in this field. Previous studies depicted comparatively high prevalence rates of problematic pornography use and associations with psychological distress.”

The researchers conducted a one-year, three-wave longitudinal study of over 4,300 U.S. adults. They wanted to examine how problematic pornography use and psychological distress influence each other over time and whether these patterns are stable or fluctuate. Their work builds on previous research that identified a link between pornography dysregulation and psychological distress but could not determine whether one causes the other.

Participants were recruited through a national polling company and included a combination of a general population sample and an oversample of sports bettors to increase statistical power. The final sample included 4,363 individuals between the ages of 18 and 96, with an average age of 50 and a gender distribution of roughly equal numbers of men and women. The study took place over three timepoints: March-April 2022, September-October 2022, and March-April 2023.

To assess problematic pornography use, the researchers used the Brief Pornography Screen, a five-item questionnaire designed to measure symptoms of dysregulation, such as difficulty resisting urges or using pornography in ways that cause distress. A score of 4 or higher on this measure was considered a potential indicator of problematic use. Psychological distress was measured through widely used tools for assessing anxiety and depression: the Generalized Anxiety Disorder-2 and the Patient Health Questionnaire-9. The researchers combined responses from both scales into a single composite reflecting overall distress.

The study found that problematic pornography use was highly consistent across time. Correlations between timepoints were strong, and most participants remained in the same clinical category—either below or above the threshold for potential problematic use—throughout the year. About 67% of participants consistently scored below the clinical threshold, while 14% consistently scored above it. Only a small proportion moved between categories, indicating either recovery or the development of problematic use.

Psychological distress was also stable across timepoints, and the researchers found a strong positive association between pornography dysregulation and distress at the level of individuals. That is, people who tended to score higher on pornography problems also tended to report more distress, and vice versa. This suggests a stable, trait-like relationship between the two.

Interestingly, when the researchers examined how changes in one variable might predict changes in the other over time, the results were more nuanced. They found small, negative within-person effects: when an individual experienced an increase in pornography dysregulation at one time point, they were slightly less likely to report increased psychological distress six months later. The reverse was also true. This pattern was unexpected, as many theories in psychology predict that distress and problematic behaviors reinforce one another over time.

The researchers offered a few potential explanations for this finding. One possibility is that pornography use may provide temporary relief from emotional distress, functioning as a short-term coping strategy. People experiencing anxiety or depression may turn to pornography for distraction or mood regulation, which could lead to a slight reduction in distress in the short run. However, over time, this pattern may backfire, leading to a worsening of dysregulation and deepening of psychological problems.

Another interpretation centers on the effects of depression itself. Depression can dampen a person’s general motivation and reduce interest in activities, including sexual ones. This might result in lower pornography use during depressive episodes, even among people with a history of dysregulation. In this way, depression could inhibit some of the behavioral patterns associated with problematic pornography use, at least temporarily.

Despite these small short-term effects, the dominant pattern was one of a strong and consistent link between problematic use and psychological distress across individuals. This means that, in general, people who have more difficulty regulating their pornography use are also more likely to struggle with anxiety and depression. These findings echo previous research and align with the idea that both problematic pornography use and psychological distress can reinforce each other in the long term, even if their moment-to-moment dynamics are more complex.

The findings provide evidence of “a trait-like connection between problematic pornography use and psychological distress,” Engelhardt told PsyPost. “They appear to be the same construct — problematic pornography use appears a part of psychological distress and psychological distress a part of problematic pornography use. However, cross-sectional studies may not depict this underlying strong time-consistent association due to small time-dependent inhibition effects that let the association appear smaller.”

The study has several important strengths, including its large sample size, use of validated measurement tools, and robust statistical modeling techniques that distinguish between stable traits and temporary fluctuations. However, the authors caution that the findings are based on self-report data, which can be influenced by social desirability or memory biases. Additionally, the study focused on dysregulation rather than the frequency of pornography use, which could be an important factor in understanding how and why pornography affects mental health.

Future research, the authors suggest, should investigate these dynamics in clinical populations and over longer periods. They also recommend using more fine-grained, daily tracking methods to examine short-term interactions between distress and pornography use in real-world settings. Experimental studies could also help clarify whether reducing pornography use leads to improved mental health outcomes.

The study, “Problematic pornography use and psychological distress: A longitudinal study in a large US sample,” Robin Engelhardt, Rahel Geppert, Joshua B. Grubbs, Timo von Oertzen, Dominik Trommer, Jürgen Maes, and Shane W. Kraus.

A yearlong study of more than 4,000 U.S. adults found that problematic pornography use tends to persist over time and is strongly associated with higher levels of anxiety and depression, suggesting a lasting link between porn dysregulation and psychological distress.

Problematic porn use remains stable over time and is strongly linked to mental distress, study finds

A traveler contagious with measles visited multiple public places in Boston from June 7-8, health officials said.

The Boston Public Health Commission and the Massachusetts Department of Public Health confirmed the person visited a hotel, a museum, and Logan Airport.

The agencies are warning that people who were at any of these locations at these times may have been exposed to measles:

A traveler contagious with measles visited multiple public places in Boston from June 7-8, health officials said.

Infected traveler with measles visits Boston spaces

When Amy Kane started taking Mounjaro in 2022, she expected to lose weight — which she did, dropping more than 170 pounds.

What Ms. Kane, a 36-year-old content creator in Chicago, didn’t expect was for the effects on her health to be contagious. Soon after she started the medication, her husband and children began eating more healthfully — and then became more physically active, too.

As medications like Ozempic transform the health of millions of Americans, some families are discovering a surprising side effect: family members who are not taking the drugs are changing their relationship with food and in some cases, losing weight as well.

There isn’t data yet to show how frequently this might occur, but medical experts have long observed similar effects with other weight-loss treatments, said Dr. Lydia Alexander, the former president of the Obesity Medicine Association.

Patients taking the drugs are finding their families are benefiting, too.

In Some Ozempic Households, the Weight Loss Is Contagious

Breast cancer. Colon cancer. An enlarged thyroid gland. A family history of tumors and cancers as well. It wasn't until the woman developed an annoying case of dry mouth that doctors put it all together. By then, she was in her 60s.

According to a new case study in JAMA Dermatology, the woman presented to a dermatology clinic in Spain after three months of oral unpleasantness. They noted the cancers in her medical history. When she opened wide, doctors immediately saw the problem: Her tongue was covered in little wart-like bumps that resembled a slippery, flesh-colored cobblestone path. (Image here.)

Such a cobblestone tongue is a telltale sign of a rare genetic condition called Cowden syndrome. It's caused by inherited mutations that break a protein, called PTEN, leading to tumors and cancers.

PTEN, which stands for phosphatase and tensin homolog, generally helps keep cells from growing out of control. Specifically, PTEN deactivates a signaling lipid called PIP 3 (phosphatidylinositol 3,4,5-trisphosphate), and that deactivation blocks a signaling pathway (the PI3K/AKT/mTOR pathway) involved in regulating cell growth, survival, and migration. When PTEN is broken, PIP 3 activity ramps up, and tumors can grow unchecked.

Not-so-rare mutation

In Cowden syndrome, PTEN mutations lead to noncancerous tumors or masses called hamartomas, which can occur in any organ. But, people with the syndrome are also at high risk of developing a slew of cancerous growths—most commonly cancers of the breast, thyroid, and uterus—over their lifetime. That's why people diagnosed with the condition are advised to undergo intensive cancer screenings, including annual ultrasounds of the thyroid starting at age 7 and annual mammograms and MRIs (magnetic resonance imaging) starting at age 30 at the latest.

The woman was in her 60s when dermatologists finally figured things out.

After a series of tumors, woman’s odd-looking tongue explains everything

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Prenatal exposure to a class of dangerous, widely used chemicals could be linked to your child having high blood pressure as a teen, according to a new study.

Perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances, or PFAS — sometimes called “forever chemicals” because they don’t fully break down in the environment — are a class of about 15,000 human-made chemicals linked to cancers, endocrine-related conditions and developmental problems in children.

New data shows the synthetic compounds could also be linked to a teen’s risk of developing cardiovascular disease later in life, according to the study published Thursday in the Journal of the American Heart Association.

Researchers looked at data from 1,094 children over an average of 12 years. The study team compared measurements of eight types of PFAS chemicals in maternal plasma samples 24 to 72 hours after birth and the children’s blood pressure from medical records, according to the study.

The kids who were exposed to higher levels of PFAS chemicals in utero were more likely to have higher blood pressure in childhood and adolescence, the research found. The connection was particularly strong in adolescents, male children and Black children, said senior study author Dr. Mingyu Zhang, assistant professor of medicine at Harvard Medical School and Beth Israel Deaconess Medical Center.

High blood pressure in teens

The study is observational, meaning that while it shows associations, it cannot prove that PFAS exposure is the cause of the elevated blood pressure, Zhang said.

While researchers did adjust for other factors that could be at play, there could be other elements driving the connection between PFAS and blood pressure, he added.

That said, the results are strong because this study is one of the largest and most diverse while also using rigorous methods, said Dr. Carmen Marsit, Rollins Distinguished Professor of Research at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health in Atlanta. He was not involved in the research.

The topic is important to investigate because if a child has high blood pressure, they are more likely to also have higher blood pressure later on, Zhang said. And that is a risk factor for cardiovascular disease, the No. 1 cause of death in the United States.

The largest effects were shown in adolescents who were exposed to a mixture of different PFAS chemicals during pregnancy compared with those who were not, which implies that there may be a synergistic impact on cardiometabolic health, Marsit said.

“Most children will be exposed to multiple different PFAS chemicals, so this is worrisome,” he said.

The fact that adolescence is the age when prenatal exposure to PFAS is most linked with higher blood pressure suggests that some of the PFAS chemicals could take a long period of time to show their impacts, Marsit said.

A long latency of the effects would mean that people don’t just need to worry about reducing exposures, but interventions also need to be developed to prevent the health outcomes in people who were exposed earlier, he added.

How to reduce your exposure to PFAS

Not only are PFAS forever chemicals –– they also are everywhere chemicals.

Data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey shows that this class of chemicals can be found in nearly every person in the United States, Marsit said in a previous CNN story.

There are things you can do to reduce your exposure, however, he added.

Major sources of exposure include food, water, and waterproof or stain-resistant items, Marsit said.

Helpful steps include drinking filtered water –– using filters like those listed by the Environmental Working Group –– out of metal or glass containers, he said. Plastics contain PFAS and other toxic chemicals, Marsit said.

A focus on fresh food can also help, as packaging for foods are often coated in PFAS chemicals, he added. And avoid using nonstick cookware, opting instead for metal, cast-iron or ceramic pots and pans, he said.

Dusting, vacuuming, and washing your hands before eating or drinking can also reduce PFAS exposure, Marsit said.

Healthy lifestyle choices can reduce the risk of high blood pressure for children who have been exposed to PFAS, Zhang said.

“These include maintaining a healthy weight, eating a balanced diet, reducing salt intake, and encouraging physical activity,” he added.

But ultimately, an individual cannot solve PFAS exposure alone, Zhang said.

“We also need policy-level actions to limit and phase out PFAS use in products and industry, and to strengthen monitoring and regulation of PFAS in water systems,” he added.

A teen with high blood pressure is more likely to become an adult with heart disease. Prenatal exposure to PFAS may put kids at greater risk, a new study found.

PFAS exposure before birth could put your teen at risk for high blood pressure, study finds

A positive COVID-19 test result is not something that anyone wants to see — but now there may be an extra reason to avoid getting sick.

FG Trade / Getty Images

COVID infections cause miserable symptoms such as fever, fatigue, congestion and more. Now, though, some people infected with COVID in China are reporting a very sore throat that’s been nicknamed “razor blade throat.”

According to Google trends data, people throughout the U.S. are now, too, worried about this scary-sounding symptom and are searching for things like “new covid variant painful symptom” and “covid razor throat.”

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Just how worried do you need to be about a super-painful sore throat during a COVID infection? Below, doctors weigh in on the supposed “razor blade” sore throat symptom:

Some people with COVID are reporting a “razor blade throat,” but you don’t need to panic. It’s nothing new.

Related: I Was Widowed At 29. Then An Unexpected Phone Call Led Me To Discover My Husband’s Affairs.

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“In the past, as new variants have come on the scene, there almost invariably have been questions about distinctive symptoms, and after a while, when you gather a lot of data, turns out not to be the case — all of these symptoms have occurred before,” said Dr. William Schaffner, a professor of preventive medicine in the department of health policy at Vanderbilt University Medical Center in Nashville, Tennessee.

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Meaning, the circulating COVID variants tend to produce the same sort of symptoms and disease as the ones from years ago, Schaffner added. “Although the more recent variants, these omicron variants, are less severe,” he said.

A very sore throat isn’t specific to the circulating COVID variants, said Dr. Carrie Horn, the chief medical officer and chief of the division of hospital and internal medicine at National Jewish Health in Colorado. Instead, it’s a symptom that has been associated with COVID infections for a while, Horn said.

Schaffner had not heard of the “razor blade” sore throat symptom particularly, but has heard of people having a severe sore throat with COVID infections.

While some people can have a very sore throat that could be described as razor-like, it doesn’t mean it’s going to happen to everyone — and it also isn’t some new, scary symptom that is associated with new COVID infections.

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There is not one outstanding COVID symptom that marks an infection, said Dr. Mark Burns, an infectious disease expert at UofL Health in Louisville, Kentucky. “A sore throat is a symptom of this, but also fever and cough and fatigue, these are all symptoms as well,” Burns added.

“To sum it all up, the symptoms, including sore throat, are really no different. There’s no increased intensity based on sore throat or anything like that,” added Burns.

Here’s how you can protect yourself from a COVID infection:

Related: "People Are Creepy, And I'm Paranoid": 23 Safety Tips And Tricks Women Who Live Alone Do To Feel Safe And At Ease

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COVID tends to surge twice a year — once in the winter and once in the mid-to-late summer, Schaffner said.

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“And so there has been a longstanding recommendation by the CDC’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices that people who are at increased risk of getting severe COVID should actually get two COVID vaccinations a year. Obviously, one in the fall to prevent the winter increase, but another right now in order to help prevent serious disease during the late summer and early fall,” Schaffner said.

This goes for people 65 and older, younger people with underlying chronic medical conditions and pregnant people, he said.

“The recommendation is take special precautions and get that extra dose, because if we get infected ... we get that extra protection and to help keep us out of the hospital,” Schaffner said.

Wearing a mask in indoor spaces, social distancing, washing your hands often and increasing ventilation when possible are more ways to protect yourself from COVID and other respiratory viruses, too, said Burns.

If you do get sick, there are treatments available.

Oleg Breslavtsev / Getty Images

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If you have any COVID symptoms, such as sore throat, fatigue, cough or fever, take a test to see if you have COVID. If you are infected, get in touch with your doctor, particularly if you’re high-risk as there are treatments available, said Schaffner.

It’s important that you talk to your primary care provider as the guidance will vary depending on your age, underlying conditions and other risk factors.

COVID is a miserable infection, Horn added. “Over-the-counter meds help — Ibuprofen alternating with Tylenol, if you’re able to take those ... there’s no reason to be miserable,” Horn said. “So, take the medicine that you are able to take to help,” she said.

It’s also important to stay hydrated when you’re sick even if you do have a painful sore throat. A sore throat can make hydration feel like more of a chore, but it’s important to drink water and herbal teas as dehydration can further irritate the dry membranes in your throat, Horn said.

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“If you are sick, it’s best to keep your germs to yourself,” said Horn. This means canceling the dinner plans, not going to the party and calling out of work if you can — if you can’t, wearing a tight-fitting mask is key, Horn added.

“Preventing transmission is the biggest thing that we can do to help keep everybody healthy,” Horn said.This article originally appeared on HuffPost.

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People Are Reporting A Frightening COVID Symptom Right Now — Here's What To Know

Characterized by chest pain, palpitations and shortness of breath, takotsubo cardiomyopathy is thought to be caused by extreme emotional or physical stress. - LaylaBird/E+/Getty Images

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A 59-year-old man arrived at the Peking University First Hospital in Beijing for a procedure when he started having severe chest pain and shortness of breath.

Four months earlier, he had cancerous tumors removed from his bladder. Around his family, he tried his best to appear strong and avoided discussions of his health. Privately, his severe anxiety over the possibility of a cancer recurrence kept him awake at night.

Doctors said the man was experiencing takotsubo cardiomyopathy — also known as broken heart syndrome, as documented in a 2021 case study. The rare stress-induced heart condition has been observed primarily in women, but a study published in the Journal of the American Heart Association in May found that the illness may be more deadly for the men who get it.

Thought to be caused by extreme emotional or physical events — such as learning about the death of a loved one, winning the lottery or lifting a heavy sofa — takotsubo cardiomyopathy, or TC, occurs when the heart muscle is flooded with stress hormones, causing part of it to “freeze” in place. As the heart struggles to properly pump blood, symptoms resemble those of a heart attack, including chest pain, heart palpitations and irregular heartbeat.

The new study analyzed data from nearly 200,000 patients hospitalized for TC in the United States between 2016 and 2020. While women accounted for 83% of the cases, men were more than twice as likely to die from the condition — with a mortality rate of 11.2%.

“The differences between men and women are a very striking finding,” said study coauthor Dr. Mohammad Reza Movahed, a clinical professor of medicine at the University of Arizona in Tucson. “It raises a new, interesting question that should really be studied.”

Broken heart syndrome in men vs.

women

Similar to differences between men’s and women’s cardiovascular health more generally, the discrepancies in TC death rates are not well understood, Movahed said, especially because they counter trends in other heart diseases. It’s widely theorized, however, that differences in hormone levels play a role.

Stressful situations trigger the adrenal glands to release our fight-or-flight hormones, called catecholamines. They are meant to increase our blood pressure and raise our heart rate, but extreme levels can temporarily “stun” cells in the heart’s tissue, leading to TC, Movahed explained.

Men are thought to produce more catecholamines during stressful situations compared with women, possibly leading men to present with more severe cases of TC, he suggested.

Estrogen, a sex hormone produced at higher levels in women, may also have a protective effect on the cardiovascular system, making it easier to manage an extreme influx of catecholamines and reducing the risk of severe complications from TC, said Dr. Louis Vincent, a noninvasive-cardiology research fellow at the University of Miami, who coauthored a similar, multiyear study investigating discrepancies in men and women who had TC. Vincent was not involved in the new study.

Beyond biological differences, social factors may play a role as well.

“Most (physicians) know about takotsubo, but they may think of it as a disease just affecting women, so the diagnosis might be overlooked in men,” said Dr. Deepak Bhatt, a cardiologist and the director of Mount Sinai Fuster Heart Hospital who was not involved in the study. “With misdiagnosis, care is delayed, and that can sometimes lead to worse outcomes.”

Men may also seek care at a later stage of illness, believing that their symptoms are manageable or may pass, said Dr. Alejandro Lemor, an assistant professor of interventional cardiology at the University of Mississippi Medical Center who was also not involved in the study.

Deadly complications from TC include blood clots, stroke, cardiac arrest and heart failure, Lemor said. If the condition is caught early, medications can reduce the risk of having these complications, restore proper heart function and allow for full recovery within weeks, he added.

Higher mortality rates in men need further study

Movahed’s team was able to factor for important variables like age, race, income, chronic lung disease, hypertension and diabetes in the findings.

However, there was no patient data on other comorbid diseases, such as a history of stroke or the presence of a Covid-19 infection, Vincent said.

Additionally, the new study included in-patient diagnostic data only for those hospitalized with TC, so those who received outpatient care or died later from complications outside the hospital were likely not counted in the analysis, Movahed noted.

To establish a firmer explanation for the differences in mortality rates between men and women and further test treatment methods, a more detailed dataset would be needed, Vincent said.

“People should be aware in studies like this, we’re presenting findings that are based on diagnostic codes, and we’re not looking at patient procedures or lab results,” Vincent said. “But it’s powerful in the sense that it lets us look at large populations and look at trends. And I think that this trend of a higher mortality in men is worth taking a deeper look into.”

Don’t try to ‘tough it out’

Sudden, severe chest pain or shortness of breath should always be treated as a medical emergency, warned Bhatt, who is also a professor of cardiovascular medicine at the Icahn School of Medicine at Mount Sinai in New York City.

“It’s not a time to tough it out at home or get on the internet to figure it out. … Don’t try to track down your primary care provider. Call emergency services,” Bhatt said. “Time matters. By winning those few hours, you could save yourself irreparable damage to your heart.”

Symptoms following physical stressors — a common cause of TC in men — should not be ignored, Movahed said, especially preceding medical events such as asthma attacks, seizures or complications from drug use.

And while TC is caused by sudden stress, Bhatt said that managing chronic stress with daily meditation or exercise can lead to better cardiovascular health overall while giving you routines to fall back on in unexpected situations.

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Extreme emotional stress can cause a medical condition called broken heart syndrome. For decades, doctors thought it should mainly concern women — but that’s changing.

Why men with broken heart syndrome are more likely to die, according to experts

The study looked at nearly 300,000 children around the world.

A major international study looking at nearly 300,000 children has revealed a two-way link between the amount of time kids spend on screens and their emotional and social well-being.

Children who spent more time using devices like TVs, tablets, computers, and gaming consoles were at a higher risk of developing problems like aggression, anxiety, and low self-esteem later in life, the study found.

The connection also works in reverse: Children who were already struggling with social or emotional challenges tended to spend more time on all types of screens.

Time spent on gaming consoles was particularly linked to a greater chance of developing issues, according to the study, published Monday in the academic journal Psychological Bulletin.

"Rather than breaking it down by the exact game people were playing, it's safe to make some assumptions," Dr. Michael Noetel, one of the study's authors and associate professor of psychology at The University of Queensland, Australia, told ABC News. "The most games that were included were console games, computer games and mobile games."

When asked if violent games, such games that involved shooting, led to more behavioral issues, Noetel said that was not necessarily the case.

"Some studies broke the games down by whether they were violent, but our interpretation was that most parents knew to limit the amount of violent content to give kids under 10," he said. "Instead, [the] key finding was that gaming in general -- regardless of the specific type -- showed much stronger links to emotional problems than other screen activities like watching TV or using educational apps."

Stock photo of a teen girl on her cellphone. Crispin La Valiente/Getty Images

The study is one of the largest of its kind, analyzing 117 long-term studies conducted between 1972 and 2024. By focusing on children aged 10 and under and tracking them over time, the researchers could more clearly determine cause and effect.

The American Academy of Pediatrics recommends children between the ages of 2 and 5 to limit recreational screen time to one hour per day on weekdays and three hours on weekends. Children who exceed recommended screen time guidelines were more prone to socioemotional issues compared to those who stayed within the recommended limits, according to the study.

"More than 40% of kids [ages] 8 to 12 are using screens for more than four hours per day," Dr. Tara Narula, ABC News chief medical correspondent, said about the study's findings Tuesday on "Good Morning America." "You add to that the fact that we are seeing rising rates of mental health disorders in kids, and half of these disorders start before the age of 14 -- you can understand why we need to understand the effects of screens on our kids."

So, what's the key takeaway for parents?

The goal isn't to eliminate screens entirely, the study authors said.

When children engage in moderate amounts of screen time, especially for educational purposes, there is a lower risk for social or emotional problems in the future.

Children should learn not to use a screen as their sole outlet to manage their emotions and should be encouraged to interact with friends and family to develop resilience and emotional skills. The most important thing is to ensure that screen time doesn't interfere with essentials like a full night's sleep and regular physical activity, the study added.

"We've all been guilty of it, but it's OK to say no and to set limits and boundaries, and do it in a noncontrolling way as a parent, if you can," said Narula, who was not involved with the study.

Dr. Brendan Huang serves as the chief resident physician in adult neurology at Northwell Health and is also a member of the ABC News Medical Unit.

The study looked at nearly 300,000 children around the world.

Increased screen time linked to aggression, anxiety, low self-esteem in kids, study finds

Summary: Paracetamol (acetaminophen) doesn’t just work in the brain—it also shuts off pain at its source in the peripheral nerves. The study found that after taking paracetamol, the body produces a compound called AM404 directly in pain-sensing nerve endings.

This compound blocks sodium channels responsible for transmitting pain, stopping the signal before it reaches the brain. These findings rewrite our understanding of how this common drug works and could lead to more targeted, side-effect-free pain relief in the future.

Key Facts:

Peripheral Action: AM404, produced from paracetamol, blocks sodium channels in pain-sensing nerves.

AM404, produced from paracetamol, blocks sodium channels in pain-sensing nerves. New Mechanism: Challenges the belief that paracetamol only acts in the brain and spinal cord.

Challenges the belief that paracetamol only acts in the brain and spinal cord. Therapeutic Potential: May lead to safer, more precise alternatives to current local anesthetics.

Source: Hebrew University of Jerusalem

A breakthrough study from the Hebrew University of Jerusalem, published this week in the prestigious journal PNAS (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences USA), reveals a previously unknown peripheral mechanism by which paracetamol (also known as acetaminophen, Tylenol®, or Panadol®) relieves pain.

The study was led by Prof. Alexander Binshtok from the Hebrew University’s Faculty of Medicine and Center for Brain Sciences (ELSC) and Prof. Avi Priel from its School of Pharmacy. Together, they uncovered a surprising new way that paracetamol—one of the world’s most common painkillers—actually works.

By blocking these channels, AM404 stops the pain message before it even starts. Credit: Neuroscience News

For decades, scientists believed that paracetamol relieved pain by working only in the brain and spinal cord. But this new research, published in PNAS, shows that the drug also works outside the brain, in the nerves that first detect pain.

Their discovery centers on a substance called AM404, which the body makes after taking paracetamol. The team found that AM404 is produced right in the pain-sensing nerve endings—and that it works by shutting off specific channels (called sodium channels) that help transmit pain signals. By blocking these channels, AM404 stops the pain message before it even starts.

“This is the first time we’ve shown that AM404 works directly on the nerves outside the brain,” said Prof. Binshtok. “It changes our entire understanding of how paracetamol fights pain.”

This breakthrough could also lead to new types of painkillers. Because AM404 targets only the nerves that carry pain, it may avoid the numbness, muscle weakness, and side effects that come with traditional local anesthetics.

“If we can develop new drugs based on AM404, we might finally have pain treatments that are highly effective but also safer and more precise,” added Prof. Priel.

About this neuropharmacology research news

Author: Danae Marx

Source: Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Contact: Danae Marx – Hebrew University of Jerusalem

Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News

Original Research: Closed access.

“The analgesic paracetamol metabolite AM404 acts peripherally to directly inhibit sodium channels” by Alexander Binshtok et al. PNAS

Abstract

The analgesic paracetamol metabolite AM404 acts peripherally to directly inhibit sodium channels

Paracetamol has been used for decades to relieve mild-to-moderate pain. Its analgesic effect is mainly attributed to its metabolite, AM404, acting on cannabinoid receptors or TRPV1 channels in central nervous system (CNS) neurons.

Here, we show that AM404 is produced by primary sensory neurons.

It inhibits sodium current in nociceptor neurons, blocking action potential (AP) generation and reducing nocifensive behavior in naïve and inflamed rats.

We demonstrated that this analgesic effect of AM404 is mediated by its direct inhibition of nociceptive voltage-gated sodium channels (Na V ) 1.8 and 1.7 via the local anesthetic binding site.

The Na V 1.8 and 1.7 inhibition was specific for AM404 and not observed with other metabolites of paracetamol.

Our findings suggest that the analgesic effect of paracetamol is mediated mainly by direct AM404-induced inhibition of nociceptive sodium channels at the peripheral nociceptor neurons.

Our findings lay a foundation for the potential development of AM404 as a selective local analgesic.

Paracetamol (acetaminophen) doesn’t just work in the brain—it also shuts off pain at its source in the peripheral nerves.

How Acetaminophen Silences Pain Before It Reaches the Brain

CINCINNATI (WKRC) - A new study found that people with hearing loss could be at a significantly higher risk of developing dementia.

According to the , published in the Journal of the American Medical Association, up to 32% of all dementia cases in elderly adults may have been caused by or connected to hearing loss.

"It affects your brain and when your brain is struggling to make sense of what people are saying, it puts strain on it and it takes away from memory and thinking so those parts of the brain aren't stimulated anymore," said Elaine Backman, a hearing specialist at Belton Hearing Care Center.

"Any hearing loss is something you should be concerned about, even a mild loss," she said. She cited a study from John's Hopkins University that said even "mild loss can double your chances of dementia."

Backman also gave some suggestions on how to prevent dementia.

"Early intervention with a hearing aid or treating loss with a hearing aid helps you to be part of the community again, go out and socialize," she said. "When people can't hear they kind of don't go to restaurants anymore, can't hear when they go get their prescription and causes social isolation."

According to reports from the National Institutes of Health, hearing aids can reduce the rate of cognitive decline in elderly adults by nearly 50 percent.

"If you are struggling to hear the TV, if you are at a dinner with your loved ones and you can't hear what anyone is saying, you're just kind of sitting back laughing when they laugh..." Backman said as signs you should get your hearing checked.

A new study found that people with hearing loss could be at a significantly higher risk of developing dementia.

New study finds strong link between hearing loss and dementia

The word “calcium” might conjure an image of a tall glass of cow’s milk. While a cup of milk is an excellent source of calcium, the mineral is also abundant in yogurt, tofu, canned fish and fortified nondairy milk. Surprisingly, even leafy greens and broccoli contribute small amounts of calcium to the diet. However, if your intake of these calcium-rich foods is low, you may have been advised to take a calcium supplement to meet your daily needs and support bone health.

Getting enough calcium in the day goes beyond maintaining strong bones and teeth. “Calcium also plays an important role in blood clotting, helping muscles to contract and regulating heart rhythms and nerve functions,” says Kristen Hruschak, RD, founder of Aging Well Nutrition Services. The majority of calcium is stored in bones, and the body constantly pulls from and restocks its calcium stores to support these vital functions and maintain balance, she explains. Luckily, you can help your body replenish its calcium stores through dietary changes and supplementation. But to get the most out of your calcium supplement, it’s important to time it right. Keep reading to learn how to maximize absorption of your calcium supplement.

Factors Affecting Calcium Absorption

Age

The natural aging process diminishes our body’s ability to absorb calcium. Hruschak explains that calcium absorption in the intestines heavily depends on the presence of the active form of vitamin D, called calcitriol. Our kidneys play a pivotal role in converting vitamin D into calcitriol. However, as we age, the kidneys may become less efficient at this process, resulting in reduced calcium absorption and an increased risk of bone loss. Consequently, older adults need more calcium than other adult populations to prevent calcium deficiency and maintain bone health.

Hormonal Status

During menopause, estrogen levels drop, which is a problem for your bones. The hormone plays a crucial role in maintaining bone density and strength by enhancing calcium absorption, promoting bone formation and inhibiting bone breakdown. With lower estrogen levels, you may experience bone loss and an increased risk of osteoporosis. If you are in perimenopause or menopause, make sure you’re getting enough calcium in your diet.

Type of Calcium Supplement

While browsing the store shelves, you’ll find a wide selection of calcium supplements available in various forms. Some of the most common forms include calcium carbonate, calcium citrate, calcium gluconate and calcium lactate. Among the options, Hruschak says that calcium citrate, lactate and gluconate are more easily absorbed and tend to be more well tolerated compared to calcium carbonate.

Optimal Timing for Calcium Supplement Intake

Timing with Meals

Pairing your calcium supplement with or without a meal impacts how well it’s absorbed—and how effective it is. Calcium citrate, lactate and gluconate are well-absorbed at any time of day and can be taken with or without food, says Hruschak. On the other hand, if you’re using calcium carbonate, take it with food or immediately after eating to improve absorption. Doing so also reduces the likelihood of gastrointestinal side effects, like gas, bloating or constipation.

However, the types of foods you eat can also impact calcium absorption. For example, phytates are plant compounds found in bran, nuts, whole grains, dried beans and seeds that can bind to calcium and make the mineral difficult absorb, explains Hruschak. Similarly, oxalates found in rhubarb, spinach, nuts and teas can do the same. Soaking dried beans and cooking these foods can minimize their interference—or you can take your calcium supplement separately from meals high in these foods.

Timing Away from Medications

Certain medications can also interfere with calcium absorption. Notably, glucocorticoids, such as prednisone, can reduce calcium absorption. It’s generally recommended to take calcium supplements two to four hours apart from these medications for optimal absorption, says Hruschak. Other medications that may negatively interact with calcium supplements include lithium, quinolone antibiotics, dolutegravir and levothyroxine. If you’re taking both calcium and one of these meds, talk to your health care provider about whether you need to monitor your calcium levels.

Taking Calcium Supplements with Other Nutrients

To get the most out of your calcium supplement, take it in combination with vitamin D, magnesium and vitamin K. It’s already been established that vitamin D is a powerful duo with calcium—they’re like leading actors in a (bone-strengthening) film. Magnesium plays a supporting role—it helps activate vitamin D. We also can’t forget vitamin K, which has a role of its own in the mix. Vitamin K (specifically vitamin K2) activates proteins needed for bone mineralization. This process also helps prevent blood vessel calcification, which is linked to cardiovascular disease. Getting enough vitamin D, magnesium and vitamin K from your diet, along with calcium, can greatly benefit bone and overall health.

Tips for Enhancing Calcium Supplement Absorption

When it comes to maximizing the absorption of calcium supplements, Hruschak recommends the following:

Take no more than 500 to 600 milligrams of calcium at once. Smaller doses are easier to absorb. Space supplements at least four hours apart.

Pair calcium supplements with vitamin D supplements for better absorption.

Although calcium citrate, lactate and gluconate are typically well absorbed whether taken with a meal or not, there’s an added perk to taking calcium and vitamin D together with a meal. That’s because dietary fat from your food boosts the absorption of vitamin D. The result? Better calcium absorption.

Avoid high-oxalate and high-phytate foods, as well as high doses of caffeine at the time of taking calcium supplements.

Our Expert Take

To get the most out of your calcium supplement, think about the dose and the foods you take it with, as well as medications you’re on. While you can take calcium citrate, lactate and gluconate with or without a meal and at varying times of day, you’ll get the most out of your calcium supplement if you take it with food, especially foods that contain vitamin D, and make sure you get enough magnesium and vitamin K in your diet. If you’re taking a calcium supplement, check in with your health care provider for any guidance specific to your health needs.

Pop a calcium supplement? Here’s what to know about when and how to take your dose. Plus, learn about the nutrients that improve calcium absorption.

The Best Time to Take Calcium Supplements for Maximum Absorption, According to Dietitians

Ozempic might shrink waistlines, but it seems to bulge another body part.

In a recent Reddit thread, male Ozempic users claimed that the weight-loss drugs helped their penises grow.

“I recently measured myself down there and noticed I gained about one inch,” a person proudly shared on the forum.

Although there hasn’t been enough research done on the correlation between semaglutide and men’s genitalia measurements — the average penis size is continuing to rise, and some experts think Ozempic might actually have something to do with it.

The average penis has grown nearly 10% from 5.17 inches to 5.63 between 2022 and 2024 in the UK, according to diabetes.co.

And they’re not the only ones seeing this increase.

The data also revealed that Venezuelan men experienced a massive increase from 1.42 inches to 6.67 inches, within those two years.

Dr. Richard Viney, a consultant urological surgeon at the Queen Elizabeth Hospital in Birmingham, thinks Ozempic and similar drugs could be to blame.

“Men’s penises shorten as they get older (due to) increasing body fat and increasing prostate size drawing the penis back into the body,” he told diabetes.co.

Dr. Richard Viney thinks weight-loss drugs, like Ozempic could be to blame for increased penis size. Christopher Sadowski

“It is theoretically possible that new drugs like Ozempic and Wegovy, which are used to treat diabetes and obesity, respectively and can cause people to lose weight, could also be a factor. As men lose weight, their penises appear larger.”

However, in 2023, research published in the World Journal of Men’s Health revealed that the average size of what a guy is packing has grown 24% over nearly 30 years.

And that sort of increase has health experts concerned — especially because even two years ago, they couldn’t put their finger on what the cause of it is.

Speculation around weight loss drugs being the culprit is possible — but the Ozempic trend is recent, and this growth for men has clearly been going on for some time now.

“Any overall change in development is concerning, because our reproductive system is one of the most important pieces of human biology,” Dr. Michael Eisenberg, the study’s author, told Stanford Medicine’s blog Scope.

“If we’re seeing this fast of a change, it means that something powerful is happening to our bodies.”

Other possible causes could be chemical exposure from pesticides or hygiene products, Eisenberg hypothesized, which can disrupt the hormone-regulating endocrine system.

Time will only tell if Ozempic or other lifestyle factors are to blame for well-endowed men.

Although there hasn't been enough research done on the correlation between semaglutide and men's genitalia measurements — the average penis size is continuing to rise, and some experts think Ozempic might actually have something to do with it.

Average penis size has increased — and Ozempic could be to blame, experts say

Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes

LONDON — Novo Nordisk's popular weight-loss and diabetes drugs Wegovy and Ozempic may in very rare cases cause a serious eye condition that can lead to vision loss, the European Medicines Agency's safety committee said on Friday.

In the past, studies in Type 2 diabetes patients have linked Ozempic to the condition called non-arteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy. But this is the first time a regulator has confirmed the side effect.

The condition may affect up to 1 in 10,000 people taking semaglutide, the active ingredient in Wegovy and Ozempic, as well as in Novo's other diabetes drug Rybelsus, for at least one year, the regulator said.

The eye condition is the second-most common cause of blindness due to optic nerve damage, after glaucoma.

"This has been reported as a potential risk for some time, so I think the clinical community is relatively aware of it. I don't see this as making any major difference to prescribing patterns," said Barclays analyst Emily Field.

U.S.-listed shares of the Danish drugmaker were up nearly 2.5% in early trading.

The safety agency, which started its review in December, has asked Novo to add the eye condition as a side effect of very rare frequency in the product information accompanying drugs that contain semaglutide.

Novo said it would work with the safety agency to update the labels, adding clinical trials and after-market studies did not suggest a reasonable possibility that the drugs caused the condition.

The "benefit-risk profile of semaglutide remains favorable," the company said in a statement.

Novo has recently faced investor concerns that it is losing its first-mover advantage in the highly competitive obesity treatment market, leading the company to oust CEO Lars Fruergaard Jorgensen in May.

Wegovy and Eli Lilly's Zepbound currently dominate the weight-loss drug market, potentially worth about $150 billion by the next decade.

The European Medicines Agency's safety committee said several large studies in Type 2 diabetes patients have suggested that use of Novo's drugs could raise the risk of developing the eye condition by twofold.

A study of nearly 350,000 diabetes patients published in March showed that the risk of developing the eye condition more than doubled after two years of treatment with Ozempic, compared to patients taking medicines from other classes.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services did not immediately respond to a Reuters request for comment on whether the Food and Drug Administration was conducting a probe into the side effect.

Contributing: Manas Mishra

Novo Nordisk's popular weight-loss and diabetes drugs Wegovy and Ozempic may in very rare cases cause a serious eye condition that can lead to vision loss, a safety committee said on Friday.

Novo's Ozempic linked to rare cases of serious eye disorder, EU regulator says

Introduction

I was an accountant in my previous life (before 6 years studying meteorology and then a 20-year career in it), so you’d think I would have planned this out better. I had a decent salary for much of my meteorology career, and had a good retirement plan, including an employer match of up to 10% of my salary. However, my depression (and maybe some neurological/brain issues) got the better of me, and I had to retire 2 1/2 years before I intended to, right before the COVID-19 pandemic started in March 2020. So we had that to deal with, a $35K loss of income (went on Social Security/Medicare and started to take retirement income from my 401(k)). My husband stepped up and got a great job to almost make up the difference, even while starting dialysis at the same time. That brings us to now.

I’m a gay man who has been with the same guy (Ken) for 25+ years. We tied the knot as soon as Maryland voters approved same-sex marriage in 2013. Now, it’s 2025, and a different time. But politics is only a small part of what we are concerned about right now, and our concerns go even beyond my husband’s (Ken) End-Stage-Kidney-Disease (ESKD). Three months ago, he developed a hearing problem as a side effect from necessary and extended antibiotics use. We seem to have the hearing loss under control now, fortunately.

However, he now is suddenly losing his sight. This started with his right eye a couple of weeks ago, and now his left eye is also giving him similar problems. Unlike the hearing, there is no known cause for this loss of eyesight. Another thing … it’s next to impossible to get timely appointments with any specialists these days, even with something I would consider an emergency! Until now, he’s persevered working full-time with a good salary, but he just can’t cope with all the physical issues he’s experiencing now. He likely will have to go out on SSDI which, beside being very difficult to apply for, is a pittance. We will lose about $65K in income, and we still have a mortgage. He has some money put away for retirement, but that wasn’t going to be touched for about 7 more years!

What Are We Looking For? ADVICE!

Our main concerns are:

How do we navigate applying for SSDI, especially with the current regime?

Are these places that take your house “as is”, legit? Hopefully we won’t have to go that route, but I’m currently not even close to being sure.

It feels like a million questions that I have, and I’m at my wits’ end regarding being supportive of him and us. The one thing I know is that I have to take care of myself to be able to take care of him. That’s no easy feat with my depression default setting :-/.

That’s about it for now and, as you might imagine, the current state of the U.S. is not helping at all.

Introduction I was an accountant in my previous life (before 6 years studying meteorology and then a 20-year career in it), so you’d think I would have planned this out better. I had a decent salary for much of my meteorology career, and had a good...

My Husband and I Need Advice/Help

The other day, Joseph Cinnante heard a strange noise ring out behind his house. As a full-time dog trainer and dad, he’s used to being in a loud environment — but this sound was different. “The cries were so faint, they almost sounded fake,” Cinnante told The Dodo. “I immediately thought [they were from] birds or something else.” Cinnante and a friend followed the cries outside, braving a hailstorm to find the source. He couldn’t quite comprehend what he was hearing until he got closer to the sound. “As I got closer and was able to pinpoint the general area where they were, it started to become clear: That’s a kitten crying,” Cinnante said.

Joseph Cinnante

Within minutes, Cinnante and his friend found a tiny, rain-soaked orange kitten beneath heavy brush on a hill. Cinnante was confused. His cat, Keely, had just given birth to three kittens, but the entire family was safe inside. Who was this little guy? “My first thought was, ‘How did her kitten end up all the way out here?!’ But I quickly realized this one was older, his eyes were open already and he had stripes,” Cinnante said.

Joseph Cinnante

The pair brought the orange kitten inside and warmed him up, then continued searching outside for more. 10 minutes later, they discovered two more kittens crying out for help. “They were in a hole not far from the orange one,” Cinnante said.

Joseph Cinnante

After rescuing the three kittens, Cinnante and his friend heard more faint kitten sounds from further up the hill. They continued searching, and an hour after rescuing the first kitten, they found a fourth baby struggling to survive on his own. Cinnante looked around for signs of a mother cat, perhaps one of his neighbor’s barn kitties, but he couldn’t find her anywhere. The kittens were far too young to survive without their mom, but thankfully, there was someone inside the house willing to take them in.

Joseph Cinnante

Keely was nursing her three kittens when Cinnante presented her with the four found on the hill. “At first, Keely was apprehensive,” Cinnante said. “You could tell she was confused and not completely comfortable with the new babies. But with a little time and patience, she came around and welcomed them as her own babies.” You can see footage of Keely adopting the babies here:

For Cinannte, the kittens’ arrival was surprisingly serendipitous. As a dog trainer, Cinannte is dedicated to rescuing shelter dogs on the euthanasia list and training them before finding them amazing adoptive homes. While the kittens were much different from the dogs he trained, their presence seemed aligned with Cinannte’s mission. “The week we found these babies, we had started our non-profit to try and help more shelter animals in need,” Cinnante said. “We took the kittens as a sign that we were on the right path to helping more animals in need.”

Joseph Cinnante

Just like the dogs he rescues and trains, these kittens have a second chance at life thanks to Cinnante’s compassion. A few weeks after their rescue, the kittens are now all thriving and ready to go to adoptive homes. Cinnante is searching for the perfect homes for the remaining four kittens, and he’s hopeful they will all find loving families soon. Until then, he’ll keep admiring the kittens’ resilience and Keely’s willingness to raise them as her own. “She’s been such an incredible mom to her three and the adopted four,” Cinannte said.

The other day, Joseph Cinnante heard a strange noise ring out behind his house. As a full-time dog trainer and dad, he’s used to being in a loud environment — but this sound was different.

Guy Hears Cries During Hailstorm — Then Saves An Entire Family

Nucleus Genomics, a genetic testing startup founded by 25-year-old Kian Sadeghi, initially launched in 2021 with the goal of calculating a patient’s risk for specific diseases.

But it’s been courting controversy for years with products that claim to tell people how their genetics correlate to a host of complex issues, including their IQ.

On Wednesday, it ratcheted up the controversy to an earsplitting level when it announced a new product called Nucleus Embryo with a tweet that said: “Every parent wants to give their children more than they had. For the first time in human history, Nucleus adds a new tool to that commitment.”

Every parent wants to give their children more than they had. For the first time in human history, Nucleus adds a new tool to that commitment.



Welcome to Nucleus Embryo.https://t.co/jQd8SCVJaP — Nucleus Genomics (@nucleusgenomics) June 4, 2025

Nucleus says it can test IVF embryos not just for well-known specific genes that have a high chance of illnesses like breast cancer, but also for appearance — sex, height, hair color, eye color — as well as IQ and complex health attributes like anxiety and ADHD.

The launch video includes a screenshot of a comparison menu. The idea is to help parents choose which embryos to pick and which ones to, perhaps, discard.

Nucleus Genomics embryos features screen. Image Credits:Nucleus Genomics (opens in a new window)

Genetic testing of embryos isn’t unheard of. IVF physicians can test for genes that can cause conditions like Down syndrome, or when parents know they are of high risk for a particular genetic disorder, like cystic fibrosis.

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But that’s not exactly what Nucleus is doing. It is using controversial “polygenic scores” to determine “complex genetic outcomes, like intelligence and anxiety,” a spokesperson says.

According to the National Human Genome Research Institute, polygenic scores only calculate the probabilities of a certain complex illness occurring, mainly within populations. “A polygenic risk score can only explain the relative risk for a disease,” the NHGR says. This is not the same as discovering a specific gene, such as the BRCA1 gene mutation, which gives a person a 60% to 80% “absolute risk of breast cancer,” the NHGR says.

There’s a reason doctors don’t typically use such tests for individuals. “Polygenic risk scores are not yet routinely used by health professionals because there are no guidelines for practice and researchers are still improving how these scores are generated,” according to the NHGR.

Nucleus defends that its method can be used to determine an individual’s risk. The spokesperson pointed us to a 2018 paper where the authors said they had developed validated methods for five common diseases: coronary artery disease, atrial fibrillation, type 2 diabetes, inflammatory bowel disease, and breast cancer.

That paper was advocating screenings to help individuals make lifestyle or therapeutic decisions, similar to Nucleus’s initial concept.

Wednesday’s tweet was promising parents that Nucleus can help them create designer babies. It has now been viewed more than 4 million times and has hundreds of comments, many of them either expressing disbelief that this works as promised, or horror at the idea.

One VC chimed into the discussion saying, “I was going to type something like Noah get the boat but honestly the reality of this just makes me so nauseous.”

I was going to type something like Noah get the boat but honestly the reality of this just makes me so nauseous pic.twitter.com/s16hOwJYuN — Max Niederhofer ❤️‍🔥 (@maxniederhofer) June 5, 2025

Nucleus has experienced this kind of controversy before, as TechCrunch previously reported, when it announced its $14 million Series A earlier this year. The startup is backed by Founders Fund; Alexis Ohanian’s 776; and angels, including Adrian Aoun (CEO at Forward Health), Brent Saunders (former CEO at Allergan), and Matteo Franceschetti (CEO at Eight Sleep).

Last year, Sadeghi launched Nucleus IQ, which is supposed to tell users how much their genetics influence intelligence. The product was blasted as “bad science and big business” by some critics. Sadeghi published a lengthy defense of his company’s methodology.

Even so, telling adults that they are genetically smart is one thing. Telling IVF parents that they can choose the appearance and other complex attributes for their children is, many would argue, something else.

Nucleus is not currently conducting such tests via IVF lab partners itself, The Wall Street Journal reports. It’s partnering with Genomic Prediction, which works with IVF clinics. A Genomic executive told the WSJ that many parents request intelligence tests, and it doesn’t provide that. Parents can voluntarily upload genetic data information to Nucleus if they want to pursue it.

Or, as Sadeghi said in the launch video aimed at would-be parents: “Not that long ago, IVF-1 sparked fear and the stigma of test tube babies,” he said. “What was once controversial is now an everyday practice. The same is true with genetic optimization. The technology is now here and it’s here to stay.”

Nucleus Genomics has been courting controversy for years with products that claim to tell people how their genetics correlate to a host of complex issues, including their IQ.

Genetics testing startup Nucleus Genomics criticized for its embryo product: ‘Makes me so nauseous’

Artificial intelligence (AI)-powered algorithms to analyze data collected on a smartphone app could predict whether a person with multiple sclerosis (MS) will experience certain high-severity symptoms in the next three months, a study shows.

The scientists believe this will help empower patients to better understand their disease and work more easily with their healthcare team to make disease management decisions. The study, “Performance of machine learning models for predicting high-severity symptoms in multiple sclerosis,” was published in Scientific Reports.

In MS, the immune system erroneously attacks healthy parts of the brain and spinal cord. Disease symptoms and severity can vary widely depending on which regions are most affected, and the extent of the damage. Typically, people with MS have clinical assessments a couple times a year, along with an annual MRI scan, but these infrequent snapshots may not be enough to fully capture how it’s impacting their life between visits.

Digital monitoring tools like smartphone apps could fill this gap and enable collection of a wide range of data on a daily basis. In turn, AI algorithms can analyze the data and make predictions about disease progression to aid clinical decision making.

“Mobile technology enables continual collection of data and can pave the path for predicting complex aspects of MS such as symptoms and disease courses,” the researchers wrote. “We might learn what symptoms MS subjects are likely to develop, why they are experiencing the ones they have, and what treatments are more suited for their current disease burden.”

Helping patients manage their disease

An observational study called MS Mosaic (NCT02845635) was initiated to collect data from adults with MS in the U.S. via a mobile app over three years. The app was developed by scientists at Duke University in North Carolina and was made available for download during the study.

The participants completed tasks that included demographic surveys, daily MS symptom reporting, and other active functional tests. The smartphone also passively collected data related to step counts, sleep, and heart rate. The researchers then partnered with Google data scientists to develop AI algorithms that would continuously predict when symptoms might occur. The analyses included data from 713 people who used the app for at least three months, most of whom had MS.

The scientists tested several different approaches to predict on a weekly basis if a person would have any of five MS symptoms — fatigue, sensory disturbances, walking instability, depression or anxiety, and muscle cramps or spasms — with at least moderate severity.

The team honed in on one type of algorithm that had the best predictive abilities, with a diagnostic accuracy between 80%-90% for each symptom. This model was particularly accurate considering all the evaluated features collected from the smartphone, but what seemed most important for predicting future symptoms was a past history of that symptom.

When that feature was removed from the algorithm, its predictive abilities declined, though it could still achieve a fairly high performance by looking at the totality of other data.

“This highlights the importance of considering all available data collectively, which proves the need for methods that can analyze a wide range of data simultaneously,” wrote the researchers, noting an app-based method for predicting MS symptoms showed it could give patients more certainty in their daily lives. “Symptomatic uncertainties associated with MS can have a substantial impact on quality of life, as individuals struggle to anticipate how they will feel each day, whether their symptoms will impede daily tasks, or know if particular symptoms originate from their MS.”

“By focusing on actionable prediction of high-severity symptoms, the algorithm described here could improve anticipatory guidance and symptom management,” they said.

For example, if a person knows their ability to walk might soon decline, they can consider physical therapy or other interventions before this happens. The app was designed to provide patients with a symptom summary report that may facilitate such conversations.

Overall, “this approach has the potential to empower subjects as experts of their own experience in order to improve symptom management, and to optimize the often-limited interactions with physicians and clinical experts,” the researchers wrote.

Researchers say the smartphone app could empower patients to better understand their disease and make disease management decisions.

Algorithm to analyze smartphone app data can predict MS symptoms

Mexico Vaccines Children's health See all topics Follow

As measles cases in the United States continue to mount, neighboring countries Canada and Mexico are also experiencing significant outbreaks – all of which have been linked to at least one death.

On Thursday, the chief medical officer of health of the Canadian province Ontario announced that an infant who was born prematurely with a measles infection had died.

“The infant contracted the virus before birth from their mother, who had not received the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine,” Dr. Kieran Moore said in a statement. “While measles may have been a contributing factor in both the premature birth and death, the infant also faced other serious medical complications unrelated to the virus.”

At least four people have died from measles in Mexico in 2025, and three people have died in the US: two children in Texas and one adult in New Mexico, all of whom were unvaccinated.

This years’ measles outbreaks are the biggest that Canada and Mexico have seen in decades, and the World Health Organization has warned that the “overall risk of measles in the Americas Region is considered high.” Low vaccination rates are a key driver of this elevated risk assessment, the agency said.

Mexico has reported at least 1,520 measles cases as of late May, according to data from the Pan American Health Organization.

Canada reached measles elimination status in 1998, meaning that there has not been continuous spread of the virus for more than a year. But there have already been more cases reported so far this year than there were in the previous 27 years combined. At least 2,755 measles cases have been reported in Canada so far this year, according to federal data that was last updated on Monday, the vast majority of those which have been in Ontario residents.

And the US has reported at least 1,168 measles cases so far this year, according to federal data published Friday – nearly 80% of which are associated with an outbreak centered in West Texas that has spread to New Mexico, Oklahoma and possibly Canada. It’s the second highest number of cases that the US has reported since achieving measles elimination status in 2000.

Significant shares of the measles outbreaks in the US, Canada and Mexico have been concentrated in Mennonite communities that are closely connected to each other – and that have historically had low vaccination rates due largely to minimal interactions with formal health care systems.

However, in a recent webinar, experts from the Pan American Health Organization did not formally link outbreaks in the three countries to each other.

“The outbreak [in Mexico] started in Chihuahua, at the heart of Mennonite communities, who were very close to Texas through the border, but they’re also close to other Mennonite communities in Canada,” Dr. Alvaro Whittembury, regional adviser for the Comprehensive Immunization Special Program, said in a presentation on Wednesday. “It’s important to show that although at first the outbreak starts in Mennonite communities … the vast majority of cases are outside of these communities, and they are sustained in the general population.”

Only a small share of confirmed cases in the Americas have identified genetic sequences, experts from the Pan American Health Organization said, and there haven’t been enough identical sequences to explicitly link cases across countries.

In April, Mexico issued a warning for people traveling to the US and Canada due to high measles case rates. The US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has also stepped up its guidance for travelers, advising that anyone traveling internationally should be vaccinated with two doses of the MMR vaccine.

“Anyone who is unvaccinated is at risk and I urge everyone, but especially those who may become pregnant, to ensure they have received two doses of the MMR vaccine, which will protect both a parent and baby,” Moore said in his statement Thursday. “This vaccine has been safely used for over 50 years and is highly effective. Two doses provide nearly 100 per cent protection.”

As measles cases in the United States continue to mount, neighboring countries Canada and Mexico are also experiencing significant outbreaks – all of which have been linked to at least one death.

As measles spreads across the Americas, outbreaks in Mexico and Canada have also turned deadly

Summary: In a unique real-world study, researchers examined the psychological effects of trauma on survivors of the October 7 Nova Festival attack in Israel, focusing on their use of mind-altering substances. Among 343 participants, those who had taken classic psychedelics like LSD or psilocybin reported significantly lower anxiety and PTSD symptoms than those who used other substances or none at all.

The findings suggest that certain psychedelics may influence the brain’s processing of trauma, potentially offering insight into new treatment pathways. However, researchers caution that these results do not endorse unsupervised psychedelic use and call for more controlled studies to understand the underlying mechanisms.

Key Facts:

Lower PTSD Symptoms: Classic psychedelics were linked to reduced anxiety and trauma symptoms in festival survivors.

Classic psychedelics were linked to reduced anxiety and trauma symptoms in festival survivors. Controlled Variables: Findings held up after accounting for age, gender, psychiatric history, and prior use.

Findings held up after accounting for age, gender, psychiatric history, and prior use. Caution Emphasized: Authors stress that this is not a call for recreational use but a prompt for further therapeutic research.

Source: Reichman University

A groundbreaking new study conducted by researchers from Reichman University and other Israeli institutions explored the psychological aftermath of the deadly terrorist attack at the Nova Festival in southern Israel.

The attack, which took place on October 7, 2023, claimed the lives of nearly 400 people and left hundreds more physically and psychologically wounded.

The study’s findings show that survivors who had used “classic” psychedelics — including hallucinogenic mushrooms (psilocybin), LSD, mescaline, and 2C-B — reported significantly lower levels of anxiety and post-traumatic symptoms compared to those who had not used psychedelics or who had consumed other substances, such as MDMA, cannabis, or alcohol. Credit: Neuroscience News

Three weeks after the massacre, the researchers administered in-person psychological questionnaires to 343 survivors aged 18–64, examining the participants’ mental state, the psychoactive substances they consumed before and during the festival, and the ways those substances may have affected their physical and psychological response to trauma.

While the phenomenon of post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and anxiety following exposure to war and terrorism is becoming an increasingly pressing global mental health concern, scientific understanding about the neurobiological mechanisms underlying the development of these conditions remains partial and limited.

To date, most knowledge in the field is based on research in animal models, rather than on direct evidence from humans exposed to extreme traumatic events — especially not under the influence of mind-altering substances.

This is what makes the Nova Festival an exceptional event — it was a real-world situation, as opposed to a laboratory simulation, in which trauma and psychedelics intersected.

The study’s findings show that survivors who had used “classic” psychedelics — including hallucinogenic mushrooms (psilocybin), LSD, mescaline, and 2C-B — reported significantly lower levels of anxiety and post-traumatic symptoms compared to those who had not used psychedelics or who had consumed other substances, such as MDMA, cannabis, or alcohol.

These results remained statistically significant even after controlling for factors such as age, gender, previous psychiatric history, and prior psychedelic use. For example, while the average anxiety symptom score across the entire sample was 1.90, it dropped to 1.38 among the survivors who had taken classic psychedelics.

Dr. Zohar Rubinstein of the Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology at Reichman University said: “This is a powerful example of the simultaneous exposure of almost 4,000 people to a traumatic event on a massive scale.

“The survivors’ willingness to cooperate with us during such a difficult time allowed us to examine the effects of psychedelics at a relatively early stage of symptom onset, and in a more natural setting (compared to therapeutic settings). These data are of great clinical importance.”

Einat Karp Barnir, a clinical psychologist at the Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology at Reichman University, said: “A few days after October 7th, I began volunteering as a clinical psychologist in a healing space.

“After dozens of conversations I had with survivors, I started to notice that some of those who had been under the influence of certain substances appeared to show milder symptoms — less anxiety and fewer post-traumatic responses.

“Around the same time, I came across an article claiming that substance use could increase the post-traumatic stress of those who were at the Nova Festival. The discrepancy between what was being said in the media and what I was seeing on the ground sparked the idea for this study.

“I contacted Dr. Zohar Rubinstein, and we decided to explore the connection between the type of substance taken at the party and the severity of psychological responses after the event.

“At a time when understanding and treating trauma is more relevant than ever, there is still a lack of sufficient information about the factors that influence the formation of traumatic memories.

“Our study sheds light on the differing effects of various substances and contributes to our understanding of how traumatic memories are formed and retained.

“Such an understanding could one day not only improve treatment, but even help prevent the development of PTSD.”

Prof. Rany Abend of the Baruch Ivcher School of Psychology at Reichman University said: “What the survivors have given us — through tremendous courage — is a unique glimpse into how mind-altering substances affect the formation of trauma, based on their personal experiences.

“The main finding of our study indicates that the brain systems activated by classic psychedelics are involved in the connection between the experience of a life-threatening event, the formation of a traumatic memory, and the emergence of psychological symptoms.”

This study adds to a growing body of research on this important topic, provides new insights for researchers and therapists, and presents real-world evidence that the use of classic psychedelics may reduce trauma symptoms — an important finding with implications for both research and clinical practice.

However, the researchers emphasize the need for caution.

“The study’s findings are not intended to encourage the free and unsupervised use of psychedelics, nor do they suggest that such use constitutes a form of treatment,” Dr. Rubinstein clarifies.

“Rather, they point to potential mechanisms — which need to be further investigated — that may explain how supervised use within an integrative psychological treatment setting may yield therapeutic benefits.”

About this psychopharmacology and PTSD research news

Author: Lital Ben Ari

Source: Reichman University

Contact: Lital Ben Ari – Reichman University

Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News

Original Research: Closed access.

“Peri-traumatic consumption of classic psychedelics is associated with lower anxiety and post-traumatic responses 3 weeks after exposure” by Zohar Rubinstein et al. Journal of Psychopharmacology

Abstract

Peri-traumatic consumption of classic psychedelics is associated with lower anxiety and post-traumatic responses 3 weeks after exposure

Emerging evidence indicates the therapeutic potential of psychedelic compounds for post-traumatic stress, yet the mechanisms mediating their effects remain unclear.

Delineating the effect of psychedelics on traumatic memory formation could shed light on target therapeutic mechanisms.

Here, we report on 343 adult survivors of a single, large-scale terrorist attack taking place during a festival in which different psychedelic compounds were consumed, in whom levels of anxiety and post-traumatic symptoms were assessed 3 weeks following the attack.

Findings indicated that those who were under the influence of classic psychedelics during the attack reported significantly lower levels of anxiety and post-traumatic responses compared to those who were under the influence of 3,4-methylenedioxymethamphetamine and those who consumed no psychedelics.

Furthermore, the protective effects of classic psychedelics for post-traumatic responses manifested more strongly among participants who did not consume additional recreational substances alongside psychedelics.

These findings suggest that pharmacologic targets of classic psychedelics may modulate the formation of enduring trauma memories and confer a protective effect against the development of post-traumatic stress and anxiety responses.

In a unique real-world study, researchers examined the psychological effects of trauma on survivors of the October 7 Nova Festival attack in Israel, focusing on their use of mind-altering substances.

Hallucinogens Linked to Milder PTSD

Estimated read time: 2-3 minutes

SALT LAKE CITY — One day after the state health department confirmed a measles case entered the state last month, health officials on Wednesday said they are "closely watching" another potential measles situation in the southwestern part of Utah.

The Utah Department of Health and Human Services said it was notified Monday of an unvaccinated, out-of-state resident who was infectious with measles and traveled to southwestern Utah to visit family on May 26 and 27.

"While in southwestern Utah, this person was out in the community and may have exposed others. In addition, we know they visited with unvaccinated individuals," the department said in a statement.

The health department said the risk to the general population is low, but it wants to inform the public of the "increased risk of measles in this region and the increasing number of cases in surrounding states."

At this point, the department has limited details about who was exposed but is working to provide information and protection to those it can identify.

Earlier incident

The latest measles case follows closely on the heels of an earlier case that also entered the state last month.

The case first came to light Monday during a Summit County Board of Health meeting. The state health department confirmed that the individual was vaccinated, significantly reducing the risk of transmission.

"This individual had previously been vaccinated and posed a low risk of infection to others," the department said in a statement Tuesday.

On May 19, an international traveler flew from Canada to Salt Lake City and rented a car to drive to southern Idaho. Utah health officials emphasized that the person did not make any stops in Utah before leaving the state.

Utah's quiet measles case: What happened and why officials stayed silent Health officials in Utah opted not to notify the public about a measles case that entered the state last month, citing low risk and prior vaccination.

During the stay in Idaho, the individual became symptomatic and was diagnosed with measles, and all exposure concerns were in Idaho, according to the department. A few days later, the individual returned to Utah.

"On May 23, that same individual came back to Salt Lake, again didn't make any stops but did get on board an airplane while symptomatic," said Derek Moss, Summit County nursing director.

The department explained that the individual had been cleared by public health to fly, as they were deemed to have passed their infectious period before boarding.

Salt Lake County health officials contacted passengers from the flight and provided resources to prevent infection and said, at this point, no additional measles infections have been reported among exposed passengers. Health officials continue to monitor those who may have been exposed.

Measles prevention

Wednesday's statement from the state health department said that due to the ongoing spread of measles cases throughout the country, public health and medical providers recommend the MMR vaccine.

"Due to the increase in measles spread across North and South America, we encourage Utahns to talk to a pharmacist or health care provider to verify their vaccination status prior to summer travel," reads the statement.

Contributing: Shara Park

Utah health officials on Wednesday said they are \

Utah health officials monitoring potential measles exposure in southwestern Utah

A Texas woman died after contracting a brain-eating amoeba from tap water used to clear out her sinuses.

The 71-year-old, who was not identified, fell ill within four days of using a nasal irrigation device filled with tap water from an RV last year at a Texas campground.

In a report released May 29, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said the woman developed a fever, headache and “altered mental status” before eventually suffering seizures and dying eight days after the onset of symptoms. Neither the location of the campground or date of the woman’s death were provided.

Laboratory testing confirmed the presence of the bacteria Naegleria fowleri in the patient’s cerebrospinal fluid, the report said. Naegleria fowleri, commonly called a “brain-eating amoeba” can cause primary amebic meningoencephalitis, a rare and deadly infection.

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“This case reinforces the potential for serious health risks associated with improper use of nasal irrigation devices, as well as the importance of maintaining RV water quality and ensuring that municipal water systems adhere to regulatory standards,” the CDC wrote.

Typically, N. fowleri lives in soil and warm freshwater, likes lakes, rivers and hot springs, particularly in southern states in the summer, according to the CDC.

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In very rare cases, an infection can occur after contact with inadequately chlorinated swimming pool water or contaminated tap water, the CDC says. Very rarely, infections have occurred in people who used contaminated tap water to irrigate their sinuses. Public health officials recommend using distilled, sterilized, or boiled and cooled tap water to clear sinuses.

Fewer than 10 cases are reported in the U.S. each year, but they are almost always fatal. Of the 164 reported cases between 1963 and 2020, only four have survived.

In 2021, 3-year-old Bakari Williams died after contracting the bacteria while playing at an Arlington splash pad. Following the boy’s death, the city implemented additional safety procedures, installed new safety equipment and strengthened employee training.

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In 2023, a Travis County resident died from an amoebic meningitis infection after swimming in Lake Lyndon B. Johnson.

A 71-year-old Texas woman died after contracting a brain-eating amoeba at a campground.

Texas woman dies from brain-eating amoeba after clearing sinuses with tap water

A killer bird flu outbreak has hit multiple farms in Arizona - and the variant has wiped out millions of birds from one of the United States's largest egg producers.

Chickens at Hickman Farms in Buckeye, Arizona began showing symptoms at the end of May.

The initial loss was estimated at 1.1 million birds, but just two weeks after the flock got sick, 6 million have died. That accounted for about 95 percent of Hickman Farms' bird population.

CEO Glenn Hickman held a press conference on May 30 to address the situation. To him, the loss was entirely preventable.

'If our pullets had been vaccinated when we started lobbying the federal government in January, our pullets would have been saved by now,' he said.

Hickman and Hickman Family farms have been advocating for access to avian flu vaccines since January. According to the company's website, which addresses the situation, the U.S. government makes a vaccine, but only uses it as an export.

'European countries have now been vaccinating their flocks for a couple of years and are gaining the upper hand on controlling this disease. That vaccine is actually made here in the U.S., but we export to other countries while our flocks go unprotected.'

The site encourages customers to contact their representatives in a continued push for access to vaccination.

CEO Glenn Hickman said that the tragic loss of millions of his chickens was preventable

Pictured: Hickman's Family Farms plant, one of the biggest egg producers in the country

'The quicker we can start vaccinating our nation's poultry flock, the quicker we can get back to normalized operations,' said Hickman.

Hickman Farms is just the largest of several that have been affected in Arizona.

On June 2, the Arizona Department of Agriculture confirmed that another farm in the Phoenix Metropolitan Area was placed under quarantine. The farm still remains unnamed, but per their press release, poultry began showing symptoms on May and tested positive on May 30.

Hickman farms took similar measures to prevent spread, but now is focused on repopulating their farm. According to Hickman, the process of de-populating, cleaning and re-populating will take almost two years. They process will begin in just a few weeks.

In the mean time, Hickman Farms has stopped operations. Hundreds of their 850 employees are out of the job - many of whom are contract workers and inmates. Fortunately, some employees will still be needed during the cleaning process.

Customers of Hickman farms and other affected farms in Arizona do not need to be worried about contracting bird flu through consumption. The AZDA wrote in a press release on May 20 that eggs from chickens who tested positive have not entered food supply.

'There have been no signs of illness in humans,' they wrote.

'Consumers in Arizona and around the nation can remain confident in the safety and quality of eggs and egg products.'

Pictured: Chickens inside Hickman's Family Farms

According to CDC numbers, only 70 human cases of bird flu have been reported in the past 14 months, including one death. The AZDA and the CDC said that humans at highest risk are those who have worked directly with affected poultry.

Because of the outbreak, Arizona's Family reports that for the first time in 81 Hickman Farms will be unable to satisfy all of their customer demand. The company is looking for alternative ways to meet their needs.

Not everyone is upset about the decline in operations. 12 News reports that nearby residents are happy to be rid of the stench that comes with operating a chicken farm. According to Fox 10, locals and environmental activists sued Hickman Farms in 2018 for polluting the area.

Daily Mail reached out to Hickman Family Farms and the Arizona Department of Agriculture for comment.

The deadly variant has wiped out wildlife at one of the country's biggest farm producers, as its CEO Glenn Hickman said that the ordeal was 'preventable.'

Deadly flu variant wipes out 95% of animals at one of US's largest farms

Nuts are our No. 1 snack to support gut health with the combo of protein, fiber and healthy fats.

Look for unsalted and no-sugar-added nuts with 6 g to 20 g of protein and 3 g of fiber per serving.

Other gut-friendly plant-based snacks to look for include hummus, smoothies and edamame.

These days, going with your gut means practicing the habits that support your gut health. Taking care of the trillions of bacteria that reside in your gut benefits your digestive system, immune system, metabolism and more.

One of the most important things you can do to feed the good microbes that reside in your gut is to maintain a healthy diet, including incorporating gut-friendly foods into your everyday meals.

Of course, that might include fruits, veggies and probiotic-packed foods like yogurt. But what about when it’s 3 p.m. and you’re looking for a salty snack? GI docs say that it can be easy to find the best snack for your gut health—as long as you know exactly what to look for.

We spoke with Janese Laster, M.D., a board-certified gastroenterologist, an expert in nutrition and obesity medicine, and the founder of Gut Theory Total Digestive Care in Washington, D.C. Her solution for a gut-healthy snack is simple: look for plant-based protein and reach for the nuts.

Nuts Are the Best Snack for Gut Health

Nuts are an ideal combination of the gut-healthy nutrients that GI docs recommend. Both nuts by the handful and nut butter make great between-meal bites. What’s more, you can eat them in so many ways.

Nuts are a perfect combo of protein and fiber. Good high-protein snack options should have 6 to 20 grams of protein, and you should look for at least 3 grams of fiber in a high-fiber snack. For example, 2 tablespoons of almond butter has about 7 grams of protein and more than 3 grams of fiber. (Add an apple to this and you’ll get even more fiber.) One quarter-cup of shelled pistachios contains about 6 grams of protein and 3 grams of fiber.

Nuts can be prepared in different ways, such as roasted and salted or flavored. If you have diabetes or high blood pressure, consider looking for unsalted, plain nuts to limit sodium intake. Similarly, when choosing nut butters, look for those that contain nuts and salt or nuts only, which will limit added sugars.

The more minimally processed, the better. Laster explains that processed foods with added sugars, sodium, emulsifiers and additives—such as chips, cookies, candy and soda—aren’t the best snacks for long-term gut health. While all foods can fit in a healthy eating plan, when you have gut health specifically in mind, go for less-processed options.

What to Look for in a Gut-Healthy Snack

If you want to choose a snack with your gut microbiome in mind, Laster recommends looking for one that is high in plant-based protein. Think nuts (pistachios, walnuts, almonds), dried edamame, hummus and vegetables, fruit with nut butter and protein shakes.

Why plant-based protein? Laster says that this type of snack provides two important nutrients important for a healthy gut: protein and fiber. “[Snacks] high in plant-based protein and fiber help feed colonic cells and diversify the microbiome,” she explains. A diverse mix of bacteria in your gut helps keep your body healthy and resilient. Lower bacterial diversity, on the other hand, is associated with inflammation and chronic disease.

What’s more, microbes in your colon ferment the fiber in these plant proteins, producing short-chain fatty acids, which maintain your gut barrier, suppress inflammation and regulate your metabolism. By choosing a snack that is high in plant-based protein, you are getting the best of both worlds.

Other Plant-Based Protein Snack Ideas

Thankfully, choosing a snack that is high in plant-based protein isn’t that difficult of a task. There are plenty of snacks easy to grab on the go, such as bags of nuts or pre-portioned hummus cups. But if you’re looking to prepare a few gut-friendly snacks at home, here are some of our favorites that are packed with plant-based protein.

The Bottom Line

To make the most of your snack time and take care of your gut health, gastroenterologists recommend finding a snack that is high in plant-based protein and fiber, nutrients that help feed and diversify the good bacteria in the gut. The foods that fit the bill are nuts and nut butter. Other good-for-your-gut snacks include hummus and vegetables, and protein shakes made with plant-based protein.



Looking to improve your gut health? Read on to discover the best gastroenterologist-recommended plant-based snack to add to your day.

The #1 Snack for Better Gut Health, Recommended by a Gastroenterologist

Exercise is generally good for you, but a new high-quality clinical trial finds that it's so good, it can even knock back colon cancer—and, in fact, rival some chemotherapy treatments.

The finding comes from a phase 3, randomized clinical trial led by researchers in Canada, who studied nearly 900 people who had undergone surgery and chemotherapy for colon cancer. After those treatments, patients were evenly split into groups that either bulked up their regular exercise routines in a three-year program that included coaching and supervision or were simply given health education. The researchers found that the exercise group had a 28 percent lower risk of their colon cancer recurring, new cancers developing, or dying over eight years compared with the health education group.

The benefits of exercise, published in the New England Journal of Medicine, became visible after just one year and increased over time, the researchers found. The rate of people who survived for five years and remained cancer-free was 80.3 percent among the exercise group. That's a 6.4 percentage-point survival boost over the education group, which had a 73.9 percent cancer-free survival rate. The overall survival rate (with or without cancer) during the study's eight-year follow-up was 90.3 percent in the exercise group compared with 83.2 percent in the education group—a 7.1 percentage point difference. Exercise reduced the relative risk of death by 37 percent (41 people died in the exercise group compared with 66 in the education group).

"The magnitude of benefit from exercise ... was similar to that of many currently approved standard drug treatments," the researchers noted.

However, the exercise routines that achieved those substantial benefits weren't heavy-duty. Participants were coached to perform any recreational aerobic exercise they enjoyed, including brisk walking. Adding 45- to 60-minute brisk walks three or four times a week, or three or four jogs lasting 25 to 30 minutes, was enough for many of the participants to improve their odds.

Overall, the goal was to get the exercise group over 20 MET hours per week. METs are Metabolic Equivalents of Task, which represent the amount of energy your body is burning up compared to when you're at rest, sitting quietly. Brisk walking is about four METs, the researchers estimated, and jogging is around 10 METs. To get to 20 MET hours a week, a participant would have to do five hours of brisk walking a week (e.g., five hour-long walks a week) or jog for two hours a week (e.g., four 30-minute jogs per week).

Any type of aerobic exercise works for the improvements, study finds.

Colon cancer recurrence and deaths cut 28% by simple exercise, trial finds

Consumer Reports has no financial relationship with any advertisers on this site. Have you experienced pain or tingling in your hands or feet? Those are signs of possible neuropathy, “a general term for nerve dysfunction in your limbs,” says Eva Feldman, a professor of neurology at the University of Michigan Medical School in Ann Arbor.

The likelihood of neuropathy appears to increase with age. That’s partly because the number of nerve cells in your body declines over the years, and those that remain become less functional. And “if they are damaged by injury or an underlying medical condition, they struggle more to recover,” says Anne Louise Oaklander, an associate professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School.

Chronic conditions such as diabetes, as well as autoimmune disease and treatments such as some kinds of chemotherapy, can cause neuropathy, too, Oaklander says. Long-term untreated hypothyroidism, kidney disease and obesity also can increase the risk, according to the Mayo Clinic. Another potential cause is vitamin B12 deficiency, which is thought to affect at least 20 percent of adults over age 60, says Kunal Desai, an assistant professor of neurology at the Yale School of Medicine in New Haven, Connecticut. Here’s what to do if you think you have neuropathy.

Spotting the signs

Tingling or painful sensations in your hands and/or feet are the main symptoms. “Patients often describe it as feeling like ants crawling on their feet, or even as prickling or burning,” Feldman says. Another red flag is numbness in your hands or feet that leaves you feeling unsteady.

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If you have any of the above, call your doctor right away. That’s especially important if you have a chronic condition such as Type 2 diabetes or you’re being treated with certain chemotherapy drugs.

Getting diagnosed

Your primary care practitioner will examine you, including the skin on your hands and feet, to look for fissures or cracks. They’ll test your reflexes and might use a tuning fork in the area to see whether you can feel the vibration or prick you with a pin to see whether you feel pain. They might check the strength in your hands and feet, as well.

If any results are abnormal, you’ll probably have tests of your nerves for confirmation and, if those results are abnormal, blood tests to check for contributing conditions such as Type 2 diabetes, Oaklander says. If the neuropathy is on only one side or is worse on one side, Feldman says, you’ll need to see a neurologist to rule out more serious conditions such as amyotrophic lateral sclerosis.

Finding relief

How your neuropathy is treated usually depends on the cause, Feldman says. If it’s Type 2 diabetes, exercise and weight loss, if needed, can improve symptoms, according to a 2022 review in the journal Lancet Neurology. Neuropathy due to an autoimmune disorder, hypothyroidism or a vitamin B12 deficiency often eases once the underlying condition is corrected. If it’s caused by chemotherapy, your doctor may change your regimen or advise a treatment break.

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If those steps aren’t enough, medication may help. The American Academy of Neurology advises trying tricyclic antidepressants like amitriptyline, serotonin norepinephrine reuptake inhibitors such as duloxetine (Cymbalta) and venlafaxine (Effexor ER) or gabapentinoids like gabapentin (Neurontin and others). A topical prescription capsaicin patch helps, but it can cause a rash or burning sensation.

If you have foot neuropathy, you should see a podiatrist several times a year to have your feet checked for sores, ulcers and signs of infection. You should also examine your feet daily.

And if you’re 50 or older, experts say to make sure to get Shingrix, the two-dose shingles vaccine. Shingles can cause a painful condition called postherpetic neuralgia, which has symptoms similar to neuropathy, Feldman says. Shingrix has been found to be more than 90 percent effective at preventing it in people who get shingles.

Copyright 2024, Consumer Reports Inc.

There are steps you can take to help address tingling and numbness in hands and feet caused by nerve pain.

What to know about nerve pain and tingling hands and feet

As smoke from raging wildfires in Canada continues drifting into parts of the United States, it’s critical to know how you can protect yourself from potentially dangerous levels of air pollution.

Wildfire smoke contains hazardous pollutants that include toxic gases and particulate matter — solid particles and liquid droplets that are produced when these fires burn through trees, buildings and other materials. While some particulate matter can be easily seen in the form of soot, smoke also carries smaller particles that can infiltrate the human body and affect health. Experts say this pollution could affect your health whether you’re indoors or outdoors.

As wildfire smoke drifts into the United States, it's important to know how to reduce exposure and protect yourself from air pollution and its associated health risks.

How to protect yourself from wildfire smoke

Getty A man in hospital bed (stock image)







NEED TO KNOW

Luke Pickering experienced full-body paralysis days after noticing tingling in his hands and feet

The 31-year-old mechanic from Nottingham, England, was ultimately diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS)

GBS affects about one in 78,000 people per year worldwide







A U.K. man felt tingling in his hands — and was soon completely paralyzed from the head down.

Luke Pickering, 31, a mechanic from Nottingham, England, initially felt the tingling on an otherwise normal day in November 2023, per The Independent. He went to work, chalking up the sensation to pins and needles. However, he said the feeling had spread to his toes by the following day, and he was feeling an overall listlessness in his body.

“I was carrying my eldest down the stairs and I just felt weak, and I thought I was going to drop him,” the father of two told the outlet.

His partner, Alix, 31, insisted that he go to the local emergency room, where he was diagnosed with Guillain-Barré Syndrome (GBS) — a rare condition in which the immune system attacks a person’s nervous system.

Pickering did not leave the hospital for 94 days.

Marcus Brandt/picture alliance via Getty A hospital worker pushing bed (stock image)

“I thought I'd be coming back out soon, but as the week progressed, I just got weaker and weaker. I went from using crutches to being put into a full hoist. I couldn’t do anything for myself,” he remembered.

“I was paralyzed from the head down. Even my face was paralyzed, so I had to sleep with my eyes open for three weeks,” he added.

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Pickering was treated with immunotherapy, including intravenous immunoglobulin (IVIG) and plasma exchange, which is the standard treatment of care for the condition. However, his health continued to deteriorate and he was transferred to the intensive care unit.

“I could feel myself getting worse. I prepared myself to say my goodbyes to my family, but I wasn't willing to say it. I just said, ‘See you later,’ ” he told The Independent, adding that Alix brought their 2-year-old son and newborn baby to visit every day.

“I was really hard on myself at the time, but the only way I was going to be happy was by getting home. I was determined to get out and walk again,” he recalled.

A third round of IVIG was successful, and Pickering was transferred out of the ICU and into a rehabilitation center just before Christmas 2023. He was able to walk again by February 2024, though he noted that it wasn’t an easy path.

“I knew my body wasn’t ready for it, but you just have to keep doing it,” he said.

Getty A man in physical therapy (stock image)

Pickering — who said he still can’t feel his toes — has been home for about a year and is able to live life mostly normally these days. However, he said that the small chance that the condition could return keeps him up at night.

“If I wake up in the middle of the night with pins and needles, that's it. I'm awake all night because I think it's happening again,” he said.

After his experience, Pickering became a brand ambassador and volunteer for the National Rehabilitation Centre (NRC), a new 70-bed rehabilitation facility.

“I just wanted to give back. When I was going through it, I wanted someone with a positive outcome to just talk to,” he said of his decision to volunteer.

GBS affects about one in 78,000 people per year worldwide, per the Cleveland Clinic. Symptoms often begins with tingling and weakness in the feet and legs that spreads to the upper body and arms, though some people notice the first symptoms in the arms or face.

As GBS progresses, muscle weakness can turn into paralysis — but it does not do so in most cases. For most people, body weakness typically peaks around three weeks after the initial onset of symptoms and then begins to improve.

GBS usually affects people between the ages of 30 and 50, and often occurs after a viral infection, which in turn triggers an overactive immune response in the patient, according to the clinic.



Read the original article on People

“I was paralyzed from the head down. Even my face was paralyzed,” recalled 31-year-old Luke Pickering of England

Dad Assumed Tingling in His Hands Was Just Pins and Needles. Days Later, He Was Paralyzed: ‘Had to Sleep with My Eyes Open’

Protein can help build muscle, improve insulin sensitivity and help manage blood sugar.

Some high-protein foods have been unfairly categorized as off-limits for diabetes.

Dietitians say many of these muscle-building proteins may have diabetes benefits.

If you’ve been diagnosed with diabetes, it can often feel like you’re on a diet of don'ts. A nagging voice in your head might constantly warn you away from a slew of foods that are high in sugar, carbs or even fat. Yet many foods traditionally thought of as “bad” for diabetes are actually loaded with high-quality protein that can help you build muscle. And since more muscle mass means better insulin sensitivity and a stronger, faster metabolism, getting plenty of protein is a key part of a healthy diabetes diet.

If you have diabetes and have been avoiding these protein-rich foods, dietitians say it’s time to welcome them back to the table.

1. Full-fat Greek Yogurt

Depending on the nutrition advice you’ve received, you might believe that eating anything but low-fat dairy is a big no-no for diabetes. But diabetes expert Erin Palinski-Wade, RD, CDCES, says a higher fat percentage in yogurt isn’t as worrisome as you might think. “People with diabetes are often told to opt for non-fat dairy,” she says. However, full-fat Greek yogurt's combo of slowly-digested fat plus roughly 21 grams of protein per cup can make it a filling option that helps stabilize blood sugar, she says. In fact, some studies have shown people who consume more calories from dairy fat may have a lower risk of diabetes, especially when compared to calories from carbohydrates.



2. Pistachios

Gone are the days when health experts recommended steering clear of nuts due to their fat content. Current evidence shows that nuts are an excellent choice in a diabetes-friendly diet. One top-notch option: pistachios.

“Pistachios can be a good plant-based protein source for people with diabetes,” says Palinski-Wade. A 2-ounce serving of pistachios delivers roughly 12 grams of protein. One small study found that volunteers with prediabetes who consumed 2 daily ounces of pistachios (1 ounce before breakfast and another ounce before dinner) for 12 weeks experienced improvements in blood sugar, visceral fat and markers of heart health.



3. Shellfish

Despite its generally positive reputation, shellfish has received criticism for its high cholesterol content, says Sheri Gaw, RDN, CDCES. This has led some people with diabetes (and, therefore, increased risk of heart disease) to avoid shellfish like crab, clams, shrimp and oysters.

However, Gaw says people with diabetes can say yes to shellfish on a regular basis. “Shellfish is a low-saturated fat, high-quality protein that promotes blood sugar control,” she explains. There’s more good news. One study found that two weekly servings of fish or shellfish may help protect people with a history of cardiovascular disease from future cardiac events and cardiovascular disease-related death. Try a 3-ounce serving of canned crab for 15 grams of protein.

4. Lean Beef

Believe it or not, beef can be beneficial for health, even for people with diabetes. It all comes down to choosing the right cut. While fatty cuts aren’t advised, Gaw says the high protein content of a lean cut of beef like chuck, sirloin, round or top loin can help build muscle while keeping dietary fat to a minimum. Three ounces of trimmed sirloin steak, for example, contains roughly 17 grams of protein with a reasonable 3 grams of saturated fat.

5. Soy Foods

Ever heard that soy is a bad actor for your health? While rumors abound that soy increases breast cancer risk, impairs mineral absorption or adversely affects male sex hormones, research has shown that these soy myths simply aren’t true., ,

Truth is, soy is actually a healthy choice for muscle-building, especially if you prefer a plant-based meal plan. “Soy foods are sometimes avoided for containing phytoestrogens and being processed, but foods like tofu are a great source of plant-based protein,” says diabetes expert Vandana Sheth, RDN, CDCES. “Tofu contains all the essential amino acids and supports muscle growth without blood sugar spikes.” One cup of cubed tofu contains an impressive 18 grams of protein.

6. Beans and Lentils

When it comes to diabetes, there’s a lot of confusion around beans and lentils. Their relatively high carb content can give the impression that they’re off-limits for people with blood sugar issues. But Shah says these legumes have a unique saving grace, specifically their fiber. “While they are higher in carbs, they have a lower glycemic load because of their high fiber content,” she explains. This means they won’t raise your blood sugar quickly. In fact, many dietitians consider beans to be among the best high-fiber foods for diabetes. Try a cup of cooked lentils for 18 grams of plant-based protein plus a bonus 16 grams of blood sugar-regulating fiber.

Benefits of Gaining Muscle If You Have Diabetes

As beneficial as protein is, you need to combine it with resistance training to effectively build muscle. The resulting increased lean mass can deliver a surprising number of diabetes-related health benefits, like these:

Better blood sugar control. Muscle is where the majority of glucose uptake happens, says Palinski-Wade. “This means that having more muscle mass makes it easier for the body to use glucose after eating, improving blood sugar control,” she adds.

Muscle is where the majority of glucose uptake happens, says Palinski-Wade. “This means that having more muscle mass makes it easier for the body to use glucose after eating, improving blood sugar control,” she adds. Easier weight management. Muscle burns more calories than fat, so having more muscle can help with weight management, an important aspect of diabetes care, Sheth says.

Muscle burns more calories than fat, so having more muscle can help with weight management, an important aspect of diabetes care, Sheth says. Improved insulin sensitivity. Protein’s ability to help with weight management may also prevent the buildup of visceral fat, the harmful fat that wraps around your internal organs, says Palinski-Wade. Research has found that reducing visceral fat may promote better insulin sensitivity.

The Bottom Line

If you’re living with diabetes, it may be time to rethink your go-to list of high-protein foods. Research reveals that lean protein may help build muscle, manage weight, and improve insulin sensitivity and blood sugar control. Dietitians say that some of the high-protein foods people with diabetes sometimes avoid–such as full-fat yogurt, nuts, shellfish, beef, soy, beans and lentils—can actually be a part of a healthy eating plan for diabetes and can help build the muscle you need. If you could use more muscle-building strategies, check out our 7-Day Bodyweight Training Plan for Beginners, Created by Certified Trainers.



Proteins that people with diabetes may avoid, like full-fat yogurt, nuts, shellfish, beef, soy and beans can help build muscle and manage blood glucose.

6 "Bad" High-Protein Foods You Should Eat to Gain Muscle If You Have Diabetes, According to Dietitians

Dean Rogut was holding it together.

He had become a father for the first time, but it had not gone to plan. At 12 weeks pregnant, his wife was put on bed rest. At 24 weeks, their son, Max, was born.

As the weeks went by, things were hard. There were times when they thought they might lose Max. Throughout that period, in and out of the NICU watching their tiny baby, Rogut took “the very male supporting role”. He supported his wife. He was the point of contact if anyone needed to know what was going on. But it felt as though he was in a sensory deprivation tank. He became detached from everything and anything. “I was very much in survival mode – but trying to keep everyone else sort of above water.”

Staff would check in and ask, “How’s mum doing today?” No one asked about how Rogut was doing unless his forthright wife told them to. His friends would get in touch, but there wasn’t much they could do. About halfway through the 121 days Max spent in hospital, his wife was diagnosed with postnatal depression, which helped her access support.

“But yeah, there was nothing really for me.”

Max was born in March. He came home around July. The new family got into a routine. Rogut was problem solving, helping his wife. He had friends around him. It would have looked to the outside world that he was doing OK. That he was being a good dad.

“I didn’t realise how bad I was until about November, December when I hit the wall.” He became clinically depressed, suicidal. He checked into a hospital.

A baby is a beautiful thing. But for decades, after years of advocacy, researchers and health systems have recognised that the arrival of a baby can also be a challenging, traumatic, disorienting thing for new mothers. Up to one in five mothers experience perinatal anxiety or depression. As a result, women are screened for their mental health at metronomic points throughout the orchestrated health path from confirmation of pregnancy through to their infant’s routine immunisations. Maternal mental health remains a serious problem, but one for which a system exists.

There is no such system for fathers. And an increasing body of research shows about one in 10 fathers experience serious mental health issues in the period before and after their child is born. It is also showing that the impacts of this are not just devastating for the fathers, but for their partners and their children.

“We don’t have a community where we wrap our arms around fathers in the same way that we do around mothers in the early stages,” says Deakin University Associate Professor Jacqui Macdonald, convener of the Australian Fatherhood Research Consortium. “Instead the language is around fathers being a support for the mother. There’s not a discussion about who the support is for fathers.”

It means that fathers, like Rogut – but not limited to those who have had traumatic experiences – can slip through the cracks.

When you think about the challenges facing a first-time father, says Associate Professor Richard Fletcher, who leads the Fathers and Families Research Program at the University of Newcastle, “the context for him having the baby is one that’s like being in a desert and not even being aware of how thirsty you are, but there’s no water anywhere”.

“The dads are isolated from pretty well everything.”

It is not a phenomenon limited to Australia. Dr Sharin Baldwin conducted a systematic review on perinatal mental health in the UK in 2018. “What stands out most is how often men feel invisible or excluded in the perinatal period,” she says. Meanwhile, they were dealing with challenges associated with changes in identity and their relationship, financial pressures and work-life balance. Not much has changed since then, she says.

“Many men suffer in silence during one of the most significant transitions in their lives.”

“Families don’t work as individuals, they work as systems. So if one part of that system is really struggling, the rest of the system isn’t going to be working as well,” Macdonald says. “If we can care for the father, then the father does provide a better source of care. The father becomes a partner of the healthcare system in supporting the mother and child, but that’s not possible if we haven’t cared for the father as well.”

The figure of 10% of new fathers experiencing mental health difficulties, such as anxiety and depression, is an estimation. One reason, says Macdonald, is “we don’t really have proper screening anywhere for new fathers”. The second is that male depression often looks quite different from perinatal depression in women.

“What we do find is very high correlations between feelings of anger. It doesn’t necessarily mean that they’re aggressive, it just means that there’s an internalised sense of anger,” she says. It may be adaptive, “a sense [in fathers] that there’s an energy there to manage; to fight against this feeling of depression and sadness – but it needs support.”

There’s been this lifetime of socialisation towards motherhood for women, and less so of that for men Associate Professor Jacqui Macdonald

A recent systematic review of paternal coping identified in fathers a cohort of what Macdonald calls “dual copers” – men who look as if they are doing really well but have underlying unaddressed unease. “These dual copers in men often are also engaging in avoidant behaviours. Things that are distracting, things that will reduce the emotional intensity of the feelings that they’re having, and that may include things like alcohol use.”

The review echoes findings from Baldwin in the UK: “For fathers, distress may show up as anger, irritability, or conflict, and through avoidant behaviours like working excessively, smoking, gambling or increased focus on activities like sports or sex.”

When Macdonald and a team tracked a Covid cohort of dual copers, the study found higher rates of depression over time than among other fathers.

“But everyone looks at them and thinks ‘Oh, you seem to be doing alright … We won’t dig any deeper,’” she says. “And my fear is that’s where we start to see risk for suicide.”

View image in fullscreen Men frequently take longer to bond with their babies than women. Illustration: Victoria Hart

Egalitarian dreams

The way society expects fathers to engage in domestic life has undergone a fundamental shift within the last 30 years.

“Couples before birth say what they want is a more egalitarian arrangement,” says Fletcher. “The community’s changed quite a bit but the system around dads hasn’t changed. That makes it hard for them to be clear about ‘Well, what’s my role, exactly?’”

The message to fathers about the role they are expected to play, from antenatal care to the way Australia structures parental leave, Fletcher says is: “Well, we think it’s pretty small.”

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While couples entering into pregnancies often expect egalitarian parenting, the fundamental cultural preparation for being a parent is often different for men and women. “There’s been this lifetime of socialisation towards motherhood for women, and less so of that for men,” says Macdonald.

“The social environment is one where men are not expected to be caring for babies or interested in babies,” says Fletcher. This can make the transition to parenthood difficult for men. It is well established that men frequently take longer to bond with their babies than women. But the work of addressing that, says Fletcher, cannot be left up to individual men, operating in a vacuum.

“People think we’ve really got to get those dads to change their attitudes and be more egalitarian. That’s the task. Whereas I would say we’ve got to change the system surrounding conception, pregnancy and birth so that it’s assumed he’s part of it.”

Caring and earning dynamics established early in family life can be difficult to untangle, and can cause long-term conflict when the reality of the division of caring does not cohere with the vision parents had when entering parenthood. Both parties can feel disappointed, says Fletcher – though women often more so, left literally holding the baby if their partner retreats into work, or hobbies, or alcohol as a way of coping with their own distress.

The chasm between parents’ expectation and experience, between fathers’ needs and support, leaves families fumbling. They’re asking, says Macdonald: “Why does the system not respond to what we do as a family and what we need?”

“My hope is that we’re seeing a potential tipping point … where we see the family as a system; where we see both parents as providers, not just fathers, which means both parents are also protectors, both parents are carers, emotional caregivers.”

But that needs intervention.

‘They’re not thinking, “Oh, what about me?”’

“The simple thing” that governments could do, says Fletcher, is screen new fathers for anxiety and depression. “I think that’s a basic fundamental thing.”

The NHS in the UK introduced screening for fathers by health visitors when their partners had already been identified as having perinatal mental health problems. Baldwin says it is a positive step, but is only part of the solution.

“What we really need is a broader cultural and systemic shift that normalises support for fathers.”

Often when one asks new fathers how they are doing, they are reluctant to identify that they are struggling. Their response, says Fletcher, is: “‘No, look after her.’”

It is a mistake to attribute this to the father’s sense of the need to preserve a stoic masculinity, he argues. “The evidence says that they’re not so much thinking about that they want to be tough and super masculine, but they care for their partner.” They can see that their partner’s needs are most acute. “They’re not thinking, ‘Oh, what about me?’”

This means the need for services which are specifically targeted towards fathers. A recent trial of an app which asked fathers to track their moods and offered cognitive behavioural therapy interventions, developed by Dr Sam Teague at James Cook University, found an improvement in fathers with anxiety, stress and even those with severe depression. Fathers also reported improved relationships with their partners.

Likewise Fletcher, with a team, developed a father-specific mobile-based information support service called SMS4dads which has more than 18,000 fathers signed up. A feasibility study for the service in 2019 found that fathers using the app improved their relationship with their baby and partner, and reduced their sense of isolation.

Fletcher and Macdonald say the field of advocates and researchers invested in fatherhood is growing, but efforts to support fathers and their families are still often quite piecemeal.

Macdonald advocates using the universal GP system, and encouraging men in the early stages of fatherhood to attend routine mental and physical health checks – “just full-on dad checks across that period of time”.

“A number of practitioners have told us they don’t feel as confident working with fathers, but once there’s training to do this, they feel very confident,” she says. One program working to skill up health practitioners, including GPs, Men in Mind, has recently been given funding to expand.

Both Macdonald and Fletcher also say restructuring the parental leave system to allow fathers to be primary caregiver for a period is fundamental to the health of fathers and the families they are part of.

Dean Rogut’s son is now a teenager. With the passage of time, Rogut has become able to share his experience. For a few years, around the time of his son’s birthday, tensions would be high in his home, the relationship would struggle. Now, he is a community champion for perinatal mental health service Panda, and even as he trawls through the darkest of his memories, he comes across as confident, open. Things have changed for fathers in the last decade, he says. “We know this happens and there’s more of a spotlight on it,” he says.

What might have been different if he had been viewed as someone who needed help, too?

“I don’t think I would have ended up in hospital, to be honest,” he says. He may have received support before he reached his crisis point. “It’s all those kinds of things that we look back on and think, ‘If only’.”

Around one in 10 fathers experience serious mental health issues in the period before and after their child is born. What can be done?

‘Men are not expected to be interested in babies’: how society lets new fathers – and their families – down

A new study published in the Journal of Psychiatric Research sheds light on the long-term challenges faced by individuals diagnosed with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD). The research shows that adults with ADHD are more likely to struggle with education, employment, and overall social functioning compared to those without the condition. Even when individuals adhered to prescribed medication over a 10-year period, their outcomes did not significantly improve in key areas such as educational attainment or employment by the age of 30.

ADHD is a developmental condition that affects about 2–3% of children, with symptoms often continuing into adulthood. It is characterized by persistent patterns of inattention, hyperactivity, and impulsivity. These behaviors can make it difficult to succeed in academic, social, and workplace settings. While medication is commonly prescribed to manage symptoms, the long-term effects of treatment on real-world outcomes like education and employment have not been well studied.

The researchers set out to understand how adults with ADHD are doing by age 30, and whether sticking to prescribed medication during young adulthood helps improve social outcomes. They also aimed to quantify the broader social and economic impact of ADHD, particularly in terms of healthcare costs and the presence of other mental health conditions.

The research team used national data from Denmark’s health and social registries to track individuals diagnosed with ADHD between 1995 and 2016. To be included, patients had to be under 30 years old by 2005 or turn 30 by 2016, which allowed for at least a decade of follow-up data.

In total, 4,897 people with ADHD were matched with 18,931 individuals from the general population. Matching was based on age, gender, and location. The researchers then compared the two groups across a range of outcomes, including education level, employment status, income, healthcare use, and psychiatric comorbidities.

They also examined medication adherence by tracking how consistently ADHD patients filled prescriptions over the 10 years leading up to age 30. Adherence was defined as receiving at least 70% of the defined daily dose in a given year. The researchers then analyzed whether greater adherence led to better social and economic outcomes.

Overall, adults with ADHD fared significantly worse than their peers in many areas of life by the time they reached 30. Compared to the control group, individuals with ADHD were more likely to live alone, less likely to have completed higher education, less likely to be employed, more likely to rely on social welfare programs, and more likely to have been diagnosed with additional psychiatric disorders.

At age 30, only about 35% of adults with ADHD were employed, compared to over 74% in the control group. A striking 34% of those with ADHD were receiving social security benefits, and 12% were on disability pensions — much higher than their non-ADHD peers.

The economic picture was also sobering. Adults with ADHD had lower predicted income from employment and significantly higher healthcare costs. On average, they received more than double the amount of public financial support compared to the control group.

Mental health was another key difference. Psychiatric comorbidities were far more common among ADHD patients, including depression, anxiety, and substance use disorders. These additional conditions strongly influenced outcomes: people with more severe psychiatric comorbidities were much less likely to finish school or be employed.

One of the central questions of the study was whether sticking to ADHD medication made a difference. Surprisingly, the answer was no — or at least not in the expected way.

Adherence to medication between the ages of 21 and 30 did not increase the chances of completing a vocational or college-level education. Nor did it boost the odds of being employed at age 30. In fact, higher adherence to medication was modestly associated with lower odds of being employed, although the researchers believe this may be due to the fact that people with more severe symptoms — and thus worse outcomes — are also the ones who are more likely to stay on medication.

Educational outcomes were most strongly predicted by whether the patient’s parents had higher levels of education. Similarly, parental education also influenced whether the individual was employed by age 30. This suggests that family background remains a powerful driver of success, even among those with access to medical treatment.

The researchers acknowledged several limitations. One key issue is that the data do not capture the full range of non-medication treatments, such as therapy, special education services, or social support programs. These may play an important role in long-term success but were not included in the study.

Another challenge is that the study design was observational, which means it cannot prove causation. For example, while medication adherence was not linked to better outcomes, this does not mean that medication is ineffective — it may be that the people who need it most already face serious disadvantages that medication alone cannot overcome.

There was also limited information about the age at which patients were first diagnosed. Many participants received their diagnosis as adults, missing out on early intervention that might have changed their life trajectories. The researchers note that earlier diagnosis and a combination of treatments might lead to better long-term results, but more studies are needed to test this idea.

The study, “Long-term effects of attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) on social functioning and health care outcomes,” was authored by Poul Jennum, Anne Virring Sørensen, Lone Baandrup, Michael Ibsen, Rikke Ibsen, and Jakob Kjellberg.

Long-term data from Denmark reveals that people with ADHD face major social and economic disadvantages by age 30. Surprisingly, regular use of ADHD medication did not significantly improve their education or job prospects.

Adults with ADHD face long-term social and economic challenges, study finds — even with medication

Breakthrough cancer drug doubles survival in trial

2 hours ago Share Save Philippa Roxby Heath Reporter Share Save

Laura Marston Laura now feels good six years after her diagnosis of advanced tongue cancer

Hundreds of thousands of people with advanced head and neck cancer could live longer without their cancer returning thanks to an immunotherapy drug, a clinical trial suggests. This is the first sign of a breakthrough for patients with this difficult-to-treat cancer for 20 years, say scientists behind the research. Laura Marston, 45, from Derbyshire, says she is "amazed she's still here" after being given "dire" chances of survival following a diagnosis of advanced tongue cancer six years ago. She received the immunotherapy before and after surgery, which researchers say helps the body learn to attack the cancer if it returns.

Cancers in the head and neck are notoriously difficult to treat and there's been little change in the way patients are treated in two decades. More than half those diagnosed with advanced head and neck cancers die within five years. Laura was given only a 30% chance of surviving that long after her diagnosis in 2019, after having an ulcer on her tongue which wouldn't go away. The next step was major surgery to remove her tongue, as well as lymph nodes in her neck, and then she had to learn to talk and eat again. "I was 39 and I was devastated," she told BBC News. As part of an international study into new ways to treat the cancer, involving experts from the Institute of Cancer Research in London, Laura was one of more than 350 patients given the immunotherapy drug pembrolizumab before and after surgery to prime the body's defences. Prof Kevin Harrington, who led the trial in the UK, explains: "We give the immune system the chance to have a good look at the tumour to generate anti-tumour immunity and then, after removal of the tumour, we continue to amplify that immune response by giving the drug continually for up to a year." A similar number of patients diagnosed with similar cancers received the usual care offered. They all had advanced head and neck cancers in one area, that had not spread to the rest of the body. The new approach showed positive results. It doubled the length of time patients were cancer free, on average, from around 2.5 years to five years. After three years, patients given pembrolizumab had a 10% lower risk of their cancer returning elsewhere in the body.

'Given me my life back'

Six years on, Laura is working full-time and says she's "in a good place and doing really well". "It's been phenomenal for me, because I'm here, able to talk to you. "I wasn't expected to come this far," Laura says. "My prognosis was quite dire." She had muscle taken from her left arm and placed into her mouth to fill the void left by her tongue. It has been a tough journey. "Just having this amazing immunotherapy has given me my life back again."

An international study found immunotherapy before surgery could give patients extra years of life.

Immunotherapy drug doubles cancer survival in breakthrough trial

A major US research program to develop a vaccine against HIV has been abruptly canceled by the Trump administration, sparking outrage as prevention efforts stall.

The administration's termination of the promising $258million research program stunned scientists, whose years-long project had also benefited the development of treatments for COVID-19, autoimmune conditions, and even snakebite antivenom.

Researchers at Duke University and the Scripps Research Institute were informed on Friday that their funding would be cut.

'The consortia for HIV/AIDS vaccine development and immunology was reviewed by NIH leadership, which does not support it moving forward,' a senior official, who asked not to be named, told the New York Times. 'NIH expects to be shifting its focus toward using currently available approaches to eliminate HIV/AIDS.'

'I find it very disappointing that at this critical juncture the funding for highly successful HIV vaccine research programs should be pulled,' Dennis Burton, an immunologist who led the program at Scripps, told the New York Times.

More than 1.2million people in the US have HIV with the figure standing at around 110,000 in the UK.

'Donald Trump cutting funding for the HIV vaccine is as mind blowing as it heart breaking', said Richard Angell, chief executive of HIV charity the Terrence Higgins Trust. 'The holy grail of any virus response and the only things that will eventually keep all Americans safe is a vaccine. A president worthy of the title would want America to be the first country to invent the HIV jab, not walk off the pitch in the eleventh hour.'

The Trump administration has abruptly shut down a $258 million HIV vaccine research program, halting work at Duke University and the Scripps Research Institute

The NIH said it would no longer support the consortia, shifting focus to existing tools for HIV prevention and treatment

For decades, the United States has led the world in HIV research, pouring billions into cutting-edge science that turned a once-fatal virus into a manageable condition for millions.

American labs were the first to crack the genetic code of HIV, to develop life-saving antiretroviral drugs, and to pioneer global initiatives like PEPFAR that saved more than 25 million lives worldwide.

The now-axed vaccine program was another shining example of US scientific leadership, bringing together top researchers from coast to coast and pushing the boundaries of immunology.

The cancellation is part of a broader rollback of federal HIV efforts. The NIH has also paused funding for a separate clinical trial of an HIV vaccine developed by Moderna.

HIV rates remain high. In 2023 alone the World Health Organization reported 1.3million new infections, including 120,000 children.

More than 32,000 people in the US contracted the virus last year and there was another 4,000 new cases in the UK.

In some parts of the US, the effects are already being felt. In Texas, the state's Department of Health Services told grantees to pause HIV prevention activities 'until further notice.' In Mecklenburg County, North Carolina, 10 health department staffers have been laid off.

Across Africa, several countries are reporting major disruptions in prevention work after delays in US aid.

'The HIV pandemic will never be ended without a vaccine, so killing research on one will end up killing people,' John Moore, an HIV researcher at Weill Cornell Medical College, said. 'The NIH's multiyear investment in advanced vaccine technologies shouldn't be abandoned on a whim like this.'

Trump and RFK Jr have both promised to overhaul America's health agencies

Researchers had been pursuing a promising approach using broadly neutralizing antibodies that could protect against multiple HIV strains

Trial after trial has failed to produce a traditional HIV vaccine, but the Duke and Scripps teams had been taking a new approach: studying broadly neutralizing antibodies shown in animals to protect against multiple strains of the virus.

That promising pipeline may now run dry.

'Almost everything in the field is hinged on work that those two programs are doing,' said Warren. 'The pipeline just got clogged.'

During his first term, President Trump had supported efforts to curb the HIV epidemic.

But in his second term, his administration has slashed prevention efforts, terminated several grants doe preventative drugs, and shut down the HIV prevention division at the CDC.

While officials say the work may be transferred to a yet-to-be-formed federal agency, no details have been shared.

A pioneering research program has been abruptly ended by the Trump administration, sparking outrage as prevention efforts stall.

Devastating blow in race for vaccine against deadly disease that affects millions

The 25-year-old man was shivering. Although the weather in Milwaukie, Ore., was cold and rainy that March evening, his apartment was too warm to explain his chills. He had been having abdominal pain for the past several weeks, but that night it was excruciating — like a knife plunged deep into his belly, sharp and burning. All the strength seemed to seep from his body, and he thought he might pass out. That’s when he asked his roommate to call 911.

The E.M.T.s were concerned by the man’s pallor and low blood pressure and took him to Kaiser Permanente Sunnyside in Clackamas, just north of the small town where he spent much of his childhood. In the E.R., initial blood tests showed that he had lost a tremendous amount of blood — nearly half the blood in his system. The man shook with cold beneath the several blankets layered over him. With trembling hands, he signed the consent forms for a transfusion to replace some of what he had lost.

Months of Bizarre Symptoms

It had been a strange winter. In January, he noticed a bulge in the left side of his abdomen while taking a shower. He pressed on it, and it disappeared, only to reappear when the pressure was released. It didn’t hurt, but it was weird and new. He got in to see a physician assistant 10 days later. The P.A. couldn’t see or feel the lump but ordered an ultrasound to look for it. And they found it: a mass the size of a large grapefruit, about six inches in diameter.

Three weeks later, before any follow-ups had been planned, the man was sent a Valentine’s Day lunch by his girlfriend. He had just started eating when he developed a stabbing pain in his abdomen. It lasted less than a minute. But every mouthful after that moment triggered the same searing pain — even water. He drove himself to a nearby urgent care center. A CT scan showed clearly that the grapefruit of fluid now filled his entire upper abdomen, compressing his stomach, pancreas and spleen. He was admitted to the hospital.

After weeks of discomfort, the 25-year-old man got a shocking explanation for his abdominal pain.

He Was Bleeding Internally. Then Doctors Found the Real Danger.

In recent years, a new trend has emerged among productivity and well-being gurus: cold showers, or even baths in the middle of ice. You’ll have seen videos of athletes like LeBron James immersing themselves in an icy bath. Even Gwyneth Paltrow has tried it.

Are ice baths and cold showers really good for your health?

Presented as an ideal solution for reducing stress, reducing inflammation and boosting the immune system, these methods can seem like a panacea for improving health and increasing daily efficiency. And there are plenty of influencers touting their effects.

However, science has begun to debunk these claims, revealing that the supposed benefits of ice baths are not as solid as they seem… To this end, researchers from the University of South Australia recently conducted a meta-analysis of 11 international studies. They published their findings in the scientific journal PLOS One.

Science Scientists have discovered one of the largest gold deposits in history, containing over 1,100 tons.

The analysis used data from cold baths and showers at temperatures ranging from 7 to 15ºC, over durations ranging from 30 seconds to two hours. The aim was to assess the real effects of cold water immersion, which has become increasingly popular.

Elite athletes often use these practices to recover after competitions, and they have been widely publicised as beneficial for the general public. However, researchers have discovered that the evidence supporting these benefits is mainly applicable to athletes, and not to the general population.

In terms of stress reduction, the results indicate that immersion in ice-cold water can indeed reduce stress levels, but only temporarily, for around 12 hours after exposure. This means that there is no immediate and lasting effect on psychological well-being.

What’s more, although some people report an improvement in quality of life after taking cold showers lasting between 20 and 90 seconds, these effects generally fade after three months, indicating a lack of prolonged benefits.

Science A devastating tsunami fossilized in amber reveals secrets 115 million years old.

The limits and risks of ice baths

The Australian team’s research also explored the impact of ice baths on sleep quality and the immune system. Although some of the data suggests an improvement in sleep, these conclusions are based on limited samples and are exclusively male. More research is therefore needed before they can be generalised to the population as a whole.

As far as the impact of cold showers on the immune system is concerned, it was found that people who took them had 29% fewer absences from work due to illness. However, there is no solid evidence to show that these showers actually improve the immune response in any significant way.

What’s more, contrary to popular belief, ice baths do not reduce muscular inflammation. On the contrary, they appear to cause a significant increase in inflammation, both immediately and one hour after exposure. This is the result of an ‘acute inflammatory response’ by the body to heat stress, which can be beneficial for athletes by helping to strengthen muscles, but potentially harmful for those with pre-existing pathologies.

In the end, although cold showers may offer some temporary benefits, particularly for athletes, they do not offer any lasting or widespread benefits for the general population. Unless you’re a top sportsperson, taking a cold shower won’t improve your productivity. At most, it will have saved you a little time.

Science Although it was thought to be lost between Earth and the Moon, this satellite sent in 1974 has, against all odds, resurfaced on American space defense radars.

What about getting up early?

The same goes for the idea that getting up at five in the morning improves productivity. Here too, science has shown that the benefits of this practice depend on many factors, including genetics. Individual biological clocks influence our ability to get up early.

Although getting up early can offer personal time for activities such as exercise and a healthy breakfast, it also means going to bed earlier, which can affect social life and reduce exposure to daylight, essential for vitamin D synthesis.

One study suggests that getting enough sleep, regular exercise and eating a nutritious breakfast are crucial to waking up early in the morning. However, daily obligations and individual lifestyles mean that this lifestyle is not suitable for everyone, and forcing such a change can have negative consequences for health and productivity.

In recent years, a new trend has emerged among productivity and well-being gurus: cold showers, or even baths in the middle of ice. You'll have seen videos of athletes like LeBron James immersing themselves in an icy bath. Even Gwyneth Paltrow has tried it. Are ice baths and cold showers…

Science has debunked the morning mantra of productivity gurus: cold showers are just as useless as waking up early.

Summary: A new study suggests that SSRIs, commonly prescribed antidepressants, may reduce biological markers of Alzheimer’s disease. In a cohort of 191 individuals, AD patients on SSRIs had lower levels of plasma phosphorylated tau-181, a key indicator of disease severity.

Brain scans also showed that SSRIs restored metabolic activity in the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), an early site of tau accumulation and serotonin production. This metabolic recovery was not observed in healthy individuals, suggesting a disease-specific effect.

Key Facts:

Reduced Tau Biomarkers: AD patients on SSRIs had significantly lower levels of p-tau181, a blood-based marker of tau pathology.

AD patients on SSRIs had significantly lower levels of p-tau181, a blood-based marker of tau pathology. Restored Brain Activity: SSRIs reversed hypometabolism in the dorsal raphe nucleus, a serotonin-rich region and early site of Alzheimer’s damage.

SSRIs reversed hypometabolism in the dorsal raphe nucleus, a serotonin-rich region and early site of Alzheimer’s damage. Mixed Cognitive Effects: While some cognitive scores improved, results varied across different testing methods, complicating conclusions about functional benefit.

Source: Neuroscience News

A new study suggests that selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), a common class of antidepressants, may do more than lift mood: they might help reduce the biological burden of Alzheimer’s disease (AD).

Researchers have found that long-term SSRI use in patients with AD is associated with reduced tau pathology, a hallmark of the disease, and restored activity in a key brain region—though the effects on memory and cognition remain complex.

Researchers emphasize that this was a cross-sectional study, meaning it can’t prove cause and effect. Credit: Neuroscience News

The dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN), a tiny region deep in the brainstem, is one of the earliest areas to show tau accumulation in AD. It’s also the brain’s primary source of serotonin, the neurotransmitter targeted by SSRIs.

This new research shows that in people with Alzheimer’s, the DRN becomes metabolically sluggish—but SSRI treatment appears to reverse this, boosting its activity back toward healthy levels.

The research team analyzed data from 191 participants in the Alzheimer’s Disease Neuroimaging Initiative (ADNI), comparing individuals with and without SSRI use.

They measured a blood biomarker of tau pathology (phosphorylated tau-181, or p-tau181), conducted brain scans of metabolic activity, and evaluated cognitive performance across different tests.

They found that AD patients who were using SSRIs had significantly lower plasma p-tau181 levels than those not taking antidepressants. These results suggest a potential protective effect of SSRIs on tau pathology.

Brain imaging confirmed that the DRN in AD patients is typically hypometabolic—essentially underactive.

However, patients on SSRIs showed restored glucose metabolism in this region, a sign of revived neural function. This effect was specific to those with AD; healthy control participants showed no change in DRN metabolism with SSRI use, possibly due to a built-in feedback regulation in the serotonin system that dampens unnecessary activity.

Despite these promising biological findings, the impact of SSRIs on cognitive performance was mixed.

While some patients performed better on certain cognitive tests (like the Montreal Cognitive Assessment, or MoCA), others did not show measurable improvements.

Intriguingly, the usual correlation between different cognitive assessments broke down in SSRI users—hinting that antidepressants may affect how cognitive decline is measured, rather than how it progresses.

Researchers emphasize that this was a cross-sectional study, meaning it can’t prove cause and effect. It also couldn’t account for the specific types or dosages of SSRIs used, nor whether treatment began before or after AD symptoms emerged.

Still, these results offer strong support for further clinical trials exploring the timing, duration, and cognitive impact of SSRI treatment in neurodegenerative diseases.

In summary, this study adds to growing evidence that the brain’s serotonin system is deeply intertwined with Alzheimer’s pathology.

While SSRIs are primarily prescribed for mood disorders, they may also influence key processes in Alzheimer’s—including the metabolism of vulnerable brain regions and the spread of toxic proteins.

As researchers continue to probe the connection between mood, memory, and brain chemistry, SSRIs may offer a surprising ally in the fight against cognitive decline.

About this neuropharmacology and Alzheimer’s disease research news

Author: Neuroscience News Communications

Source: Neuroscience News

Contact: Neuroscience News Communications – Neuroscience News

Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News

Original Research: Open access.

“SSRIs reduce plasma tau and restore dorsal raphe metabolism in Alzheimer’s disease” by Dylan J. Terstege et al. Alzheimer’s & Dementia

Abstract

SSRIs reduce plasma tau and restore dorsal raphe metabolism in Alzheimer’s disease

INTRODUCTION

Tau pathology impacts neurodegeneration and cognitive decline in Alzheimer’s disease (AD), with the dorsal raphe nucleus (DRN) being among the brain regions showing the earliest tau pathology. As a serotonergic hub, DRN activity is altered by selective serotonin reuptake inhibitors (SSRIs), which also have variable effects on cognitive decline and pathology in AD.

METHODS

We examined N = 191 subjects with baseline 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography and plasma biomarker data to study the effects of SSRIs on tau pathology, cognitive decline, and DRN metabolism.

RESULTS

Plasma phosphorylated tau 181 (p-tau181) was lower with SSRI use. The effect of SSRIs on cognition varied by cognitive assessment. The DRN was hypometabolic in AD patients relative to healthy controls; however, SSRI use restored the metabolic activity of this region in AD patients.

DISCUSSION

Long-term SSRI use may reduce the pathological presentation of AD but has variable effects on cognitive performance.

A new study suggests that SSRIs, commonly prescribed antidepressants, may reduce biological markers of Alzheimer’s disease.

SSRIs Restore Brain Function in Alzheimer’s

Summary: New research reveals complex relationships between blood lipid levels and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia. While small dense LDL cholesterol—linked to heart disease—was associated with increased Alzheimer’s risk, other markers like ApoB48 were linked to reduced risk.

Surprisingly, even low levels of “good” HDL cholesterol were associated with lower dementia risk in this study. These findings suggest that lipid metabolism may play different roles in heart and brain health, and that blood lipid profiles could help predict or even prevent Alzheimer’s.

Key Facts:

Bad Cholesterol Link: Higher small dense LDL-C levels were tied to a 21% increased Alzheimer’s risk.

Higher small dense LDL-C levels were tied to a 21% increased Alzheimer’s risk. Protective Fat Marker: Higher ApoB48 levels—linked to dietary fat transport—were tied to a 22% lower risk.

Higher ApoB48 levels—linked to dietary fat transport—were tied to a 22% lower risk. Unexpected HDL Finding: Participants with the lowest HDL-C (good cholesterol) had a 44% lower Alzheimer’s risk.

Source: UT Southwestern

People who are at higher risk for heart disease also seem more likely to develop dementia.



And research led by The University of Texas Health Science Center at San Antonio (UT Health San Antonio) has discovered new associations between various lipid, or fat, levels in the blood and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, the most common cause of dementia worldwide.



The findings mean that using blood lipid profiles could help better understand, predict and possibly even prevent the disease in the future.



In more than 800 older adults who were part of the long-running Framingham Heart Study, the researchers found that higher levels of small dense cholesterol particles – which are known to increase the risk of atherosclerosis and coronary heart disease – were associated with higher risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease.



However, higher levels of a marker for small fat-carrying particles, which are involved in the transport of dietary fats from the gut to other body tissues through the blood after eating, were associated with lower risk of developing the disease.



Perhaps ironically, the researchers also discovered that individuals who had the lowest levels of highly dense cholesterol particles – often referred to as “good cholesterol” as it is considered protective against cardiovascular disease – had a lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease compared to the rest of the included individuals.



“These findings highlight the complex relationships of blood lipids with both heart and brain health, suggesting the possibility of certain blood lipids playing different roles in cardiovascular disease and dementia-related biological processes,” said Sokratis Charisis, MD, a researcher with the Glenn Biggs Institute for Alzheimer’s and Neurodegenerative Diseases at UT Health San Antonio.



Charisis is first author of the study published May 30 in the journal Neurology, titled, “Association of Blood Lipoprotein Levels With Incident Alzheimer’s Disease in Community-Dwelling Individuals: The Framingham Heart Study.” Other authors include corresponding author Sudha Seshadri, MD, director of the Biggs Institute, and researchers from Boston University School of Public Health, the University of Texas Rio Grande Valley and the Framingham Heart Study.



A community-based analysis



The new study notes that dementia is a leading source of morbidity and mortality in the aging population. Worldwide, there were 57.4 million people living with dementia in 2019, a number that is expected to reach 152.8 million by 2050.



However, there is a general trend over time of decreasing incidence of Alzheimer’s disease and other dementias in the U.S. and other higher-income countries that is at least partially attributed to better management of cardiovascular risk factors.



The Framingham Heart Study is an ongoing, community-based cohort study that was launched in 1948 in Framingham, Massachusetts. Residents there ages 30 to 59 were randomly selected from census data to participate. Those with definite signs of cardiovascular disease at baseline were excluded.

Participants of the original cohort have undergone up to 32 examinations performed every two years, which have included detailed history-taking by a physician, a physical examination and lab testing.



The latest analysis by researchers led by UT Health San Antonio included participants from the original cohort who were 60 years or older and free of dementia during an examination period of 1985-1988, and had available cognitive follow-up and lipoprotein marker data. Lipoproteins act as a transport system for lipids in the bloodstream.



Blood lipid levels and dementia

Levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), or good cholesterol; low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), or “bad cholesterol”; small dense LDL-C (sdLDL-C); and other lipoprotein types associated with heart disease were measured in blood samples obtained from the mid- to late-‘80s examination period.

The Framingham participants were watched for incident Alzheimer’s disease, meaning a first diagnosis of the disease, until 2020.



Of a total of 822 participants, 128 developed incident Alzheimer’s disease.



The researchers discovered that an increase of 1 standard deviation unit (SDU) of a concentration of small dense LDL-C (sdLDL-C), a value representing how far a specific data point deviates from the mean, was associated with a 21% increase in the risk for incident Alzheimer’s disease.



As the name implies, small dense LDL-C (sdLDL-C) is a type of the so-called bad cholesterol with smaller and denser particles than other low-density lipoproteins, and that is considered more likely to form plaque in arteries, strongly associated with an increased risk of atherosclerotic cardiovascular disease.



A 1 SDU increase in a concentration of ApoB48, a lipoprotein that transports dietary fat from the intestines and into the bloodstream that also is tied to heart disease and cardiovascular problems, was found to be associated with a 22% decrease in the risk for incident Alzheimer’s disease.



Participants in the first quartile of HDL-C, or good cholesterol – in order of lesser amounts – were 44% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s compared with those in the second, third and fourth quartiles. And those with small dense LDL-C concentrations below the median were 38% less likely to develop Alzheimer’s compared with those with concentrations above the median.



In summary, then, lower small-density bad cholesterol (sdLDL-C) concentrations and higher ApoB48 concentrations were associated with a lower Alzheimer’s risk. And individuals with the lowest good cholesterol (HDL-C) concentrations were less likely to develop Alzheimer’s compared with the remaining sample.



“These findings underscore links between lipoprotein metabolism pathways and Alzheimer’s risk, emphasizing the potential role of blood lipoprotein markers in Alzheimer’s risk stratification and of lipid modification strategies in dementia prevention,” the researchers concluded.

About this cholesterol, cardiovascular disease, and dementia research news

Author: Steven Lee

Source: UT Southwestern

Contact: Steven Lee – UT Southwestern

Image: The image is credited to Neuroscience News

Original Research: Closed access.

“Association of Blood Lipoprotein Levels With Incident Alzheimer’s Disease in Community-Dwelling Individuals: The Framingham Heart Study” by Sokratis Charisis et al. Neurology

Abstract

Association of Blood Lipoprotein Levels With Incident Alzheimer’s Disease in Community-Dwelling Individuals: The Framingham Heart Study

Background and Objectives

Cardiovascular risk factors are important contributors to the risk of Alzheimer disease (AD). To further explore the physiologic links between cardiovascular health and AD risk, we studied the associations between various blood lipoprotein levels and AD risk in community-dwelling older adults.

Methods

This longitudinal analysis included participants aged 60 years or older without prevalent dementia and with available cognitive follow-up and lipoprotein marker data from the Framingham Heart Study. Levels of high-density lipoprotein cholesterol (HDL-C), low-density lipoprotein cholesterol (LDL-C), small dense LDL-C (sdLDL-C), lipoprotein a (Lp(a)), apolipoprotein B (ApoB), and the ApoB isoform ApoB48 were measured in blood samples obtained from 1985 to 1988.

Participants were under surveillance for incident AD until 2020. AD diagnosis was based on standard clinical criteria. The relationships between blood lipoprotein levels (expressed as both continuous variables and quartiles) and AD incidence were examined using Cox proportional hazard models adjusted for baseline age and sex.

Results

A total of 822 participants (mean [SD] age 72.5 [3.7] years, 538 [65.5%] women) were followed for a median (interquartile range) of 12.55 (7.34–15) years, during which 128 participants developed incident AD.

An increase of 1 standard deviation unit (SDU) in ln(sdLDL-C) concentration was associated with a 21% increase in the risk of incident AD (hazard ratio [HR] 1.21, 95% CI 1.01–1.45), whereas a 1-SDU increase in ln(ApoB48) concentration was associated with a 22% decrease in the risk of incident AD (HR 0.78, 95% CI 0.66–0.93).

Participants in the first HDL-C quartile were 44% less likely to develop AD compared with those in the second, third, and fourth HDL-C quartiles (HR 0.56, 95% CI 0.33–0.95). Participants with sdLDL-C concentrations below the median were 38% less likely to develop AD compared with those with sdLDL-C concentrations above the median (HR 0.62, 95% CI 0.44–0.86).

Discussion

Lower sdLDL-C and higher ApoB48 concentrations were associated with a lower AD risk. In addition, individuals with the lowest HDL-C concentrations were less likely to develop AD compared with the remaining sample.

These findings underscore links between lipoprotein metabolism pathways and AD risk, emphasizing the potential role of blood lipoprotein markers in AD risk stratification and of lipid modification strategies in dementia prevention.

New research reveals complex relationships between blood lipid levels and the risk of developing Alzheimer’s disease, the most common form of dementia.

Blood Fat Links Found Between Heart Risk and Alzheimer’s

When Ashlee Dahlberg's eight-year-old son Liam got off the school bus last month and complained of a headache, she thought little of it.

Prone to allergies, these were a fairly regular occurrence for her middle child, Ashlee told the Daily Mail, and so she gave him some ibuprofen as usual.

But overnight Liam's condition gradually worsened, with the head pain intensifying and his temperature spiking to 103F.

The next morning, Ashlee's husband Erik rushed him to ER where doctors revealed that their son was showing signs of a serious brain infection.

Liam was transferred to a children's hospital in Chicago, where he was sedated but never regained consciousness.

After doctors performed a lumbar puncture, they discovered that he had bacterial meningitis and that it was too late to save him.

When the Dahlbergs asked the medical team how it was possible to lose their boy less than 20 hours from the first symptoms, they were told that he had contracted a little-known and viciously deadly infection.

Doctors fear that haemophilus influenzae type B, also known as H. flu or Hib, could become more common as vaccine uptake drops.

Liam's mother Ashlee (pictured together) said the pain was 'indescribable' as she lay with him after the medical team turned off life support

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Talking about the subsequent events, Ashlee told this website: 'We were hoping for a miracle and kept him on life support so that family and friends could visit for the next two days.

'With no improvements, we took him off of life support on Monday, April 28, and he passed peacefully at 3.35pm.'

Despite its similar-sounding name, haemophilus influenzae is not a flu virus but a bacterium.

While many healthy people carry it in their nose or throat without symptoms, H. flu can turn lethal if it enters the bloodstream, causing the body to attack organs. It is particularly dangerous for young children, whose immune systems are still developing.

H. flu is now rare due to widespread Hib vaccination, which has brought yearly cases in the US down from 20,000 in the 1980s to just 50 today.

However, vaccine uptake has been dropping since the Covid pandemic and doctors warn that it could make a deadly resurgence.

Liam was one of those rare cases. The vaccine — given over three doses to babies — is about 95 per cent effective at preventing infections.

Although he was fully vaccinated as part of routine childhood immunizations, Liam fell into that small group for whom the vaccine isn't fully protective.

Little Liam Dahlberg, eight, from Indiana , complained of a headache after coming home from school last month — the next day he was dead

Infectious disease doctors told Ashlee they believed that her son caught Hib from the cough or sneeze of an unvaccinated child.

'Being vaccinated limits your chances of contracting the disease and at the same time limits the carriage of the disease,' she said.

'So, basically in order to not see this disease to this extent, everyone should be vaccinated for it because then it would be eradicated.

'It's not impossible for a vaccinated child to be carrying the bacteria but a vaccinated child would not spread the disease to this extent of being fatal unless an unvaccinated child contracted the disease.

'This is why you don't see it very often because there are more vaccinated children than unvaccinated - but it's the unvaccinated that essentially destroying herd immunity.'

The exact source of Liam's infection will never be known for certain but doctors said the timeline suggested exposure happened between April 22 and April 24.

Now the family is sharing his devastating case in the hope of raising awareness about Hib - and the importance of maintaining high levels of childhood vaccination rates.

'They don't just protect you they protect others who may not be able to be vaccinated and who may have weakened immune systems,' Ashlee said.

He was diagnosed with haemophilus influenzae, also known as H. flu , which had spread to his brain and spinal cord

The family is still unsure how Liam caught the infection — he had been fully vaccinated against H.flu as part of his routine childhood schedule

Pediatricians have warned of declining vaccine uptake overall in the years since the Covid-19 pandemic, though there is no detailed data as to the fall in rates for children when it comes to H. flu. Misinformation and political polarization are thought to be playing a part.

But there may be other reasons fewer children received shots this year, Dr Sean O'Leary of the American Academy of Pediatrics said, citing reduced access to services.

Many pediatricians offices were understaffed and not holding as many after-hours vaccination clinics as in the past.

Also, more Americans were seeking their vaccinations from pharmacies but some drugstores don't vaccinate children, he said.

In a GoFundMe page set up to help cover the medical costs that have amounted to $300,000, the Dahlbergs described Liam as 'a bright and smart young boy, full of life and potential.

'His presence brought joy and warmth to everyone he met,' the page adds.

When Ashlee Dahlberg's eight-year-old son Liam got off the school bus and complained of a headache she thought little of it.

He always got headaches... but this time was different. I was told my son, 8, would die 20 hours later

A measles case in a child caused exposure at several Aurora locations.

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AURORA, Colo. — People recently at the Children's Hospital Colorado Emergency Department and several retail locations in Aurora were exposed to measles after a case was confirmed in a child, the state Department of Public Health and Environment (CDPHE) said on Wednesday.

A child under 5 years old is confirmed to have measles, CDPHE and other health agencies confirmed. The child, who is unvaccinated, had recently traveled with family to multiple international locations with increased measles cases. The child is in isolation and is still hospitalized.

CDPHE said there is no ongoing exposure risk to other patients and families at Children's Hospital Colorado, but the agency still urges all Coloradans to get vaccinated.

Known exposure locations include:

Children’s Hospital Colorado Emergency Department, 13123 E. 16th Ave. Aurora, CO 80045. Thursday, May 22, 6 to 10 p.m.

Walgreens, 18461 E. Hampden Ave. Aurora, CO 80012. Friday, May 23, 10 a.m. to 12:10 p.m.

Walgreens, 18461 E. Hampden Ave. Aurora, CO 80012. Sunday, May 25, 10 a.m. to 12:10 p.m.

Sam’s Club, 880 S. Abilene St. Aurora, CO 80012. Sunday, May 25, noon to 3:30 p.m.

Natural Grocers, 3440 S. Tower Rd. Aurora, CO 80013. Sunday, May 25, 6 to 8:10 p.m.

Children’s Hospital Colorado Emergency Department, 13123 E. 16th Ave. Aurora, CO 80045. Monday, May 26, 1:10 to 7:15 a.m.

Children’s Hospital Colorado Emergency Department, 13123 E. 16th Ave. Aurora, CO 80045. Monday, May 26 - Tuesday, May 27, 9:25 p.m. to 4:15 a.m.

Measles is highly contagious and can sometimes lead to serious health problems. It spreads through the air when a person infected with it coughs or sneezes. It can remain in the air for up to two hours after the person has left. The measles, mumps, and rubella (MMR) vaccine provides strong protection. Getting vaccinated is the best way to protect yourself, your family and community, CDPHE said.

What to do if you may have been exposed and aren’t feeling well

People exposed to measles typically develop symptoms seven to 21 days after exposure. Symptoms include fever, cough, runny nose, red eyes and a characteristic rash that usually starts several days later on the face and spreads.

If you were at these locations during the exposure window and develop symptoms, immediately contact your health care provider by phone. If you do not have a provider, call an urgent care center or emergency department and explain that you may have been exposed to measles. Calling ahead helps prevent additional exposures.

MMR vaccination clinics:

To help protect the community, the Adams County Health Department and the Arapahoe County Public Health Department are offering free MMR vaccination clinics for eligible individuals. No appointment is necessary.

Adams County Public Health Clinic

Location: 1401 W. 122nd Ave. #200 Westminster, 80234

Dates and times: Wednesday, May 28: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m. Thursday, May 29: 8 a.m. to 5 p.m.

Who is eligible: Exposed individuals

Arapahoe County Public Health Clinics

Location: Altura Plaza, 15400 E. 14th Place, Aurora, 80011 Dates and times: Thursday, May 29, 10 a.m. to 6 p.m.

Who is eligible: Exposed individuals

Measles case confirmed in unvaccinated child at Aurora sites. CDPHE urges vaccination to protect yourself, community from exposure. Check CDPHE website for updates.

Measles case confirmed in Aurora

Helen Branswell covers issues broadly related to infectious diseases, including outbreaks, preparedness, research, and vaccine development. Follow her on Mastodon and Bluesky . You can reach Helen on Signal at hbranswell.01.

Matthew Herper covers medical innovation — both its promise and its perils.

The Department of Health and Human Services has notified Moderna that it is canceling a nearly $600 million contract with the company to develop, test, and license vaccines for flu strains that could trigger future pandemics, including the dangerous H5N1 bird flu virus.

Though the possibility of the cancellation had been anticipated — the new leadership at HHS told the company in February that it was reviewing the contract, signed with the Biden administration — the move is being seen as a significant blow to the country’s capacity to respond to pandemic influenza.

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No other flu vaccine production approach can produce doses with the speed of the messenger RNA platform used by Moderna and other companies that work with mRNA. But the vaccine platform is viewed with deep suspicion by health secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. and his political base.

Move is a blow to the country's capacity to respond to a pandemic as no other flu vaccine production method can match the speed of Moderna's mRNA platform.

HHS cancels nearly $600 million Moderna contract on vaccines for flu pandemics

An otherwise-healthy 52-year-old office worker showed up to a hospital emergency department in Buenos Aires with an unshakable fever he developed the week before. Besides the high temperature, he seemed fine. So, after testing negative for COVID-19, doctors sent him home with supportive care. But the fever didn't go away.

In the week that followed, things got worse. He developed nausea, stomach pain, and diarrhea. He also started having trouble breathing. He then went back to the hospital.

This time, doctors found he needed supplemental oxygen. And an X-ray of his chest was worrisome—there were diffuse ground-glass opacities in his lungs. Doctors wondered if he had an unusual case of pneumonia. The man kept getting worse; in fact, he seemed to deteriorate before their eyes. Initially, he received supplemental oxygen through a simple face mask; subsequently, doctors switched to a mask that delivers continuous oxygen. However, his blood oxygen saturation continued to fall.

He was admitted to the intensive care unit. There, he was quickly intubated and put on mechanical ventilation. Then, his cardiovascular system started to fail. He went into severe shock. His kidneys shut down, and doctors started dialysis. He was soon heavily sedated on fentanyl and other drugs while machines kept him alive. The case and the path to his diagnosis was published Wednesday in the New England Journal of Medicine.

Diagnostic challenge

The man's medical history offered few clues as to what could be going on. He was generally healthy and worked in an office without any risky occupational exposures. He had a history of gallstones and a recent root canal—nothing obviously concerning. He had been camping recently in a rural area of Chascomús, south of Buenos Aires. But he reported no insect bites, contact with rodents, or other exposures.

Lab results showed that his blood had abnormally high concentrations of red and white blood cells, and low levels of platelets. He tested negative for a slew of infections, including COVID-19 (again), influenza, HIV, dengue, and the bacterial blood infection leptospirosis. Computed tomography (CT) scans of his lungs showed more ground-glass opacities as well as a "halo sign," a blotch on scans that sometimes signals invasive fungal infections. There were also signs of lung collapse and fluid buildup (edema).

The man was in Argentina when he fell ill, but such cases occur in the US, too.

Healthy man goes camping—lands in ICU for 40 days with respiratory failure

Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s surprise announcement Tuesday ending coronavirus vaccine recommendations for healthy children and pregnant women blindsided the agency that offers that advice, according to current and former federal health officials. Officials at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention are scrambling to understand Kennedy’s decision, announced in a 58-second video on X on Tuesday morning, which took agency staff by surprise.

Five hours later, CDC officials received a one-page “secretarial directive,” dated May 19 and signed by Kennedy, that contradicts some of what he said in his video, according to two current and one former health officials, who spoke on the condition of anonymity out of fear of retaliation.

In his tweet and video, Kennedy said he had unilaterally decided to override the current recommendation that everyone 6 months and older receive an annual coronavirus vaccination — including healthy pregnant women.

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Officials at the CDC learned of that decision “when it was tweeted. People were scrambling to find out what it meant,” one federal health official said. The letter was distributed to the CDC in the afternoon, causing more confusion because it was dated May 19, the official said.

In his video, Kennedy also said federal health officials had removed the previous recommendations from the agency website. But top CDC officials did not know of the decision at the time, according to one official, and as of Wednesday that removal still had not happened for the millions of people who rely on the site for health-care guidance.

The directive raises questions about who should be getting the vaccine because it refers to both healthy children and all children. “The CDC is directed to remove COVID-19 vaccines from the recommended Child and Adolescent Immunization Schedule by Age and recommended vaccines during pregnancy,” the letter states.

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“It’s unclear,” the official said.

In his video, Kennedy, who founded an anti-vaccine organization before joining the government, also said he was ending coronavirus shots for healthy pregnant women. But last week, top officials from the Food and Drug Administration outlined a new coronavirus vaccine policy in a New England Journal of Medicine article, approving shots only for those 65 and older and people with medical conditions that put them at high risk for severe illness. Pregnancy is listed as one of the conditions.

HHS spokesman Andrew Nixon said the directive provides that the vaccine should not be recommended for healthy children under 18 and should not be recommended for pregnant women. He did not address questions about the apparent contradictions between the directive, Kennedy’s video and the New England Journal of Medicine article.

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“Secretary Kennedy is taking urgent action to ensure the public’s safety when it comes to COVID-19 vaccines,” Nixon said in a statement.

As of Wednesday afternoon, the CDC website on immunization of children and adolescents under 18 continued to recommend one or more doses of coronavirus vaccine for those 6 months and older. The website for pregnant women continued to recommend an updated shot for those who are pregnant, breastfeeding an infant, trying to get pregnant now or might become pregnant in the future.

The bottom line, according to public health experts and agency officials, appears to be an effort by Kennedy and the Trump administration to further erode public trust in the CDC.

Paul Offit, director of the Vaccine Education Center at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia and a longtime pediatric infectious-diseases physician, said bypassing the CDC makes it more difficult for people to access the coronavirus vaccine. Current law requires insurance companies to cover the cost of CDC-recommended vaccines without charging out-of-pocket costs to consumers.

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“They’ve made it much less insurable, and therefore this could make it much less available for people,” Offit said. “It’s a continued war against vaccines by our secretary of health and human services.”

“His goal is to make vaccines less available, less affordable and more feared. That’s his goal, and this is what he’s doing,” Offit said.

The long-established process for vaccine approval in the United States involves the FDA and the CDC. The FDA is responsible for regulating vaccine use, including approving vaccines for safety and efficacy. Before a vaccine can be tested in people, researchers study its ability to produce an immune response in animals.

If it shows promising results, it moves forward to clinical trials for testing in people, which includes monitoring for side effects and determining how well the vaccine triggers an immune response. The FDA reviews that clinical trial data before its decision.

In some cases, the FDA’s vaccine advisory committee provides additional input at public hearings.

The CDC’s vaccine advisory panel of medical and public health experts — the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices (ACIP) — develops recommendations for the use of vaccines approved by the FDA. To determine the public health benefit, the panel weighs safety and vaccine effectiveness, the seriousness of the vaccine-preventable disease and the number of people who would contract the disease if there were no vaccine.

After the ACIP recommends a vaccine, the CDC director must sign off for it to become official public health guidance.

The CDC has no permanent director, raising questions about who is empowered to sign off on vaccine recommendations. Susan Monarez, who had previously been acting director, is awaiting Senate confirmation.

Agency officials were not aware that the HHS secretary was going to change the recommended vaccine schedule.

CDC blindsided as RFK Jr. changes covid-19 vaccine recommendations

Scores of researchers have produced new tools that can deliver genes and selectively activate them in hundreds of different cell types in the brain and spinal cord, a breakthrough that scientists hope advances them toward developing targeted therapies to treat neurodegenerative diseases such as ALS, Parkinson’s disease and Alzheimer’s. The discoveries, made through the National Institutes of Health’s BRAIN initiative, show with unprecedented clarity and precision how neural cells work together, but also how diseases disrupt their tight choreography. The insight offers the promise that doctors may one day treat diseases by manipulating dysfunctional cells.

“Looking ahead, with sustained investment, the advances we can achieve in understanding consciousness — and in repairing neurological and neuropsychiatric disorders — will be nothing short of life-changing,” Gord Fishell, a professor of neurobiology at Harvard Medical School and one of the scientists involved in the discoveries, said in an interview for the BRAIN webpage. “This will revolutionize both our grasp of how the brain works and our ability to treat currently intractable conditions.”

Neurodegenerative diseases afflict more than 9 million Americans. NIH launched the multibillion-dollar BRAIN initiative 12 years ago to improve understanding of the brain and central nervous system and to speed the discovery of cures for related disorders.

The advancement of the gene delivery systems, the result of several years’ work by more than 300 U.S. and international scientists, was described in eight papers published Wednesday in the journals Cell, Neuron, Cell Reports, Cell Genomics and Cell Reports Methods.

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John Ngai, who directs the BRAIN program, compared the new tools to a truck delivering genetic packages to specific cell neighborhoods in the brain. The vehicles in these experiments were actually adeno-associated viruses, which can penetrate cells but do not cause disease and can be made to target specific tissues.

The cargo the viruses carried included switches called enhancers and promoters, sequences of DNA that regulate the amount of a gene that is transcribed into RNA, and ultimately how much of a protein is produced. Promoters act as an on-off switch for the process, while enhancers speed it up.

“If you think about the brain as the marvelous computer that it is — 86 billion neurons and about as many nonneural cells making trillions of connections — if you want to know how a computer works, you need a parts list,” Ngai said. “You need to know what the components are, what their properties are, how many you’ve got of each. But, most importantly, you not only need to know how they wire together, but you need to know the logic of information flowing from one part to another.”

Fishell, who is also a member at the Broad Institute of MIT and Harvard, said many brain conditions amount to problems in the precisely calibrated rhythm of the different brain cells.

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“If you think of a symphony, people are playing notes, and those notes rise and fall in rhythm, and you have many notes being played in a very complex way,” Fishell said. “The analogy I’ve given is: Are you really going to fix the symphony by picking up a piccolo and just playing notes? It will sound horrible.

“What you want to do is take the rhythms that are naturally there and increase or decrease the rhythms to get them to the correct pace.”

Although much of the work was done in model organisms such as mice, rats and nonhuman primates, some was done in lab dishes using human brain tissue removed during some epilepsy surgeries and other procedures.

The tools present an attractive alternative to the time-consuming work of making transgenic mice, which scientists use to model human diseases and to study the function of specific genes.

The ability to reach only specific cells also offers a powerful mechanism for treating disease. Too often, treatments go to cells that need it but also to cells that don’t.

“You give it everywhere and all sorts of things can go wrong,” said Bosiljka Tasic, director of molecular genetics at the Allen Institute for Brain Science in Seattle and one of the scientists involved in the new discoveries.

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In some cases, this lack of precision can lead to a treatment worsening the disease.

On the other hand, targeting very specific cells for treatment can be highly effective, explained Avery Hunker, a scientist at the Allen Institute. “We’ve been looking at using some of our tools to just affect cells that are damaged in Parkinson’s disease, and we find that this strategy is very effective, at least in mice,” Hunker said. “It has huge translational potential.”

The delivery systems described in the new papers provide scientists with experimental access to specific cells in the brain circuits that help us take in and respond to vast amounts of information in daily life: faces we see, a breeze we feel on the skin, a memory triggered by the smell of an apple pie cooking.

Other brain circuits drive the autonomic nervous system, which regulates vital bodily functions carried out without any conscious effort, such as breathing, heart rate, blood pressure and digestion.

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“A circuit is really individual cells that talk to each other through various means; one is electrical impulses,” Tasic said. “So, basically, one cell will activate itself; it will fire this electrical impulse, and that impulse spreads to other cells that are connected to it.”

Previously, when scientists wanted to study a particular brain circuit, they could track only one cell type at a time. But the new tools announced Wednesday allow researchers to observe the actions of multiple cell types in a particular circuit.

Scientists can use the adeno-associated viruses to deliver fluorescent proteins to specific types of cells, lighting them up so that their actions can be observed.

Ngai said the new delivery tools have been developed for broad use and will be made available to scientists through BRAIN-funded labs and through Addgene, a global nonprofit repository.

The latest discoveries came from a branch of the BRAIN initiative called the Armamentarium that focused on developing molecular tools that would allow scientists to gain access to the different types of cells in the brain.

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While the NIH could not put a price on the cost of the research that resulted in the eight papers, this branch of the BRAIN initiative is expected to represent a total investment of more than $50 million.

Asked whether the BRAIN project will absorb any of the proposed $20 billion in cuts to the NIH budget, a spokesman said, “NIH does not comment on pending budgets or future funding decisions.”

The rate of progress on the BRAIN project surprised some of the scientists.

Gene delivery systems can target specific brain cells, a breakthrough that could lead to treatments for Parkinson's, Alzheimer's and other neurodegenerative diseases.

Scientists develop gene delivery ‘trucks’ that could treat brain diseases

Warning: Discussions of infant death.

Recently, after almost causing long-term damage to my back by not purchasing a proper ergonomic desk chair for multiple years, I thought about all the little habits and things we do in our lives that can actually be quite risky or dangerous.

My chronic back pain wasn't necessarily the "riskiest" thing out there, but it certainly taught me a lesson to protect my body. I wondered about the other seemingly innocuous but risky things we all do, so I turned it over to the BuzzFeed Community to share. Whether they learned the hard way or are an expert in a field that sees too many seemingly "safe" bets gone south, here's everything they said:

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1."Road rage. You're seriously gonna endanger yourself and everyone else on the road because someone cut you off? Nobody in the history of mankind has ever 'won' a road rage contest. It's just a question of how badly you're gonna lose."

—jmacxjr

2."Not wearing safety goggles while doing yard work. Any yard work. I work at an eye doctor's office, and starting in spring, we get at least one patient a week coming in because they got something in their eye while doing yard work. Usually involving mowing, cutting, etc., One lady literally bent over and got a branch to the eye. My BOSS (the doctor) actually got injured this way once too, which he kicked himself over for weeks, lol. So, yeah, safety goggles people!"

"Also, sleeping in contact lenses. You can get a nasty infection. Your eyes need to breathe! You wouldn't wear a tampon for over 12 hours, don't do it with contacts."

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—izabellad

3."As an RN, I have to say it's people NOT getting vaccinated. So many diseases and deaths could be avoided by a simple vaccination. The other dangerous and harmful habit is listening to these idiots on social media who have no clue."

—crunchyhedgehog66

Similarly, "Not getting your vaccines. I work in the medical field, and it's shocking how many people follow the medical advice of almost everyone else over their physicians if they even choose to see one. Our office has TVs in the waiting room playing medical tidbits and commercials. The number of patients having full-on verbal meltdowns over the 'fear-mongering' vaccine commercials is immense. Having an advertisement relay how easy it is to get the meningitis vaccine and prevent horrific symptoms while interacting with a man in his twenties having to be physically supported by his mother and his walker due to meningitis was terrible."

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—Anne Bug

4."Hairdresser here. Never use a new color or lightener on yourself or someone else without first doing a skin patch test. If you end up having a severe reaction, it's better to only have it affect a small portion of your skin, as opposed to glopping it onto your head and THEN finding out."

—Shearly Sam

5."Co-sleeping. I'm an EMT and will never forget coming to work and seeing a friend of mine typing up his report after a co-sleeping fatality call. During the call, he and his partner attempted to resuscitate a baby who was suffocated from co-sleeping. The mom had rolled over onto the baby by accident, not realizing she had done so until she woke up and saw the baby had turned blue. She called 911, but there was nothing my coworkers could do. The baby had been without oxygen for too long."

DaniloAndjus / Getty Images

"Not only will that mom have to live with the guilt for the rest of her life, but my coworkers on that call will never be able to forget trying to revive a dead infant. Co-sleeping might be temporarily easier to get your baby to settle and fall asleep, but it’s NOT worth the risk. Every parent I’ve tried to warn about it says, 'I do it safely. I’d never fall asleep on my baby.' Newsflash–no parent who suffocates their baby by falling asleep on them PLANS to do that."

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—ladybug

Related: Medical Professionals Are Sharing "Mundane" Things That Actually Make So Many People Sick

6."Driving tired. My friend had his life cut off at 27 because his dad fell asleep behind the wheel and crashed into a tree. There are studies showing that it's as bad as driving drunk or high, but that doesn't stop people from doing it."

—daynam4b6e28fa3

7."For me, it's electric scooters. In the last decade, they have become ubiquitous (at least in Europe), but since they're small and not that expensive to buy/rent, many people don't think twice about using them. However, they are pretty fast for something with zero protection for the driver. A single bump on the road can result in concussions, teeth loss, or worse. If that wasn't enough, they can cause serious danger to pedestrians because they typically move on sidewalks."

—idreamtofpierogis

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8."Keeping guns in your home. Someone I know lost a relative because of a rifle leaning against a wall, got knocked over, went off, and shot them. If you keep guns, you have to be hypervigilant!"

—crafty_gm

9."Taking several over-the-counter cold remedies all at once. Many have Tylenol, so the person might be unwittingly overdosing on Tylenol (or other 'safe' cold medications). Read the labels!"

—jkraj29

Related: After Getting Called Out For Having "MAGA Makeup," This Woman Gave Herself A "Liberal Makeover," And People Cannot Believe The Results

10."Shoveling snow. A major cause of heart attacks."

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—Lunamyluna

"And hernias. And people throwing out their backs. All three of those injuries go up during the snowy winter months. Plus, the injuries from people slipping and falling while shoveling snow."

—Lalalace1640

11."Never turn your back on a kid wearing a life jacket, pool floaties, or anything in the water!!! Things pop, twist, break, and fall off all the time. Teach your kid how to swim or get someone else to. You are not doing your kid any favors by letting them rely on something other than themselves, especially in water. Also, wear life jackets and know where you are swimming. There are so many preventable drownings."

MZiello / Getty Images/iStockphoto

—La_ araña_discoteca

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12."Don't stand on a chair to change a light bulb. Get the appropriate stepladder!!"

"My ex-husband is a doctor, and early on in his practice, he had the worst case he had ever seen. He had to surgically repair the anus of a man who stood on a chair to reach a light fixture. The chair flipped upside down. The man flew up and then fell onto the upended leg of the chair and 'ripped a new one.' It took my ex half the night to make that poor man whole again."

—witchyelf59

13."I live in Hawaii. Most tourists don't understand how dangerous it can be to hike here. The trails can be very steep and narrow because they were formed by volcanic rock. The rocks can be slippery and often wet due to tropical rain. Most trails are poorly maintained. And the drop-offs go straight down. No soft landings here — you will fall 40 feet or more onto more volcanic rock. We rarely hike here and only in dry weather."

—Anonymous

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14."Ignoring your snoring. A lot of my family members have sleep apnea, including myself. My uncle ignored his and wouldn't wear a CPAP. His doctor later cited it as a direct factor in his stroke. He survived, but he lost the use of one arm and still has to walk with a cane."

"I got a sleep study not too long afterward, and it revealed that I stopped breathing over 200 times per hour, and my blood oxygen was below 60% while I was asleep. I would have had a stroke or a heart attack before too long if I hadn't gotten it treated, and I was still in my 20s. People need to take sleep apnea way more seriously!"

—hailcthulhu

15."Tripping over a rug. It's one of the leading causes of death at home for the elderly."

—Alchemist1342

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According to the CDC, the leading cause of injury and injury deaths is unintentional falls for adults 65 and over.

16."Randomly stopping meds when they were prescribed for a longer period of time. I'm a doctor in an inner city area, and I see this all the time. If you stop antibiotics early, you run the risk of the infection coming right back and the antibiotics not working well over time (meaning it gets harder for us to cure). Also, abruptly stopping pressure or heart-related meds can cause strokes and heart attacks."

"Your doctors and nurses really are here to help you. We wish you would call us if you can't afford meds, they make you feel weird, or Google results scare you about side effects. It breaks our hearts when something bad happens (like a stroke or life-threatening infection), and we find out the reason — we would've loved to help prevent such a thing."

—Anonymous

17."Ignoring an abscessed tooth and ignoring regular dental cleanings. A tooth that once throbbed/hurt when biting and then stopped likely became necrotic and died. That zit-looking bump on the gums near the tooth's root (a fistula) that 'comes and goes' doesn't mean the problem is gone. There's a space in the bone of your jaw/skull that is being eaten away and filled with pus as the infection is left untreated. Especially on an upper tooth, that infection can easily spread into neighboring tooth structures, possibly requiring IV antibiotics, and can even be fatal. There's a fascial space in the head and neck area called 'the danger zone' because of how easily an infection can spread if it violates that space."

Andreswd / Getty Images

"Ignoring dental cleanings is dangerous. There are direct effects on overall health related to gum health. Infected gums will send bacteria into your bloodstream, and it is a chronic inflammatory condition, like a festering wound. It affects cardiovascular health, impairs healing, and makes managing diabetes and high blood pressure more difficult/impossible without care. It can cross the placenta and negatively impact a developing fetus, along with other things. I promise your dental hygienist and dentist will never, ever judge you, no matter how many decades it's been! And if you have anxiety, we love to accommodate however we can. We just want you to be healthy! It's not worth the risks to continue neglecting your oral health."

—hrbennett303

18."Using Q-tips too aggressively. As an otolaryngologist, I see severe ear infections resulting from earwax and other debris pushed too far into the ear canal by Q-tip use. These infections can spread to the tissue between the ear and brain and, if not addressed properly, can become life-threatening."

—Anonymous

And lastly:

19."Telling people you don’t know on the internet your name/age/location. Especially kids. I’ve seen so many young people just giving away their locations and names to complete strangers and not understanding the risk they are taking."

—Anonymous

Got any other common habits or things we all do that can actually be pretty risky? Let me know in the comments or by submitting at this anonymous form.

Note: Some responses have been edited for length and/or clarity.

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"Most tourists don't understand how dangerous it can be."