Архив рубрики: Health

A little-known disease is spreading in the U.S., primarily in the state of California, health officials warn.
In a new study published in the CDC journal Emerging Infectious Diseases, researchers state that human cases of Chagas disease have been confirmed in eight states, leading them to recommend that the disease is classified as «endemic.»
«Acknowledging the endemicity of Chagas disease in the United States is crucial for achieving global health goals,» the authors wrote.
VALLEY FEVER CASES SPIKE TO RECORD LEVELS IN WEST COAST STATE, HEALTH OFFICIALS WARN
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention defines a disease as «endemic» when there is a «constant presence and/or usual prevalence» in a population within a specific geographic area — in other words, the «baseline» level of disease within a community.
«Chagas disease (or American trypanosomiasis) is already endemic in South America and Central America, but it has now spread to the Southern U.S., where it is taking hold among ..

Florida’s Surgeon General Dr. Joseph Ladapo has announced the Sunshine State is working to end all vaccine mandates.
In a joint press conference on Wednesday with Gov. Ron DeSantis, Ladapo said the Florida Department of Health (FDH), in conjunction with the governor’s office, will end «every last one» of the vaccine mandates for schoolchildren under Florida law.
«Every last one of them is wrong and drips with disdain and slavery,» said Ladapo. «Who am I, as a government or anyone else, to tell you what you should put in your body? I don’t have that right. Your body is a gift from God.»
FDA LIMITS NEW COVID VACCINE BOOSTERS TO HIGH-RISK AMERICANS ONLY
DeSantis stressed that informed consent is essential, stating that «information given to individuals, where they can then make an informed decision, should be the bedrock of how we function in health and in medicine.»
Eight vaccinations are currently required for children attending childcare, preschool and K–12 schools in Florida, accordi..

GLP-1 agonists — including semaglutides like Ozempic and Wegovy and tirzepatides like Mounjaro and Zepbound — were originally intended to treat type 2 diabetes and obesity.
But in recent months, studies have shown that these popular medications can have numerous other health benefits.
Some have even claimed that GLP-1s could eventually become the new «everything drug.»
MEDITERRANEAN DIET PAIRED WITH OTHER LIFESTYLE CHANGES SLASHES DIABETES RISK
Dr. Angela Fitch, co-founder and chief medical officer of knownwell, a «weight-inclusive» healthcare company based in Boston, said she would caution against labeling any medication as an «everything drug,» but agrees that GLP-1s show promise.
«GLP-1s are currently approved for treating obesity, type 2 diabetes, secondary prevention of cardiovascular disease, metabolic associated fatty liver disease, chronic kidney disease in patients with diabetes and sleep apnea,» she told Fox News Digital.
«Further research is necessary to determine their eff..

Beetroot juice, which is rich in nitrates, has been linked to changing the community of bacteria living in the mouth.
Now, a new study has found that drinking this juice could reduce older adults’ blood pressure.
Researchers at the University of Exeter compared the response of both younger and older participants to the juice and published the study in Free Radical Biology and Medicine.
COMMON DAILY VITAMIN SHOWN TO SLOW AGING PROCESS OVER 4-YEAR PERIOD
Thirty-nine participants under age 30, plus 36 individuals in their 60s and 70s, were split into two separate two-week phases.
One group consumed nitrate-rich beetroot juice shots daily, while the other group — a placebo group — received a version without nitrates. Each group had a «wash-out period» between phases to reset their systems.
Researchers practiced bacterial gene sequencing to identify which microbes were present in the participants’ mouths before and after each treatment.
Older adults who drank nitrate-rich beetroot juice had..

Addressing hearing loss early on may significantly reduce the risk of dementia, a recent study found.
Adults with hearing loss who reported wearing hearing aids before they were 70 years old cut their risk of dementia by more than half, compared to those with hearing loss who did not wear hearing devices, according to research recently published in JAMA Neurology.
Participants with hearing loss who wore hearing aids had a 61% lower risk for «incident all-cause dementia,» the researchers wrote.
'SELECTIVE HEARING' ISN'T A CHOICE, SCIENTISTS REVEAL — IT'S A REAL NEUROLOGICAL PROCESS
Individuals under 70 years old who did not have hearing loss had a 29% lower risk for dementia in comparison to those with untreated hearing loss, according to the study authors.
However, the same benefit was not seen in those 70 years or older at the time of the hearing tests.
Researchers from the University of Texas, University of Pittsburgh, Boston University and several others looked ..

A new trend has emerged that is taking self-care to the next level – for those who can afford it.
«Boat-tox» has people ordering Botox injectables and other personal care services and treatments directly to their locations aboard yachts or private boats.
New York-based Dr. Alexander Golberg, who specializes in functional and aesthetic medicine, told Fox News Digital that «boat-tox» is part of a larger concierge aesthetic trend.
NOT DRINKING ENOUGH WATER FLOODS YOUR BODY WITH HARMFUL STRESS HORMONES
It's «luxury care that meets patients wherever they are,» he said. «If someone is planning a boat day with friends, they can also fit in their Botox treatment at the same time.»
Golberg said he started «Dr. Hamptons,» a service that delivers treatments directly to patients’ homes. It caters to celebrities, CEOs, frequent travelers and younger professionals.
Other treatments such as lip enhancements, IV and wellness drips are also available.
As a result of the coronavirus, when many d..

You may think your spouse’s «selective hearing» is a choice — but science argues otherwise.
The phenomenon of selective hearing is more than choosing when or when not to listen, according to a recent article by Dr. Stella Fulman at Audiology Island in New York.
«Selective hearing is the brain’s ability to prioritize and process certain auditory stimuli over others,» she wrote. «It enables individuals to concentrate on particular sounds while ignoring or minimizing the impact of competing noises.»
6 SIMPLE WAYS TO PROTECT YOUR HEARING NOW BEFORE IT'S TOO LATE, ACCORDING TO EXPERTS
«This process occurs seamlessly and is often automatic, allowing individuals to maintain focus on relevant information even in challenging environments.»
In an interview with Fox News Digital, Jorge Rey, a Miami Beach-based audiologist at HearUSA, confirmed that selective hearing «isn’t just a matter of people tuning others out or ignoring them.»
«It’s a real neurological process rooted in how the brain p..

Protein is popping up in everything from popcorn and tortilla chips to coffee and ice cream, and now a new form is flexing for attention.
High-protein grocery items have surged in popularity over the past year, with shoppers seeking products that support muscle repair, immune function and metabolism. Long a staple in fitness circles, protein shakes — typically made from whey concentrate and coming in flavors like chocolate, vanilla and peanut butter — offer a creamy, milkshake-like way to pack in the nutrients.
Now muscling its way into the supplement spotlight is clear protein, which is made from whey protein isolate and comes in ready-to-drink bottles or powders that turn water into brightly colored, juice-like beverages.
TRYING TO EAT MORE PROTEIN? DON'T OVERLOOK THIS SWEET SURPRISE
Searches for «clear protein» on The Vitamin Shoppe’s website were up 11% in July, according to the company, marking the seventh straight month it has been ranked as a top search term.
Ready-to-drink..

For those suffering from obstructive sleep apnea (OSA), the condition could be significantly worse on the weekends.
After investigating changes in severity, researchers at Flinders University in Australia discovered that symptoms of OSA were markedly more prominent at the end of the week.
The study, published in the American Journal of Respiratory and Critical Care Medicine, analyzed sleep data from more than 70,000 users of an under-mattress sleep monitor that tracked OSA severity across every day of the week.
ALZHEIMER'S RISK COULD RISE WITH SPECIFIC SLEEP PATTERN, EXPERTS WARN
Data was collected for sleep duration, sleep timing and the apnea-hypopnea index (AHI), a measure of the severity of sleep apnea.
The participants — predominantly middle-aged, overweight men — had an average of more than five OSA events per night.
OSA severity «significantly increased» on weekends, jumping 18% higher on Saturdays compared to Wednesdays. The overall severity score was 6% higher on weekends..

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is warning that travelers to China face an «enhanced» risk of contracting a virus spread by mosquitoes.
There has been an outbreak of chikungunya in Guangdong Province, which can cause fever, joint pain, headache, muscle pain, joint swelling, and rash.
Recently, the CDC raised the warning related to chikungunya in China from Level 1: «Practice Usual Precautions» to Level 2: «Practice Enhanced Precautions.»
The CDC says there are no medicines to treat chikungunya, and recommends preventing it by wearing insect repellent, wearing long sleeves and pants, or staying in places that have air conditioning or screens on the windows and doors.
KANSAS TRACKS 5 SERIOUS WEST NILE VIRUS CASES AS MOSQUITO SEASON PEAKS ACROSS THE STATE
The department also recommends travelers heading to an area with an outbreak get the chikungunya vaccine, except for pregnant women.
Pregnant women are urged to reconsider traveling to areas with an outbreak ..