ALL ABOUT HEALTH -

26Feb 2023 by Janice Holland

Stopping Menstrual Periods Is Safe, Experts Say

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Hormonal medications are mostly used for birth control, but doctors shouldn’t forget another important use, suppressing menstruation, according to a new report from the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists (ACOG).The guidance, General Approaches to Medical Management of Menstrual Suppression, is especially timely given the growing concerns about future access to reproductive medical care, ACOG said in a statement. That’s partly why the organization wants to emphasize the role hormonal medications play beyond preventing pregnancy.Requests for Menstruation Suppression, or Stopping Monthly Bleeding, Are CommonThe desire to stop periods, whether briefly or for a long time, is fairly widespread, says a coauthor of the report, Kathryn Stambough, MD, an adolescent gynecologist and an assistant professor of obstetrics and gynecology at the University of Arkansas for Medical Sciences. “Suppression of menstrual cycles is an area…

26Feb 2023 by Janice Holland

Chick-fil-A Says Grilled Nuggets and Filets Contain Dairy Allergen

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Chick-fil-A has alerted customers that its grilled nuggets and grilled filets have accidentally been contaminated by a dairy allergen during production.“A supplier notified us they had unintentionally added an undeclared dairy allergen in the recipe for our Grilled Filets and Grilled Nuggets,” the company said in a statement on the Nutrition and Allergen section of its website. “We are actively working with the supplier so this doesn’t happen again and to ensure the allergen is removed.”The company said it also “took immediate steps to notify guests of this temporary issue.” The online menu description for its Grilled Nuggets now includes a warning that the product contains a dairy allergen.The Kids With Food Allergies Foundation, a nonprofit advocacy group, posted an alert about dairy contamination in Chick-fil-A grilled nuggets and grilled…

26Feb 2023 by Janice Holland

Even Light Exercise Can Help Preserve Memory in People With Mild Cognitive Impairment

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Regular exercise of any intensity — even simple stretching and balance moves — can protect the brain health of older adults with mild cognitive impairment, according to research presented at the 2022 Alzheimer’s Association International Conference (AAIC) in San Diego.Researchers found that older adults who engaged in either moderate/high-intensity aerobic training or low-intensity stretching, balance, and range-of-motion exercises for 12 months showed no decline from their baseline in terms of cognitive function. That’s according to lead study author Laura Baker, PhD, professor of gerontology and geriatric medicine at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina, who spoke at the AAIC conference.“There is increasing evidence that our health overall greatly impacts our brain,” said Maria Carrillo, PhD, chief scientific officer of the Alzheimer’s Association, who was not involved in…

26Feb 2023 by Janice Holland

Social Isolation, Loneliness Increase Risk of Fatal Heart Attacks and Strokes

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People who are socially isolated or feel lonely are about 30 percent more likely to experience or die from heart attacks and strokes, according to a new scientific statement from the American Heart Association.“Over four decades of research has clearly demonstrated that social isolation and loneliness are both associated with adverse health outcomes,” Crystal Wiley Cené, MD, MPH, lead author of the scientific statement, said in a statement.“Given the prevalence of social disconnectedness across the U.S., the public health impact is quite significant,” Dr. Cené said.The very young and very old may be particularly vulnerable, the AHA notes in its scientific statement.Almost one-quarter of adults 65 and older are socially isolated and up to about half of them are lonely. Persistent loneliness may be even more common for Generation Z,…

26Feb 2023 by Janice Holland

Congress Approves Bill to Cut Drug Prices, Extend Insurance Subsidies for Many Americans

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President Joe Biden is expected to sign into law legislation that aims to lower drug prices and extend health insurance subsidies for many Americans.The legislation, dubbed the Inflation Reduction Act, was approved by the U.S. Senate and the House of Representatives. Biden praised the bill as a win for working families, and he said that there would be a celebration at the White House on September 6 in honor of the legislation.“This bill caps seniors’ out-of-pocket spending for prescription drugs at $2,000 per year — no matter what their drug bills would otherwise be, seniors will not have to spend more than $2,000,” Biden said in an August 7 statement after the legislation passed the Senate.“In addition, 13 million Americans, covered under the Affordable Care Act, will see their health…

26Feb 2023 by Janice Holland

Xofluza Approved to Treat and Prevent Flu in Children 5 to 12 Years Old

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Drugmaker Genentech announced that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) approved its flu drug Xofluza for children ages 5 to 12.The FDA greenlighted a supplemental New Drug Application (sNDA) for Xofluza (baloxavir marboxil) for the treatment of acute uncomplicated influenza in otherwise healthy children who have been symptomatic for no more than 48 hours, according to a statement released last week by the company. Xofluza is the first single-dose oral influenza medicine that’s been approved for children in this age group.Additionally, the FDA approved Xofluza to help prevent influenza in children in this age group following contact with someone with the flu.“Despite the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic, influenza continues to be a threat to public health, and effective influenza antivirals remain critical to alleviating the burden on healthcare systems,” said Levi…

25Feb 2023 by Janice Holland

Capri Sun Juice Pouches Recalled Over Possible Contamination

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Kraft Heinz is voluntarily recalling thousands of cases of its Capri Sun juice pouches that might be contaminated with cleaning solution.The diluted cleaning solution, which is used on food-processing equipment, was inadvertently introduced into a production line at one factory, the company said in a statement. Approximately 5,760 cases of the drinks were potentially contaminated, or a total of about 230,400 individual drink pouches.Consumer complaints about an unusual taste led to the discovery of the possible contamination, the company said.Only the Wild Cherry flavor Capri Sun drinks were affected, and all the recalled cases of juice drinks had a “best when used by” date of June 25, 2023.Customers who bought recalled drinks shouldn’t consume the product. They can return it to the store where it was purchased. Customers can also…

25Feb 2023 by Janice Holland

First Suspected Case of Human-to-Dog Monkeypox Transmission

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Experts agree that prolonged personal skin-to-skin contact appears to be the primary way monkeypox is spreading in the current outbreak. However, a new case study finds that it may be possible for the virus to be passed from humans to their pets by way of snuggling or sharing a bed. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) now advises that people who are infected with monkeypox avoid close contact with their pets.“Monkeypox is an animal virus so it is not surprising that it can pass from humans into other animals,” says Amesh A. Adalja MD, senior scholar at the Johns Hopkins Center for Health Security in Baltimore, who was not involved in the study. Dr. Adalja agrees with the updated CDC guidance: People should isolate from their pets when…

25Feb 2023 by Janice Holland

FDA Clears Way for Over-the-Counter Hearing Aid Sales

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The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved the sale of over-the-counter hearing aids, a move that may make the devices cheaper and easier to access for millions of Americans.Consumers with mild to moderate hearing loss will be able to purchase hearing aids at retail stores and online without a medical exam, prescription, or fitting adjustment from an audiologist, the FDA said in an August 16 statement. Hearing aids could be in stores as early as mid-October, the FDA said.“Hearing loss is a critical public health issue that affects the ability of millions of Americans to effectively communicate in their daily social interactions,” said the FDA's commissioner, Robert M. Califf, MD, in the statement.“Establishing this new regulatory category will allow people with perceived mild to moderate hearing loss to…

25Feb 2023 by Janice Holland

A New Vaccine to Protect Against Lyme Disease Begins Final Trial

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A vaccine that would protect people as young as 5 years old from Lyme disease is recruiting participants for its third and final clinical trial, according to an announcement by Pfizer and the French pharmaceutical company Valneva, developers of the vaccine.The trial, Vaccine Against Lyme for Outdoor Recreationists (VALOR) will investigate the efficacy, safety, and immunogenicity of the investigational Lyme disease vaccine candidate, VLA15.“We are extremely pleased to reach this important milestone in the development of VLA15. Lyme disease continues to spread, representing a high unmet medical need that impacts the lives of many in the Northern Hemisphere,” said Juan Carlos Jaramillo, MD, chief medical officer of Valneva, in a release. “We look forward to further investigating the VLA15 candidate in phase 3, which will take us a step closer…