Bird Flu Infects 1 in 14 Dairy Workers Exposed; CDC Urges Better Protections

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• November 7, 2024
• Full Page

About 7% of dairy workers exposed to the avian flu that is spreading through U.S. herds have become infected themselves, federal experts estimate.

That number highlights concerns that circulating strains of bird flu might become highly infectious in humans, according to ...

Ketamine ODs Like the One That Killed Matthew Perry Are Rare But Increasing

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• November 7, 2024
• Full Page

After "Friends" star Matthew Perry was found dead in his home jacuzzi just over a year ago, an autopsy later pinpointed the main cause of death as an acute ketamine overdose.

The coroner's report determined that high blood levels of ketamine, an anesthetic with hallucin...

FDA Proposes Ban on a 'Useless' Decongestant, Phenylephrine

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• November 7, 2024
• Full Page

More than a year after its advisory panel unanimously declared the drug phenylephrine to be useless against nasal congestion, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is proposing that it be removed from common over-the-counter decongestants.

Products that include phenylep...

U.K. Reports First Cluster Outside of Africa of New Mpox Variant

• Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter
• November 7, 2024
• Full Page

Four cases of the more infectious variant of mpox have been reported in the U.K., making it the first cluster of infections that have surfaced outside of Africa.

British authorities announced the first case in that country last week, saying the person was being trea...

Rates of Anxiety, Depression Rising Among Americans, Especially the Young

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• November 7, 2024
• Full Page

Rates of anxiety and depression among U.S. adults, especially younger folks, continues to rise, the latest federal data shows.

Nearly 1 in every 5 (18.2%) adults reported anxiety issues in 2022, up from 15.6% in 2019, reported Emily Terlizzi and Benjamin Zablotsky, rese...

Using Abortion Pills Very Early in Pregnancy Is Safe, Study Finds

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• November 7, 2024
• Full Page

Abortion pills are safe and effective even very early in a pregnancy, a new study finds.

Clinics and hospitals tend to defer medication abortions until a woman’s pregnancy is confirmed using ultrasound, researchers said.

But abortion pills can be safely taken...

Just 5 Extra Minutes of Exercise Per Day Could Lower Blood Pressure

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• November 7, 2024
• Full Page

It doesn't take much: Adding just five minutes of exercise to your daily routine lowers your blood pressure and might cut your odds for heart disease, new research shows.

“The good news is that whatever your physical ability, it doesn’t take long to have a po...

Psilocybin Shows Effectiveness in Curbing Anorexia

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• November 7, 2024
• Full Page

THURSDAY, Nov. 7, 2024 (HeathDay News) -- The active chemical in “magic mushrooms” may help treat anorexia, a new study has found.

Following psilocybin treatment, 4 of 10 study participants showed clinically significant reductions in their anorexia-driven eat...

Vitamin D Supplements in Pregnancy Linked to Stronger Bones in Kids

• November 7, 2024
• Full Page

Women who take vitamin D supplements during a pregnancy may be giving their kids the legacy of stronger bones, new British research suggests.

Children whose moms took vitamin D supplements when pregnant had stronger, denser bones at the age of 7 compared to the kids of w...

Daytime Drowsiness Linked to a 'Pre-Dementia' Syndrome

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• November 7, 2024
• Full Page

Seniors who are drowsy during the day and find it hard to muster enthusiasm for activities could be at higher risk of a brain condition that precedes dementia, a new study warns.

These sleep-related problems are associated with "motoric cognitive risk syndrome," a pre-de...

Early Steps to a Breath Test for Lung Cancer

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• November 7, 2024
• Full Page

An experimental portable device might be able to detect lung cancer from a person’s exhaled breath, researchers report.

The device contains “nanoflake” sensors that can detect small changes in the gases exhaled by a person with lung cancer.

The se...

In Mouse Studies, New Clues to How Brain 'Refreshes' Memories

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• November 7, 2024
• Full Page

Memories are constantly adapting in the brain over time, dynamically updating as people encounter new information and fresh experiences.

Researchers think they’ve figured out the brain mechanism that drives this memory integration, based on a study of lab mice.

Nasal Swab Might Predict How Severe COVID Will Be

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• November 6, 2024
• Full Page

A simple nasal swab might help doctors predict the severity of a person’s COVID infection, a new study suggests.

More than 70% of people with mild or moderate COVID develop certain antibodies in their nasal cavities that are linked to fewer symptoms, better immune ...

Scientists Track Brain Function as Folks Watch Movies

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• November 6, 2024
• Full Page

A person’s brain performs an intricate juggling act while watching a movie, a new study demonstrates.

Scans showed that 24 different brain networks and regions engage from scene-to-scene, based on hard it is to follow the movie or what’s currently on the scre...

Florida Fails to Pass Amendment Legalizing Recreational Weed

• Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter
• November 6, 2024
• Full Page

A ballot measure to legalize the recreational use of marijuana in the state of Florida failed on Tuesday.

While 55.9% of Florida voters backed the proposed amendment, it did not reach the 60% threshold needed to make the initiative part of the state's constitution.

Abortion Rights Measures Pass in 7 States, Fail in 3

• Robin Foster HealthDay Reporter
• November 6, 2024
• Full Page

In election results that showed protecting women's reproductive freedoms matter to a majority of Americans, abortion rights measures passed in seven states and failed in three.

Missouri, Arizona, Nevada, Colorado, New York, Maryland and Montana all backed those rights, w...

U.S. Diabetes Rates Rise to Nearly 1 in 6 Adults

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• November 6, 2024
• Full Page

Nearly 16% of American adults -- that's close to 1 in 6 -- now has diabetes, according to the latest data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Increasing age and widening waistlines greatly increase the odds for the disease, which happens when the bo...

Winter's Onset Brings Mood Changes to Many Americans, Poll Finds

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• November 6, 2024
• Full Page

Many Americans experience a “winter funk” as the days grow shorter and temperatures turn colder, a new American Psychiatric Association poll reports.

Two-fifths of Americans (41%) said their mood declines during the winter months, according to the APA's Healt...

How a Move Away From Beef Could Help the Planet

• Dennis Thompson HealthDay Reporter
• November 6, 2024
• Full Page

Eating fewer burgers and steaks could pay big dividends for Mother Earth, and human health, by combatting climate change, a new study suggests.

Small cutbacks in beef production among wealthy nations could remove 125 billion tons of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere, re...

Little More Learning Might Not Save Your Aging Brain

• Ernie Mundell HealthDay Reporter
• November 6, 2024
• Full Page

In 1972, Britain bumped up the total school years mandated for its children from 15 to 16 years.

That created a "natural experiment": Would Britons who got that extra year of education fare any better, neurologically, as they aged?

Unfortunately, the answer is "no....