Heart disease could be prevented with this one simple test
Heart disease is the world’s leading cause of mortality, comprising 32% of all deaths. But that doesn’t mean people are powerless against the condition — there are some steps they can take to help reduce the risk. In addition to adopting healthier lifestyle habits, getting a specific screening — the coronary artery calcium (CAC) score — can help detect early signs of heart disease, experts say.
Measles cases continue to spread in multiple states following child’s death
New measles cases have been reported since the first death in West Texas amid the ongoing outbreak. The pediatric patient, who lived in Gaines County, died in Lubbock, Texas, on Tuesday, per a statement from health officials. The child was reported to be "school-aged" and unvaccinated, according to the Texas Department of State Health Services (DSHS). Identity and gender were not disclosed. Most of the cases are in children and a total of 18 people have been hospitalized, the DSHS reported in a press release. Cases of measles have also been reported in other states.
Ditching alcohol and going ‘California sober’ — here’s what you need to know
Demi Lovato, Post Malone, Chris Stapleton, Billy Strings and Willie Nelson have all sung about being "California sober." What does that mean — and is it any healthier than drinking alcohol? You don’t have to be from California to be "California sober," but experts say you should know the risks associated with the lifestyle.
Brewing tea removes harmful toxins from water, study finds
Tea is known to be one of the healthiest beverages — and the benefits aren’t just what’s in the cup, but what’s not in it. The process of brewing tea was shown to remove toxic heavy metals from drinking water in a new study from Northwestern University in Illinois. For a typical cup of tea — one mug of water and one bag of tea, brewed for three to five minutes — the preparation could remove about 15% of lead from drinking water, the researchers stated in a press release.
Child in West Texas is first US measles death in a decade
The first measles death in the growing outbreak in West Texas was a school-aged child. The child was unvaccinated and had been hospitalized in Lubbock, Texas, said Lauren Adams, Lubbock city spokesperson. Officials did not answer questions regarding the patient’s specific age, any other health issues, or details about the patient’s schooling in a press conference jointly hosted by Covenant Health and the City of Lubbock Public Health on Wednesday. This is the first US measles death since 2015, when a woman in Washington state died.
Who are the Mennonites in a Texas community where measles is spreading?
The Mennonite population being affected by a measles outbreak in West Texas is part of a larger, loosely affiliated group of churches worldwide with varied beliefs and leadership structures — and with sometimes strained or distant relations with health officials and other public authorities. Who are the Mennonites? Mennonites are part of the wider Anabaptist family of churches, which emerged in 1525 as the radical wing of the Protestant Reformation in Central Europe. Other Anabaptist branches today include the Amish, Brethren and Hutterites. Anabaptists believed that a true biblical church had to follow such principles as non-violence, unconditional forgiveness, adult baptism, church discipline, and a refusal to bear arms or swear oaths.
FDA meeting to choose flu vaccine composition canceled without explanation
A March meeting of outside advisers to the US Food and Drug Administration to discuss the composition of flu vaccines for this fall’s flu season has been canceled, a member of the advisory committee told CNN. The meeting of the Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee, or VRBPAC, is held every March “to pick flu strains, because it’s a six-month production cycle for a vaccine released in September,” Dr. Paul Offit, a member of VRBPAC, told CNN Wednesday.
Dementia risk could increase with low levels of essential vitamin
The researchers did acknowledge that the study only included older adults, who may have a "specific vulnerability" to lower levels of B12. Those lower levels, however, "could impact cognition to a greater extent than what we previously thought, and may affect a much larger proportion of the population than we realize," according to co-first author Alexandra Beaudry-Richard, who is currently completing her doctorate in research and medicine at the UCSF Department of Neurology and the Department of Microbiology and Immunology at the University of Ottawa.
Sleep expert reveals top foods and drinks keeping you up at night
About one in eight Americans have chronic insomnia, according to a study by the American Academy of Sleep Medicine. The National Institute of Health said sleep disturbances can often be the result of "incorrect dietary habits." Dan Gartenberg, PhD, a New York City sleep health advisor at CPAP.com, said a healthy diet that's rich in nutrients is essential for sleep quality and overall health. "Foods or supplements that include GABA can be particularly helpful," he told Fox News Digital.
Just one night of poor sleep could have these surprising health effects
New evidence is highlighting just how important sleep is for overall health. Emerging research published in The Journal of Immunology found a link between sleep deprivation and the immune system, and the potential to develop obesity, diabetes and cardiovascular disease through inflammation. Researchers at the Dasman Diabetes Institute in Dasman, Kuwait, aimed to investigate how sleep quality impacts systemic inflammation and immune response in 237 participants.