The Lifelong Consequences of Heroism

Twenty-two years ago, in NYC, as people were running from the terrifying scene, first responders were running towards it. And that day’s consequences have been affecting their health ever since. In fact, a 2021 study found that rescue and recovery workers at Ground Zero are starting to develop chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) decades after…

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Ancient Organ, Modern Disease

Do we really need our appendix? Most experts believe our ancestors used it to digest tough food like tree bark. We don’t eat tree bark anymore, so is it necessary to keep the tail-like end of the large intestine? And, if a life-altering disease could originate in it, is it wrong to want it removed?…

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Hearing Aids Help the Brain

We’ve known that hearing loss is strongly linked to neurodegenerative diseases, such as Alzheimer’s. What has been unclear is whether it is a symptom, cause, or just common comorbidity. A new study out of John Hopkins University has determined that wearing a hearing aid can reduce mental decline by almost half in people at risk…

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Heartburn & Dementia: Connected?

Acid reflux sufferers, listen up! According to a recent study, researchers have found a link between elevated risk of dementia and long-term use of certain prescription acid reflux medications. Acid reflux happens when a muscle in the lower end of the esophagus relaxes at the wrong time and allows stomach acid to back up into…

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Got (enought) Testosterone?

Millions of US men suffer from low amounts of the sex hormone testosterone. In fact, you likely know someone who may struggle with low testosterone levels. Low levels can make it difficult to maintain muscle mass and cause low libido, but that’s not all. But experts have dubbed low testosterone “male menopause” and are now…

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No Magic Wands

By now, you’ve heard of the popular type-2 diabetes injectable drug Ozempic being used off-label for weight loss. Wegovy (a similar drug) has been cleared by the FDA. Both drugs have gotten a ton of attention for helping the obese to lose weight. It gave hope to tens of thousands of people exhausted by yo-yo…

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Gulf Coast Concern

A deadly bacteria that kills up to 50% of people it infects has now been declared an endemic along the US Gulf Coast. Dr. Julia Petras, an epidemiologist at the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) who made the warning, said Burkholderia pseudomallei, which can cause potentially lethal melioidosis if not treated, is now…

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Still Mad?

US health officials have detected an atypical case of “mad cow disease” in a beef cow at a slaughter plant in South Carolina, they announced in a statement on Friday, May 19. The US Department of Agriculture said the animal “never entered slaughter channels and at no time presented a risk to the food supply…

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Dangerous Clouds

This is new. Remember us telling you about the antibiotic-resistant bacteria found in supermarket meats a few weeks ago? Well, now it seems those little buggers have figured out how to go global — by hitching a ride on clouds.  Researchers from Université Laval in Quebec and Université Clermont Auvergne in France showed, for the…

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Not That Simple

As our society becomes more health-conscious, we are constantly bombarded with new information about what we should and shouldn’t be consuming. Two topics that have been in the spotlight recently are sweeteners and statins, both of which play a significant role in our diets and overall health. On one hand, artificial sweeteners and sugar substitutes…

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