Health Advice
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Presidential election puts Affordable Care Act back in the bull's-eye
Health care is suddenly front and center in the final sprint to the presidential election, and the outcome will shape the Affordable Care Act and the coverage it gives to more than 40 million people.
Besides reproductive rights, health care for most of the campaign has been an in-the-shadows issue. However, recent comments from former President...Read more
Exclusive: Emails reveal how health departments struggle to track human cases of bird flu
Bird flu cases have more than doubled in the country within a few weeks, but researchers can’t determine why the spike is happening because surveillance for human infections has been patchy for seven months.
Just this week, California reported its 15th infection in dairy workers and Washington state reported seven probable cases in poultry ...Read more
California mental health agency director to resign following conflict of interest allegations
California’s mental health commission on Thursday announced its executive director would resign amid revelations that he traveled to the U.K. courtesy of a state vendor while he sought to prevent a budget cut that would have defunded the company’s contract.
Toby Ewing, executive director of the Mental Health Services Oversight and ...Read more
Mayo Clinic study: What standing on one leg can tell you
ROCHESTER, Minn. — How long a person can stand — on one leg — is a more telltale measure of aging than changes in strength or gait, according to new Mayo Clinic research. The study appears today in the journal PLOS ONE.
Good balance, muscle strength and an efficient gait contribute to people's independence and well-being as they age. How...Read more
Recent recalls raise concerns about food safety, but experts credit better regulation and technology
CHICAGO -- Chicago Heights resident Stephanie Petersen was concerned by how many food recalls she saw daily on the Food and Drug Administration website.
“There was, like, (multiple) recalls every single day. And a lot of salmonella, listeria, a lot of different things,” Petersen said. “I was like, what is going on? It’s so many.”
...Read more
Commentary: Trump's toxic record on our food and health
While it is rarely a top campaign issue, Americans care deeply about our health and well-being, the food we put in our bodies and what corporations put into our food — especially when it comes to our children. We all want to know our food is safe and free of dangerous chemicals and additives that can cause serious health problems.
This ...Read more
Nedra Rhone: College students and mental health - they need support
When I was an undergrad, I became fast friends with a bubbly and seemingly outgoing fellow freshman. We were part of the same crew for a while but as the school year unfolded, we stopped seeing much of her.
She no longer joined us to eat in the dining hall each night. She declined invitations to weekend parties.
When I saw her on campus, she ...Read more
A California official helped save a mental health company's contract. It flew him to London
The director of California’s mental health commission traveled to London this summer courtesy of a state vendor while he was helping to prevent a $360 million budget cut that would have defunded the company’s contract.
Emails and calendars reviewed by KFF Health News show Toby Ewing, executive director of the Mental Health Services ...Read more
Tiny airborne particles within air pollution could be a silent killer – new study uncovers hidden risks and reveals who’s most at risk in New York state
Long-term high ultrafine particle concentrations in New York state neighborhoods are linked to higher numbers of deaths. That is the key finding of our new research, published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials.
Our study shows that high levels of ultrafine particles in the atmosphere over long periods of time are significantly ...Read more
Medicaid limits access to life-saving doses of addiction care
Consensus is growing around the idea that for some patients higher doses of a gold-standard opioid addiction treatment drug may be better than lower doses at keeping patients healthy and in treatment, especially for those who use fentanyl.
But whether someone can access higher doses of buprenorphine — which works by curbing cravings and ...Read more
Colorado's naloxone fund is drying up, even as opioid settlement money rolls in
DENVER — On a bustling street corner one recent afternoon outside the offices of the Harm Reduction Action Center, employees of the education and advocacy nonprofit handed out free naloxone kits to passersby.
Distributing the opioid reversal medication is essential to the center’s work to reduce fatal overdoses in the community. But how ...Read more
Mayo Clinic Minute: Clean out old medications safely
Note: National Prescription Drug Take Back Day is Oct. 26
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Leftover or expired medications can be dangerous if not disposed of properly. Safely getting rid of unneeded prescriptions, like opioids or expired drugs, is essential to prevent misuse and accidental harm.
Dr. Tina Ardon, a Mayo Clinic family medicine physician, says proper ...Read more
Feel a pop, then pain in your knee? It could be an ACL tear
Getty Images You're playing tag with your kids, hitting a fast tennis return shot, landing after a gymnastics vault, evading a football tackle or jumping off a rock onto the beach. Suddenly, you feel a pop in your knee, then immediate pain followed by swelling.
You may have just injured or torn your anterior cruciate ligament, or ACL.
How an ...Read more
Mayo Clinic Minute: Radiation therapy for patients with breast cancer
Radiation therapy is a common component of breast cancer treatment for patients. The high-powered beams of intense energy kill cancer cells and reduce the risk of the cancer recurring.
Dr. Laura Vallow, chair of the Radiation Oncology Department at Mayo Clinic in Florida, explains how innovation is transforming radiation treatments.
Patients ...Read more
Mayo Clinic completes its first paired liver donation for transplantation
Anne Werpy rang a bell in late August, signifying her discharge from a recovery unit at Mayo Clinic in Rochester, Minnesota, after her liver transplant. Werpy received her liver as part of a unique pairing that matched recipients to donors who were unable to give their organs to loved ones who also needed transplants.
Anne Werpy had been ...Read more
Environmental Nutrition: Spotlight on supplements: bee pollen
With their talents for making things including honey and hives, few people question the origins of the phrase “busy as a bee.” But, what are the benefits of some of their creations, including bee pollen? EN dives into why bee pollen is creating a buzz as a supplement.
Background
In addition to honey, honeybees produce many byproducts, ...Read more
7 foods you should never eat raw
Plenty of everyday foods are perfectly safe and nutritious when prepared correctly, but when consumed raw or even undercooked, the ingredients put people at risk for illness, or worse.
Read on for a list of seven foods you should never eat raw, with input from professionals.
1. Flour
“The real reason you shouldn't eat raw cookie dough isn't...Read more
Virtual mental health care visits: Making them work for you
Before the pandemic, talking to a therapist or psychiatrist on a video call was novel. Now it’s fairly common. One recent analysis, for example, found that video appointments within the massive Veterans Affairs Health Care System jumped from about 2% of all mental health care encounters in January 2019 to 35% of these encounters in August 2023...Read more
Mayo Clinic Q&A: Protein needs for performance
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I’ve taken up running and signed up for a half-marathon to keep me motivated. I know training puts a lot of wear and tear on the body, and I've heard protein is essential. How do I make sure I’m getting enough protein so I can perform at maximum ability?
ANSWER: As you prepare for your upcoming distance race — or any ...Read more
Mayo Clinic Q and A: Shockwave therapy may help relieve foot problem
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I've had some foot issues, and I heard that shockwave therapy might be appropriate. How does it work? And how can it help?
ANSWER: This noninvasive treatment uses sound waves to transmit energy to tissues to help with the healing process. You may hear it referred to as extracorporeal shockwave treatment. Extracorporeal means ...Read more
Popular Stories
- Exclusive: Emails reveal how health departments struggle to track human cases of bird flu
- California mental health agency director to resign following conflict of interest allegations
- Presidential election puts Affordable Care Act back in the bull's-eye
- Tiny airborne particles within air pollution could be a silent killer – new study uncovers hidden risks and reveals who’s most at risk in New York state
- 7 foods you should never eat raw