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DEA could reclassify marijuana to a less restrictive category – a drug policy expert weighs the pros and cons

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

The Drug Enforcement Administration announced in early 2024 that it would act on President Joe Biden’s call to reclassify marijuana, moving it from the tightly controlled Schedule I category that it has been in since 1970 to the less restrictive Schedule III status of the Controlled Substances Act. That triggered a long process of hearings ...Read more

Buyer beware: Off-brand Ozempic, Zepbound and other weight loss products carry undisclosed risks for consumers

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

In just a few years, brand-name injectable drugs such as Ozempic, Wegovy, Mounjaro and Zepbound have rocketed to fame as billion-dollar annual sellers for weight loss as well as to control blood sugar levels and reduce the risk of heart disease.

But the price of these injections is steep: They cost about US$800-$1,000 per month, and ...Read more

Is Medicare a Good Reason to Wait Until 65 to Retire?

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

I started my career with ING. After five years, I was convinced I would finish my career there. They spun off in the U.S. and, after year six, I found a new home. After five years at my new firm, and after becoming an owner, I was convinced I would finish my career there. In year eight, I sold my shares back to start my own firm. The point is ...Read more

Environmental Nutrition: What is a flax egg?

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Q: What is a flax egg?

A: A flax egg is a popular vegan substitute for traditional eggs in baking and cooking. It is made by mixing ground flaxseeds with water, usually in the ratio of one tablespoon of ground flaxseeds to three tablespoons of water. This mixture is then left to sit for about five to 10 minutes, during which it thickens and ...Read more

7 canned foods with more than 7 grams of protein per serving

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Protein has been in the spotlight for quite some time, and for good reason. It’s important for many body functions including muscle growth and repair, immune support, and satiety. However, meeting your daily protein needs might seem like it takes a lot of time-consuming planning and meal prep. Here are seven canned foods that provide at least ...Read more

Dupuytren’s contracture of the hand

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

One of the more unusual conditions affecting the hands and fingers is Dupuytren’s contracture (also called Dupuytren’s disease). Here, one or more fingers become curled, which can make it difficult to pick up or hold objects or perform everyday activities.

Legend says the condition originated with the Vikings of Northern Europe, although ...Read more

Mayo Clinic Q&A: Could back issues be spinal arthritis

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I am in my late 50s and have started having stiffness in my back. I have become much less flexible and sometimes even have a hard time looking over my shoulder. I remember my grandparents complaining about arthritis in their knees and hands — and the pain they had later in life. Could I be developing arthritis in my spine? Is...Read more

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Do at-home COVID tests actually expire? Learn how they work as California virus season hits

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

While many respiratory viruses — including COVID-19, RSV and influenza — circulate year-round in California, they are typically more active between October and March, according to the California Department of Public Health.

You might be wondering whether your cold-like symptoms might be coronavirus, and whether you can use the old at-home ...Read more

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Here's why getting a COVID shot during pregnancy is important

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Nearly 90% of babies who had to be hospitalized with COVID-19 had mothers who didn’t get the vaccine while they were pregnant, according to new data released by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The findings appear in the agency’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report.

Babies too young to be vaccinated had the highest COVID ...Read more

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Mayo Clinic Q and A: Emotional exhaustion: When your feelings feel overwhelming

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Editor's Note: Oct. 6-12 is Mental Illness Awareness Week

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Recently, I've been feeling physically and mentally drained from the demands of work, caregiving and other responsibilities. I struggle to find motivation and have trouble concentrating on tasks. Are there strategies to help me find emotional balance?

ANSWER: Turning ...Read more

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A Philadelphia biotech designed a first-of-its-kind therapy for rare cancer. Now, it waits for patients

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

PHILADELPHIA — Within the next couple of weeks, the first blood samples from patients will arrive at the loading dock of Adaptimmune, a biotechnology company headquartered on the northeastern edge of the Navy Yard.

Their arrival will open a new chapter in medicine's ongoing search for a therapy that converts the body's own immune system into ...Read more

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Nearly 50 years after research began, more questions than answers about Hispanic heart health

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

There are more than 65 million Hispanic and Latino people living in the U.S. – the second-largest racial or ethnic minority population in the country. Yet when it comes to heart and brain health, less may be understood about this population than any other.

Researchers say the reasons for this are complex, but two stand out: While often lumped...Read more

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Mayo Clinic Minute: How excessive daytime sleepiness can affect heart health

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

If you have a difficult time staying awake and alert during the day, you may be experiencing excessive daytime sleepiness. Dr. Virend Somers, a Mayo Clinic cardiologist with a focus on sleep medicine, explains the difference between being tired and being sleepy and how excessive daytime sleepiness can have a negative effect on the heart.

...Read more

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Need to go to the hospital? Texas and Florida want to know your immigration status

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

State Sen. Victor Torres represents predominantly Hispanic Osceola County in central Florida. At Sunday Mass at his local church, immigrants often tell him they are scared to seek health care.

“They say, ‘My mother is ill, or my kid is sick, but I don’t have insurance,’’’ the Democrat said in an interview. “And I tell them, ‘You...Read more

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Benefit trend: Employers opt to give workers an allowance for coverage

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Dave Lantz is no stranger to emergency department or doctor bills. With three kids in their teens and early 20s, “when someone gets sick or breaks an arm, all of a sudden you have thousand-dollar medical bills,” Lantz said.

The family’s health plan that he used to get as the assistant director of physical plant at Lycoming College, a ...Read more

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'Weekend warriors' may gain same health benefits as people who spread out exercise

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Weekend warriors – people who pack most of their physical activity into one or two days – may gain the same health-protective benefits as people who exercise throughout the week, as long as they get the recommended amount, new research finds.

The study found regardless of whether people concentrated their 150 minutes of moderate to vigorous...Read more

Air pollution inside Philly’s subway is much worse than on the streets

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

The air quality in the City Hall subway station in downtown Philadelphia is much worse than on the sidewalks directly above the station. That is a key finding of our new study published in the Journal of Exposure Science & Environmental Epidemiology.

We are an environmental scientist and a biochemist who assessed the air quality ...Read more

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Ask the Pediatrician: How to keep children safe this Halloween

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Spooky season is in full swing with costumes and festivities galore! Halloween can be an exciting and creative time of year where children can be whoever they want to be. Whether they’re dressed up as scary monsters, a blushing princess or anything in between, it’s important to make sure safety is a top priority.

Some extra precautions can ...Read more

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How Minnesota figures into the presidential politics of insulin prices

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

In June 2019, Lija Greenseid handed Minnesota Gov. Tim Walz an empty vial of insulin that her 13-year-old daughter had painted gold.

Greenseid’s daughter has Type 1 diabetes, which means she requires daily injections of manufactured insulin to stay alive. The price of a single vial of insulin rose by about 1,200% between 1996 and 2018, and ...Read more

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Mayo Clinic Minute: Treating breast cancer through surgery

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Globally, 2.3 million women are diagnosed with breast cancer every year, according to the World Health Organization. Advances in treating breast cancer are improving care and quality of life.

Hear from Dr. Sarah McLaughlin, a Mayo Clinic breast surgical oncologist, in this Mayo Clinic Minute.

Treating breast cancer may include personalized ...Read more