During a recent brief interview, a reporter asked President Biden to give a message to social media platforms like Facebook. Biden had only a brief response given the moment during which the question was asked, but it cut right to the core of the pandemic and how it is playing out, with the President stating simply that they're "killing people."
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is only months away from two major milestones involving the COVID-19 vaccines: full approval for Pfizer's vaccine, as well as authorization to administer the vaccines to children under the age of 12. The latter milestone is expected to arrive this winter, while the full COVID-19 vaccine approval may kick off in early 2022.
Hot flashes are a common symptom of menopause and, unfortunately, they can be quite severe at times, interfering with sleep and one's ability to work. Traditionally speaking, estrogen drugs were used to reduce these hot flashes, but such use has been curbed by concerns about breast cancer risk. As it turns out, according to a new study, you may not need these drugs to get relief.
Common health advice often includes "eat more whole grains," but it's easy to lose sight of one's diet composition and end up consuming less than the recommended servings. A new study from Tufts University offers a good reason to reevaluate your diet and make sure you get enough servings of whole grains every day: it may help protect you from heart disease later in life.
The World Health Organization has published new research linking moderate alcohol consumption with a significantly increased risk of developing certain cancers, including colon and breast cancer. The study comes from WHO's International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC), which also found an increased risk in people described as light drinkers.
Multiple sclerosis, a debilitating autoimmune disease, is associated with the absence of specific gut bacteria often found in other people. These same bacteria are responsible for breaking down a type of plant compound called isoflavone, which is a phytoestrogen found in some plant foods like soybeans. The combination of the two -- isoflavones and the gut bacteria that breaks them down -- may have a role in treating and protecting against MS.
There's a popular meme that associates the stereotypical "boomer" personality with the lead exposure that was common during that generation's childhood -- and a new study's results indicate there may be something to that idea. According to researchers, people who were exposed to higher levels of lead during their childhood are at greater risk of being neurotic, disagreeable adults who are less mature than peers who weren't exposed to the harmful substance.
Fermented foods like yogurt, kimchi, sauerkraut, and kefir may help lower inflammation in the body by increasing one's gut bacteria diversity, according to a new study from the Stanford School of Medicine. The same is true for fermented beverages and liquid products like kombucha tea and fermented vegetable brine drinks, according to the researchers, who compared the effects of a diet rich in fermented foods with one that contained high amounts of fiber.
Another study has found that using a virtual reality headset can potentially reduce pain or discomfort during medical procedures. The findings indicate that such technology may have a place in hospitals and doctor's offices, possibly increasing compliance with painful medical procedures that patients may otherwise avoid.
A new study reports the discovery of an elderly woman in Belgium who had been infected with two SARS-CoV-2 variants at the same time. The patient, who sadly died from the virus only days after being admitted to the hospital, tested positive for both the "UK" and "South African" variants of COVID-19, making it an exceedingly rare case.
The loss of teeth has been linked to an increased risk of developing dementia and cognitive impairment later in life, but the reasons aren't quite known at this time. According to the study, which comes from New York University, the more teeth a person loses over their life, the greater their chances of suffering from cognitive impairment or developing dementia.
New CDC schools guidance pushes in-person learning as K-12 classrooms prepare for the fall 2021 return, though masks will remain a key part of the COVID-19 strategy. The US Centers for Disease Control has been criticized in the past for its policies around classroom learning, blamed on one side for impractically strict guidance, while accused of pushing for premature in-person schooling too rapidly by others.