What the ale? Americans could soon be advised to limit themselves to just two drinks a week, a top health official warned Thursday. President Biden’s alcohol czar, Dr. George Koob, told the Daily Mail that the USDA could revise its alcohol recommendations to match Canada’s guidelines. In January, the Great White North began urging residents […]
Category: Health
The atomic bomb ‘spike’ is inside all of us
It’s in your teeth. Your eyes and your brain too. Scientists call it the “bomb spike” (or “bomb pulse”) – and for more than half a century its signature has been present inside the human body. In the 1950s, there were so many nuclear bomb explosions above ground that it transformed the chemical make-up of […]
Petting a dog for 5 minutes can boost health
What’s four-legged, furry, and often serves up a quick little mood boost? That’s right, a dog. It turns out even short, friendly interactions with canines can be good for our health. I started pondering the power of dogs during one of my daily strolls around my neighborhood. Almost invariably, I’ll run into at least one […]
Is it possible to drink ‘too much’ water?
While most people have heard the advice to drink eight cups of water a day, there is some flexibility there and people are capable of drinking both too much and too little, though the latter is more common. Drinking too little can lead to dehydration which can cause a range of symptoms from dizziness to, […]
FDA approves ‘over the counter’ birth control pill
The US Food and Drug Administration on Thursday approved the birth control pill Opill to be available over-the-counter — the first nonprescription birth control pill in the United States. “Today’s approval marks the first time a nonprescription daily oral contraceptive will be an available option for millions of people in the United States,” Dr. Patrizia […]
Nearly 1/2 of nation’s tapwater is contaminated
At least 45% of the nation’s tap water could be contaminated with at least one form of PFAS known as “forever chemicals,” according to a newly released study by the U.S. Geological Survey. The man-made chemicals — of which there are thousands — are found in all sorts of places, from nonstick cookware to stain-resistant […]
Can a hot dog eating contest destroy your stomach?
Competitive eating champ Joey Chestnut gulps down dozens of hot dogs each Fourth of July at the Nathan’s Famous Hot Dog Eating Contest — and comes back do it again year after year. But no one really knows what long-term impacts it might have on his body or the bodies of other competitive eaters. Chestnut […]
WHO label Aspartame possible carcinogenic
Aspartame — one of the most common artificial sweeteners in the world — is slated to be declared a possible carcinogen by the World Health Organization’s (WHO) cancer research agency next month, according to a report. In July, the sugar substitute will be listed as “possibly carcinogenic to humans” by the International Agency for Research […]
Aging males lose Y chromosomes, new cancer risk
Every human cell has a pair of chromosomes that give your body a blueprint for how to grow and develop starting as a single cell inside a uterus. But in a new study from the Cedars-Sinai cancer center, scientists have found that not only do chromosomes provide the building blocks of human life, they may […]
Experts say most Americans should have ‘Anxiety Screenings’
Most adults in the U.S. should be routinely screened for anxiety even if they don’t have symptoms, a national task force recommended Tuesday. This is the first time the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force, a powerful group of health experts, issues a final recommendation for anxiety disorder screenings in adults ages 19 to 64. Its […]
Are Cell Phones Changing Our Brains?
The first handheld cellphone call was made 50 years ago, and since then these devices have become an essential multi-tool that helps us run our lives. But are they also altering the way our brains work? One recent report found that adults in the US check their phones, on average, 344 times a day – […]
Woman who refused TB treatment is in custody
A Washington state woman who was diagnosed with tuberculosis has been taken into custody after months of refusing treatment or isolation, officials said on Thursday. The Tacoma woman, who is identified in court documents as V.N., was booked into a room “specially equipped for isolation, testing and treatment” at the Pierce County Jail, the local […]