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 […]
Category: Health
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 […]
Canada now puts health warnings ‘On’ Cigarette
Canada will soon print warning labels directly on cigarettes in a world-first, the country’s health agency announced. New packaging will feature a warning on each cigarette with phrases like: “Cigarettes cause cancer” and “Poison in every puff”. The regulation will come into effect on 1 August, Health Canada said. It is part of an effort […]
Does daily multivitamin use improve memory?
Americans spend billions of dollars on supplements each year, and roughly 1 in 3 adults report taking a multivitamin. But there is a debate about whether this helps promote good health. A team of researchers wanted to assess how a daily multivitamin may influence cognitive aging and memory. They tracked about 3,500 older adults who […]
Covid-19 is no longer a global health emergency
Covid-19 is no longer a global health emergency, the World Health Organization said on Friday. WHO’s International Health Regulations Emergency Committee discussed the pandemic on Thursday at its 15th meeting on Covid-19, and WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus concurred that the public health emergency of international concern, or PHEIC, declaration should end. “For more than […]
New Covid variant Arcturus causes pink eye
About 1 in 10 cases of COVID-19 nationwide is caused by an emerging coronavirus strain, XBB.1.16. The World Health Organization has elevated this strain of omicron to one of two “circulating variants of interest.” The variant, which has been called Arcturus, is responsible for a growing share of coronavirus cases in the United States. As […]
Liberal state stocks up on 1000’s of abortion pills
Washington state officials have stocked up on a key abortion drug in preparation for the possibility that it could become much more difficult to access nationwide, pending the outcome of a federal lawsuit brought by anti-abortion-rights groups. Gov. Jay Inslee, a Democrat, says he ordered the Washington Department of Corrections to use its pharmacy license […]
Are sugar substitutes better than the real thing?
To satisfy the public’s craving for sweetness and concern about the health effects of sugar, food companies have increasingly turned to sugar substitutes. Natural and artificial sweeteners are added to everything from sodas to toothpaste, lip balm to snack items. Now, studies are raising concerns about the health effects of these substitutes. Late last month, […]
The sad state of U.S. life expectancy
Just before Christmas, federal health officials confirmed life expectancy in America had dropped for a nearly unprecedented second year in a row – down to 76 years. While countries all over the world saw life expectancy rebound during the second year of the pandemic after the arrival of vaccines, the U.S. did not. Then, last […]