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How a unit of donated blood linked two strangers in a lifesaving surgery
MINNEAPOLIS -- Just days before Quinyana Price rushed to the HCMC emergency room in Minneapolis, Betsy Murray went to Memorial Blood Center in St. Paul to donate two units of red blood.
The two strangers then became linked when, by chance, Price was given Murray’s same type O blood.
Each year in Minnesota, thousands of such exchanges occur, ...Read more
She needed an abortion but Kentucky's ban prevented it. 'Somebody is going to die,' doctors warn
When Genevieve Postlethwait’s water broke in her sleep one July morning, she knew something was wrong. At 17 weeks pregnant, it was too soon for this to be normal.
That afternoon at her OB-GYN’s office, Genevieve and her husband saw their daughter’s moving shape on an ultrasound screen. But she looked different — opaque, hard to see, ...Read more
Childhood vaccination rates, a rare health bright spot in struggling states, are slipping
Jen Fisher can do only so much to keep her son safe from the types of infections that children can encounter at school. The rest, she said, is up to other students and parents in their hometown of Franklin, Tennessee.
Fisher’s son Raleigh, 12, lives with a congenital heart condition, which has left him with a weakened immune system. For his ...Read more
The cruciferous cure
If you think arugula, wasabi, cabbage and daikon radishes don't have anything in common, think again. They are all cruciferous vegetables -- as are broccoli, Brussels sprouts, collards, kale, rutabaga, turnips and bok choy! If you eat a variety of these foods every day you get a good dose of vitamins C, B9 (folate) and K (not for folks on ...Read more
Couple Wonders Which Vaccinations Are Necessary For Their Trip
DEAR DR. ROACH: My husband and I booked a cruise for March with stops in Singapore; Vietnam; Hong Kong; Taipei, Taiwan; and Japan. We are healthy 67 year-old Nevada residents with no medical problems. I've checked with my personal physician, our travel agent, and several websites, including the Centers for Disease Control and local health care...Read more
It's been 5 years since Washington's first COVID case. Here's what to know
SEATTLE — It's been five years since the country's first COVID-19 outbreak was recorded in Washington state.
Health officials announced the first documented case in the U.S. in Snohomish County on Jan. 21, 2020.
By March 2020, the virus had spread throughout the U.S., with 4,896 cases in Washington. This led to Gov. Jay Inslee using ...Read more
Mayo Clinic Q and A: Embracing winter – Activity ideas for the season
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: When the holidays end, it's hard to have things to look forward to and find motivation to exercise. How can I stay ahead of the slump and help my family stay active?
ANSWER: As winter settles in, shorter days and colder nights can feel dull. But the mystery of winter nights also offers opportunities for fun, joy, connection ...Read more
Ask the Pediatrician: Feeding your family: Help is available
Children need enough healthy food to grow, but food can cost a lot. Many families worry that they will run out of food and not have enough money to buy more each month.
When you go to the doctor with your child, you might be asked one or two questions about whether your family has enough food. It's OK to answer honestly. These answers are just ...Read more
Pregnancy and nutrition: Are you getting a passing grade?
Between 3.6 and 4 million babies are born in the U.S. annually, and an alarming number of those infants come into the world having been nurtured by moms who are deficient in essential nutrients and phytochemicals. That's the finding of a new study co-led by the Eunice Kennedy Shriver National Institute of Child Health and Human Development. ...Read more
Rapid Heart Rate Persists For Over A Decade Without Evaluation
DEAR DR. ROACH: I'm a 75-year-old woman who, for at least 10 years now, has been experiencing a rapid heart rate. My blood pressure, however, remains normal. In fact, doctors are usually surprised at how good my blood pressure is since I am borderline obese and slightly diabetic.
During this past physical, my doctor did mention my rapid heart...Read more
Why taking fever-reducing meds and drinking fluids may not be the best way to treat flu and fever
As flu season progresses, so does the chorus of advice, professional and otherwise, to drink plenty of fluids and take fever-reducing medications, like acetaminophen, ibuprofen or aspirin.
These recommendations, well-intentioned and firmly entrenched, offer comfort to those sidelined with fever, flu or vaccine side effects. But you ...Read more
Bird flu outbreak has reached Maryland. How concerned should we be?
BALTIMORE — The widening U.S. bird flu outbreak has made its way to Maryland, which has counted two cases on commercial poultry farms — one in Caroline County and another in Queen Anne’s County — since the start of the year.
Health experts say the general public is at little risk of exposure and illness, thus far. While human infections...Read more
Georgia halts poultry sales in state after bird flu found
Georgia officials suspended the sale of poultry in the state after confirming a positive case of bird flu in a commercial operation, threatening one of the state’s prime industries.
The case, found Friday in Elbert County, northeast of Atlanta, is the first confirmed instance of Highly Pathogenic Avian Influenza, or bird flu, detected in a ...Read more
New California laws target medical debt, AI care decisions, detention centers
SACRAMENTO, Calif. — As the nation braces for potential policy shifts under President-elect Donald Trump’s “Make America Healthy Again” mantra, the nation’s most populous state and largest health care market is preparing for a few changes of its own.
With supermajorities in both houses, Democrats in the California Legislature passed �...Read more
Junk food turns public villain as power shifts in Washington
The new Trump administration could be coming for your snacks.
For years, the federal government has steered clear of regulating junk food, fast food, and ultra-processed food.
Now attitudes are changing. Some members of President-elect Donald Trump’s inner circle are gearing up to battle “Big Food,” or the companies that make most of the...Read more
Acute stress and early signs of PTSD are common in firefighters and other first responders − here’s what to watch out for
The thousands of firefighters and other first responders on the front lines of the fires that are raging in the Los Angeles area are at increased risk for anxiety, depression, acute stress and post-traumatic stress disorder.
Amanda Mascarelli, The Conversation U.S.’s senior health and medicine editor, spoke with Ian H. Stanley, a ...Read more
On Nutrition: Treatments for low thyroid
Several years ago, a patient asked me what she could eat to treat hypothyroidism — a medical condition characterized by abnormally low levels of thyroid hormones.
She was correct to be concerned. The small thyroid gland housed in the front of our necks manufactures hormones that control important bodily functions including breathing, heart ...Read more
Mayo Clinic Q and A: Leg pain? It may be your arteries
DEAR MAYO CLINIC: I'm 52 years old and enjoy long walks with my husband and our dog. I recently started to experience pain in my left calf during our walks. The leg pain goes away when I rest. Because I have a history of high blood pressure, I went to see my primary care physician and was diagnosed with peripheral artery disease. What is this ...Read more
Understanding The Dangers Of Untreated Sleep Apnea
DEAR DR. ROACH: Would you please address the dangers of untreated sleep apnea? Also, what do people do when they are unable to tolerate a CPAP (continuous positive airway pressure) machine? I know that surgery is an option, but most times, it can be unsuccessful. -- Anon.
ANSWER: Obstructive sleep apnea (OSA) is very common (15% to 30% of men...Read more
If you're going to be angry, be angry at inflammatory foods!
From road rage to political conflicts, Americans are inflamed with anger these days. According to Crown Consulting, a mental health service, 7% to 11% of the general population experience significant anger issues and about 9% of U.S. adults have issues with anger that may lead to violence.
But anger isn't the only mood -- and mind-damaging ...Read more
Inside Health Advice
Popular Stories
- It's been 5 years since Washington's first COVID case. Here's what to know
- Mayo Clinic Q and A: Embracing winter – Activity ideas for the season
- Ask the Pediatrician: Feeding your family: Help is available
- Mayo Clinic Q and A: Leg pain? It may be your arteries
- Why taking fever-reducing meds and drinking fluids may not be the best way to treat flu and fever