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Scientists fear what's next for public health if RFK Jr. is allowed to 'go wild'

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Many scientists at the federal health agencies await the second Donald Trump administration with dread as well as uncertainty over how the president-elect will reconcile starkly different philosophies among the leaders of his team.

Trump announced Thursday he’ll nominate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. to be secretary of the Health and Human Services ...Read more

Knee problems tend to flare up as you age – an orthopedic specialist explains available treatment options

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Knee injuries are common in athletes, accounting for 41% of all athletic injuries. But knee injuries aren’t limited to competitive athletes. In our everyday lives, an accident or a quick movement in the wrong direction can injure the knee and require medical treatment. A quarter of the adult population worldwide experiences knee pain each ...Read more

Aaron Lavinsky/Minnesota Star Tribune/TNS

Minnesota health insurers warn of 'dire' premium spikes, lost coverage in 2026

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Chief executives at Minnesota’s four largest nonprofit health insurers are warning premiums could spike and thousands of residents could lose coverage in 2026 if the state’s congressional delegation doesn’t help save enhanced federal tax credits that subsidize coverage bought through the public MNsure exchange.

The extra federal subsidies...Read more

Alejandro A. Alvarez/The Philadelphia Inquirer/TNS

These yoga, meditation, and mental-health businesses see more demand post-election

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

PHILADELPHIA — At 7:15 a.m. Nov. 6, just hours after Donald Trump was declared the winner of the presidential election, the mood in a Washington Square West yoga studio felt heavy.

“Folks were sobbing throughout class,” said Callie Kim, founder of Tuck Barre & Yoga. Students expressed a variety of emotions: “Sadness, frustration, ...Read more

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On Nutrition: Veggie questions

Health Advice / Nutrition /

Donna T. from Bismarck, North Dakota, writes: “When the variety of fresh veggies is limited, I buy frozen. I do, however, like to keep store-purchased canned veggies in my pantry and use them in tight squeezes. I am confused by statements that canned veggies are highly nutritious and comparable to frozen. Comparing nutrition labels does not ...Read more

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Oakland clinic gets medical device maker to disclose risk of false blood-oxygen reading

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

LOS ANGELES — The pulse oximeter, a device that measures the degree to which red blood cells are saturated with oxygen, is one of healthcare's most fundamental tools.

So when Dr. Noha Aboelata learned that research stretching back decades showed that the devices routinely failed patients with darker skin tones, she took action.

Aboelata, the...Read more

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Mayo Clinic researchers recommend alternatives to hysterectomy for uterine fibroids, according to study

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

ROCHESTER, Minn. — Uterine fibroids are a common condition that affects up to 80% of women in their lifetime. Nearly half of those women will experience symptoms that affect their quality of life and fertility, including severe pain and anemia. Uterine fibroids are the major reason for the removal of the uterus by hysterectomy.

However, Mayo...Read more

63-Year-Old Debates Getting Shingles And Chicken Pox Vaccines

Health Advice / Keith Roach /

DEAR DR. ROACH: A few months ago, you wrote about the benefits of the shingles vaccine. At 63, I'm one of the 1% who has never had, nor been exposed to, chicken pox. I was tested in 2022 for varicella-zoster virus antibodies, and the results were negative. My current physician wants me to get the shingles vaccine, even though I can't get ...Read more

The newest oldest way to dodge advanced prostate cancer

If you catch prostate cancer early, it can often be actively watched or minimally treated. But, over time, it may progress, making aggressive treatment necessary to block or defeat its spread.

An exciting new Johns Hopkins University study says that if you upgrade your diet, you may be able to keep your cancer from progressing. How? By choosing...Read more

Rebecca Noble/Getty Images North America/TNS

Second Trump presidency raises big questions for health care

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Donald J. Trump’s second presidency may significantly alter health care and public health in Minnesota, especially if Robert F. Kennedy Jr. gets the opportunity to bring his vaccine skepticism to federal agencies such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.

Trump’s pledge to let Kennedy “go wild” on those agencies drew ...Read more

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California dengue cases prompt swift response from public health officials

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Jason Farned and his team at the San Gabriel Valley Mosquito and Vector Control District had spent years preparing for the likely arrival of dengue, a dangerous virus typically found in tropical climates outside the mainland United States.

They’d watched nervously as invasive Aedes mosquito species that can carry the virus appeared in Los ...Read more

Paregoric Is Seldom Prescribed Due To Its Abusive Potential

Health Advice / Keith Roach /

DEAR DR. ROACH: Could you kindly tell me about the current status of paregoric? Has it been banned by the Food and Drug Administration? Is it available anywhere in the United States? I remember using this product occasionally as a teenager back in the 1960s. It was a miracle drug for stopping diarrhea, and it was available over the counter. ...Read more

Smart natural additions to your medicine cabinet

American's medicine chests are stuffed with over-the-counter pain relievers like ibuprofen (on-again, off-again users take about 30 billion doses annually!). And more than 15 million adults take prescription proton pump inhibitors (PPIs) for acid reflux, and millions more pop OTC versions. Let's clear out some room for natural remedies that can ...Read more

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New Congress brings churn in health policy leadership

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

WASHINGTON — Congress’ most influential health panels will see dramatic changes next year, with several advocates on specific issues like mental health, Medicare and drug pricing retiring or losing their reelection bids.

The biggest changes will be in store at the House Energy and Commerce Committee, whose wide-ranging jurisdiction includes...Read more

Genaro Molina/Los Angeles Times/TNS

Massachusetts drug overdose deaths drop 23%: 'Cautiously optimistic … won't take our foot off the gas'

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

The Bay State is again receiving positive news in its fight against the drug overdose crisis, as new data shows that OD deaths significantly dropped in a recent 12-month period.

Massachusetts had about 2,032 drug overdose deaths in the 12-month period that ended June 30, according to provisional CDC data. That was a major 23% decline from the 2...Read more

Chris Urso/Tampa Bay Times/TNS

Uncertainty about Obamacare's future under Trump is felt acutely in Florida

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

More than 12 million Americans got their health insurance through the Affordable Care Act in 2017 when a Republican bill to scrap the program fell two U.S. Senate votes short.

With more than 21.4 million Americans now insured through federal marketplace plans, the future of the program is again in doubt with the return of Donald Trump to the ...Read more

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KFF Health News sues to force disclosure of Medicare advantage audit records

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

KFF Health News has sued the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services Office of Inspector General to compel it to release a range of Medicare Advantage health plan audits and other financial records.

The suit, filed Nov. 12 in U.S. District Court in San Francisco under the Freedom of Information Act, or FOIA, seeks documents from the HHS ...Read more

State office buildings briefly close after legionella bacteria discovery in Baltimore

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

BALTIMORE — A discovery of legionella bacteria last week prompted the brief closure of three Maryland state office buildings in Baltimore, forcing employees to work from home, according to a spokesperson for the Maryland Department of General Services.

State officials said they did not know the origin of the bacteria, which was discovered ...Read more

Brain-training games remain unproven, but research shows what sorts of activities do benefit cognitive functioning

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Some 2.3 million of U.S. adults over 65 – more than 4% – have a diagnosis of dementia. But even without a diagnosis, a certain amount of cognitive decline is normal as age sets in.

And whether it’s due to fear of cognitive decline or noticing lapses in cognition when we are stressed, many of us have had moments when we thought ...Read more

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What would happen if fluoride were removed from the water supply under a Trump presidency?

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Former presidential candidate Robert F. Kennedy Jr. claimed that if President-elect Donald Trump appointed him to a health leadership position, the first thing he would work on would be removing fluoride from water.

Fluoride was first introduced to U.S. water in 1945 in Grand Rapids, Michigan. Scientists saw a direct impact of positive tooth ...Read more