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Does fluoride cause cancer, IQ loss, and more? Fact-checking Robert F. Kennedy Jr.'s claims

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

President-elect Donald Trump’s incoming administration could try to remove fluoride from drinking water, according to Robert F. Kennedy Jr.

Kennedy, who was tapped last week by Trump to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, called fluoride an “industrial waste” and linked it to cancer and other diseases and disorders while ...Read more

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Nationwide IV fluid shortage could change how hospitals manage patient hydration

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Hospitals around the country are conserving critical intravenous fluid supplies to cope with a shortage that may last months. Some hospital administrators say they are changing how they think about IV fluid hydration altogether.

Hurricane Helene, which hit North Carolina in September, wrecked a Baxter International facility that produces 60% of...Read more

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Pay first, deliver later: Some women are being asked to prepay for their baby

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

In April, just 12 weeks into her pregnancy, Kathleen Clark was standing at the receptionist window of her OB-GYN’s office when she was asked to pay $960, the total the office estimated she would owe after she delivered.

Clark, 39, was shocked that she was asked to pay that amount during this second prenatal visit. Normally, patients receive ...Read more

Esophagitis Diagnosis Calls For The Cessation Of Nsaids

Health Advice / Keith Roach /

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am 63 years old, and four weeks ago, I was diagnosed by my gastroenterologist with erosive esophagitis after an endoscopy. I was placed initially on Protonix, but I didn't improve much. So, I was switched to 20 mg of Voquezna, and after eight weeks, I am starting to feel better.

I have painful osteoarthritis in my right hand...Read more

Not a bright idea

Hardly anyone in the U.S. gets to go to sleep in a truly dark environment. The "World Atlas of Artificial Night Sky Brightness" says that 99% of us may have an increased risk for cancer, heart disease, diabetes, Alzheimer's, and even low sperm quality, because of outdoor light seeping into our bedrooms.

A 2024 study in the Journal of Clinical ...Read more

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A more severe form of mpox has been reported in US

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

The United States has reported its first confirmed case of the more contagious form of mpox, formerly known as monkeypox.

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention this week issued a health advisory, stating that while the country’s risk for the more severe form of mpox remains low, doctors should be on alert for patients with ...Read more

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Dozens sick with norovirus during monthlong Pacific cruise

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

An outbreak of highly contagious norovirus left 55 passengers and 15 crew members sick during a month-long cruise across the Pacific Ocean.

The Coral Princess, a Princess Cruises vessel, left Singapore on Oct. 17 and headed to Long Beach, Calif. After the outbreak, the healthy crew started enhanced cleaning and disinfection procedures with the ...Read more

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The reality of RSV, who should get vaccinated

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Respiratory syncytial virus, or RSV, is something many parents know as a cause of bronchiolitis, but others may not have heard of it until recently. RSV causes infections of the lungs and respiratory tract. It's common in children, but it can also infect adults.

"A very common disease, the most common reason why a child under 5 ends up in the ...Read more

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Mayo Clinic Minute: Battling barriers to transplant surgery

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Each year, there are thousands of people waiting for a kidney or liver transplant in the U.S. Some of those transplant candidates are living with diabetes, high blood pressure or obesity, which can sometimes complicate transplant surgery.

Dr. Shennen Mao, a Mayo Clinic transplant surgeon, offers advice on preparing patients for the lifesaving ...Read more

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Cannabis-related emergency department visits up this year as Maryland begins tracking data

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

BALTIMORE — Maryland has experienced a “significant increase” in cannabis-related emergency department visits, according to the Maryland Department of Health.

The health department launched a data dashboard last week to track public health impacts of cannabis and visualize trends pre- and post-marijuana legalization in the state.

The ...Read more

Going nuts? Smart move

There are more than 20 edible nuts (or what we call nuts -- some, such as cashews, almonds and peanuts, are actually other "species"). They include walnuts, pecans, hazelnuts, peanuts, cashews, almonds, macadamia nuts, pine nuts, Brazil nuts, and pistachios. And there are others that are delicious, but we don't hear much about, such as saba nuts...Read more

Smoking Triples Health Risks For Patient With Polycythemia Vera

Health Advice / Keith Roach /

DEAR DR. ROACH: My husband (age 71) received a diagnosis of polycythemia vera a few years ago. I understand this variety of polycythemia isn't caused by smoking, but we know that smoking does make it worse.

For most of his life, he's had a history of smoking with some short periods of not smoking, and he continues to smoke several times every...Read more

Kansas was sued over delayed psych exams for defendants. Now state hospitals will expand

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Kansas will gain 30 new beds for people charged with crimes who are awaiting psychological assessments and treatment before they stand trial, and another 52 are planned.

The assessments, called competency evaluations, consider defendants’ mental health to see if they can assist in their own defense.

The long wait times for these evaluations ...Read more

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Your standing desk may not be the healthy alternative you think it is

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Standing desks became popular thanks to phrases like “sitting is the new smoking,” which highlighted the dangers of a sedentary lifestyle.

A new study, however, has found standing desks might do more harm than good, not improving heart health but actually leading to circulation problems.

The study focused on 83,000 people who wore devices ...Read more

Why do I feel better when I wake myself up instead of relying on an alarm? A neurologist explains the science of a restful night’s sleep

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Curious Kids is a series for children of all ages. If you have a question you’d like an expert to answer, send it to curiouskidsus@theconversation.com.

Why do I feel better rested when I wake myself up than I do if my alarm or another person wakes me up? – Calleigh H., age 11, Oklahoma

We’ve all experienced this: You’...Read more

Flies carry bacteria – and some of those are resistant to antibiotics. What we found in three South African hospices

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Houseflies live close to humans and domesticated animals and because they are so mobile they can easily spread bacteria that make people sick.

They carry these disease-causing agents on their body surfaces and in their gut.

Owing to their diverse habitats, ability to fly long distances and attraction to decaying organic ...Read more

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Ask the Pediatrician: RSV immunizations and new ways to protect babies

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Nearly all children get infected with respiratory syncytial virus, more commonly known as RSV, at least once by the time they are 2 years old. The virus can be dangerous for infants and some young children. In fact, RSV is the most common cause of hospitalization in infants under 1 year old. The infection can spread to the lungs and cause ...Read more

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Diabetes Quick Fix: Five-Spice Chicken with Chinese Noodles

Health Advice / Health Advice /

The pungent flavors of Chinese five-spice powder, rice vinegar, and soy sauce combine to create this sweet and savory chicken dinner.

Chinese five-spice powder is used in many Asian dishes and is a blend of cinnamon, cloves, fennel seed, star anise, and Szechwan peppercorns. It can be found in the spice section of the supermarket.

Helpful ...Read more

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As California taps pandemic stockpile for bird flu, officials keep close eye on spending

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — California public health officials are dipping into state and federal stockpiles to equip up to 10,000 farmworkers with masks, gloves, goggles, and other safety gear as the state confirms at least 21 human cases of bird flu as of early November. It’s the latest reminder of the state’s struggle to remain prepared amid ...Read more

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Editorial: Migrant health care workers can be ensnared in modern indentured servitude

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

As Western Pennsylvania's population continues to age, and the region's workforce continues to contract, the region will need increasing numbers of caretakers, more than the region can supply.

In recent years, immigrants have emerged as a reliable way to bolster this workforce, but an ongoing National Labor Relations Board case reveals exactly...Read more