Uncategorized

Can the Flu Vaccine Help Keep Older Minds Sharp?

June 30, 2022 – For older adults, getting the annual flu shot may do more than protect against the flu. It may also reduce the risk of getting Alzheimer’s disease. In a large study of vaccinated and unvaccinated adults ages 65 and older, those who received at least one influenza vaccine were less likely than…

Protect Your Hearing from Fireworks This Fourth of July

June 29, 2022 – Kendall Johnson, of Sioux Falls, SD, was a teenager when he had surgery to try to restore his hearing. While he and his friends lighted up fireworks on the Fourth of July one summer, one exploded right in front of his face. Johnson says he lost nearly all his hearing that…

Nordic Walking Beats Other Workouts for Heart Health: Study

June 29, 2022 – A new study in people with heart disease shows that Nordic walking – think cross-country skiing without the skis – improved their mental and physical health more than other types of workouts. The researchers used a 6-minute walk test to measure 130 study participants’ “functional capacity,” which looks at how much…

Expert Answers to Key Questions About COVID Vaccines for Kids

June 28, 2022 – Some important questions remain after the recent authorizations of two COVID-19 vaccines for infants, toddlers, and young children through 5 years of age. If you’re a parent or health care provider perplexed by all the nuances, you’re not alone. To answer some of those questions, infectious disease experts shared what they…

FDA Panel Backs Adding Omicron Component to COVID Boosters

June 28, 2022 — A FDA advisory panel on Tuesday recommended updating COVID-19 booster vaccines in the United States to include an Omicron component, while also stressing the need for more information on how well these shots work on emerging strains of the virus. The Vaccines and Related Biological Products Advisory Committee voted 19-2 in…

FDA Panel to Weigh Improved Booster Shots From Moderna, Pfizer

By Steven Reinberg HealthDay ReporterHealthDay Reporter MONDAY, June 27, 2022 (HealthDay News) — A U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel will vote on Tuesday whether to recommend that updated COVID-19 booster shots be used this fall to protect against Omicron and its highly contagious subvariants. Because the virus mutates so quickly, the FDA may…

HIV Testing Plummeted During Pandemic

By Cara Murez HealthDay ReporterHealthDay Reporter MONDAY, June 27, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Testing for HIV suffered a sharp setback during the first year of the pandemic, new government data shows. The number of HIV tests funded by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and administered in health care settings dropped 43% between 2019…

Fit Kids More Likely to Stay Mentally Sharp with Age: Study

June 27, 2022 – Physical activity helps kids build strong muscles and bones and lowers the risk of things like heart disease and diabetes later in life. Now, there’s yet another reason to encourage your child to move: It may help them stay mentally sharp for decades. A new study done by researchers in Australia…

Adult Diagnosis of Autism Spectrum Disorder

Even though two of Maria Davis-Pierre’s children have autism spectrum disorder, it never occurred to her that she might be on the spectrum, too. Now 38 and a licensed mental health therapist, Davis-Pierre had long blamed her symptoms on ADHD, with which she was diagnosed in college. It wasn’t until her psychiatrist mentioned it that…

Learn to Navigate Like a Bat in 10 Weeks

June 23, 2022 – A new study on teaching navigation skills to humans might get you a little closer to being Batman. The process is called echolocation. Used by bats to get around in the dark, it is the process of locating an object using echoed sound waves. Dolphins and whales also use it to…