The Independent •

Man, 70, swept to his death in Ida flash flood as family pulled from vehicle

A 70-year-old man has died after his vehicle was swept away by floodwaters when Tropical Storm Ida slammed into the Northeast on Wednesday. Firefighters in scuba gear attempted to reach trapped drivers after the water level reached up to six feet in Passaic, New Jersey amid dangerous flash floods. “His family was rescued, they were all in the same car. Unfortunately, the car was overtaken by the waters, and the firefighters who were being dragged down under the vehicle were unable to get him o
The Independent •

Unmasked and unvaccinated teacher infects half her class and some family, says CDC

An unvaccinated teacher went to work while experiencing Covid-19 symptoms and ended up infecting 26 students, staff, and family members in Marin County, California, according to a Centers for Disease Control and Prevention report. On 19 May, the teacher felt congestion and fatigue, but symptoms escalated to cough, fever, and headache over the following days. The teacher received a positive Covid-19 test on 23 May and starting isolating, but they had already exposed students to the virus by then
The Independent •

Boy, 7, dies after being infected by extremely rare brain-eating amoeba

In Red Bluff, California, a 7-year-old boy died from primary amoebic meningoencephalitis (PAM), a rare infection of the brain. The child, named David Pruitt, was first infected with Naegleria fowleri, otherwise known as “brain-eating amoeba”, while swimming in a lake in northern California. Tehama County Health Services Agency issued a on 4 August saying that the boy likely was infected while swimming in a freshwater lake in Tehama County. But the statement did not specify which lake he swam i
Insider •

The best exercises to ease painful period cramps, from jogging to yoga, according to an OB-GYN

• Working out releases endorphins, which are natural painkillers to combat painful period cramps. • Experts say that working out regularly can also help with menstrual cramps. • If working out doesn't alleviate cramp menstrual pain, experts say talk to your doctor. Menstrual cramps can be a debilitating, days-long experience for people with periods. Shortly before menstruation, your body releases hormones called prostaglandins, and those hormones signal your uterus muscles to start contractin
Insider •

Drinking 4 cups of coffee a day strengthens your liver, a new study says

• A new study found that coffee drinkers were less likely to have chronic liver disease. • Coffee has also been found to reduce the risk of heart disease. Drinking coffee offers more benefits than just perking you up before the workday. Drinking up to three to four cups, caffeinated or decaffeinated, protects the liver from a life-threatening disease, according to a new study. Gleaning data from 494,585 people in the UK Biobank, researchers found that coffee drinkers were 21% less likely to d
Insider •

Bodybuilders who use steroids may suffer long-term testicle damage, and it could affect their fertility

• Misusing steroids may lead to shrinking testicles and an increased risk of prostate cancer. • Professional athletes aren't the only people using steroids to bulk up. Bulking up with steroids was linked to damaged testicles later in life, a small study finds. Anabolic steroids —synthetic or human-made testosterone — are prescribed to treat late puberty or diseases that cause muscle loss, according to the National Institute of Drug Abuse. But these steroids are also misused to enhance workou
Insider •

People who eat 5 servings of fruits and vegetables a day may have a lower risk of death from cancer and other diseases, study finds

• People who eat five servings of fruits and vegetables daily may have a lower risk of death from certain diseases. • Leafy greens and berries yield more health benefits than peas and potatoes. • Experts said, in general, try to eat more fruits and vegetables. Eating fruits and vegetables on a daily basis isn't just good for your overall health. A new study has found that people who eat two servings of fruit and three servings of vegetables daily have a lower risk of death from certain disease
Insider •

Don't get breast exam soon after your COVID-19 vaccine, experts say

• A side effect of the COVID-19 vaccine can be swollen lymph nodes in the armpit near where you got the shot. • It's not a cause for concern, but could cause false alarm in a breast exam. Breast radiologists have noticed swollen or tender lymph nodes in the armpit following COVID-19 vaccinations, according to a recent study. It's a harmless side effect that fades within days, but if swollen lymph nodes are detected during a breast MRI scan, it can cause concern, leading to more tests, undue a
Insider •

A mysterious illness that was paralyzing kids has been stopped in its tracks during the pandemic

• COVID-19 mitigation strategies may be to thank for the lack of acute flaccid myelitis cases. • The mysterious illness showed up in 2014, and researchers are baffled by the paralysis it causes. Cases of acute flaccid myelitis (AFM), a polio-like illness that causes limb weakness and facial droopiness in children, baffled doctors when it first showed up in 2014. After six years, illness rates dwindled in 2020. Dr. Sunil Sood, a pediatrician who specializes in infectious disease at Northwell H
Insider •

Millennials are irreparably damaging their livers as Americans drink more alcohol, doctors say

• Experts say pandemic-related unemployment and loneliness could be driving alcohol use. • Rates of alcohol liver disease have increased as alcohol sales and alcohol use have risen. • Over time, alcohol liver disease may lead to cirrhosis, which can be deadly. In the 11 months since the pandemic began, drinking rates and alcohol sales have been steadily increasing. Doctors have been warning it's a concern, and some say we're already seeing the consequences, with alcoholic liver disease is inc
Insider •

Researchers have linked a hormone used in some birth controls to benign brain tumors, but experts say it's not a reason to drop your pill

• Cyproterone acetate is a hormone drug used to treat acne, early puberty, and heavy periods. • A study of 253,777 females in France found a link between the hormone and benign brain tumors. • The hormone is used in birth control, but experts say the dosage is so low there's no need to worry. A new study suggests a certain hormone drug could increase the risk of developing a noncancerous brain tumor. The drug, cyproterone acetate, is prescribed to treat acne, early puberty, heavy periods, exc
Insider •

In the 3 months before a break-up, couples start speaking differently, researchers find

• Researchers found that if your partner starts using words like "I" or "we" more than usual, this may be a warning sign of a looming breakup. • As people increasingly post about their relationships on Reddit, researchers have an unprecedented view of how breakups unfold in real time. • A therapist said if you're in a healthy relationship, and you sense a change in your partner, it's possible to overcome problems. If your partner starts to make minor changes in their word choice, a breakup mig
NBC News •

How the pandemic may actually ease seasonal affective disorder symptoms for some

When the crickets start to hum in the late summer and families start back-to-school shopping, Michele Sheerman can sense her looming seasonal affective disorder, otherwise known as SAD. But this season hasn’t been so bad. As the coronavirus pandemic stretches into the fall and the winter, some people who cope with the disorder, a type of depression usually associated with shorter days and less sunlight, may experience milder symptoms, psychologists suggest. Sheerman, 48, who dubs herself as a
NBC News •

'The numbers don't lie': Masks help curb infections, officials say

Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. There are still many Americans who resist, protest against and rant about wearing face masks. But state and county health officials across the country say the stark drop in Covid-19 case counts in their communities before and after mask orders were imposed clearly show how effective they can be in reducing the spread of the coronavirus. In Alabama, Gov. Kay Ivey announced a statewide man
NBC News •

Talking about risky sex can cut rates of sexually transmitted infections, new guidelines say

Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. Cases of sexually transmitted infections in the U.S. could be significantly reduced if younger patients got counseling about risky behavior during regular medical checkups, an influential panel of health experts says in its latest guidance. In a statement issued Tuesday, the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force recommends behavioral counseling for all sexually active adolescents, as well
NBC News •

Kids in the U.S. are eating more fast food, the CDC reports

Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. Despite warnings about obesity and unhealthy diets, American kids and adolescents are eating even more fast food. A new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that children and adolescents got 13.8 percent of their daily calories from fast food in 2015 to 2018, up from 12.4 percent in 2011 to 2012. The report, from the CDC’s National Center for Health Statistics
NBC News •

15 adults have been hospitalized after drinking hand sanitizer with methanol. Four died.

Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. Fifteen adults have been poisoned after drinking hand sanitizer that contained methanol, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Wednesday. Methanol, or wood alcohol, is a toxic chemical that can lead to hospitalization or death if ingested. The Food and Drug Administration first warned of hand sanitizers with possible methanol contamination in June, citing nine products
NBC News •

Red onions linked to almost 400 cases of salmonella across the U.S.

Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. Nearly 400 people in 34 states have fallen ill from a salmonella outbreak linked to red onions, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said Friday. At least 396 people have been infected with salmonella, a bacteria that can cause diarrhea, fever and stomach cramps, from six hours to six days after exposure, according to the CDC. The first cases were reported on July 10, affectin
NBC News •

Healthy heart linked to sharper memory as people age into their 90s

Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. Keeping your heart healthy may play a role in keeping your memory sharp later in life, according to research published Wednesday in the journal Neurology. Other factors, including not smoking, past high scores on cognitive tests and the presence of a particular gene variant, were also linked to better memory for people in their 90s, the study found. “What's good for the heart seems to b
NBC News •

FDA recalls more hand sanitizers for toxic chemicals

Get breaking news alerts and special reports. The news and stories that matter, delivered weekday mornings. The Food and Drug Administration has expanded the list of hand sanitizers — some sold at Walmart, Costco and other national chains — being recalled to at least 75 Wednesday, saying toxic levels of wood alcohol in them can cause injury or death. The FDA said that there has been an increase in hand sanitizers that are labeled to contain ethyl alcohol, or ethanol, but have tested positive f
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