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Mayor Brandon Johnson's mental health plan in Chicago starts small but carries big political implications

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

At roughly 0.1% of the city’s recently passed $16.77 billion budget, the initial cost of Mayor Brandon Johnson’s effort to begin reopening Chicago’s city-run mental health clinics is minuscule.

But the political ramifications are potentially huge.

Johnson rode into office on a progressive wave powered by unions and activists who have ...Read more

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Ask the Pediatrician: How does noise affect children?

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Many parents know that loud noise can hurt a child's hearing. Very loud sounds—from fireworks or firearms, for example—can cause immediate damage. Using personal listening devices for music, videos and classes can also cause damage if they're too loud.

But we are also learning that too-noisy environments can have harmful effects that go ...Read more

Back pain? Bum knee? Be prepared to wait for a physical therapist

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

At no point along his three-year path to earning a degree in physical therapy has Matthew Lee worried about getting a job.

Being able to make a living off that degree? That’s a different question — and the answer is affecting the supply of physical therapists across the nation: The cost of getting trained is out of proportion to the pay.

...Read more

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More than 260,000 Penn Medicine patients have agreed to share their DNA for research, and the discoveries are just getting started

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

PHILADELPHIA -- Any changes in your medications or allergies? Check. New health issues since your last visit? Check.

And would you like to contribute a blood and DNA sample for a massive research project?

That last question is now part of the electronic check-in process for patients at Penn Medicine clinics and hospitals, and it already is ...Read more

DeSantis wants health care plan that would 'supersede' Obamacare. What does that mean?

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Seeking the GOP nomination for president, Florida Gov. Ron DeSantis said in an interview that aired Sunday on NBC’s “Meet the Press” that he plans on unveiling a health care proposal next year that would “supersede” Obamacare.

DeSantis didn’t outright say that he would repeal the Affordable Care Act, but the Republican hopeful said ...Read more

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Uncle Sam wants you … to help stop insurers' bogus Medicare Advantage sales tactics

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

After an unprecedented crackdown on misleading advertising claims by insurers selling private Medicare Advantage and drug plans, the Biden administration hopes to unleash a special weapon to make sure companies follow the new rules: you.

Officials at the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services are encouraging seniors and other members of the ...Read more

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South Florida's HIV dilemma: How to prevent babies from being born with the disease

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — As the international community observes World AIDS Day on Friday, doctors in South Florida confront a challenging reality: More women locally are getting HIV. A percentage of those women will become pregnant and give birth to babies who are infected.

“We know how to prevent HIV in babies,” said Dr. Lisa-Gaye ...Read more

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Mayo Clinic Minute: How innovation is transforming heart transplants

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Mayo Clinic doctors are using innovation to improve the lives of people who suffer from congestive heart failure and other chronic heart conditions. The Organ Care System, also known as "heart in a box," is potentially helping to expand the donor pool, which is crucial, considering that more than 4,000 people in the U.S. are waiting for a new ...Read more

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Mayo Clinic Q and A: Who should get the latest COVID-19 vaccine?

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: The Food and Drug Administration recently approved two new COVID-19 vaccines from Pfizer and Moderna. What are the recommendations for who should get it?

ANSWER: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has recommended the 2023-2024 COVID-19 (mRNA) vaccine for everyone 6 months or older. The COVID-19 vaccine is strongly ...Read more

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Salmonella outbreak update: Kids in child care centers, more people sick and hospitalized

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

The CDC has issued an update on a salmonella outbreak linked to cantaloupes, raising the number of states to 34 after Alaska and Kansas were found to have cases. The number of people who have been sickened has increased, but the death toll remains at two.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention ...Read more

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Traffic exhaust could increase blood pressure, study finds

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

SEATTLE — Even brief exposure to highway pollution could cause significant increases in blood pressure, a new study from the University of Washington has found, adding to a growing body of work correlating vehicle exhaust with negative health outcomes.

The effects are near immediate: Two hours in Seattle’s rush hour was enough to increase ...Read more

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Consumer Health: Epilepsy in children

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Epilepsy, also known as seizure disorder, is common, and there are many types. About 1 in 26 people in the U.S. will develop the disease in their lifetime. It affects people of all races, ethnic backgrounds and ages. Anyone can develop epilepsy.

Epilepsy is a brain disorder that causes recurring seizures. Having a single seizure doesn't mean ...Read more

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Mayo Clinic Minute: GERD is not 'just' heartburn

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is one of the most common digestive disorders in the world.

It happens when acid comes up from the stomach, which is acid-resistant, into the esophagus, which is less acid-resistant.

Dr. James East, a gastroenterologist at Mayo Clinic Healthcare in London, says GERD may be common, but there can be ...Read more

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Healthy for the Holidays: Mayo urges precaution while shoveling to protect your heart

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

MANKATO, Minn. -- Last year's heavy snow season has many people thinking about what Mother Nature has in store this year. To stay healthy this holiday season and beyond, Mayo Clinic Health System is recommending people pace themselves while clearing snow.

"Many people don't realize the workout involved while shoveling and digging out from a ...Read more

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1 in 3 people dropped by Utah Medicaid left uninsured, a 'concerning' sign for nation

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

About 30% of Utah residents who were cut from Medicaid this year say they became uninsured, according to state officials who conducted a first-of-its-kind survey of people disenrolled from the program.

Utah has dropped more than 130,000 out of about 500,000 Medicaid beneficiaries since April, after the federal government lifted a pandemic-era ...Read more

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Some states act to protect residents from extreme heat -- with a new focus on young people

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

After two years of record-breaking heat that brought a surge of deaths and health emergencies, several states have enacted or are considering measures designed to protect residents — with a new focus on younger people whose vulnerability is rising with the temperatures.

Nationally, heat-related deaths rose from about 1,000 in 2018 to 1,722 in...Read more

Environmental Nutrition: Make it a meatless holiday

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Looking to change up the holiday menu this year? Whether your table craves a fresh, new dish to wow the crowd or you’re hosting vegetarian or vegan guests, consider going meatless or serving up more plant-based dishes. Not to worry, this doesn’t have to mean bucking tradition. Most any dish can easily be made without meat, and many holiday ...Read more

Eating Well: 9 items you should never store in your pantry

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

Hey, sometimes you don’t see the fine print “refrigerate after opening” on the jar’s label. Or, you grew up with the peanut butter in the pantry and never thought anything of it. But we’re adults now, and we can be smarter about how we store things.

If you keep these common ingredients refrigerated or frozen, you’ll cut down on food...Read more

Stomachs growl, noses run, and yawning is contagious: Ever wonder why?

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

There are certain things our bodies do so often and so automatically that we barely notice them. Yawning, growling stomachs, and runny noses are good examples. Each is a universal part of our daily human experience.

But did you ever wonder why? Below are a few things we know and a few we suspect.

Why do you yawn?

Perhaps you associate yawning...Read more

Mayo Clinic Q&A: Are blue light-blocking glasses a must-have?

Health Advice / Health & Fitness /

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Many of my co-workers are using glasses that block blue light when they are on their computers. I am interested in getting a pair but want to know more about their value and how they can help.

ANSWER: Blue light glasses are gaining in popularity, but it is important to understand what blue light is. Blue light is one of the ...Read more