Zinc is considered a “trace mineral” because the body requires it in such small amounts, but it is found in cells throughout the body. While it is required in small amounts, only iron is a more concentrated mineral in the body. It is available in supplement form, in some cold lozenges, and in certain fortified foods. Zinc supplements are ...Read more

Though convenient, is cereal actually a healthy choice? Those brightly colored boxes are often the source of added sugars and are lacking in substantial nutritional value, says Patricia Bannan, RDN. But this doesn’t mean you should avoid cereal altogether. We spoke to registered dietitians about what to look for.

The healthiest cereals are ...Read more

Beloved by smoothie shops and influencers alike, pitaya — a.k.a. dragon fruit — is increasingly popular. And there’s no denying this dramatic-looking fruit has an alluring Game-of-Thrones-esque name and appearance. But is it also the nutritional powerhouse some are claiming?

What is dragon fruit?

A cactus plant native to Central and ...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: Recently, I was diagnosed with BPH. This is all new to me, and I hope you can help me better understand the condition and how it’s treated.

ANSWER: Now that you’ve been diagnosed with benign prostatic hyperplasia (BPH) — noncancerous tissue growth within the prostate — it’s time for you and your health care team to ...Read more

DEAR MAYO CLINIC: As a nonsmoker lung cancer hasn't been a concern of mine, but I recently heard it can affect people who have never smoked. If someone is concerned about lung cancer, what symptoms should they watch for, how is it diagnosed, and what treatment options are available today?

ANSWER: It can be surprising to learn that lung ...Read more

A woman with multiple sclerosis wanted to be able to walk up the stairs at home without losing her balance. Her doctor prescribed medicine that helped, but then approval from her insurance plan for the drug expired.

“Why do I need a prior authorization for something that I am already prior-authorized to take? If my doctor says that they want...Read more

Medical marijuana may be available to Maryland firefighters and rescue personnel in the future, after a bill allowing its usage advanced a step closer to passing the state Senate on Tuesday.

The bill would protect fire and rescue employees who are registered medical cannabis patients, allowing them to use medical cannabis when off-duty and ...Read more

Does politics stress you out? Did the last election cause you to lose sleep, lose your temper or lose a friend? If so, you weren’t alone.

For the better part of two decades, the American Psychological Association has documented a steady increase in the phenomenon of “political stress” among American voters. However, research and...Read more

“People can assess me, interview me, incarcerate me, observe me, and they can think they know what I need,” said Shawn, a man in his early 50s who spent 15 years in and out of prison. “And that can be an educated assessment, but at the end of the day, I live inside of this body, inside of this head. I know what I need.”

Shawn ...Read more

Prostate tumors contain more microplastics than healthy prostate tissue, researchers from New York University Langone Health found.

Tiny plastic particles were present in nine of 10 men diagnosed with prostate cancer, and appeared in greater amounts in the tumors than in nearby noncancerous tissue, they found.

“Our pilot study provides ...Read more

A Kansas City resident has been diagnosed with measles, the first since 2018, the Kansas City Health Department and the Missouri Department of Health and Senior Services confirm.

The adult with measles was not vaccinated, according to a press release.

The Kansas City Health Department did not immediately respond to questions about when the ...Read more

SACRAMENTO, Calif. — It’s not COVID-19 or the flu, but a respiratory virus has been hammering Northern California cities including Sacramento and Davis, testing shows.

WastewaterSCAN data shows “high concentrations” of human metapneumovirus, or HMPV, in Sacramento and Davis, along with San Francisco, Marin, Vallejo, Napa, Novato and ...Read more

PHILADELPHIA — Pennsylvania had 12 confirmed cases of measles among state residents and another two involving visitors to the state as of Tuesday, the state Department of Health said.

Eight cases are associated with an outbreak in Lancaster County, where the state declared an outbreak involving five cases a month ago.

The latest case was ...Read more

In Johnson County, Iowa, the number of tuberculosis cases has increased in recent years — and so has the cost of containing it.

The cost of contact tracing and surveillance, traveling each day to patients’ homes to ensure they take their meds or booking hotel rooms to quarantine patients, has surged from $17,000 in 2020 to $65,000 last ...Read more

Earlier this year, Justin and Amy Miller packed their vehicles with three kids, two dogs, a pet bearded dragon, and whatever belongings they could fit, then drove 2,000 miles from Wisconsin to British Columbia to leave President Donald Trump’s America.

The Millers resettled on Vancouver Island, their scenic refuge accessible only by ferry or ...Read more

COLUSA, Calif. — Early on, Jean Franklin got some career advice she followed religiously: “Pay yourself first.” So she did, socking away hundreds of thousands of dollars in retirement savings by the time she became a stay-at-home mom at age 41.

She and her husband, Charles, a former high school teacher who goes by Chaz, planned to retire ...Read more

DENVER — Colorado may have improperly paid more than $75 million to autism service providers and could be on the hook to return more than half that sum to the federal government, a new report found.

The Office of the Inspector General estimated the state’s Medicaid program overpaid $77.8 million for applied behavior analysis services in ...Read more

RALEIGH, N.C. — Rex Healthcare has agreed to pay $150,000 to settle a federal lawsuit that claimed it discriminated against an employee who refused to get vaccinated against COVID-19 for religious reasons.

Rex had granted the employee a religious exemption for the flu vaccine in 2019 and 2020, according to the lawsuit filed by the U.S. Equal ...Read more