Maryland veteran who received genetically modified pig heart transplant has died, hospital says

A Maryland man who received a pig heart transplant in a highly experimental surgery nearly six weeks ago has died, his Maryland doctors announced Tuesday.

Lawrence Faucette, 58, a 20-year Navy veteran and a married father of two from Frederick, Maryland, had end-stage heart disease and was ineligible for a traditional heart transplant when he underwent surgery to replace his heart with a genetically modified pig heart on Sept. 20.

According to the University of Maryland School of Medicine, the heart appeared to be healthy for at least four weeks and doctors expressed optimism in the treatment. They also withdrew the drugs that were initially supporting his heart. Then he began showing signs of rejection. Faucette died Monday.

Faucette’s wife, Ann, said in a statement released by the hospital that her husband "knew his time with us was short and this was his last chance to do for others. He never imagined he would survive as long as he did."

SURGEONS GIVE UPDATE ON PATIENT A MONTH AFTER EXPERIMENTAL PIG HEART TRANSPLANT: ‘NOW I HAVE HOPE’

Attempts at animal-to-human organ transplants — called xenotransplants — have failed for decades, as people’s immune systems immediately destroyed the foreign tissue.

Scientists have begun genetically modifying pigs to make their organs more humanlike.

The Maryland team performed the world’s first transplant of a heart from a genetically altered pig into another dying man last year.

The first patient, David Bennett, survived two months before the transplanted heart failed. The cause for the failure was not immediately clear but doctors said signs of a pig virus were later found inside the organ.

PIG KIDNEY STILL FUNCTIONING IN BRAIN-DEAD MAN 6 WEEKS AFTER TRANSPLANT SURGERY: ‘EXTREMELY ENCOURAGING’

The first case, with its successes and failures, provided crucial data for the subsequent attempt.

"Mr. Faucette's last wish was for us to make the most of what we have learned from our experience," Dr. Bartley Griffith, the surgeon who led the transplant at the University of Maryland Medical Center, said in a statement.

Faucette initially came to the Maryland hospital out of options and expressed a wish to spend a little more time with his family.

"He was deemed ineligible for a traditional transplant with a human heart due to his pre-existing peripheral vascular disease and complications with internal bleeding," Dr. Bartley Griffith, professor of surgery at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, who performed the surgery, told Fox News Digital.

Around the same time, Faucette expressed his own hope for the transplant.

"My only real hope left is to go with the pig heart, the xenotransplant," Faucette said during an interview from his hospital room a few days before his surgery, as reported by UMMC. "At least now I have hope, and I have a chance."

At the time, Ann added: "We have no expectations other than hoping for more time together. That could be as simple as sitting on the front porch and having coffee together."

By mid-October, the hospital said Faucette was doing well and had been able to stand.

ULTIMATE FATHER’S DAY GIFT: SON DONATES KIDNEY TO SAVE HIS DAD’S LIFE

It also released a video showing him working hard in physical therapy to regain the strength needed to attempt walking.

Then cardiac xenotransplant chief Dr. Muhammad Mohiuddin said the hospital moved into the next step of the procedure: withdrawing medications to allow the heart to function on its own.

"We are withdrawing all the drugs that were initially supporting his heart," Mohiuddin, M.D., professor of surgery and co-director of the cardiac xenotransplantation program at the University of Maryland School of Medicine, said on Oct. 20.

Mohiuddin said Faucette’s new heart was then "doing everything on its own."

Then, it failed.

Mohiuddin said the team will analyze what happened with the heart. They will also continue studying pig organs.

Many scientists hope xenotransplants one day could compensate for the huge shortage of human organ donations.

More than 100,000 people are on the nation’s list for a transplant, most awaiting kidneys, and thousands will die waiting.

The Associated Press contributed to this report.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health. 

from Health News Today on Fox News https://ift.tt/ImFvRTM

Read More

Missing Halloween for heart surgery: Neighbors throw early trick-or-treat surprise for 4-year-old girl

Naz Hassan, a 4-year-old from Syria, was sad to learn that she would have to miss trick-or-treating due to a heart surgery procedure the day before Halloween — but her community made sure she still got to experience the fun of what she calls her favorite holiday.

Hassan was born with a very large hole between the ventricles of her heart, called a VSD (ventricular septal defect), according to her surgeon, Dr. Timothy Pettitt from Children’s Hospital New Orleans.

Hassan came to the U.S. through the Louisiana chapter of the nonprofit The Heart Gift Foundation, which provides surgical and interventional services to international patients from countries that lack the resources to provide repairs for congenital heart disease.

ARIZONA STUDENTS RAISE NEARLY $10K FOR HEART SURGERY FOR TEACHER'S WIFE: 'MADE ME CRY'

The girl’s open-heart surgery was scheduled for Oct. 30.

Halloween has always been Hassan’s favorite holiday, according to her mother, Shiler Sido, so she was disappointed to miss it. The two were staying at the girl's doctor’s house while they awaited surgery.

When word filtered out to the neighborhood that Hassan would have to miss Halloween, the community decided to throw her an early celebration. 

BLUE HALLOWEEN BUCKETS FOR AUTISM: WHAT THEY MEAN AND WHY THEY'RE SPARKING CONTROVERSY

Over 60 houses in the neighborhood participated in Hassan’s very own trick-or-treat experience last weekend.

"It meant a lot," said Sido, the girl’s mother. 

"We felt welcomed, and these unimaginably kind neighbors gave my daughter the chance to experience Halloween for the first time in her life. Our host family, plus the neighbors, made us feel happy and included."

"This wonderful neighborhood drew a big smile on my daughter's face, and for sure I won't forget that," she added. "We will carry those lovely moments forever."

Hassan’s open-heart surgery, which took six hours on Monday, was a success.

TEENAGE BRAIN CANCER PATIENT MISSES HOMECOMING, SO THE HOSPITAL THROWS A SURPRISE DANCE FOR HER

"The first night was painful," Sido said — but the day after surgery, Hassan is "doing very well."

"She drank water, ate a little bit and talked to her father," she told Fox News Digital. 

"However, she misses Lily, our host family's dog, and keeps saying she wants to go home to Lily."

Dr. Pettitt echoed that Hassan’s heart surgery "went great."

The hole between the ventricles of the girl's heart was closed with a patch of Gore-Tex, which is a thin plastic membrane, the doctor said. 

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

"She also had a cleft, or split, in one of the leaflets of her mitral valve, which is the valve between the left atrium and ventricle," he noted. "This was repaired by suturing the edges of the cleft together, which restored the normal function of the valve."

Before the surgery, Hassan had to be put on the heart-lung bypass machine so that her heart could be stopped, opened and repaired, the doctor said.

After the repair, she had "no residual defects" and left the operating room breathing on her own. 

Added Pettitt, "She has had an uneventful postoperative recovery and we expect her to be able to go home in a couple of days."

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health. 

from Health News Today on Fox News https://ift.tt/Fiaf5r8

Read More

Anger can motivate people to achieve their goals, new study suggests: 'Sharpened focus'

Looking to get stuff done? Being angry might help you there.

Anger can be a powerful motivator for achieving goals, according to a new study from the American Psychological Association (APA).

The research, published this week in the Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, examined how both positive and negative emotions factor into the odds of success.

"People often believe that a state of happiness is ideal, and the majority of people consider the pursuit of happiness a major life goal," lead author Heather Lench, PhD, a professor in the Department of Psychological and Brain Sciences at Texas A&M University, said in a press release.

FORGIVENESS COULD LEAD TO BETTER MENTAL HEALTH, HARVARD STUDY REVEALS

"The view that positive emotion is ideal for mental health and well-being has been prominent in lay and psychological accounts of emotion, but previous research suggests that a mix of emotions, including negative emotions like anger, result in the best outcomes."

Among all emotions, researchers honed in on anger, since it was hypothesized to "support goal attainment in the presence of challenge," the study noted.

This assumption was put to the test through a variety of experiments.

These included persisting with difficult puzzle tasks, cheating to attain prizes, physically avoiding objects in a video game and signing a petition to dodge financial loss.

TOM BRADY'S MENTAL FITNESS COACH SHARES 6 TIPS ON HOW TO ‘TRAIN YOUR MIND’ LIKE THE GREATS

Another part of the study considered how anger played into voting behavior in presidential elections.

After testing the behavior of 1,000 participants, the results showed that anger improved people’s ability to reach their goals across all experiments.

These outcomes included increased scores, shorter response times and even more cheating.

After analyzing data from the 2016 and 2020 presidential elections, the study revealed that voters who claimed they’d be angry if their candidate did not win were more likely to vote.

Anger appeared to motivate people most frequently when the goals were more challenging, Lench of Texas A&M noted in the press release.

SIMPLE EVERYDAY ACTIVITY COULD SLASH HEART DISEASE RISK BY 20%, STUDY FINDS

In some experiments, other emotions such as amusement and desire were also associated with goal achievement, while "negative" emotions like sadness and boredom appeared to be useful as well.

"People often prefer to use positive emotions as tools more than negative, and tend to see negative emotions as undesirable and maladaptive," Lench said. 

"Our research adds to the growing evidence that a mix of positive and negative emotions promotes well-being, and that using negative emotions as tools can be particularly effective in some situations," she added.

NYU psychologist Dr. Yamalis Diaz, who was not involved in the new research, weighed in on the findings, calling the "theoretical" implications "intriguing" to Fox News Digital.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

"[The findings] potentially suggest new ways we can help people think about channeling negative emotional states into adaptive/functional behavior," she said via email. 

The psychologist, however, challenged the study’s "limited practical implications" for measuring how physiological and emotional arousal influences "cognitive functioning on a game/simulation."

"It has long been understood that when someone is a little activated by arousal/stress hormones such as adrenaline and cortisol, it sharpens attention and focus, while too much or prolonged exposure to activation (emotional arousal) would be detrimental to cognitive/adaptive functioning," Diaz wrote.

So, while being angry may motivate short-term goal attainment — such as working out, "angry cleaning" or pursuing creative projects — Diaz emphasized that long-term anger is not likely to have the same impact.

"All in all, I think studies like this do help us think about how to better understand links between emotions and behaviors, but we need to be careful about over-interpreting the results," she said. 

"But hey, a little negative emotion being channeled into positive goals is a positive thing," she also said.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.

from Health News Today on Fox News https://ift.tt/6cF9VHL

Read More

Ask a doc: ‘Does my pet have fall allergies — and if so, how can I help?’

Just like humans, pets can experience allergies — particularly in the fall, when environmental allergens like ragweed and mold are prevalent.

"As a veterinarian, I can emphasize the crucial importance of monitoring and addressing pet allergies promptly," said Nicole Savageau, a veterinarian in Austin, Texas, who provides online care through TheVets.com.

Allergies in pets can lead to discomfort, itching, skin infections and even behavioral changes, the vet noted. 

DOG ALERTS FAMILY, SAVES TEXAS TEENAGER FROM LIFE-THREATENING STROKE: 'KEEPING GUARD'

"Regularly monitoring and addressing allergies not only improves the pet's quality of life, but also prevents secondary health issues," she added.

Savageau shared with Fox News Digital her tips for pet owners to keep their four-legged friends healthy and happy this autumn season.

Below are some of the most widespread sources of pet allergens in the fall.

Ragweed pollen is a common fall allergen for both humans and pets, Savaheau said. 

"Dogs and cats can inhale or come into contact with ragweed pollen, leading to allergic reactions," she warned.

BLIND DOG IS REUNITED WITH ITS FAMILY AFTER GOING MISSING FOR THREE DAYS IN THE UK: 'OVERJOYED'

The damp and decaying vegetation in the fall can promote mold growth, and mold spores can trigger allergies in pets when these spores are inhaled or come into contact with the skin, the veterinarian said.

"While dust mites are present year-round, their population can increase in the fall due to increased humidity," Savageau told Fox News Digital. 

"Dust mites are a common allergen for pets that are sensitive to them."

IS IT JUST A MOSQUITO BITE — OR COULD IT BE 'SKEETER SYNDROME'? HERE'S WHAT TO KNOW

In some regions, fall can also bring increased allergens from weeds, grasses and outdoor molds.

The vet recommends watching out for these telltale signs of fall allergies in pets.

Excessive itching. One of the most common signs of allergies in pets is itching. If your pets are scratching, biting, licking or rubbing themselves excessively, especially in specific areas like the ears, paws, face or belly, it may be a sign of allergies.

Skin irritation. Most allergies will manifest as skin issues, Savageau said. Allergies can lead to skin problems such as redness, inflammation, rashes, hives or hot spots (localized areas of inflamed and infected skin).

Ear infections. Recurrent ear infections, head shaking or excessive ear scratching can be a sign of allergies, especially in dogs, the vet said.

Digestive issues. Allergies can also affect the digestive system, leading to symptoms like vomiting and diarrhea. 

Food allergies, in particular, may manifest as gastrointestinal problems, according to Savageau.

Respiratory symptoms. Pets with environmental allergies may exhibit sneezing, coughing, wheezing or nasal discharge — "although these signs are more common in people than dogs," the vet noted.

Watery eyes. Watery or red eyes can be a sign of allergies, especially in cats.

Changes in behavior. Allergies can make pets uncomfortable and irritable. "You may notice changes in your pet's behavior, such as restlessness or aggression," Savageau said.

Seasonal patterns. If you notice that your pet's symptoms tend to occur or worsen during specific seasons, it may indicate seasonal allergies to pollen, grasses or other environmental factors, the vet said.

Frequent licking or chewing of paws. Excessive licking or chewing of the paws is one of the most common sign of allergies, Savageau noted, and it can lead to redness, swelling and hair loss in that area.

When pets have allergies, treatment options depend on the type and severity of the reaction, said Savageau.

Below, she shares some common treatment approaches for pet allergies.

Identify and avoid allergens. The first step is to determine the specific allergens through testing, either blood tests or intradermal skin tests, Savageau said. 

FOODS THAT MAY HELP CALM SEASONAL ALLERGIES, ACCORDING TO HEALTH EXPERTS

It’s also important to reduce exposure to identified allergens.

"This might include changing the pet's diet, using hypoallergenic grooming products or eliminating specific substances from the pet's environment," the vet advised.

Administer medications. Antihistamines can help alleviate mild allergy symptoms.

Corticosteroids are anti-inflammatory medications that can provide relief from itching and inflammation, but Savageau warned that they may have side effects with prolonged use.

Immunosuppressive drugs like cyclosporine can modulate the immune response to reduce allergic reactions.

CALIFORNIA WOMAN DETAILS A 'WATERLESS' LIFE DUE TO HER VERY RARE ALLERGY: 'I’M ALWAYS DEHYDRATED'

Some pets get relief from omega-3 fatty acid supplements, which can help improve the pet's skin condition and reduce itching.

Regular injections of small amounts of the allergen — a treatment known as immunotherapy — can desensitize the pet's immune system over time, according to Savageau.

Apply topical treatments. Medicated shampoos and sprays can soothe irritated skin and reduce itching.

Topical prescription creams can also be used for localized itching or hot spots.

Switch to a special diet. Your veterinarian might recommend a special hypoallergenic diet that contains unique protein and carbohydrate sources, which are less likely to trigger allergies, said Savageau.

Manage the pet’s environment. Frequent cleaning and vacuuming can help reduce indoor allergens.

ALLERGIC TO CATS? WHAT ALLERGY SUFFERERS SHOULD KNOW BEFORE BRINGING HOME A FELINE FRIEND

Additionally, air purifiers — in particular, high-efficiency particulate air (HEPA) purifiers — can trap airborne allergens, Savageau said.

"If the pet is allergic to pollen or grass, limit outdoor activities during high pollen seasons," the vet recommended.

Seek alternative therapies. Some pet owners find acupuncture helpful in managing allergy symptoms.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

Certain herbal supplements can also aid in managing allergies, but Savageau said to consult a veterinarian before use.

"If allergies are severe or chronic, seeing a specialist such as a veterinary dermatologist can provide advanced diagnostic and treatment options," she said.

"Allergies can be complex, and the right approach often involves a combination of treatments tailored to the individual pet's needs," Savageau said. 

"It's essential to consult with a veterinarian before starting any treatment, and regular follow-ups are crucial to monitor the pet's progress and adjust the treatment plan as necessary."

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.

from Health News Today on Fox News https://ift.tt/Rc9YD1s

Read More

Depression and anxiety may impact young adults twice as much as teens, Harvard survey finds

While rising rates of depression and anxiety among American teens have gotten attention, young adults may be struggling even more with those conditions, according to a new report from the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

Approximately 36% of young adults said they struggle with anxiety, compared to 18% of teens.

Regarding depression, 29% of young adults said they experience it, compared to 15% of teens.

SEASONAL AFFECTIVE DISORDER THIS FALL AND WINTER: WISE WAYS TO WARD OFF THE BLUES, ACCORDING TO EXPERTS

These findings came from a national survey sent to young adults ages 18–25, teens and parents in December 2022. 

The results were published last week in the report, "On Edge: Understanding and Preventing Young Adults’ Mental Health Challenges," from Making Caring Common (MCC), a project of the Harvard Graduate School of Education.

"Young adulthood can be a time of great growth and possibility," said Richard Weissbourd, lead author of the report and senior lecturer at the Harvard Graduate School of Education, in a press release from the university. 

SUICIDE WARNING SIGNS ARE MISSED BY MOST AMERICANS, NEW SURVEY FINDS: IT'S 'ALARMING'

"But far too many young adults told us that they feel on edge, lonely and directionless, and that they worry about financial security," he added. "Many are ‘achieving to achieve’ and find little meaning in either school or work."

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Weissbourd said he was somewhat surprised by the findings.

"I thought young adults’ rates of depression and anxiety would be high, but I didn't think it would be twice as high as the rate for teens," he said. "The extent of the difference was surprising."

The young adults who responded to the survey shared specific challenges that are driving their depression and anxiety.

The most common was a lack of "meaning or purpose," cited by nearly 58% of the survey respondents. 

Half of young adults reported "not knowing what to do with my life," which contributed to their mental health struggles, the report said.

Financial concerns and pressure to achieve were also named as culprits, affecting 56% and 51% of young adults, respectively.

Forty-five percent of young adults said they had a "sense that things are falling apart."

For 44% of respondents, lack of meaningful relationships was a key driver and loneliness was a factor for 34%.

7 HEALTHY LIFESTYLE CHANGES THAT COULD HELP REDUCE RISK OF DEPRESSION, SAYS STUDY: ‘ENORMOUS BENEFITS’

"We found high rates of loneliness and high rates of not mattering to other people," Weissbourd said. "I think the lack of purpose is in part driven by feeling disconnected and lonely."

Finally, social and political issues contributed to anxiety and depression — 42% blamed gun violence in schools for mental health issues, 34% chalked it up to climate change and 30% cited incompetence or corruption of political leaders, per the report.

"One thing that came up in our data is the amount of frightening news — I think that's a big factor for young people’s rates of anxiety and depression," the researcher said. "There’s this feeling like the world is falling apart."

Young people are also in a very different media ecosystem now, Weissbourd noted — "because they are on social media a lot and they're bombarded with bad news."

Dr. Marc Siegel, a professor of medicine at NYU Langone Medical Center and a Fox News medical contributor, was not involved in the Harvard study but said the report "speaks directly to the issue of resilience."

"Teens are in a better position to adapt and heal coming out of the devastating pandemic, when they were isolated and relying more on social media and texting to communicate," he told Fox News Digital.

Young adults, on the other hand, were derailed from their pursuits of identity and career, Siegel said — "and their options diminished as businesses closed down."

YELLING AT KIDS COULD CAUSE LONG-TERM HARM TO THEIR PSYCHES, SAYS NEW STUDY: ‘A HIDDEN PROBLEM’

On top of that, they face a growing inflation rate today, he noted.

"Young adults may respond to a world that is reopening — but with diminished choices — with anxiety and depression," Siegel said. 

"And superimposed on that is now the anxiety of war."

Dr. Ulrick Vieux, director of child and adolescent psychiatry education and training at Hackensack University Medical Center in New Jersey, was not involved in the Harvard report but shared his take on the findings.

"From my experience, young adults from the age of 18 to 25 are experiencing a high level of loneliness, which leads to a level of social awkwardness that is not completely shared by previous generations," he told Fox News Digital in an email exchange.

Vieux also noted that this shouldn’t be a surprise, as increasing rates of depression and anxiety in children and teens were well-known even before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic, which exacerbated these mental health conditions.

FISHING AND ITS HEALTH BENEFITS: THE MORE MEN GO FISHING, THE BETTER THEIR MENTAL HEALTH, STUDY FINDS

"It stands to reason that anxiety, depression and loneliness weren’t just going to resolve themselves as these youths moved to older age brackets, when expectations grow greater as young people go from being children to adults," he said.

Forced isolation during the pandemic coupled with heavy social media use could be a recipe for loneliness, according to Vieux.

"At the core, humans are social beings — we need human emotional contact to thrive," he told Fox News Digital. 

"If the skillset of forming strong, emotionally satisfying relationships is not established, and is replaced by the frivolity of social media, all of this makes one vulnerable to developing anxiety and depression."

After detailing the results of the survey of 396 teens, 709 young adults, and 748 parents or caregivers living in the U.S. — plus follow-up consultations with researchers and youth practitioners, including counselors and teachers — the report offered several strategies to help improve young adults’ mental health.

These include placing a greater emphasis on fostering relationships, volunteering, caring for others, and joining clubs or causes.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

"What's really therapeutic is helping others — and we should be engaging young people in the service and care for other people," Weissbourd told Fox News Digital.

He also called for colleges and workplaces to encourage young people to do service of some kind, and to support them in those endeavors.

Young people should be encouraged to focus on self-care and work-life balance, added Vieux, "which sometimes falls by the wayside as many work long hours and stay connected to work as they seek to make their mark in their job and rise up the ranks."

One encouraging quality among today’s young adults, Vieux said, is that they are more open about sharing their mental health struggles and more willing to seek help. 

"How much that openness and self-awareness may have factored into the results we see in the Harvard study, we can’t know for sure," he said. 

"But there’s undoubtedly a mental health crisis among our young people — and it behooves us to step up to support them by redefining success and stressing the importance of mental health and personal connections."

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health. 

from Health News Today on Fox News https://ift.tt/4T5hslp

Read More

Halloween candy is not a treat for aging skin, experts say: 'Can do a number' on us

The average American consumes 3.4 pounds of candy on Halloween, statistics show — but beyond affecting people’s weight, that amount of candy can also take a toll on the skin, experts warn.

Consumers are expected to spend $3.6 billion on Halloween candy this year, according to the National Retail Federation, with 68% of people planning to pass it out for the holiday.

For those tempted to indulge in leftover candy after trick-or-treating is over, health experts suggest considering sugar’s impact on aging skin.

THESE HALLOWEEN CANDIES ARE THE WORST FOR YOUR TEETH, ACCORDING TO A DENTIST

"There is a lot of information available on sugar consumption and weight," Dr. Nicole Lee, founder of Epoch Dermatology in Garden City, New York, told Fox News Digital. 

"However, it can also do a number on our skin." 

Excess intake of sugar can result in inflammation of the skin, which can cause acne or eczema to flare up, the expert added.

"How many times have we seen the consequences [of] a slice of chocolate cake?" she asked.

In addition, sugar can hinder the skin’s ability to repair itself, Lee noted.

ADULT ACNE: DERMATOLOGISTS EXPLAIN ACNE TREATMENTS AND REVEAL MORE ABOUT THE SKIN CONDITION

"Sugar is also linked to collagen degradation by a known phenomenon of glycation, which impairs the reparative nature of our collagen fibers," she said.

Dr. Azza Halim, a board-certified anesthesiologist who also practices aesthetic medicine, anti-aging and regenerative medicine in Boca Raton, Florida, agreed that sugar has a distinct effect on aging skin through the glycation process.

"Glycation is the process of bonding sugar molecules to proteins, lipids and nucleic acids," Halim said in a statement to Fox News Digital. 

"This creates advanced glycation end products, which can damage collagen and elastin fibers in the skin."

When glucose and fructose (types of sugar) link amino acids in the skin’s collagen and elastin, that creates the advanced glycation end products, or "AGEs," according to a previous study published in the journal Clinical Dermatology.

SKIN CARE SECRETS: DERMATOLOGIST REVEALS BEST WAYS TO KEEP SKIN LOOKING AGELESS

That process can lead to stress and inflammation of the skin. It also prevents the collagen fibers from being repaired — which can affect the skin’s appearance, health experts told Fox News Digital. 

Maintaining a "youthful complexion" relies in part on collagen’s ability to be flexible and repairable, which is affected by this glycation process.

Besides its effect on the skin, sugar consumption can also have a negative effect on a person’s overall health. 

Excessive sugar intake can lead to issues such as type 2 diabetes, heart disease, obesity and other health problems, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC)’s website.

These risks don’t mean you have to avoid candy intake completely — "it is about moderation and minimizing excess," Lee told Fox News Digital.

HISTORY OF HALLOWEEN: THE ORIGINS OF THE HOLIDAY

It is important to recognize added sugars in order to limit daily intake, according to the CDC.

On its website, the health agency noted that added sugars are "sugars and syrups that are added to foods or beverages when they are processed or prepared. Naturally occurring sugars, such as those in fruit or milk, are not added sugars."

Read product labels to help identify added sugars, nutrition experts recommend.

"Examples of added sugars include brown sugar, cane juice, corn syrup, dextrose, fructose, fruit nectars, glucose, high-fructose corn syrup, honey, lactose, malt syrup, maltose, maple syrup, molasses, raw sugar and sucrose," the CDC states on its website.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

The CDC offers the following recommendations, according to the Dietary Guidelines for Americans 2020-2025:

As the American Academy of Dermatology noted on its website, research studies suggest that aging can be accelerated by a diet containing a high amount of sugar or other refined carbohydrates. 

Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet may help prevent damage that leads to premature skin aging, the organization stated.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health. 

from Health News Today on Fox News https://ift.tt/JCZb25Y

Read More

RSV vaccine shortage for babies: What parents need to know to keep infants safe

There are shortages of an RSV vaccine for infants due to supply issues.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) released a notice last week citing "limited availability" of the long-acting monoclonal antibody immunization Beyfortus (nirsevimab).

The product is recommended by the CDC for preventing disease from respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) in children up to 24 months of age.

FLU PREVENTION TIPS FROM FLORIDA'S SURGEON GENERAL: A ‘DAY-TO-DAY’ HEALTHY LIFESTYLE IS KEY

Beyfortus maker Sanofi said in a statement to Fox News Digital that "unprecedented demand" has been higher than anticipated, leading to limited supply.

The shortage primarily affects 100 mg-dose prefilled syringes used for infants weighing less than 11 pounds.

"For the first time in history, health care providers are able to help protect an extraordinary number of infants against RSV disease," a Sanofi spokesperson said.

"Despite an aggressive supply plan built to outperform past pediatric immunization launches, demand for this product, especially for the 100-mg doses used primarily for babies born before the RSV season, has been higher than anticipated," the spokesperson also said.

NEW COVID VACCINE PUSH IS ‘ANTI-HUMAN,’ SAYS FLORIDA SURGEON GENERAL: ‘MAJOR SAFETY CONCERN’

Sanofi is working in "close collaboration" with the CDC and its partner, AstraZeneca, to ensure "equitable distribution" of available doses through the Vaccines for Children Program (VFC), the spokesperson added.

As supply is short, the CDC recommended prioritizing available 100-mg injections for those who are at the highest risk of severe infection, including infants who are younger than 6 months or who have underlying conditions.

Health care providers should avoid using two 50-mg doses for infants weighing more than 11 pounds to preserve that supply for the babies who weigh less, the agency stated.

ILLINOIS REPORTS FIRST MEASLES CASE SINCE 2019: ‘ONE OF THE MOST CONTAGIOUS DISEASE KNOWN’

The CDC also encouraged suspending the use of nirsevimab in children aged 8 months to 19 months who are eligible to receive the alternative immunization Synagis (palivizumab), which is recommended by the American Academy of Pediatrics (AAP).

Prenatal care physicians should also inform pregnant patients about the supply concerns and discuss options for them to receive the RSV vaccine during pregnancy, the CDC noted.

Families should be "aware of everyday preventive measures to limit the spread of RSV and other respiratory illnesses" — which includes washing hands, covering coughs and sneezes, and staying home when symptoms occur, the agency said.

In very young infants, the symptoms of RSV may be lethargy, trouble breathing and irritability, per the CDC.

Other signs include runny nose, coughing, sneezing, decreased appetite, fever and wheezing.

RSV is common in the fall and winter, Dr. Denise Scott, a JustAnswer expert pediatrician based in Oklahoma, told Fox News Digital. 

For patients who are under 6 months old or who have an underlying heart or lung condition, it can potentially be "very serious, even fatal," she said.

"Because it is a viral infection, there is no specific treatment or cure, only supportive therapy," the doctor said. 

"The body does not develop immunity to it; however, subsequent infections are usually not as severe as a first-time infection."

RSV infection during infancy can increase the child's risk for the development of asthma, the pediatrician added.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

One RSV injection will suffice for the whole season and can reduce hospitalizations by 80%, according to the CDC.

"As a pediatrician, I have always dreaded RSV season, knowing how much illness it creates in babies and how many hospitalizations," Scott said.

"It is exciting to see that this disease, like many others with preventive measures, may soon be diminished in frequency and severity."

For adults looking to protect themselves against RSV, there are multiple vaccine options available.

Walgreens confirmed to Fox News Digital in an email that both Pfizer and GSK vaccines for RSV are available, with "plenty of supply to meet demand."

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.

from Health News Today on Fox News https://ift.tt/cpZMBLa

Read More

Dog alerts family, saves Texas teenager from life-threatening stroke: 'Keeping guard'

A teenage boy in Spring, Texas, may owe his life to the family dog, who saved him from a potentially deadly stroke.

Gabriel Silva, 17, was a healthy soccer player with no signs or symptoms of any medical problems when he experienced a dissection of the artery — when the inside wall of an artery gets torn — on Aug 26.

Early that morning, the family’s border collie, Axel, woke up Silva’s mother and stepfather, Amanda and Daines Tanner, by jumping on their bed at around 5 a.m.

TIAS AND MINI-STROKE RISKS: CARDIOLOGIST SHARES WARNING SIGNS AND PREVENTION TIPS

"He was pretty agitated and excited," Amanda Tanner told Fox News Digital during a phone interview. 

"He had both paws on my chest, kind of like he was making sure I was awake and to alert me to whatever was happening downstairs."

When her husband took the dog downstairs, assuming he had to go outside, Axel led him toward their 17-year-old's bedroom instead.

That’s where he found their son, who was trying to communicate that something was wrong. Yet his speech was slurred, his vision was impaired, and he couldn’t walk or feel his right side — telltale signs of a stroke.

"When my husband tried to get Gabriel to grip his hand, he couldn’t do it," she said.

HIGH BLOOD PRESSURE A CONCERN WORLDWIDE, LEADING TO DEATH, STROKE, HEART ATTACK: HOW TO STOP A 'SILENT KILLER'

The only symptom of a stroke that the teen didn't have was facial drooping — "but that could have been because it was still early in the stroke and it hadn't progressed to that level yet," Tanner said.

Silva’s parents brought him to the closest emergency room, where doctors immediately began treating him with blood thinners. Following that came a battery of tests and scans. 

Silva was then transferred to Memorial Hermann-Texas Medical Center, where an angiogram revealed that the teen had experienced a dissection of the artery.

"That normally happens through trauma, like a car accident, but in Gabriel’s case it was spontaneous," Tanner told Fox News Digital. 

"There was no clot, no cholesterol issue. They did a thorough battery of tests to find the root cause, and there was no explanation. It just happened."

Following the diagnosis, Silva’s artery had to be given a chance to reconnect. The blood thinners helped to reduce the potential of further damage, Tanner said — "but the damage that was done is done."

The stroke had mainly affected the communication center in Silva’s brain, which impacted speech. He also was unable to walk at first, due to losing control of his right side.

Once the doctors determined that Silva wasn’t at risk of a continued or recurring stroke, the teen began therapy sessions to try and regain as much functionality as quickly as possible.

"He had to relearn the alphabet," Tanner said. "I would cry when the nurses would come in and ask him to say his name, and he couldn’t do it."

Today, Silva is showing significant improvement. He was able to walk again within a week of the stroke, and he was just released from physical therapy on Thursday.

The teen is also in occupational therapy and speech therapy. The speech has been a bigger challenge, but he is making progress, Tanner said.

Throughout the entire process, Silva has been determined to return to his regular activities and have a normal senior year.

"He's ready to go back to school," Tanner said. "He wants to play soccer again."

The teen is currently raising money to go on a mission trip to the U.K. with his church next summer.

The stroke has "amplified the way that he thinks about life," she said. "He looks at everything differently. He sees no reason to dwell on things."

HELP DESPERATELY NEEDED: AMERICAN HEART ASSOCIATION LAUNCHES 'NATION OF LIFESAVERS' PROGRAM

Silva’s goal has long been to attend Texas A&M University and become a civil engineer.

"At first it was hard, because he felt like after everything he planned for, his life was over — but I told him it's just going to look different," Tanner said. 

The family has received an outpouring of support from their church group, school and community, with different groups of people visiting the hospital each day.

That included the high-school soccer coach, who brought a ball signed by the entire team — a moment that brought Silva to tears.

"God and our church friends have been our whole support system," Tanner said. "Without them, I don’t know what we would have done."

Tanner said she wishes she could thank Axel, their border collie, for saving her son’s life.

Given that it was a Saturday morning, had the dog not alerted them, she said she likely wouldn’t have even thought to enter her son’s bedroom until noon.

"It could have been a good five or six hours before we would have been alerted to him being passed out at that point," she said. "The doctors explained how much of a difference it made with being able to get Gabriel to the hospital that much sooner."

Since Silva’s stroke, Tanner said Axel has been actively trying to comfort each member of the family.

The family rescued the dog when he was just 2 weeks old — he was one of nine puppies whose mother had died.

"He only knows human touch, so he communicates in human ways," Tanner said. "He puts his head on our shoulders and gives us hugs, like he’s trying to help all of us."

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

These days, Axel is always with Silva and sleeps in his room at night — "like he’s keeping guard."

After this experience, Tanner has the following advice for others to prevent a deadly stroke: "Get a rescue dog and learn the acronyms of a stroke, because it makes all the difference."

The American Stroke Association outlines the F.A.S.T. warning signs of a stroke on its website:

Every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).

Although stroke risk increases later in life, it’s possible to experience one at any age.

Fewer than 40% of those hospitalized due to a stroke are younger than 65, per the CDC.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.

from Health News Today on Fox News https://ift.tt/hr4KiBe

Read More

Virginia high school student creates soap to fight skin cancer, is awarded $25K: 'Remarkable effort'

A Virginia high school freshman was looking for a fun science experiment — and ended up making a soap with the aim of treating skin cancer.

Heman Bekele, who attends W.T. Woodson High School in the Fairfax County Public Schools (FCPS) system, was crowned "America’s Top Young Scientist" and awarded $25,000 after winning this year’s 3M Young Scientist Challenge.

The teen’s idea for making a soap to treat skin cancer stemmed from his memories of people working long hours outside under the glaring sun in Ethiopia, his native country.

CANCER SCREENINGS: HERE ARE 5 TYPES AND CRITICAL INFORMATION TO KNOW ABOUT EACH

"Skin cancer is mostly found on people who live within developing countries," Bekele said in a press release from FCPS. 

"But the average price for an operation is $40,000."

"I was devastated by the idea of people having to choose between treatment and putting food on the table for their families," he continued. 

"There are so many preventable deaths."

An aspiring scientist, Bekele began researching skin cancer — particularly dendritic cells, which help the immune system attack cancer cells. 

He used various ingredients — including salicylic acid, glycolic acid and tretinoin — to create a skin-cancer-treating soap that helps stimulate dendritic cells.

SKIN CANCER CHECKS AND SUNSCREEN: WHY THESE (STILL) MATTER VERY MUCH FOR GOOD HEALTH

One of the biggest challenges, Bekele said, was to keep the soap from flaking into pieces. 

He ended up using a mixture of moisturizer, coconut oil and organic shea butter to accomplish that.

The process taught the teen the value of persistence, Bekele said; one major challenge was finding the right combination of ingredients to ensure the soap held together without flaking into pieces. 

Using 3M Cavilon (a moisturizer and barrier cream), coconut oil and organic shea butter, he was able to make that happen.

Eric D. Whitman, M.D., medical director of Atlantic Health System Cancer Care in New Jersey, said Bekele’s invention is an "interesting way of creating a topical immune activating agent that could help treat or prevent some skin cancers."

(Whitman was not involved in the project.)

"While [this is] a remarkable effort from such a bright and motivated young man, further clinical testing is required to find out if the soap ‘reactivates’ dendritic cells, or even treats or prevents cancer," Whitman told Fox News Digital in an email. 

"I hope this young scientist continues his work and is given a chance to collaborate with clinical centers to test his product and see if it fulfills its potential promise."

The teen worked with a mentor, Deborah Isabelle, a product engineering specialist at 3M in Minnesota, to develop his soap over the summer.

Bekele also received support from University of Virginia researchers, FCPS teachers and his own parents.

The teen’s profound curiosity about the STEM field began at a very early age, his parents told Fox News Digital in an email. 

"Heman has always been passionate about challenging himself beyond school," said his mother, Muluemebet G. Ejigu, and father, Wondwossen B. Gemechu, in a joint statement.

BE WELL: CATCH SKIN CANCER WARNING SIGNS EARLY WITH REGULAR SELF-EXAMS

"He is extremely self-driven, energetic and motivated beyond his age. We, as parents, believed in him, created the environment and space, encouraged him to follow his dreams and to try things that seem to be impossible."

They added, "More importantly, we promoted giving back and making an impact in the society."

Among 10 competitors, Bekele was announced the winner earlier this month at 3M’s Global Headquarters in St. Paul, Minnesota. 

The participants were evaluated based on "ingenuity and innovative thinking, application of STEM principles, demonstration of passion and research, presentation skills and ability to inspire others," according to a 3M press release.

Bekele plans to use his cash prize toward securing a patent for his soap and saving for college.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

In the future, he hopes to launch a nonprofit organization to distribute his soap in low-income communities.

"We are excited to see Heman’s dedication and resilience paying off," the teen’s parents said. "It is also a confirmation for kids like him that it is possible."

They added, "We are extremely proud of his accomplishment and looking forward to his next steps to making a difference in the world."

Bekele’s mentor, Isabelle, said she had the benefit of learning from him, too.

"It was such a privilege to support Heman throughout this process," she told Fox News Digital in an email. 

"He saw a need and used science to solve it. While I asked questions, made a few suggestions and connected Heman to some additional experts to help make his project successful, ultimately the idea, the drive and the prototype were all Heman’s inspiration and hard work."

Through interacting with the talented finalists, Isabelle said she was reminded that "all it takes to solve the world’s problems is the determination to do so."

She added, "It’s something we adults would do well to remember."

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health. 

from Health News Today on Fox News https://ift.tt/OkZ5DSr

Read More

Halloween costumes for tiny babies are a passion project for New York NICU nurse : 'Creating happiness'

A NICU nurse makes over 50 Halloween costumes by hand each year so that her tiny patients and their families can enjoy a sense of normalcy during an otherwise difficult time. 

Lilly Fox, a NICU nurse at NewYork-Presbyterian Alexandra Cohen Hospital for Women and Newborns, picks a theme for the costumes and then gets to work constructing them by hand ahead of Halloween. 

When the theme was animals in 2022, Fox made 54 different costumes. 

NICU BABIES CELEBRATE HALLOWEEN IN ADORABLE FASHION

This Halloween 2023 will see the NICU filled with an array of tiny "food" offerings — including a box of popcorn, a strawberry and a burrito. 

Fox hopes to make more costumes than last year. 

"We're calling it ‘no tricks, all treats,’" she told Fox News Digital. 

"There is nothing cuter than a baby in a costume — especially a baby dressed up as a piece of food," Fox told Fox News Digital. 

On Halloween, Fox and the other NICU nurses will pass out baby costumes to every family that wants one. 

"We have a cart we set up and we go around to the families," she said. "We show them the different outfits and ask, 'What would you like to be?'"

When she crafts the costumes, Fox keeps in mind the different needs of her patients. Some of her patients cannot wear onesies, for example, so their costumes will simply lie on top of them. Most of the babies are able to wear hats or headpieces, she said. 

NICU GRADUATES REUNITED IN SPECIAL SUPERHERO CELEBRATION

The Halloween costumes are "a really great way for families to get to experience the holiday and get to act like any other family with a newborn baby, even if they have to be in the hospital," said Fox. 

"We just try to create some normalcy for them while they're here," she added. 

There is also an emotional benefit for the parents of her patients, the nurse told Fox News Digital.

"Being in the NICU can be really isolating for parents," she said. "They don't get to have some of the expected first baby experiences that they would have if they were not in the NICU." 

With the costumes, Fox said she "really likes that we're able to give that opportunity to parents. We can put aside all the tubes and the wires and kind of look past that and just appreciate all the cuteness of the babies and say, 'It's Halloween.'"

"It will definitely put a smile on their face, even if it's just for a few minutes," she said. "That's our goal — to create as much happiness as we can for just one day in the NICU."

PEDIATRIC EXPERTS GIVE NEW RECOMMENDATIONS TO KEEP SLEEPING BABIES SAFE

Mom Jennifer Tsitsopoulos knows this feeling all too well. 

Last year, her daughter Artemis spent about 4½ months in the NICU after she was born at just 26 weeks gestation. 

"We spent 136 long days, and longer nights, in the NICU," Tsitsopoulos told Fox News Digital in an email. "The first few weeks were the hardest — no one is ever prepared to leave their newborn baby behind."

About two months into Artemis' stay, Tsitsopoulos met Fox. 

"I had been hearing rumors about a nurse who was going above and beyond to handcraft dozens of Halloween costumes for the babies of the NICU," she said. 

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR LIFESTYLE NEWSLETTER

With a child as premature as Artemis, it "means you miss out on the traditional milestones of pregnancy, like having a baby shower or holding your child post-birth," Tsitsopoulos told Fox News Digital.

"Nurse Lilly [gave] us a moment of normalcy by allowing us to celebrate our first Halloween together, just like any family would," she said. 

"We will always be grateful to her for giving us a chance to create some truly special memories and forget about all the tubes, alarms and incubators surrounding us," the mom also wrote.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.

from Health News Today on Fox News https://ift.tt/4TZMt6S

Read More

Colorado woman with Alzheimer’s is still vibrant after more than 4 years: ‘I refuse to surrender’

Since her Alzheimer’s diagnosis in 2019, a Colorado woman has refused to give in to the disease — and after 4½ years, she is still mentally sharp and virtually symptom-free.

Dr. Rebecca Chopp, who is married with three sons, was 67 when she was diagnosed with mild cognitive impairment (MCI) due to Alzheimer’s disease.

At the time, Chopp thought everything was normal — other than the fact that she’d been sleeping more than usual. 

Then, at her annual physician’s visit, she mentioned that she’d gotten lost on the way to her appointment, which prompted her doctor to run some tests.

ALZHEIMER’S RISK IS REDUCED AMONG WOMEN WHO FOLLOW THE DASH DIET IN THEIR 40S, STUDY FINDS

Ultimately, an MRI and a PET scan led to Chopp’s diagnosis.

"Now, I look back, and I realize there were signs that I wasn't educated about, and I wasn't paying attention until my very smart primary care physician put two and two together," she told Fox News Digital in an interview via Zoom.

Among those missed signs was withdrawal from social activities, Chopp said.

"All of a sudden, I stopped wanting to go to all the galas and parties and dinners that came with my job," she said, referring to her position as chancellor of the University of Denver. "I just kind of wanted to withdraw into myself."

NEW DEMENTIA DRUG 'HAS GIVEN ME HOPE’: ALZHEIMER’S PATIENTS REVEAL THEIR STORIES

She also had a little more trouble with work tasks, but initially chalked it up to getting older or being tired.

"About six out of 10 Americans, even when they see the signs, just don't want to get that diagnosis because they think it will immediately lead to the last stage of the disease," Chopp said.

At first, Chopp was devastated at the idea of leaving her distinguished academic career — and at the prospect of missing out on all the retirement activities she’d planned with her husband.

Chopp also had a mental picture of her mother and both grandmothers — all of whom died with Alzheimer’s after receiving late-stage diagnoses.

"So when she told me, my husband and I were devastated — it was just an abyss for us," she recalled.

After Chopp’s initial shock and sadness, she said she faced another challenge when a neurologist provided little information or guidance. 

ASK A DOC: 'HOW CAN I REDUCE THE RISK OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE?' HERE ARE 3 TIPS

"She told me that in three years, I would not be able to button my own shirts or feed myself," Chopp recalled. 

Then a second neurologist painted a brighter outlook. This neurologist told Chopp that in light of new research and lifestyle treatments, people with Alzheimer’s could live up to 20 years — and could slow down the progress of their symptoms.

That gave her the encouragement to take control of her disease and reclaim her life.

Lakelyn Hogan Eichenberger, PhD, a gerontologist and care advocate for Home Instead in Omaha, Nebraska, agreed that lifestyle choices are important for health in later life.

"While there is no one food that can reduce the risk, eating a well-balanced diet is important for reducing the risk of cognitive decline in later life," she told Fox News Digital. "The DASH and Mediterranean diets have been shown to be most effective."

ALZHEIMER’S RISK IS REDUCED AMONG WOMEN WHO FOLLOW THE DASH DIET IN THEIR 40S, STUDY FINDS

"In addition to diet, other important lifestyle factors include regular exercise, quality sleep, stress management, keeping your brain engaged, and maintaining social connections."

Chopp shared with Fox News Digital what she calls the "four pillars" of her fight against Alzheimer’s.

Chopp follows the MIND diet, which is a hybrid of the Mediterranean and DASH diets.

Dr. Martha Clare Morris and colleagues at the Harvard Chan School of Public Health and Rush University Medical Center first introduced the diet in 2015 as a means of promoting brain health in older adults. 

"It also includes additional blueberries, walnuts, lots of salmon, sardines, avocados — foods that we know are good for the brain," Chopp told Fox News Digital. 

THE 8 BIGGEST ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE MYTHS — AND THE TRUTHS BEHIND THEM

She also cut out processed foods, as they have been shown to trigger the inflammation in the brain that contributes to Alzheimer’s symptoms.

"I wish I'd known about the importance of diet when I was 40," she said.

Exercise has been proven to help prevent cognitive decline and slow the related symptoms.

"Exercise flushes the brain with good chemicals and literally creates a kind of protein that may grow that section of the brain where your memories are," Chopp said.

Physical activity is a regular part of Chopp’s routine. It also provided the perfect excuse for her to get a puppy — which she’d wanted for 25 years.

"I walk with my dog, maybe an hour and a half a day, and I also do strength training," she said.

Chopp also does kickboxing, ballet and yoga — activities that engage the brain and the body.

Exercise has also proven to be a great way to stimulate her creativity, said Chopp, who just finished writing a book about her Alzheimer’s journey.

"The only way I was able to write that with Alzheimer's over the course of 11 months was to work on it for two hours each day after walking with my dog in the morning," she said. "It was amazing how much better my concentration was."

One piece of advice from the second neurologist stuck with Chopp: It was to "live with joy."

"Attitude is key in life," she told Fox News Digital. "When you're faced with this sort of devastating news, you kind of go into a dark underworld at first — but when I began to realize that I could live with joy, that I could live well, that I could live in a state of abiding awe and have a great quality of life, my attitude got a lot better."

DEMENTIA’S STAGGERING FINANCIAL COST IS REVEALED IN NEW REPORT: IT'S ‘BANKRUPTING FAMILIES’

For many Alzheimer’s patients, Chopp said, the diagnosis leads them to "get grumpy" and withdraw socially.

Chopp urges them to follow her lead in refusing to surrender.

"For the most part, I live with joy," she said. "I now have time to spend with my husband, who patiently put up with me working 14- to 16-hour days. I spend time with my family and friends."

Chopp has also embraced advocacy efforts to support Alzheimer’s research and treatment, which has allowed her to meet many other people who are traveling the same journey.

As a member of the National Early-Stage Advisory Group, she works to help others live their best lives after an Alzheimer’s or dementia diagnosis.

"It has given me a tremendous sense of purpose," Chopp said. "And I think we all know how comforting that is, to be encouraged, to cry with one another, to know you're not alone."

Since her diagnosis, Chopp has looked for ways to pursue creative endeavors to keep her brain sharp.

In addition to writing, she's begun painting — something she never considered before.

"One of the things the second neurologist told me is that I needed to engage the other side of my brain, that I could form new neural pathways through creativity," Chopp told Fox News Digital.

An artist friend took Chopp to the mountains and taught her to paint. Now, several years later, she is painting professional portraits. 

"But it doesn't matter how good you are — you can doodle, you can dance, you can garden, you can woodwork," she said. 

"For a brain-healthy lifestyle, whether you worry about Alzheimer's or not, you’ve got to tap into that creative side."

These days, Chopp’s doctors are "very pleased" with how her lifestyle interventions have slowed the progression of her disease.

"The last time I was in the office, which was three weeks ago, the neurologists told me that I was pretty much the same as I was three or four years ago," she said.

Chopp realizes that won’t always be the case — but what she's doing is working, and she said she’s not the only one.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

"I have learned there is so much you can still do," she said. "It’s really important to educate yourself about the disease and its progression. Get help and support from others and refuse to surrender."

"Everybody and every brain is unique," she told Fox News Digital. "But I think almost everyone will be able to delay the rapid progress of these symptoms through lifestyle and medical treatments."

Chopp’s book, titled "Still Me: Accepting Alzheimer's Without Losing Yourself," from MFF Publishing (Morgridge Family Foundation), will be available via Amazon and other outlets in February, with pre-orders starting in November.

Before Chopp’s diagnosis, she was a widely published author and editor, an ordained minister and a well-known academic in the fields of education, philosophy, religion and feminism, according to the foundation. 

Prior to her role as 18th chancellor of the University of Denver, she served in leadership positions at Swarthmore College, Colgate University, Emory University and Yale University. 

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health. 

from Health News Today on Fox News https://ift.tt/YsikM0A

Read More

Alzheimer’s risk is reduced among women who follow the DASH diet in their 40s, study finds

Women over age 40 who adopt the DASH diet could have a lower risk of cognitive decline as they age, according to a study published this week in Alzheimer’s & Dementia: The Journal of the Alzheimer’s Association.

Researchers from the NYU Grossman School of Medicine found that women who followed the DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) diet during middle age were about 17% less likely to experience memory loss and other signs of cognitive decline later in life, according to a press release from the university.

The DASH diet focuses on plant-based foods that are rich in potassium, calcium and magnesium — including vegetables, fruits, whole grains and lean protein. It limits saturated fat, cholesterol, sodium and sugar. 

THE 8 BIGGEST ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE MYTHS — AND THE TRUTHS BEHIND THEM

The researchers surveyed 5,116 women in their 40s about their dietary habits. 

The women were participants in the New York University Women's Health Study between 1985 and 1991. 

More than 30 years later, researchers followed up with the women between 2018 and 2020, when their average age was 79 — and asked if they had experienced any of six warning signs of cognitive decline.

Those included difficulties in remembering recent events or shopping lists, understanding spoken instructions or group conversation, or navigating familiar streets, according to the release.

Women who followed the DASH diet reported these occurrences 17% less than those who did not.

DEMENTIA’S STAGGERING FINANCIAL COST IS REVEALED IN NEW REPORT: IT'S ‘BANKRUPTING FAMILIES’

Yu Chen, PhD, MPH, professor in the Department of Population Health at NYU Grossman and senior author of the study, said the findings were not surprising to the research team.

"Recent trial studies have indicated that short-term diet interventions in older age may not provide protection against Alzheimer's disease," he told Fox News Digital via email.

"However, observational studies consistently show that adhering to a healthy diet, such as the DASH or Mediterranean diet, can help protect against cognitive decline over the long term," Chen continued.

"The concept here is that adopting a healthy diet starting at a younger age, such as middle age, is more beneficial than making short-term dietary changes in older age."

ASK A DOC: 'HOW CAN I REDUCE THE RISK OF ALZHEIMER’S DISEASE?' HERE ARE 3 TIPS

Erin Palinski-Wade, a New Jersey-based dietitian with a focus on diabetes and nutrition, noted that the DASH diet has long been known to improve cardiovascular health and reduce blood pressure levels. She was not involved in the new research.

"Since following the principles of the DASH diet can lower both blood pressure and insulin resistance, it makes sense that the result would benefit the brain as well," Palinski-Wade said in an interview with Fox News Digital.

"The big takeaway from this study is that incorporating DASH diet principles earlier in life can have a great impact on future health and longevity," she went on.

"Although it is never too late to make dietary changes to improve health, the earlier we start making dietary improvements, the better [our] health outcomes can be throughout life."

MEDITERRANEAN DIET COULD HELP REDUCE BELLY FAT AND MUSCLE LOSS CAUSED BY AGING

Percy Griffin, PhD, director of scientific engagement at the Alzheimer’s Association, said the study adds to the "growing body of research" that suggests a heart-healthy diet may be able to reduce or delay the risk of cognitive decline later in life.

Griffin was not involved in the study.

"The DASH diet, the focus of this study, is aimed at preventing high blood pressure, which is a known risk factor for cognitive decline," Griffith told Fox News Digital.

"In addition, many of the foods featured in the DASH diet contain properties that may help reduce brain inflammation, another contributor to cognitive decline."

As the average age of the women participating in this study was 46 years old, Griffin noted that one important takeaway is for individuals to consider taking steps to reduce cognitive decline well before they reach the age of greatest risk. 

"Addressing modifiable risk factors, such as diet, throughout one’s life offers the best opportunity for people to reduce their risk of cognitive decline," he said.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

The study did have some limitations, Chen acknowledged — primarily that the cognitive complaints were based on self-reports. 

"However, studies have found that self-reported complaints can serve as precursors or early signs of subsequent cognitive impairment," he said. 

The researchers also did not include women who died or did not respond to the questionnaires. 

"These women were more likely to have had a less healthy diet, so if we had included them, the effect we observed would have been more significant," Chen noted.

Alzheimer’s disease is the most common form of dementia, affecting an estimated 6.7 million Americans age 65 and older, according to the Alzheimer’s Association.

Women receive more than two-thirds of the diagnoses.

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health. 

from Health News Today on Fox News https://ift.tt/EtbcuQT

Read More

Want to avoid a heart attack? These are the best and worst foods, according to cardiologists

The secret of avoiding heart disease could come down to which foods are on — or off — your plate.

While you can’t control factors such as age or family history, the choice to adopt a heart-healthy diet can help reduce your risk.

"The goal is not to go on a temporary diet for rapid weight loss, but to make good lifestyle choices to promote well-being permanently," said Dr. Bradley Serwer, a cardiologist and chief medical officer at VitalSolution, a Cincinnati, Ohio-based company that offers cardiovascular and anesthesiology services to hospitals nationwide.

MEDITERRANEAN DIET COULD HELP REDUCE BELLY FAT AND MUSCLE LOSS CAUSED BY AGING, STUDY FINDS

Serwer and other cardiologists shared with Fox News Digital their nutrition advice for reducing the risk of coronary disease and heart attacks.

Here are some of their tips.

"Foods that contain high levels of trans fats, which are found in many fried foods, are some of the worst offenders," Serwer said. 

Trans saturated fats are artificially created, he noted. They raise levels of low-density lipoprotein (LDL), also known as bad cholesterol, while at the same time lowering high-density lipoprotein (HDL), or good cholesterol. 

ASK A DOC: 'HOW CAN I PREVENT HIGH CHOLESTEROL?'

"High levels of bad cholesterol promote coronary atherosclerosis, also known as clogged arteries," Serwer warned.

Dr. Alexander Postalian, a cardiologist at the Texas Heart Institute, warned that simple carbohydrates — including bread and potatoes — are the primary enemy. 

"They get absorbed quickly, raise blood sugar and can get converted into ‘bad’ cholesterol," he said.

Other examples of simple carbohydrates include sugary drinks, sweets, rice and tortillas.

Foods rich in saturated fats, which include red meat, also raise LDL levels, increasing the risk of heart disease, said Serwer.

BE WELL: ADD AN EGG (OR 3) TO YOUR DAILY DIET FOR HEART HEALTH

Dr. Leonard Ganz, chief medical officer and divisional vice president of medical affairs at Abbott’s cardiac rhythm management business in Chicago, told Fox News Digital that when bacteria in the gut break down meat, one of the metabolites produced is TMAO (trimethylamine N-oxide) — which may increase the risk of heart and kidney disease, as well as type 2 diabetes. 

"In particular, processed meats such as bacon and sausage have nitrates that may increase inflammation and sodium, ultimately raising blood pressure that may be associated with inflammation," he added.

Dairy also falls into the category of high saturated fats, Serwer said, making it a food to limit or avoid for optimal heart health.

While butter, cream and ice cream are not heart-healthy, the American Heart Association says that reduced-fat yogurt, cheese and milk are safer options for people who have high cholesterol or a history of heart disease.

Foods that are high in sugar, especially those containing high-fructose corn syrup, increase the risk of obesity and diabetes, Serwer warned. 

"Obesity and diabetes are independent risk factors for coronary artery disease, which further adds fuel to the fire for developing atherosclerosis," he added.

YOUR DIABETES RISK MAY DOUBLE IF YOU EAT THIS FOOD TWICE A WEEK, SAY HARVARD RESEARCHERS

Foods high in sugar and processed carbohydrates, such as white bread, soda and candy, can raise blood glucose levels, increasing the risk of obesity, diabetes, heart disease and stroke, according to Ganz.

While some amount of sodium is essential for the human body, too much can cause blood pressure to spike, raising the risk of heart attack and stroke, experts say.

Some common culprits include deli meats, canned soups and veggies, frozen meals and prepared sauces.

"These typically have a combination of all the worst offenders, to include trans fats, saturated fats, high sodium and sugar," Serwer said.

ULTRA-PROCESSED FOOD CONSUMPTION LINKED TO HIGHER RISK OF DEATH FROM OVARIAN, BREAST CANCERS: NEW STUDY

These convenience foods are uniquely designed to promote atherosclerosis "in a very effective manner" and should be avoided as much as possible, the doctor advised.

While there is some data to support red wine in moderation, excess alcohol has a direct toxic effect on the heart, Serwer warned.

"Alcoholic drinks are also high in calories and sodium, and can contribute to obesity and high blood pressure," he said.

"These are excellent sources of vitamins, minerals and antioxidants, which help reduce the risk of heart disease by lowering blood pressure and improving overall cardiovascular health," Serwer said.

"There is excellent data for plant-based diets lowering the risk of heart disease — particularly those that are high in fiber," he added.

Green, leafy vegetables provide vitamins and minerals, while nitrates also contribute to healthy blood vessel function, said Ganz.

'TOP 8' FOOD CHALLENGE: WHAT IT MEANS, PLUS EXPERTS' TIPS FOR NAVIGATING NUTRITIONAL NEEDS

"Citrus fruits are also high in potassium, which can lower blood pressure," he added.

Although fruits are rich in simple carbohydrates (simple sugars), Postalian said they are beneficial when eaten in moderation.

"Fruits contain fiber that supports digestion, which slows the absorption of sugar," he said.

These include wheat, oats and brown rice, all of which provide complex carbohydrates and fiber that can help lower bad cholesterol levels, Serwer said.

"Skinless chicken, fish, legumes and nuts are an excellent source of protein without the saturated fat that's often found in red meat," said Serwer.

Some of the lean proteins Postalian recommends include grilled fish, grilled chicken and vegetables — "without a lot of dressing, as these can sneak in additional sugar and calories," he added. 

These foods qualify as healthy fats, Serwer said.

"Monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats are an excellent source to help improve cholesterol levels and reduce inflammation," he added.

OLIVE OIL IS POPULAR AMONG AMERICANS, BUT IS IT GOOD FOR YOU?

Some fatty fish that are highest in omega-3s include salmon, bluefin tuna, anchovies, herring, mackerel, black cod, sardines, whitefish, striped bass and cobia, according to the American Heart Association.

These foods are all part of the Mediterranean diet, which has long been linked to improved heart health.

Added Ganz, "Fish high in omega-3 fatty acids are great sources of protein and have been associated with lower blood pressure, a better lipid profile and a lower risk of arrhythmia."

Also part of the Mediterranean diet, oils and foods high in monounsaturated and polyunsaturated fats have antioxidant effects and contribute to blood vessel health, Ganz said. 

"Olive oil is the most obvious example, but other oils, including safflower, sunflower and sesame — and some nuts, such as walnuts and almonds — have similar effects," he added.

Studies have shown that drinking enough water helps maintain healthy sodium levels, which plays a part in preventing heart disease.

CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

"Proper hydration also helps support overall health and helps avoid injuring the kidneys," Serwer added.

This heart-healthy treat is an unexpected bonus, Ganz said. 

"This dessert is rich in flavonoids, which have antioxidants and blood pressure-lowering effects," he noted.

Beyond choosing the right foods, Serwer pointed out that portion control is "paramount" to avoiding obesity and coronary artery disease.

Postalian agreed, adding, "Being mindful of the energy balance to maintain a healthy weight is very important — how many calories come in, with food, versus how many go out, with exercise and metabolism."

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health.

from Health News Today on Fox News https://ift.tt/k04brVc

Read More

Breast cancer survivor says her 120-pound weight loss helped save her life: 'Strong, confident and healthy'

Tamara Loving, a mother of two from Huntington Beach, California, believes her dramatic weight loss helped her beat breast cancer.

In 2016, when she was 37, Loving embarked on a weight loss journey. After joining WeightWatchers and spending eight months of meal-prepping, healthy eating and exercising, she lost 120 pounds — down to 150 from her original weight of 270.

The very next year, after a routine mammogram, Loving was diagnosed with stage 1A hormone-receptor-positive breast cancer in June 2017.

BREAST CANCER BREAKTHROUGH: AI PREDICTS A THIRD OF CASES PRIOR TO DIAGNOSIS IN MAMMOGRAPHY STUDY

An initial biopsy confirmed the diagnosis — and Loving’s first treatment was a lumpectomy and lymph node dissection of the right side, she told Fox News Digital. 

The results of that procedure were alarming, as there were more tumors than the doctors initially thought. 

Loving faced a choice between another lumpectomy to remove more of the tissue — or a mastectomy.

"Since they found more tumors than the imaging had shown, I became fearful that there was cancer that may have gone undetected," Loving said. 

"Based on this, I decided to have a double mastectomy with reconstruction in November 2017 once I was healed from the previous surgery."

CANCER SCREENINGS: HERE ARE 5 TYPES AND CRITICAL INFORMATION TO KNOW ABOUT EACH

That surgery allowed Loving to avoid radiation therapy, and chemotherapy was not needed because the lymph node dissection results came back negative. 

Loving officially went into remission six months after her diagnosis, in November 2017.

Dr. Brett Osborn, a neurologist and longevity expert in Florida, has long warned of the dangers of obesity, including a higher risk of cancer.

"Cancer, like all non-infectious, age-related diseases, is underpinned by inflammation," he told Fox News Digital. "And obesity is an inflammatory disease resulting from the overconsumption of simple carbohydrates in the context of a sedentary lifestyle."

For breast cancer in particular, Osborn noted that the disease is 1.2 to 1.4 times more likely to occur in obese post-menopausal women than those with normal body mass index (BMI). 

"And some cancers are two or three times as likely to occur in obese or overweight patients," he said.

OBESITY MAPS: CDC REVEALS WHICH US STATES HAVE THE HIGHEST BODY MASS INDEX AMONG RESIDENTS

Obesity can also make it more difficult to fight cancer after a diagnosis, Osborn added.

"If you are obese and fighting cancer, you are trudging uphill, shouldering a 100-pound rucksack," he said. "You are certainly not stacking the deck in your favor."

Conversely, if someone loses body fat, they will have a reduced chance of developing cancer and also will be better equipped to fight it, Osborn said.

"Why? The promoters for cancer growth have been eliminated — namely, the high levels of circulating blood sugar and inflammation," he said. 

"So not only are you increasing your risk of beating cancer, but you are also getting leaner. And a leaner body — within reason — is a healthier body."

Dr. Lori Alfonse, deputy physician in chief at Lehigh Valley Health Network’s Lehigh Valley Topper Cancer Institute in Pennsylvania, agreed that obesity increases cancer risk and makes it more difficult to overcome the disease.

"Obesity has many effects on the body, two of which include insulin resistance and decreased mobility," she told Fox News Digital. 

"When the body’s insulin does not work well, overall glucose levels remain high and can cause poor wound healing after surgery."

"Decreased mobility can set a breast cancer patient up for increased risk of deep vein thromboses or blood clots, as the cancer makes the person’s blood thicker and stickier than normal," she warned. 

"Most importantly, obesity, especially after menopause, increases a person’s risk of breast cancer recurrence."

Dr. Yvonne Estrin, a radiologist and breast imaging specialist at the University of Miami, noted that fat cells have an enzyme called aromatase that produces estrogen — and estrogen exposure is a well-known risk factor for breast cancer. 

"The more fat you have, the more estrogen you make, thus the increased risk," she said. "Many breast cancers are estrogen receptor-positive, so the excess estrogen can fuel the tumor cells to divide rapidly."

ULTRA-PROCESSED FOOD CONSUMPTION LINKED TO HIGHER RISK OF DEATH FROM OVARIAN, BREAST CANCERS: NEW STUDY

Someone with obesity may have a harder time fighting breast cancer simply because of the taxing treatment and surgery, Estrin said. 

"They are more prone to adverse consequences of surgery and anesthesia," she noted. "The increased estrogen produced by fat tissue may also pose a problem with hormone therapy treatments."

The year before her breast cancer diagnosis, Loving embarked on a weight loss journey that combined regular exercise and nutrition.

"A typical week of workouts includes five days in the gym and the other two days [of] doing recreational activities, such as hiking in the mountains, bike riding or walking along the beach with my husband," she shared with Fox News Digital. 

In the gym, Loving starts with 30 minutes of interval training on the elliptical machine. After that, she alternates between 30 minutes of walking on an incline on the treadmill or 30 minutes on the stair climber.

After her cardio-based workouts, Loving does either weight training, rowing or stretching.

On the nutrition front, Loving said she stocks up on fresh fruits, vegetables and other healthy items to keep her week on track. 

"I put an emphasis on almost all of my meals being home-cooked and fresh to prioritize clean eating rather than [having] processed takeout food," she said.

"I have established effective meal combinations that not only satisfy with a good taste, but also contribute to proper nutrition," she also said. "This makes it easy to determine my meals for the day when I wake up in the morning because every day looks slightly different."

Beyond helping her overcome her cancer, Loving told Fox News Digital the additional benefits of her 120-pound weight loss.

"My body is now able to be more active and overall in a better, more youthful condition," she said.

 CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP FOR OUR HEALTH NEWSLETTER

"The weight loss improved my cardiovascular health and sleep patterns, and reduced the amount of joint pains," Loving continued. "It also improved my mental health by reducing anxiety."

She also said, "Today, I feel strong, confident and just overall healthy, thanks to the lifestyle changes and habits I adopted."

Following her weight loss, Loving was hired by WeightWatchers after 15 years of being a stay-at-home mom.

"This has helped me maintain my weight loss and lifestyle while also enabling me to help others change their own lives and reach their own health goals," she said.

Dr. Spencer Nadolsky, medical director at WeightWatchers and an obesity and lipid specialist in San Diego, recommends that anyone with obesity who has had cancer in the past contact their oncologist about whether losing weight is a suitable strategy to prevent recurrence.

"Some factors known to affect breast cancer risk lie outside our control, but many are modifiable with simple lifestyle changes," he said. 

For more Health articles, visit www.foxnews.com/health. 

from Health News Today on Fox News https://ift.tt/HgpihrI

Read More