AHA News: Obesity, Other Factors May Speed Up Brain Aging

THURSDAY, Nov. 21, 2019 (American Heart Association News) -- The brains of middle-age adults may be aging prematurely if they have obesity or other factors linked to cardiovascular disease, new research has found.

Almost one-quarter of adults have metabolic syndrome, a set of factors that in combination amplify a person's risk of hear...

Can You Beat the Blues With 'Downward Dog'?

THURSDAY, Nov. 21, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- New evidence bolsters the belief that yoga can offer real and lasting relief to people with depression.

Dr. Chris Streeter, a psychiatrist at Boston University's School of Medicine, said the new study she led builds on earlier work showing a correlation between yoga and levels of GABA (gamma ...

More U.S. Kids Are Shunning Sweetened Drinks

THURSDAY, Nov. 21, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- American youngsters are drinking far fewer sodas and other sugar-sweetened drinks and getting far fewer calories from them than they used to, a new report finds.

But kids from more-affluent homes are benefiting more from these trends than those from poorer families, the researchers said.

Packaged Caesar Salad Suspected as Possible Source in E. coli Outbreak

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- A brand of packaged Caesar salad is an early suspect in an outbreak of E. coli that's sickened 17 people in eight states, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention announced Wednesday.

Seven people have been hospitalized after infection with a strain of E. coli 0157:H7, including t...

AHA News: If Not for 2-Year-Old, Young Mom Might Have Died

THURSDAY, Nov. 21, 2019 (American Heart Association News) -- The night she turned 37, Barbara Jackson put her 2-year-old daughter Olivia Copeland to bed and walked to the kitchen. She felt a little odd but didn't think much of it.

The next thing Barbara remembers, she was in the hospital. Doctors were telling her she was a rare surviv...

'Designer Babies' a Long Way Off

THURSDAY, Nov. 21, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- "Designer babies" aren't going to be a reality anytime soon, researchers say.

Concerns about genetically altering embryos to have desired traits have been around nearly as long as in vitro fertilization (IVF) and the technology to screen embryos have existed.

But while recent live b...

Doctors Spot a New, Severe Lung Illness Tied to Vaping

THURSDAY, Nov. 21, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Canadian researchers report a new twist on the spate of deaths and lung damage from vaping in the United States.

A 17-year-old boy may well be the first case of a novel type of lung injury from vaping. The condition is similar to "popcorn lung," which is seen in workers exposed to the chemica...

Heart Disease Took Big Toll in Counties Hardest Hit by Recession

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- U.S. counties hit hardest by the recession of 2008-2009 had a larger increase in heart disease deaths among middle-aged adults than other counties, a new study shows.

Researchers analyzed 2010 to 2015 heart disease death rates among adults ages 25 to 64, as well as economic markers such as i...

Ultrasound May Ease Common Form of Hand Tremor

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- A treatment that delivers ultrasound waves to the brain may bring lasting relief to some people with debilitating hand tremors, a new study finds.

The study involved 76 patients with essential tremor -- a neurological condition that most often causes trembling in the hands during routine tas...

Using Psychedelic Brew 'Like Dreaming With Your Eyes Open': Study

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- An ingredient in the psychedelic brew ayahuasca causes "waking dreams" by significantly changing brain activity, a new study says.

Ayahuasca is a tea or brew made from vines and leaves of the Amazon rainforest. DMT (or dimethyltryptamine) is one of its main psychoactive components. Typically...

Gunshot Survivors May Struggle With Emotional Aftermath for Years

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Even years after a gunshot wound heals, shooting survivors may be at greater risk of alcohol abuse, drug abuse and unemployment, new research finds.

The study of more than 180 gunshot victims also found that nearly half appeared to have post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) years after the i...

Doctors' Group Calls for Ban on Most Vaping Products

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- The American Medical Association (AMA) is calling for a ban on all e-cigarettes and vaping products not approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to help people quit smoking tobacco cigarettes.

The move is in response to a sharp rise in youth e-cigarette use and an outbreak of more ...

AHA News: Eating Mindfully Through the Holidays – and All Year

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 20, 2019 (American Heart Association News) -- Slow down before plowing through the holiday hors d'oeuvres or finishing off that overfilled plate of comfort food. An approach called mindful eating could just help you enjoy it even more and increase well-being.

Paying close attention to food and how it makes your body feel ...

Could Fish Oil Be an ADHD Remedy for Some Kids?

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Children with attention-deficit/hyperactivity disorder (ADHD) and low blood levels of omega-3 fatty acids might benefit from supplements, new research suggests.

Fish oil supplements appeared to boost attention in these kids, British researchers report.

The effect seemed limited to ...

AHA News: HIV Could Increase Risk of Death From Heart Failure

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 20, 2019 (American Heart Association News) -- After a heart failure diagnosis, people who are HIV-positive are more likely to be hospitalized or die of any cause than those not infected with HIV, new research shows.

The study is the largest to look at how HIV status affects people diagnosed with heart failure, a chronic c...

HPV Blamed for Rising Rates of Anal Cancer

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Anal cancer rates have surged in the past 15 years, and the sexually transmitted human papillomavirus (HPV) may be to blame, a new study suggests.

"What was very shocking to us was that the rate and incidence of anal cancer has increased very fast," said lead researcher Ashish Deshmukh. He'...

It's Not Just Menopause to Blame for Older Women's Flagging Sex Drive

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- It's not uncommon for a woman's sex life to slow down with age, but hormones aren't the only reason she might not be in the mood, a new study suggests.

Postmenopausal issues, such as vaginal dryness or pain during sex, definitely put a damper on a woman's desire. But just as often, it was ...

Recalls of Blood Pressure Med Took Toll on Patients' Health

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Emergency room visits for high blood pressure surged following last year's recall of the popular heart drug valsartan, Canadian researchers report.

Within the first month of the recall, there was a 55% increase of people coming to Ontario-area emergency departments complaining of high bl...

Study Spots Ties Between Rheumatoid Arthritis, Other Diseases

WEDNESDAY, Nov. 20, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- People with inflammatory bowel disease, type 1 diabetes or blood clots may be at increased risk for rheumatoid arthritis -- and people with rheumatoid arthritis are at added risk for heart disease, blood clots and sleep apnea, researchers say.

Their findings could improve understanding of ho...

Grandma Isn't So Lonely After All

TUESDAY, Nov. 19, 2019 (HealthDay News) -- Even though older adults may have smaller social networks than younger adults, they have similar numbers of close friends and levels of well-being, a new study finds.

"Stereotypes of aging tend to paint older adults in many cultures as sad and lonely," said study lead author Wandi Bruine de Br...