Amid COVID-19 Crisis, Blood Donor Restrictions Eased for Gays

America is in urgent need of blood donations during the coronavirus pandemic, so the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Thursday it will relax donor restrictions placed on gay and bisexual men and others.

Specifically, the FDA has changed the abstinence period required for gay and bisexual blood donors from 12 months to 3 months. <...

Vitamin D Might Aid Seniors' Recovery From Hip Fracture: Study

After a broken hip, seniors who have sufficient vitamin D have better odds of walking, a new study finds.

The study suggests that low levels of vitamin D could limit walking, according to researcher Sue Shapses, a professor of nutritional sciences at Rutgers University in New Brunswick, N.J.

Nearly 300 patients undergoing h...

With 3D Printer, N.Y. Hospital Converts Sleep Apnea Machines Into Ventilators

As COVID-19 pushes American hospitals to the breaking point, intensive care units are finding creative ways to deal with a looming shortage of lifesaving mechanical ventilators.

New York-Presbyterian Hospital last week began splitting single-use ventilators into machines that can serve two patients at a time. Now another New York-based...

Newbies More Apt to Have Bad Reaction to Marijuana: Study

Common bad reactions to marijuana include coughing fits, anxiety and paranoia, but regular users are less likely to have problems than occasional users, a new study finds.

"There's been surprisingly little research on the prevalence or frequency of various adverse reactions to cannabis and almost no research trying to predict who is mo...

Don't Worry About U.S. Food Supply, FDA Says

The United States remains a land of plenty even in the era of coronavirus, U.S. federal health officials said Thursday.

State-by-state lockdowns may have created a rush on certain items in grocery stores -- toilet paper, dry yeast, flour, rice, dried beans -- but the food supply chains remain strong and shelves should soon be restocked...

'Stay at Home' Orders Are Stressing U.S. Families, Survey Shows

In the new coronavirus reality, the family home has become the nexus of everything -- school, day care, work, social life -- and it's stressing out a lot of American parents, a new report suggests.

The report, in which almost 300 parents of kids under 12 in the United States were surveyed, found that since the pandemic was declared, 83...

Mindfulness a Powerful Tool for Aging

Mindfulness may explain why many older people feel their life has gotten better with age, a new study suggests.

Mindfulness is being aware of your experiences and paying attention to the present moment in a purposeful, receptive and non-judgmental way, and it can help reduce stress and promote good mental health, according to the Flin...

In Some Cases, COVID-19 May Harm the Brain

The woman worked in the airlines industry and was in her late 50s. She arrived at Henry Ford Health System in Detroit with a cough, fever and mental confusion that had arisen over the prior three days.

A nasal swab test showed she was infected with the new coronavirus. And as doctors tried to track down the cause of her "altered mental...

Another COVID-19 Vaccine Being Tested in Mice

Yet another potential vaccine against the new coronavirus is in early development -- one that researchers say could be rapidly made and distributed if it proves effective.

The vaccine has only been tested in lab mice, but it's able to spur the animals' immune systems to produce antibodies against the coronavirus that causes COVID-19.

Which Diets Help You Keep the Weight From Coming Back?

While you're hunkered down waiting for the coronavirus to abate, you might get inspired to lose weight. But which diet is best?

The short answer is that all diets seem to work. The long answer is you'll probably regain the weight within a year.

"There is no diet that somehow magically helps you keep the weight off," said Dr...

AHA News: Eat Healthy, Move Your Body During Pandemic

Move over, "Freshman 15." There's a new belt-busting threat fueled by the coronavirus pandemic cramming Americans into their homes, dangerously close to their snacks, suds, sodas, sofas and streaming videos.

Beware gaining "the COVID-19."

While this repurposing of the disease's name obviously is lighthearted, the struggle i...

U.S. Coronavirus Cases Pass 200,000, as Jobless Claims Soar to 10 Million

As the number of U.S. coronavirus cases surged past 200,000 and deaths neared 5,000, the U.S. Labor Department reported Thursday morning that 6.6 million Americans filed for unemployment in the past week.

For the second straight week, jobless claims have been record-setting, with the latest claims bringing the two-week total to 10 mill...

Pandemic Adds to Challenge of Caring for Loved One With Dementia

Before the COVID-19 outbreak, Annette Adams-Brown's 87-year-old mother was an avid follower of TV news. Now Adams-Brown has to channel-surf for a less stressful pastime.

Her mother, Bertha, has dementia, and each time she hears the news about a terrible disease spreading through the country, it's like she is hearing it for the first ti...

Heart Patients Need to Be Wary of Coronavirus

People with high blood pressure and heart disease may be vulnerable to complications from COVID-19, heart experts say.

Nearly half of Americans have high blood pressure, according to the American Heart Association (AHA).

Based on current knowledge, seniors "with coronary heart disease or high blood pressure may be more susce...

'Stress Eating' While Social Distancing? Here's Tips to Avoid It

Trapped in the house with a cupboard full of food: Social distancing during the COVID-19 pandemic can spawn an unintended side effect -- stress eating.

It may be tempting to ease your anxiety with your favorite comfort foods, but emotional eating can hurt you physically and mentally, according to experts from Rush University Medical Ce...

An Expert's Guide to Fighting Coronavirus Stress

The new coronavirus is not just a physical health threat. The stress, anxiety, fear and isolation that go along with it also take a toll on your mental well-being.

"One of the basic tenets of how to manage your mental health in a crisis like this is to ensure that you're taking care of your own basic needs -- taking breaks, having res...

Is Thyroid Hormone Dangerously Overprescribed in Older Patients?

Thyroid hormone replacement therapy is commonly prescribed when blood tests show a dip in thyroid hormone levels, but new research suggests it may not always be the best choice for older adults.

The long-term study found that people over 65 who take thyroid hormone replacement therapy have a higher risk of death than their peers who d...

How Ritalin Works in the Brain

A new study dispels a common belief about how stimulants such as Ritalin and Adderall work in the brain.

The drugs are usually prescribed to people with attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), but are sometimes used by otherwise healthy people to boost their thinking.

Many assume these drugs improve focus, but resea...

FDA Pulls Heartburn Drug Zantac From Market

All versions of the heartburn drug Zantac (ranitidine) have been pulled from the U.S. market due to possible contamination with a probable cancer-causing chemical, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Wednesday.

This is the latest step in an ongoing investigation of N-Nitrosodimethylamine (NDMA) in ranitidine medications, the age...

'Pink Eye' Often a Symptom of COVID-19, and Infection Via Tears Possible

Besides causing COVID-19, the new coronavirus can also lead to "pink eye," and Chinese researchers say the virus may be spread by tears.

Of 38 patients with COVID-19, a dozen also had pink eye (conjunctivitis), a new study found. In two patients, the coronavirus was present in both nasal and eye fluids.

"Some COVID-19 patien...