Health Advice
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Tuberculosis cases continue to increase in San Diego County
SAN DIEGO — Monday was World Tuberculosis Day and, as usual, Americans had reason to celebrate, with incidence rates that are among the best anywhere, according to the World Health Organization. But that does not mean there is not room for further improvement, especially in San Diego County.
In a recent announcement calling for greater ...Read more

Mayo Clinic Minute: Treatment options for advanced colorectal cancer
Colorectal cancer is one of the most treatable cancers, especially when detected early. For those in advanced stages, significant advancements in therapies are providing renewed hope.
Dr. Umair Majeed, a Mayo Clinic oncologist, says improved treatment options mean better outcomes for patients, even for those with late-stage colorectal cancer.
...Read more

Amid plummeting diversity at medical schools, a warning of DEI crackdown's 'chilling effect'
The Trump administration’s crackdown on DEI programs could exacerbate an unexpectedly steep drop in diversity among medical school students, even in states like California, where public universities have been navigating bans on affirmative action for decades. Education and health experts warn that, ultimately, this could harm patient care.
...Read more

Mayo Clinic Minute: What to do if you have a lump on your arm or leg
A sarcoma is a term for a broad group of cancers that start in the bones or soft tissue, such as muscle, fat, blood vessels, nerves, tendons and joints. One of the signs of a sarcoma is a lump that can be felt through the skin that may or may not be painful. So if you feel one of these lumps, what should you do?
"Many patients will wonder: 'I ...Read more

Colorado's first psychedelic healing centers could offer psilocybin yoga or microdosing at a coffee shop
DENVER -- Coloradans will soon have legal access to psychedelic-assisted therapy with the first licensed psilocybin businesses expected to open this spring. This novel type of mental health treatment involves ingesting large doses of “magic mushrooms” under the supervision of a licensed guide.
People who are interested in trying a ...Read more

Poor neighborhoods, health care barriers are factors for heart disease risk in Black mothers
Living in a disadvantaged neighborhood contributes to a rare form of heart failure known as peripartum cardiomyopathy, a potentially deadly disease that disproportionately affects Black mothers.
That’s the key finding of my recent study, published in February 2025 in the Journal of the American Heart Association.
Peripartum ...Read more

Trump cancels NIH grants on equity research
WASHINGTON — The Trump administration is canceling dozens of National Institutes of Health grants funding health equity research, including work studying Black maternal and fetal health and HIV.
Grantees were told in termination notices delivered over the last several days that their project “no longer effectuates agency priorities” and ...Read more

Gas leaf blowers cause cancer, Alzheimer's, some CT citizens say. Others say it's too costly to ban them
With spring in Connecticut comes the persistent whine and pungent exhaust fumes of gas-powered leaf blowers as they prepare pristine lawns for fresh mulch and flowers.
But a ban on the ubiquitous landscaping machines is back before state lawmakers. HB 6263 was the subject of a recent public hearing before the legislature’s Environment ...Read more
Diabetic foot pain: expert tips on how to cope
An estimated 1 in 10 people worldwide have diabetes. Africa is the region with the fastest growth and it’s estimated that the number of people on the continent with diabetes will more than double in the next 20 years, increasing to about 55 million people by 2045.
Having diabetes has serious consequences for health and is associated...Read more

Nurse can't shake COVID-19's unrelenting grip: 'I have lost relationships'
SAN DIEGO — Five years after COVID-19 was declared a pandemic, registered nurse Nicole Baca still visits an infusion center every week to have a mixture of water and other nutrients injected into her bloodstream.
“The treatments help increase my blood volume, and that’s what helps keep me from passing out,” the El Cajon resident ...Read more

New Parkinson's treatment developed at Stanford could help millions
After a twitching pinky finger led to a diagnosis of young-onset Parkinson’s disease, Keith Krehbiel, then 42, stopped at a bookstore on the way home to learn more about the progressive neurological disorder before telling his wife Amy the shocking news.
“I remember sitting in a parking lot and hearing this sad piece by Miles Davis,” he ...Read more

Ask the Pediatrician: Keep your child's heart healthy: Habits to start early
When it comes to your child's health, do you think much about their risks for developing heart disease? Probably not, since so much of keeping kids healthy means dealing with sore throats, scraped knees and other ailments. But recent research has prompted doctors and parents to take a second look at heart health in children.
Evidence shows that...Read more

Tribal health leaders say Medicaid cuts would decimate health programs
As Congress mulls potentially massive cuts to federal Medicaid funding, health centers that serve Native American communities, such as the Oneida Community Health Center near Green Bay, Wisconsin, are bracing for catastrophe.
That’s because more than 40% of the about 15,000 patients the center serves are enrolled in Medicaid. Cuts to the ...Read more

FDA crackdown on poppers prompts rush on popular gay party drug
LOS ANGELES — There's a rush on Rush.
Stores up and down Santa Monica Boulevard have seen a run on the iconic red and yellow vials this week, as the Food and Drug Administration cracks down on poppers, a product that has long existed in legal limbo.
The active ingredient in Rush and other poppers is alkyl nitrite, a chemical that instantly ...Read more

Health insurers made $41B the year COVID-19 landed. Why are they raising rates now?
Claire Lindell had to wait months for treatment when doctors in April 2020 were forced to suddenly cancel the little girl’s spine surgery.
The delay was particularly stressful because the operation addressed several issues, including the 4-year-old’s high risk of respiratory infection — such as from the emerging COVID-19 virus.
“That ...Read more

Some patients worry about affording their medications as insurers cut coverage for weight-loss drugs
PHILADELPHIA -- Mara Nissley has a rare disorder that causes her brain to swell as if she has a tumor. Losing weight can help treat the condition, called pseudotumor cerebri. Last year, her doctor recommended she start a popular weight-loss drug in the hopes of alleviating her debilitating headaches and vision problems.
In just a few months, ...Read more

Mayo Clinic Minute: Warning signs of colorectal cancer in younger adults
Colorectal cancer, the third-most common cancer in the U.S., has been rising among younger people for the past two decades. It is not one type of cancer but two cancers: colon cancer, which starts in the large intestine, and rectal cancer, which begins in the last part of the large intestine, known as the rectum.
Dr. Derek Ebner, a Mayo Clinic ...Read more

Toxic braiding hair study forces Atlanta's Black community to seek safer options
ATLANTA — A recent report about cancerous synthetic hair extensions has sparked a heated conversation, prompting the Black beauty community to question if there are alternatives for protective styles.
According to a study published Feb. 27 at Consumer Reports, toxins were found in 10 brands of synthetic braiding.
“The products were tested ...Read more

Insomnia can lead to heart issues − a psychologist recommends changes that can improve sleep
About 10% of Americans say they have chronic insomnia, and millions of others report poor sleep quality. Ongoing research has found that bad sleep could lead to numerous health problems, including heart disease.
Dr. Julio Fernandez-Mendoza is a professor of psychiatry and behavioral health, neuroscience and public health sciences at ...Read more

5 years on, true counts of COVID-19 deaths remain elusive − and research is hobbled by lack of data
In the early days of the COVID-19 pandemic, researchers struggled to grasp the rate of the virus’s spread and the number of related deaths. While hospitals tracked cases and deaths within their walls, the broader picture of mortality across communities remained frustratingly incomplete.
Policymakers and researchers quickly ...Read more
Popular Stories
- Colorado's first psychedelic healing centers could offer psilocybin yoga or microdosing at a coffee shop
- Mayo Clinic Minute: What to do if you have a lump on your arm or leg
- Diabetic foot pain: expert tips on how to cope
- Mayo Clinic Minute: Treatment options for advanced colorectal cancer
- Gas leaf blowers cause cancer, Alzheimer's, some CT citizens say. Others say it's too costly to ban them