How fruit and veggie prescriptions could help lower blood pressure

Produce prescriptions — when doctors prescribe eating a specific amount of fruit and vegetables — can help to decrease blood pressure and hypertension, according to a study published Tuesday in the journal Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes. Results from the study by researchers at Tufts University showed that produce prescriptions were associated with improvements in […]

Produce prescriptions linked to improved health outcomes for people at risk of cardiovascular disease

People at increased risk for cardiovascular disease who participated in produce prescription programs increased their consumption of fruits and vegetables, which was associated with improved body mass index (BMI), blood sugar and blood pressure levels, as well as a decrease in food insecurity. This new research was published today in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, […]

COVID Is on the Rise Again—What You Need to Know

Feeling sick? Test. Tested positive? Isolate for five days As much as we might wish it so, it is not so. COVID-19 is still here, a new variant has emerged, and with it a late-summer spike in coronavirus infections. The two-week period ending August 12 saw hospitalizations across the country rise by 24 percent, according […]

‘Really proud moment’: Red Cross now accepts blood from gay and bisexual men

Massachusetts’ public health commissioner was able to donate blood for the first time Tuesday, celebrating new rules that open blood donation to gay and bisexual men. DPH Commissioner Robbie Goldstein was joined by his friend Rochelle Walensky, former director of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, at the Red Cross Donation Center in Dedham. […]

Doctors Pulled a Wriggling, Three-Inch Worm From a Woman’s Brain

Doctors suspect the patient accidentally ingested the roundworm’s eggs while foraging for edible greens near her home. Hossain et al. / Emerging Infectious Diseases Doctors pulled a live, three-inch worm from a 64-year-old Australian woman’s brain last year, marking the first time the species has been found inside the brain of any mammal. The roundworm, […]

No. 2 House Republican Steve Scalise is diagnosed with blood cancer and undergoing treatment

WASHINGTON (AP) — Rep. Steve Scalise, the No. 2-ranking House Republican, said Tuesday he has been diagnosed with a form of blood cancer known as multiple myeloma and is undergoing treatment. Scalise, 57, said he will continue to serve in the House. He described the cancer as “very treatable” and said it was detected early. […]

U.S. Hacks QakBot, Quietly Removes Botnet Infections

The U.S. government today announced a coordinated crackdown against QakBot, a complex malware family used by multiple cybercrime groups to lay the groundwork for ransomware infections. The international law enforcement operation involved seizing control over the botnet’s online infrastructure, and quietly removing the Qakbot malware from tens of thousands of infected Microsoft Windows computers. Qakbot/Qbot […]

Tough Mudder in California leaves participants with bacterial infections

More than 100 people who participated in a Tough Mudder obstacle course race in California apparently contracted bacterial infections during the event. The competitors, who took part in the obstacle course at Sonoma Raceway on Aug. 19 and 20, have reported experiencing fevers, vomiting, muscle pain and a distinct rash that includes boils. At least […]

UW–Madison: Study explores midlife factors associated with blood biomarkers of neurodegeneration and Alzheimer’s disease

MADISON, Wis. – Lifestyle and chronic health conditions in middle age, along with a person’s education level, show associations with emerging blood markers of neurodegeneration and Alzheimer’s disease, according to a new study by researchers at the University of Wisconsin School of Medicine and Public Health. The research team led by Natascha Merten, assistant professor […]

Hochul takes aim at new variant of COVID-19 as numbers rise

Gov. Hochul Tuesday urged New Yorkers to take extra precautions to prevent the spread of COVID-19 as the state is examining an especially virulent new strain of the virus amid a surge in infections and hospitalizations. The governor said the state is providing free masks and closely monitoring test results and wastewater samples to keep […]