HealthLine Health News

The 75 Soft Challenge may help lower stress and anxiety and promote healthy weight management. Me 3645 Studio/Getty Images Proponents of the “75 Soft Challenge” on TikTok say it’s a more doable alternative to the “75 Hard” program. Its requirements are similar, but more flexibility is built into the plan. With 75 Hard, one workout must be done outdoors regardless of weather conditions. Despite its name, experts say 75 Soft can help promote weight loss. It may also lower feelings of stress and anxiety. Consistency is more important than intensity when it comes to making improvements to your health. You’ve probably heard about the 75 Hard, a hardcore self-improvement program created by Andy Frisella, CEO of the supplement company 1st Phorm. This plan lays out five “critical” self-improvement tasks that participants must complete every day for 75 days: Follow a nutrition plan with no cheating or alcohol. Do two 45-minute workouts. Drink a gallon of water. Read 10 pages of an educational or self-improvement book. Take a progress picture. However, the strictness of the program can make it difficult for people who are new to exercise and healthy eating, making them likely to quit before they achieve their goals. As a result, a more doable personal development trend called the 75 Soft Challenge has taken over TikTok. Find out what the 75 Soft Challenge entails and how it could help promote weight loss, despite its “softer” focus. What is the 75 Soft Challenge? “The 75 Soft Challenge is based on the 75 Hard challenge — just with modified rules,” said Ronny Garcia, CPT, personal training manager at Blink Fitness. As with the 75 Hard, the 75 Soft Challenge involves lifestyle changes over 75 days. It also asks participants to eat a healthy diet like the 75 Hard. However, it is more relaxed and allows for alcohol use on social occasions, Garcia said. Additionally, individuals must exercise for 45 minutes per day, but there is no second workout required. An active rest day is also built into each week’s schedule, Garcia explained. The water requirements have been loosened a bit. Those following the 75 Soft Challenge should drink 3 liters of water per day versus the gallon required in the 75 Hard. The requirement to read 10 pages per day remains the same, he said. Garcia added that the 75 Soft Challenge is not as restrictive as the 75 Hard, which requires a strict diet with no cheat meals or alcohol and two daily exercise sessions, one of which is outdoors. It also doesn’t have the same requirement to restart the entire challenge if any daily tasks are missed. “The emphasis of the 75 Soft Challenge is still on consistency, self-discipline, and personal growth,” he explained, “but with more room for individualization and adaptability to different lifestyles and fitness levels.” 75 Soft Challenge may promote weight loss Given the word “soft” in its name, you might think that the 75 Soft Challenge won’t help you achieve your weight loss goals. However, Garcia noted that there are several benefits to be gained from following the plan. “Engaging in daily physical activity will increase the individual’s overall health and fitness, leading to improvements in muscle strength and endurance,” he said. Additionally, daily physical activity paired with a healthy diet can help with weight management. Good hydration is also essential for maintaining metabolism and digestion, he noted. Garcia added that the 75 Soft Challenge can also help you in other ways. “Following the guidelines of the challenge requires a high level of self-discipline,” he said. “By adhering to these habits, participants can develop stronger self-discipline, which can then translate into other areas in their lives.” Garcia further spoke about the benefits of regular exercise in reducing stress and anxiety, adding that reading can also help promote relaxation. “As individuals progress through the challenge, they gain a sense of accomplishment in their abilities, which can positively impact overall confidence levels,” said Garcia. How to get started with the 75 Soft Challenge Alexa Duckworth-Briggs, a certified running coach at We Run, said the 75 Hard program is for anyone who is looking to build healthy habits but doesn’t have the time or desire to commit to a more rigid program. “To get started with 75 Soft you need to define your personal weight loss and fitness goals first,” she said. Duckworth-Briggs added you should be more mindful about what you eat. “Set daily protein and fiber goals and focus on adding nutritious foods to your diet,” she said. Setting reminders or using a marked water bottle makes it easy to track your water consumption, Duckworth-Briggs noted. “Then choose a book you’re excited about and set a fixed time to read 10 pages every day,” she said. When it comes to exercise, she advises choosing a variety and doing things that you enjoy. Also, taking classes with friends can help you maintain motivation. “Remember, 75 Soft is all about the fact that long-term consistency is better than short-term intensity,” Duckworth-Briggs said. Takeaway The 75 Soft Challenge is a more doable alternative to the 75 Hard program. While it still asks people to make consistent lifestyle changes over 75 days, it is more flexible and allows for occasional alcohol. It also relaxes the requirements for exercise and water consumption. However, while it is not as strict as the 75 Hard program, it can be beneficial in helping you meet your self-improvement goals, including weight loss. Experts say that long-term consistency is preferable to short-term intensity when it comes to improving your health.

A new study reports young adults who smoke could face more than double the risk of having an unexplained stroke. Catherine Falls Commercial/Getty Images Researchers report that people under 50 who smoke have a higher risk of having an unexplained stroke. People who smoke heavily — 20 packs of cigarettes a year or more — have even higher stroke risks. The risks are especially pronounced in males and adults ages 45 to 49. A new study reports that people under 50 who smoke have a higher risk of experiencing an unexplained stroke. This is particularly true for males and adults ages 45 to 49, the researchers noted. They found that the more a person smokes, the higher the risk of having an unexplained stroke. The findings were published on February 19 in Neurology. “Our findings suggest that continued public health efforts around preventing smoking, especially heavy smoking, may be an important way to help reduce the number of strokes happening to young people,” said Phillip Ferdinand, a researcher at Keele University in the United Kingdom and a member of the American Academy of Neurology, in a statement. “This study confirms what we have long known to be true about smoking: that it can cause strokes, even in the absence of other risk factors,” added Mitchell S. V. Elkind, MD, the American Heart Association’s chief clinical science officer. “The study also extends this knowledge specifically to younger people with stroke and suggests that reducing smoking in adults less than 50 years may be an optimal way to combat the growing threat of stroke in younger adults,” Elkind told Healthline. Heavy smoking and stroke risk in young adults The researchers studied 546 people ages 18 to 49 who had an unexplained stroke. They were compared to people of the same ages and sexes who did not have strokes. Unexplained strokes are called cryptogenic strokes. They are a type of ischemic stroke triggered by a blockage of blood flow where the exact cause of the blockage isn’t clear. The researchers reported that 33% of people who had a stroke were also smokers compared to 15% of subjects who didn’t have a stroke. After adjusting for factors that could affect stroke risk, the researchers reported: People who smoked had more than twice the risk of having an unexplained stroke. Male individuals who smoked had three times the stroke risk. People ages 45 to 49 who smoked had nearly four times the stroke risk. The researchers also looked at people who smoked the equivalent of 20 packs a year or heavy smoking use. They found: People who were heavy smokers had more than four times the risk of an unexplained stroke. People ages 45 to 49 who smoked 20 packs a year had nearly five times the stroke risk. Men who smoked heavily had nearly seven times the stroke risk. Researchers noted the study group comprised mostly white Europeans, so the results may not be applicable to other populations. However, the results echo similar findings linking stroke risk with smoking. Experts say the findings are important. “The study on smoking and unexplained strokes in younger adults is both significant and concerning,” Christopher Yi, MD, a vascular surgeon at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in California, told Healthline. “The findings reinforce the well-established link between smoking and cardiovascular disease but introduce new concerns about its impact on younger populations.” José Morales, MD, a vascular neurologist and neurointerventional surgeon at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, California, agreed. “The data are interesting and highlight the serious health risks that smoking cigarettes pose. Studies such as these sound the alarm on the need to promote smoking cessation early through primary care efforts,” he told Healthline. “The study basically reaffirms what we’ve known all along, but it does address this issue specifically in younger patients who may not have any of the other typical risk factors that we commonly associate with strokes, such as high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity, etc.,” added Prashanth Krishnamohan, MD, a clinical associate professor of neurology and neurological sciences at Stanford University. How smoking increases stroke risk Experts say there are various ways that smoking affects the heart and raises stroke risk. “Smoking increases the stroke risk by several mechanisms by interfering with the cholesterol levels in the body, specifically elevating the levels of bad cholesterol (triglycerides and LDL) and lowering the levels of good cholesterol (HDL),” explained Krishnamohan. “It also leads to increased blood pressure and makes the blood stickier by reducing the oxygen content in the blood and as a result, leads to increased plaque buildup (atherosclerosis) in the arteries, causing narrowing and eventually blockage of the arteries.” “Smoking is known to cause a narrowing and hardening of the arteries, especially the coronary arteries (arteries of the heart),” added Jayne Morgan, MD, a cardiologist and vice president of medical affairs at Hello Heart.  “The chemicals in cigarette smoke damage the inner lining of the arteries creating plaques or fatty deposits that narrow the lumen, reduce the blood supply, and thereby the oxygen supply to the heart.” “Further, nicotine causes constriction of blood vessels, raising the blood pressure,” Morgan noted. “And finally, smoking produces carbon monoxide which binds more strongly to hemoglobin in the blood than oxygen, further contributing to artery damage and formation of blood clots.” Other health dangers of smoking The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports more than 16 million people in the United States live with a smoking-related disease. Smoking and secondhand smoke exposure are estimated to cause more than 480,000 deaths in the U.S. every year. CDC officials list smoking as the leading preventable cause of disease, death, and disability in the U.S. They note that smoking harms nearly every organ in the body and is linked to a variety of diseases, such as: cancer heart disease lung disease type 2 diabetes reproductive health issues certain eye diseases ailments involving the immune system “Most young people feel pretty invincible,” added Morales. “However, the truth is that much of the damage we become aware of in middle age starts when we are young. This includes smoking and other unhealthy lifestyle habits. This damage accumulates and has a pretty significant effect on your body years later. To live well, one should start taking care of their body early and often.” How to quit smoking The CDC lists a number of tips to help people who are trying to quit smoking. These include: Tell people you are quitting so they can support you. Get rid of all cigarettes in your home, car, and workplace as well as implements used in smoking such as lighters and matches. Distract yourself when you have the urge to smoke. Find a safe substitute for cigarettes such as cinnamon sticks. There are also products and programs that can help a person quit smoking. These include nicotine patch treatments as well as smoking cessation medications, and alternative therapies such as hypnosis and acupuncture. “There is no safe/acceptable level when it comes to the harmful effects of smoking,” Krishnamohan told Healthline. “Smoking not only affects the people who smoke, but also people around them, children and other nonsmoking adults in the household.” “This study shows that younger smokers face stroke risks typically associated with older populations, reinforcing the urgency to quit early before irreversible damage occurs,” added Yi. What to know about strokes A stroke occurs when a blood vessel in the brain bleeds or ruptures. It can also be caused by a blockage in the blood supply to the brain. The brain can then be deprived of oxygen, causing damage to tissues and cells. The CDC reports that every year, nearly 800,000 people in the U.S. have a stroke. About 600,000 are new or first strokes. A 2022 report noted that fewer people in the U.S. over 75 were experiencing strokes. However, stroke rates are on the rise in people ages 49 and younger, especially those in certain geographic areas. “Even as stroke rates are declining in people over age 75, they are increasing in those 50 and under, likely due to the increases in risk factors like high blood pressure, diabetes, obesity — and possibly smoking — in younger people,” Elkind said. A stroke can come on quickly and without warning. Symptoms include: paralysis weakness in the face, arms, or legs, especially on one side of the body trouble speaking or understanding others confusion or disorientation vision problems loss of balance or coordination dizziness Experts say the sooner a person who has had a stroke gets care, the better their outcome is likely to be. They note there are things a person can do to lower their risk of stroke. These include: quitting smoking limiting alcohol use keeping a moderate weight getting regular checkups Takeaway A new study outlines the health dangers for people under 50 who smoke. Researchers say the risk of an unexplained stroke is higher in younger adults who smoke. This is particularly true for males and people ages 45 to 49. The researchers found that people who smoke the equivalent of 20 packs or more per year had the highest stroke risks. The findings come amid reports of increasing stroke rates in people under 50.

President Trump issued an executive order to expand in vitro fertilization (IVF) access and lower costs, which can run up to $25,000 for a cycle. Jill Lehmann Photography/Getty Images President Donald Trump signed an executive order to improve access to in vitro fertilization (IVF) and reduce costs, which run as much as $25,000 for a cycle. Trump anticipates a proposal for nationwide IVF expansion within 90 days, but it’s unclear how long it could take for changes to out-of-pocket costs to occur. Fertility treatments like IVF are already covered by insurance in at least 40 states, with many companies offering fertility benefits to workers. Making IVF more accessible could help millions of Americans with infertility. President Donald Trump issued an executive order on Tuesday to expand access to in vitro fertilization (IVF).  The self-proclaimed “father of IVF” pledged during the 2024 presidential campaign to make the procedure more affordable for the growing number of people in the United States with fertility challenges. The president has not yet specified how the treatments would be paid for. Infertility is not covered by many insurance companies in the U.S.  Some employers provide cost-sharing fertility benefits to help reduce the financial burden of assisted reproductive technologies like IVF, but many Americans still pay out-of-pocket. A single IVF cycle can range from $12,000 to $17,000, and as much as $25,000 if medications are needed. An IVF cycle does not guarantee a live birth and often requires multiple treatment rounds. “Providing support, awareness, and access to affordable fertility treatments can help these families navigate their path to parenthood with hope and confidence,” the executive order states. “Therefore, to support American families, it is the policy of my Administration to ensure reliable access to IVF treatment, including by easing unnecessary statutory or regulatory burdens to make IVF treatment drastically more affordable.” No immediate impact on IVF costs, access IVF access varies from state to state. Currently, 22 states and Washington, DC have infertility coverage laws that vary widely. Massachusetts and Illinois have legislation mandating insurance coverage for IVF treatment. More employers now offer fertility benefits to workers to help with cost sharing. Fertility insurance can help offset infertility testing, diagnostics, and treatment costs. “Mandating coverage of IVF by insurance companies is certainly feasible as it is already being done on a state-by-state basis,” said Roger Shedlin, MD, CEO of WIN, a fertility and family wellness benefits provider. “This executive order is an important acknowledgment that access to fertility care matters. We’ve already seen state-level success in expanding IVF coverage through mandated insurance benefits — now there’s an opportunity to build on that momentum at a national scale,” he told Healthline. However, state and federal-level policy change doesn’t happen overnight. Trump’s executive order set a 90-day deadline for the Assistant to the President for Domestic Policy to submit “a list of policy recommendations on protecting IVF access and aggressively reducing out-of-pocket and health plan costs for IVF treatment.” This means the executive order will not immediately impact IVF costs or access. Beyond the 90-day timeline, it’s unclear when changes to policies around IVF will shift. “Generally, changes like this take time and are subject to the system catching up with demand,” said Christy Lane, Co-Founder of Flora Fertility, a fertility insurance provider. “[The] ability to pay will still often prioritize who gets access. It is important for people to own their health outcomes through private coverage where possible, so they are not subject to shifting political outcomes that can impact their healthcare access,” she told Healthline. Lane explained proposals like Trump’s IVF plan would broaden coverage for people with health insurance to help them avoid high out-of-pocket costs. While this is undoubtedly a positive effect, she noted the increase in demand could stretch fertility clinics beyond capacity and lead to longer wait times. “It will be imperative to utilize all the treatment options that come before IVF (such as medications and IUI), which can have successful outcomes with early intervention. These are currently not addressed in the executive order,” she said.  Trump’s IVF views clash with some conservatives Trump’s position on improving IVF access contrasts with some conservative groups and political leaders that have challenged the concept of personhood regarding frozen embryos conceived via IVF.  In February 2024, an Alabama Supreme Court ruled that frozen embryos are children, and destroying them, which is common practice after a successful live birth from IVF, is considered murder under state law. Alabama Gov. Kay Ivey, a Republican, later signed a bill offering legal protection for medical professionals providing IVF as well as patients.  While Trump has continued to support IVF access, the executive order does not address whether frozen embryos conceived via IVF would be eligible under the proposed expansion.  The executive order does not address whether transgender couples are eligible for improved access to the procedure, which would clash with the new federal “gender ideology” policy recognizing only two sexes: male and female. In Congress, Republicans are not yet on board with expanding IVF access. In June 2024, the party blocked a Democratic bill that would have guaranteed nationwide access to the procedure. “Fertility treatments are medical treatments and should be covered like them,” Shedlin said.  “Simply offering limited financial assistance isn’t enough — we need structured insurance coverage that ensures people can access the right treatments at the right time.” As infertility rates increase, many turn to IVF Infertility rates have risen in recent years, affecting around 9% of males and 11% of females in the U.S. Rising infertility rates may be attributed to a number of factors, including: Delayed childbearing — egg quality and quantity and sperm quantity and motility diminish with age. Increased exposure to environmental toxins. Unhealthy lifestyle habits — smoking, alcohol use, and poor diet have been linked to infertility. Stress arising from fertility challenges can make it difficult to become pregnant. Couples facing fertility challenges often turn to assisted reproductive technology (ART) to help them conceive. Intrauterine insemination (IUI) is a common intervention with varying success rates that decrease among females over 40. With IUI, the sperm is injected into the uterus through a catheter to increase the odds of fertilization during a female’s most fertile window. It requires far less medication and is more cost-effective than IVF.  With IVF, the treatment begins with self-administered injections containing estrogen-blocking medications and follicle-stimulating hormones to help the ovaries produce more eggs. When it’s time to trigger ovulation, the eggs are retrieved and fertilized in a laboratory dish (in vitro) before being transferred to a uterus or frozen. Fertility doctors often recommend bypassing IUI and trying IVF since the success rates are higher, particularly if the couple is older or of “advanced maternal age” (over 35). Still, IVF success rates are not high. A 2021 study shows that implantation was successful in 19% of people who underwent fresh embryo transfers. Among those who underwent frozen embryo transfers, successful implantation rates were higher at 29%. Pregnancy rates and live births were also higher in the frozen embryo transfer group. These lower success rates mean that many IVF attempts do not “stick” on the first try. This leaves couples to decide whether they will try again and bear the costs and accompanying emotions of another fertility cycle. Removing barriers to the procedure could help the millions of people facing infertility expand their families, while also reallocating some of those financial resources to the growing costs of raising children in the U.S.  “Access to IVF and fertility support should not be inaccessible due to finances. Governments and companies have the ability to help more people build families through well-managed care,” Shedlin said. Takeaway Infertility rates are rising in the U.S. To meet the growing need for fertility treatments, President Trump issued an executive order to expand in vitro fertilization (IVF) access. It’s unclear how long it could take for changes to occur regarding out-of-pocket costs for the procedure, which can run up to $25,000 for a cycle. Some states offer coverage for fertility treatments like IVF and many employers offer fertility benefits to help offset costs. “Expanded access means moving beyond one-size-fits-all policies,” Shedlin said. “It’s about ensuring comprehensive, managed coverage that provides not just a dollar amount, but the right care pathways to improve success rates and reduce costs over time.”

A new study confirms previous findings that hormonal birth control is associated with an increased risk of heart attack and stroke. SDI Productions/Getty Images New research suggests certain hormonal contraceptives may increase heart attack and stroke risks. The vaginal ring and skin patch were associated with the highest risk, but the absolute risk remains low. Smoking and certain health conditions can put females at a higher risk of cardiovascular issues linked to hormonal contraceptives. Discussing the pros and cons of hormonal birth control with your doctor can help inform your decision about which contraceptive method is best for you. New research suggests certain types of hormonal contraceptives are linked to a higher risk of heart attack and stroke. Estrogen-containing contraceptives — especially the vaginal ring and skin patch — had the highest risk, according to the study findings, which were published on February 12 in The BMJ. However, the group of Danish researchers emphasized that the absolute risk was still low. They recommend physicians consider the risks of hormonal birth control to make informed decisions for patients. Birth control ring, patch linked to higher cardiovascular risk Hormonal contraception is available in combined forms, including both estrogen and progestin, such as: birth control pills vaginal rings patches There are also progestin-only forms such as “mini” pills, injections, implants, and hormonal IUDs. While previous studies have shown hormonal birth control could raise heart attack and stroke risk, not much was known about the risks associated with these individual formulations. To answer this question, a team of researchers examined prescription records for over 2 million Danish females ages 15 to 49. Their goal was to determine whether subjects had a greater risk for heart attack or ischemic stroke (caused by blockages in the brain’s blood supply) compared to females who did not use hormonal contraceptives. Various types of hormonal contraception in both combined and progestin-only forms were examined. Exclusion criteria for the study included medical conditions such as: blood clots cancer liver disease kidney disease polycystic ovary syndrome (PCOS) endometriosis infertility treatment psychiatric medication use hormone therapy hysterectomy The researchers looked for cases of either heart attack or ischemic stroke among eligible female participants. Age, education, and pre-existing conditions like hypertension and diabetes were further factored in. They found that combined estrogen-progestin birth control pills were linked to twice the risk of stroke and heart attack. This would mean that, out of every 4,760 females, there would be one additional stroke if females used the pill for one year. Additionally, there would be one more heart attack for every 10,000 females after one year. Among progestin-only contraceptives, the risk was somewhat higher but lower than that for the combined pills. The vaginal ring and patch had higher risks, with the vaginal ring being linked to a 2.4 times greater risk for stroke and a 3.8 times greater risk for heart attack. The patch was associated with a 3.4 times greater risk for stroke. However, it was found that the progestin-only IUD was not linked to increased risk. It should be noted that this was an observational study, meaning the cause and effect could not be established. What to know about hormonal birth control The American Heart Association (AHA) states that hormonal birth control is currently safe for healthy young females. Still, Bradley Serwer, MD, an interventional cardiologist and chief medical officer at VitalSolution, a cardiovascular and anesthesiology service, said weighing the risks against the benefits is important. “If someone is high risk for complications, they may want to consider a safer option,” he told Healthline. Serwer wasn’t involved in the new study. Serwer added that certain groups of people are known to be at increased risk of complications from hormonal birth control. “These groups include those that smoke, have pre-existing blood clotting disorders, those with a history of migraines, those with known cardiovascular and peripheral vascular disease, those with obesity, and those with diabetes,” he explained. Serwer echoed the sentiments of the study authors, highlighting that the absolute risk of hormonal birth control is still very low. “As a medical professional, we need to sit down with our patients and help them weigh the risks and benefits so that an informed decision can be made,” he said. Ask your doctor about birth control risks Gowri Reddy Rocco, MD, founder and president at Optimum Wellness & Longevity, agreed that any concerns over risks associated with hormonal birth control should be addressed with your primary doctor or OB-GYN. Rocco wasn’t involved in the new study. “Certain studies have shown that IUDs may be safer with regards to blood clotting, but other studies have shown an increased risk for pelvic infections depending on the individual patient’s lifestyle,” she told Healthline. Rocco noted that condoms could be “a reasonable choice.” However, they should be avoided if you have a latex allergy. Other forms of nonhormonal birth control include options such as: diaphragms sponges cervical caps spermicides contraceptive gels fertility awareness abstinence tubal ligation (having your “tubes tied”) vasectomy Still, certain nonhormonal birth control methods may have their disadvantages. Their effectiveness is variable and may not be as high as hormonal birth control. Additionally, nonhormonal birth control may require a greater commitment to consistent and proper use. Certain forms of nonhormonal birth control can be quite costly, such as tubal ligation, which is also difficult to reverse. There may be certain risks depending on what form of nonhormonal birth control you’re using, such as: allergy irritation urinary tract infections (UTIs) toxic shock syndrome “The goal of medical professionals is to have an educated discussion with their patients and help them make the best decisions that best suit their needs while minimizing risk,” Rocco said. Takeaway A new study confirms previous findings that hormonal birth control is associated with an increased risk for heart attack and stroke. The vaginal ring and the patch were especially linked with higher risk for heart attack and stroke. On the other hand, the progestin-only IUD was not associated with higher risk. It is important to note, however, that absolute risk remains small. Hormonal contraceptives are considered to be safe for young, healthy females. Smokers and those with cardiovascular disease, blood clotting disorders, migraine headaches, obesity, and diabetes may be advised to use alternative birth control methods. Those concerned about risks associated with birth control should weigh the pros and cons with their doctor to find the best solution for their individual needs.

Laws that target the mental and physical health of transgender Americans may cause significant harm. ROBYN BECK/AFP via Getty Images Federal judges have struck down two of three recent executive orders issued by President Trump targeting the transgender community. Health agencies have restored deleted webpages containing DEI language, and gender affirming care for trans minors is expected to resume. An executive order barring trans girls and women from playing sports is still under litigation. While executive orders do not immediately become law, more work still needs to be done at the state level to ensure the identities of transgender people are affirmed. During his first few weeks in office, President Donald Trump signed multiple executive orders aimed at those who are transgender and gender diverse.  These orders sought to ban transgender girls and women from sports, remove funding for gender affirming care for transgender youth, and scrub language promoting diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) from health agency websites. The executive order on “gender ideology” declared that the United States would recognize only two biological sexes, defying scientific consensus surrounding gender and reversing human rights gains over the past few decades.  However, an executive order is not automatically law. Some are tied up in U.S. courts, with judges ruling in favor of plaintiffs challenging the administration’s actions. On February 11, a federal judge ordered health agencies like the National Institutes of Health (NIH), Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), and the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to restore deleted webpages containing DEI language after Doctors for America filed a lawsuit. On February 13, another federal judge blocked Trump’s order to restrict gender affirming care for trans youth. Before this ruling, some medical professionals reduced or eliminated gender affirming care, while others, such as those practicing in the state of New York, were instructed to maintain care. Litigation on the executive order barring trans girls and women from sports is underway. Jordan Held, LCSW, president and founder of Relentless Pursuit Therapy and Consulting and a board member of the Los Angeles LGBT Center, said that he and his colleagues saw a significant uptick in trans people of all ages in urgent need of mental health support after the executive orders were signed.  “Whatever the substance of the executive order, when your identity is named as a problem, it’s impactful,” Held told Healthline.  “And so what is happening, which is by design, is that these executive orders that are targeting certain communities are making people really validly think that they are in danger. You’re talking about a community that already has a heightened safety risk and rate of suicide and murder,” he said. Mental and physical health effects of anti-trans laws Laws that target the mental and physical health of transgender Americans may cause significant harm. According to research conducted by the Trevor Project, suicide attempt rates among transgender and nonbinary youth rose 72% from 2018 to 2022, an increase attributed to a rise of anti-trans legislation targeting the community.  A 2023 study shows transgender people are already around 11% to 20% more likely to experience suicidal ideation compared with their cisgender counterparts.  Transgender people are more likely to misuse substances. A 2021 study found that transgender people were more likely to use substances like drugs and alcohol than their cisgender peers. Beck Gee, AMFT, owner of BGC Bridge Consulting, trains clinicians to provide affirming care and works in substance use and mental health treatment spaces. Gee told Healthline the pressure of “feeling erased” causes significant mental health harm among trans folks, often leading to addiction and substance misuse. “It directly impacts people’s physical, mental well-being where [someone might think] ‘I don’t want to get out of bed, I increase my drinking and drug use, or I relapse, I try to disassociate in so many different ways, mainly really negative ways, that impact my ability to get up for work in the morning, or show up for my life, or show up for the people that love me, or just show up for myself,’” Gee explained. Beyond the data, there are also harrowing stories. On January 27, a transgender veteran took their own life on top of a hospital parking garage in Syracuse. Draped in the trans flag, they left a note published later by a writer on Substack. February 8, meanwhile, marked the 1-year anniversary of the death of Nex Benedict, a trans teen who was killed after being assaulted in the bathroom at their Oklahoma high school in 2024. Because of the potential negative effects of denying a trans person their identity, some medical professionals, scientists, and researchers, such as those affiliated with the journal The Lancet, have recently reaffirmed their commitment to the use of inclusive language. Federal agencies, meanwhile, have been ordered to restore deleted public-facing webpages and data containing DEI language so that medical professionals can access this important information for research and treatment. Trans people, athletes need physical activity, too A particular target of anti-trans policies challenging gender diversity is transgender youth, particularly those participating in sports. Historically, policies like these have sought to remove trans women from competition and scrutinize the bodies of all women competing, regardless of their assigned gender or sex at birth. During the summer 2024 Paris Olympics, for example, the South African runner Caster Semenya and the Algerian boxer Imane Khelif, neither of whom identify as transgender, navigated trans-exclusive policies and faced potential disqualification due to their intersex traits.  Some have argued the testosterone levels naturally present in transgender girls and women are equivalent to those present in doping. Trans women athletes continue to face hurdles despite research published by at least one anti-doping watchdog showing that transgender women who have undergone testosterone suppression have no biological advantages over their cisgender colleagues in elite sports. On February 6, the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) released a statement noting they would change their policies to align with the executive order issued by the White House barring trans girls and women from sports. At a Senate hearing in December, an NCAA representative noted that fewer than 10 athletes identify as transgender. The Department of Education is also pushing for collegiate and high school sports to remove the records, titles, and achievements of transgender athletes who previously competed.  Held, who competed in the NCAA as a rower before his transition, said that one of the main health effects of removing trans and gender diverse people from sports is that young people need physical movement.  “What’s happening for trans people and trans youth in particular [is] they’re afraid to play. Out of 500,000 NCAA athletes, there’s approximately 10 to 15 trans athletes we’re talking about. When it comes to [transgender]youth who play competitive sports, it’s an astronomically low number,” Held said. Denying trans athletes the opportunity to play, let alone compete, is damaging to both physical and mental health, Held noted. “We’re just blocking kids from play. And so from a pure human standpoint, this saddens me because we already, as a country, are dealing with an epidemic of young people using cellphones and social media and video games, and not engaging with peers. And this is further perpetuating this idea that kids do not deserve to play.” Acceptance of trans identities begins at the state level Jami Taylor, PhD, a professor at the University of Toledo and a co-author of “The Remarkable Rise of Transgender Rights,” said that while the public’s perceptions toward trans people have shifted, real change can happen at the state level. “We have nondiscrimination policies in more than 20 states that are still going to be in existence,” Taylor said in response to the recent executive orders. “The reach of them may be trimmed back a little bit with federal action, but those policies will still be on the books in a lot of states in the Northeast and on the West Coast and some of the Great Lakes states and assorted other states in the country,” Taylor told Healthline. “And those policies will still be there, regardless of what goes on in Washington, because we have a federal system.” Taylor noted that the status of state-level policies and laws are particularly relevant when it comes to healthcare for transgender youth.  “Currently there’s a lot going on in the health space for transgender youth. We see multiple states having policies that restrict such access,” Taylor explained. “The Trump administration is trying to roll out these types of changes nationally by using the executive orders, threatening [to] cut off funds to service providers and those sorts of things. We’ll see some of these policies challenged in court. We’ll see what happens with that. Some things the federal government can do, but again, federalism is going to put some limits on what the federal government can do,” Taylor continued. Gee added that one thing he is urging those affected by these policies to do is to find community, especially from older trans individuals and allies who have gone through decades of challenges to fundamental rights. “This is not something that is brand new. It feels new for a lot of young people because a lot of young people don’t know a lot of history. And so they’re learning,” Gee said. “When we start to learn these things and go, ‘Oh, there are people who have been in maybe not the exact same position but a very similar position before, what did they do?’ And seeking that help out too, is important.” Takeaway Federal judges have struck recent anti-trans executive orders issued by the White House. Health agencies like the NIH, CDC, and FDA have restored deleted webpages containing DEI language, and gender affirming care for trans minors will resume. Meanwhile, an executive order barring trans girls and women from playing sports is still under litigation. While executive orders do not immediately become law, more work is still needed to affirm and accept transgender identities.

Super Bowl LIX champion Dallas Goedert of the Philadelphia Eagles shares his journey with plaque psoriasis, an autoimmune skin condition. Brooke Sutton/Getty Images Super Bowl LIX champion Dallas Goedert of the Philadelphia Eagles shares his journey with plaque psoriasis. After 20 years of living with the autoimmune condition, Goedert is raising awareness. Goedert wants to inform NFL teammates, fans, and anyone interested in learning more about the chronic skin condition. Dallas Goedert is a Super Bowl LIX champion for his role as a tight end with the Philadelphia Eagles. In the February 9 victory against the Kansas City Chiefs, he recorded two receptions for 27 yards. “It was so much fun. Hard to believe. It feels like I’m dreaming, but it’s starting to become reality more and more now that I’m home,” Goedert told Healthline after his Super Bowl win. Geodert’s next mission is to use his platform as a football star to raise awareness about plaque psoriasis, an autoimmune skin condition he was diagnosed with when he was 10 years old. As the most common form of psoriasis, plaque psoriasis affects about 80 to 90% of people with psoriasis. “I never had somebody that I could look up to… a celebrity or somebody famous that has psoriasis, so being able to talk about my story is important to me because if I can help another kid struggling with the same thing I struggled with, that just means so much to me,” Goedert said. I am just another human.Dallas Goedert What is plaque psoriasis? Plaque psoriasis is a chronic, systemic inflammatory disease driven by an overactive immune system. “This means that it’s not just about the visible plaques; it’s linked to joint disease (psoriatic arthritis), cardiovascular risk, metabolic syndrome, and even mental health [issues] like depression and anxiety,” Adam Friedman, MD, professor of dermatology at George Washington School of Medicine and Health Sciences in Washington, DC, told Healthline. “[Many] medical problem[s] can be linked to psoriasis, as chronic inflammation is bad for every organ system.” The chronic condition causes psoriasis plaques, which are raised, inflamed, and scaly patches of skin that can cause itchiness and pain. While the condition has never interfered with Goedert’s ability to practice or play football, he said wearing pads and being stuck in sweat for long periods of time can make his skin feel itchy. “[But] all those things are things I’ve had to deal with and overcome,” he said. “It’s never fun, but you have to do a lot of things in your life that aren’t fun or are hard, and you just find a way to get through.” The plaques may appear different depending on the color of your skin. The National Psoriasis Foundation explains that plaques often appear as raised, red patches covered with a silvery white buildup of dead skin cells or scales on Caucasian skin. On skin of color, the plaques might look darker and thicker and have a purple, grayish, or darker brown color. Because the plaques are visible, people often misunderstand the condition as being contagious — but it’s not. “The plaques are caused by dysregulated skin cell turnover driven by inflammation, not infection,” Friedman explained. “Despite this, many patients still face stigma and social ostracism, as bystanders see red, flaky patches and assume infection, among other things, which can take a toll on their confidence and social interactions.” Eagles tight end Dallas Goedert at his home in the Philadelphia suburbs. Image Provided by Dallas Goedert Goedert can relate. “As a kid, I got spots on my skin, went to school, and teachers [and] friends were asking me ‘what is this? Is it contagious?’ Different things of that sort,” he said. “[Being] embarrassed, getting asked those questions was never fun.” As an adult and professional football player, Goedert still fields similar questions. Early in his NFL career, he tried to hide his condition. “When it’s on my arms, I’d wear long sleeves, try to cover up. When we go outside and have a workout in the sun, I kept my shirt on when a lot of people took their shirts off to get the sunshine,” Goedert recalled. Now, Goedert uses these opportunities to explain what plaque psoriasis is. “It was really important to spread the word; let my teammates know that I have plaque psoriasis — it’s not contagious. It’s something that starts within your body and shows on the outside,” he said. Finding the right treatment for plaque psoriasis When Goedert first showed signs of plaque psoriasis, his mother recognized the condition because a few family members also lived with it.   “So she was really instrumental [and] she took me to a doctor,” he said. “[Ever] since I was 10 years old, I’ve been trying different topicals, different things to help my plaque psoriasis.” Topical treatments are used to treat mild cases of the condition. “Corticosteroids, vitamin D analogs, and newer nonsteroidal agents like tapinarof or roflumilast can help control localized plaques,” Friedman said. But for Goedert, topicals aren’t the most effective. “[Being] a football player — sweating a lot, getting in and out of cold tubs, showering after workouts and practice —it was hard for me to put on topicals multiple times a day and keep it on long enough to have their effects,” he said. His doctor recommended he try the oral medication apremilast (Otezla), which he finds effective. Other oral treatments include TYK2 inhibitors like deucravacitinib. “I would just tell everyone, anybody that’s dealing with it, talk to your doctor because there are so many different ways to treat it and everybody can find the right solution for their lifestyle,” said Goedert. Friedman said other treatments for psoriasis include: Phototherapy (UVB light therapy) is used to treat widespread but moderate disease. It uses targeted UV light to slow down excessive skin cell growth. Biologics (injectables) target specific immune pathways driving psoriasis and effectively clear skin and prevent long-term inflammation. “Biologics like risankizumab, guselkumab, secukinumab, and bimekizumab have set a high bar, offering rapid, durable skin clearance with minimal side effects,” Friedman said. He added that psoriasis treatment has come a long way, and many effective treatments exist. “Given the options, the current mindset is we treat to clearance, which even 10 to 15 years ago was no easy feat,” Friedman said. “With the right treatment, clear skin is not only a real possibility for many patients but is an expectation today. This isn’t a condition people have to ‘live with.’” The improvements keep coming too, he added.   “We’re seeing ongoing breakthroughs in targeted therapies as well as optimization of said therapies to induce long standing remission, microbiome research, and even personalized medicine approaches that will continue to redefine what’s possible for psoriasis patients,” Friedman said. [Any] positive impact I can have on other people is pretty special.Dallas Goedert Helping young people learn more about the condition Goedert teamed up with Amgen, makers of Otezla, to share his story at DallasGStory.com. “I am just another human. We all go through our own issues and plaque psoriasis has been a big one in my life so it’s just so cool that I can [use] my platform and share my story, something I care about and want to get other people to learn about,” he said. Comforting and inspiring young football fans is most meaningful to him. “I had kids reach out to me saying, ‘I struggle with plaque psoriasis; thank you for talking about it,’ and that just means the world to me,” Goedert said. “[Any] positive impact I can have on other people is pretty special.” Takeaway After his big Super Bowl LIX win, Dallas Goedert, a tight end of the Philadelphia Eagles, is sharing his 20-year journey with plaque psoriasis. Goedert is raising awareness about the autoimmune skin disorder, hoping to inspire and support others who live with the condition.

NSYNC’s Lance Bass shares his journey with type 1.5 diabetes, also known as latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA). Josh Brasted/Getty Images NSYNC’s Lance Bass shares his journey with type 1.5 diabetes, also known as latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA). The singer opens up about being misdiagnosed with type 2 diabetes and how living with type 1.5 has impacted his well-being and relationship. Bass also explains why he is experimenting with a stem cell treatment. Last summer, pop star Lance Bass of NSYNC announced he was diagnosed with 1.5 diabetes after being misdiagnosed with type 2 diabetes four years earlier. “I’m all about educating people, Bass told Healthline. “This was so out of left field for me, so I know there are so many people out there, and it’s also going to come out of left field. I want them to feel seen, heard, and not so scared of it. Also known as latent autoimmune diabetes in adults (LADA), type 1.5 diabetes presents similarly to type 1 diabetes but with slower onset and progression. “LADA is diagnosed in adults over 30 years old and features a slower progression of autoimmune beta-cell destruction compared to type 1 diabetes,” Scott Isaacs, MD, president-elect of the American Association of Clinical Endocrinology, told Healthline. “Patients with LADA typically require insulin therapy within 5–10 years.” Type 1.5 diabetes is sometimes misdiagnosed as type 2 diabetes due to its adult onset and gradual symptom progression, Issacs noted. “The term 1.5 is used to describe adult-onset type 1 diabetes,” Karl Nadolsky, DO, endocrinologist and diplomate at the American Board of Obesity Medicine, explained to Healthline. The main differences among the three types of diabetes lie in their autoimmune involvement, age of onset, and insulin dependency. “While type 1 diabetes requires immediate insulin treatment, LADA patients may initially respond to oral agents before transitioning to insulin, and type 2 diabetes management focuses on lifestyle changes and oral medications, with insulin potentially needed later in the disease course,” Isaacs said. Type 2 diabetes that progresses may also require injectable blood-sugar-lowering medications, like GLP-1 receptor agonists. Healthline spoke with Bass to learn more about his misdiagnosis, how he is coping, and how the condition has affected his well-being and relationship. This interview has been edited and condensed for clarity and length. There were times I’d be so tired that I wouldn’t even get out of bed, and my legs wouldn’t work, and now I understand what it is.Lance Bass How is type 1.5 diabetes diagnosed? Bass: I do a normal blood panel every six months with my doctor cause I like to make sure that I stay healthy. When they said I was type 2, we started immediately trying to get that under control through medication, and we didn’t start insulin at all because they didn’t think I would need it. Then, after about 3 years of being type 2 and it not touching my glucose levels, I decided to go to a couple of other doctors and really get it checked out. After two months of studying my blood work, they realized [I was] that rare 1.5, which I had never heard of. It clicked, and it made sense. There were times I’d be so tired that I wouldn’t even get out of bed, and my legs wouldn’t work, and now I understand what it is. I felt like I was doing something wrong or maybe there was something else happening in my body, so it was definitely a relief knowing the right diagnosis. How is type 1.5 diabetes treated? Bass: I had to be insulin-dependent, and now I’ve got my levels under control. I’m learning how to use insulin. I’m happy, and I can say I definitely have it under control now. I wear a Dexcom G7 glucose monitor because it alerts you when your sugar goes really low. When my Dexcom alerts my phone, it sounds like a fire truck is at your house. My husband immediately knows to go grab some apple or orange juice for me, and he brings it to me. He takes care of me [and] jumps to action when he hears those alarms go off. Bass uses a continuous glucose monitor to help manage his blood sugar levels. Image Provided by Lance Bass How do you manage your type 1.5 diabetes symptoms? Bass: I’ve found some things that really work for me. The continuous glucose monitor is a lifesaver. When I first became diabetic, I was pricking my finger all the time. Once I started wearing my G7, it just changed everything because every 5 minutes, I can get a real-live read of where my levels are. If I’m at a birthday party and want to have just a bite of that birthday cake, I can look at my app and see if I can. Drinking tons of water helps bring my glucose readings down. I have one of those big jugs and I try to drink three of them a day. I add fiber to my diet, and I noticed that [my sugar levels] do not spike nearly as much at all. Adding electrolytes helps, too. And of course, you can’t beat exercise. Not just running and walking but lifting weights. I noticed that [it] really helps bring my levels down. When you’re lifting heavy, the sugar goes right to your muscles and you can really tell a difference. How has type 1.5 diabetes affected your mental health? Bass: I think I’m still adjusting. The first few years you think you’re so invincible that there must be a mistake so I think you’re in denial for a long time; there’s still part of me that feels like I’m in denial cause you just don’t want to face [having] a chronic illness. But you start to accept it more and more and you realize it’s not a death sentence, especially now when you have amazing devices like the Dexcom and great medications. [Doctors] know more about it, so it doesn’t scare me as much as it did when I was first diagnosed. To me, there is a lot of silver lining in being diabetic; you’re focused on being the healthiest version of yourself. If I didn’t have diabetes, maybe I wouldn’t take care of myself as much [and stay] as healthy as possible. Tell us about your experimental stem cell treatment Bass: I took it less than two weeks ago. They inject you with 90 million stem cells — they recommended 180 million, but we’re going to start slow and see what happens. It only took 15 minutes to get them into my body. You don’t feel anything. They say it takes about 3 or 4 weeks to feel [any effects]. I’m crossing my fingers that it does help me in particular with my insulin intake. I love science. I think it’s incredible, so I’m like a kid in a candy store when it comes to this kind of stuff. I want to make sure I can help people in the future so hopefully in a few months, I’ll have some good news on how it’s affected my body. You know how much someone loves you when they want you to be as healthy as possible.Lance Bass How has your condition affected your relationship? Bass: It really has brought us closer together. Having kids has brought us closer together and now this diagnosis has brought us closer together. You know how much someone loves you when they want you to be as healthy as possible. I always say being diabetic is a ful-time job because there’s so much you have to think about — the insulin, keeping it in the refrigerator, when you go out for the day and you have to work, did you remember to bring it? Are you making sure it didn’t get above a certain temperature? You have to take a certain amount of units 15 minutes before you eat a certain amount of carbs, so you’re always constantly thinking about your diabetes. Having a partner to help figure this out has just been a godsend… because, for 40 years, I never had to deal with this, so I’m kind of set in my ways. It’s like relearning how to walk in a way, so having [Michael] really helps. Lance Bass and his husband, the painter and actor Micheal Turchin. Image Provided by Lance Bass What do you hope people learn from your story? I’m lucky to have a very public persona. People listen and trust me, and I want them to see how I deal with my diagnosis and help people as much as I can [by] sharing how I use my G7 and how I’m experimenting with stem cells. I have a big young fan base. A lot of kids out there love following me, and they are now rediscovering NSYNC at a young age. It hurts my heart to see these really young kids with diabetes. I have 3-year-olds and I can’t imagine having to prick their finger every single day, and how scared they are; not understanding exactly what’s happening and why they have to do this and their friends don’t. Everyone has to do their journey their own way with their doctor, but I’m going to share what helps me and if that helps you, that’s going to make me happy. Takeaway While type 1.5 diabetes can be more challenging to diagnose, there are ways to treat the condition and manage your symptoms. Continuous glucose monitors can help you maintain optimal blood sugar levels. Stem cell treatments for LADA are currently in the experimental phase and have not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA). Like Bass, seeking care from your doctor can help ensure you receive the correct diagnosis and effective treatments.

RFK Jr.’s “Make America Healthy Again” platform aims to help reduce the growing chronic disease burden in the United States. Kevin Dietsch/Getty Images Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is the new Health and Human Services secretary after being confirmed by the U.S. Senate. Kennedy is expected to shake up the U.S. healthcare, food, and pharmaceutical industries by implementing programs and policies from his “Make America Healthy Again” platform. The MAHA agenda includes reducing chronic disease, improving food safety, and encouraging healthier diets. Robert F. Kennedy Jr. was confirmed by the U.S. Senate on Thursday as the nation’s new secretary for Health and Human Services (HHS). While Kennedy is best known for his views on the potential dangers of vaccines, he has laid out an ambitious agenda under his “Make America Healthy Again (MAHA)” platform. Among the topics are food safety, healthy diets, and mental health. Kennedy also focuses on environmental toxins, an issue that has driven many of his anti-vaccine stances. A MAHA political action committee has been established, officially separate from Kennedy. It promises to disrupt the healthcare system in the United States. “We are uniting health-conscious, independent-minded voters to champion transformative policies and hold government agencies accountable,” the committee’s website states. One of the main focuses of both Kennedy and the political action committee is the reduction of chronic disease in America. A major theme is preventive medicine versus treatment of illness. Overall, MAHA officials are looking at a major overhaul of the U.S. healthcare system. “Together we can create a medical system that is designed to heal, rather than prescribe,” a MAHA Action site states. The MAHA Action website breaks down what it calls “America’s Health Crisis” into six categories: Health Conditions in Children Chronic Health Conditions High Disability Rate Increase in Cancer Rate Spike in Illness Rate Mental Health Crisis Some experts express reservations about parts of the MAHA plan, but they also find positive aspects in other sections. Monica Gandhi, MD, a professor of medicine and associate chief of the Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, has concerns about Kennedy’s previous comments on vaccines. However, she thinks that there are some merits to other parts of the MAHA platform. “I think some of the elements of the Make America Healthy Again plan are really interesting and will likely have an impact on American health in terms of a healthier diet, metabolic health, and better mental health,” she told Healthline. Philip Werthman, MD, a urologist and director of the Center for Male Reproductive Medicine and Vasectomy Reversal in Los Angeles, shared similar sentiments. Werthman said that he was concerned by some of Kennedy’s past comments but agreed that we need to “separate the policies from the person” and look at the overall goals. “America is unhealthy. We can all agree on that,” Werthman told Healthline. “Something needs to change. We are not doing well. There are some good concepts here, no matter who is proposing them.” It should be noted that the MAHA platform doesn’t mention issues such as the Affordable Care Act (ACA) or Medicare drug price negotiations. Kennedy has offered few details on his plans for these government-run health insurance programs. Here’s a look at four main targets that are emphasized in the MAHA platform. Chronic disease burden The MAHA political action committee’s Chronic Illness in America section on its website lists several figures. Among them: About 60% of U.S. adults (204 million people) have at least one chronic disease. About 40% have at least two of these conditions, which include cancer, diabetes, and heart disease. The adult obesity rate in the United States stands at 42%, the first time the national rate has hovered above 40%. Only about 12% of Americans are metabolically healthy. Most of the rest of the populace has at least one metabolic condition, such as high blood pressure, elevated blood sugar, and abnormal cholesterol levels. The United States spends more than $12,000 per person per year on healthcare expenditures, the most among higher income nations. However, the United States ranks 49th among nations in life expectancy and last among higher income countries for infant and maternal mortality. MAHA officials advocate a multi-pronged solution to address these issues. “We advocate for a comprehensive, national strategy to address the root causes of America’s chronic disease crisis — poor diets, environmental toxins, and inadequate healthcare systems,” the MAHA Action website states. In his opening statement at his confirmation hearing, Kennedy said that he would focus more on chronic disease than he would on infectious illnesses such as COVID-19, measles, and the flu. Kennedy and MAHA officials see pollutants as a major source of chronic disease and illness. “RFK Jr. is going to ban harmful chemicals driving chronic illness and restore health to future generations,” the website states. The group also targets the pharmaceutical industry. “RFK Jr. is going to hold pharmaceutical companies accountable and reform a system that profits from chronic illness,” the website states as a solution to the increasing number of Americans living with chronic health conditions. Environmental toxins, vaccines The MAHA political action committee promotes the protection of natural habitats as a way to improve public health. “Clean air, water, and food are non-negotiables,” the committee site states. “We promote candidates and policies that remove harmful chemicals and pollutants to ensure every American lives in a toxin-free environment.” “RFK Jr. is going to clean up our air, soil, and water to protect health and our planet,” the MAHA Action website states as a solution to rising cancer rates. Werthman agreed a cleaner environment is essential for public health. In particular, he noted the effects environmental toxins have had on both male and female reproductive health. He says that he has first-hand knowledge from his field of work on lower testosterone levels and lower fertility rates. “Clean water and clean air make sense for anybody and everybody,” Werthman said. Kennedy’s passion for a cleaner environment is tied to the anti-vaccine views he has expressed over the years. As part of that campaign, Kennedy formed the World Mercury Project, which later became the Children’s Health Defense organization. There’s no mention of vaccines in the MAHA platforms, but some of the group’s leaders are vocal vaccination opponents. At his confirmation hearing, Kennedy refused to acknowledge the scientific consensus that childhood vaccines don’t cause autism and that COVID-19 vaccines saved millions of lives. He also falsely asserted the government has no good vaccine safety monitoring programs. At his hearing, Kennedy insisted that he isn’t anti-vaccination and that he supports inoculations. He stated that people who want to be vaccinated should be able to do so. Gandhi said that she hoped Kennedy’s statements on vaccines during the hearing were more reflective of how he would handle the nation’s vaccination programs. “Mr. Kennedy does have a history … of not supporting vaccinations for children,” she said.  “Vaccines are the safest way to combat infectious diseases since they help you generate immunity against the pathogen without having the disease from the pathogen. Therefore, I would hope that RFK Jr. keeps to his promises in the hearing to help encourage childhood vaccination (with a focus on vaccine safety) for American children,” Gandhi added. Werthman said that he believes vaccines work and are essential, but he also thinks there should be room to maneuver for people who are skeptical or don’t like the number of recommended vaccines for children. “Nothing in life should be one-size-fits-all,” he said. Food safety, nutrition Kennedy plans to use his stature as HHS secretary to take on the food industry. “All Americans deserve access to clean, organic, healthy food for our families and children,” the MAHA action site states. “Major food companies need to take accountability and responsibility for the ingredients that they put in our food and how they market their products to consumers.” At his Senate confirmation hearing in January, Kennedy promised to “scrutinize the chemical additives in our food supply.” In the past, he has pushed for getting rid of food dyes, such as red dye No. 3, and other additives that are currently banned in other countries. He has also advocated for eliminating fluoride in drinking water as well as promoting the virtues of raw milk despite some concerns over bacterial contamination in those products. Peter Lurie, MD, the executive director of the Center for Science in the Public Interest, a non-profit group that advocates for food safety, told the BBC that banishing food dyes and other additives could be beneficial. However, he wasn’t as enthusiastic about Kennedy’s views on raw milk. “There’s no evidence of any nutritional benefit of any magnitude that we know that comes from non-pasteurizing of milk,” Lurie said. What Americans choose to eat is an area the MAHA platform also spotlights. The MAHA political action committee site notes that poor diet contributes to more than 500,000 deaths each year in the United States. “Diets high in processed foods, sugars, and unhealthy fats are linked to increased rates of obesity, diabetes, and cardiovascular diseases,” the website states. At his confirmation hearing, Kennedy pointed out what he considered to be the poor contents of the meals given to schoolchildren under the Supplemental Nutrition Assistance Program (SNAP). Kennedy has also been a proponent of reducing ultra-processed foods. At his confirmation hearing, Kennedy said ultra-processed foods are “poisoning” the American people, although he noted that he wouldn’t ban those products. “American kids did not suddenly get gluttonous and lazy,” Kennedy said. “Something is poisoning them.” Werthman agreed that healthy diets equal healthy people. “This is critical. You are what you eat,” he said. “We have to eat better.” Mental health A study spanning from 2015 to 2018 from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reported that about 25% of females ages 60 and older reported taking antidepressants in the 30 days before being surveyed. The CDC also reported that about 13% of children ages 3 to 17 had a current, diagnosed mental or behavioral health condition from 2018 to 2019. “RFK Jr. is going to address the root causes of the mental health crisis and reduce dependence on medications,” the MAHA action site states as a solution to the nation’s mental health crisis. Kennedy has been critical in the past of using medications to treat behavioral health conditions. Werthman said that the United States has “a mental health epidemic,” one that is affecting a generation of college students. He says that a system is needed to address the root causes of these illnesses. Overall, Werthman says, an overhaul of the U.S. healthcare system is necessary. “We’ve lost our way when it comes to healthcare,” he said. “The center of the target should be the patient and the patient-doctor relationship. Everything else should be in service to that relationship.” Takeaway Robert F. Kennedy Jr. is expected to shake up the U.S. healthcare industry after being confirmed by the Senate as the new secretary for Health and Human Services (HHS). Kennedy has said that he would like to focus on the chronic disease epidemic in the United States with less focus on treating infectious illnesses such as COVID-19, measles, and the flu. Kennedy has also said that he wants to improve food safety programs as well as reduce environmental toxins and encourage Americans to eat a healthier diet. Experts say they have concerns about Kennedy’s views on topics such as vaccines, but they think there are merits to some other parts of his Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) agenda.

For the first time, the death rate for the flu is higher than the mortality rate for COVID-19. Daniel de la Hoz/Getty Images The CDC reports the highest level of flu cases since the swine flu pandemic of 2009. For the first time, the death rate for flu cases is higher than the mortality rate for COVID-19. Everyone can do their part to stop the spread of flu by getting vaccinated and staying home if you’re sick. The number of flu cases in the United States is currently at its highest level in 15 years. In addition, more people are dying from influenza than from COVID-19 for the first time since the pandemic began in 2020. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) reports that “seasonal influenza activity remains elevated and continues to increase across the country.” CDC officials say flu levels remain “very high” or “high” in the majority of states. More than 48,000 people in the U.S. were admitted to hospitals with influenza during the week that ended on February 1. That’s the highest level since the H1N1 swine flu pandemic in 2009. The CDC reports that nearly 8% of visits to a healthcare professional that week were for respiratory illnesses, a trend that continues upward. Lab data collected by the CDC shows that 31% of tests collected in a week were positive for influenza, significantly higher than the 18% recorded during the peak flu season last year. In addition, the CDC states that 2% of deaths nationwide were attributed to influenza. That’s higher than the 1.5% attributed to COVID-19. Overall, the CDC estimates there have been 24 million illnesses, 310,000 hospitalizations, and 13,000 deaths from the flu this season this year. How bad is this year’s flu season? Experts say this flu season has been rough, although not necessarily record breaking. “We are in the midst of a severe influenza season right now,” William Schaffner, MD, an infectious disease expert and a professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, told Healthline. “Across the country, doctors’ offices, emergency departments and hospitals are chock full of patients with fever who are coughing and feeling miserable.” “Flu seasons vary in severity from year to year. Sometimes more severe seasons are triggered by the appearance of a new influenza strain. That is not apparent this year.  Exactly why this season is so severe is not known,” Schaffner said. Yvonne Maldonado, MD, a professor of global health and infectious diseases at Stanford University, agreed this year’s flu season has been a bit of a mystery. “It’s hard to predict what each season’s flu pattern will look like,” she told Healthline. “We don’t have a way of predicting except to track what happens in the southern hemisphere in their flu season, which generally runs from April through September. In 2024, however, the southern hemisphere did not exhibit the same pattern that we are seeing in the U.S.” Timothy Brewer, MD, a professor of medicine in the division of infectious diseases at the David Geffen School of Medicine at the University of California Los Angeles and of epidemiology at the UCLA Fielding School of Public Health, said that during the 2009–2010 swine flu epidemic, there were an estimated 60 million flu cases in the U.S. There were also more than 274,000 hospitalizations and nearly 12,500 associated deaths. “This year has been a bad flu year, but it’s not out of bounds,” Brewer told Healthline. Brewer added that almost all of the flu cases this season are influenza A with variants H1N1 and H3N2, strains that have been circulating for years. He said the H3N2 variant tends to have a higher mortality rate, which may explain the relatively high number of deaths this season. Inderpal Randhawa, MD, an internist, immunologist, pediatrician, pediatric pulmonologist, and medical director of the Children’s Pulmonary Institute at MemorialCare Miller Children’s & Women’s Hospital Long Beach in California, said there may be other factors for the higher mortality rate this season. Randhawa told Healthline that his practice is seeing a high number of flu patients who also have another virus, such as: respiratory syncytial virus (RSV)  rhinovirus human metapneumovirus “In these patients, the immune system is being overwhelmed by the back-to-back viruses,” Randhawa said. Randhawa added that another factor is this season’s flu strain seems to bring on strong symptoms quickly, causing some patients to be diagnosed and treated when the virus is already well entrenched. “If this hits you like a ton of bricks, don’t delay. Assume it’s the flu,” he advised. Lower vaccination rates and flu risk CDC officials report around 45% of U.S. adults have been vaccinated against the flu this season, about the same percentage as a year ago. They add that about 45% of children ages 6 months to 17 years have received an influenza vaccine, down from 50% a year ago and nearly 60% at this time in 2020. The CDC recommends that nearly everyone 6 months and older get a flu vaccine every season. Experts note that lower vaccination rates may continue to cause problems in the future. “I think vaccination rates declining will lead to not only more flu outbreaks but unfortunately a greater mortality rate from influenza in future years,” Monica Gandhi, MD, a professor of medicine and associate chief of the Division of HIV, Infectious Diseases, and Global Medicine at the University of California San Francisco, told Healthline. “The national influenza vaccination recommendations could not be simpler. Everyone ages 6 months and older should receive influenza vaccine each fall,” Schaffner added. “Unvaccinated persons run the risk of getting more severe disease, leading to more hospitalizations and deaths.” Brewer said the declining vaccination rate among children is particularly worrisome. He says vaccinations not only protect children but they also lower the risk of children spreading the disease to older adults and other vulnerable populations. Randhawa is also concerned. “I tell younger patients that if they don’t do it for themselves to do it for their parents and grandparents,” he said. “The lower vaccination rates don’t bode well for this year and they don’t bode well going further,” Brewer added. Flu prevention tips Influenza is often considered a winter ailment. However, the official flu season runs from October to May. Experts say flu seasons tends to peak in January and February for a number of reasons. “This is the exact season in which respiratory viruses usually surge and coincide with cold, dry weather (conditions favorable for viruses), people being indoors and around each other without ventilation and with forced heating,” Gandhi said. The flu is a highly contagious disease that you can spread to another person even before you exhibit symptoms. You can also still be contagious five to seven days after your illness. Symptoms of the flu include: sudden or excessive fatigue body aches and chills persistent dry cough sore throat fever of 100 degrees or more diarrhea, nausea, or vomiting Experts say there are several things that people can do to lower the spread of influenza. Among them: get a flu vaccination every year avoid people who are sick or who exhibit symptoms of the flu stay home if you are sick wear a mask while indoors with other people use ventilation when possible at indoor events wash your hands frequently Experts note that flu vaccinations don’t prevent someone from contracting the virus but can help reduce the risk of serious illness. If you do get the flu, there are medications you can take to reduce symptoms and shorten the illness’ duration. Self-care treatments for the flu include: drink lots of water drink herbal tea or tea with honey eat healthy foods such as fruits and vegetables sleep as much as possible add moisture to the air with a vaporizer or humidifier Takeaway The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reports that flu cases in the U.S. this season are at their highest since the 2009-2010 swine flu. For the first time, the death rate for the flu is higher than the mortality rate for COVID-19. Experts say there are several reasons for the strong flu season, including lower vaccination rates, especially in children. Another is the strength of the H1N1 and H3N2 variants that are circulating. Experts say you can lower your risk of getting the flu by wearing a mask when indoors, washing your hands thoroughly, and avoiding people who have the flu or are exhibiting symptoms of the illness.

Several executive orders issued by President Trump during his first week in office remain tied up in U.S. courts. J. David Ake/Getty Images A federal judge ordered the HHS, CDC, and FDA to restore webpages and public-facing media that were scrubbed following President Trump’s executive order on “gender ideology.” The ruling follows a lawsuit filed by Doctors for America against the health agencies, which argued that removing the websites and data was a violation of federal law. Several executive orders issued by the new administration remain tied up in U.S. courts. President Donald Trump’s barrage of executive orders during his first week in office led to multiple lawsuits targeting his administration’s actions. The executive order on gender ideology stated a new federal policy that would only recognize “two sexes, male and female,” forcing major health organizations to scrub webpages containing gender-inclusive and diversity, equity, and inclusion (DEI) language.  After the president issued the order, federal health agencies were required to remove all websites and public-facing media that “promote gender ideology” by the end of January. However, on Tuesday, a federal judge ordered the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), and the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to restore deleted data after Doctors for America filed a lawsuit against the health agencies.  U.S. District Judge John Bates granted a temporary restraining order during the litigation process pursued by the nonprofit organization. The group filed the lawsuit on February 4.  Doctors for America argued that its members relied on the deleted data to conduct research, provide medical care for patients, and inform how they respond to public health matters like youth risk behaviors and sexually transmitted infections like HIV. For instance, the CDC’s Youth Risk Behavior Survey had been deleted to comply with the new administration. Deleting public health data violates federal law Judge Bates agreed with Doctors for America that deleting public health data violated federal law and ordered the HHS, FDA, and CDC to restore deleted data and online resources to the agencies’ public-facing websites by midnight on Tuesday. “It bears emphasizing who ultimately bears the harm of defendants’ actions: everyday Americans, and most acutely, underprivileged Americans, seeking healthcare,” Bates wrote.  Bates argued that if doctors “cannot provide these individuals the care they need (and deserve) within the scheduled and often limited time frame, there is a chance that some individuals will not receive treatment, including for severe, life-threatening conditions. The public thus has a strong interest in avoiding these serious injuries to the public health,” the judge continued. Health professionals rely on public health data The executive order on gender ideology preceded an executive order issued on January 22 that halted public health communications from federal health agencies. The pause in health communications, which was expected to end on February 1, left important public health information about the growing bird flu outbreak and rising respiratory virus cases in limbo.  According to health experts like Monica Gandhi, MD, MPH, a professor of medicine at the University of California, San Francisco, the pause “generated havoc” in the scientific and medical communities.  “The worry is that the CDC needs to update numbers on their website (i.e., new H5N1 cases) on a daily basis, so any delay can be a problem,” Gandhi told Healthline last month. While some federal health communications resumed on February 6, such as the CDC’s Morbidity and Mortality Weekly Report (MMWR), it’s unclear which communications streams remain dark. Some executive orders tied up in courts There is only so much power an executive order has in determining policy. For starters, it must be supported by Congress. Several of President Trump’s executive orders are currently held up in U.S. courts. Among them are a pause in federal funding, cuts to medical research grants, and challenges to birthright citizenship.  Some judges appear to be ruling in favor of the challenges to the administration’s actions, but litigation is still ongoing. Takeaway A federal judge ordered federal health agencies to restore public-facing media, which was deleted following President Trump’s executive order on “gender ideology.” The order came after Doctors for America filed a lawsuit against the HHS, CDC, and FDA. The nonprofit organization argued that deleting necessary and potentially lifesaving public health data is a violation of federal law. Several executive orders issued by President Trump remain tied up in U.S. courts.

Moon face is a colloquial term describing a facial bloating symptom associated with Cushing’s syndrome. Kevin Mazur/Getty Images for Netflix Amy Schumer made light of a recent diagnosis in her new comedy film “Kinda Pregnant.”  The actor and standup comedian received a Cushing’s syndrome diagnosis in 2024.  The condition may cause significant facial swelling, colloquially termed “moon face.” Facial puffiness can have many causes, including hormonal changes.  Temporary puffiness can be treated with skin care treatments, but swelling from Cushing’s Syndrome requires medical intervention. Amy Schumer joked about her “moon face” diagnosis in her new Netflix comedy, “Kinda Pregnant.”  In the movie, the 43-year-old actor and standup comedian plays Lainy, an English teacher who, feeling jealous of her best friend’s pregnancy, decides to fake a pregnancy by wearing a baby bump.  In a scene set in a maternity store, Schumer has an awkward encounter with a worker who asks how far she is in her pregnancy.  The worker pinches her cheeks and says, “Judging by your facial bloating, five months?” Schumer replied, “I’ll break your f**king neck,” before forcing a smile and saying, “I’ve been a freaking wreck.” In 2024, the actress revealed she had been diagnosed with Cushing’s syndrome after her swollen face was criticized on the internet. Cushing’s syndrome is a hormonal disorder that occurs when the body produces too much of the stress hormone cortisol. The condition may cause acne, weight gain, and significant facial swelling, known colloquially as moon face. Schumer received her Cushing’s syndrome diagnosis shortly before filming “Kinda Pregnant.” “I learned I had this condition and that I had something called moon face. And I’m starring in a movie — and there’s a camera right in my face,” she revealed on the “Call Her Daddy“ podcast.  Schumer also has endometriosis, a condition where tissue similar to the uterine lining grows outside the uterus. This condition can also contribute to facial puffiness from fluid retention and systemic inflammation.  What is moon face? Moon face may occur through excess inflammation and cortisol accumulation. Moon face is not an official medical term, but rather, a common way to describe certain changes in facial appearance. On social media platforms like TikTok, “cortisol face” and “moon face” are often used interchangeably. “Moon face refers to noticeable swelling and roundness of the face, often caused by fluid retention and fat redistribution,” Hannah Kopelman, MD, a dermatologist at Kopelman Aesthetic Surgery, told Healthline. “The most common culprit is long-term corticosteroid use, which alters fat metabolism and leads to increased fat deposits around the face,” she explained. What causes moon face? Moon face can have other causes.  “I also see this in patients with hormonal imbalances, chronic inflammation, and medical conditions like Cushing’s syndrome, where excess cortisol triggers fat accumulation in the cheeks and jawline,” Kopelman said. Cortisol accumulated by everyday stress is not enough to cause moon face, however. “High stress does not result in sufficiently elevated levels of cortisol to present with moon face,” Caroline Messer, MD, double board certified endocrinologist and founder of Well by Messer, told Healthline. “Moon face can be caused by any condition that markedly increases cortisol in the body. This includes taking high doses of steroids, pituitary tumors that stimulate the adrenal gland to produce cortisol, and adrenal tumors that overproduce cortisol,” she explained.  Contrary to popular belief, Messer said poor diet, disrupted sleep, lack of exercise, and high stress are not marked enough to manifest as moon face. However, she noted unhealthy food choices, lack of sleep, and minimal exercise can lead to facial weight gain, which may masquerade as moon face.  Moon face and hormonal health: What’s the link?  Hormonal changes from pregnancy or endometriosis, for example, may lead to noticeable facial bloating. Kopelman said it’s something she sees in patients regularly.  “Hormonal fluctuations can lead to noticeable facial bloating as estrogen and progesterone shifts can cause the body to hold onto excess water, leading to puffiness,” she explained.  “Many of my patients who take corticosteroids, hormonal birth control, or fertility treatments also report facial swelling as a side effect.”  However, Kopelman noted these changes are usually temporary and can be managed with lifestyle adjustments.  How to treat moon face  Treatment for moon face will depend on its severity and root cause.  “Moon face from taking high dose steroids ‘i.e., exogenous steroids’ can be treated by tapering off those steroids,” said Messer.  However, it’s important only to do this under the advice of your physician.  Cushing’s syndrome will often require adrenal surgery or can be treated with medications for patients who are not candidates for surgery.  “There are no foods to avoid despite many claims to the contrary all over social media,” Messer added. If you’re experiencing temporary puffiness and facial swelling unrelated to an underlying health condition, skin care treatments may help.  “For temporary puffiness, I often recommend cryotherapy facials, which use cold temperatures to reduce inflammation and tighten the skin,” Kopelman said. “In my practice, I’ve also seen great results with radiofrequency and ultrasound treatments, which can improve circulation and encourage lymphatic drainage,” she added. If facial swelling is persistent, worsening, or accompanied by other concerning symptoms, like skin changes, rashes, or pain, it may be a good idea to consult your primary care physician to rule out any underlying conditions. Your doctor may recommend a visit with a dermatologist for further evaluation. Takeaway  Actor and comedian Amy Schumer joked about her “moon face” in her new film “Kinda Pregnant.” Moon face is a colloquial term describing a facial bloating symptom associated with Cushing’s syndrome. While temporary puffiness can be managed with skin care and lifestyle changes, conditions like Cushing’s syndrome require medical intervention. If swelling persists, it’s best to consult a specialist to determine your next steps and rule out any underlying conditions.

A new study reports that females who started menopause later had less oxidative stress and better heart health. RgStudio/Getty Images Cardiovascular risk goes up after menopause due to declining estrogen levels. However, females who enter menopause later have less risk of heart attack and stroke. A study found that later-onset menopause is linked to lower oxidative stress and improved endothelial function. Experts say it’s important to manage blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar as you age. Stress reduction, good sleep, a healthy diet, and regular exercise can also help maintain heart health. Could the age of menopause onset affect heart health? According to a new study, females who started menopause at ages 55 and older had healthier cardiovascular systems than those who stopped menstruating earlier. The findings, published January 30 in Circulation Research, offer insight into why females who hit menopause later have a lower risk of heart attacks and stroke. The authors explained that reduced levels of certain triglyceride-derived lipid metabolites contributed to lower oxidative stress, which leads to improved endothelial function. When there is endothelial dysfunction, blood flow to the heart is restricted, which may lead to heart attacks in females. The authors of the new study say that understanding these factors could help physicians personalize female patients’ care throughout their lifetimes, reducing their risk of heart disease. This is significant because, as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) notes, heart disease affects more than 60 million females in the United States. It is also the leading cause of death in the U.S. Menopause age linked to cardiovascular disease risk The authors explained it’s already known that females’ risk of early heart attack and stroke risk is lower than males. However, after females reach menopause, the risk rises to the same level as males. Additionally, a female’s age at menopause makes a difference. If she starts menopause at 55 or older, her likelihood of developing heart disease is 20% lower than someone who stops having their menstrual cycle at a younger age. The authors of the recent study wanted to find out why. To do this, the researchers measured the brachial artery flow-mediated dilation of 92 females to see how the artery in their upper arms could dilate when blood flow increased. They also measured their mitochondrial health and ran hormone tests to confirm menopause. Finally, they conducted analyses to determine what factors contributed to differences in mitochondrial reactive oxygen species bioactivity and endothelial function. As expected, postmenopausal females had worse arterial function. However, there was a difference between the late-onset menopause group and those who stopped menstruating earlier. The late-onset group had 24% worse vascular function than premenopausal females, while the normal-onset group had 51% worse vascular function than premenopausal females. It was also noted that these differences lasted for five years or more beyond menopause. This led the authors to speculate that women who go through later menopause are protected from the vascular dysfunction that can arise from oxidative stress. What’s the link between menopause and cardiovascular disease? Noor Dastgir, MD, a cardiologist with Oladoc, said estrogen helps protect the cardiovascular system. “It helps maintain blood vessel flexibility and regulates cholesterol levels,” he told Healthline. According to Dastgir, this is why later menopause can benefit females. Heather A. Trivedi, assistant professor of cardiology at Montefiore Einstein Advanced Care, elaborated further, noting that cardiovascular disease is the leading cause of death as people age. “Traditional risk factors for the development of cardiovascular disease include smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, and obesity,” she told Healthline. Menopause accelerates this risk, Trivedi explained, especially if females begin menopause before the age of 40. Trivedi added that the typical menopause symptoms — such as sleep and mood disturbances, weight gain, and decreased energy — can make females less active, which also increases these traditional risk factors. She further echoed Dastgir’s comments about hormonal changes, stating that declining estrogen levels may cause a direct increase in low-density lipoprotein (LDL) cholesterol, the so-called “bad” cholesterol responsible for clogging arteries. How females can lower cardiovascular disease risk Michelle Routhenstein, a preventive cardiology dietitian and certified diabetes educator at EntirelyNourished.com, said the study’s findings are important since they help us understand how the timing of menopause affects heart health. “It also opens the door for further studies and conversations with healthcare providers about whether hormone replacement therapy (HRT) could be a helpful option for those who go through menopause early,” she told Healthline. Routhenstein added there are also other proactive steps females can take to improve their cardiovascular health. “To reduce the risk of heart attacks and strokes as we age, women should monitor and optimize all their cardiometabolic risk factors — such as blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar,” she said. Additionally, females can work to prioritize their heart health and endothelial function through: stress management quality sleep consistent exercise (aerobic and resistance training) a nutritious diet that avoids caloric restriction “A nutrient-adequate diet is focused on improving endothelial health, addressing oxidative stress, inflammation, and insulin resistance that may arise during the menopausal transition,” Routhenstein said. Takeaway A new study reports that later-onset menopause is associated with a reduced risk of cardiovascular compared to those who stop menstruation at an earlier age. The study’s authors reported starting menopause later is linked to less oxidative stress and, therefore, healthier blood vessels. Experts say hormone replacement therapy could potentially help women who go through early menopause. Additionally, it is important to manage risk factors for heart disease, such as maintaining healthy blood pressure, cholesterol, and blood sugar levels. Stress management, quality sleep, regular exercise, and a balanced diet can also help protect heart and blood vessel health.

Comedian Wanda Sykes is raising breast cancer awareness in a new commercial airing on Superbowl Sunday. Photography by Riis Massey-Williams Comedian Wanda Sykes shares her journey with breast cancer and why she is raising awareness. While 1 in 8 females may face breast cancer in their lifetime, early detection increases survival rates. Regular mammograms can detect breast cancer at earlier stages. Known for her funny standup routines and acting roles in sitcoms like “The Upshaws,” Wanda Sykes knows how to get her audience’s attention. On Super Bowl Sunday, Sykes’s commercial appearance could capture the attention of millions of viewers tuning into the event. The Novartis commercial, “Your Attention, Please,” confronts society’s fixation on breasts and brings breast health to the forefront of the conversation by spreading awareness regarding early detection.  “I was happy to do it to get the message out [on] early screening. I know how many women this is going to reach. It was easy to sign on to be a part of this,” Sykes told Healthline. Breast cancer is personal for Sykes. In 2011, she became one of the average 1 in 8 females who will face breast cancer in their lifetime. At 47 years old, while going through the process of having breast reduction surgery, she was diagnosed with ductal carcinoma in situ (DCIS), a collection of cancerous cells inside the lining of a breast duct. Although she was stage 0, Sykes chose to undergo a double mastectomy because cancer runs on her mother’s side of the family. “I didn’t know there was such a stage as stage 0 because friends and loved ones who had gone through it weren’t as fortunate; they were like stage 3 and stage 4, but when I heard cancer, of course, it was terrifying because I had so many people close to me, I knew what they were going through,” she said. Early detection of breast cancer matters Sykes felt fortunate that her cancer was detected in its early stages. Before her diagnosis, she regularly got mammograms and valued the benefit of screenings. “Early detection [is] key,” Sykes said. Stage 0 breast cancer has a 5-year survival rate greater than 99% and is typically discovered during a routine mammogram or screening. “Not quite as scary as it used to be,” Sykes noted. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommends that females begin getting mammograms at 40 and continue every two years until they are 74. However, females can still choose to get a mammogram every year. Mammograms are the standard of care for screening women with an average risk of breast cancer, and annual mammograms can help detect changes in breast tissue, said Paul Baron, MD, chief of breast surgery at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital. “The best way of finding cancer is when it’s small because it may only require a lumpectomy and may not need chemotherapy, and treatment is easier,” he said. He added that there is an increase in younger women getting breast cancer. New data from the American Cancer Society (ACS) found that between 2012 and 2021, the incidence rate of breast cancer overall increased by about 1% each year. However, the incidence rate among women under age 50 increased by about 1.4% each year. “If patients are in their 30s, they are not generally getting mammograms. They are usually feeling a lump, which then leads to imaging,” said Baron. Breast cancer assessment test encourages screenings The commercial featuring Sykes directs viewers to the website YourAttentionPlease.com, where they can sign up to receive mammogram reminders. The site also includes a link to the Tyrer- Cuzick Risk Assessment Test, which calculates a person’s lifetime risk of breast cancer based on the following: age body mass index (BMI) breast density age of first menstruation pregnancy history stage of menopause use of hormone replacement therapy prior breast biopsy history cancer history genetic testing family cancer and genetics history Baron said that all of his patients take the assessment test. “It’s not perfect, but it’s considered the best one we have. You can do it yourself, and it only takes a few minutes,” he noted. Females with a lifetime risk of breast cancer that is 15% or less are considered average risk. Females with a 20% or greater lifetime risk are classified as high risk for breast cancer. They are candidates for increased screening with annual mammograms and annual breast MRIs, alternating between the two every 6 months. In some cases, risk-reduction medications may be recommended, said Blakely D. Kute, MD, board certified medical oncologist and hematologist at Norton Cancer Institute. “Genetic testing and lifestyle modifications are often discussed with this group as well,” she said. She noted that legislation now requires that females be notified about their breast density. “[But] it is unclear whether screening recommendations should differ for women with dense breast tissue. Currently, there are no guidelines suggesting additional imaging for this group, and insurance is unlikely to cover them,” said Kute. Breast ultrasounds may be used for screening in females with dense breast tissue and can detect breast abnormalities, including cysts, tumors, and blood clots. Like mammograms, however, ultrasounds may also show false positives. Research suggests nearly half of females experience at least one false positive mammogram during a decade of annual screenings. With ultrasounds, that figure is even higher. While ultrasound for breast cancer screening in females with dense breasts detects 4.4 more cancers per 1,000 females compared to mammography alone, the false-positive rate for ultrasound is higher than 90%, according to some estimates. “Ultrasound finds a lot of false positives because a lot of people have cysts, and it picks up on those, and those lead to other imaging and biopsies and procedures,” said Baron. Breast cancer disproportionally affects women of color Breast cancer is most common in non-Hispanic white and Black females, occurring at similar rates in each group. However, from 2018–2022, Black females were 40% more likely to die from breast cancer than non-Hispanic white females. “[Black] women tend to be diagnosed with more aggressive subtypes, in later stages, and have a higher breast cancer-specific mortality,” said Kute. Less access to mammography, lower quality medical care, and various lifestyle factors may contribute to this disparity. “But these factors alone can’t account for the higher incidence of a more aggressive type, triple-negative breast cancer,” said Kute. Triple-negative breast cancer occurs when cells lack receptors for estrogen, progesterone, and the HER2 protein, which makes it difficult to treat with targeted therapies that usually target these receptors. “There is promising research in triple-negative breast cancer, but minorities tend to be underrepresented in clinical trials, which can limit our understanding of unique patient groups,” said Kute. Sykes said this reality reinforces that women of color must get screened and stay on top of their health. Lifestyle habits may lower breast cancer risk While some risk factors for breast cancer are non-modifiable, certain lifestyle adjustments may help lower the risk of breast cancer. “I recognize this is easier said than done, but maintaining a healthy BMI after menopause and limiting weight gain during perimenopause are key factors,” Kute said. Other lifestyle habits to follow include: Exercise at least 150 minutes per week (aim for 30 minutes a day, five days a week), with half of that being more vigorous. “Exercise is beneficial even without weight loss,” Kute said. Limit alcohol to no more than one glass per day. “People who drink regularly have a higher rate of breast cancer and higher mortality from it,” said Baron. Eat a healthful, plant-based diet, which may help lower breast cancer incidence and improve survival rates. “Plant-based diet just means a higher proportion of diet is plant-based, but you still can eat meat. However, the less red meat, the better,” said Baron. Get regular mammograms and share any concerns about your breasts with your doctor. Sykes added that having humor in her life has helped her through her breast cancer journey. “[I] had to have some laughs to help [me] get through it, and also, being married and having kids, I had to make it not so scary for them,” Sykes said. “In the hospital, you make a nurse laugh, you get better treatment. You get extra blankets.”

In a new study examining the benefits of cold-water immersion, participants had reduced stress levels in the 12 hours following exposure. Charlie Chesvick/Getty Images A new study found that cold-water immersion offers several potential short-term health benefits. People had reduced stress levels in the 12 hours after doing cold-water immersion. Brief cold showers were associated with a slightly higher quality of life. Cold-water immersion — such as sitting in an ice bath, wading into a lake in the winter, or taking a cold shower — has become increasingly popular in recent years. But is there any benefit to these bone-chilling practices? New research suggests yes, with possible benefits ranging from lower stress to improved sleep and quality of life.  However, researchers caution that some of the benefits are short-term and depend on who is performing the cold therapy and what method they are using. “Cold-water immersion has been extensively researched and used in sporting contexts to help athletes recover, but despite its growing popularity among health and wellbeing circles, little is known about its effects on the general population,” said study author Tara Cain, a researcher at University of South Australia (UniSA), in a press statement.  Possible benefits of cold water therapy The new paper, published January 29 in PLoS One, carried out a comprehensive systematic review and meta-analysis of 11 previous studies involving 3,177 healthy adult participants. In those studies, participants were immersed in water at or above chest level for 30 seconds up to two hours, with water temperatures ranging from 7°C to 15°C (45°F to 59°F). Researchers focused on the following outcomes: sleep stress fatigue energy skin health immunity inflammation mental well-being depression anxiety mood concentration alertness or focus Their analysis showed a range of time-dependent results. For example, cold-water immersion reduced stress levels only during the 12 hours after people were exposed to the cold. In addition, people who took 30-, 60- or 90-second cold showers for 30 days reported a slightly higher quality of life. But these effects faded after three months. “Benefits may be gained from cold showers as well,” Cain said in the statement, “with one study reporting that participants who took regular cold showers experiencing a 29% reduction in sickness absence.” “We also found some links to cold-water immersion and better sleep outcomes,” she continued, “but the data was restricted to males, so its broader application is limited.” As for the benefits of cold-water immersion for boosting immunity and mood, researchers “found little evidence to support these claims,” Cain said. Cold water exposure led to spike in inflammation The researchers also found that cold-water immersion was linked to a temporary increase in inflammation right after exposure. “At first glance this seems contradictory, as we know that ice baths are regularly used by elite athletes to reduce inflammation and muscle soreness after exercise,” study author Ben Singh, PhD, also of UniSA, said in the release. “The immediate spike in inflammation is the body’s reaction to the cold as a stressor. It helps the body adapt and recover and is similar to how exercise causes muscle damage before making muscles stronger, which is why athletes use it despite the short-term increase,” he said. “Knowing this, people with pre-existing health conditions should take extra care if participating in cold-water immersion experiences, as the initial inflammation could have detrimental health impacts,” Singh added. Other research, including a study of the Wim Hof method, which combines breathing exercises with cold water immersion, has shown similar physical and mental health benefits of cold water therapy. A spokesperson for the Wim Hof Method told Healthline they are not planning on releasing a statement about the new paper at this time. Although the new paper showed the possible benefits of cold-water immersion, the studies reviewed by researchers had several limitations, including variations in how they were carried out.  The researchers wrote in the paper that some studies only looked at the effect of a single cold-water immersion, which limits the ability to make conclusions about long-term benefits. Only one study included female participants, limiting applicability across the general population. Furthermore, most of the studies were conducted with a small number of participants. “Right now, there isn’t enough high-quality research to say exactly who benefits most or what the ideal approach is to cold-water immersion,” Cain said. “More long-term studies, among more diverse populations, are needed to understand its lasting effects and practical applications.” Cold water therapy benefits athletes “Cold-water immersion has been used in athletics for a while,” said Steven Malin, PhD, associate professor in the Department of Kinesiology and Health at Rutgers-New Brunswick School of Arts and Sciences.  “So it’s a good approach, potentially, for some people, when needing to reduce inflammation and manage muscle soreness,” he told Healthline. “It can be a good rehabilitative tool to help athletes or people recovering from certain events.” He said cold-water immersion aligns with the RICE (rest, ice, compression, elevation) protocol for caring for musculoskeletal injuries, with ice being a “critical part” of that because it reduces inflammation. However, Malin cautioned that cold-water immersion could potentially impair muscle protein synthesis. “Ice itself can actually impair the synthesis process for growing muscle,” Malin said, “so if it’s used repetitively, it could be a hindrance to gaining muscle.” As for the annual Polar Bear Plunges that are popular around the start of the new year, Malin said these may not be done therapeutically but can still offer psychological and social benefits. “Cold plunges are a matter of resilience and building a level of tolerance toward discomfort and being able to work through that,” he said. “There’s also the social aspect — just being with other people.” So, should everyone rush out to buy an ice tub for their home? Malin doesn’t think so.  “I consider [cold-water immersion] as more of a single tool in a toolbox of lifestyle behaviors,” he said. “Occasionally doing cold therapy probably won’t be a problem for most people.” “I don’t think people should feel left out if they don’t want to do cold therapy,” he said. “Exposure to cold itself can actually be harmful, particularly for people with underlying vascular disease like high blood pressure.” For people with existing health conditions, Malin recommends they talk with a healthcare professional before trying cold-water immersion or other types of cold therapy. Takeaway Researchers carried out a systematic review and meta-analysis of 11 previous studies examining the benefits of cold-water immersion, with a total of 3,177 healthy adult participants. They found that cold-water immersion was associated with reduced stress levels, a slightly higher quality of life, and better sleep outcomes. Little evidence was found of cold-water immersion boosting immunity and mood. The previous studies had several limitations, including variations in how they were carried out, including some studies looking at single immersions, the lack of a diverse group of participants, and many studies having a small number of participants.

The transmission of a new strain of the H5N1 bird flu to herds of dairy cows has raised concerns over how the virus is mutating. Andrew Fox/Getty Images A new strain of bird flu has been discovered in the milk of some dairy cow herds in the U.S. Experts say the nation’s food supply remains safe due to the rigorous inspection procedures for cattle herds and the pasteurization of most milk products. However, some experts remain concerned about the potential spread of bird flu to humans. A second variant of the H5N1 bird flu has been found in dairy cows in the United States. The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) reports that the new version of bird flu, known as D1.1, was discovered in the milk of cows in two counties in Nevada. This is the first time this strain has been identified in cattle. The B3.13 strain of bird flu has been linked to infections in 950 herds of cattle in 16 states. This version is the one that’s been primarily found in chickens and other birds and led to a nationwide shortage of eggs. The discovery of the D1.1. variant in cattle has raised concerns about how quickly the bird flu virus may be mutating. “It’s modifying itself so it’s not just staying in the poultry and the wild waterfowl. It’s picking up a home in the mammals,” Beth Thompson, DVM, South Dakota’s state veterinarian, told Reuters. Government officials say the risk of bird flu transmission to humans remains low, although some experts aren’t entirely convinced. Concerns have also been raised about bird flu potentially contaminating the nation’s meat, milk, and egg supplies. Government health officials say food products remain safe for consumption when properly stored and cooked. Here’s a look at the spread of the bird flu virus and its potential dangers to the nation’s food supply. Risk of bird flu in humans remains low The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) have confirmed cases of bird flu in 67 people in the U.S. during the current outbreak. Most of those people worked closely with dairy cows and poultry. CDC officials say most of the people who’ve become sick from bird flu have had mild cases. However, bird flu has the potential to cause serious illness. The World Health Organization reports that of the 950 human bird flu cases reported worldwide in the past two years, about half have resulted in death. One of them was a Louisiana man who died from the D1.1 variant early this year. He is the only person in the U.S. so far to die from the current bird flu outbreak. In November, a Canadian teen was hospitalized in critical condition after contracting bird flu. She has since recovered. CDC officials report that the “current public health risk is low for H5 bird flu,” although the agency says it is still monitoring the situation. They note that farmers, backyard bird flock owners, and people such as veterinarians who work closely with animals and their byproducts are at the highest risk. William Schaffner, MD, an infectious disease expert and a professor of medicine at Vanderbilt University in Tennessee, agreed with the CDC’s assessment. “The bird flu virus has not developed the genetic capacity to easily infect humans or to be transmitted easily from person-to-person,” he told Healthline.  Schaffner highlighted that, to date, there have been no documented cases of person-to-person transmission in the U.S. Not all experts are as certain, though. One notes there has been a high transmission rate from birds to cattle as well as from birds to people. “I would say the risk of spillover of this genotype is also high from cows to humans. We know it has already spilled over from birds to humans,” Abraar Karan, MD, a post-doctorate researcher of infectious diseases at Stanford University in California, told Healthline. Karan’s opinion is supported by Seema Lakdawala, PhD, an influenza virologist at Emory University School of Medicine in Atlanta, Georgia. “The risk has increased as we’ve gone on — especially in the last couple of months with the report of [some] severe infections,” she told the journal Nature. Are milk, beef safe to consume during the bird flu outbreak? Bird flu has been detected in some raw milk products, leading to a voluntary recall in California last November. However, bird flu has not been found in pasteurized commercial milk products. Experts say that’s because the pasteurization process kills the virus. “Pasteurization has been shown to work well to inactivate the virus,” said Karan. “Pasteurization kills the bird flu virus, so all pasteurized dairy products (milk, cream, yogurt, cheese, etc.) are safe,” added Schaffner. “There is a risk to consuming unpasteurized milk and dairy products, so it is recommended they be avoided.” There have also been concerns raised about the safety of beef products, but USDA officials say the nation’s “rigorous meat inspection process” keeps the meat supply safe. In addition, CDC officials note that cooking poultry and beef to proper internal temperatures also kills the virus. Experts agree. “We haven’t seen transmission from beef directly, but I would not eat raw beef for now, although transmission from consumption hasn’t been shown yet,” Karan said. “No risk has been associated with eating beef, but the usual recommendations continue: wash hands thoroughly, wash cutting boards after use, cook hamburgers well done,” added Schaffner. Are eggs safe from bird flu? Since January 2022, there have been more than 1,500 reported outbreaks of bird flu among poultry and wild birds in 634 counties in the United States. The outbreaks have resulted in slaughtering more than 145 million chickens, turkeys, and other birds to contain the virus. The killings have created a nationwide egg shortage, driving up prices. Nonetheless, experts say eggs are safe to eat if stored and cooked properly. The CDC advises cooking eggs to an internal temperature of 165 degrees to kill the bird flu virus. They should be cooked “all the way” before eating. Takeaway The transmission of a new strain of the H5N1 bird flu to dairy cow herds has raised concerns over how the virus is mutating. Government officials say the risk of bird flu being transmitted to humans remains low, although some experts say the situation should be closely monitored. Government officials and experts agree that the nation’s milk supply remains safe because pasteurization kills the bird flu virus. They add that the nation’s beef supply is also safe because of government inspection programs, although they still recommend cooking meat thoroughly.

Jennifer Aniston has partnered with Pvolve, a fitness program backed by research showing benefits for menopausal females. Photography by Zoey Grossman for Pvolve Jennifer Aniston has endorsed the Pvolve program saying it is “kinder to our bodies.” Research has found that this program improves strength and balance. This is important as females age to help preserve mobility and independence. To do Pvolve, people must purchase their proprietary exercise equipment. Classes are delivered via online streaming and in certain locations around the U.S. Jennifer Aniston has formed an alliance with Pvolve, a low impact fitness program that may offer relief for menopause symptoms like reduced strength and loss in muscle mass. The 55-year-old actress said she initially discovered the Pvolve regimen in 2021 after experiencing a back injury. After using the program, Aniston was reportedly so pleased with her results that she contacted founder Rachel Katzman and became an advisor to the company. Explaining why she was enthusiastic about Pvolve, she told People, “Especially as we get into our lovely older periods, we have to keep it exciting. And we have to be kinder to our bodies.” “If I had known about it 20 years ago when I was breaking my body to begin with, we would’ve saved so much pain,” Aniston said. However, you don’t have to rely on “The Morning Show” star for proof that this plan benefits females in menopause. A November 2024 study published in Medicine & Science in Sports & Exercise supports the effectiveness of Pvolve for females with menopausal symptoms. The authors, who conducted the study in partnership with Pvolve, found that the low impact resistance exercise program improved strength and balance in older females. Low impact exercise improves strength, balance The University of Exeter study followed 70 females who were either premenopausal, perimenopausal (nearing menopause), or postmenopausal. The participants were all healthy and moderately active, and none were taking hormone replacement therapy (HRT). Each female participant was randomly assigned to either continue with their regular physical activity or go through the Pvolve program. A control group followed general physical activity guidelines of 150 minutes per week. Various measurements were performed — including strength, balance, flexibility, muscle thickness, lean body mass, and body fat percentage — both before and after training. After following the Pvolve program for 12 weeks, the following improvements were observed among female participants: 19% increase in hip function and lower body strength 21% increase in full-body flexibility 10% increase in dynamic balance, mobility, and stability Participants also saw an increase in lean muscle and no increase in total body mass. Some measurements increased after just four weeks. Additionally, the program was helpful for all individuals whether they were pre-, peri-, or postmenopausal. How resistance training helps women as they age Tami Smith, a certified personal trainer and founder of Fit Healthy Macros, explained to Healthline: “As we age, our muscles and bones naturally deteriorate, which can cause a whole host of problems from injuries to osteoporosis.” Smith said the best way to combat this tendency is to focus on building strength to protect our bones, muscles, joints, and ligaments. “Maintaining strength and balance throughout the aging process allows us to age more gracefully and decreases the risk of needing assistance with activities of daily living,” she said. Smith isn’t affiliated with Pvolve, but noted the program is both gentle and effective. “The way they design their workouts is more about functionality and strength,” she said, “which helps aging women to maintain their mobility and independence.” Smith further noted that the Pvolve program is gentle enough to be non-intimidating for aging females while still being effective for toning and sculpting the body. “Pvolve really hones in on movement patterns and mobility for a well-rounded program that feels approachable for aging women,” she concluded. What to know about Pvolve Antonietta Vicario, chief training officer at Pvolve, described the Pvolve exercise program as a functional strength training workout combining “innovative” resistance equipment with a clinically proven methodology. Classes involve taking participants through specific movement patterns in three planes of motion. “A lot of workouts only move front to back or side to side, like walking, spinning, or running,” Vicario told Healthline. “At Pvolve, we move through all planes of motion, front to back, side to side, and rotationally, which is how you move in your everyday life.” She further noted that the program adds unique rotations and mobility work to help aid flexibility, which prevents tightness, overuse, and injury. Additionally, the Pvolve program incorporates stability training which can help prevent falls, a problem that many older adults face. “Functional fitness focuses on exercises that mimic real-life movements, helping to build strength, balance, and mobility in movement patterns you perform daily,” she explained. According to Vicario, functional fitness can mitigate some of the natural declines in aging females, such as: muscle mass bone density agility The Pvolve website states that people who want to take classes must purchase one of three bundles, which include their proprietary exercise equipment and a subscription to their streaming classes. Bundles currently start at $199.99. All bundles come with a 30-day risk-free trial. There are also in-studio classes at limited locations around the country. Takeaway Jennifer Aniston has endorsed the Pvolve exercise program, saying it helps women “be kinder to [their] bodies” as they age. Research confirms this claim, finding that this low impact program helps improve strength and fitness in females. Experts say it is important as females age to protect their bones, muscles, joints, and ligaments in order to preserve mobility and independence. The Pvolve program can help because it is gentle and effective without being intimidating. The program involves purchasing Pvolve’s proprietary exercise equipment and a subscription to their streaming exercise classes.

Salt substitutes are a simple intervention that can help manage blood pressure and lower stroke risk. Maskot/Getty Images Swapping regular salt for salt substitutes may reduce the risk of recurrent stroke and death. In a recent study, salt substitutes reduced stroke-related mortality by 12% and recurrent stroke by 14% compared to regular salt intake. The research follows new guidelines from the World Health Organization on lower sodium substitutes. Experts say salt substitutes are an easy, low cost intervention that can help lower blood pressure and reduce stroke risk. Salt substitutes may reduce stroke recurrence and death, according to new research. A study published February 5 in JAMA Cardiology found that salt substitution was safe and led to a 12% reduction in mortality and a 14% reduction in the risk of recurrent stroke. “This finding shows that salt substitution is a cost-effective option for survivors of stroke by providing considerable health benefits through a simple dietary intervention strategy. It provides direct evidence to shape public health strategies worldwide, especially among populations who rely on home cooking with salt,” the study authors write. “The effects of reducing dietary sodium and supplementing dietary potassium on lowering blood pressure (BP) have been demonstrated in many randomized clinical trials. Salt substitutes, which replace a portion of sodium chloride with potassium chloride, combine the BP-lowering effects of both reduced dietary sodium and increased dietary potassium,” they concluded. Salt substitutes lower hemorrhagic stroke risk The present study involved a subgroup analysis of the Salt Substitute and Stroke Study (SSaSS). The SSaSS was a cluster randomized clinical trial undertaken in 600 villages in 5 provinces in northern China. Its average follow-up was 4.74 years. This analysis included data from more than 15,000 SSaSS participants with a history of stroke. Researchers analyzed this subgroup data from November 2023 to August 2024. During the study period, participants were assigned to use either regular salt or a salt substitute containing 75% sodium chloride and 25% potassium chloride. The researchers found that among those in the salt substitute group, rates of recurrent stroke were significantly lower when compared with the regular salt group. Rates of recurrent stroke were particularly lower for hemorrhagic strokes. Death rates were also lower in the group that had salt substitutes. Experts say while the findings aren’t entirely surprising, the research is important. “I am impressed with the large number of patients involved with the trial and the duration they were followed,” Paul George, MD, PhD, associate professor of neurology and neurological sciences at Stanford, told Healthline. George wasn’t involved in the study. “To some degree, it has been shown prior to this study the impact salt has on blood pressure, which is a main stroke risk factor, so I wouldn’t say totally surprising. However, the study is important given it is the largest study conducted, looking specifically at the question of the impact of lowering salt in your diet with a substitute and how it affects recurrent stroke and mortality. It provides helpful evidence that this is beneficial in the studied population,” George said. In the US, a stroke every 40 seconds In the United States, stroke is a leading cause of serious long-term disability. Each year more than 795,000 people in the U.S. have a stroke, which means every 40 seconds, someone in the U.S. has a stroke. Every 3 minutes and 11 seconds, someone in the U.S. dies from a stroke. Almost 1 in 4 strokes, or about 185,000 of them, are among people who have already had a stroke. This is known as a recurrent stroke. There are numerous risk factors for stroke, including smoking, obesity, diabetes, high cholesterol, and high blood pressure. Around 1 in 3 U.S. adults lives with at least one of these risk factors. Diet, including how much salt a person consumes, is an important risk factor. For most people, consuming too much salt can lead to high blood pressure. “High blood pressure, out of all the risk factors for stroke, is the number one modifiable risk factor for stroke,” May Kim-Tenser, MD, medical director of the neuro intensive care unit with Keck Medicine of USC, not involved in the new study, told Healthline. “If people can control their blood pressure all the time, the risk for stroke is lower, so it’s definitely very important, especially for someone who’s had a stroke before, and for recurrent stroke, is to make sure that their blood pressure is within that normal range.” What are salt substitutes? Table and sea salts contain about 40% sodium. Salt substitutes replace some of the sodium chloride in salt with potassium chloride. In the JAMA Cardiology study, the salt substitute used contained 75% sodium chloride and 25% potassium chloride. These salt substitutes can be purchased at a regular grocery store, and can have beneficial impacts on blood pressure levels inside the arteries.Sodium is an electrolyte that pulls water into cells to help regulate the sodium-water balance in the body. When you consume more sodium, it raises sodium levels in your bloodstream, causing your body to retain more water to maintain balance. In other words, “water follows salt, and you have more actual water volume in your body when you’re ingesting more sodium,” Jason Tarpley, MD, PhD, board certified vascular neurologist and medical director of the Pacific Stroke and Neurovascular Center at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA, explained. Tarpley wasn’t involved in the study. “More volume of water in the same amount of blood vessels means higher pressure. So that’s really the link between high sodium intake and blood pressure. It’s related to the fact that sodium draws in water. Potassium doesn’t seem to have the same effect. And that’s the basis of the salt substitutes,” Tarpley told Healthline. WHO guidelines on salt substitutes The JAMA Cardiology research follows new guidelines from the World Health Organization on lower sodium substitutes. The WHO recommends reducing sodium intake to less than two grams daily. “In this context, using less regular table salt is an important part of an overall sodium reduction strategy. If choosing to use table salt, WHO suggests replacing regular table salt with lower-sodium salt substitutes that contain potassium,” the guidelines state. The guidelines are intended for the general adult population. Pregnant people, young children, people with kidney impairment, or those with health conditions that could compromise their ability to excrete potassium have different sodium requirements. Christopher Yi, MD, a board certified vascular surgeon at MemorialCare Orange Coast Medical Center in Fountain Valley, CA, said he advises patients to consider salt substitutes and believes this intervention warrants endorsement. Yi wasn’t involved in the JAMA Cardiology study. “Given the clear benefits and low cost, salt substitutes should be widely promoted — especially in populations with high stroke prevalence. However, patients with kidney disease should consult their doctors before using potassium-containing substitutes,” Yi told Healthline. “Elderly patients with a history of cardiovascular disease, stroke, or hypertension would most benefit from salt substitutes. However, younger patients with significant family history of cardiovascular disease would also benefit.” Takeaway Salt substitutes may reduce the recurrence of stroke and related death. The substitutes, which replace a portion of the sodium chloride in salt with potassium chloride, may help reduce stroke by reducing blood pressure. High blood pressure is the number one modifiable risk factor for stroke. Recent guidelines from the World Health Organization suggest swapping regular table salt for lower-sodium salt substitutes that contain potassium.

Joanne Matos, a 37-year-old mother of two, lives with congestive heart failure, a form of cardiovascular disease. Image Provided by Joanne Matos Nearly 6.7 million adults ages 20 and older have heart failure. Joanne Matos shares her lifelong journey with congestive heart failure and an enlarged heart and how she learned to thrive after a stroke and two heart attacks. With treatment and consistent visits with her doctor, Matos is able to lead an active life. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States. Nearly 6.7 million adults ages 20 and older have heart failure, a form of cardiovascular disease that develops when the heart is unable to pump enough blood and oxygen to other organs in the body. Joanne Matos was born with an enlarged heart and congestive heart failure, a condition that occurs when the heart does not pump enough blood to vital organs in the body. Because of her condition, doctors informed her at a young age that having children could put her health at risk. However, at 16 years old, she became pregnant with her first son. “I told my parents when I was around 5 or 6 months. They weren’t very happy at first but then it was this biggest miracle,” Matos told Healthline. Her son was born via cesarean delivery (C-section). The baby was also premature and breached. “Pregnancy puts extra strain on the heart and can make heart failure worse,” Aeshita Dwivedi, MD, a cardiologist at Northwell Lenox Hill Hospital, explained to Healthline. Matos said having her son changed her life for the better. Eight years after having him, she had her second son. Heart complications lead to a stroke As a kid, Matos loved sports. She played basketball and soccer despite her two heart conditions. However, many times after playing, she experienced seizures. “Doctors told my parents, ‘We don’t want her playing sports or doing any excessive activities.’ All I knew was sports. I continued basketball and soccer. I was the star,” she said. When her sons came into her life, she stayed active with them. In 2018, while she was training for a 5K on her treadmill, she felt nauseous, and her vision became compromised. “I thought I was dying… at first, it felt like a seizure — the spinning, the dizziness. I thought, OK, I know I’m going to fall and hit my head, so I’m just going to sit down and get on the floor now,” said Matos. Her youngest son, who was 5 years old at the time, was home with her, and she feared leaving him alone, so she didn’t call 911. Eventually, her vision returned. “I just rode it out. It felt like forever,” she said. The next day, she went to work with a swollen, drooping face. The following day, she still felt unwell with a massive headache and decided to go to the hospital. “I kept thinking I had internal bleeding because my mom passed from bleeding in the brain. I guess [she had] heart failure,” said Matos. However, during a weeklong stay at the hospital, the doctors determined she had a stroke. “With a very weakened heart muscle, there is no longer robust flow of blood through the heart, and when blood is slowed down, it can cause a blood clot, which can then be ejected from the heart and increase a person’s risk for stroke,” Isla McClelland, MD, who specializes in adult congenital heart disease at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center, told Healthline. In 2019, Matos had a pacemaker implanted to regulate her heart’s irregular rhythm. Within a year, she experienced two silent heart attacks. Silent heart attacks occur without warning signs or symptoms. The onset results from a blockage in one of the heart’s arteries, which restricts blood flow to the heart muscle and causes damage. “I didn’t even know I was having them,” she said. Due to Matos’ condition, her doctors recommended she get a heart pump called a left ventricular assist device (LVAD), which helps the heart pump blood. “In very severe cases of heart failure, patients may need LVAD. It can sometimes be a bridge to [a] heart transplant,” said Dwivedi. LVAD helped extend her life Matos declined to undergo surgery for LVAD because having one comes with restrictions on activities like swimming, contact sports, and anything that could lead to a fall. “If I have any regrets, I wish I would have gotten an LVAD sooner,” she said. While medications are the first line of treatment for heart failure, if a person has advanced heart failure where medications alone are not sufficient for treatment, McClelland said advanced therapies include LVAD and evaluation for heart transplant. According to the American Heart Association (AHA), symptoms of heart failure may include: shortness of breath persistent coughing or wheezing fluid buildup in the body exhaustion confusion weight changes increased heart rate In 2020, Matos’s symptoms reached a high. She experienced weight gain and difficulty breathing, and her legs, ankles, and feet were swollen to the point where she had to crawl up the stairs because she could no longer make it upstairs by walking. Still, she continued to work and get her kids to their activities. “Being a mom always pushes me. Just because I’m over here struggling, I don’t want my kids struggling,” she said. Matos said she remained diligent about getting regular screenings to evaluate her heart failure. Doctors typically use the following screenings to evaluate people with heart failure: electrocardiogram (ECG) echocardiogram (echo) chest X-ray blood tests to check for BNP levels stress tests cardiac magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) cardiac catheterization  “If someone has congestive heart failure it is important to have regular heart screenings to assess the strength of their heart as well as the effectiveness of any treatment they may be undergoing,” said McClelland. “Regular follow ups with their cardiologist can also help determine any next steps in treatment that need to be taken.” During an appointment at Matos’ hospital to perform a heart catheterization, which examines the blood flow through the heart, doctors informed her that her organs were shutting down and that an LVAD was the only option to keep her alive. Matos received the Abbott HeartMate 3 LVAD. “So it was a no-brainer at that point: life or death. They told me you’re not going to live to see the weekend,” said Matos. Her road to recovery While recovery involved a challenging six months, Matos pushed herself to move more each day. She said she continues to exercise by engaging in activities her doctor has cleared her for, like using the elliptical machine. She hopes to walk or jog in a 5K sometime this spring. “If you can’t do one thing, find something else you like,” she said. Matos can no longer swim because of the risk of the LVAD getting wet and she said the hardest thing she had to give up was kayaking. But all the sacrifices she made were worth it to breathe easier and live on, she said. This became clear to her as soon as she woke up from surgery for the LVAD. “That very moment I was able to breathe. People take these little things for granted,” she said. “I felt like I was dying for so long that that first breath, that’s when it hit me.” Today, Matos is well enough that her doctors plan to place her on the heart transplant list next year. “Heart failure is not a death sentence. It’s a bump in the road. It’s part of your life journey,” she said. “You have to believe in yourself. Trust your doctors. Follow the medications that are prescribed for you. But ultimately, you have to stay positive.” Takeaway Nearly 6.7 million adults in the U.S. live with heart failure, a form of heart disease. Joanne Matos has navigated a lifelong journey with congestive heart failure and an enlarged heart. Following a stroke and two heart attacks, she said getting the right treatment helped her learn how to thrive and lead an active lifestyle. February is American Heart Month. Learn how to help protect heart health in your community with the National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute’s Outreach Toolkit.

Higher-intensity walking combined with physical therapy could help improve stroke recovery and quality of life. alvarez/Getty Images In a new study, stroke survivors in a progressive-intensity walking rehabilitation program showed greater mobility and improved quality of life compared to usual care. The program was carried out in twelve stroke rehabilitation centers across Canada. The research demonstrates that therapists could successfully implement the protocol in a real-world setting. Stroke rehabilitation has come a long way. Today there is a better understanding of the critical time period following a stroke. The greatest benefits of rehabilitation typically occur during the first three months following a stroke when the brain is most likely to self-repair, a concept known as neuroplasticity. Researchers have looked for ways to improve outcomes during this window and turned to the intensity of exercise as a key variable. Exercise, specifically walking, is an important part of stroke rehabilitation, but the intensity of walking is often quite low. Studies have consistently shown that higher-intensity exercise during the critical window for stroke rehabilitation yields better outcomes, but exercise protocols still vary widely from clinic to clinic. In a new study, a stroke rehabilitation program utilizing progressive-intensity walking improved outcomes for stroke survivors. What’s more, the study demonstrated this program could be successfully implemented in real-world rehabilitation clinics. The findings will be presented at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2025. The abstracts presented have not yet been peer-reviewed, and the findings are considered preliminary. “We’ve known for a long time that greater physical therapy intensity can improve walking in people after they’ve had a stroke, and this is actually most effective early after stroke in the first couple months,” said study co-author Janice Eng, PhD, a stroke rehabilitation specialist and a professor in the department of physical therapy at the University of British Columbia, Canada. “But for many, many reasons in healthcare, it’s been very difficult to change practice. We were able to change the practice of 12 units in the real world,” Eng told Healthline. Progressive walking improves stroke recovery, quality of life A barrier to stroke rehabilitation over the years has been the difficulty of implementing treatment protocol outside of a controlled environment in real-world settings like clinics. Eng and her team used a protocol known as Walk ‘n Watch, which combines progressively higher-intensity walking exercises and wearable activity trackers to measure heart rate and step count. This program was implemented at 12 clinics across seven provinces in Canada. Between 2020 and 2022, 306 participants, with an average age of 68, were enrolled approximately one month after a stroke. 162 received usual care (the control group), and 144 received the Walk ‘n Watch protocol. The goal of Walk ‘n Watch was to get participants to achieve 2,000 steps while exercising at a moderate intensity for 30 minutes during physical therapy sessions, five days a week. The trial utilized a standard mobility measurement known as a six-minute walk test: the distance an individual can walk in six minutes. At baseline, the average distance participants could walk was 498 feet — about the distance of two city blocks. Four weeks later, at discharge, patients who underwent the new protocol were able to walk 143 feet farther than those who received usual care on the six-minute walk test. They also reported significantly improved quality of life measures and improvements in balance, mobility, and gait speed. “This showed that we could improve the walking outcomes after four weeks of inpatient therapy, and we also were able to show improved quality of life. And this lasted at least a year,” said Eng. Paul George, MD, PhD, associate professor of neurology and neurological sciences at Stanford Medicine who wasn’t affiliated with the study, told Healthline that the research is promising.  “It starts to answer the question of what the optimal rehabilitation is for folks following a stroke and gives us some evidence, perhaps, how to do that better,” George said. Implementing rehab protocols in real-world settings Stroke outcomes and rehabilitation have improved significantly over the past decades. However, disseminating current best practices and ensuring doctors and therapists are using up-to-date methods is still a significant roadblock. “I think there’s a lot of good practice out there, but there’s not a ton of evidence saying this should be done or that should be done now,” said George. Eng and her team demonstrated that stroke rehabilitation protocols can be successfully implemented in real-world settings. They did this by combining efforts to train frontline therapists, including workshops, videos, manuals, and hands-on practice.  Additionally, each site had a designated “protocol champion” to facilitate weekly meetings about the protocol. “The innovative part about this trial was putting it into a real-world setting. We trained all the frontline physical therapists and some physical therapy assistants at the front end, and we tried to put in processes so that they could continue the protocol without us intervening,” said Eng. “This is about getting these protocols into practice, so patients today can receive them,” she added. Takeaway Stroke rehabilitation using progressive intensity walking exercise showed improvements to walking and quality of life in stroke survivors after four weeks. The protocol, known as Walk ‘n Watch, was successfully implemented at 12 real-world rehabilitation clinics across Canada. Although improvements have been made to stroke rehabilitation over the years, transmitting those best practices to clinics is a significant barrier. The study authors say the strength of the study is not just in its effects on stroke survivors but the fact that the program can be successfully implemented at clinics where it matters most.

New research shows that heavy lifetime use of cannabis is associated with reduced activity in areas of the brain involved in working memory.  24K-Production/Getty Images Frequent cannabis use was associated with a small to medium decrease in working memory, a new study shows. Working memory is needed for everyday tasks such as driving, remembering a shopping list and following verbal instructions. The study is observational, so it can’t prove that cannabis damages the brain, but it adds to scientific evidence that cannabis may impact thinking. More frequent use of cannabis may impair working memory, which could lead to problems with everyday tasks, a new study suggests. “Working memory involves the ability to keep a small amount of information in the brain while performing a task,” said Natalie Klag, MD, assistant professor of psychiatry at The Ohio State University Wexner Medical Center in Columbus. “It is not just remembering the information, but being able to use it.” “This can include things like following instructions, making plans or interacting with others in socially appropriate ways,” said Klag, who was not involved in the new study. “Someone with impaired working memory may have difficulty following directions or completing a task that has multiple steps,” she told Healthline. “They may also have difficulty with remembering questions or points in conversations long enough to wait until it is their turn to speak,” she said. “Or they may have difficulty with complex reasoning that involves considering multiple pieces of information to make a decision.” Heavy cannabis use impairs cognition The observational study, which was published January 28 in JAMA Network Open, does not prove that cannabis harms the brain, so the results should be viewed with some caution.  However, the new study adds to the scientific evidence that long-term cannabis use may affect cognitive abilities, including memory. “I appreciate the fact that the researchers looked at seven different types of brain tests, but only one of them had a mild association,” said Sherry Yafai, MD, emergency medicine physician and director of integrated medicine at Providence Saint John’s Health & Wellness Institute in Santa Monica, CA. “I would rather the researchers come out and say, ‘If you’re a young age, maybe it isn’t the right thing to smoke pot all day. And it’s not a good idea to be a heavy cannabis user,’” said Yafai, who was not involved in the new research. In the new study, researchers examined data from the Human Connectome Project, which explores how age, growth, disease, and other factors affect the connections in the human brain. Between 2012 and 2015, over 1,000 former or current cannabis users underwent functional MRI brain scans while completing seven kinds of cognitive tests. This included measuring working memory, which includes how the brain processes rewards and emotions, as well as language and motor skills. Working memory also plays a role in social settings by processing important social inputs like other people’s emotions. Study participants were 22 to 36 years old. Around half were female, and over three-quarters were white. Researchers classified individuals as heavy users if they had used cannabis more than 1,000 times during their lifetime, moderate users if they had used it between 10 and 999 times, and non-users if they had used cannabis fewer than 10 times. People also provided urine samples on the day of testing, which were used to determine if they had used cannabis recently.  Delta-9-tetrahydrocannabinol, or THC — the main psychoactive compound in weed that provides the euphoria often associated with cannabis use — can be detected in urine for up to three days after a single use and up to 30 days or more after chronic, heavy use. Researchers found that heavy lifetime use of cannabis was associated with reduced activity in areas of the brain involved in working memory, with a “small to medium effect.” This connection remained even when researchers excluded people who had used cannabis recently, based on the urine test. The results also weren’t affected by how much alcohol participants reported drinking, researchers found. “This shows that these deficits are not related to recent use or intoxication,” said Klag, “but rather the actual structural changes that occur in the brain with heavy use.” Klag was particularly concerned about the structural changes to the working memory areas of the brain observed on the MRI scans, especially since the study participants were younger adults. “People who start using cannabis early in life while their brains are still developing are going to be additionally susceptible to these changes that could have lasting impacts on their daily functioning,” she said. Moderate cannabis use may still have side effects Recent cannabis use was associated with poor performance on working memory and motor (movement) tasks, researchers found, but this link went away when researchers did an additional statistical analysis. However, they wrote that “abstaining from cannabis prior to cognitively demanding situations will likely help with performance.” It’s not clear how long people should abstain from cannabis, but the researchers point out that the effects of cannabis on cognitive abilities may last for 2 to 4 weeks. Researchers also looked at whether people had a diagnosis of cannabis dependence, and found that this was not related to changes in brain function.  “This means that people don’t have to have cannabis use disorder — defined by negative life consequences, difficulty controlling their use, and physical dependence and tolerance — in order to see negative outcomes on their cognitive performance,” said Klag. “Even those who define themselves as ‘social’ users can still have negative cognitive effects without seeing the negative life consequences that often lead them to seek treatment,” she said. Klag cautioned that although the legal availability of cannabis products is growing, this should not be seen as a sign that cannabis is completely safe. “There can be long-term health consequences as well as negative relational or professional consequences from cannabis use,” she said. “Just like other potentially addictive substances, cannabis use should be evaluated to determine if the use is becoming problematic or causing negative ramifications.” Sometimes, people may not realize the extent of the negative consequences of cannabis use until after they stop using, Klag said. “If total sobriety from cannabis is not the goal [for a person], it is important for healthcare professionals to use harm reduction techniques to discuss minimizing use in order to prevent some of these longer-term consequences,” she said. Cannabis use can still have medical benefits One limitation of the study is that it did not look at which types of cannabis products people used or the strength of those products. Also, because the study focused on young adults, the results may not apply to other age groups. “There are definite differences between someone who is smoking pot all day versus someone who is 75 and postmenopausal, and [using THC because they are] having trouble sleeping,” Yafai told Healthline. Yafai pointed out that heavy lifetime cannabis users in the study were more likely to be male, have lower income and lower levels of education, and have higher alcohol use. This further limits the ability to apply the results to other groups of people. In addition, because the study was done between 2012 and 2015, cannabis was less available than it is now, which limits the participants to those who were more determined to seek out cannabis. Yafai is also concerned that the researchers did not look at whether study participants were using medications known to impact memory, such as benzodiazepines, antihistamines, and antidepressants. If you’re taking one of these medications, “you have to be aware that it may make you fuzzy for a few hours, she said. “You may not be clear, or you may not be able to take your exam or study for tests.”  “Based off general health and medical recommendations, it is not surprising that if you’re intoxicated often, that you will have some issues with memory,” Yafai said. “That’s pretty standard for any prescription or nonprescription medication that can make you feel intoxicated.” “THC is no different,” she said. “This means that if you are intoxicated, you shouldn’t get behind the wheel of a car and drive,” and your performance at work and school may be impacted. In particular, Yafai is concerned that people who use cannabis for chronic pain or to help them sleep may be turned off by the way the results of this study are presented. “If there are individuals who are using THC for medical purposes, I don’t want them to be scared when they see articles about studies like this coming out,” she said, pointing out that sleep medications such as Ambien also have side effects. People should talk with their doctor about the benefits and risks of prescription medications and THC and then make an informed decision, Yafai said. Takeaway Researchers examined data on over 1,000 former or current cannabis users — roughly half males and half females ages 22 to 36 years — who underwent functional MRI brain scans while completing seven kinds of cognitive tests. They found that heavy lifetime use of cannabis — more than 1,000 times — was associated with reduced activity in areas of the brain involved in working memory. The effect size was “small to medium.” The study is observational, so it can’t show that cannabis damages the brain. However, it adds to existing research showing that frequent cannabis use may affect certain thinking skills.