Health Journal Online

Category: Diseases & Conditions

  • Indiana Doctors Go To Court To Keep Terminated Pregnancy Reports From Being Released To The Public

    Indiana Doctors Go To Court To Keep Terminated Pregnancy Reports From Being Released To The Public

    Two abortion providers in Indiana advocating against the release of individual terminated pregnancy reports have taken the matter to court, filing a lawsuit in Marion County to keep the records private.

    Licensed OB-GYN physicians Caitlin Bernard and Caroline Rouse filed the suit to prevent the Indiana Department of Health from releasing documents relating to terminated pregnancies under Indiana’s Access to Public Records Act, stating that such records are exempt and do not have to be divulged, Inside Indiana Business reported.

    If released, the reports would not reveal the names of the patients who terminated pregnancies, but would include other personal information such as age, race and county of residence. The reports would also list the name of the physician who performed the abortion.

    “We are once again in court defending our patients and their right to privacy,” Bernard and Rouse said in a joint statement, as reported by The Hill.

    “Everyone receiving medical care deserves to have their personal health decisions and pregnancy outcomes protected. There is no reason to release this sensitive information to the public. We will keep fighting to protect patients’ privacy and the trust between doctors and patients,” they continued.

    Bernard gained national attention after speaking out about a patient who she had helped to receive an abortion in 2022: a 10-year-old girl from Ohio who had reportedly been sexually assaulted.

    The Indiana Department of Health stopped releasing individual reports of terminated pregnancies following the state’s implementation of a near-total abortion ban, continuing only to release aggregate reports of terminated pregnancies within the state.

    From July to September of 2023, the IDOH reported 764 abortions. Only 17 of these were performed after August when abortion bans took effect. The agency then addressed concerns that identifying reports could be “reverse-engineered” to identify patients who terminated pregnancies due to the small number of abortions being carried out within the state.

    “Given that the report is populated with information that could be reverse engineered to identify patients — especially in smaller communities — (IDOH argues) that the required quarterly reports should suffice in terms of satisfying any disclosure and transparency considerations,” the December informal opinion from Public Access Counselor Luke Britt said.

    Pro-life advocacy group Voices for Life continued to sue the state of Indiana, demanding the release of individual reports. Voices for Life further stated it would file an appeal after the case was dismissed by a Marion County judge in 2024. However, in January 2025, Indiana’s newly elected Republican Governor, Mike Braun, demanded that the reports be publicized through executive order.

    IDOH, which settled and agreed to publicize the records, stated that they would make redactions to the reports that “adequately protect personal health identifiers and that do not inhibit examination of the terminated pregnancy reports to determine whether a physician performed an abortion in accordance with Indiana law,” per the Indiana Capitol Chronicle.

    The court has yet to set a hearing for the suit brought forward by Bernard and Rouse.

    Originally published by Latin Times.

    Source link

  • Teen Dies From Rare Brain Tumor After Unusual Symptoms; Heartbroken Mom Urges Others To Recognize Signs

    Teen Dies From Rare Brain Tumor After Unusual Symptoms; Heartbroken Mom Urges Others To Recognize Signs

    When 12-year-old Jody tripped and fell multiple times, had trouble walking straight, and struggled to fasten her shirt buttons, her mother never suspected it could be a sign of something serious—until doctors delivered the devastating news of a rare brain tumor.

    After years of battling the disease, Jody passed away in 2022, at the age of 16, and her heartbroken mother, Sarah Levett, from Surrey in South East England, now raises awareness about the condition, hoping that parents could spot the signs as soon as possible.

    Levett, who is organizing a fundraiser next month for the Brain Tumor Charity in her daughter’s memory, says she does it so no other parent or child has to endure the unimaginable heartbreak they experienced.

    When Jody first experienced symptoms like migraines, difficulty with balance, and frustration that led to screaming fits, Levett thought it might be related to her autism. But during a check-up, doctors discovered that Jody was in the advanced stages of a rare brain tumor.

    “It was absolutely terrifying. As the doctor spoke about how big the tumor was, I couldn’t take it all in,” Levett recollected the moments following the diagnosis.

    “I just wanted it gone. But I tried as hard as I could to hide how scared I was, as Jody was so young. I didn’t want her to worry – in fact, she was more bothered about the fact she was unable to go to school. She started bumping into things, like a wheelie bin on the pavement, only a few months before the diagnosis,” she said.

    Jody underwent treatment for around 10 months, including a surgery that removed 80% of the tumor, followed by chemotherapy and radiotherapy until she was stable. However, a year later, a follow-up scan revealed that the tumor had returned.

    As Jody’s condition rapidly declined, she underwent four more surgeries and doctors discovered a brain bleed before she tragically died.

    “The main aim [of the fundraiser] is to continue the awareness of brain tumors and changes needed, and the lack of mental health support for bereaved parents. I know there’s a lot of strain on healthcare at the moment, but I really don’t want any other parents or children to have to go through the unimaginable heartbreak like we have done,” Levett said.

    Brain tumors may present with symptoms such as seizures, balance issues, behavioral changes, slurred speech, fatigue, weakness, headaches, nausea, and vomiting.

    Source link

  • CDC Warns Travelers Of Deadly Virus That Has No Approved Vaccines Or Treatment

    CDC Warns Travelers Of Deadly Virus That Has No Approved Vaccines Or Treatment

    The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) has issued a health advisory warning travelers about an Ebola outbreak in Uganda caused by the deadly Sudan virus, which has no approved vaccines or treatments.

    The CDC raised the alert to Level 2, urging travelers to “Practice Enhanced Precautions,” according to a Health Alert Network advisory issued Thursday.

    The current outbreak of Sudan Virus Disease (SVD) has been reported in the Kampala, Mbale, and Wakiso regions of Uganda. Since 2000, the country has already experienced seven outbreaks of the virus.

    The first case of the current outbreak was identified after a male nurse died from the infection on January 29. A second case, identified as the wife of the index patient, has also developed symptoms and tested positive, according to a WHO weekly bulletin issued last week.

    While three of the man’s close contacts have developed symptoms and are in isolation for treatment and testing, a total of 234 contacts have been traced, including 118 linked to medical settings.

    Although there are no direct flights from Uganda to the United States, travelers from or passing through affected areas can enter the U.S. on flights connecting from other countries. Hence the CDC cautions health officials to be on alert and evaluate any patients suspected of having SVD.

    However, the CDC confirmed that “currently, no suspected, probable, or confirmed Ebola cases related to this outbreak have been reported in the United States, or outside of Uganda.”

    An initial investigation suggests the latest outbreak is not linked to the earlier outbreaks and officials suspect a new jump from animals to people.

    “The source of exposure remains unknown, raising concerns about undetected transmission chains or a new zoonotic spillover,” the WHO bulletin stated. Previous outbreaks have shown a case fatality rate ranging from 41% to 70%.

    As part of the “enhanced precautions” to reduce the risk of infection, the CDC recommends people who travel to Uganda avoid contact with sick individuals, their bodily fluids, and items they have touched, including those who have died. They are also advised to refrain from handling wild animals, visiting high-risk areas like caves or healthcare facilities in affected regions, and engaging in burial practices that involve touching the deceased.

    Travelers are asked to watch out for symptoms during the stay and three weeks after returning. Anyone experiencing symptoms is advised to isolate immediately and alert the local healthcare facility. Symptoms include fever, chills, headache, muscle aches, rash, chest pain, sore throat, nausea, vomiting and diarrhea. As the disease progresses, the patients may also develop unexplained bleeding or bruising.

    “Calling ahead before going to a healthcare facility helps the facility prepare for your arrival, including contacting health authorities and taking any precautions needed to protect staff and other patients,” the CDC said.

    Source link

  • Can’t Solve A Problem? Sleep On It—It’s Backed By Science, Here’s Best Nap For Better Thinking

    Can’t Solve A Problem? Sleep On It—It’s Backed By Science, Here’s Best Nap For Better Thinking

    Have you heard the saying “if you can’t fix an issue, just sleep on it”? It’s not just random advice to calm you down before bed, science now proves how sleep can help you think clearly and solve a problem.

    In a recent study published in the Journal of Sleep Research, investigators examined how a specific type of sleep, afternoon naps, helps in creative problem-solving.

    The researchers conducted problem-solving experiments in a group of 58 people below the age of 30 from Texas State University. Half of the participants were allowed to take a two-hour afternoon nap before solving a puzzle they had previously been unable to solve, while the other half attempted the puzzle without sleep.

    The results showed that people who took a nap before solving the problems performed better than those who stayed awake. On average, the sleep group solved 43% of the problems, while the wake group solved only 15%.

    The researchers concluded that this is because sleep, especially the type that includes the REM phase, helps people in an analogical transfer to solve issues that could not be done before the nap. Analogical transfer is the ability to use insights from a different problem to solve a new, related problem.

    Rapid eye movement (REM) sleep is a phase where your eyes move rapidly in different directions, and brain activity becomes as high as when you’re awake. “This sleep stage [REM] may play a key role in putting past experiences to best use by establishing and strengthening associations that are not readily apparent in our waking lives,” the researchers wrote.

    “My previous research has focused on understanding how memories change during sleep. However, the reorganization of knowledge that occurs during memory consolidation undoubtedly impacts other aspects of cognition as well. I was specifically interested in how the initiation and/or strengthening of connections between new and old memories can assist in problem-solving,” said study author Carmen E. Westerberg, a professor at Texas State University.

    “The main takeaway is that if you have a difficult problem that you cannot solve, processes that occur while you are sleeping may give you insights after waking that could help to solve the problem,” Westerberg added.

    Source link

  • Stuck On Your Weight Loss Journey? Here’s Nutritionist’s Cheat Code To Shed Pounds In 3 Months

    Stuck On Your Weight Loss Journey? Here’s Nutritionist’s Cheat Code To Shed Pounds In 3 Months

    Feeling stuck in your weight loss journey, despite your best efforts? You’re not alone, many people may face a frustrating stage where progress slows. But according to a nutritionist, the key is not in a fad diet or extreme workout—it’s consistency. Here’s the cheat code to break through the stagnation and shed substantial weight in just three months.

    “Weight loss is a journey and the secret to seeing true and lasting results is by staying consistent and not perfect,” said Amaka, a certified nutritionist in an Instagram post, where she shared a cheat code to lose 20 kg (about 44 pounds) in three months.

    For those looking to kickstart their weight loss journey or those struggling along the way, here are some practical tips from her.

    Focus on low calorie diet:

    According to Amaka, the key to weight loss is maintaining a calorie-deficit diet while staying full. She suggests consuming low-calorie, high-protein meals to achieve this and recommends adding spices like cayenne pepper, turmeric, and cinnamon to boost metabolism for faster results.

    Amaka also recommends eliminating sugar and refined carbs, as an easy trick to reduce the waistline. “Practice 80/20 rule in your nutrition, where you eat healthy 80% and allow yourself to indulge in a cheat meal 20% to help you stay consistent and not restricted, fuels your energy and boost your mood to stay consistent on your journey,” she said.

    How to eat:

    Most people know what should go on their plate while dieting, but according to Amaka, how you eat your food is just as important.

    “Eat your protein and vegetables first before your carbs, it will make you full quickly, and you will struggle to eat your carb left on your plate,” she wrote. Taking smaller plates or bowls while serving food will help to trick your brain into feeling full.

    Drink water:

    Staying hydrated helps to nourish the body and control the hunger pangs. “Always drink water 5-10 minutes before eating your meal, it will help control your appetite,” she said.

    Exercise:

    Regular physical activity is essential for both weight loss and overall well-being. Amaka recommends strength training 2–3 days a week, as it helps build muscle and keeps the body burning calories even at rest.

    “Leave the scale completely, use pictures, your fittings in your old clothes, and body measurements to track your progress, they’re always accurate. Scale fluctuates, and has made me lose hope and stop my journey because I felt I was not making progress,” she added.



    Source link

  • Dad Dies Year After Brain Tumor Diagnosis, Doctor Initially Dismissed Symptoms As Stress, Accused Him Of Faking

    Dad Dies Year After Brain Tumor Diagnosis, Doctor Initially Dismissed Symptoms As Stress, Accused Him Of Faking

    A 53-year-old U.K. man with troubling signs, including headaches and jumbled speech, was initially dismissed as stressed. His doctor even accused him of faking symptoms before being diagnosed with an aggressive brain tumor. A year later, he died. Now, his daughter is running a marathon to raise awareness and money for cancer research.

    Stephen Blakeston, from Hull, England, started experiencing massive headaches and was jumbling up sentences when his wife noticed the symptoms and took him to a doctor in October 2010.

    “I couldn’t believe it when we visited the GP, who dismissed his symptoms as stress-related and even said he was faking, something I know my dad wouldn’t do,” Blakeston’s daughter Hollie Rhodes recollected.

    Blakeston later got a CT scan done and realized that a tumor was growing on the left side of his brain, which was affecting his speech. He underwent surgery soon, and a biopsy confirmed that the tumor was a glioblastoma, a fast-growing, incurable cancer, leaving him with just 12-18 months to live.

    After the surgery, Blakeston underwent intensive radiotherapy and two rounds of chemotherapy to halt the growth of the tumor and scans showed no signs of further regrowth.

    However, around 9 months later, Blakeston suddenly collapsed and died after a blood clot, believed to be related to his treatment, or the tumor traveled to his heart.

    “It was horrible for us to lose him so suddenly, but there is some comfort in knowing it was quick and likely the way he would have wanted to go. I’ll always miss hearing his laugh,” Rhodes said.

    Glioblastoma is a fairly common form of brain tumor, with more than 13,000 Americans are diagnosed with it every year. The symptoms vary but often include persistent headaches, nausea, confusion, memory loss, and personality changes. Other signs to watch out for include vision problems, speech difficulties, muscle weakness, and seizures, especially in those without a history of them.

    “It’s the biggest cancer killer of children and adults under 40, so it should absolutely be a priority to stop these deaths. It almost feels like people view brain tumors as a final prognosis. That whole narrative needs to change because more funding in research would bring hope to those impacted,” said Rhodes, who is running the London Marathon to raise money for Brain Tumor Research.

    Source link

  • Plus, Combinations That Boost Absorption

    Plus, Combinations That Boost Absorption

    Taking daily vitamins has become a staple in many wellness routines, but are supplements truly essential? While they can’t replace a healthy diet, supplements help millions with deficiencies or conditions that hinder nutrient absorption.

    The benefits of supplements do not just depend on what you take, but also how you take them. Some vitamins and minerals can compete for absorption, potentially reducing their effectiveness. So, can certain supplements cancel each other out? Wellness expert Natalie Jurado, founder of Rooted In, breaks down this often-overlooked factor.

    “You can’t supplement your way out of a bad diet, so make sure you’re eating healthfully on a daily basis. But if you’ve been advised by a healthcare practitioner that you need to supplement, keep these combinations in mind!,” cautions Jurado, who explains in an Instagram video the vitamin supplements that should not be taken together.

    According to Jurado, certain vitamins and minerals should be spaced out to help ensure optimal absorption. She suggests it is best to wait at least two hours between these combinations:

    • Magnesium and Iron
    • Turmeric and Iron
    • Vitamin C and Vitamin D
    • Calcium and calcium-rich foods along with Magnesium or Iron

    Jurado also recommends certain combinations of supplements that work best for absorption. For example, vitamin D, K2, and magnesium work together, with magnesium activating vitamin D absorption. Another powerful pair is collagen and vitamin C, as vitamin C helps the body synthesize collagen more effectively.

    • Turmeric and Black Pepper: Black pepper enhances turmeric’s absorption by about 2000 percent.
    • Vitamin D and Fat: As a fat-soluble vitamin, vitamin D is best absorbed when taken with a meal containing fat.
    • Vitamin B6 and Magnesium: Vitamin B6 helps improve the body’s absorption of magnesium.
    • Zinc and Protein: Protein helps zinc work more effectively within the body.

    “Iron is a bit of a diva, she doesn’t play well with coffee, tea, calcium, or magnesium. She likes an acidic environment so make sure to take her with vitamin C,” Jurado said in a separate video. Similarly, she warns Zinc does not work well with calcium and Magnesium.

    Many people take vitamin B to prevent a hangover, but Jurado cautions that this combination does not help vitamin absorption. “B vitamins won’t absorb if you’re having alcohol. It’s just not going to work,” she said.

    Taking supplements along with certain medications may interfere with the absorption of the drugs. For example: turmeric interferes with blood thinners and diabetic medications.

    For people taking multivitamins, Jurado recommends checking the ingredient combinations to ensure optimal nutrient absorption and effectiveness.



    Source link

  • Man Who Burned His Thumb While Cooking Forced To Amputate Both Legs Due To Sepsis

    Man Who Burned His Thumb While Cooking Forced To Amputate Both Legs Due To Sepsis

    What started as a small burn on his thumb while cooking dinner during a camping trip turned into a life-threatening ordeal for a 40-year-old Colorado man. After developing a severe sepsis infection, he was put in a coma and forced to amputate both of his legs.

    The unexpected tragedy unfolded for Max Armstrong from Franktown during a hunting trip with friends in Kiowa in December 2024. While cooking dinner during the camping, he burned his thumb on a skillet. Armstrong, who was used to small cuts and bruises while living outdoors for most of his life, ignored the little burn, continued with his dinner, and later bandaged it.

    However, things escalated quickly. Within just a few days, a strep infection that had entered the body through the burn wound spread rapidly. His left leg began swelling, and his toenails turned purple. Only six days after the burn, he was rushed to an emergency room, where his condition rapidly worsened, and his eyes rolled back in his head.

    “At this point, the burn on my thumb had become pretty ugly, it had turned black and looked like it was eating away at my thumb. The doctors were asking me lots of questions, but my eyes started rolling back in my head and I started talking nonsense. They concluded that I had sepsis and put me into a medically induced coma,” Armstrong said.

    By the time Armstrong recovered from the coma six days later, his feet were completely black from the severe strep infection that led to sepsis. Sepsis is a life threatening situation that damages the vital organs. Doctors then advised amputating both his legs to prevent the infection from spreading. Armstrong underwent the life-saving surgery on December 23, 2024, which ultimately left him in a wheelchair for the rest of his life.

    “Initially when I woke up, I thought my legs were still there and then I came to realize that they weren’t. I felt down my leg and realized that my legs weren’t there, I asked the nurse and she confirmed that I had my legs amputated,” Armstrong said. He is now focusing on rehabilitation exercises to improve his mobility.

    Source link

  • Republican Anti-Abortion Bill May Block Access to Chemotherapy, Life-Saving Surgeries in Wyoming: Report

    Republican Anti-Abortion Bill May Block Access to Chemotherapy, Life-Saving Surgeries in Wyoming: Report

    A Republican-led bill seeking to challenge abortion access may also block access to chemotherapy and life-saving surgeries in Wyoming, according to a report.

    According to the bill, Senate File 125, “No act, treatment or procedure that causes harm to the heart, respiratory system, central nervous system, brain, skeletal system, jointed or muscled appendages or organ function shall be construed as healthcare.”

    Although the bill is intended to target the concept of fetal personhood, healthcare and law professionals are worried that various other procedures and treatments, such as chemotherapy, could be affected by the bill.

    “There’s a slew of medical procedures, surgeries, treatments that can have potentially positive outcomes but may also cause harm in the short period or as an unintended consequence,” Wyoming attorney Abigail Fournier told the The Guardian.

    An amendment to Wyoming’s state constitution in 2012 stated that making healthcare decisions was a right of individuals in the state. Senate File 125 is the first of its kind trying to change the definition of healthcare.

    While Cheri Steinmetz, the Republican state senator who authored the bill, told The Guardian that she was not trying to change the constitution, just the definition used, Wyoming attorney Clark Stith said that they believe changing the meaning could still constitute changing the constitution.

    Wyoming’s abortion ban was struck down by a judge in November 2024. At the time, women and organizations had argued that the ban violated the 2012 amendment, and that it also infringed upon their rights, NPR reported at the time.

    As the state appeals this ruling, state representatives have also created bills seeking to restrict abortion access, such as requiring a trans-vaginal ultrasound before patients can receive abortion medication, as reported by WyoFile.

    At least two abortion-related House bills have passed the House since the abortion ban was struck down. A third one is set to be debated on in the coming weeks.

    Originally published by Latin Times.

    Source link

  • You Shouldn’t Scratch An Itch—So Why Does It Feel So Good? Are There Benefits?

    You Shouldn’t Scratch An Itch—So Why Does It Feel So Good? Are There Benefits?

    You’ve been told not to scratch that itch—but why does it feel so good? Researchers studying the science behind scratching found that while it worsens inflammation and swelling, it also has certain benefits which may explain why the natural urge feels so irresistible.

    In a recent study published in the journal Science, researchers examined how itching affected the skin of mice with allergic contact dermatitis, a type of eczema.

    “Scratching is often pleasurable, which suggests that, in order to have evolved, this behavior must provide some kind of benefit. Our study helps resolve this paradox by providing evidence that scratching also provides defense against bacterial skin infections,” said senior author Daniel Kaplan in a news release.

    For the trial, the researchers used itch-inducing allergens to induce symptoms of eczema in the ears of normal mice. While some mice were allowed to scratch, others were restricted from scratching using tiny collars, similar to those used by dogs.

    The results were striking: mice that scratched developed swollen, inflamed skin packed with immune cells called neutrophils, while those unable to scratch had much milder inflammation. This confirmed that scratching worsens skin irritation rather than relieving it.

    The researchers explain that this is because scratching an itch sets off a chain reaction in the skin. Pain-sensing nerves release a chemical called substance P, which activates mast cells or the immune cells that regulate inflammation and itching. Normally, mast cells respond to allergens, causing mild itchiness and swelling. But scratching triggers a second wave of activation through substance P, intensifying inflammation and making the itch even worse.

    However, mast cells not only cause irritation, they also help defend against bacteria and other germs. This made researchers curious to find out if scratching actually influences the skin’s microbiome.

    In further experiments, the team showed that scratching reduced the amount of Staphylococcus aureus, the most common bacteria involved in skin infections, on the skin. “The finding that scratching improves defense against Staphylococcus aureus suggests that it could be beneficial in some contexts. But the damage that scratching does to the skin probably outweighs this benefit when itching is chronic,” Kaplan said.

    Source link