A surgeon shared her frustration after her patient’s operation was interrupted by UnitedHealthcare’s demand to justify the patient’s overnight hospital stay.
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Category: Diseases & Conditions
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UnitedHealthcare Interrupted Cancer Patient's Surgery to Demand Justification for Overnight Hospital Stay: 'Insurance Is Out of Control'
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The Next Step In The Field Of Mental Health
Nolie MacDonald‘s early life was significantly impacted by challenges that stemmed from living with a biological mother who grappled with mental health issues. The adverse conditions she lived in and the challenges she faced as a result prompted her adoption by the MacDonald family, who then provided a nurturing, stable environment for her.
These early childhood challenges, as well as a love for the arts from music to animation, would eventually drive MacDonald’s passion into mental health transformation, eventually leading to the development of VRenity.
The Story Behind VRenity
MacDonald says that the inspiration behind VRenity stemmed from a convergence of personal experience and professional insights in the mental health sector. Her previous experiences as a child led to a great appreciation for therapeutic interventions as she grew older.
This would eventually intersect with her personal life during her time in high-tech fields, where she saw “the untapped potential of virtual reality to revolutionize therapy and wellness.”
A pivotal moment with VRenity came from MacDonald’s firsthand experiences with virtual reality technologies, which she says demonstrated a capacity to create immersive and therapeutic environments that would reach people in ways traditional methods could not.
Driven to democratize access to mental health resources, MacDonald worked to found VRenity to develop a suite of virtual reality-based wellness tools designed to treat and transform how individuals engage with their mental and emotional health.
What Is VRenity?
VRenity’s ultimate goal with its software is to harness cutting-edge virtual reality technology to boost mental wellness in the workplace, and to build upon the mind and body pillars of their model’s design. It features an AI life coach called Nerdle, an artificially intelligent friend who is always ready to listen, offer thoughtful insights, or help you unwind with panoramic views of 360-degree landscapes.
VRenity’s core principles include:
Innovation and adaptability, in which they prioritize new paths in technology and its application to mental wellness.
Collaboration and community, wherein they believe that the power of working together fosters a collaborative environment and allows them to leverage diverse insights to create superior solutions to mental health challenges.
User-centric designs are crafted with a deep understanding of the users’ emotional and therapeutic needs.
Ethical responsibility and empathy, which provide a commitment to keep their operations rooted in empathy
Empathy and support, in which VRenity and its technologies are designed to be compassionate and supportive while users navigate their mental healthcare journeys.
Changing the Landscape of Mental Healthcare
Nolie MacDonald and the team behind VRenity have created software that allows users to immerse themselves in three-dimensional, virtual reality environments to help face their mental healthcare and challenge themselves to understand the meanings behind their feelings.
By utilizing the latest artificial intelligence technology, VRenity’s vision is to become a global leader in workplace wellness solutions and set new standards for how companies support mental health and well-being.
Their flagship product, the VRenity Treehouse Retreat, is a SaaS platform that aims to enhance workplace wellness through immersive virtual reality. This helps boost the well-being and productivity of employees while remaining cost-effective. As VRenity prepares for its official launch, Nolie MacDonald and the team are poised to take workplace mental healthcare to new heights.
With upcoming features like multiplayer capabilities, customizable avatars, and international market expansion, VRenity is set to become a trusted partner in mental health support for organizations worldwide. By blending cutting-edge technology with a human-centered approach, the platform empowers businesses to create supportive environments where employees can truly thrive.
To Download VRenity, visit https://vrenity.com/early-access.
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Bird Flu Claims First US Victim As Louisiana Man Dies in Hospital
A patient that had been hospitalized with avian influenza, otherwise known as bird flu, has died, marking them the first person to have died in the U.S. from the disease.
The patient at a Louisiana hospital was older than 65, and had underlying medical conditions, according to the Louisiana Department of Health.
The patient, who is not being named, is believed to have contracted the virus after exposure to non-commercial backyard flock and wild birds, officials said.
There have been no other reports of humans hospitalized from bird flu in Louisiana.
A genetic analysis of the bird flu contracted by the patient found that it had mutated while inside of their body, leading the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to have labeled it “concerning” in a previous report.
However, no transmissions of the virus from person-to-person have been reported.
Despite the recent death, bird flu remains low risk for the public. The Louisiana Department of Health recommends refraining from touching dead animals, or bringing sick or injured birds inside your home. Officials added that pets should be kept away as well.
Undercooked or uncooked food should also be treated with caution, and should only be eaten after being cooked all the way.
Two different vaccinations against the virus have been compiled by the Biden administration. However, officials do not have plans to distribute them unless the disease becomes more prevalent among people, NBC News reported.
Originally published by Latin Times.
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What To Know About Rabbit Fever
Tularemia, often dubbed “rabbit fever,” has seen a startling 56% increase in U.S. cases over the past decade, according to a recent report from the U.S. Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC).
Rabbit fever is a rare but serious zoonotic disease that poses significant risks to human health. This bacterial infection caused by Francisella tularensis gets transmitted through bug bites or improper handling of infected animals, inhaling contaminated aerosols, or consuming tainted water. Tularemia is not contagious from person to person.
There is no vaccine to prevent the infection, but it is treatable with antibiotics. However, if it is left untreated, the infection has the potential to cause fatality in more than 2% of cases, depending on the strain of bacteria that has caused the infection.
“During 2011–2022, 47 states reported 2,462 tularemia cases (0.064 per 100,000 population), representing a 56% increase in incidence compared with 2001–2010. Incidence was highest among children aged 5–9 years, older men, and American Indian or Alaska Native persons, among whom incidence was approximately five times that among White persons,” the latest CDC report stated.
The report reveals that half of all tularemia cases originated from just four states, with Arkansas leading at 18%, followed by Kansas and Missouri at 11% each, and Oklahoma at 10%. When comparing tularemia incidence among different races, white individuals represented the majority of cases at 84%, followed by American Indian/Alaska Native (AI/AN) at 9%, Hispanic or Latino at 5%, Black or African American at 2%, and Asian or Pacific Islander at 1%.
The recent rise in cases could be because more people are actually getting infected or healthcare systems are better at identifying and diagnosing the disease.
To reduce incidence, the CDC urges the need for increasing awareness among healthcare providers, particularly those working with tribal communities to ensure quick and accurate diagnosis and treatment of tularemia.
Know signs of Tularemia:
Tularemia can affect various parts of the body, including the lymph nodes, skin, eyes, throat, lungs, and intestines. Symptoms depend on the route through which the bacteria enters the body. The signs include fever, swollen lymph nodes, skin ulcers, sore throat, and eye infections. In severe cases, the infection can lead to inflammation in the brain and heart, as well as pneumonia.
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Starting A New Diet For 2025? Nearly Half Of Americans Make It Their New Year’s Resolution
It’s already the first week of the New Year, and many of us are kicking off our resolutions. Was starting a new diet, one of yours for 2025? If so, you’re not alone— nearly half of U.S. adults have made it their top New Year’s resolution, according to a recent survey.
The survey conducted by the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine/Morning Consult revealed that 46% of U.S. adults plan to start a new diet for the New Year. Among those adopting a new diet, 40% aim to reduce calories, while 26% are opting for low-carbohydrate diets such as keto, Atkins, or South Beach.
Although studies have highlighted the benefits of plant-based diets for weight loss, disease prevention, and environmental protection, the survey reveals that only 7% of respondents plan to switch to a plant-based or vegan diet, with another 7% choosing a vegetarian diet.
“Counting calories can be time-consuming and create a negative relationship with food for some people. And low-carbohydrate diets come with a range of side effects. Research has shown that plant-based diets are effective for weight loss without purposefully restricting or counting calories. This is because plants tend to be naturally lower in calorie density and higher in fiber, which promotes a feeling of fullness,” said Roxanne Becker with the Physicians Committee in a news release.
Several studies support plant-based diets as an effective tool for weight loss. In the 2017 BROAD Study, overweight or obese participants in New Zealand lost an average of 26.6 pounds and saw significant reductions in body mass index after six months on a whole food, plant-based diet. The results were largely sustained after one year. In the 2013 GEICO study, overweight employees with type 2 diabetes who followed a low-fat vegan diet for 18 weeks lost an average of 9.5 pounds, lowered cholesterol levels, and improved blood sugar control. Similarly, a 2018 study showed that overweight individuals on a plant-based diet for 16 weeks lost an average of 14.3 pounds, while those in a control group saw no significant change.
According to Becker, a plant-based diet is not just effective for weight loss, but it also reduces the risk of obesity-related diseases such as heart disease, hypertension, high cholesterol, and certain cancers. It can save money and is better for the environment. So why, then, are so few people planning to try a plant-based diet? “It could be that they don’t know where to start,” Becker suggested.
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Here Are Activities Beneficial For Brain Health
Prolonged sitting has long been linked to negative effects on both physical and mental health. However, new research reveals a surprising twist: not all sitting activities are harmful to your brain. In fact, some might even offer cognitive benefits.
Researchers of the latest study explored the daily activity patterns of 397 adults, aged above the age of 60 to understand how different types of activities affect memory and thinking abilities. The findings published in the Journal of Gerontology Series A revealed that the effects of sedentary behavior on brain health depend largely on the type of activity.
For instance, mentally engaging activities such as reading, listening to music, crafting, praying, or chatting with friends were linked to improved memory and cognitive function. However, activities that do not require active participation such as watching television for a long time or playing video games, were associated with poorer cognitive outcomes.
“We found that the type of activity significantly alters its impact on brain health. Social and mentally engaging activities stimulate the brain, while passive activities, like excessive TV viewing, can have a detrimental effect,” Dr Maddison Mellow, a lead researcher of the study said.
For best results for all aspects of health, Mellow suggests that people should aim at being physically active, prioritize movement that is enjoyable, and get the heart rate up.
However, if your day involves a lot of sitting, there’s no need to worry. Small adjustments can still benefit your brain health. Swapping just five minutes of TV time for a mentally stimulating activity like solving a puzzle, reading, or having a phone conversation with a friend can make a meaningful difference to your brain health, suggests Dr. Mellow.
“And, while the ‘move more, sit less’ message certainly holds true for cardiometabolic and brain health, our research shows that a more nuanced approach is needed when it comes to thinking about the link between sedentary behaviors and cognitive function,” Dr. Mellow said.
Previous studies have shown that engaging in mentally stimulating leisure activities, such as reading and playing board games, can help older adults maintain cognitive sharpness. A paper published in the PMC journal indicates that individuals aged 75 and older who participate in such activities had a reduced risk of developing dementia compared to those who did not.
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Here’s How Many Calories You Need For Morning Meal
Breakfast isn’t just the most important meal of the day, it’s a key factor in healthy aging. Researchers now found that it is not only essential to have breakfast, but also to ensure that it is both high in quality and appropriate in quantity. A recent study found that consuming 20 to 30% of your daily calories at breakfast is linked to better long-term health.
In the latest study, researchers explored how the energy intake and quality of breakfast impact key health indicators like cholesterol, blood pressure, body weight, and other cardiometabolic factors. For the trial, researchers followed up with 383 participants between the ages of 55 and 75 with metabolic syndrome for 3 years.
The results showed that individuals who ate breakfast had better overall diet quality and lower cardiometabolic risk. “Healthy breakfast habits relate to healthy aging by improving heart risk factors,” the researchers wrote in the study published in the Journal of Nutrition, Health, and Aging.
Among those who consumed breakfast, both low and high-energy, low-quality breakfasts were associated with higher body fat, elevated triglycerides, and lower HDL cholesterol in older adults at high risk. The study also revealed that low-quality breakfasts were linked to poorer kidney function.
“Individuals at high cardiovascular risk may benefit from a balanced breakfast to maintain a healthy body weight, waist circumference, lipid profile, and renal function. A breakfast containing 20−30% of total caloric intake was linked to lower values of BMI, WC, triglycerides, and higher HDL-C concentrations, and a high-quality breakfast was associated with healthier values of WC, HDL-C, and eGFR,” the researchers wrote.
The new findings build on the idea that “breakfast is the most important meal of the day” and suggest it should be rephrased to include “What and how you eat it matters,” said Álvaro Hernáez, a lead researcher of the study.
According to the study findings, for a person who takes a 2,000-calorie diet, breakfast should provide around 400-600 calories. In terms of quality, the focus is on achieving balanced meals that include whole grains, lean proteins, healthy fats, and fruits or vegetables while steering clear of processed foods that are high in added sugars and unhealthy fats.
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Want To Quit Smoking? A Smartwatch App Can Make It Easier
Is quitting smoking one of your New Year’s resolutions? Breaking the habit can be tough, but what if there was something to nudge you just before you light up? Researchers have developed a new smartwatch app designed to make quitting smoking a little easier by reminding you when you are about to start a cigarette.
A research team at the University of Bristol, England, developed an app that could detect the typical hand movements of someone holding a cigarette and alert the smoker with a message discouraging them from smoking. According to the team, this is the first-ever just-in-time intervention for preventing smoking relapse that runs entirely on a smartwatch, without the need for pairing with a smartphone.
“For those who are trying to give up, an initial lapse is a vulnerable moment, and risks leading to a full relapse to smoking. People like smartwatches. They like the idea of it delivering a message at the point that they smoke. Therefore, if we can identify this point of lapse, and deliver an intervention precisely at that point, we have an opportunity to improve the success of the quit attempt,” Chris Stone, Senior Research Associate in Wearable Technology Application Development in Bristol’s Tobacco and Alcohol Research Group, and Integrative Cancer Epidemiology Program (ICEP), explained the idea behind the innovation in a news release.
The researchers tested the effectiveness of the relapse prevention app on 18 people who were ready to quit smoking. During the trial, participants wore a regular Android smartwatch loaded with the custom app. At the end of two weeks, many reported that the smartwatch helped them become more aware of their smoking habits, and the constant reminders made them pause and reconsider their actions.
Impressively, 66% of participants found the smartwatch intervention not only feasible but also acceptable, making it a promising tool for supporting behavior change and preventing smoking relapses.
According to Alizée Froguel, Cancer Research UK’s Prevention Policy Manager, stopping smoking is the best thing you can do to prevent cancer. “This study shows that smartwatches could be a useful method to help people quit smoking, but more research is needed to understand how effective they are. There are many tools available to help people quit, and getting support from your free local stop smoking service will give you the best chance of stopping successfully,” Froguel said.
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Planning To Eat Clean In The New Year? Your Obsession With a Healthy Diet Shouldn’t Turn Into Eating Disorder
With the New Year just around the corner, so are resolutions for a healthier year. If you have already committed to eating clean in the coming year, be cautious—obsessing over healthy eating can take a toll on your mental health and potentially lead to eating disorders.
Orthorexia nervosa (ON) is an obsession with eating “pure” foods to the point that it can take over your social life and mental well-being. Individuals may start organizing their entire schedule around strict dietary rules, skipping social events like Christmas parties or family dinners, and feel stressed or anxious when their eating routines are disrupted.
Many people may fall into the trap of extreme dieting that cuts out carbohydrates, proteins, and essential vitamins, all in the name of healthy eating. However, this approach can put the body at risk of nutrient deficiencies, leading to symptoms such as hair loss, brittle nails, missed menstrual cycles, and constant fatigue.
If this obsession with healthy eating goes unchecked, it can escalate into more serious problems, potentially leading to clinical eating disorders such as anorexia or bulimia.
In a groundbreaking study, researchers explored how healthy eating addiction and extreme beauty ideals among fashion models can trigger eating and body image disorders. Their findings published in Eating and Weight Disorders – Studies on Anorexia, Bulimia, and Obesity, revealed that while 95% of the participants both models and the control group had positive emotions associated with healthy eating, over 35% of female models exhibited signs of ON and over 20% in the control group. The survey also revealed a troubling trend regarding the body mass index (BMI) of the fashion models, with a significant 88.7% of them falling below the underweight threshold.
For those looking to adopt a healthy lifestyle in the New Year, Dr. Nikolett Bogár, a PhD student researching eating disorders at the Institute of Behavioral Sciences at Semmelweis University, recommends focusing on a long-term, balanced diet while recognizing that eating is not just about nutrition but also a social and cultural experience. She advises against categorizing foods as strictly good or bad.
“Aim for a long-term, balanced diet rather than an ultra-clean one in January. Occasionally indulging in chocolates or holiday treats should be part of your diet – without guilt,” Dr. Bogár, advises.
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Fitness Trainer Gets Diagnosed With Rare Blood Cancer At 25 After Brushing Off Strange Symptoms
For a 23-year-old fitness trainer, Dilan Patel in the U.K., life was going normal until he began experiencing a strange, recurring symptom that kept him up two to three times a night. For nearly two years, Patel ignored night sweats and several other warning signs. However, when they became impossible to overlook, he was faced with a life-altering diagnosis: Hodgkin lymphoma, a rare type of blood cancer.
Hodgkin Lymphoma is a cancer that affects the lymphatic system. Although a serious form of cancer, the tumors in the lymph nodes can be cured if diagnosed and treated early. However, most often signs such as night sweats can easily be mistaken for less serious issues.
“You won’t believe it… I was 25 years old, living my life like any other young adult – working hard, working out, hanging with friends, and trying to figure out my future. Life felt normal. I had no reason to think anything was wrong. But then something strange started happening,” Patel said in a TikTok video.
“I’d wake up in the middle of the night drenched in sweat. I mean SOAKED. My clothes, my bed – everything would be wet. It happened 2-3 times every single night. At first, I just thought, ‘Maybe I’m getting too hot under the covers?’ So I brushed it off,” he added.
Apart from night sweats, Patel experienced persistent itchy skin, which he brushed off as nothing more than dryness, and fatigue and lumps on his neck that he assumed were from intense gym workouts.
“Everything had an explanation – or so I thought,” Patel said. However, by the time Patel was diagnosed with stage 4B Hodgkin’s Lymphoma, he already had five tumors and the cancer had even spread to his lung.
“I couldn’t believe it. I’d spent so long brushing off my symptoms, convincing myself they weren’t a big deal. But my body had been screaming at me for almost 2 years,” Patel said.
The symptoms of Hodgkin lymphoma include painless, swollen lymph nodes in the neck, underarm, or groin, unexplained fever, drenching night sweats, weight loss over six months without a clear reason, persistent fatigue, and itchy skin, particularly after bathing or drinking alcohol.
“If there’s one thing I’ve learned from this experience, it’s to pay attention to your body. Those little signs and symptoms? They’re there for a reason. Don’t wait until it’s too late,” Patel added.