Happy Saturday! Tomorrow is the first day of fall, so let’s kick off the cozy season with some delicious fall ingredients (that are good for you!) and here’s what you might have missed this week in health and wellness.
What interests our team: Here are some of our favorite topics:
You can finally ditch the air-conditioned gym. Caitlin Riley explains why autumn is the perfect time to exercise outdoors and how to make the most of the balmy temperatures.
Throw on an oversized sweatshirt, cycling shorts and thick socks. “Princess Diana Weather” is back, and Lindsay Goldwart explains the timeless appeal of seasonal Diana-inspired fashion.
Autumn is still in its early stages and the weather is unpredictable, alternating between scorching heat and freezing cold. Colin Miller explains why sudden changes in temperature can be bad for your health and what you can do about it.
Natalie LaHal’s COVID-19 fall guide has all the details you need to know about this season, from new variants to the latest vaccine information.
Election Day is just around the corner! We spoke to mental health experts about the latest Yahoo News/YouGov poll, which found that Americans are more anxious about the presidential election than they were four months ago.
What researchers have studied: Here are some interesting new findings:
Celebrity Health Stories: Celebrities don’t just focus on fashion and movies, they also draw attention to important health issues. Here’s what you need to know this week.
Stars of Hulu’s “The Secret Lives of Mormon Wives” say their “dirty soda” habits are a vice worth taking that could negatively impact their health. Kelly Justich speaks to an expert about “liquid Satan” drinks.
Actress Hayden Panettiere has spoken for the first time about the loss of her brother, who died suddenly last year from a mysterious heart condition, and shared how she’s dealing with the grief.
With Superman: The Christopher Reeve Story hitting theaters today, I spoke with the president and CEO of the Christopher and Dana Reeve Foundation about how the beloved star revolutionized spinal cord injury research.
Finally, here are some of the biggest health and wellness stories of the week.
FDA approves nasal spray flu vaccine that can be administered at home
On Friday, the Food and Drug Administration approved the first flu vaccine that doesn’t require health care workers to administer it.
AstraZeneca’s vaccine, FluMist, which is administered as a nasal spray, was first approved by the FDA in 2003 for people ages 5 to 49. In 2007, the approval was expanded to include children as young as 2. With the FDA’s decision on Friday, FluMist can now be obtained without a prescription and can be self-administered or administered by a caregiver.
“Getting vaccinated annually is the best way to prevent influenza, which causes illness for a significant portion of the U.S. population each year and can lead to serious complications, including hospitalization and death,” Dr. Peter Marks, director of the FDA’s Center for Biologics Evaluation and Research, said in a statement. “This approval provides additional vaccination options against influenza illness.”
It’s the latest example of how nasal sprays are revolutionizing medicine, with the method now being used to deliver medicine for everything from migraines to overdoses and allergic reactions.
Climate change is one of the reasons for the sharp rise in stroke deaths worldwide
Since 1990, new cases of stroke have soared 70 percent and stroke-related deaths have increased 44 percent worldwide, making stroke the third-leading cause of death, according to a study published Wednesday.
The researchers identified 23 risk factors responsible for most of the global stroke burden and found that climate change is a major contributing factor.
“Air pollution and rising temperatures play a bigger role in stroke than we’ve seen in the past,” said Dr Katherine Johnson, co-author of the study. “To reduce the burden of stroke, we need to address these environmental risks, along with metabolic and lifestyle factors.”
Modifiable risk factors such as high blood pressure, high cholesterol and obesity are the main contributing factors for stroke worldwide, and experts say exercise, quitting smoking and maintaining a healthy weight are key to significantly lowering the risk of stroke.
U.S. drug overdose deaths fall for first time in years
Public health data shows that drug overdose deaths nationwide appear to be declining for the first time in years, NPR reported Wednesday.
Dr. Navarun Dasgupta, a street drug expert at the University of North Carolina, was one of the first researchers to notice the trend: He believes street drug deaths have fallen by at least 15% nationwide, which could mean up to 20,000 fewer deaths per year.
Possible reasons for this sharp decline include public health strategies, a changing composition of street drug supply, the end of the COVID pandemic and the high number of people who have already died from drug overdoses, according to drug addiction experts.
