All Sauce from Weekly Gravy:

For the first time, COVID-19 vaccines have been added to the list of routine immunizations recommended for adults — a further sign the virus is here to stay. The addition is being made to the 2023 Recommended Adult Immunization Schedule, released Thursday by the Advisory Committee on Immunization Practice (ACIP), an expert panel that advises the U.S. federal government on vaccination recommendations for all Americans. COVID vaccination has, of course, been recommended ever since the vaccines became available. But its inclusion on the recommended vaccine schedule underscores the fact that COVID-19 is not going away, said Dr. Sandra Adamson Fryhofer, an Atlanta-based physician who serves as an ACIP liaison. “This reiterates that COVID has gone from pandemic to endemic,” Fryhofer said. “For now, it looks like it’s here to stay.” “Endemic” means that a disease is spreading at a more stable frequency, versus the exponential growth seen during a pandemic. At this point, most Americans have received the primary series of vaccines against COVID. However, few have gotten the updated “bivalent” boosters that target both the original strain of the virus that causes COVID and two Omicron subvariants. It has been available since September, but only about 16% of Americans have gotten it, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. That rate is higher among people age 65 and older, who are…  read on >  read on >

A new treatment for chronic constipation may bring relief without having to use drugs. It’s a vibrating pill called Vibrant that stimulates the colon as it passes through the body. Although the pill was approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration last August, doctors can start prescribing Vibrant this week. “We are working right now with insurance companies to obtain coverage in commercial plans,” Cathy Collis, chief commercial officer for Vibrant Gastro Inc., told CNN. “But until we get that coverage, our goal and commitment is to make sure that this is accessible and affordable to patients.” The company had to show the pills contained no toxic materials, could withstand an accidental bite and didn’t carry risk of infections, getting stuck, irritating tissues or interfering with other medical devices, CNN reported. A person prescribed the pill would take it at bedtime daily. The pill would then travel through the stomach and small intestine before reaching the large intestine about 14 hours later and stimulating nerve cells. In doing this, it causes muscle contractions that move food out. The pill then leaves the body with the feces. The pills are made of medical-grade material similar to what gastroenterologists use for pill cameras, CNN reported. Vibrant is intended for the 10% to 20% of people who live with chronic constipation, having fewer than three bowel movements…  read on >  read on >

Many football fans fondly remember Rick Arrington as the Philadelphia Eagles’ quarterback from 1970 to 1973, but his daughter’s memories are tainted by years spent watching her dad suffer from late-stage chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE). A degenerative brain disease found in athletes, military veterans and others with a history of repetitive brain trauma, CTE causes depression, suicidal thoughts, aggression and mood swings. Eventually, folks have problems with thinking and memory, and may ultimately develop dementia. Repeated blows to the head — even if they don’t cause concussions — are considered the main risk factor for CTE. Speaking about her father’s illness for the first time at a recent benefit for the Concussion Legacy Foundation, sportscaster Jill Arrington said she no longer enjoys watching football. “When I see players’ heads collide on the field, I see my dad’s face begging me through tears to end his misery. I see the strongest man I have ever known struggle to sleep for months on end … and unable to make a simple cellphone call,” she told the crowd. Though he had no history of concussions, Arrington said her dad suffered with CTE for more than 35 years. “His life was cut short by the sport he loved,” she lamented. Researchers at the Boston University CTE Center recently announced that they have now diagnosed CTE in the brains of…  read on >  read on >

Chemicals found in plastic personal care products, kids’ toys, and food and drink packaging could be raising the risk of type 2 diabetes among women, new research suggests. To study the impact of these chemicals, known as phthalates, researchers followed just over 1,300 U.S. women for six years to see if exposure contributed to the incidence of diabetes. About 5% of the women developed diabetes during the study period. The researchers found that white women exposed to high levels of some phthalates had a 30% to 63% higher chance of developing diabetes. The harmful chemicals were not linked to diabetes risk in Black or Asian women. Exposure to these endocrine-disrupting chemicals has previously been associated with reduced fertility and other endocrine disorders. “Our research found phthalates may contribute to a higher incidence of diabetes in women, especially white women, over a six-year period,” said Sung Kyun Park, an associate professor of epidemiology and environmental health sciences at the University of Michigan School of Public Health, in Ann Arbor. “People are exposed to phthalates daily, increasing their risk of several metabolic diseases. It’s important that we address [endocrine-disrupting chemicals] now as they are harmful to human health,” Park said in a news release from the Endocrine Society. The study, which was published online Feb. 8 in the Journal of Clinical Endocrinology & Metabolism, received funding from…  read on >  read on >

Add high blood pressure to the list of problems associated with concussions among former pro football players. Researchers at Harvard University’s Football Players Health Study linked a history of concussions to elevated risk for high blood pressure among ex-NFL players. The results suggest that treating former athletes who have both high blood pressure and a history of concussions could help protect them against heart, blood vessel and mental (cognitive) decline. “If players, families, and physicians are aware of the cardiovascular effects of head injury, we have a better chance of protecting both their cardiovascular health and long-term cognitive health,” study author Rachel Grashow said in a Harvard news release. She is director of epidemiological research initiatives for the Football Players Health Study. Grashow headed up the new study with Dr. Aaron Baggish, professor of medicine at the University of Lausanne in Switzerland and senior faculty member at the Football Players Health Study. The findings are based on a survey of more than 4,000 former National Football League players looking at various aspects of players’ health across their life span. Most research on mental decline in former pro football players has focused on neurodegeneration caused directly by repeated concussions, Grashow said. But heart disease is the leading cause of death and disability among former football players and Americans in general. And high blood pressure is the…  read on >  read on >

Parents in the United States may assume baby food is free of impurities, but a recent research review highlights the much different reality: Most foods made for babies and toddlers have some amount of toxic heavy metals. The contaminants include metals, such as lead and arsenic, that can harm brain development, and contribute to learning and behavior problems in children. And they are found in everything from rice cereals to formula to pureed vegetables. It’s an issue that’s been known for decades, yet most parents are probably unaware of it, experts said. “Most people would probably think that, out of all foods, baby food has to be the safest,” said Dr. Sarah Ventre, the lead author on the review and a pediatrician at the University at Buffalo, in New York. But lead, arsenic and other toxic metals exist in the soil and groundwater, finding their way into the food supply, including the products that ultimately end up in baby food. A 2019 study found heavy metals in 95% of baby foods tested. One-quarter contained traces of all four metals researchers assessed: arsenic, cadmium, lead and mercury. That study was commissioned by the nonprofit Healthy Babies Bright Futures (HBBF), and included in the new review. Jane Houlihan, research director at HBBF, agreed that the facts surprise parents, who may assume baby food is tightly regulated. “But…  read on >  read on >

There’s been plenty of scientific debate about whether vaping is safer than tobacco, and whether it may help some people stop smoking. According to a recent Cochrane Review analysis of 78 studies, electronic cigarettes show more success in helping people quit smoking than traditional nicotine-replacement therapies, such as nicotine patches and gums. “The most important finding from our recent review update is that for the first time there is high certainty evidence that nicotine e-cigarettes are more effective than traditional nicotine-replacement therapies, such as patches, gum or lozenges, in helping people to quit smoking,” said study co-author Ailsa Butler. She is a postdoctoral researcher from the University of Oxford’s Centre for Evidence-Based Medicine, in the United Kingdom. But is vaping better than smoking? Let’s look at how vaping compares to smoking in terms of its safety and effects on your health. How vaping works Vapes, or e-cigarettes, are handheld devices that contain a reservoir for liquid, according to the U.S. National Institutes of Health. This liquid is vaporized upon heating. The heating element is usually powered by a battery. The liquid that goes into the reservoir or “pod” comes in both nicotine and nicotine-free forms. While the liquid may be free of harsh chemicals, it may contain carcinogens or other toxins that can be harmful to your health, according to the National Institute on Drug…  read on >  read on >

Primary care doctors are no longer just in the physical health business: Americans are increasingly turning to them for mental health care, too, a new study finds. Looking at Americans’ primary care visits between 2006 and 2018, researchers found a 50% increase in the proportion of visits that addressed mental health concerns. That figure rose from just under 11% of visits, to 16% by the end of the study period. The reasons are unclear, experts said, but it’s not just a matter of mental health conditions becoming more common: During the same period, other studies show, the national rate of mental health disorders rose by about 18%. Instead, it seems primary care doctors are shouldering more responsibility for diagnosing and in some cases treating, mental health conditions. “I think this study really underscores the importance of primary care in our country,” said lead researcher Dr. Lisa Rotenstein, medical director of population health at Brigham and Women’s Hospital in Boston. That also means primary care doctors need the resources to make sure patients diagnosed with mental health conditions get the best treatment, she said. The findings — published in the February issue of the journal Health Affairs — are based on an ongoing government survey that collects information on Americans’ office-based medical care. Rotenstein’s team analyzed records from nearly 110,000 primary care visits, representing roughly 3.9…  read on >  read on >

The U.S. flu season is expected to extend into spring, and experts say it’s not too late to get a flu shot. Last year’s flu season was mild, but this season has already seen triple the number of flu-related deaths in the United States. “Even a minor respiratory virus can be hard on someone with lung disease, and the flu is especially challenging,” said Dr. Albert Rizzo, chief medical officer for the American Lung Association. “We want to reiterate that not only should people with any chronic illness get a flu shot, but their loved ones and friends should also protect them by getting the flu vaccine. It’s imperative that we slow the spread of the flu this year as much as possible to continue to decrease the number of cases and hospitalizations, and to protect our most vulnerable loved ones,” Rizzo said in a news release from the American Heart Association, American Lung Association and American Diabetes Association. The flu can cause serious complications for people who have chronic health conditions, leading to hospitalization and potentially death. About 90% of people hospitalized for flu have at least one underlying medical condition, according to the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These can include heart disease, history of stroke, type 1 or type 2 diabetes, obesity and chronic lung disease, such as asthma, cystic…  read on >  read on >

Want to stay healthy well into your golden years? Grab a bag of clubs and hit the green, new research suggests. Golfing beat walking or even Nordic walking (a full-body workout that consists of walking using specialized poles) when it came to improving several key measures of heart health in the small study. “The results of this study are meant to encourage older adults to spend more time on the golf course and play by walking,” said study author Julia Kettinen, a doctoral researcher at the Institute of Biomedicine/Sports and Exercise Medicine at the University of Eastern Finland in Kuopio. “Golf is a great way to exercise, as it motivates individuals to move, often without even realizing the distance they’ve walked during the game.” For the study, investigators compared the heart health effects of an 18-hole round of golf to about 3.7 miles of Nordic walking or walking among 25 healthy golfers aged 65 or older. The researchers measured blood pressure, blood sugar and cholesterol. Participants also wore heart monitors and fitness devices to track distance, duration, pace, steps and calories burned. All three types of aerobic exercise improved heart health after a single session, but golf took the top prize, the study showed. Golf is a lower-intensity exercise than Nordic walking and walking, but an 18-hole golf game lasts around four hours, and players…  read on >  read on >