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Winter months can be a challenge for those trying to keep their high blood pressure in check, new research suggests. In an analysis of more than 60,000 American adults being treated for high blood pressure at six health care centers in the Southeast and Midwest United States, scientists found that systolic blood pressure — the top number — rose slightly in winter months, by up to 1.7 mm Hg. Meanwhile, population blood pressure control rates decreased by 5% in the winter compared to control rates from the summer. These findings were presented Thursday at the American Heart Association’s Hypertension Scientific Sessions 2023. “Despite the smaller degree of systolic blood pressure variation in comparison to previous studies on seasonality in blood pressure, we were surprised to observe a large degree of change in blood pressure control between winter and summer months,” said study author Robert Barrett, a software engineer at the American Medical Association. “Individuals with hypertension or values near the range of hypertension may benefit from periodic blood pressure monitoring and improvements in physical activity and nutritional patterns during winter months, to offset adverse effects from seasonal blood pressure changes,” he said in a meeting news release. During the review, each of the participants remained on the blood pressure medication that had been prescribed for them. They were seen at centers ranging from small federally… read on > read on >

New COVID-19 booster shots could soon pass the needed hurdles for vaccinations to begin next week. Sources familiar with U.S. Food and Drug Administration plans say boosters could be approved as soon as Friday, NBC News reported. The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices is scheduled to meet on Tuesday. CDC director Dr. Mandy Cohen could sign off soon after, allowing vaccinations to begin. The boosters from Pfizer and Moderna target the XBB.1.5 omicron subvariant. That’s no longer the dominant variant circulating, but those that are spreading are closely related, and health experts say this booster could still offer some protection. This time, the FDA may grant full approval for the boosters rather than emergency use authorization, according to NBC News sources. If the FDA doesn’t approve the boosters on Friday, it could do so early next week. While protection wanes over time, about 97% of adults have some level of protective immunity from past COVID infections and vaccinations. These shots are expected to boost that coverage. They will, however, come at a price. For the first time, the federal government is not covering costs of the shots. Most people with private and public health insurance should still be able to receive them for free. Those who are uninsured may be able to get them at community health centers.… read on > read on >

Going vegan doesn’t have to mean going broke, with new research finding that steering clear of meat and dairy can lower food costs by about 16%. “A vegan diet based on fruits, vegetables, grains and beans has always been a more affordable diet than one that includes meat, dairy and other animal products,” said study author Dr. Hana Kahleova, director of clinical research for the Physicians Committee for Responsible Medicine in Washington, D.C. “Like any diet, the cost of a vegan diet can vary based on the foods you are purchasing,” Kahleova added. “But as our research shows, a vegan diet will actually save you money, when compared to one that includes animal products.” That conclusion follows four months spent tracking 244 overweight study participants at some point between 2017 and 2019. Though none had been vegan prior to the study, investigators randomly assigned half to make the switch to a vegan diet, while the remaining half made no changes to their diet. An earlier analysis of the data determined that making the switch triggered a variety of health benefits. For example, those who embarked on a vegan diet tended to lose significant weight. A vegan diet was also linked to improved metabolism, along with a drop in fat accumulation in liver and muscle cells. The latter development meant improvements in the way those in… read on > read on >

Groceries cost a lot, but it is possible to eat healthy foods without overspending. Experts at the University of Alabama at Birmingham offer tips for healthy eating on a budget. “Maintaining a healthy diet is not only about what you eat but also about making mindful choices,” said Emily Davidson, employee wellness manager at UAB. “A little planning, creativity and smart shopping can help people enjoy a nutritious diet without breaking the bank.” Planning your meals is key. It saves money that you might otherwise spend on impulse buys. Plan for incorporating fresh, seasonal fruits and vegetables, Davidson suggested. “When planning meals, look for what’s in season,” she said in a university news release. “Notice that some fruits and vegetables are more expensive during different seasons because not all produce grows year-round. Getting fresh fruits and veggies in their off-season is expensive because it requires extra travel and shipping costs.” Make a shopping list to help curb impulse buying. Shopping online and doing grocery pickup can help save money, too. “Before heading to the store, list the items needed for your planned meals and stick to it,” Davidson said. “This will help avoid buying unnecessary items that seem tempting.” Bulk buying of staples offers value for the money, Davidson said. Buy rice, beans, oats and frozen fruits and veggies in bulk. Don’t ignore frozen produce.… read on > read on >

THURSDAY, Aug. 31, 2023 (HealthDay News) – The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has asked the U.S. Drug Enforcement Agency to reclassify marijuana as a less dangerous drug under the Controlled Substances Act, a move that could potentially expand acceptance of the drug. The DEA confirmed receiving an Aug. 29 letter requesting the change and will begin its own review, a spokesperson told Bloomberg News. The move wouldn’t legalize marijuana, but could move it from its Schedule I classification to a Schedule III. Schedule I drugs, which carry a high risk of abuse, include LSD, ecstasy and heroin. Meanwhile, Schedule III drugs can be obtained with a prescription. Last October, President Joe Biden announced initiatives to ease marijuana penalties. He pardoned all prior simple possession offenses charged federally, asking states to do the same. At that time, Biden also asked the HHS and U.S. Attorney General to review marijuana scheduling, its medical use, potential for abuse and dependence and safety. Cannabis advocates have said that rescheduling the drug would be acknowledging marijuana’s legitimate uses, Bloomberg News reported. About 18% of Americans used cannabis at least once in 2019, according to data from the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “Cannabis should never have been scheduled alongside heroin and placed at the center of our nation’s destructive drug war,” Edward Conklin, executive director… read on > read on >

Taking cholesterol-lowering statin medication after a bleeding stroke, or intracerebral hemorrhage, may lower the risk of a subsequent stroke caused by a blood clot, according to new research. “Previous research has had mixed results on the risk of stroke in people who are taking statins and have already had a bleeding stroke, so we evaluated this further,” said study author Dr. David Gaist, of the University of Southern Denmark in Odense and a member of the American Academy of Neurology. “We looked at whether use of statins after a bleeding stroke is associated with the risk of any additional stroke, including both those caused by bleeding and by blood clots,” Gaist said in an academy new release. “We found that those who used statins had a lower risk of stroke, notably ischemic stroke, while there was no change in the risk of bleeding stroke.” While intracerebral hemorrhage is caused by bleeding in the brain, ischemic stroke is caused by a blockage of blood flow to the brain. Ischemic strokes are by far the most common types of stroke. Researchers studied health records in Denmark, finding more than 15,000 people who had a first bleeding stroke. They followed the patients from 30 days after their bleeding stroke until the occurrence of another stroke, death or the end of follow-up, which on average lasted 3.3 years. The… read on > read on >

An apple a day may be just what the doctor ordered. New research on “produce prescription” programs finds that when access to free fruits and vegetables is offered, recipients see measurable benefits in health and hunger. “To me, this shows that there’s a very strong proof of concept behind produce prescriptions and this should, I think, add to the growing momentum to continue to expand access to these programs, but in particular, to increase the quality and the robustness of the evaluations,” said first author Kurt Hager, who did the study as a doctoral student in nutrition science and policy at Tufts University in Boston. He is now an instructor at University of Massachusetts Chan Medical School. The study, published Aug. 29 in Circulation: Cardiovascular Quality and Outcomes, included people at risk for heart disease. Each received gift cards or vouchers for free produce at retail grocers or farmers markets. When participants ate more fruits and vegetables as part of a produce prescription program, their blood sugar and blood pressure improved, the study found. Some also lost weight. Food insecurity — lacking reliable access to enough food — can cause stress, anxiety and poor diet, which all have a big impact on health, Hager said. Some people may decide to forgo good-quality food in order to pay for housing, utilities and medications. Produce prescriptions aren’t… read on > read on >

Stroll past the supplements in any drugstore and you’ll find broad claims about fish oil helping everything from heart and brain health, to joints, eyes and immune systems. But you just might be wasting your money, according to a new study. “We know from recent large, randomized trials that fish oil supplements do not prevent heart disease in the general population, but yet they are one of the most common supplements taken, often by people who still believe they will benefit their heart,” said lead study author Joanna Assadourian, fourth-year medical student at UT Southwestern Medical School in Dallas. The authors researched what these labels actually say, using data from labels of on-market fish oil supplements, to measure the frequency and types of health claims. They included both U.S. Food and Drug Administration-reviewed qualified health claims and those that made assertions about supporting structure or function in various organs. The researchers also assessed the total daily doses of combined EPA and DHA, the omega-3 fatty acids found in fish oil, found in supplements from 16 leading manufacturers and retailers. They found that 2,082 of the 2,819 analyzed made at least one health claim, which is nearly 74%. And of those, only 19% made an FDA-approved qualified health claim, which helps consumers understand any scientific uncertainty surrounding a claim. The others made general structure or function… read on > read on >

Tainted eye drops are back in the news, with federal regulators warning consumers not to use certain eye drops because of contamination concerns. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration on Tuesday advised people to avoid purchasing and immediately stop using Dr. Berne’s MSM Drops 5% Solution and LightEyez MSM Eye Drops—Eye Repair because the drops may be contaminated with bacteria, fungus or both. Specific microbes isolated from FDA testing include Bacillus (a bacterium) and fungal Exophiala in the Dr. Berne’s MSM Drops 5% Solution. In the LightEyez MSM Eye Drops—Eye Repair, FDA testing detected bacteria including Pseudomonas, Mycobacterium, Mycolicibacterium and Methylorubrum. The Dr. Berne’s products are distributed by Dr. Berne’s Whole Health Products. That company agreed on Monday to a voluntary recall of those particular eye drops. The LightEyez products are distributed by LightEyez Limited. LightEyez has not responded to an FDA email seeking to discuss the FDA’s concerns, the agency said. So far no one has reported adverse events from using the drops, the FDA said, but the products should be thrown out because using them could lead to minor or serious vision-threatening infections. That could even progress to a life-threatening infection, the agency warned. Patients who have signs or symptoms of an eye infection should talk to their health care professional or seek immediate medical care. The two eye drops included in the… read on > read on >

When it comes to the array of different microorganisms found in the human gut, more is better: A more diverse microbiome is a healthier microbiome. Now, initial results of a small, ongoing study suggests that weight loss through either intermittent fasting or a calorie-restricted diet can improve that diversity. After tracking calorie-control dieters and intermittent fasters for three months, both had significantly improved microbiome diversity, said study author Maggie Stanislawski, an assistant professor of biomedical informatics at the University of Colorado. “The increase wasn’t greater in one group or the other,” she said. Each individual has a unique population of microorganisms including bacteria, fungi and viruses, in his or her gut. “These microorganisms are important to our health because they help to digest our food,” Stanislawski said. In fact, “many foods that you eat you cannot digest without the help of those microorganisms,” she stressed. Such organisms also help turn food into critical substances such as metabolites, which play important roles in many processes, from controlling inflammation to ensuring “how full you feel after a meal,” Stanislawski said. And the greater the variety of microorganisms colonizing the gut, the more effectively such functions are carried out. To see what impact different dietary approaches might have on the microbiome, researchers studied 47 healthy adults ranging in age from 18 to 55 who were either overweight or… read on > read on >