Author: Jane Farrell

COVID-19 and Asthma

Asthma is a chronic lung disease that causes periods of wheezing, chest tightness, shortness of breath, and coughing. It is a major contributing factor to missed time from school and work, with severe attacks requiring emergency room visits and hospitalizations. Sometimes these asthma attacks can be fatal. In the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, federal… Continue reading COVID-19 and Asthma

COVID-19: The Basics of Testing

You’ve heard a lot about coronavirus testing recently. If you think you have coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) and need a test, contact your health care provider immediately. Here, the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) outlines the different types of tests and the steps involved. A diagnostic test can show if you have an active… Continue reading COVID-19: The Basics of Testing

FDA Issues Approval for New Kind of COVID-19 Test

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued the first emergency use authorization (EUA) for a COVID-19 antigen test, a new category of tests for use in the ongoing pandemic. These diagnostic tests quickly detect fragments of proteins found on or within the virus by testing samples collected from the nasal cavity using swabs. The… Continue reading FDA Issues Approval for New Kind of COVID-19 Test

Keeping Your Eyes Safe during The Coronavirus Pandemic

The Centers for Disease Control (CDC) recommends that people avoid touching their eyes, nose and mouth with unwashed hands to help prevent spreading germs during the COVID-19 pandemic. But what about those who wear prescription contacts and glasses? Are there added risks to touching your eyes during a pandemic like COVID-19? Here, from ophthalmologists and… Continue reading Keeping Your Eyes Safe during The Coronavirus Pandemic

E-Cigarettes Cause the Same Kind of Damage to Arteries as Traditional Cigarettes

Using e-cigarettes damages the arteries and blood vessel function in the same way that smoking traditional cigarettes does, according to new research. The study was published in April in the Journal of the American Heart Association, an open access journal of the American Heart Association, and funded through the Tobacco Center of Regulatory Science of… Continue reading E-Cigarettes Cause the Same Kind of Damage to Arteries as Traditional Cigarettes

Number of Steps, Not Intensity, May Be Better for Your Health

How many steps should you be taking daily for better health? Taking 4,000 or fewer steps a day is considered a low level of physical activity. A goal of 10,000 steps a day is commonly cited, but new research shows that there are health benefits even if fewer than 10,000 steps are taken each day.… Continue reading Number of Steps, Not Intensity, May Be Better for Your Health

Seeking Alcohol Counseling During the Pandemic

Keeping away from one another is crucial for stopping the coronavirus. But that distancing also risks keeping people away from vital support. “It’s a real danger,” said Mike Marshall, executive director of Oregon Recovers, a coalition of addiction recovery groups. According to a news release from the American Heart Association (AHA), Marshall explained that people… Continue reading Seeking Alcohol Counseling During the Pandemic

Infant Temperament Predicts Personality More than 20 Years Later

Researchers investigating how temperament shapes outcomes in adult life have found that behavioral inhibition in infancy predicts a reserved, introverted personality at age 26. For those individuals who show sensitivity to making errors in adolescence, the findings indicated a higher risk for internalizing disorders (such as anxiety and depression) in adulthood. The study, funded by… Continue reading Infant Temperament Predicts Personality More than 20 Years Later

Talking to Kids About COVID-19

As public conversations around coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) increase, children may worry about themselves, their family, and friends getting ill with COVID-19. Parents, family members, school staff, and other trusted adults can play an important role in helping children make sense of what they hear in a way that is honest, accurate, and minimizes anxiety… Continue reading Talking to Kids About COVID-19

COVID-19: Safe Grocery Shopping during The Pandemic

The novel coronavirus has changed many aspects of our daily lives, including trips to the grocery store. Instead of popping by the supermarket to grab what you need for tonight’s dinner, many people are now second-guessing their trips and wondering whether it is even safe to go into a store and be exposed, not only… Continue reading COVID-19: Safe Grocery Shopping during The Pandemic

COVID-19: How You Can Make A Difference in The Pandemic

The COVID-19 pandemic has created challenges in our everyday lives. As we each do our part to help slow the spread of coronavirus disease, we look to the helpers all around us and wonder if we, too, could do more. Here, from the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are some ways you and your… Continue reading COVID-19: How You Can Make A Difference in The Pandemic

The Truth about Gut Trouble

Everyone has pain or discomfort in their gut occasionally. Maybe you ate something that didn’t agree with you. Or you had an infection that made you sick to your stomach for a few days. But if pain and other gut symptoms go on for weeks or longer, something more serious might be wrong. Digestive system… Continue reading The Truth about Gut Trouble

Researchers Make Surprising Discovery about Dry AMD

A protein that normally deposits mineralized calcium in tooth enamel may also be responsible for calcium deposits in the back of the eye in people with dry age-related macular degeneration (AMD), according to a study from researchers at the National Eye Institute (NEI). This protein, amelotin, may turn out to be a therapeutic target for… Continue reading Researchers Make Surprising Discovery about Dry AMD

COVID-19: Blood Donations Update

The nation’s blood supply requires a steady supply of donors who generously donate millions of units of potentially life-saving blood and blood components each year. Every two seconds, a patient needs a blood transfusion. But in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, according to a statement from the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA), “the… Continue reading COVID-19: Blood Donations Update

Some Medicines and Driving Don’t Mix

If you’re taking a medication, is it safe to drive? Most likely, yes. Still, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) advises you to make sure before operating any type of vehicle, whether a car, bus, train, plane, or boat. Although most medications won’t affect your ability to drive, some prescription and nonprescription medicines can… Continue reading Some Medicines and Driving Don’t Mix

Living Alone with Early-Stage Dementia

Many people with early-stage dementia can manage living alone. But without adequate precaution, this can be difficult even at the best of times, and the COVID – 19 pandemic makes the situation harder. If a patient is convinced that he or she can live alone, caregivers need to check frequently on their loved one to… Continue reading Living Alone with Early-Stage Dementia

Coping with Stress during COVID-19

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The outbreak of coronavirus disease 2019 (COVID-19) has prompted widespread fear and anxiety. Emotions like these can be overwhelming. Coping with stress will make you, the people you care about, and your community stronger. Everyone reacts differently to stressful situations.  How you respond to the outbreak can depend on your background, the things that make… Continue reading Coping with Stress during COVID-19