Moderna President Stephen Hoge said theres a real risk that existing Covid-19 vaccines will be less effective against omicron, while U.S. medical adviser Anthony Fauci said the variants severity may be limited.

U.S. health officials said yesterday its still unclear how transmissible the latest Covid-19 variant is, how well existing vaccines work and whether it will lead to more severe illnesses. Hoge stopped short of comments by Moderna Chief Executive Officer Stephane Bancel that spooked markets last week, saying its too early to tell by how much omicron will degrade vaccines.

I think that theres a real risk that were going to see a decrease in the effectiveness of the vaccines, Hoge said in an ABC interview. What I dont know is how substantial that is.

An updated formulation probably would be needed if effectiveness is shown to drop significantly, he said.

Are we going to see something more like a 50% decrease in efficacy, which would really mean wed probably need to reboot the vaccines and update them? Hoge said.

Data from South Africa, where omicron was first detected in November, suggest it may not cause more severe illness than the more widely circulating delta variant, Fauci said on CNNs State of the Union. He cautioned that his conclusion was preliminary.

Thus far, it does not look like theres a great degree of severity to it, Fauci said. We feel certain that there will be some degree, and maybe a considerable degree, of protection against the omicron variant with existing vaccines, he said. Read more from Tony Czuczka and Justin Sink.

Read more: South Africa Dodging Hospitalization Surge Fuels Omicron Hope

The U.S. is reevaluating the travel ban on eight southern African countries as more information about the omicron variant and its spread becomes available, Fauci said yesterday.

That ban was done at a time when we were really in the dark we had no idea what was going on, Fauci said in an interview with CNNs State of the Union. U.S. medical advisers are evaluating the new restrictions on a daily basis and Fauci said he was hopeful well be able to lift that ban in a quite reasonable period of time. Read more from Justin Sink and Aysha Diallo.

More on Omicron:

Contractor Shot Mandate Under Assault in Texas, Georgia Hearings: Bidens power to mandate Covid-19 vaccinations for federal contractors was under attack in two federal courtrooms Friday, with a pair of judges appointed by the Trump administration considering whether to up the tally of states where the measure is blocked. Attorneys for Texas and a seven-state coalition led by Georgia told the judges that Biden overstepped his authority with an intrusive policy for contractors thats actually just cover for his real agenda of getting Americans vaccinated. Biden administration lawyers defended the presidents power to set the terms for federal contracts as long as its related to economic efficiency, as it is with ensuring contractor workers can perform instead of being sick with Covid-19. Read more from Robert Iafolla.

Biden Shot-or-Test Litigation Denied Fast-Track Schedule: A federal appeals court in Cincinnati rejected the Biden administrations request to move up deadlines in the legal challenge to its emergency shot-or-test rule that would accelerate consideration of lifting an order that froze the rule. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the Sixth Circuit didnt explain why it turned aside the administrations petition to move up the briefing schedule on its motion to dissolve the Fifth Circuits stay. The Sixth Circuit said in its order issued late Friday that it reserves judgment to set deadlines for reviewing the merits of the emergency rule. Read more from Robert Iafolla.

Answers Wanted on OSHA Health-Care Covid-19 Rule: Time is running out for OSHAs original Covid-19 health-care emergency temporary standard. The standard is set to expire Dec. 21, six months after it was enacted June 21. While the Occupational Safety and Health Administration issued the rule saying the mandate would be replaced with a permanent one within six months, as of Friday, OSHA hasnt said when that permanent standard will be issued or how the measure will differ from the temporary version. Asked for guidance regarding the release, a Department of Labor spokeswoman said Friday that OSHA does not have an update at this time. Read more from Bruce Rolfsen.

More Headlines:

Oversight Plans Drug Pricing Hearing: The House Oversight and Reform Committee scheduled a hearing Thursday to reveal findings in the panels three year investigation into pharmaceutical pricing and business practices. The hearing will also look at the need for structural reforms for the industry.

Senators Ready Bill to Overturn Biden Vaccine Mandate: The Occupational Safety and Health Administrations Nov. 5 rule requiring private sector employers to enforce Covid-19 vaccination or testing policies would be overturned by S. J. Res. 29. The resolution appears to have enough votes for Senate passage after Sen. Joe Manchin (D-W.Va.) stated his support on Thursday. Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-Ky.) said he expects a vote this week. If the Senate does pass the resolution, it would likely stall in the Democratic-controlled House, Bloomberg Government Analyst Adam M. Taylor writes.

Aging Research, Advocacy Group Launches with Gingrich Help: A group trying to elevate age-related conditions and promote research into making humans live longer is getting help from former House Speaker Newt Gingrich, a long-time advocate for expanding the governments research portfolio, Alex Ruoff reports.

The Alliance for Longevity Initiativesa nonprofit backed by several research organizations and companiesis hoping to make inroads in Congress to expand what the government spends on aging research and to make it easier for companies to gain approval for medicines meant to help people live longer lives, Dylan Livingston, the groups president and founder, said. This is about keeping in better health for a longer period of time, Livingston said. The group wants to work with the Food and Drug Administration to create a special pathway for therapies in the longevity medicine space and increase the budget for the National Institute on Aging, part of the National Institutes of Health, Livingston said.

The Alliance on Thursday will host a talk with Gingrich and former Rep. Steve Israel (D-N.Y.). Gingrich is connected to the group by Joseph DeSantis, who is chief strategy office for Gingrich 360, a consultancy formed by Gingrich, and sits on the board of directors for the Alliance.

Telehealth Visits in Medicare Soar: Medicare telehealth visits increased 63-fold from roughly 840,000 in 2019 to 52.7 million in 2020 as the Covid-19 pandemic caused beneficiaries to forgo in-person doctor visits in favor of virtual encounters, according to an HHS study. Ninety-two percent of telehealth visitswhich allow patients and providers to interact live via computer, tablet, or smartphonetook place from beneficiary homes, which was not allowed by Medicare before the pandemic. The massive increase in telehealth visits occurred while overall in-person visits to clinicians fell by 11% from 2019 to 2020. Read more from Tony Pugh.

More Headlines:

To contact the reporters on this story: Michaela Ross in Washington at mross@bgov.com; Alex Ruoff in Washington at aruoff@bgov.com

To contact the editors responsible for this story: Zachary Sherwood at zsherwood@bgov.com; Giuseppe Macri at gmacri@bgov.com

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HEALTH CARE BRIEFING: Vaccines May Struggle With Omicron Variant | Bloomberg Government - Bloomberg Government

Drinking a citrus-flavoured drink has been shown to have positive effects on blood sugar levels. In addition to preventing dehydration it can help the kidneys flush out extra sugar in the blood. Otherwise, mounting blood sugar levels an indicator of type 2 diabetes could increase stroke risk. Observational research, cited in the National Library of Medicine, stated that the intake of water (which can be flavoured with lemon) correlated with reduced risk of type 2 diabetes.

Experts at Medical News Today noted that lemon-flavoured water is one of the best drinks for diabetes.

Lemon water contains no sugar, meaning the risk of blood sugar spikes are considerably reduced.

The drink is also very hydrating, meaning you are less likely to mistake dehydration for hunger.

As such, the likelihood of inappropriate snacking is reduced, which may otherwise spike blood sugar levels.

READ MORE:How to live longer: 'Secrets' of extending longevity and slowing ageing at the cell level

By maintaining healthy blood sugar levels, you are effectively improving your chances of longevity.

This is because uncontrolled type 2 diabetes (and high blood sugar) can lead to heart disease and stroke, the NHS confirmed.

By drinking lemon water, the risks of blood sugar spikes are lowered, thereby reducing the risk of a deadly stroke.

However, good management of blood sugar levels requires more than just sipping on lemon water.

DON'T MISS

The Centres for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) highlighted warning signs of high blood sugar. These are:

To help keep blood sugar levels under control, the CDC strongly recommend drinking water instead of juice or soda.

In terms of dietary actions, it's best to "eat at regular times, and don't skip meals".

The foods you eat need to be lower in calories, saturated fat, trans fat, sugar and salt.

The NHS expanded on what it takes to "eat healthily", which involves:

Good blood sugar control also requires regular exercise, for at least 150 minutes each week.

An annual visit to the doctor is also wise to keep on top of your health.

As well as helping to control blood sugar levels, registered nutritionist Jo Lewin outlined the other health benefits of consuming lemon water.

For example, one 150ml glass of lemon water provides approximately 18mg of vitamin C and 65mg of potassium.

The citric acid in lemon water may also help to prevent kidney stones, said Lewin, which are caused by a build-up of calcium oxalate.

In addition, remaining hydrated can also help flush out any potential kidney stones.

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How to live longer: The best citrus drink to lower blood sugar and boost longevity - Daily Express

Cardiovascular disease is an umbrella term for a number of conditions affecting the heart or blood vessels.

There are four main types of cardiovascular disease. Coronary heart disease Strokes and TIAs (mini-stroke) Peripheral arterial disease Aortic disease

A study by the medical journal PLOS Medicine has looked into the effect of exercise on those with cardiovascular disease.

The study found that patients with cardiovascular disease can benefit significantly from exercise and physical activity.

Conducted in the Netherlands on 142,493 people, the personnel behind the study wanted to find out if someones cardiovascular health status impacted the benefit of exercise.

They found: Moderate to vigorous physical activity (MVPA) is beneficial for reducing adverse outcomes CVD patients demonstrated a linear association, suggesting a constant reduction of risk with higher volumes of MVPA. Therefore, individuals with CVDs should be encouraged that more is better regarding MVPA.

What this means is that the study found that the more someone with cardiovascular disease exercised, the better it was for their health.

READ MORE: Dementia warning: The 60p ingredient shown to double the risk of memory decline study

Furthermore, Dr Bakker, one of the authors went on to say: With every increase in physical activity volume leading to a further risk reduction of mortality and cardiovascular events.

However, it wasnt just non-leisure exercise, such as running or cycling that helped, but non-leisure exercise (exercise accrued via work) was said to have some benefits.

On the flip side, the study did mention some caveats and limitations with regard to their research.

Dr Edo Paz said: First off, activity level is self-reported, which can be inaccurate. Another key limitation of this study is that it is an observational study and thus limited by confounding. That means that exercise may be highly correlated with another factor.

DONT MISS

What Dr Paz means by this, is that exercise is affected by other factors such as your weight and your diet, that can more accurately determine the probability of a cardiovascular event coming.

Lastly, the study admitted that whilst it had studied the impact of moderate to vigorous activity, that it had not looked at the impact of light intensity physical activity.

Light intensity physical activities are those which involve standing up and moving around, but not any great distance.

This includes working at your desk, ironing or walking from your bedroom to the kitchen in the morning.

Nevertheless, the study does still show that exercise can greatly benefit those with cardiovascular disease.

As mentioned, there are other factors at play, such as your diet and your overall fitness.

This includes how much you smoke as the harmful components of tobacco can damage your blood vessels and your lungs.

Whether or not you have diabetes is also a factor as high blood sugar levels can also damage your blood vessels.

Other risk factors of cardiovascular disease include your ethnicity.

In the UK at least, the condition is more common in people of south Asian, Caribbean or African descent.

Finally, whether you have a family history of cardiovascular disease will be a risk factor.

You are considered to have a family history if your mother or sister were diagnosed before they turned 65, or your father or brother were diagnosed before the age of 55.

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How to live longer: The lifestyle factor that could extend longevity - Toys Matrix

Assistant Professor of Surgery David Aufhauser studies xenotransplantation, which is the transplantation of organs between species. We asked him to share his background and describe why he is excited to be part of the UWMadison community.

David Aufhauser: assistant professor in the School of Medicine & Public Healths Division of Transplantation

Hometown: Washington, D.C.

Educational/professional background: I majored in history and biological sciences at Stanford University. I then moved to Philadelphia for medical school and general surgery residency at the University of Pennsylvania. In 2019 I moved to Madison to complete my fellowship in Abdominal Transplant Surgery here at UW.

What is your field of research, and how did you get into it? I study xenotransplantation, which is the transplantation of organs between species. Transplant surgery captured my imagination back in medical school. Its an incredible therapy that can restore unbelievably sick patients to good health and result in enormous improvements in both longevity and quality of life. Unfortunately, there are more patients needing transplants than there are organs available. Xenotransplantation has the potential extend a transformative therapy to more people in need by solving this shortage, and I hope to be a part of the effort to make it a reality.

What attracted you to UWMadison? The people. When I interviewed here, I met a group of talented surgeons who share my passion for transplant surgery and who want to try to transplant everyone in need. The division has a strong history of delivering great clinical care and performing innovative research, and I wanted to help carry that tradition into the future

What was your first visit to campus like? I had a perfect spring day hereits impossible to beat this town when its 70 and sunny!

Favorite place on campus? The Terraceno other university can match it!

This is a unique point in time, as were returning after more than a year of pandemic. What do you most look forward to? Catching up with friends and family.

Do you feel your work relates in any way to the Wisconsin Idea? Absolutely! Clinical transplant surgery and xenotransplantion are both very much about taking the taking the cutting edge of medical and biologic knowledge and applying it to improve peoples lives.

Whats something interesting about your area of expertise you can share that will make us sound smarter at parties, now that we can attend them again? Some people who need liver transplants for metabolic diseases can donate their original liver to another person in something called a domino liver transplant!

Hobbies/other interests: Golf, running, biking, and spending time with my wife Hilary (who is also UW faculty in Pulmonology and Critical Care) and daughters Alice (age 3) and Sophie (age 1).

Continue reading here:
New Faculty Focus: David Aufhauser - University of Wisconsin-Madison

A man said to the universe:

Sir, I exist!However, replied the universe, The fact has not created in me A sense of obligation.

-A Man Said to the Universe by Stephen Crane

The universe, as climate change shows us, does not care how long we live or we dont. Our lifespan and healthspan are entirely up to us, both collectively as well as individually. I had mentioned in last weeks article that I would explain the concepts of healthspan and lifespan this week and so here we are.

Audio version: A longer healthspan is better than just a longer lifespan

Lifespan

We live longer than ever before. Despite Covid-19, this decade is the healthiest we have ever been, in virtually every country in this world.

In 1809, the population of the world was around 1 billion, with a fertility rate of between 4.5 and 6.2 [1], and a child mortality rate of around 50%, which ensured that the population remained static/stable at that number with births and deaths pretty much cancelling each other out. Today, in 2021, we are 7.85 billion people, with a global infant mortality rate down to 2.9 % with just 4.6 % of these children dying before the age of 15 [2]. Despite our perceptions, and notwithstanding the Covid-19 pandemic, life expectancy and virtually all other health parameters have markedly improved globally as compared to just up to 200 years ago.

This is amazing progress. For over 30,000 years, human health pretty much mirrored the situation in 1809 with high fertility, high child mortality and an average lifespan between 20 to 40 years. And then within a short span of just 200 years, everything has changed. Despite the significant global discrepancies and inequalities due to geographical, environmental and income-related differences, even the poorest of poor countries are better off than just 100 years ago.

How did this happen? What dramatic changes altered the health landscape?

Most people tend to attribute increased lifespan to the advent of modern medicine and improvements in technology like robotic surgery, CT scans and expensive medicines. However, the real reason for increased longevity is socio-economic and political; reduction in poverty, better education, clean water, better sanitation, adequate nutrition, immunization and the use of antibiotics. If we look at a pyramid of effectiveness, improved socio-economic factors at the base have the largest impact, followed by laws (smoking bans, seatbelts, etc), followed by protective interventions such as vaccines and preventive methods such as the use of statins or mammography for the early diagnosis of breast cancer or testing for diabetes and hypertension, treatment by doctors and hospitals [3] forming the apex of the pyramid, having the least impact on the longevity of the population at large.

This is not to say that doctors and hospitals are of no use. They arebut they are important when you fall sick, whereas measures taken to prevent you from becoming ill in the first place are more important. And the longer we live without disease, the longer therefore is our healthspan.

Healthspan

There is a current upper limit to our lives despite our increased lifespans. Very few people in India make it to above 80 and a minuscule number makes it to above 90. There is an exponential death rate after the age of 65, which is why, as we age, we keep seeing people around us dropping off faster and faster.

Moreover, the longer we live, the more is the morbidity associated with chronic diseases that afflicts those of us above the age of 50. We live longer but many of us suffer through this longer life.

What is therefore more important than just the lifespan is the healthspan, which is the time period lived until a major disease, such as stroke, heart attack or cancer affects us, and leads to a life lived with disability and suffering until the end of our lifespan.

Effectively, the longer we live, the more is the chance that we will live with disease and disability. This is the Faustian bargain we have made significantly reducing childhood mortality and adding years to our lives. We live longer, but with disease.

In India, as the diagram shows, our average lifespan is almost 70 years. However, the current healthspan is just 60 years, by which time half of us who have managed to reach the age of 60 will have at least one or more chronic diseases with some disability/morbidity.

If however, our healthspan were to go up to 65 years (scenario B), without a change in the lifespan, we would live a shorter diseased life of just 5 years. If the lifespan were also to increase, which is likely to happen with an increase in the healthspan (scenario C) then we would live longer, but the period lived with disease would also increase.

The trick therefore, is to increase our healthspan and lifespan both, but healthspan relatively more, so that we reduce the number of years with disease to as less as possible, as I have shown in scenario D, where if we could increase our lifespan to 100 years and healthspan to 90 or 95 years, we could compress our years of disease before death to a very short period of time of just 5-10 years.

The previous articles on physical activity, not falling, sleeping well are part of our atmasvasth quest to not just increase our lifespan, but more importantly our healthspan. And that is the goal of atmasvasth and this blogto figure out how to live not just long, but also healthy, so that we have long healthspans as well as lifespans and as short a period with disease as possible.

Footnotes:

1. https://ourworldindata.org/fertility-rate2. https://ourworldindata.org/world-population-growth3. Frieden TR. A Framework for Public Health Action: The Health Impact Pyramid. Am J Public Health. 2010 Apr;100(4):5905.

Views expressed above are the author's own.

END OF ARTICLE

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Despite Covid-19, this decade is the healthiest - The Times of India Blog

While some people may equate Yvonne Orji with the type-A character of Molly that she plays on Issa Raes Insecure, the real Yvonne Orji isnt as anal-retentive. In fact, the author of Bamboozled By Jesus is all about resting and prioritizing her health and wellness.

Ive been working on resetting my mind, body, and soul so that I can be more present in the now, she told Vogue.

The actress has made it her mission to ensure that black women prioritize their health, especially because theyre not only often guilty of putting everybody before themselves, but also because they face a heightened risk of certain cancers.

According to research, black women not only face a three-fold increased risk of developing triple-negative breast cancer, but theyre also 28% more likely to die than white women with the same diagnosis.

With these startling statistics, the Insecure actor partnered withpharmaceutical company Merck for theirUncovering TNBCinitiative, which is aimed at raising awareness around triple-negative breast cancer.

With a masters degree in public health, Orji is well aware of the increased risk that black women face, and she also knows first-hand how it feels to have a cancer experience,

I had a breast cancer scare my senior year of high school. There was a lump, and I was the one who found it. My mom was a nurse for 27 years so we always had an awareness of [how to check]. So I knew the general gist of how to do that. One particular day something moved and as Im touching it Im like, I dont know, that feels different.

Thankfully, the lump was benignand after having it surgically removed, Orji has made it her mission to continuouslyadvocate for regular screenings and checkups, and thats something she hopes the Uncovering TNBCinitiativewill help achieve,

Through open and honest conversations, the series aims to help educate black women about their higher risk for developing TNBC than women of other racial/ethnic backgrounds and help to equip them to advocate for themselves in a biased system.

In addition to educating them about their increased cancer risk, Orji also has a few ways in whichBlack women can put their health first.

Icommit to my own check-ups and screenings so that others will be influenced to be proactive about their health and so we can all receive consistent and high-quality care, regardless of health insurance or demographics.

yvonneorji/instagram

Regular check-ups and screenings are very important, especially if youre already at an increased risk for chronic disease. While you should monitor your body and be conscious of any changes, its critical that you also get into the habit of visiting the doctor and letting them do their own evaluation.

While Yvonne Orji has been an incredibly busy girl, what with the release of her new film and comedy special, that doesnt mean that the Nigerian-born actress doesnt rest.

One of the things Im saying goodbye to in 2021 is the hustle and grind. I want to grant myself time to rest and let abundance find its way to me.

So how does the 37-year-old relax and unwind? The same way we all do with a relaxing bath, Baths have been really important in helping me wind down she says, adding that she incorporates Epsom salt bathsinto her routine.

Unfortunately for black women, asking for help can almost feel like admitting defeat, but thats a notion that Orji is attempting to let go of.

Im learning to ask for help when I need it. she says. Orji admits that shes a recovering perfectionist, and she still needs to re

yvonneorji/instagram

mind herself that its okay to delegate and lean on people she trusts. In doing so, shell have more time for herself and her self-care.

Theres always room for growth, and thats something that Orji truly believes in.

Not only does her morning routine consist of her listening to music and watching her vision board, but she also believes in the power of therapy, sharing that, Therapy is also huge for me. I recognize the growth that I personally have felt this year, just being able to be like,Okay, we got to deal with some stuff.

Another celebrity that prioritizes putting her health first is Katy Perry, especially in the mornings. The I Kissed A Girlsingerrevealed thatshe always makes room for self-care in the morningsand there are definitely a few things we can learn from her.

MAIN IMAGE CREDIT: Yvonne Orji/Instagram

Cho, B., Han, Y., Lian, M., Colditz, G. A., Weber, J. D., Ma, C., & Liu, Y. (2021). Evaluation of Racial/Ethnic Differences in Treatment and Mortality Among Women With Triple-Negative Breast Cancer.JAMA oncology,7(7), 10161023. https://doi.org/10.1001/jamaoncol.2021.1254

McCarthy, A. M., Friebel-Klingner, T., Ehsan, S., He, W., et al. (2021). Relationship of established risk factors with breast cancer subtypes.Cancer medicine,10(18), 64566467. https://doi.org/10.1002/cam4.4158

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Yvonne Orji: Black Women Should Put Their Health First - Longevity LIVE - Longevity LIVE

Theyre leaving. Theyre heading out the doors in record numbers.

In September alone, 4.4 million workers handed in resignations. Analysts believe millions more are planning, plotting and virtually lining up behind them.

Employers are hitting a crossroads. They often do in many industries, but this time its as much across the board as ever for this generation. The shift in power is going toward workers, and this without benefit of a union.

If employers are not smart enough to invest in their No. 1 asset people then they shall get what they deserve.

In the case of many, thats no business at all.

Competition is up for the best workers. Weve all seen the signs everywhere for one, that a company is hiring; and for two, that a company is hiring and offering a signing bonus.

Bladen County commissioners many times have advocated for their workers. They tried diligently in the summer of 2020 to find a balance between rewarding them and keeping a close eye on what might happen with finances because of the pandemic. It was the early months of coronavirus, and nobody knew.

Now there is a sample size.

Those workers got 5 percent raises this time around. In addition to that, nice incentive programs like achievable bonuses and longevity pay have stayed in place. The result is 405 checks for more than $67,000 in bonus money, and 191 checks for more than $211,000 in longevity.

Think about it: A rural county, which is among the poorest as Tier 1, had a 15.9 percent drop in population to 29,606 over its 874 square miles, and still struggles to have adequate high-speed internet coverage for its school children.

Yet, it invested. To the tune of more than a quarter-million dollars.

Take Bladen Community College. Yet another example of an entity, in this case educational, that has limited funds coming in and a lot of answering to do when it decides to spend a nickel. Every nickel, in fact.

The college did have some discretion with money in a fund, and opted to reward its workers. Yes, most of those working on the campus in Dublin were going to get a 2.5 percent raise from the state retroactive to July 1, and theyre due for another 2.5 percent come July 1 next summer. Plus bonuses from the state, pending which side of $75,000 annual salary they are on.

The college had $61,937. It spent $61,898.75. Thats called doing all you can for your workers, right on down to the last 39 bucks.

Employers, in many cases, are between a rock and a hard place. Theyll tell you about the significant increases in fixed costs, the rising inflation they face, and the troubles in the supply chain.

Workers can tell you about that, too. About making choices this fall and winter on heat, medicine and food when all of those things go up but their paycheck does not.

It leads to other choices.

Those 4.4 million workers turning in September notices were real. Trust us, the smart among the surviving employers have taken note and are investing wisely.

For the businesses, its life or death.

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Editorial: Life or death, and the wise are investing in employees - Elizabethtown Bladen Journal

The holiday season is a joyous time for many, but research suggests that this time of year, the risks of heart attacks increases. In fact, a 2004 study reports that cardiac mortality is highest around Christmas and New Years.

But can you really die from a broken heart? Not exactly.

Takotsubo cardiomyopathy, more commonly known as broken heart syndrome, is a very real (and somewhat rare) heart condition typically brought on by stressful events. While the condition is increasingly recognized by medical and scientific communities, its effects on gender and age were not well understood, until now.

A new study published in October 2021 analyzed 135,463 cases of broken heart syndrome, finding that 88.3% of all cases were in women with middle-aged and older women most at risk.

Results showed that older women were up to 10 times more likely to be diagnosed than younger women or men of any age. Cases had also been on a steady increase in the United States since well before the onset of the COVID-19 pandemic.

The findings offer important implications for understanding the heart-brain connection in older adults, especially women.

Broken heart syndrome is a relatively uncommon condition resembling a heart attack brought on by stressful events. Symptoms include chest pain and shortness of breath.

Also known as stress-induced cardiomyopathy, the condition is diagnosed when a person presents symptoms associated with a heart attack but doesnt have blockages in their arteries. Death from broken heart syndrome is rare, though it can occur in some individuals.

While the overall prevalence is not fully known, older studies suggest that 1% to 2% of all cases involve chest pain and other symptoms of acute coronary syndrome though these estimates are expected to increase.

We see rates rising out of proportion to what we would expect to be from recognition alone, especially in women compared to men so we have to attribute this to increasing incidence, lead researcher Susan Cheng, MD, MPH, MMSc, director of the Institute for Research on Healthy Aging in the Department of Cardiology at the Smidt Heart Institute at Cedars-Sinai, wrote in an interview with Psych Central.

Broken heart syndrome became widely accepted in 2005 when a research team of cardiologists at Johns Hopkins published a seminal report of documented cases in the New England Journal of Medicine.

That seminal report was the first to show that the condition is not that uncommon, often right in front of us when we might otherwise assume something else is going on, said Cheng.

Johns Hopkins researchers characterized broken heart syndrome as a suddenly weakened heart accompanied by a measurable surge in stress hormones. This was much-needed evidence of the key biological link between a stressed brain and a broken heart, Cheng explained.

Women tend to be more vulnerable to broken heart syndrome, but the underlying reasons are not fully known.

One possible explanation, according to Jennifer Wong, MD, a cardiologist in Orange County, California, is that the syndrome can be triggered by emotional distress. Stress may also affect women differently than men.

It can be that in general, theres less cardiovascular disease in women than in men, but theres long been this theory that theres often other mechanisms that are more common in women, like stress-induced cardiomyopathy, Wong said by email.

Its also possible that external stressors have been increasing among at-risk women in general.

The overall magnitude of environmental stressors is likely at play given reports were seeing from other centers that have found increased case rates during the pandemic, Cheng said.

While broken heart syndrome is increasing among women ages 50 to 74 years old, the data shows the risk decreases with age for women over 75, which came as a surprise to researchers.

We believe this is due to a combination of factors at play, and hearts become more vulnerable with increasing age, up to a point, Cheng said. After that point, the excess surge in stress hormones is either not as high or not as effective at impacting the heart.

In addition, the data offer implications for further study to determine which factors are most at play in raising the risk in this demographic.

These findings are making us focus on the years that follow the menopausal transition, and what cardiac factors might make a heart more vulnerable to stress in a woman in her 50s or 60s, but not in her [late] 70s or 80s, Cheng said.

Doctors recommend the same lifestyle tips for the prevention of broken heart syndrome as they would for preventing heart disease, with an emphasis on stress management.

The American Heart Association (AHA) recommends maintaining a healthy, balanced diet, and getting regular moderate exercise to help prevent heart disease at any age.

Maintaining healthy relationships can lead to greater happiness and reduced stress. The Harvard Study of Adult Development suggests that relationships are key to health and longevity, and broken heart syndrome shows how brain stress is connected to heart stress.

Although we dont have definitive evidence from clinical studies or trials as of yet showing that the opposite is true that brain health is connected to heart health over the longer term its safe to assume this is likely the case, Cheng said.

Managing your stress through exercise, mindfulness, or simply doing things that you enjoy or having outlets for your stresses will help decrease the occurrence of stress-induced cardiomyopathy or other stress-induced health conditions.

Of course, stress management is crucial for our mental well-being.

To better understand the underlying causes and triggers of broken heart syndrome, research will continue to identify molecular markers that could more clearly signal susceptibility and risk for developing the condition, as well as paths to recovery.

In the meantime, women ages 50 to 74 can protect their hearts with healthy lifestyle choices and stress management.

A healthier lifestyle is probably also going to help our mental health, which indirectly helps with disease prevention, Wong said.

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Broken Heart Syndrome on the Rise In US Women: Here's Why - PsychCentral.com

People who have recovered from a serious bout of COVID-19 may still have reason to be concerned for their health within the year of their recovery.

A new study published in the journal Frontiers in Medicine suggests survivors of severe COVID-19 are more than twice as likely to die within a year after infection compared to patients who tested negative for the disease or experienced only mild symptoms.

Researchers from the University of Florida analyzed electronic health records of 13,638 patients who were tested for the virus using a PCR test in the Florida health system. Among those tested, 178 patients experienced severe symptoms and were hospitalized while 246 had only mild or moderate symptoms. The rest tested negative for the virus.

The study tracked patients over 12 months after they fully recovered and found those who had severe COVID-19 were 233 percent more likely to die.

Our country is in a historic fight against the coronavirus. Add Changing America to your Facebook or Twitter feed to stay on top of the news.

COVID-19 is even more devastating than we thought when only focusing on the initial episode. The downstream risk for the most severe outcome, death, is definitely high enough to hopefully make everyone rethink the impact of COVID-19, Arch G. Mainous, a professor at the University of Florida and the studys lead author, said in a statement.

Most deaths among severe COVID-19 survivors were not attributed to complications commonly associated with the disease, such as cardiovascular, respiratory and clotting problems. Just 20 percent of deaths were associated with these issues while the majority were the result of a variety of other conditions not typically associated with the coronavirus.

Surprisingly, the study found the increased risk of dying was greater for severe COVID-19 patients under 65.

Researchers said the study underscores the importance of vaccinations in reducing severe disease.

These findings reinforce that the internal trauma of being sick enough to be hospitalized with COVID-19 has a big consequence for peoples health. This is a huge complication of COVID-19 that has not been shown before, Mainous said.

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New study finds serious COVID-19 infection could be fatal even after recovery | TheHill - The Hill

If you have been watching any commercial television over the past few weeks you may notice the mix of advertisements has changed.

It has been hard to ignore the reminders that open enrollment for Medicare beneficiaries ends on December 7. These ads promise savings and additional services for individuals but fail to mention the complications and potential risks involved in making changes let alone the potential for fraud as scammers work to take advantage of older Americans.

This comes in an environment where Medicare beneficiaries have learned the cost of their standard monthly premiums will jump by $21.60 in 2022. Although this will be more than offset by a 5.9% Social Security cost-of-living increase, the premium hike may result in more people questioning their current Medicare coverage.

Medicare was created as a health insurance program for Americans over the age of 65, but those opposed to a government-sponsored insurance program for older Americans forced the architects of Medicare to design a system that only covers 80% of health care costs with each beneficiary responsible for the remaining 20%.

This opened the door for private insurance companies to get involved in Medicare. Initially they sold Medicare supplemental insurance policies to help beneficiaries cover their 20% of health care costs. But as Medicare improved the health and longevity of older Americans, the health care needs of this population changed.

Saving Social Security and Medicare means we need a fairer, more robust payroll tax | Ray E. Landis

Prescription drugs began to play a larger role in treating medical conditions. Congress added a prescription drug plan to Medicare but chose to have it offered by private insurers.

The bonanza for these insurers, however, came through adjustments to reimbursements for an overlooked provision of Medicare, commonly known as Medicare Advantage, which allowed them to assume responsibility for covering beneficiaries health care costs, a situation I discussed in more detail earlier this year.

The end result is not only the danger to the future financial health of Medicare, but the creation of a very confusing and pressure-filled environment for Medicare beneficiaries.

The television commercials are the first line of attack. These advertisements come in all shapes and sizes and are often featured during local news coverage. The larger health care systems in Pennsylvania think UPMC, Penn Medicine, Geisinger, Penn State Health, Highmark fill the airwaves with scenes of bliss for older Pennsylvanians.

The soothing voice-over urges viewers to call the toll-free number prominently displayed on the screen, where enrollment professionals who are working 24-7 will switch your coverage while you are on the phone with them.

Meanwhile there is another approach, usually offered by smaller insurers running advertisements during syndicated programming.

This appeal skips all the feel-good scenes and instrumental soundtracks and gets straight to the point did you know you are entitled to health care benefits you may not be receiving? The announcer rattles off coverage of hearing aids, medical equipment, eye care, and gym memberships before telling beneficiaries they must call this number now.

Medicare is headed for a crisis. Were not ready but theres still time | Ray E. Landis

These are the enrollment pushes the general public is exposed to. But Medicare beneficiaries are subject to another line of attack through the U.S. Postal Service.

Over-sized postcards and letters fill mailboxes during the late fall urging individuals to switch their plans before it is too late. Many of these mailings are somewhat threatening, such as those with the bold word WARNING! on the cover.

Open enrollment has another consequence beyond annoying advertisements and mailings, however. It is looked at by scammers as open season on seniors. The quest to obtain Social Security and Medicare identification numbers is never-ending for these criminals and open enrollment is another opportunity to trick beneficiaries into revealing that information.

Legitimate insurers cannot legally call individuals about open enrollment unless the beneficiary has requested a call, but scammers make these calls in hopes of convincing a few people to reveal their private information, which can provide access to credit cards and bank accounts.

The good news in all this confusion is there are resources to help individuals make logical choices in open enrollment. The Pennsylvania Department of Aging offers free, objective health benefits counseling through Pennsylvania Medicare Education and Decision Insight or PA MEDI, a service offered through the 52 Area Agencies on Aging. Medicares website has a wealth of information useful in evaluating options.

But the bad news is this process continues to become more confusing and many older Pennsylvanians do not recognize making the wrong choice in open enrollment can result in loss of access to the physicians of their choice and could result in increased co-pays or deductibles.

Our elected officials have chosen to make it that way in order to placate those who profit from the confusion.

The worse news is these efforts endanger the future financial stability of the Medicare program, a situation Congress will need to address sooner rather than later.

Medicare beneficiaries, not to mention the overall financial health of the system, would be helped if the program was simplified. But given the influence of the profiteers, Im not holding my breath until this happens.

Ray E. Landis writes about the issues important to older Pennsylvanians. His work appears biweekly on the Capital-Stars Commentary Page. Readers can follow him on Twitter @RELandis.

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With Medicare open enrollment ending this week, important things to keep in mind | Ray E. Landis - Pennsylvania Capital-Star

While sperm count and quality is certainly a crucial piece of the male fertility equation, Nayot also points out that it's important to look beyond this sample. "If the semen analysis is normal, then there's usually no further attempts to optimize overall health, where in fact there is still a lot of room for improvements ranging from lifestyle changes to nutrient supplementation."

Swan couldn't agree more, based on her research. To improve reproductive health, she encourages following a Mediterranean-style diet, eating plenty of fruits and vegetables, keeping alcohol to a minimum, ditching smoking, exercising (without overdoing it), avoiding endocrine-disrupting chemicals, and managing stress.

In addition to these lifestyle best practices, Kamperveen encourages maintaining healthy blood sugar, cholesterol, and blood pressure levels. Plus, she advises aiming for seven-and-a-half to eight hours of sleep per night and meditating to help increase stress resilience. "The good news is that everything you do to contribute to your sperm health also contributes to your longevity," she says.

If you are actively trying to conceive, Kamperveen explains that all of these lifestyle choices become even more crucial in the 120 days leading up to conception (what she refers to as the "Primester"). "It is during this window when we can literally change the quality and expression of the genes that we will pass down to our children (and grandchildren), through a process called epigenetics."

As for supplementation, research suggests that antioxidants such as zinc, selenium, and CoQ10 may help limit sperm DNA fragmentation. Plus some studies suggest vitamin D, vitamin E, vitamin C, and folate can have an impact on sperm health, as well.

What's more, if a man is facing fertility challenges, in addition to looking at overall health, Nayot encourages a scrotal ultrasound and hormonal panel blood test. "There are many sexual function considerations including libido, the ability to initiate and maintain an erection, and proper ejaculation," he says.

"If the sperm count is really low, then usually IVF (or ICSIintra-cytoplasmic sperm injection) should be able to overcome the main issue. Even if there is no sperm production, sometimes a surgery on the testicles can find a rare sperm that might just lead to a healthy pregnancy with ICSI. In short, there is a lot of hope, so it's best to look into your options."

As Swan and Kamperveen also note, it's important to take psychological factors into account, as well. "The psychological impact of sexual distress and male factor fertility can't be understated," says Nayot. "It's a hidden pain that doctors should ask about, and routinely offer counseling options."

As for destigmatizing the topic as a whole, Nayot feels "all of fertility is trending in the right direction," but we are only at the beginning of changing the male narrative. "Men still feel that their [fertility struggles] will be publicly judged as a marker of their masculinity, their sexual prowess, and their physical anatomy," he says. "The ongoing efforts of public campaigns to educate the masses, of public figures sharing their struggles, and safe forums for men to share and be supported will continue to make male [fertility challenges] less isolating."

This is just one of the trends mbg is predicting for 2022. Check out our full list of the latesthealth & wellness trends.

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Sperm Counts Have Declined Over 50% We Need To Start Talking About It - mindbodygreen.com