With measles increasing, experts offer tips on how to avoid it

Measles is a respiratory disease caused by one of the world's most contagious viruses. It spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It most commonly affects kids. The best way to avoid measles is to get the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.

FDA says decongestant in many cold medicines doesn't work. So what does?

Changes are coming to the cold and cough aisle of your local pharmacy: U.S. officials are moving to phase out the leading decongestant found in hundreds of over-the-counter medicines, concluding that it doesn't actually relieve nasal congestion.

McArthur Lake project in the home stretch

MCARTHUR LAKE — While construction on the McArthur Lake project is in the home stretch, it isn’t without a dose of pain for area drivers.

Local challenges spotlighted in ‘Cost of Poverty Experience’

“It's really intended to put yourself in the shoes of somebody who's not able to make ends meet and to learn empathy,” Katie Begalke, CREC executive director, said. “It's not meant to make you feel good, necessarily. It's meant to give you a big dose of reality of what people are facing.”

Measles is popping up in the United States

Measles is rarely seen in the United States, but Americans are growing more concerned about the preventable virus as cases continue to rise in rural West Texas. An unvaccinated child died last week in the West Texas outbreak, which involves more than 150 cases. Measles is a respiratory disease caused by one of the world's most contagious viruses. It spreads easily when an infected person breathes, sneezes or coughs. It most commonly affects kids. The best way to avoid measles is to get the measles, mumps and rubella vaccine.

Too many pills? Talk to your doctor about what's needed

Swallowing a handful of pills is a daily ritual for many people, but taking too many meds can cause problems. Asking your doctor or pharmacist for a medication review can help if your daily pill routine is getting out of hand. Some drugs can cause harm if taken for years. Others stop working or interact poorly with a new drug. A drug tolerated well at first can cause side effects later, leading to cognitive decline and injuries from falls. Asking questions about your medications is an important step toward better health.

Data: Maternal deaths have fallen to pre-pandemic levels

New government data suggests U.S. maternal deaths have fallen back to pre-pandemic levels. About 680 women died last year during pregnancy or shortly after childbirth. That's down from 817 deaths in 2022. COVID-19 seems to be the main explanation for the improvement.

'Eatable’ landscaping is a true, beautiful possibility

The Arbor Day Foundation — of which I am an enthusiastic member, has been stressing eatable (as opposed to edible) landscapes — a concept that I believe in totally. I once envisioned such a possibility for an all-edible ornamental garden — and seemed to pull it off pretty well on paper.

Particles of plastic in testicles may affect fertility

Since June is Men’s Health Awareness Month, I was googling around the internet looking for appropriate subjects when I came across several articles about researchers finding tiny shards of plastic in men’s testicles and how they may be affecting fertility.

Idaho Senate bill would ban mRNA vaccines for 10 years

Senate committee members heard arguments on a bill that would place a 10-year pause on administering mRNA vaccines in Idaho on Monday but did not take a vote.

WHO: 'It's time for action' regarding hepatitis

“It’s time for action” is this year’s theme for World Hepatitis Day, which happens this year on Sunday, July 28. The World Health Organization (WHO) says that despite better tools for diagnosis and treatment their goal of eliminating hepatitis-related diseases by 2030 has stalled.

New option available to treat high blood pressure

About half of U.S. adults have high blood pressure and too few have it under control. Now some patients who've tried everything — multiple drugs, diet and exercise — without help are checking out a different option — zapping away some nerves on their kidneys that are fueling their high blood pressure.

Mental fitness is in: How to stay sharp in a distracted world

Mental fitness is a trending fitness perspective that is emerging as an addition to your fitness routine to thrive in a distracted world, and there are many good reasons for it.

Research: Scaling back treatment can help some cancer patients

Scaling back treatment for some cancers can make life easier for patients without hurting the outcomes. That's what doctors are reporting this weekend at the world's largest cancer conference in Chicago. The research is part of a long-term trend toward doing less — less surgery, less chemotherapy or less radiation — to see if it can help patients live longer and feel better. International cancer experts presented their findings for ovarian, esophageal cancer and Hodgkin lymphoma at the American Society of Clinical Oncology annual meeting.

Panel: Mammograms should start at 40

Says change needed to address rising breast cancer rates at younger ages

Regular mammograms to screen for breast cancer should start younger — at age 40. The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force announced the updated guidance Tuesday. It also says women ages 40 to 74 should get screened every other year. Previously, it said women could choose to start breast cancer screening as young as 40, with a stronger recommendation that women get the exams every two years starting at age 50. The nudge toward earlier screening is meant to address the increasing incidence of breast cancer among women in their 40s and the higher breast cancer death rate among Black women compared to white women.

Researchers find hint at how to delay Alzheimer's symptoms

An experimental treatment appears to postpone Alzheimer's symptoms in some people genetically destined to get the disease at a young age. Researchers reported Wednesday that people who had a sticky gunk named amyloid removed from their brains for an average of eight years saw their risk of developing Alzheimer's symptoms cut in half — at least for now. Washington University in St. Louis is continuing the study in hopes of finding proof. Participating families worry that needed funding is caught in delays at the National Institutes of Health.

Alzheimer's drug gets backing from FDA advisers

Research shows it slows the disease

Federal health advisers have endorsed a closely watched Alzheimer's drug from Eli Lilly for people with mild dementia. The FDA will make the final decision on approval later this year. If the agency agrees with its advisers, the drug would only be the second Alzheimer's drug approved to slow cognitive decline due to Alzheimer's. Despite discrepancies in how Lilly studied its drug, the panel says it should be approved broadly for various patients with the disease. The FDA approved a similar infused drug, Leqembi, last year.

'I think you’re really going to like what you’re about to hear'

A bayou folk story harmonized by a chorus of croaking frogs and chirping crickets enchanted Northside Elementary parents, despite being more than two thousand miles from Louisiana’s Atchafalaya Basin swamplands.

Offering a cup of cold water to the thirsty

In my little meditation book “Abide, ” which I am reading during this Lenten season, I came across a section titled, “What's Enough?” The author veers from the fear many of us have of “having enough” materially, to another take on enough. She inserts words like, “Do I have enough compassion? Gratitude? Integrity? Joy? Trust? Contentment?

Don’t ignore sleep apnea symptoms

A friend of mine just went on a “girls” weekend with her daughter and granddaughter. On the first morning, the daughter complained that her mother’s snoring kept her awake and insisted that she has sleep apnea. Apparently, her husband has it, so she’s aware of the symptoms.