FDA Misses Deadline to Ban Formaldehyde in Hair Straighteners

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has again missed a deadline to propose a ban on chemicals in hair-straightening products that may pose a serious cancer risk.

Its target date for the proposed rule on formaldehyde was Dec. 31. No action has yet been taken.

An FDA spokesperson said the rule is still in the works.

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New U.S. Diet Guidelines Push Whole Foods, Meat and Dairy

The federal government has released new dietary guidelines that shift how Americans are urged to eat.

The new focus? Whole foods, protein and healthy fats.

At a news conference Wednesday, U.S. Health Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. introduced a new food pyramid.

At the top: Red meat, cheese, fruits and vegetables, suggesting a ...

Laughing, Crying Are Normal But Rare Responses To Orgasm, Women's Study Reveals

Ladies, do you laugh or cry uncontrollably following an orgasm?

How about experiencing headaches, tingling, foot pain, nosebleeds or hallucinations?

These responses to orgasm are a rare — but normal — phenomenon among women, a new study says.

“Women need to know that if they have uncontrollable peals of laught...

Walking Eases Fatigue Among Colon Cancer Patients

Regular physical activity — especially walking — can significantly reduce fatigue among people with colon cancer, a new study says.

Fatigue scores improved significantly within a couple of years if colon cancer patients adopted an exercise regimen, according to findings slated for presentation Saturday at an American Society of...

World’s First Minimally Invasive Heart Bypass Could Make Open-Heart Surgery a Thing of the Past

Open-heart surgery might soon become a thing of the past for people suffering from heart disease caused by clogged arteries.

The world’s first minimally invasive heart bypass procedure — done without cutting open the chest wall — has been performed in a 67-year-old man with an extensive history of heart problems, research...

Back Pain Might Predict Future Sleep Problems Among Men

Back pain appears to predict sleep problems years before they occur among senior men, a new study says.

Older guys suffering from back pain had poorer sleep six years later, researchers recently reported in the journal Innovation and Aging.

Men with back pain tended to fall asleep too early or too late, or were dissatisfied ...

'Forever Chemicals' Might Triple Teens' Risk Of Fatty Liver Disease

PFAS “forever chemicals” might nearly triple a young person’s risk of developing fatty liver disease, a new study says.

Each doubling in blood levels of the PFAS chemical perfluorooctanoic acid is linked to 2.7 times the odds of fatty liver disease among teenagers, according to findings published in the January issue of ...

Depressed? Exercise Works As Well As Talk Therapy, Antidepressants, Evidence Suggests

Depressed folks might benefit as much from working out as they would from resting on a therapist’s couch, a new evidence review says.

Exercise appears to relieve symptoms of depression to an extent similar to psychological therapy, researchers reported Jan. 7 in the journal Cochrane Database of Systematic Reviews.

Phys...

Poll Shows Most Americans Want to Slim Down

As the New Year’s resolutions take center stage, a new nationwide poll shows that while a majority of American adults want to be thinner, only a fraction are doing anything about it.

In all, 52% of Americans want to lose weight but just 26% are making a serious effort to do so, the new West Health-Gallup poll found.

This strugg...

The Gender-Stress Gap: Women Benefit Most from a Daily Workout

If you are looking to lower your stress levels this year, hitting the gym — or going for a brisk walk — might be your best strategy, especially if you are a woman. 

A new report from the Gallup National Health and Well-Being Index reveals that women experience a more dramatic "stress-busting" effect from exercise than men ...

Wyoming Supreme Court Keeps Abortion Legal in the State

Abortion will stay legal in Wyoming after the state Supreme Court ruled that a pair of abortion bans passed by lawmakers violate the state constitution.

Tuesday’s ruling blocks a nearly complete abortion ban as well as a separate law that would have made Wyoming the only U.S. state to explicitly ban abortion pills.

In a 4-1 dec...

Study Finds ADHD Drugs May Work Differently Than Scientists Once Thought

For decades, doctors assumed ADHD medications like Ritalin and Adderall work by fixing problems in the brain’s attention system.

A new study suggests that assumption may be wrong.

Instead of acting on attention centers, these stimulant drugs appear to target the brain’s reward and wakefulness centers, according to new res...

Walking, Household Chores Can Be Lifesaving Therapy For People With Metabolic Syndrome

Walking or doing a few household chores may be lifesaving for people with metabolic syndrome, a new study says.

Just a one-hour daily increase in such light physical activity was associated with a 14% to 20% lower risk of death over 14 years among people with cardiovascular-kidney-metabolic (CKM) syndrome, researchers reported today in the...

Ozempic, Wegovy Might Lower Colon Cancer Risk

Ozempic and Wegovy might help people avoid colon cancer as well as promote weight loss or control diabetes, a new study says.

People who took a GLP-1 drug were 36% less likely to get colon cancer than people who took aspirin, according to findings scheduled for presentation Saturday at a meeting of the American Society of Clinical Oncology...

Surgery Should Be Last Resort For Chronic Constipation, Guidelines Say

Surgery should be a last resort for people suffering from severe, chronic constipation, according to new guidelines from the American Gastroenterological Association (AGA).

Colectomy – surgical removal of part or all of the colon – is often considered for people with constipation that doesn’t respond to treatment, also kn...

Excess Weight Increases Risk Of Low Back Pain, Researchers Find

Did holiday treats add a few extra pounds to your frame?

If so, your risk for low back pain might have increased, as well, a new study says.

A person’s risk of back pain increases as their weight goes up, researchers recently reported in the journal Pain Medicine.

For every 10 pounds a person gains above ideal we...

Sleep Lab Data Can Predict Illnesses Years Earlier, Study Finds

Your body is talking while you sleep, and what it’s saying could help doctors predict your future risk for major diseases, a new study says.

An experimental artificial intelligence (AI) called SleepFM can use people’s sleep data to predict their risk of developing more than 100 health problems, researchers reported Jan. 6 in th...

AI-Powered Mesh Sleeve Can Monitor Seniors For Signs Of Frailty

An experimental AI-powered mesh sleeve can detect subtle signs of frailty among the elderly, researchers say.

The soft mesh sleeve, worn around the lower thigh, monitors a senior’s walking patterns, researchers recently reported in the journal Nature Communications.

An AI program contained within the sleeve then interp...