It’s time to get flu and Covid-19 shots

The CDC recommends that everyone age 6 months and older get both a Covid-19 and flu shot this season.  Christina House/Los Angeles Times/Getty Images By Deidre McPhillips, CNN 5 minute read  (CNN —) Respiratory virus season has arrived in the United States and health officials say that October is a prime time to get vaccinated. Vaccines for […]

Black women are more likely than white women to die of all types of breast cancer

Black women are more likely to have breast cancer at younger ages and be diagnosed when their cancer is more advanced. – kali9 (Getty Images) By Kaitlin SullivanSept. 17, 2024, 6:47 PM EDT Black women are more likely than white women to die from even the most treatable types of breast cancer, a study published Tuesday in […]

Poison control centers report spike in calls about kids and energy drinks

Spike in calls to poison control centers due to kids consuming energy drinks Experts do not recommend energy drinks for kids and teens at all. By Youri Benadjaoud and Yi-Jin Yu September 17, 2024, 12:13 PM A new report from America’s Poison Center found an alarming increase in the number of children consuming highly-caffeinated energy drinks The number […]

Commentary: Veterans deserve quality healthcare

(Boston Business Journal) Health care news recently has seemed like an avalanche of bad news: spiraling medical costs, closing hospitals, insurance nightmares that only exacerbate the trauma of patients dealing with persistent and dangerous threats to their own well-being. At the Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center, though, we’ve got a good and uplifting story to […]

Majority of baby foods in US grocery stores may not meet health guidelines, study finds

Majority of baby food may not meet health standards.A new study of baby foods found that two-thirds of the samples from American grocery stores didn’t meet standards set by the World Health Organization.By Katie Kindelan and Sony Salzman  A new study of common baby foods sampled from grocery stores in the United States found that roughly two-thirds did not […]

Free at-home COVID testing program restarting as officials prepare for fall, winter season

FDA approves new COVID vaccines. Here’s what you need to know about the updated COVID-19 vaccines, which will be available soon. By Mary Kekatos and Dr. Aditi KantipulyAugust 23, 2024, 1:36 PM The federal government will restart its free at-home COVID tests program in September as officials prepare the country for the upcoming respiratory virus season. Dawn O’Connell, assistant […]

State may spend hundreds of millions to shore up Steward hospitals

Good Samaritan Hospital in Brockton. (Jesse Costa/WBUR) August 23, 2024 | By Deborah Becker Massachusetts taxpayers may be on the hook for hundreds of millions of dollars over the next few years to help new owners take over hospitals that were operated by Steward Health Care. The national, for-profit company is selling the hospitals in […]

Weight loss drugs like Wegovy may trigger eating disorders in some patients, doctors warn

The blockbuster medications are highly effective for diabetes and weight loss, but a growing number of doctors are concerned that the drugs are triggering or worsening eating disorders in some people. Justine Goode / NBC News; Getty IMages Abuse of weight loss drugs is nothing new, but “nothing compares to the phenomenon that we’re seeing right […]

FDA bans ingredient found in some citrus-flavored sodas

By Kate GibsonEdited By Anne Marie LeeJuly 3, 2024 / 10:11 AM EDT / CBS News Food and beverage makers will no longer be allowed to use brominated vegetable oil as an ingredient in their products, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration said Tuesday. Modified with the chemical bromine and used to keep flavoring from floating to the […]

Arsenic, lead and other toxic metals detected in tampons, study finds

By Kate Gibson Edited By Alain SherterUpdated on: July 8, 2024 / 9:22 AM EDT / CBS News More than a dozen metals — including lead and arsenic — showed up in a broad array of tampons sold across the U.S. and Europe, raising concerns about menstruation products used by millions, a recent study found.   Tests found […]

Harvard Street Health Center program centers dignity for Boston-area veterans

Kathryn King, program director of the Veterans Outreach Center at the Harvard Street Neighborhood Health Center, poses for a picture at the center’s offices in Dorchester, June 27. The center, which King took over leadership of in February, offers hot meals, computer classes and other programing and is aiming to become a one-stop-shop for local […]

Pasteurization May Not Clear Bird Flu Virus From Heavily Infected Milk

FILE PHOTO: Test tubes is seen labelled “Bird Flu” words in front of U.S. flag in this illustration taken, June 10, 2024. REUTERS/Dado Ruvic/Illustration/File Photo By Nancy Lapid (Reuters) – In raw milk samples spiked with high amounts of bird flu virus, small amounts of infectious virus were still detectable after treatment with a standard […]

Plant-based ultraprocessed foods linked to heart disease, early death, study says

What is ultraprocessed food? Nutritionist explains why it can taste different. By Sandee LaMotte, CNN CNN — Want to reduce your risk of developing chronic disease and live longer while also helping the planet? Eat a plant-based diet, experts say. Does that mean you can fill your plate with boxed macaroni and cheese, deep-dish frozen veggie pizza or fast-food French fries […]