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☆ Toxic chemical ‘Hall of Shame’ calls out retailers in time for holiday shopping
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-14 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +10 min

“This is a critical time of year, the time when most retailers make a lot of their money,” Schade said. Only four companies in the top 50 retailers earned an A or A- — Apple, Sephora, Target and Walmart. Three companies — Ulta Beauty, IKEA and Whole Foods Market — received a B grade, while 26 companies were equally split between C and D grades. “We also grade companies on whether the changes requested from their suppliers are actually implemented, if they have truly ‘banned the bad,’ so to speak,” Peele said. Correction: A previous version of this story incorrectly stated the number of retailers who earned an A or A-.

Persons: —, “ It’s, ”, Mike Schade, ” Schade, “, Dunkin ’, Jimmy John’s, Joe’s, Ahold, Hannaford, Tard, Sherwin, Williams, Sally Beauty, Jodi Caro, Alimentation, Cheri Peele, ” Peele, Peele, Homer Swei, Swei, Schade, Perfluoroalkyl, Julianna Bragg Organizations: CNN, Toxic, Black, Brands, KFC, Taco Bell, Inspire Brands, Baskin, Robbins, Buffalo Wild Wings, Canadian, Lion, Nordstrom, Walmart, National Retail Foundation, Companies, “ Retailers, Environmental, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, US, “ Locations: United States, Canada, Chipotle, Target, Nordstrom

☆ Feeling stressed this week? A walk outside can help
▼ + stars: | 2024-11-08 | by ( Katia Hetter | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Our six-part mindfulness guide will inform and inspire you to reduce stress while learning how to harness it. CNN —No matter their political persuasion, many people may be feeling stressed and anxious during election week in the United States. Johner RF/Getty ImagesCNN: You’ve mentioned that walking outside can help reduce stress. Wen: I would first ask what has the person done before that has helped them reduce stress. Please talk to your primary care clinician or mental health provider if you are struggling.

Persons: Leana Wen, Wen, You’ve, it’s, don’t Organizations: CNN, George Washington University, Getty Locations: United States, Japan, Australia

☆ What are endocrine-disrupting chemicals? Experts explain
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-29 | by ( Madeline Holcombe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

The question is how worried should people be about these endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs), such as phthalates, BPA or bisphenol A, and brominated flame retardants? Endocrine-disrupting chemicals are not produced by the human body but influence the way your hormones function, Bloom said. CNN reached out to the National Pest Management Association and the Personal Care Products Council for comment. Gradually replacing personal care products one at a time as you use up individual products is a great place to start, she said. “But personal care products is one thing where I think folks have a lot of autonomy and what they’re purchasing within reason.”

Persons: United States –, Michael Bloom, Bloom, ” Bloom, Alexa Friedman, ”, ” Friedman, Natalie Shaw, “, Friedman, – Friedman Organizations: CNN, George Mason University College of Public Health, Environmental, Cleveland Clinic, Endocrine Society, “, Pediatric Neuroendocrinology Group, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Pesticides, National Pest Management Association, Care Products Council, US Environmental Protection Agency, EPA, allergists, Mayo Clinic Locations: United States, EDCs, Fairfax , Virginia

☆ Researcher’s fears of ‘weaponized’ data reignite focus on puberty-blocking drugs for transgender youth
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-25 | by ( Brenda Goodman | Meg Tirrell | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

Some advocates for gender-affirming care for youth say the report mischaracterizes the normal caution being taken by researchers to carefully present and interpret scientific data. “They’re in really good shape when they come in, and they’re in really good shape after two years,” Olson-Kennedy told the Times. Her description appears to contradict the baseline characteristics of the 95 study participants, which were published in 2022. Numerous studies have documented high rates of suicide and suicidal thoughts in transgender children and teenagers, and the physical changes of puberty can greatly increase the distress of feeling trapped in the wrong body. Nine children – about 4% of the sample – expressed regret over puberty blockers or hormones, and four discontinued their therapy.

Persons: ”, Alex Keuroghlian, Johanna Olson, Kennedy, Olson, “, ” Olson, Amy Tishelman, Tishelman, ” Tishelman, –, What’s, Hilary Cass, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, CNN’s Jen Christensen Organizations: CNN, The New York Times, Education, Fenway Institute, Center, Transyouth Health, Children’s Hospital of Los, Times, Boston College, Endocrine, Endocrine Society, Cass, CNN Health, Trans Locations: Children’s Hospital of Los Angeles, Netherlands

More younger women are getting breast cancer, and doctors are scrambling to understand why. While having a baby may temporarily increase a woman’s breast cancer risk, it slightly lowers long-term risk, said Dr. Ann Partridge, co-founder and director of the Program for Young Adults with Breast Cancer at the Dana-Farber Cancer Institute. What’s known about breast cancer in younger womenDoctors are still scratching the surface in researching why breast cancer is becoming more prevalent at a younger age. They’re not breastfeeding as much, which does increase breast cancer risk. That would indicate that obesity likely isn’t much of a factor in the rising rates of breast cancer among younger women, said Toriola, of Washington University.

Persons: ”, Alexandra Thomas, “ That’s, —, Adetunji, It’s, menarche, Eleonora Teplinsky, menstruating, Ann Partridge, Dana, “ it’s, it’s, ” Partridge, “, They’re, that’s, ” Teplinsky, Toriola, ” Toriola Organizations: Duke Health, Washington, Cancer, Health, New Jersey . Studies, American Cancer Society, Young, Farber Cancer Institute, Toxicology, Washington University Locations: U.S, New Jersey

☆ 18 Best Pregnancy-Safe Skin Care in 2024, According to Experts
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-07 | by ( Macaela Mackenzie | ) www.nbcnews.com time to read: +32 min

SKIP AHEAD The best pregnancy-safe skin care products in 2024 | How to shop for pregnancy-safe skin care | Why trust NBC Select? How I picked the best pregnancy-safe skin care productsI asked board-certified dermatologists about common pregnancy skin concerns like dryness and sensitivity and for their recommendations on pregnancy-safe formulas. The best pregnancy-safe skin care products in 2024When you’re pregnant, it may feel like you have to abandon your skin care routine and start new, but experts say that is not always the case. The fragrance-free formula has broad-spectrum protection, which means it keeps your skin safe from both UVA and UVB rays. How to shop for pregnancy-safe skin careWhen shopping for pregnancy-safe skin care, experts say the best approach involves assessing your skin’s changing needs and talking with your doctor about what ingredients you feel comfortable using.

Persons: Sejal Shah, ”, Rachel Nazarian, Erum Ilyas, you’re, Shah, La, Mili Godio, It’s, niacinamide, EltaMD, Posay’s, ceramides, Ilyas, Nazarian, “, Squalane, “ It’s, dullness, There’s, Melasma, you’ve, they’re, retinoids, it’s, “ it’s, Oxybenzone, clary, TikTok Organizations: NBC, Dermatology, Neutrogena’s Hydro, La Roche, American Academy of Dermatology, OB, American College of Obstetricians, Alpha, National Institutes of Health, NIH, Facebook, Twitter Locations: New York, Pennsylvania, erring

☆ Additives to food often bypass FDA oversight, critics say
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-03 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +14 min

Soon, Daily Harvest had narrowed its internal investigation to a new ingredient used for its high-protein content: tara flour. Tara flour is one of two products made from the seed pods of a thorny shrub native to Peru. The pods of the tara plant are used to make tara gum and tara flour. As some consumers had discovered, tara flour was not safe, the FDA decreed in May 2024 — nearly two years after the ingredient sickened hundreds. During that time, however, other manufacturers could have used the now-“unapproved food additive.”“This incident shows how broken our food regulatory system is.

Persons: Gwyneth Paltrow, Serena Williams, “ I’ve, ” Cory Silverstein, Silverstein, Luke Wesley Pearson, tara, we’ve, Rachel Drori, GRAS, —, It’s, ”, Pieter Cohen, Cohen, “, Tara, Tragically, Alexi Giannoulias, Sarah Gallo, “ GRAS, ” Gallo, Sarah Silbiger, Melanie Benesh, BVO, Giannoulias, Benesh, ” Benesh, Jim Jones, ” Jones, Thomas Galligan Organizations: CNN, Leek Crumbles, Harvest, CNN Business, Food and Drug Administration, FDA, Daily Harvest, Daily, Cambridge Health Alliance, The New England, of Medicine, Consumer Brands Association, Office, Natural Resources Defense Council, Environmental, Industry, Union, Illinois Food Safety, Illinois Senate, Getty, European Union, Human Foods, Center for Science, “ Locations: Peru, United States, Somerville , Massachusetts, The, California, Illinois, Jena

☆ Black-colored plastic used for kitchen utensils and toys linked to banned toxic flame retardants
▼ + stars: | 2024-10-01 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

“That particular product had up to 22,800 parts per million of total flame retardants — that’s almost 3% by weight,” Liu said. That chemical is a member of the polybrominated diphenyl ethers, or PBDE, class of flame retardants. “I would recommend not using black plastic for food contact materials or buying toys with black plastic pieces,” said Birnbaum, who was not involved in the study. What consumers can doExperts say there are ways that consumers can reduce their risk from flame retardants. “Replace your plastic kitchen utensils with stainless steel options or choose plastic free items to help reduce your overall exposure to harmful additives and plastic,” Liu said.

Persons: CNN —, ”, Megan Liu, ” Liu, Liu, DecaBDE, decaBDE, toxicologist Linda Birnbaum, “, Birnbaum, ” Erich Shea, ” Shea, that’s, hadn’t, Leonardo Trasande, “ I’m, Trasande, vacuuming, ” Birnbaum Organizations: CNN, Toxic, US Environmental Protection Agency, National Institute for Environmental Health Sciences, National Toxicology, Chemistry, ” Manufacturers, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, Flame, Alliance, Amsterdam Institute for Life, Vrije Universiteit, “, NYU Langone Health Locations: United States, sofas, Vrije, Amsterdam, New York City

☆ Chemicals linked to breast cancer leach into our foods, study says
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-24 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Nearly 200 chemicals connected to breast cancer are used in the making of food packaging and plastic tableware, and dozens of those carcinogens can migrate into the human body, a new study found. Of the recently detected chemicals in food packaging, 40 are already classified as hazardous by regulatory agencies around the world, according to the study. Rates of early-onset breast cancer in women under 50 are increasing, and experts said the trend cannot be explained by genetics alone. A January 2024 update to that list found 921 possibly carcinogenic chemicals, including 642 that may stimulate estrogen or progesterone production, another known risk factor for breast cancer. FCChumon, created by the Food Packaging Forum, is a list of food contact chemicals that have been detected in human breast milk, blood, urine and tissues.

Persons: ”, Jane Muncke, ” Muncke, Jenny Kay, Len Lichtenfeld, ” Lichtenfeld, Sarah Gallo, ” Gallo, Kay, ” Kay, “ That’s, PFAS Organizations: CNN, Food Packaging, Silent Spring Institute, American Cancer Society, Consumer Brands Association, Food, FDA, Environmental, Toxicology, Contact Chemicals, “, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine Locations: Zurich, Switzerland

☆ Drinking 1 to 3 cups of coffee a day may protect heart health
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-17 | by ( Madeline Holcombe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +5 min

“Coffee and caffeine consumption may play an important protective role in almost all phases of CM development,” Ke said. What researchers don’t knowThe methodology is strong and the results line up with existing data about caffeine and heart health, but there are still questions about the extent of the connection between caffeine and heart health, Marcus said. Because the study is observational, it can only show a connection between caffeine and heart health, he said. Other factors may actually be the cause of the improved heart health, he added. And contrary to popular wisdom, drinking caffeine in coffee is associated with experiencing a lower risk of abnormal heart rhythms, he added, pointing to his and others’ research.

Persons: Chaofu Ke, Cardiometabolic, ” Ke, Ke, Gregory Marcus, ” Marcus, Marcus, ” Organizations: CNN, Soochow University, Metabolism, University of California Locations: Suzhou, China, San Francisco

☆ Chemical toxins from food processing migrate into our bodies, study says
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-16 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

“The study also shows that food contact materials can contain mutagenic chemicals that harm our DNA, such as heavy metals,” Wagner said. Another chemical group in food packaging that has migrated into people is phthalates, the research revealed. “We’ve got, say, 60 years of research into the migration of chemicals into food from food processing and packaging equipment. “Given that there are (tens) of thousands of food contact chemicals, biomonitoring programs do not have the capacity to test for all chemicals we are potentially exposed to,” Wagner said. “However, there are also important gaps that need to be addressed as we undertake the work to strengthen our food chemical safety activities,” he said.

Persons: ”, Martin Wagner, Wagner, Jane Muncke, ” Muncke, Muncke, “, ” Wagner, “ We’ve, It’s, there’s, Melanie Benesh, you’re, ” Benesh, GRAS, Jim Jones, Benesh Organizations: CNN, Norwegian University of Science, Technology, Food Packaging, Getty, American Chemistry Council, National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences, National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, Medicine, US National Health, Canadian, Korean National Environmental Health Survey, National Health, Environmental, Food and Drug Administration, FDA, US, Committee, Energy Locations: Trondheim, Zurich, Switzerland, phthalates, PFAS, Europe, Biomonitoring California, United States

☆ How pregnancy changes the brain
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-16 | by ( Kristen Rogers | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —Researchers have created one of the first comprehensive maps of how the brain changes throughout pregnancy, substantially improving upon understanding of an understudied field. What brain changes mean for parentsThe functional implications these brain changes may have for birthing parents have yet to be determined, said Dr. Elseline Hoekzema, head of the Pregnancy and the Brain Lab at Amsterdam University Medical Center, via email. However, some of Hoekzema’s previous work has indicated associations between pregnancy-related brain changes and the ways a birthing parent’s brain and body respond and bond to infants’ cues, Hoekzema added. These findings are also in line with animal studies showing brain changes that were critical for the onset and continuation of maternal care. “Of the 50,000 brain imaging articles published in the last 30 years, less than half of 1% focus on health factors unique to women, like pregnancy.

Persons: Elizabeth R, Chrastil, ”, Emily Jacobs, ” Jacobs, Jacobs, Jodi Pawluski, Pawluski wasn’t, Magdalena Martínez García, wasn’t, Elseline Hoekzema, Hoekzema wasn’t, Hoekzema, ” Pawluski, “, ” Hoekzema, Pawluski, haven’t, Ann S, Bowers, Chan Zuckerberg, we’ve Organizations: CNN —, Neuroscience, University of California, UC Santa Barbara, Jacobs Lab, Amsterdam University Medical Center, Brain Health Initiative Locations: Santa Barbara, France, Spain

☆ Microplastics found in nose tissue at base of brain, study says
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-16 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Tiny plastic shards and fibers were found in the nose tissue of human cadavers, according to a small new study. The threads and microplastic pieces were discovered in the olfactory bulb, the part of the nose responsible for detecting odors that sits at the base of the brain. Microplastics are polymer fragments that can range from less than 0.2 inch (5 millimeters) down to 1/25,000th of an inch (1 micrometer). However, an April 2023 study found that microplastics made of polypropylene appeared to exacerbate the advance of breast cancer. The nose is one of many ways through which microplastics can enter the body, experts say.

Persons: ”, Luís Fernando Amato, Lourenço, Amato, Lourenço, Phoebe Stapleton, “ I’m, ” Stapleton, “, Betsy Bowers, ” Bowers, ” Sherri “ Sam ” Mason, ” Amato, microplastics, Julian Ward, Leonardo Trasande, don’t, Trasande Organizations: CNN, Free University of Berlin, Rutgers University, Industry Alliance, Penn State, JAMA, US Environmental Protection Agency, Getty, American Academy of Pediatrics, NYU Langone Health, Natural Resources Defense Council, Invest Locations: Piscataway , New Jersey, Erie , Pennsylvania

☆ PFAS: Chemicals that are everywhere and could affect your health
▼ + stars: | 2024-09-09 | by ( Madeline Holcombe | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN: What exactly are PFAS chemicals? They are in nonstick surfaces; they’re used in firefighting foams, protecting packages from grease, and waterproofing of carpets and your clothing. Because of the structure of these chemicals, they’re able to have these (nonstick, water-repellent and temperature-regulating) properties. Water is a common route of exposure — drinking water from your municipal water sources in your home are contaminated with PFAS chemicals. There are new ones being created all the time, so we don’t even know all the potential PFAS chemicals that are out there.

Persons: Carmen Marsit, Marsit, Rollins, Here’s, they’re, —, They’ve, Syd White, They’re, It’s, we’re Organizations: CNN, Research, Rollins School of Public Health, Emory University, National Health, Getty, Environmental Protection Agency, Food, Drug Administration Locations: United States, PFAS

☆ 3 supplements a doctor takes for energy and to help him recover when he's sick
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-24 | by ( Serafina Kenny | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Related storiesMushroom coffeeAlam drinks coffee containing lion's mane mushroom extract each morning. Alam started taking lion's mane to help him cut down on coffee. Whether this is down to the lion's mane is unclear — there isn't much research on the impact of the mushroom on energy levels or sluggishness. In the US, about 35% of adults have vitamin D deficiency, according to Cleveland Clinic. It's up to the individual to decide whether to take vitamin D supplements, but, like zinc, they are unlikely to cause harm when taken in safe amounts, Alam said.

Persons: —, Venus Williams, LeBron James, Arnold Schwarzenegger, Zalan Alam, Alam, Michelle Lee Organizations: Service, Business, BI, Cleveland Clinic

☆ Human brains contain surprising levels of plastic, study says
▼ + stars: | 2024-08-23 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —Human brain samples collected at autopsy in early 2024 contained more tiny shards of plastic than samples collected eight years prior, according to a preprint posted online in May. “Compared to autopsy brain samples from 2016, that’s about 50% higher,” Campen said. Nanoplastics are the most worrisome plastics for human health, experts say, because the minuscule pieces can take up residence inside individual cells. In that report, the consortium determined plastics are associated with harms to human health at every single stage of the plastic lifecycle. A March 2024 study found 1 liter of bottled water — the equivalent of two standard-size bottled waters typically purchased by consumers — contained an average of 240,000 plastic particles from seven types of plastics.

Persons: ”, Matthew Campen, ” Campen, Phoebe Stapleton, Philip Landrigan, “, Landrigan, You’re, Nanoplastics ‘, Campen, ” Landrigan, Svetlozar, — Organizations: CNN, University of New, Rutgers University, Program, Global Public Health, Global, Planetary Health, Boston College, American Chemistry Council, US Environmental Protection Agency, “, – Monaco, Plastics, Human, ”, Toxicity Program, International Agency for Research, Cancer, EPA, Endocrine Society, Invest, Natural Resources Defense Council Locations: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, that’s, Piscataway , New Jersey, United States

☆ Tampons contain lead, arsenic and potentially toxic chemicals, studies say. Here’s what to know
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-11 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +9 min

CNN —The average menstruating person will spend about five years of their total reproductive lifespan using an estimated 11,000 tampons, sanitary pads, panty liners and other menstrual products, experts say. What if some of those menstrual aids contain heavy metals or potentially toxic chemicals linked to chronic diseases and reproductive and developmental problems? “I do not want people to panic, but to be aware that heavy metals have been found in these menstrual products,” Schilling said. “However, there is no reason for people to be afraid to use menstrual products at this time,” she added. The team ran tests for 16 heavy metals: arsenic, barium, calcium, cadmium, cobalt, chromium, copper, iron, manganese, mercury, nickel, lead, selenium, strontium, vanadium and zinc.

Persons: Kathrin Schilling, ” Schilling, Amanda Hils, ” Hils, Anna Pollack, ”, Pollack, “, tampons Schilling, nonorganic tampons, hasn’t, Nancy King Reame, Reame Organizations: CNN, US Environmental Protection Agency, Columbia University’s Mailman, of Public Health, US Food and Drug Administration, George Mason University, US Geological Survey . Chemicals, Environmental Health, Institute for Green Science, Carnegie Mellon University, American Chemistry Council, “, for Disease Control, Prevention, FDA, School of Nursing, Columbia University Medical Center Locations: New York City, “, Fairfax , Virginia, United States, United Kingdom, Greece, tampons, Pittsburgh

☆ Investors want proof AI will aid drug discovery. Evidence may come in the second half
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-06 | by ( Christina Cheddar Berk | In | ) www.cnbc.com time to read: +10 min

Analysts who have been following companies on the cutting edge of using generative AI for drug discovery say it is still very early days. But these endorsements haven't lifted Recursion shares out of a slump. RXRX 1Y mountain Recursion shares over the past year. The drug company will be a beta user of Recursion's LOWE (Large Language Model-Orchestrated Workflow Engine) and the pair are also partnering on oncology research. SDGR 1Y mountain Schrodinger shares over the past year.

Persons: Scott Schoenhaus, Chris Gibson, Jensen Huang, Leerink, Mani Foroohar, Foroohar, Recursion's, KeyBanc's Schoenhaus, Needham, Gil Blum, it's, Recursion's LOWE, Blum, Eli Lilly, AbCellera, KeyBanc's, Schoenhaus, FactSet, Allison Bratzel, Piper Sandler, Goldman Sachs, Salveen Richter, Peter Lawson, Lawson, Japan's Takeda, Schrodinger, Leerink's Foroohar Organizations: Analysts, Capital, Nvidia, ARK Investment Management, REC, CCM, Union, Bayer, Therapeutics, Dynamo, RLY, Barclays, Japan's Locations: U.S, biopharma, Biohive

☆ Insider Today: Scammers on the loose
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-06 | by ( Joi-Marie Mckenzie | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +6 min

download the appSign up to get the inside scoop on today’s biggest stories in markets, tech, and business — delivered daily. But first: Scammers are on the loose. AdvertisementThe FBI said last year thousands of people lost $350 million to real-estate scams in 2021, an increase of 64% from 2020. In fact, BI has been reporting on scams and how they can wreck one's financial life and sanity for years. AdvertisementMore of this week's top reads:The Insider Today team: Joi-Marie McKenzie, editor in chief of life, in New York.

Persons: —, Tyler Le, Daniel Pietschnig, Alcynna Lloyd, they'd, Monica Humphries, it's, Max Nieuwdorp, Chelsea Jia Feng, Mark Von Holden, Rebecca Zisser, Kevin Costner's, Kevin Costner, Costner, Stefano Secchi, Axel F, Eddie Murphy, Axel Foley, Sam Taylor, Amy Winehouse, Dyson, Joi, Marie McKenzie, Jordan Parker Erb, Dan DeFrancesco, Lisa Ryan, Amanda Yen Organizations: Service, Rome, Business, FBI, Research, Warner Bros, Variety, Images, Netflix Locations: Italian, New York, New York City

☆ A doctor says our gut microbiome affects our hormones. He shared 3 things he avoids to stay healthy.
▼ + stars: | 2024-07-02 | by ( Kim Schewitz | ) www.businessinsider.com time to read: +5 min

Read previewA scientist and doctor who researches the role of the gut microbiome in our body's hormonal processes shared three things he avoids for his gut health. It's no surprise, then, that the global gut health supplement market has been valued at $12 billion. AdvertisementHere are three things he avoids for his gut microbiome. When we eat red meat, the bacteria in the gut make "dangerous" metabolites when digesting it, he said. AdvertisementAntibioticsAlthough antibiotics are crucial for treating infection and save millions of lives every year, they also disrupt the gut microbiome.

Persons: —, It's, Dr, Max Nieuwdorp, Nieuwdorp, he's Organizations: Service, Business, American Heart Association, Biology, UCLA Health Locations: Netherlands, Cavan, UPFs

☆ 5 ways to increase your happiness through exercise
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-29 | by ( Andrea Kane | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +6 min

Editor’s note: Season 10 of the podcast Chasing Life With Dr. Sanjay Gupta explores the science of happiness. “You feel incredible, and you’ve got those endorphins, and that brain chemistry also really helps you feel connected to other people.”Join the groupBeing social helps you exercise. “Make movement social. Exercise such as running with a group helps you to be more social and to build relationships with others. “Think about positive experiences you’ve had with movement in your life,” McGonigal said.

Persons: Sanjay Gupta, CNN —, Kelly McGonigal, McGonigal, “, ”, ” McGonigal, “ There’s, you’ve, Gabor Maté Organizations: CNN, Stanford University, “

☆ A Relaxer Reckoning
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-13 | by ( Linda Villarosa | ) www.nytimes.com time to read: +1 min

A vast majority of Black women — approaching 90 percent — have used a chemical hair relaxer to straighten their natural curls. But these products, applied in salons or at home, disrupt the endocrine system, according to a growing body of evidence. The products, which aggressively target Black girls and women who believe these chemicals are safe, have almost no oversight. I began reporting a story about “creamy crack,” as chemical hair straightener products are sometimes called, for The Times Magazine more than a year ago, and it published today. I interviewed government officials and health nonprofit workers, scientists at universities, people taking part in medical studies, plaintiffs in lawsuits, politicians, historians, activists and lawyers.

Organizations: The Times Magazine

☆ Male birth control gel: A long-awaited hormonal contraceptive option for men may be closer to reality
▼ + stars: | 2024-06-05 | by ( Brenda Goodman | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +8 min

CNN —After decades of false starts, researchers say they are finally making progress on a long-acting and reversible birth control option for men. The gel was developed by the National Institutes of Health and the nonprofit Population Council, and it takes much the same approach as birth control pills for women. “I would say our expectation was that it would be similar to hormonal birth control pills. The gel also seems to have other advantages over female birth control. To him, it doesn’t feel fair that his partner has to shoulder the burden of birth control.

Persons: “ We’ve, ”, Diana Blithe, Blithe, “, that’s, Matthew Treviño, it’s, he’s, “ I’ve, Emily Fletcher, –, Roe, Wade, ’ “ Fletcher, Treviño, ” Treviño, That’s, Christina Wang, Dr, Sanjay Gupta, Wang, they’ll, Brian Nguyen Organizations: CNN, National Institutes of Health, Population Council, NIH’s National Institute of Child Health, Human, Endocrine Society, World Health Organization, University of California, UC Davis, US Food and Drug Administration, Lundquist, Medical, Get CNN, CNN Health, University of Southern Locations: Boston, Sacramento , California, Davis, University of Southern California

☆ Chemical toxin exposure in the womb linked to greater health risks for children ages 6 to 11
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-23 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +11 min

CNN —Chemical toxins are everywhere — in our water, food, air and soil. Children born to European mothers exposed to four families of chemicals that disrupt the body’s endocrine (hormone) system had elevated levels of metabolic syndrome at ages 6 to 11. Metabolic syndrome can include obesity, elevated blood pressure, and abnormally high cholesterol and insulin resistance, which is a precursor to type 2 diabetes. Metabolic syndrome is typically associated with adult cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes and stroke, but the growing epidemic of childhood obesity has seen symptoms appearing in kids at younger and younger ages. Having metabolic syndrome as a child is highly predictive of chronic disease as an adult, experts say.

Persons: Nuria Güil, ”, Oumrait, Vicente Mustieles, Mariana Fernández, Carmen Messerlian, Messerlian, phthalates, “, Jane Houlihan, ” Houlihan, Houlihan, PFAS, EWG Organizations: CNN, Icahn School of Medicine, JAMA, Biomedical Research, University of Granada, Harvard, of Public Health, International Council for Chemical Associations, American Chemistry Council, EPA, Food, Food and Drug Administration, FDA, NSF, National Sanitation Foundation Locations: Mount Sinai, New York City, Spain, Messerlian, Chan, Boston, United States

☆ Tiny plastic shards found in human testicles, study says
▼ + stars: | 2024-05-21 | by ( Sandee Lamotte | ) edition.cnn.com time to read: +7 min

CNN —Human testicles contain microplastics and nanoplastics at levels three times higher than animal testes and human placentas, a new small study found. “They look like little shards, tiny broken bits from very, very old plastics,” said Campen, a regents’ professor of pharmaceutical sciences at the University of New Mexico in Albuquerque. Researchers expected to find more plastic shards in the testicles of older men in the study, but that wasn’t the case, Campen said. “In testes, the levels of plastic was three times as much as we saw in placentas,” Campen said. In studies of pregnant mice, researchers have found plastic chemicals in the brain, heart, liver, kidney and lungs of the developing fetus 24 hours after the pregnant mother ingested or breathed in plastic particles.

Persons: ”, Matthew Campen, Campen, ” Campen, “ We’re, Adrienne Bresnahan, Kimberly Wise White, Leonardo Trasande, don’t, Trasande Organizations: CNN, micron, Sciences, University of New, Endocrine Society, Getty, American Chemistry Council, placentas, American Academy of Pediatrics, NYU Langone Health, Natural Resources Defense Council, Invest Locations: University of New Mexico, Albuquerque, United States, placentas, Beijing

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