Posts by Forbes Washington DC
The Rise, Fall, and Potential Return of the Food Pyramid
Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump’s Health and Human Services (HHS) Secretary and man on a mission to “Make America Healthy Again,” has made no secret of his plan to change what he claims to be the country’s poison-riddled food culture. And he may soon bring back a relic from the past to help…
Read MoreWhat to Know About the New ‘Subclade K’ Flu Variant
Flu season has come early in the U.K. Cases began to tick up in October, more than a month ahead of when epidemiologists generally expect the season to start. Driving the surge is a new variant, and while flu viruses are always evolving, this one has racked up an impressive number of mutations relatively quickly.…
Read MoreHere’s Why Fewer People Are Vaccinating Their Pets
When Sylvalyn Hammond started practicing veterinary medicine in 2018, she rarely encountered pet owners who wanted to skip their dogs’ vaccines. The first time it happened, “I almost thought they were joking,” she recalls. “I was so shocked that I think I might have laughed.” Now, just a few years later, Hammond deals with anti-vaccine…
Read MoreIs Taking a Cold Shower Good for You?
Cold-water exposure is hot right now. From influencers touting the mental-health benefits of cold showers to professional athletes swearing by ice baths for recovery, it’s become a bonafide wellness trend. Advocates claim it can sharpen focus, improve immunity, and even reduce inflammation. But researchers say the evidence, while intriguing, is mixed. Small studies suggest that…
Read MoreHealth Panelists Talk Vaccines, Weight Loss, and the Importance of Respectful Discussion
Three panelists engaged in a spirited discussion about longevity and disease prevention at a TIME100 Talks event moderated by TIME senior health correspondent Alice Park in New York City on Wednesday. Dr. Raj Panjabi, senior partner of the bioplatform innovation company Flagship Pioneering, leading its Preemptive Health and Medicine Initiative; Jillian Michaels, creator of The…
Read MoreThe 9 Worst Things to Say to Someone Getting Divorced
When a couple gets divorced, everyone in their orbit is affected—not just the two people whose “I do” turned into “I don’t.” And boy, does that crowd have something to say about it. Some people are so shocked that they can’t restrain their nosiness. Others fear divorce is contagious and will happen to them next.…
Read MoreYou’ve Heard of FOMO. But Do You Have FOFO?
You’re undoubtedly familiar with the term FOMO—fear of missing out—but you may not have heard of FOFO: fear of finding out. It’s a common reason many people don’t get recommended health screening tests such as mammograms, Pap smears, STD tests, blood tests, and full-body skin cancer checks. FOFO isn’t a clinical diagnosis; it’s a colloquial…
Read MoreFDA Removes Black Box Warning on Hormone Therapy
U.S. health officials have announced the first steps to remove the black box warning on estrogen products prescribed to treat symptoms of menopause. The warning was added to the products in 2003 when data from a large government study on women’s health, known as the Women’s Health initiative (WHI), showed that the hormone therapy was…
Read MoreWhy You Feel Anxious After Drinking Coffee
For some, the day doesn’t begin until the first cup of coffee. But for others, that ritual—famous for bringing focus and energy—can cause a racing heart, jittery hands, and a vague sense of dread that lingers long after the caffeine buzz fades. Here’s why caffeine can trigger anxiety, what caffeine does inside the body, and…
Read MoreNo Evidence of Link Between Tylenol and Autism or ADHD, Study Confirms
At the end of September, when President Trump claimed taking Tylenol while pregnant was associated with an increased risk of autism in children, Dr. Shakila Thangaratinam knew she needed to act. Acetaminophen, the drug marketed under the name Tylenol, is the first line medication for treating fever in pregnant women, and the alternatives, as the…
Read MoreSleep Doctors Want You to Stop Taking Melatonin for Sleep
Some years ago, pediatrician Dr. Judith Owens noticed a disturbing pattern. A professor of neurology at Harvard Medical School affiliated with Boston Children’s Hospital, many of her patients are children who have trouble sleeping. “I’ve been in practice for 40 years,” she says. “There has been a seismic change in the number of patients I…
Read MoreCan a One-Time Gene Therapy Lower Cholesterol?
Lowering cholesterol is one of the most effective ways to reduce your risk of heart disease, and it may soon be possible to get a one-and-done gene therapy to keep cholesterol and triglyceride levels down throughout your lifetime. That’s the hope of a small new study led by Dr. Luke Laffin, a preventive cardiologist in…
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