Magic Mushroom Hallucinogen May Treat Problem Drinking | Health & Fitness

WEDNESDAY, Aug. 24, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Jon Kostas, a lifelong resident of New York City, started bar-hopping at age 13. At the height of his alcoholism, he was consuming as many as 30 drinks a night.

Desperate for a way out, Kostas, 32, turned to a new therapy: psilocybin — the psychedelic compound found in so-called “magic mushrooms.”

“It definitely affected my life, and I like to say it saved my life,” said Kostas, who had his first psilocybin treatment session in March 2015.

He’s not the only one being helped. A new study suggests that psilocybin might be better at helping alcoholics give up booze than any current treatments, researchers say.

The study reported that two doses of the drug reduced drinking by 83% on average among heavy drinkers when combined with psychotherapy.

“The treatment effects observed in our study were significantly larger than those reported in meta-analyses

California appeals court rejects COVID-19 fines for church | Health & Fitness

A California church that defied safety regulations during the COVID-19 pandemic by holding large religious services won’t have to pay about $200,000 in fines, a state appeals court ruled.

Calvary Chapel San Jose and its pastors were held in contempt of court and fined in 2020 and 2021 for violating state and county limits on indoor public gatherings. The rules were at preventing the spread through close contract of the virus, which has caused more than 10 million confirmed cases and more than 93,500 deaths since the pandemic began in mid-2020, according to state public health figures.

But on Monday, California’s 6th District Court of Appeal reversed those lower court decisions, citing a May 2020 ruling by the US Supreme Court in February 2021 that a ban by Gov. Gavin Newsom on indoor worship services in countries where COVID-19 was surging violated freedom of religion.

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First Lady Jill Biden Has COVID-19 | Health & Fitness

TUESDAY, Aug. 16, 2022 (HealthDay News) — First Lady Jill Biden has COVID-19 and is experiencing “mild symptoms,” according to her staff.

“After testing negative for COVID-19 on Monday during her regular testing cadence, the First Lady began to develop cold-like symptoms late in the evening,” Biden’s communications director Elizabeth Alexander said in a statement released Tuesday. “She tested negative again on a rapid antigen test, but a PCR test came back positive.”

The First Lady has received two vaccines plus two boosters, and so far her symptoms are mild.

“She has been prescribed a course of [the antiviral drug] Paxlovid and, following CDC guidance, will isolate from others for at least five days,” Alexander said.

“Close contacts of the First Lady have been notified,” she added, noting that Biden “is currently staying at a private residence in South Carolina and will return home after she received two consecutive negative

‘Virtual’ Museum Visits Are Good Medicine for Seniors | Health & Fitness

TUESDAY, Aug. 16, 2022 (HealthDay News) — By combining technology with interactive art activities, older people at home can have museums come to them — and this can support their physical, mental and social well-being, a new study reports.

“This participatory art-based activity could become a model that could be offered in museums and arts institutions worldwide to promote active and healthy aging,” said lead author Dr. Olivier Beauchet, a professor of medicine at the University of Montreal.

On a global scale, social isolation is linked to a number of health threats, including an increased risk of heart disease and stroke, as well as mental deterioration and even early death. The COVID-19 pandemic only added to seniors’ isolation due to the need for older folks to minimize their exposure.

Researchers said this new study — published Aug. 16 in the journal Frontiers in Medicine — demonstrates how virtual museum visits

Odds low for catching monkeypox in Santa Barbara County | Health & Fitness

Unless you fall into a high-risk group, the odds of catching monkeypox in Santa Barbara County are low — but not impossible, as five cases had been confirmed as of Monday, according to a report from the county public health officer.

“It is way less contagious than COVID or even smallpox,” Dr. Henning Ansorg told the Board of Supervisors in an update Tuesday.

In addition to the five confirmed cases, Ansorg said the county is pending results from tests on four other potential cases and has evaluated 24 suspected cases as well as 40 people who had contact with the confirmed cases.

Innovations in Communication Technology Creating Huge Opportunities for Wireless Health and Fitness Device Manufacturers: Fact.MR

FACT.MR

FACT.MR

Growing Awareness Among Consumers About Monitoring Fitness Activities For Good Health And Rising Investments In Advancements In Wireless Technologies Are Expected To Boost Market Growth

Seoul, South Korea, Aug. 15, 2022 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) — Fact.MR, a market research and competitive intelligence provider, has conducted a complete analysis on the wireless health and fitness devices marketwhich is anticipated to increase at a stupendous CAGR of 12% from 2022 to 2026.

Health monitors are becoming more widely available in a variety of wearables, including wristbands, smart watches, and mobile phone integration. Additionally, as technology develops, the capabilities of these devices and applications have grown, improving their accuracy and enabling them to become comprehensive healthcare solutions. Fitness wearables are among the most widely used technological tools for keeping track of many elements of users’ lifestyles and exercise routines.

The wireless health and fitness devices market is expected to increase owed to

COPD Remains Considerable Public Health Burden Globally | Health & Fitness

FRIDAY, Aug. 5, 2022 (HealthDay News) — Globally, chronic obstructive pulmonary disease (COPD) remains a major public health concern, according to a study published online July 26 in The BMJ.

Saeid Safiri, Ph.D., from Tabriz University of Medical Sciences in Iran, and colleagues conducted a systematic analysis of data from the Global Burden of Disease Study 2019 to report the global, regional, and national burden of COPD and its attributable risk factors between 1990 and 2019.

The researchers found 212.3 million prevalent cases of COPD were reported globally in 2019; COPD is accounted for 3.3 million deaths and 74.4 million disability-adjusted life-years (DALYs). For COPD, the global age standardized point prevalence, death, and DALY rates were 2,638.2, 42.5, and 926.1 per 100,000 population, representing decreases of 8.7, 41.7, and 39.8 percent, respectively, versus 1990. The global DALY rate of COPD increased to age 85 to 89 years in men,

Indiana becomes 1st state to approve abortion ban post Roe | Health & Fitness

By ARLEIGH RODGERS – Associated Press/Report for America

INDIANAPOLIS (AP) — Indiana on Friday became the first state in the nation to approve abortion restrictions since the US Supreme Court overturned Roe v. Wade, as the Republican governor quickly signed a near-total ban on the procedure shortly after lawmakers approved it.

The ban, which takes effect Sept. 15, includes some exceptions. Abortions would be permitted in cases of rape and incest, before 10-weeks post-fertilization; to protect the life and physical health of the mother; and if a fetus is diagnosed with a lethal anomaly. Victims of rape and incest would not be required to sign a notarized affidavit attesting to an attack, as had once been proposed.

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Under the bill, abortions can be performed only in hospitals or outpatient centers owned by hospitals, meaning all abortion clinics would lose their licenses. A doctor who performs an

‘What recession?’: US employers add 528,000 jobs in July | Health & Fitness

By PAUL WISEMAN – AP Economics Writer

WASHINGTON (AP) — US employers added an astonishing 528,000 jobs last month despite flashing warning signs of an economic downturn, easing fears of a recession and handing President Joe Biden some good news heading into the midterm elections.

Unemployment dropped another notch, from 3.6% to 3.5%, matching the more than 50-year low reached just before the pandemic took hold.

The economy has now recovered all 22 million jobs lost in March and April 2020 when COVID-19 slammed the US

The red-hot numbers reported Friday by the Labor Department are certain to intensify the debate over whether the US is in a recession.

“Recession — what recession?” wrote Brian Coulton, chief economist at Fitch Ratings. “The US economy is creating new jobs at an annual rate of 6 million — that’s three times faster than what we normally see historically in a good year.”

iOS 16 Health and Fitness Updates: Medication Tracking, Sleep Stages, iPhone Activity Tracking and More

Apple with iOS 16 added a new medication management feature to the Health app, which is designed to allow users to keep track of their medications to make sure a dose isn’t missed. The feature works alongside a new Medications app on the Apple Watch, and it’s useful for everything from prescriptions to vitamins.

iOS 16 Health Guide Feature
This guide covers everything that you need to know about the medication tracking feature along with other new iOS 16‌ Health app features.

Medication Tracking

“Medications” is a new section available in the Health app, accessible by going to the Browse section and scrolling down to Medications, or typing it into the Health app search bar.

ios 16 medications section health


In the Medications app, you can enter in all of the prescription medications, over the counter medications, and vitamins that you take so you can get reminders to take medicine, check for interactions, and more.

ios 16 medication add


Adding a medication is as