ExerciseRx
Exercise can lower blood pressure and reduce visceral body fat at least as effectively as many common prescription drugs, according to two reviews of relevant research about the effects of exercise on maladies, reports The New York Times. Together, the new studies (reviewed in the British Journal of Sports Medicine and Mayo Clinic Proceedings) support the idea that exercise can be considered medicine, and potent medicine at that. But they also raise questions about whether enough is known about the types and amount of exercise that might best treat different health problems and whether we really want to start thinking of our workouts as remedies. The possibility of formally prescribing exercise as a treatment for various health conditions, including high blood pressure, insulin resistance, obesity, osteoarthritis and others, has been gaining traction among scientists and physicians. The American College of Sports Medicine already leads a global initiative called Exercise Is Medicine, which aims to encourage doctors to include exercise prescriptions as part of disease treatments.
Birth control app
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration issued a final order to classify Natural Cycles – a birth control app – as a Class II device. It uses an algorithm that is sensitive to patterns in a woman’s cycle to determine daily fertility, based on basal body temperature and period data. Natural Cycles is said to be 93 percent effective with typical use, which means that seven women out of 100 get pregnant during one year of use. Natural Cycles is the only app of its kind to be available in Europe and the U.S. for use as a contraceptive. The app can also be used to help plan a pregnancy when the time is right. In August 2018, Natural Cycles’ application for De Novo classification as a Class II medical device was granted by the FDA. The agency’s final order is the last part of the approval process that establishes the required special controls and officially codifies the new regulation for this type of technology.
Healthy contact lens wear
More than 45 million Americans wear contact lenses. However, wearing contact lenses can increase your chances of getting an eye infection – especially if you do not care for them properly. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends taking these simple steps to protect your eyes: 1) Don’t wear contact lenses while sleeping unless directed to do so by your eye doctor; 2) never mix fresh solution with old or used solution; and 3) don’t swim or shower while wearing contact lenses, as contact lenses can carry germs from the water into the eye. The sixth annual Contact Lens Health Week will be observed Aug. 19 – 23, 2019.
After the flood
Initial damage is not the only risk associated with floods, says the CDC. Standing floodwater can also spread infectious diseases, bring chemical hazards, and cause injuries. After you return home, if you find that your home was flooded, practice safe cleaning. Remove and throw out drywall and insulation that was contaminated with floodwater or sewage. Throw out items that cannot be washed and cleaned with a bleach solution: mattresses, pillows, carpeting, carpet padding, and stuffed toys. Homeowners may want to temporarily store items outside of the home until insurance claims can be filed. Clean walls, hard-surfaced floors, and other household surfaces with soap and water and disinfect with a solution of one cup of bleach to five gallons of water. In addition:
- Avoid driving through flooded areas and standing water. As little as six inches of water can cause you to lose control of your vehicle.
- Do not drink floodwater, or use it to wash dishes, brush teeth, or wash/prepare food. Listen to water advisory from local authorities to find out if your water is safe for drinking and bathing.
- During a water advisory, use only bottled, boiled, or treated water for drinking, cooking, etc.
- When in doubt, throw it out! Throw away any food and bottled water that comes/may have come into contact with floodwater.
- Prevent carbon monoxide (CO) poisoning. Keep generators at least 20 feet away from doors, windows, or vents. If you use a pressure washer, be sure to keep the engine outdoors and 20 feet from windows, doors, or vents as well.
Stillbirth and subsequent pregnancy
Conceiving within a year or even six months after a stillbirth did not increase a woman’s likelihood of having another stillbirth or a preterm or small for gestational age (SGA) baby compared with an interpregnancy interval of at least two years, according to a study published online in the Lancet. The results are from the first large-scale observational study to investigate the interval between stillbirth and subsequent pregnancy, including almost 14,500 births in women from Australia, Finland, and Norway who had a stillbirth in their previous pregnancy. Currently, the World Health Organization recommends that women do not attempt to conceive until at least six months after a miscarriage or abortion and at least two years after a live birth, but there are no recommendations for the optimal interval after a stillbirth (defined as fetal loss after midpregnancy).