Health
8 of the biggest health stories of this week: Catch up here on the essentials
Fox News Digital publishes a range of health pieces every day of the week to keep you up-to-date on the most important wellness news.
Cutting-edge medical research, breakthrough medications, mental health challenges, personal medical dramas and more are all covered.
In case you missed them, here are a few of the biggest health stories from the past week.
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As always, you can see a full list of recent health pieces at http://www.foxnews/health.
Dive into these eight key stories and get completely caught up.
1. Make sure to have these medicine cabinet must-haves
In the event of aches and pains, allergic reactions or even a minor medical emergency, do you have the necessary supplies?
Two pharmacists recommended a list of the 9 essential health staples that every household should have on hand. Click here to get the story.
Click to see the nine most important medical staples that every household should have on hand in case of emergency. (iStock)
2. Gene therapy reverses deafness in children
Five children who were born completely deaf have had some reversal of hearing loss after receiving a “groundbreaking” gene therapy.
Researchers from the clinical trial and the family of one of the children said the experience was “like a miracle.” Click here to get the story.
Five children who were born deaf have had their hearing loss reversed after receiving a “groundbreaking” gene therapy. Check out the amazing story. (Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University)
3. Family realizes ‘vision of hope’ with advanced surgery
When Madison Artale was born with congenital cataracts, she was in danger of permanent blindness. Her parents, stationed at Offutt Air Force Base, turned to Children’s Nebraska for help.
They spoke to Fox News Digital, along with ophthalmologist Dr. Paul Rychwalski, about how three delicate surgeries saved the baby’s sight. Click here to get the story..
Madison Artale, pictured here in both images, was diagnosed with congenital cataracts at just 1.5 months old. (Andrew and Brandee Artale)
4. Popular diet could help women live longer
The Mediterranean diet has long been linked to a bevy of health benefits — and now a new study has revealed it could reduce early mortality in women.
Nutritionists discussed the potential benefits. Click here to get the story.
Women who adhered to the heart-healthy, plant-focused diet were found to have a 23% lower risk of death from any cause. (iStock)
5. It might be time to rethink drinking and sleeping on planes
Consuming alcohol mid-flight and then falling asleep could lead to a drop in blood oxygen levels and a spike in heart rate, a new study revealed.
Doctors weighed in on the potential danger. Click here to get the story.
“The study showed that the ability to compensate for cabin oxygen pressure lowering in flight is worsened both by sleep and by alcohol,” a doctor told Fox News Digital. (iStock)
6. It may be illegal to travel with these medications
Some 77% of Americans expect to bring along medication on a trip this summer — but nearly half don’t check to see whether it’s legal to bring these items into other countries.
A pharmacist shared what to know before packing prescriptions. Click here to get the story.
All medications should be kept in carry-on luggage instead of in checked bags, an expert recommended. That way, if there are unforeseen travel delays, you’ll still be able to access your medications. (iStock)
7. Is artificial intelligence a key to better sleep?
AI could help improve the quality of your slumber, an expert told Fox News Digital.
See examples of how the technology is helping people sleep, along with the risks and limitations it may present. Click here to get the story.
(Artale family/iStock/Eye & ENT Hospital of Fudan University)
8. Florida is first state to allow out-of-hospital C-sections
New Florida legislation allows cesarean sections (C-sections) to be performed outside of hospitals.
Some believe this could improve access to care, yet others claim it could put mothers and babies in danger. Click here to get the story.
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Top stories
→ 8 common food preservatives linked to high blood pressure and heart disease
→ Study suggests latest COVID vaccine may have unexpected health benefit
→ Switching from cigarettes to vapes linked to higher risk of major eye diseases
Common food preservatives may contribute to higher risks of high blood pressure and cardiovascular disease, according to a large French study. (iStock)
Health challenges
→ Former reality star opens up about new diagnosis after years-long health ordeal
→ Popular mommy blogger dies at 48 two years after devastating cancer diagnosis
CLICK HERE FOR MORE HEALTH STORIES
Easy improvements
→ Want to age better? Researchers say 4-minute routine may help prevent dangerous falls
→ One question may reveal whether your body is getting the rest it needs
Feeling older than your current age could be a sign that you’re not getting enough quality sleep, according to new research. (iStock)
Conversation starters
→ Dad jokes may be good for your brain in one surprising way, experts say
→ Measles-infected traveler may have exposed passengers at LAX and nearby hotel
→ No sex for 10 weeks? Championship team’s playoff strategy raises eyebrows
Health
Switching from cigarettes to vapes linked to higher risk of major eye diseases, large study finds
US cigarette smoking drops to record low, vaping and nicotine pouch use surges
Fox News medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel discusses a New England Journal of Medicine study reporting US adult cigarette smoking rates dropped to a record low of 9.9% in 2024. Siegel warns about the addictive nature of vaping and nicotine pouches, which contain high levels of nicotine. He expresses concern over potential GI tract and heart issues, stressing social media’s role in promoting these products to younger generations.
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Switching from cigarettes to electronic vapes is often seen as a healthier move, but a massive nationwide study published in the American Journal of Ophthalmology suggests that smokeless alternatives could increase the risk of serious eye diseases compared to quitting nicotine altogether.
Researchers from the Korea University College of Medicine in Seoul, South Korea, analyzed health data from a group of 179,273 adults through the Korean National Health Insurance Service, according to a press release.
All participants had smoked traditional cigarettes between 2011 and 2012 and then quit smoking by 2018 or 2019, they reported.
SINGLE WORKOUT CUTS CRAVINGS, OFFERING NEW HOPE FOR SMOKERS TRYING TO QUIT
To ensure a fair comparison, the researchers paired up participants who shared similar backgrounds, including their age, gender, medical history, existing health conditions and general lifestyle habits.
Switching from cigarettes to electronic vapes is often seen as a healthier move, but a large study suggests it could pose a risk to eye health. (iStock)
This process created a balanced group of 32,316 matched participants, who were divided into two categories: complete quitters who stopped using all nicotine products and those who transitioned to smokeless nicotine products, such as vapes.
The researchers followed the participants for an average of 4.6 years to determine whether they developed eye conditions, including cataracts, glaucoma, age-related macular degeneration, diabetic retinopathy and focus-related eyesight disorders.
5 WAYS TO PRESERVE YOUR VISION AS YOU AGE, ACCORDING TO AN OPHTHALMOLOGIST
Over the tracking period, the group experienced a total of 6,328 major eye disease events. People who quit nicotine entirely had the lowest disease rate in the study, at 41.1 cases per 1,000 person-years (a measure that accounts for both the number of people in the study and how long they were followed).
In comparison, that rate rose to 44 cases for individuals who had switched over to smokeless alternatives like vapes.
The people included in the study were divided into two main categories: complete quitters who stopped using all nicotine products, and switchers who transitioned to smokeless tobacco or nicotine products, like vapes. (iStock)
Ultimately, the data showed that switching to alternative nicotine products carried a steady 7% increased risk of serious eye diseases compared to quitting nicotine completely.
FOOD CHOICES THAT CAN BOOST YOUR VISION AND PROTECT AGAINST EYE DISEASE
Most notably, those who switched faced a 24% higher risk of developing diabetic retinopathy, a condition that damages the blood vessels in the light-sensitive tissue at the back of the eye.
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Additionally, those who ditched cigarettes for vapes had a 7% higher risk of developing refractive and accommodation disorders, which affect the eye’s ability to focus clearly.
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“These findings challenge the assumption that substituting noncombustible nicotine or tobacco products for conventional cigarettes is visually harmless,” the researchers noted.
“These findings challenge the assumption that substituting noncombustible nicotine or tobacco products for conventional cigarettes is visually harmless,” the researchers noted. (iStock)
The authors did point out a few limitations of the research. Because this was a study looking back at health insurance data, it cannot definitively prove that vaping directly causes eye damage.
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Additionally, the study relied on people filling out questionnaires about their own smoking and vaping habits, which can sometimes lead to underreporting or simple memory errors.
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Still, the researchers concluded the findings suggest that replacing cigarettes with alternative nicotine products may not eliminate the risk of certain eye diseases.
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