Health
MAHA moms call for 'rigorous transparency' into health concerns
Mothers are increasingly speaking up today about the health and well-being of their families — and many are jumping aboard the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative.
Moms across the nation are now vocal about the artificial ingredients found in foods, about the importance of preventative steps for chronic illness and about other key health concerns. (See the video at the top of the article.)
Ginny Yurich, host of the parenting podcast “1000 Hours Outside,” drove from Pinckney, Michigan, to Washington, D.C., to join fellow MAHA moms in rallying behind Robert F. Kennedy Jr. at his confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill on Jan. 29.
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“We have just noticed a precipitous decline in health among children, including allergies [and] sensory processing disorder,” Yurich, a mother of five, told Fox News Digital.
Ana-Maria Temple, a pediatrician in Charlotte, North Carolina, who specializes in holistic eczema treatments, told Fox News Digital that she supports MAHA’s efforts to educate parents on “how to raise healthy children in this unhealthy world.”
Moms from across the nation traveled to Washington, D.C. to show support for the confirmation hearing of Robert F. Kennedy Jr. as HHS secretary nominee. Pictured from left to right are: Hilda Labrada Gore, Ana-Maria Temple and Ginny Yurich. (Fox News Digital)
“All three of [my children] were super sick in 2007 [and] on many chronic medications,” Temple said.
“I was told that they’re just going to need to be on chronic medications forever, and that’s going to keep their diseases at bay.”
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Refusing to accept that answer, Temple altered her family’s diet and lifestyle, seeking a more natural alternative.
“All our kids came off medications. And because my children’s lives changed, my health [changed]. I also started preaching different stuff in the clinic to my patients,” the pediatrician added.
“The Make America Healthy Again movement is an answer to my prayers,” said one mother at RFK Jr.’s confirmation hearing on Capitol Hill. (Getty Images)
Hilda Labrada Gore, a holistic healer in Washington, D.C., who hosts the “Wise Traditions” podcast, told Fox News Digital, “The Make America Healthy Again movement is an answer to my prayers.”
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“We need to help the next generation. We need to end chronic disease,” said the mother of four.
“We need to help the next generation. We need to end chronic disease.”
The MAHA movement is about Americans taking health back into their own hands, according to Gore.
“I believe this is what Kennedy is about. He’s like, ‘Let’s give people options … They can have pharmaceutical drugs or vaccines if they want them, but they can also choose other alternatives.”
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Gore added, “I love his whole philosophy of transparency when he comes into office as the head of HHS. He’s going to have rigorous transparency. That’s going to be a gift to all parents and the next generation.”
American parents and families “can have pharmaceutical drugs or vaccines if they want them, but they can also choose other alternatives,” said one MAHA-supporting mom. (iStock)
Zen Honeycutt, founding executive director of Moms Across America, told Fox News Digital that her organization’s mission is to “educate and empower mothers and others with actions and solutions to create healthy communities.”
North Carolina-based Honeycutt said the MAHA movement has gained a lot of momentum; people are now paying attention to what mothers are saying in the media and on social media as well.
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“Kennedy is going to make sure that there are actual safety protocols put into place before these ingredients are allowed in our food supply or at least labeled,” she said.
“He’s calling for transparency.”
“Kennedy is going to make sure that there are actual safety protocols put into place before these ingredients are allowed in our food supply or at least labeled. He’s calling for transparency,” said one MAHA mom. (AP Photo/Ben Curtis; iStock)
Whether Kennedy is confirmed or not, the MAHA movement is “unstoppable,” Honeycutt said.
“I feel very positive about the future for making America healthy again,” she added.
Denise Aguilar of San Joaquin County, California, a mom of three, told Fox News Digital that she is “looking forward to many different pieces of MAHA.”
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She added, “As a mother of a child in public school, it’s very important we address what foods our children are being given and address the ingredients that other countries have banned, so we can take steps in healing our children from the chronic health conditions they face from many different factors.”
“[I am] most excited … to implement a gold standard of testing for vaccines and address the issues we face with our food and water,” said one of the moms (not pictured) who is supporting RFK Jr. (iStock)
Aguilar is co-founder of Freedom Angels, an organization that promotes parental rights for health, with a focus on vaccine mandates in schools.
“[I am] most excited to lift the 1986 Act to make vaccine manufacturers liable, to implement a gold standard of testing for vaccines, and to address the issues we face with our food and water,” she said.
“Moms started the medical freedom movement, they sustain it, and it will endure because of them.”
Dyan Hes, a New York-based pediatrician and Highline Modern Medicine’s medical director, told Fox News Digital, “People forget about the high childhood mortality before vaccines.”
“I understand that the COVID vaccine has made people skeptical of a vaccine mandate, but I can also say that in my 25 years of practice, I am confident that vaccines have protected my patients, as they have protected my own children,” she added.
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Tara Thorton, a mother from Lake Tahoe, California, co-founded Freedom Angels with Aguilar.
“Moms started the medical freedom movement, they sustain it, and it will endure because of them,” Thornton told Fox News Digital.
“We are poisoning our kids and everyone else with toxins in our food, water, air and pharmaceuticals, and it’s critical that we get them out.”
Fox News Digital’s Sydney Borchers contributed reporting.
New flu strain emerging as a severe health threat
Fox News senior medical analyst Dr. Marc Siegel joins ‘America’s Newsroom’ to warn of a new strain of the flu that is spiking hospitalizations across the country and newfound risks of medical marijuana’s link to psychosis.
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The New York State Department of Health reported a record surge in influenza activity, with 71,123 positive flu cases recorded statewide during the week ending December 20.
Health officials said the figure represents the highest number of flu cases ever reported in a single week since influenza became a reportable disease in New York in 2004.
State health data show the weekly total reflects a 38% increase from the previous reporting period, signaling a rapidly intensifying flu season.
There have been 189,312 reported positive flu cases so far this season, while influenza-related hospitalizations rose 63% in the most recent week.
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New York reported the highest weekly total of cases ever recorded since influenza became reportable in 2004. (iStock)
“We are seeing the highest number of flu cases ever recorded in a single week in New York state,” Health Commissioner Dr. James McDonald said in a press release.
There have been 189,312 reported flu cases so far this season, with influenza-related hospitalizations increasing 63% in the most recent week. (iStock)
Earlier this month, the department declared influenza prevalent statewide, a designation that requires unvaccinated health care workers to wear masks in patient care settings.
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Health officials continue to emphasize that vaccination remains the most effective way to prevent severe illness and hospitalization from influenza.
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New Yorkers who have not yet received a seasonal flu shot are still encouraged to do so, with experts saying vaccination can offer protection even later in the season.
Health officials continue to urge New Yorkers to take preventive steps, including vaccination and staying home when sick, to limit further spread. (iStock)
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To help limit further spread, the department advises individuals experiencing flu-like symptoms — including fever, cough, sore throat, or body aches — to stay home. State health officials also recommend frequent handwashing, using hand sanitizer, and avoiding close contact with sick individuals.
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For those who become ill, officials say antiviral medications are available and are most effective when started within 48 hours of symptom onset.
Health officials also added that people at higher risk for complications should contact a health care provider promptly for evaluation and possible treatment.
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The department noted that flu activity typically peaks in January, meaning case counts could continue to climb in the weeks ahead.
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If the stress of the holidays wreaked havoc on your gut, you’re not alone — 76% of Americans experience gastrointestinal distress during the holiday season, according to a recent national survey from Oshi Health and YouGov.
Digestive problems can be triggered not only by holiday overeating, but also by stress. Financial worries, disrupted routines, fatigue and interpersonal dynamics rank as some of the top causes.
“I see an uptick in psychiatry-related GI issues during the holiday season,” Dr. Claire Brandon, a gastrointestinal psychiatrist based in New York City, told Fox News Digital. “When you are undergoing stress, your body produces more corticotropin-releasing hormones, which sets off a cascade of the inflammatory system.”
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Stress hormones can act directly on the gut, leading to more digestive distress and pushing the body out of “rest-and-digest mode,” Brandon said.
“Stress activates the sympathetic — fight, flight, freeze — nervous system, which slows digestion,” added Dr. David Clarke, an Oregon-based gastroenterologist and president of the Association for the Treatment of Neuroplastic Symptoms. “That can lead to bloating, cramps, nausea and sometimes abdominal pain.”
Stress often plays a bigger role in digestive issues than overeating alone, experts say. (iStock)
The good news, doctors say, is that a few simple, realistic steps can help reset the digestive system after the holidays.
No. 1: Reset your sleep
Sleep plays a major role in gut health. Research shows that insufficient or disrupted sleep can change the composition and function of the gut microbiome, potentially affecting metabolic and immune factors that influence overall health.
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“When I travel and get derailed, my main focus is to reset my sleep,” Brandon said. She recommends reestablishing wind-down routines like deep breathing and progressive muscle relaxation.
No. 2: Eat balanced, fiber-rich meals
Fiber helps keep digestion moving and supports healthy gut bacteria, which can aid post-holiday recovery, experts say.
“The usual principles for supporting digestion apply here,” said Clarke. “Consuming a balanced diet emphasizing fruits, vegetables, whole grains and legumes; avoiding highly processed foods; and moderating alcohol will keep your gut microbiome happy.”
Digestive symptoms like bloating and discomfort often spike during the holidays due to stress, travel and disrupted routines. (iStock)
No. 3: Stay hydrated
Staying hydrated will also aid digestion, Clarke said, noting that light-colored urine is a good indicator of hydration.
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Traveling can be particularly tough on the gut, experts say, especially during flights where low cabin humidity causes the body to pull water from the bowels, leading to constipation.
Drinking water before, during, and after flights — and limiting alcohol and caffeine — can help counteract dehydration-related digestive slowdowns. Experts also recommend sipping water consistently throughout the day.
No. 4: Resume regular movement
Both doctors agreed that exercise supports digestion and stress regulation, which are both key to gut recovery.
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“Going on walks can be enough to help with this, but if you have space to do more, including some gentle stretching, that can be a huge help,” Brandon advised.
No. 5: Reduce stress gradually
Stress management plays a critical role in gut health, and experts say that small, consistent habits can help ease gastrointestinal symptoms.
Brandon recommends calming the nervous system with breathing or grounding exercises and slowing down at meals.
Light movement can help support digestion and regulate stress, experts say. (iStock)
“If you’re constantly running on fumes, on a layover in the airport, eating high sugar and doing things off your routine, expect a few disruptions with your gut,” she said. “Reframe it as something that you can reset when you get home.”
No. 6: Skip cleanses and detoxes
Clarke says that detoxes and cleanses are not necessary and can actually be harmful. Instead, he recommends sticking to the basics — including hydration, balanced meals, regular sleep and movement.
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Doctors say the gut is designed to recover on its own in response to consistently healthy practices rather than extreme resets.
Experts recommend returning to balanced, fiber-rich meals instead of intense cleanses. (iStock)
While short-lived symptoms can improve within hours and are usually temporary, experts say lingering or worsening issues shouldn’t be ignored.
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“If you are back home and struggling to feel your usual baseline while back on your routine, it’s probably worth checking in with your physician,” Brandon advised.
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Regular exercise may do more than strengthen the heart. It could also reprogram the nerves that control how the heart beats, new research has found.
The discovery could eventually help doctors better treat common conditions such as irregular heart rhythms, chest pain, angina and stress-related “broken-heart” syndrome, according to scientists at the University of Bristol in the U.K.
The study, which looked at lab rats trained over 10 weeks, found that moderate exercise does not affect the heart’s nerve control system evenly. Instead, it produces distinct and opposing changes on the left and right sides of the body. a split researchers say has gone largely unnoticed until now.
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“The discovery points to a previously hidden left–right pattern in the body’s ‘autopilot’ system that helps run the heart,” Dr. Augusto Coppi, the study’s lead author and a senior lecturer in veterinary anatomy at the University of Bristol, said in a statement.
Regular exercise may “rewire” the nerves that control the heart, the new study found. (iStock)
“This could help explain why some treatments work better on one side than the other and, in the future, help doctors target therapies more precisely and effectively,” Coppi added.
After 10 weeks of aerobic exercise, the researchers examined the animals’ heart control nerves and found left–right differences that did not appear in inactive rats, according to the research published in the journal Autonomic Neuroscience in September.
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On the right side, the nerve hub that sends “go faster” signals to the heart developed many more nerve cells, suggesting increased wiring. On the left side, however, the number of nerve cells did not rise as much. Instead, the existing cells grew significantly larger, indicating a different kind of adaptation.
The findings could help explain why some heart treatments work better on one side than the other. (iStock)
The findings show that exercise reshapes the heart’s nerve control system in a side-specific way rather than affecting both sides equally, the researchers said. Understanding that process could help doctors better target treatments, especially for patients who cannot exercise or whose symptoms persist despite lifestyle changes.
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Researchers compared the nerve clusters, known as the stellate ganglia, to a “dimmer switch” that fine-tunes how strongly the heart is stimulated. That fine-tuning is important because overstimulation of these nerves is linked to chest pain and dangerous heart rhythm problems.
Scientists caution more studies are needed to determine whether the same effects occur in humans. (iStock)
The findings are early stage and based on animal research, however. So, they do not prove the same effects in people. More studies are needed before they could affect patient care.
Researchers say future studies will explore whether similar left–right nerve changes occur in people and whether they could help explain why some heart treatments work better on one side than the other, potentially paving the way for more precise, personalized care for angina and heart rhythm disorders.
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The study was conducted in collaboration with researchers from University College London, the University of São Paulo and the Federal University of São Paulo in Brazil.
Researchers discovered distinct left-right changes in heart-control nerves after 10 weeks of aerobic exercise. (iStock)
The findings add to growing evidence that regular, moderate exercise benefits the heart in ways scientists are beginning to understand better.
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Fox News Digital has reached out to the study authors for comment.
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