Month: May 2021

The Oregon Health Authority on Tuesday reported four COVID-19 deaths, 424 coronavirus cases, and a huge surge in wasted vaccines. More than half of all Oregonians are now at least partially vaccinated against COVID-19. But demand has slowed in recent weeks, and that’s apparently playing a role in the growing number of wasted doses reported by state health officials. The Oregon Health Authority reported 9,090 vaccine doses have now been wasted, spoiled or expired since December. That’s more than double the total disclosed last week, which stood at 4,418, and it’s more than quadruple the 1,922 reported three weeks ago. State health officials in a Tuesday news release offered no explanation for the dramatic spike and did not directly answer questions about what’s driving the surge in Ore...

Anxiety disorders are among the most common mental illnesses in the U.S., affecting about 18% of the population each year. While they're treatable, less than 37% of those who have one don't receive treatment for it. Some people are opposed to taking medication—between deeply ingrained mental health stigmas and fear of side effects, there are plenty of reasons why someone may not feel comfortable taking an antidepressant. However, recent research has demonstrated some promising results. A new study published in Cell Reports Medicine from the Weizmann Institute of Science in New York City found that a plant-derived substance may play a key role in reducing anxiety levels. RELATED: Best Supplements For Energy, According to Die...

The idea that we could extend our lifespan far beyond a century conjures images of humans stored in cryogenic chambers and decapitated heads preserved in jars, kept alive by whirring machines — in other words, science fiction. But if a new study published Tuesday in the journal Nature Communications is anything to go by, such a dramatically extended lifetime is not fantasy at all. The study, which combines data from blood analyses and information about physical exercise to identify a new measure of “biological age.” The findings suggest there’s one aspect of human longevity that may be crucial if we are ever to meet our maximum potential. Counterintuitively, it has not to do with disease or a lifestyle choice. “What we’re saying here is that the strategy of reducing frailty, so reducing ...

Photo: Yaw Niel (Shutterstock) Even though COVID-19 infection rates and hospitalizations are declining across the country, some gray area and potential danger remains: Fifty percent of U.S. adults have been fully vaccinated, which is a remarkable achievement and a sign of impending normality, but a high share of adults remain hesitant or outright opposed to vaccination. The lingering possibility of infection remains strong for those who haven’t received their jabs. Any way you slice it, there’s a fair amount of gray area concerning when to wear masks, whether by the CDC’s guidelines or those set by independent businesses. I, for example, continue to mask in any bodega or gas station I enter, even though I technically don’t have to, according to both the CDC and my local bodega’s rules...