By Emily Murray
As always, we have scoured the top health news headlines this week and highlighted 5 of the industry’s top news stories for the week. If you have one that you would like us to highlight, feel free to comment below!
1. Brain Food: Eating Fish May Lower Your Risk of Alzheimer’s TIME Healthland
While many of us have heard that eating fish is a healthy dietary choice, perhaps we never knew the full positive impact it may have on our mental health. A recent study of 260 elderly people revealed that those who regularly ate broiled or baked fish had a significantly lower risk of developing Alzheimer’s. The study also went on to suggest that those who incorporated fish into their meal as little as one to four times a week reaped the benefits. This was determined through the 5-year study which also included brain scans to search for signs of impairment.
2. Arsenic? Experts Say Real Apple Juice Danger Lies in Calories CBSNews Health Pop
Now, according to new controversial evidence, parents may want to think twice before offering their child apple juice. In fact, the FDA has latched onto this thought as well by considering new limits on arsenic. Many experts say that regardless of this, fruit juice isn’t that much better than soda for many reasons. For one, it doesn’t really have much nutrition value and additionally some experts say that it merely helps children develop an interest in sweet things which can lead to obesity in the long run.
3. Foster Kids Get Unneeded Psych Drugs, GAO Says MedPageToday
According to a report which was released this week from the Government Accountability Office (GAO) there are thousands of foster kids in the U.S. who are being prescribed psych medication – and many don’t need it. Typically under state health care, mental health is covered in foster children and many have been through traumatic situations already in their young lives, but the frequency at which these medications are being prescribed to them has recently come under investigation. In certain circumstances, these children are being prescribed more than the recommended amount.
4. Recall! Salmonella in Grape Tomatoes Medical News Today
Just as we were hoping that perhaps the salmonella outbreaks had quieted down a bit, now we are facing yet another recall, this time the bacteria is showing up in grape tomatoes. While most of the population with health immune systems survive an infection from this bacterium, babies and older adults may not. Currently, the tomatoes which are thought to be at the root of this outbreak appear to have been distributed throughout Illinois and Missouri via food service distributors and retail outlets. According to the article “the lot numbers on the the 10-oz. packages are 2310802, 2310405, or 2510401. The 10lb bulk grape tomatoes are packaged for wholesale in a plain brown cardboard box labeled only with lot # 2310801.” The brand is Front Row Produce.
5. Medicare Will Cover Obesity Screening and Treatment TIME Healthland
In what appears to be an aggressive step forward in the war on obesity, it was recently announced that now Medicare will be covering obesity screening and behavioral therapy as part of the preventable health services. This is part of the nationwide push to help Americans live a healthier lifestyle. From cracking down on fast food meals and school lunches to making healthcare more available, this is being done in an effort to help those who are obese (or on their way to obesity).