What You Should Know About the Plague After an Arizona Death
Last week, local health authorities in northern Arizona confirmed a person died of the plague. It's the county's first death from pneumonic plague, a type of bacteria that infects the lungs, since 2007.
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Yahoo
7 hours ago
- Yahoo
TikTokers are obsessed with ‘fibermaxxing'. Here's what the experts say
Break out the chia pudding! The social media trend known as 'fibermaxxing' wants you to add more fiber to your daily diet. TikTok users tout the health benefits of including simple foods packed with the carbohydrate, including the relieving effects in the bathroom. Some TikTokers point to the recent rise in rates of colon cancer in young people, and note that eating fiber can help reduce the risk. To 'fibermaxx,' they're eating more chia seeds in their yogurt bowls, making meals with more beans, and taking supplements. While nutritionists are largely supportive of the trend, they have a few caveats. 'More isn't always better,' Mascha Davis, a registered dietician nutritionist and the owner of Nomadista Nutrition, told Health this week. 'Many people don't get enough fiber, but it's just important to be thoughtful about how you're doing it so that it's not too much too fast,' Kate Mintz, a registered dietitian at U.C.L.A. Health, also recently told The New York Times. Fiber is often used to fight constipation, helping stools to pass easier. 'Even if you suffer from constipation, increasing fiber all at once could make the situation worse before you get cleared out,' Jennifer House, a dietitian and founder of First Step Nutrition, also explained to Health. Getting too much fiber could lead to a bloated and uncomfortable experience, according to the Mayo Clinic. People need to be careful and methodical, and talking to a physician can help to determine what's a right amount, on a case by case basis. What's more, when people with autoimmune conditions such as Crohn's disease see symptoms flare up, they may need to eat less fiber to help manage symptoms. After stomach or intestinal surgery, doctors may also instruct you to keep a lower fiber diet that lets your digestive system heal. Before a colonoscopy the advice may be similar, helping to clear out the large intestine to ensure a successful procedure. But in general, Americans aren't getting enough fiber - more than 90 percent of women and 97 percent of men do not meet the recommended daily intakes. Total dietary fiber intake should be 25 to 30 grams a day from food, and not supplements, according to UCSF Health. Currently, dietary fiber intakes among American adults average about only 15 grams a day. Fiber is good for your gut, heart, and brain, and may also slash the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease. The Mayo Clinic recommends adding fiber to the diet slowly over a few weeks, letting the natural bacteria in your digestive system adjust to the change. Staying hydrated is also crucial and fiber works best when it absorbs water. So, what can you eat to fiber to the max? The next time you're at the grocery store, pick up some popcorn, beans, cereal, apples, oranges, peas, cauliflower, or carrots. Raspberries are a particularly fiber-rich fruit, packed with eight grams. "If you're going to have a cookie, have an oatmeal cookie," Joanne Slavin, a professor of food science and nutrition at the University of Minnesota, told the American Heart Association. "It doesn't take large amounts of fiber to have a real effect.'
New York Times
9 hours ago
- New York Times
How to Prevent and Treat Hair Loss
Hair loss is frustratingly common, affecting more than 80 million people in the United States alone. Multiple factors — including stress, genetics, diet and lifestyle — can disrupt your hair's natural growth cycle and trigger inflammation and irritation, all of which can compromise the follicles' integrity. While certain types of hair loss (such as scarring alopecia) can be permanent, many are not. Here, a comprehensive guide to addressing breakage and thinning, with advice from the experts. Check in With Your Dermatologist A doctor will help you narrow down which type of hair loss you're dealing with. 'More than 50 percent of the time, we can nail the diagnosis based on the patient's health history and examining the scalp and hair,' says Angela Lamb, a New York-based dermatologist. From there, you can discuss whether medications make sense for you. Minoxidil, a topical or oral treatment, is often the first line of defense for androgenetic alopecia hair loss (caused by aging, genetics and hormones), while telogen effluvium (brought on by stressors like sickness or a life change) are typically resolved by managing your triggers. Get Your Scalp in Shape For most types of hair loss and thinning, proper care starts at the scalp. These are some of the most effective professional and at-home treatments that can help with issues like inflammation or irritation: Platelet-rich plasma therapy involves a medical professional injecting a concentrated version of your own blood into your scalp, to potentially stimulate dormant follicles. PRP tends to be best for androgenetic alopecia, says Lamb, but can sometimes also speed up recovery from stress-related hair loss. Near-infrared lasers can reduce inflammation and spur activity in the follicles, slowing hair loss and improving hair quality after a few months. You can use either a head cap or a hand-held comb at home two to three times a week for eight to 20 minutes per session. Consistency is key with these devices, and the Boston-based dermatologist Maryanne Makredes Senna notes that combs are easier to maneuver. F.D.A.-approved models include Hairmax's Ultima Classic LaserComb and Theradome's Pro LH80. Microneedling the scalp triggers a wound-healing response, which can encourage hair growth. It also enhances the absorption of other ingredients like minoxidil or PRP. Though you can find at-home microneedling tools (such as dermarollers or dermapens), the professional-level devices used by dermatologists have longer needles for better results. Whether or not you try in-office therapies, practice good scalp care: Don't overwash your hair (one to three times a week is generally best, depending on your hair type), go light with styling products at your roots to avoid buildup and run any major changes to your scalp health (such as redness, flakes or irritation) by your doctor. Be Cautious of Supplements Certain deficiencies — such as in vitamin D, iron and protein — can stunt hair growth. But before stocking up on supplements, talk to your doctor; most adults can get adequate nutrients through their diet or a daily multivitamin, according to Lamb. Be wary of ultra-potent supplements marketed specifically for hair loss, which are unregulated and potentially harmful. 'High doses of biotin can disrupt thyroid levels, for example, and high doses of B vitamins can cause acne,' says Lamb. Focus instead on reducing stress and chronic inflammation, common triggers that, if left unchecked, can accelerate hair loss. Want all of The Times? Subscribe.
Forbes
10 hours ago
- Forbes
Yes, You Should Brush Your Teeth For 2 Minutes, Twice A Day. Here's Why.
Maintaining good oral hygiene practices is key to keeping your teeth and gums healthy—and spending two minutes brushing twice a day is a crucial part of any routine. This may seem like a simple mandate, but there are several factors to keep in mind when you're brushing for optimal results: Technique, toothpaste, pacing and more will make a difference. The ultimate goal of brushing your teeth is to remove bacteria, which can otherwise build up to cause decay and disease. '[For] oral disease, whether that's cavities or whether that's gum disease, reducing the amount of bacterial load in the mouth is a critical piece of that prevention measure,' says Jennifer Cullen, clinical assistant professor at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry. We spoke to three dental experts to learn the best tips and tricks for keeping your teeth sparkling ... More clean. Illustration: Forbes / Photos: Retailers To help you make the most of your two-minute toothbrushing sessions—and learn why we should brush at this cadence in the first place—I spoke to three dental experts to get their advice: Mark S. Wolff, DDS, PhD, Morton Amsterdam dean and professor of the division of restorative dentistry at the University of Pennsylvania; Jennifer Cullen, clinical assistant professor at the University of Michigan School of Dentistry, and director of the division of dental hygiene; and Matthew Messina, DDS, associate professor, clinical and clinic director at the Ohio State University College of Dentistry, and ADA spokesperson. These experts shared their insights on how to brush most effectively, and why brushing teeth is important, to help you stay motivated. Here are the tips and techniques they recommend. Multiple clinical studies show that brushing for two minutes is key to removing plaque so you can keep your teeth and gums healthy. 'There's clinical studies that have shown two minutes of brushing to be highly effective in reducing [tooth] decay,' says Dr. Wolff. A key reason for the two-minute mandate is so you can actually reach the surface of every tooth in the mouth with your brush, and tackle all of the plaque on your teeth. Cullen explained that there are multiple layers of plaque on teeth, and that the longer you brush, the better you can get to the bottom-most, stickiest layers. The experts I spoke with maintained that thoroughly brushing the surface of every tooth takes time: You want to make sure you get the cheek and tongue surface and the back and front of each one. Wolff advises softly placing the bristles right at the gumline to start brushing. How can you ensure you're getting each tooth? 'Brush methodically, not randomly,' says Wolff. Approaching each quadrant of the mouth in 30-second intervals can help you hit all the areas of your mouth, too. Some of the best electric toothbrushes we've tested, like the Oral-B iO Deep Clean + Protect, our pick for the best smart electric toothbrush, and the Philips Sonicare 9900 Prestige, our pick for best splurge electric toothbrush, not only buzz at 30-second intervals to move you along but also have apps that track your brushing to show you any spots you're missing. Let Fluoride Do Its Job The other crucial reason to brush for two minutes twice a day is to let the fluoride in toothpaste take effect to help prevent tooth decay. Cullen notes that hygienists and dentists recommend that people use some sort of fluoridated toothpaste, and that 'there is evidence for the benefits of that increased duration with respect to fluoride delivery.' The experts I spoke to said that fluoride is key to protecting tooth enamel, and that longer exposure to fluoride makes it harder for bacteria to build back up on the tooth. 'It's actually making the enamel less soluble to acids,' says Wolff. Many of the best electric toothbrushes have timers to track your brushing. Some, like the Oral-B iO Deep Clean + Protect, display time clearly on the brush's LED interface and offer cartoon faces (ranging from a frown to starry-eyed smile) to indicate where you stand with your time goal. This brush also works with an app to help you track time, and uses a buzzer in 30-second increments to cue you to move around your mouth. Other brushes use an automatic shutoff feature, or similar buzzing notifications, to let you know when you've reached your full two minutes. Timers And Apps There are multiple ways to time your brushing. Cullen suggests a sand timer for kids or patients with special needs. Dr. Messina recommends using a timer on your phone. He also notes there are apps that are especially helpful for kids to guide them to brush around their mouth over the course of two minutes. Break It Up By Quadrant To break up the two minutes, you can also count for 30 seconds while brushing each quadrant of your mouth, if you don't have an electric toothbrush that does this automatically. This can help keep track of time while making sure you're getting to every tooth. Sing A Song Both Cullen and Messina suggest one way to track your time is to either sing or play a favorite song that lasts around two minutes. This can help gamify your brushing—and make it more enjoyable, a technique that can be especially helpful for kids. Be Gentle Though it's important to be thorough while brushing, experts advise against brushing too hard. 'You don't want to wear the teeth away by scrubbing like this is a floor,' says Wolff. Brushing too hard can actually damage your teeth and gums. To avoid that, opt for a brush with soft bristles. Many electric toothbrushes also have pressure sensors to indicate if you're brushing too aggressively, or if you're hitting the sweet spot. In our electric toothbrush tests, we preferred the easy-to-see sensor on the Oral-B iO Deep Clean + Protect, which uses a light around the neck of the toothbrush to flash green, white or red to indicate pressure. Other brushes can have pressure sensors that will buzz or light up to tell you to ease up. Don't Forget To Floss Brushing is just one key component of a great oral hygiene routine; it can't act alone. Flossing is crucial to reach every surface of the tooth to remove food and debris. 'Brushing itself only reaches 60% of your tooth surfaces,' says Cullen. 'Everywhere a tooth touches another tooth, that toothbrush can't get to.' She recommends floss or an adaptive aid to help get into those hard-to-reach spaces. We've also tested the best water flossers at Forbes Vetted, and these devices can help reach in between teeth to clear debris. The Waterpik Aquarius Water Flosser won as best water flosser overall in our tests. Water flossers may be especially useful for people with orthodontia or those who have difficulty using traditional dental floss. Consider The Swish, And The Social Brush All the experts I spoke to recommended brushing at least twice a day—but what if you want, or need, to brush more frequently? In general, that's fine, and some people may need to brush more frequently due to medical conditions or orthodontia. Wolff advises being mindful of not brushing too hard, however. 'There's nothing wrong with too much or too frequent brushing, as long as you do it gently and you don't wear away the gums [or] damage the tooth with a hard toothbrush,' he says. He also warned of compensating with frequency versus technique. 'Doing it three times a day badly does not make you less likely to get cavities or less likely to have gum disease,' he says. If you don't have access to a sink or brush after every meal, there are still easy things you can do to help keep your mouth cleaner. Cullen and Messina both advise swishing your mouth with water after eating to neutralize the pH of the mouth (when the environment of the mouth is more acidic, it becomes more hospitable to cavity-causing bacteria). Messina also recommends what he calls a 'social brush,' or a quicker brush to clear the mouth of food—for example, after eating a pungent meal like a hamburger with onions— that's less thorough than your twice-daily toothbrushing geared toward deeper cleaning and hitting every surface of the tooth. Remember That Every Patient Has Different Needs Though brushing your teeth for two minutes twice a day is the standard, every patient has different needs; some people may need to brush more frequently or require assistance with brushing. Cullen spoke to how a 10-year-old who isn't snacking frequently or drinking sweet drinks could brush just twice a day, while someone with Parkinson's disease may need to brush more frequently and with assistance. Sometimes electric toothbrushes can help people brush more effectively, but other assistive devices, like a universal cuff, can also help with holding a toothbrush independently. Cullen also said that caregivers may need to give patients breaks or adjust the location for brushing. 'If you're a caregiver, maybe you're doing it at the kitchen table,' she says. 'Maybe you're able to brush for 60 seconds and that person needs a break.' Check in with your hygienist, dentist and care team for the most relevant advice for your needs. Some Brushing Is Better Than None Building new habits like brushing your teeth for two minutes twice a day takes time, and starting a new routine can be intimidating. Messina notes that some patients can feel overwhelmed by the guilt of not brushing enough, and encourages people to do the best they can. Brushing isn't all or nothing; even if you can't reach the full two minutes, Messina says it's still helpful to brush in the first place, no matter how long the duration. 'I know if you start small, that you'll realize how much better it feels and then you'll do more and more,' he says. And remember, brushing is key to overall health. 'It seems like such a small thing to brush your teeth twice a day, but I think people should be encouraged that they're really making a big impact on their overall health when they do that small thing,' says Cullen.
