The truth about whether trendy nicotine pouches really do work as a cheap alternative to weight-loss jabs... and their side effects
Agitated, nothing he said made any sense. He was unable to sit upright in a chair – instead slumping on the floor – and was in a state of complete and total confusion.
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The Independent
21 minutes ago
- The Independent
The best probiotics for women, recommended by health experts
Your questions on the best probiotics for women, answered What is the best probiotic for women? There are lots of targeted probiotic supplements for women that work to prevent and treat intimate health concerns. For a hard-working daily supplement, Smart Strains probiotic comes highly recommended. Backed by a great deal of research, it contains lactoferrin for full vaginal support. For combating the effects of dryness, along with microbiome imbalances, Canesten's canesbiotics has a solution with added B2. If cystitis and UTIs are an issue, the added D-Mannose in the VJJ supplements might help. For an affordable option, Optibac offers a good preventative option, and Bio-Kult's candea gut supplement is recommended for pregnancy. When should I take a probiotic? Dr Rossi says: 'If you are over 12 years old, take a probiotic at the first sign of any changes in your vaginal microbiome. If you're on an antibiotic or antifungal treatment, take daily alongside this treatment for the duration of the course and continue for at least 3 months after treatment has ended.' Are vaginal probiotics safe to take? Yes, they are safe, but not everyone gets on well with them. You might want to try changing your diet first and adjusting habits and lifestyle to see if it's possible to balance your microbiome and reduce symptoms that way. What's not advised is seeking out or trying online remedies or relying on TikTok for vaginal health tips – unless they're coming from a qualified medical professional's account. Online 'remedies' for vaginal health range from the questionable to the actively harmful: apple cider vinegar baths, inserting raw garlic cloves or a cucumber, vaginal steaming, self-administered boric acid, or applying natural yoghurt directly to the vulva. 'Trends like apple cider vinegar baths can irritate the delicate vaginal tissues and disrupt the pH, leading to more harm than good,' says Dr Raizada. Garlic can cause chemical burns when used raw, while steaming carries risks of burns and infection. There's no evidence to suggest that cucumbers do anything beneficial, and foreign objects can increase infection risk. 'Some find applying natural yoghurt to the vulva soothing, but while yoghurt contains probiotics, it doesn't necessarily introduce the right strains,' she adds. Boric acid can be effective in certain cases, but only under medical supervision – misuse can be dangerous. What are the best natural remedies? The most effective preventive steps are surprisingly simple. Wash with water only, avoiding fragranced products. Choose cotton underwear and change out of damp clothes quickly. Manage stress to keep your immune system resilient. Eat a diet rich in prebiotic fibre and fermented probiotic foods. Above all, seek help early. Recurrent UTIs, thrush, bacterial vaginosis or painful sex are not conditions to silently endure. 'If you notice unusual symptoms such as unusual discharge or itching, see your GP for a proper check,' says Dr Raizada.
The Guardian
22 minutes ago
- The Guardian
Texas threatens to sue organizations and doctor for increasing abortion pill access
The heated US war over abortion pills warmed up another degree on Wednesday, as the Texas attorney general, Ken Paxton, sent cease-and-desist letters to two organizations and an individual that he accused of mailing abortion pills to Texans or facilitating their shipment. Paxton threatened to sue if they do not stop their alleged activities. 'These abortion drug organizations and radical activists are not above the law, and I have ordered the immediate end of this unlawful conduct,' Paxton said in a news release announcing the letters. The state of Texas bans virtually all abortions. Paxton sent the letters to Plan C, a website that provides information about how to obtain abortion pills; Her Safe Harbor, an organization that provides abortions through telemedicine; and Remy Coeytaux, a doctor who has been accused of mailing abortion pills to a Texan. Debra Lynch, a nurse practitioner who works with Her Safe Harbor, said that Paxton's letter would not stop the organization from sending abortion pills to people. If anything, Lynch suggested, it would spur the group on. 'None of our providers are primarily concerned with our own wellbeing or our own legal status,' Paxton said. 'All the horrors that women are facing because of these ridiculous bans and restrictions outweigh anything that could possibly happen to us as providers, in terms of a fine or a lawsuit or even jail time, if it were to come to that.' Lynch said that in the hours after news of Paxton's letter broke, Her Safe Harbor received more than 150 requests from Texans who were afraid about abortion access and want to obtain pills that they may use in the future, Lynch said. Normally, Her Safe Harbor has around four to five providers taking calls from patients. Now, they plan to have at least 10 working 'until this wave of fear subsides'. Neither Plan C nor Coeytaux immediately replied to the Guardian's request for comment. In the three years since the US supreme court overturned Roe v Wade and unleashed a wave of state-level abortion bans, abortions have surged in the United States. This rise is due in large part to the availability of abortion pills and the emergence of 'shield laws', which have been enacted by a handful of blue states and aim to protect abortion providers who mail pills across state lines from out-of-state prosecution. By the end of 2024, clinicians working through shield laws were facilitating an average of 12,330 abortions per month, according to data from #WeCount, a research project by the Society of Family Planning. Enraged by this development, anti-abortion advocates have in recent months stepped up their campaign to crush abortion pill providers. In his cease-and-desist letters, Paxton – a Republican who is running to become a US senator – repeatedly cited the Comstock Act of 1873, an anti-vice law that bans the mailing of abortion-related materials. Although legal experts have long regarded the Comstock Act as a dead letter, several anti-abortion activists now believe that the fall of Roe has left the federal government free to fully enforce the act. Alongside 15 other state attorneys general, Paxton earlier this summer signed onto a letter imploring Congress to pass a law that would pre-empt states' shield laws. He has also sued a New York-based doctor whom he accused of mailing abortion pills into Texas. Then, after a New York county court official said that the state's shield law prohibited New York from enforcing a fine against the doctor, Paxton sued the official. Paxton's cease-and-desist letters also follow similar letters sent by the Arkansas attorney general, Republican Tim Griffin. In July, Griffin sent a cease-and-desist letter to Possibility Labs, the parent company of Plan C, and to Mayday Medicines, the parent company of Mayday Health. Like Plan C, Mayday Health offers information about abortion pills, but does not directly sell them. Other anti-abortion activists are going after abortion providers through other legal avenues. A Texas man who said that Coeytaux supplied abortion pills to aid his female partner's abortion has also sued Coeytaux in a federal wrongful death lawsuit. The man is being represented in court by Jonathan Mitchell, an anti-abortion attorney who masterminded a six-week abortion ban that took effect in Texas in 2021. Last week, Mitchell filed another federal wrongful death lawsuit against a different abortion provider.
Daily Mail
an hour ago
- Daily Mail
Infected meat factory quietly reopens after causing 10 deaths
Boar's Head is preparing to reopen a plant in Virginia a year after it was at the center of a deadly listeria outbreak. The Jarratt facility is set to resume operations later this year after it was shuttered last September, which the company described as a 'dark moment' in its history. Mold, mildew and insects were found by inspectors at the facility. Boar's Head deli meat triggered the biggest listeria outbreak in the US in over a decade last July — which left 10 people dead and over 60 hospitalized across 19 states. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) declared the outbreak was over a couple of months after operations ceased at the plant. Boar's Head has been working with the US Department of Agriculture (USDA) to reopen the facility — including the enforcement of new practices and protocols to ensure consumer safety. A USDA spokesperson explained to the Daily Mail that the establishment will be operating under the new plan for at least 90 days. It will be overseen by Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) inspectors, and include intensified listeria sampling and monitoring to 'ensure the establishment consistently and effectively implements its corrected food safety plans.' Issues for Boar's Head began in July last year when it recalled over 200,000 pounds of meat linked to the outbreak. At the time, the meat was linked to 34 illnesses and two deaths. The investigation found traces of bacteria on liverwurst samples, which were also processed alongside other meats. The company recalled the remaining 7 million pounds days later — which included ham, beef salami and turkey sold in stores and bulk. The third death was reported a week after the second recall. By the end of August, five other victims from Florida, Tennessee, New Mexico and South Carolina had died following the contamination. The final two followed soon afterward. Among those to die was father-of-three and Holocaust survivor Gunter Morgenstein, who had regularly consumed the company's liverwurst because it reminded him of his native Germany. The USDA's reports indicated the company had 69 violations at the Jarratt plant last year alone. Inspectors noted they spotted flies going in and out of vats of pickles and ants were crawling all over the walls. Other issues included built up mold and mildew on surfaces, a 'rancid smell' in some areas and 'amble blood' covering sections of the floor. The facility temporarily closed in September 2024 after officials spotted 69 health violations Sue Fleming and Gunter 'Garshon' Morgenstein are among the victims of the listeria outbreak At the time of the closure, Boar's Head made sure the plant underwent deep-cleaning and sent all staff to be retrained. The USDA returned to the property and lifted the factory's forced suspension on July 18 after the organization found it to be in full compliance of safety guidelines and protocols. Listeria is a rare foodborne illness that can be deadly depending on the person and part of their body that is infected. It can especially be harmful for newborns, adults aged 65 and older, pregnant women and anyone with weakened immune systems. Infected individuals may experience diarrhea, upset stomach and vomiting, and symptoms can often start with 24 hours after eating tainted food. If listeria spreads from the gut to other parts of the body, the victim may experience headaches, confusion or seizures. Experts advise anyone with symptoms such as a high fever and discomfort or pain due to light to see a medical professional.
