List of All Articles with Tag 'health'

JERUSALEM (Reuters) -Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu will be fitted with a pacemaker overnight between Saturday and Sunday, he said

Toxic flame retardants have been found in human breast milk, research has revealed. A new peer-reviewed study published in the Environmental Pollution journal has identified 25 types of toxic flame retardants in human breast milk in the US, posing a “disturbing” threat to breastfeeding infants. After analysing breast milk samples of 50 mothers from the Seattle area, researchers at Toxic Free Future, Emory University, the University of Washington, and Seattle Children’s Research Institute found brominated flame retardants (BFRs) – a class of man-made compounds commonly used in products like upholstered furniture, televisions, and insulation. Researchers have warned that these chemicals, as well as the presence of flame retardants in human breast milk, can have an “adverse effect on human health” and “early-life exposures are of greatest concern”. One type of flame retardant found in the breast milk samples were polybrominated diphenyl ethers (PBDEs), despite these compounds being phased out by manufacturers nearly 10 years ago. Efforts to ban PBDEs came around in 2003 after the toxic chemicals were found in the breast milk of 20 mothers in the US. Chemical producers quickly stopped the sale of PBDEs for use in upholstered furniture, and they were eventually banned by the US Environmental Protection Agency. Companies then turned to another, largely unregulated BFR called bromophenols, which are used in electronics and have been shown to affect hormone levels in infants. While the research found that levels of banned PBDEs had declined in breast milk samples – 70 per cent lower than they were 20 years ago – bromophenols were present in 88 per cent of the breast milk samples tested, ultimately replacing one banned chemical with another, unsafe chemical in the same class. “Our results show that when we prohibit the use of persistent toxic chemicals like PBDEs, we make breast milk safer for babies,” said Erika Schreder, study co-author and science director at Toxic Free Future, a group that has advocated for new regulation of industry and consumer products. “But it’s disturbing to find that the replacement chemicals are now building up in breast milk.” Brominated flame retardants are often put into casings for TVs and other electronics. Studies have shown that these chemicals can escape out of products into indoor dust and air, outdoor air, surface water and of course, breast milk. BFRs have also been linked to negative health impacts such as learning problems, hormone disruption, and reduced fertility. “It’s concerning to find flame retardants in breast milk that can disrupt hormones and affect children’s brain development,” said Dr Amina Salamova, study co-author and assistant professor at Emory University’s Rollins School of Public Health, adding that bromophenols have already been found to “affect key thyroid hormones during fetal development”. Local, state, and federal policy makers have since taken steps towards regulating harmful flame retardants. In December 2021, New York governor Kathy Hochul signed into law a bill that restricted the use of flame retardants in furniture, mattresses, and electronic displays. The law also prohibited the use of organohalogen flame retardants (OFRs) in electronic enclosures, such as televisions. The European Food and Safety Authority has also banned or restricted the use of certain BFRs and BFR-treated products throughout the EU to protect health and the environment. “I hope we can learn our lesson this time and put policies in place that address the entire class and make sure chemicals used in products are known to be safe,” said Schreder. Read More Baby formula crisis: As the cost of living bites, meet the parents struggling to feed their infants Keke Palmer claims she faced ‘breast milk discrimination’ at airport: ‘Why is that not a crime?’ Couple doing IVF lets their dog decide baby’s sex Researchers warn after 25 types of toxic flame retardant found in human breast milk Women in certain professions ‘may be at higher risk of ovarian cancer’ – study Amy Dowden announces absence from Strictly Come Dancing due to chemotherapy

Jamie Foxx is speaking out for the first time since he was hospitalized in April for an undisclosed medical condition.

Jamie Foxx is teasing a new project.

By Kanishka Singh WASHINGTON (Reuters) -The White House on Friday launched an office to prepare for and respond to potential

The European Union's health regulator on Friday backed authorization of Pfizer's vaccine for respiratory syncytial virus (RSV) for

Extreme heat will generate about $1 billion in health care costs every summer as more people get rushed to the emergency room or admitted to the hospital to treat temperature-related conditions, a recent study found.

Juul Labs said on Wednesday it was seeking U.S. authorization for a new, high-tech e-cigarette that has age-verification

(Reuters) -The World Health Organization on Wednesday said a batch of cough and cold syrup sold in Cameroon under the

(Reuters) -Johnson & Johnson sued the U.S. government on Tuesday, becoming the latest drugmaker seeking to block a program that

Coleen Nolan has revealed that she has been diagnosed with skin cancer, making her the fourth sister in the family pop group The Nolans to have the disease. The Loose Women star, 58, spoke about her diagnosis on the talk show on Monday (17 July) and said she was “sick of cancer” in her family. Three of Nolan’s sisters have been diagnosed with the illness over the years. In 2013, Bernie died of breast cancer at the age of 52, while Linda announced this year that her cancer has spread to her brain. A third sister, Anne, has undergone successful treatment for cancer twice and is currently in remission. However, she has previously spoken out about her fears that it will return. Coleen told ITV viewers that the skin cancer was only caught by chance after she went to a dermatologist for a different problem. The doctor said that the patch was a common skin cancer, basal cell carcinoma, she recalled. “I went back in and he was very good and he said, ‘Look, it’s nothing to worry about. It is actually a cancer that doesn’t necessarily spread, but you do need to treat it’,” she recalled. She is now undergoing treatment using chemo cream, with the option of surgery if it does not work. Coleen said her “first instinct” after receiving the diagnosis was to “laugh hysterically”. “I just thought that’s the most ridiculous thing I’ve ever heard anybody say,” she continued. “I’m sick of cancer and also, my first instinct was, I’m not telling anybody in my family because this that I’ve got at the moment seems nothing compared to what my sisters have been through.” She also reflected on Linda’s current condition. In March, Linda shared the news that she was about to start chemotherapy again, and moved into her sister Denise’s home the following month to prepare for “the inevitable”. “What Linda is going through, where it has gone to her brain and she’s having chemo,” Coleen said. “It just seemed so pathetic for some reason to go back and go, ‘Oh yeah, I’ve got a carcinoma’.” After the show, Linda posted on Twitter that she was “very proud” of her younger sister. “She acted on her instincts, found something amiss and got it checked,” the 64-year-old singer wrote. “If you spot something out of the ordinary for you, PLEASE get it checked. Don’t be frightened.” Coleen has previously said she considered undergoing a double mastectomy after Linda and Anne’s diagnoses of breast cancer. She has also had a breast cancer scare in 2009, while competing on Dancing On Ice – however, the lump in her breast at the time turned out to be an infected gland. She told The Mirror: “I’ve been lying in bed at night, looking down at my breasts and thinking, ‘Am I just walking around with two timebombs here?’ If that’s a possibility, maybe I need to get rid of them.” The TV personality said she believes the cancer affecting her sisters “could be down to a rogue gene from my dad’s side of the family”. Some forms of cancer can run in families, with the risk of developing breast cancer, bowel cancer or ovarian cancer increasing if close relatives have previously developed the conditions. However, it does not mean that a person will definitely have cancer if their close relatives have it. According to the NHS, it is estimated that between three and 10 in every 100 cancers are associated with an inherited faulty gene. The Nolans comprised Coleen, Linda, Denise, Bernie and Maureen Nolan. They are one of the world’s biggest selling girl groups and their international hits include “I’m in the Mood for Dancing”, “Gotta Pull Myself Together”, and “Chemistry”. Read More Sorry lads, we just can’t afford any more reckless, middle-aged adventurers Cruise line apologises after passengers witness dozens of pilot whales being slaughtered Woman’s response to Tinder match asking her to go on an ice cream date sparks debate These are the phrases working mums want to stop hearing – survey Montana Brown opens up about struggle to conceive before son’s birth How to keep your pet safe and healthy during a heatwave

By Jennifer Rigby and Kate Turton LONDON The world is baking under extreme heat - with Asia, Europe