Health

Officials say Amanda Wixon held a young woman in her home and forced her to work for about 25 years; Wixon was sentenced to 13 years in prison.

Five sleep experts reviewed popular sleep products and found a mixed evidence base: some items like sleep earbuds, sunrise alarm clocks, weighted blankets and bed cooling systems have supporting studies, while mouth tape, many sleep headbands, and vagus nerve stimulators lack strong or consistent proof.

Sleep scientist Tom Coleman says bright, cool blue-white LEDs in evening spaces can signal daytime to the brain and shift circadian timing; the article reports that switching to warm, amber-toned bulbs, using eye masks, or installing blackout curtains are suggested ways to reduce evening light exposure.

Researchers implanted electrodes above and below spinal cord injuries in three patients; stimulation below the lesion partially restored leg muscle control while stimulation above produced substitute sensations in other body areas that participants learned to interpret as leg position.

Arvada Mayor Lauren Simpson announced at a city council meeting that she was diagnosed with early-stage breast cancer and said she will have surgery and temporarily hand mayoral duties to Mayor Pro Tem Randy Moorman.

Five SNAP recipients filed a federal lawsuit against the USDA asking courts to halt and overturn waivers that bar purchases of certain low‑nutrition foods; the USDA has approved waivers in 22 states, and several states have already put bans into effect.

Colorectal cancer deaths have risen among adults under 50, and health agencies recommend routine screening starting at age 45 for average-risk adults; certain symptoms and risk factors can prompt earlier evaluation.

A BBC questionnaire sent to more than 5,000 GPs in England received 752 replies; 540 respondents said they had never refused a fit note requested for mental health reasons, while 162 said they had refused at least one. The story comes as fit note issuance has risen and officials and professional bodies debate whether GPs are the right professionals to assess longer-term fitness for work.

About one-third of U.S. adults reported making financial trade-offs to afford medical care in the past year, and nearly one in ten said they postponed retirement because of health care costs.

Cameroon has rolled out a national early kidney screening program that screened about 35,000 people between August and December 2025 and pairs brief urine, blood and blood-pressure checks with training for primary-care staff.

Old St. Hubert Church, built in 1887, faces demolition unless funds are raised; a petition has gathered about 1,200 signatures and leaders estimate renovation would cost $2.5–$3.9 million.

The author's Oura Ring showed lower average sleep scores in October–December, and experts report reduced daylight, warmer bedroom temperatures and less daytime activity can explain poorer winter sleep; longer, brighter spring days are reported to help reset sleep timing.

A large analysis of two long-term U.S. cohorts found that moderate caffeinated coffee (one to five eight-ounce cups daily) was associated with about an 18% lower dementia risk and caffeinated tea with roughly 15% lower risk; researchers said causation cannot be confirmed.

WalletHub ranked 182 U.S. cities and found Fremont, California, scored highest at 74.09, citing strong life satisfaction and low separation rates; the report used 29 indicators across wellbeing, income and employment, and community and environment.

Postdoctoral researcher Annie Goettemoeller is studying links between epilepsy-like, subclinical hyperexcitability and the early spread of amyloid and tau in Alzheimer's, focusing on entorhinal cortex input to the dentate gyrus and using tools that can selectively modify that circuit.

Joe Rogan suggested that spending time in the woods can act like a 'vitamin' for mental health; sunlight and nature support vitamin D production, serotonin synthesis, and circadian rhythm regulation.

A Yale analysis of 12 years of Health and Retirement Study data found 45% of adults 65 and older improved in cognitive or physical function; the study linked improvements to more positive beliefs about aging.

A tester evaluated the $189 BetterMe mini reformer at home and in a studio and found it can deliver many core-focused Pilates movements while offering less resistance and stability than full-size studio reformers.

The WHO warned the war in Iran is worsening health conditions across the Middle East, reporting thousands of deaths and injuries and disruptions to medical supply routes; the agency urged protection for civilians and unimpeded humanitarian access.

Perimenopause brings hormonal changes that clinicians and surveys link to increased relationship strain, and some studies report higher midlife divorce and suicide statistics; many women say treatment and support are limited.

Max Strus launched the Max Strus Family Foundation, which distributed about $160,000 in 2025 to youth sports, cancer and mental health groups; he attended the recovery return of Paityn Castillo, a teenager who recovered from Guillain-Barré Syndrome.

A recent article cites research and a global survey reporting that 83.5% of regular sauna users said they experienced sleep benefits, and it notes a portable X-Vcak two-person sauna is being advertised at $179.

The 2026 AMR Benchmark Report from the Access to Medicine Foundation notes recent FDA approvals of two oral antibiotics for gonorrhea and identifies seven approved or late-stage products, while finding the overall antibiotic pipeline has contracted since 2021.

Daylight saving time can disrupt circadian rhythms, and Dr. Mike Varshavski advised morning light exposure and a consistent wake-up time to help reset sleep.

Lauren Ver Steeg was diagnosed with Stage 3 rectal cancer at 26 after attributing symptoms to hemorrhoids; after treatment she has been without evidence of disease for about 18 months and is speaking publicly during Colorectal Cancer Awareness Month to reduce stigma.

Researchers analyzed blood samples from 2,766 older women and found that higher levels of the phosphorylated tau 217 (p-tau217) biomarker were linked with greater risk of future mild cognitive impairment and dementia over up to 25 years of follow-up.

The article reviews First Aid Beauty Hydrating Sunscreen Milk SPF 45, noting its blend of chemical UV filters for broad-spectrum protection and soothing ingredients like colloidal oatmeal and glycerin to hydrate dry, sensitive skin.

Some people taking Ozempic and other GLP‑1 drugs report feeling calmer and less preoccupied with food; there is no published clinical evidence that these drugs treat ADHD.

A writer who once slept about eight hours nightly tested nine Amazon sleep gadgets and reports several of them helped her sleep better.

A man in his 30s who gained weight, felt fatigued and experienced low libido was found to have low testosterone and reports symptom improvement after testosterone replacement therapy.