Housecall for Health: Recent Episodes

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Housecall for Health covers all the topics that affect your health. Produced by FOX News Radio.

There could soon be a cure for one of the most common allergies. FOX’s Alex Hein with more in this “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. Peanut allergy sufferers may soon know the joy of peanut-butter flavored goodness after a study found effectiveness in an oral treatment. Researches gave children with the allergy a probiotic with a peanut protein daily for 18 months. A month later, 80 percent were able to tolerate peanuts without any symptoms. Four years later, 70 percent were still able to eat peanuts without any adverse reactions. About half of the children involved in the study were consuming peanuts regularly while others were eating them infrequently. A lead researcher told BBC News that it’s the first time a treatment for the allergy was shown to be effective for such a long period of time. She said the main takeaway is that children who had an allergy were able to eat them the same as children who do not have an allergy, and that over time they remained tolerant of the previous allergen. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Could the amount of sleep you are getting have an impact on your weight? FOX’s Alex Hein explains a new study in this “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. So, not only could skimping on your sleep hurt your mental health or give you bags under your eyes, but it could also add some pounds to your waistline. This new study, which followed 1600 adults who self reported sleeping habits, found that those who got an average of six hours of shuteye had a waist circumference three centimeters larger than those who slept for nine hours a night. Those who were skimping on sleep also had higher BMI and lower good-cholesterol levels. There was a group who fell in between six and nine hours, with participants getting an average of 7.5 hours of shuteye. Those adults still fared better than those who were only getting six hours. Researchers emphasized that they didn’t find a link between less sleep and poorer diets, nor did they prove a direct explanation as to whether less sleep caused you to gain weight or was the result of weight gain. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Scientists may be one giant step closer to a cure in the fight to end AIDS. FOX’s Alex Hein explains in this “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. In a major reveal at an AIDS conference in Paris, researchers said a South African girl who was born with the AIDS virus has kept her infection suppressed for more than eight years after stopping anti-HIV medicines. They say the results are evidence that early treatment is capable of causing long-term remission. Currently, HIV treatments that aim to keep the virus under control must be taken over of a lifetime, and only one person has ever been thought to be cured. But his treatment involved a bone marrow transplant from a donor with a natural resistance to HIV, which is risky and impractical due to the large number of patients already infected. What’s hopeful about the girl’s case, is that she is the third child to enter long remission after beginning aggressive treatment soon after infection. She started when she was two and stopped 40 weeks later. Tests found the virus was not capable of reproducing in her immune system cells. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Three dimensional printing technology may soon help people on long transplant wait-lists. FOX’s Steve Rappoport with the details in this “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. The power of 3D printing continues to amaze us all, and now scientists have upped the ante yet again, creating a silicone heart that beats just like a human one. The group, based in Zurich, posted a video of their model which even has a fluid pumping through the heart just like a real organ. The only caveat with this amazing feat, is that it only lasts for 3,000 beats, and then the material gives out. To you and I this may seem like a failure, but researchers say it’s a major advance toward potential options when considering how to build artificial hearts, which now rely on mechanical parts that are prone to complications. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, with people of all ages and backgrounds suffering from the illness. An advancement in this field could provide relief to those patients, and millions more worldwide. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Steve Rappoport, FOX News. Follow Steve Rappoport on Twitter: @SteveRappoport

This is Housecall for Health. Though the face is the most common place for skin cancer to appear, on average we miss about 10 percent of it when applying sunscreen. University of Liverpool researchers asked 57 participants to apply sunscreen to their face with no further instructions or details on how to do it. Photos were taken of each person’s face with a UV-sensitive camera before and after the application. The areas covered with sunscreen appeared black due to the camera. On average, people missed about 9.5 percent of their whole face, most commonly skipping the eye lids and areas between the inner corner of the eye and bridge of the nose. On a second go round, researchers asked them to do it again after telling them specifically about skin cancers of the eyelid region. This time, there was a slight improvement, with users missing just about 7.7 percent of their face. Researchers said sunglasses will help protect these crucial areas if you can’t remember to. For more on this story check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

This is Housecall for Health. The number of women giving birth in the U.S. has hit a historic low, causing some experts to warn about a potential national emergency. There is good news from this stat as the number of teen births in the country continued to fall. However, the number also decreased for women in their twenties, and while the number increased for women in their thirties and forties, it was not enough to prevent an overall decline. The low, which was tacked at one percent lower to the number of births recorded last year, may not seem significant now, but experts cautioned that if the rate continues to drop we could see economic and even cultural turmoil. The data, which was released by the CDC, also showed that the U.S. had higher fertility rates compared to other developed countries, and still more birth compared to deaths. While some sounded alarm, others said to watch for new trends as the economy shifts upward again. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Sick building syndrome? Is it a real thing? FOX’s Alex Hein says yes, according to one study: This is Housecall for Health. Do you sneeze more while at work? Ever wonder how often they clean the air filters? Do you notice an achy feeling return when you head back to the office on Monday? Well, it turns out, you might be suffering from symptoms of sick building syndrome. According to a new study, toxins lurking behind your office’s wallpaper might in turn be making you sick. The toxins can easily become airborne and post an indoor health risk to those exposed to it regularly. According to the study, symptoms of the illness could be compared to those of flu or allergies like headaches, burning or itching eyes, stuffy nose, sneezing, coughing, sore throat, tight chest or others. People with asthma may find their symptoms exasperated when in a contaminated office space. Aside from tainted wallpaper, study authors note poorly maintained air conditioners, indoor chemical varnish, mold and bacteria and poor ventilation’s could be culprits. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

A life-like baby robot could help save lives. FOX’s Alex Hein reports in this ‘Housecall for Health’: This is Housecall for Health. Sounds real doesn’t it? The heart beat, spit up and blinking that comes with it does too, but the sounds are actually coming from Super Tory, a highly sophisticated robot meant to train doctors, nurses and EMT’s on how to save the lives of real newborns. Super Tory is being hailed as the world’s most advanced neonatal patient simulator and is the first that can go into cardiac arrest and be revived with real time chest compression’s and a ventilator. The robots skin can even change color when a button triggers respiratory distress. Doctors at Atlanta Children’s Hospital and two others are working with the robot to study an array of symptoms including different cries, frowns and skin tones. The robot is meant to give medical staff hands on experience when dealing with tiny patients who often can’t express what’s bothering them. It offers the opportunity to make a mistake without fatal consequences so that they’re ready for human patients. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Houscall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News.

As we gear up for summer, Doctors are advising us to be focused on staying cool. FOX’s Joy Piazza reports in this ‘Housecall for Health’: This is Housecall for Health. With a lot of the country facing higher than normal temperatures and summer right around the corner, Doctors are advising folks to avoid getting heat stroke: (Dr. Marciniak) “If a person is in the heat too long, they may experience excessive sweating, they can get muscle cramping, they can feel faint.” Dr. Alison Marciniak at the Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, Michigan: (Dr. Marciniak) “People, they aren’t dressing correctly for the weather. They may not be taking in enough fluids.” She also says if you do get overheated, apply a cold compress to your neck or under your armpits to cool down. And it’s not just us humans who need to stay cool. John Dinon is with the Ingham County Animal Control and Shelter in Mason, Michigan: (Dinon) “Make sure your pet has water at all times, if they’re not indoors make sure they have access to shade, if they’re out running around and exercising keep an eye on them. If they seem to be lethargic or excessively panting you definitely want to bring them in to a cool area.” For more health news, go to FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Joy Piazza, FOX News.

Hot water or cold water for washing hands? It might not make a difference. FOX’s Alex Hein explains in “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. Sure, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends a minimum handwashing temperature of at least 100 degrees to kill harmful bacteria, but could we be scorching ourselves for no reason? Researchers at Rutgers University will have you thinking so, as their new findings suggest that washing hands in cold water is just as effective as washing them in blazing hot water. Instead of focusing on the temperature, researchers concluded that technique can remove contaminants just as well as long as sanitary products are used. One of the study leads said safety is really going to come down to what a person feels comfortable doing when washing their hands, whether its doing so in colder water or warmer water, so that time is dedicated to properly scrubbing and ridding of bacteria. The team said their results should cause the FDA to consider changing its policy for handwashing guidelines, and believe that it could save energy in things like dishwashers and washing machines. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Could a lack of sleep turn your brain… cannibalistic? FOX’s Alex Hein has the details in this Housecall for Health: This is Housecall for Health. Skipping out on sleep may not only affect your mood contribute to those big bags under your eyes, but it could cause part of your brain to start eating other parts. While that sounds frightening, researchers say it may not be such a bad thing. The study, which focused on mice, found that in sleep-deprived mice, two types of glial cells, astrocytes and microglial cells increased in activity. When the mice missed out on sleep, astrocytes went into overdrive and actually ate portions of synapses. But one expert said the astrocytes targeted the largest, most used synapses, like old pieces of furniture that probably need more attention and cleaning. But another issue with the lack of sleep, is an increase in microglial activity which has been linked to Alzheimer’s in the past. The findings were a scientific first, but the researchers are unsure if the same thing happens in the brains of humans, or if catching up on sleep can reverse these effects. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

The number of people contracting Alzheimer’s Disease is on the rise and Baby Boomers pose a large risk. FOX’s Alex Hein with details in your “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. With our increasing lifespan comes an increased risk of age-related diseases, and as Baby Boomers get older, more and more are being diagnosed with Alzheimer’s Disease. So much so, that the CDC reported a 54 percent jump from 1999 to 2014. Alzheimer’s is currently the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. with more than 93,000 deaths recorded in 2014. It affects 5.5 million adults in the U.S. and is expected to affect 13.8 million adults over age 65 by year 2050. The report also noted that more patients with Alzheimer’s are dying at home rather than in a medical facility, likely placing a further burden on family members and caregivers. The number of people who died at home increased to 24.9 percent in 2014, which was up from 13.9 percent in 1999. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Tick season is approaching, so what can you do to avoid them? FOX’s Alex Hein reports: This is Housecall for Health. Health officials have been warning about a dangerous tick season this summer, but what are some of the things you should do if you find one crawling on you? First off, remain calm. Just because you’ve been bitten doesn’t automatically mean you’ll get Lyme disease. Find a pair of tweezers to pull the full tick off of you, careful not to leave any pieces behind. Put the tick in a zip-block bag and ake a photo of it so you can identify it later and then dispose of the bag. You may have heard some people tell you to burn the tick off of you, but not only is that dangerous it could case the tick to release toxins into your body. While it takes up to twenty four hours for a tick to transmit lyme bacteria to a host, if you’re worried about it or don’t know when you were potentially bit, make an appointment with a doctor to get checked out. Otherwise, monitor the area for any irritation or the telltale bulls eye rash. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

A small piece of chocolate isn’t so bad for you once in awhile. FOX’s Alex Hein explains: This is Housecall for Health. While so-called choc-o-holics may have gotten a bad rap over the years, a new study has found that eating a small amount of chocolate every week or so may decrease your risk of developing a serious type of irregular heart rhythm. AFib is a quivering or irregular heartbeat that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications. In this case, researchers used data collected for a long term study of people in Denmark. Based on their data, about 3,300 cases of AFib occurred over an average of 13 years. Those who ate one serving, which is about one ounce of chocolate per week, were 17 percent less likely to be diagnosed with AFib than those who don’t eat chocolate at all. Those who ate two to six ounces were week were less likely to be diagnosed with AFib, while those who ate more than once once per day were 16 percent less likely to have the condition. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Parents beware, could suntan lotion harm your child instead of protecting from UV rays? FOX’s Alex Hein has details with your “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. A mother in Canada wants other parents to pay extra attention to the type of sunscreen they choose for their children after she claims her 14 month old daughter suffered second degree burns from an aerosol kids sunspray. Rebecca Cannon said she used Banana Boat Kids SPF 50 to protect her daughter Kyla and three-year-old nephew. Throughout the day she said she noticed her daughter’s face getting more and more red and when she woke the next day her cheeks had blistered. She took her to the emergency rooms where doctors said it was a second degree chemical burn or a severe allergic reaction. A dermatologist agreed with the chemical burn diagnosis. Banana Boat said they requested Cannon send the spray in so they could inspect it as part of the investigation, but Cannon said she wants more to be done after finding stories of similar experiences online. According to a post on Facebook, Kyla is recovering from her injuries. For more on this story check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

New research may give women faced with infertility new hope. FOX’s Alex Hein reports: This is Housecall for Health. The magic of 3D printing has paved the way for medical miracles through the field of modern medicine. The latest involves a mouse, prosthetic ovaries and a healthy offspring. Being hailed as a landmark study, researchers believe the engineered ovaries made of gelatin, could one day help to restore fertility in human cancer survivors rendered sterile by radiation or chemotherapy. The team built the ovaries by 3D printing various patterns of overlapping gelatin filaments on glass slides. Then they carefully inserted the mouse follicles into the scaffolds. They implanted 40 to 50 follicles into each bio-prosthetic ovary and sutured them into seven mice. After mating, three of the females gave birth to healthy litters. They also gave birth and lactated naturally, meaning the follicles produced a normal level of hormones in the mice. They’re hopeful a similar method using extracted follicles from humans or donated samples could create similar results. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Humans may have a better sense of smell than scientist originally thought. FOX’s Alex Hein has details in you your “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. If you’ve ever been told you’ve got a nose like a hound, truth is, you do! A study in the Journal Science has concluded that humans can sniff just as well as puppers can, as well as other mammals who largely rely on their sense of smell, like rodents. The myth that animals can sniff better than you has persisted largely because humans have way less olfactory receptors than mice rates and pups, but we can detected up to one trillion odors which is as much as they can. Scientists said the belief is further confused because of the way humans sniff versus how other mammals get it done. Humans rely on scent receptors to send a message to the brain, while dogs have a pump mechanism that picks up chemicals in liquid form. We’re also not trying to run around identifying our friends or foes by the scent of their urine like they are. So the next time you’re jealous of your pups super sniffer, be thankful you reap the same benefits without the cold wetness that goes along with it For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News.

Swearing may actually be good for you. FOX’s Alex Hein has the details in this ‘Housecall for Health’: This is Housecall for Health. If you’ve been told you’ve got a mouth like a sailor, we’ve got a study for you. Researchers said a good dose of foul language during physical activity, whether exercising or moving a heavy object, may actually help you get the job done. Psychologists instructed volunteers to swear before intense exercises and found that a burst of foul language led to improved performance when compared to uttering neutral or mild mannered words. The study was a follow up to one researchers had conducted to see if swearing increases pain tolerance. While that first study saw an increase in heart rate and changes linked to the fight or flight response, the exercise swearing did not. But researchers did note that peak power was increased by an average of 24 watts when participants swore. Potential reasons for this increase were not explained in the report, but it might be worth testing out quietly the next time you feel like giving up on your workout. For more on this story check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Hearing a non-existent boom sounds terrifying, but many people suffer from this phenomenon. FOX’s Alex Hein reports: This is Housecall for Health. Exploding head syndrome sounds like something out of a Sci-Fi movie, but in reality, it’s a very real medical condition that thousands of people suffer from. Patients diagnosed with the condition can sense the sound of an object crashing to the ground or the sight of a bright flash of light, even though no such events really occurred. You see, for these patients, no actual explosions take place when the person experiences a symptom, but rather it’s a sensory sleep disorder. For example, when a person with exploding head syndrome is either falling asleep or waking up, they may hear a thunderously loud noise, but no such noise has actually occurred. This recent study, covered by Live Science, suggests that up to 13.5 percent of people experience the phenomenon at some point during their lives. Theories about what causes these sensations revolve around the reticular formation part of the brain. That same area is thought to be involved in sleep paralysis as well. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Houscall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Researchers have successfully created an artificial womb. FOX’s Alex Hein has the details: This is Housecall for Health. Can a plastic bag save the lives of premature newborns? That’s what these researchers are banking on after creating an artificial womb that managed to keep baby sheep alive for four weeks. The creation, called a biobag, is a plastic bag filled with fluid to mimic the inside of a uterus. Hypothetically, tubes from a baby’s umbilical cord would extend to an external device to provide oxygen to their blood. After, the baby would be taken out of the bag and hooked up to a mechanical ventilator which would help them breathe. The technology is targeted for infants born in the middle of the second trimester as early as 22 weeks gestation. The technology, however, is far from being implemented in human hospitals, and it’s unclear if parents will be ready to accept it. There are also concerns about how to stick potential tubes into a human baby’s umbilical cords without causing damage. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Houscall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Watch the video below: Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

A college professor may have discovered a vaccine that could take some of the stress out of the teenage years. FOX’s Alex Hein has the details: This is Housecall for Health. Like music to a suffering teenager’s ears, a U.C. San Diego professor said he’s got an idea for a vaccine that could signal the end of dreaded acne. Eric Huang, who once worked on a biodefense vaccine to fight anthrax, told news outlets that a six-year study has the potential to lead to a vaccine that targets the bacteria behind acne. He told reporters that there’s two types of vaccines in the works, one is preventative and one is therapeutic. The target patient, he said, is pre-adolescent kids. However, large-scale clinical trials involving humans are likely a year or two away, as the vaccines have only been tested on mice and small samples of human skin biopsies. Still, news of the potential landmark vaccine is enough to get the interwebs chatting, with many commenters wishing they had it during their high school days. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

You may want to cut back on those diet sodas. FOX’s Alex Hein reports: This is Housecall for Health. Soda isn’t the most nutritious thing for you, we all know that. But for those patting themselves on the back for making the switch to diet, hold off. A new study claims that daily dose of diet soda could put you at triple the risk for suffering a stroke. Researches found that diet fizz has a warning association with dementia too. The study looked at 10 years worth of data for more than 4,300 people and said that the results indicate people need to move past the word diet, and consider other health factors when making drink choices. The trouble might lie in the artificial sweeteners used in these calorie light drinks, which have caused world wide concern in the past. The low calorie substitutes might lead to weight gain and can also increase the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes. One expert said the brain isn’t set up to deal with that kind of intensely sweet zero calorie version of sweetness that artificial sweeteners provide. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

A new study may disprove the myth that salty snacks make you thirsty. FOX’s Alex Hein has the details in this ‘Housecall for Health’: This is Housecall for Health. Milk and cookies, peanut butter and jelly, chips and soda. Ever wonder how that last one came to be? Sure it’s common to believe that salty snacks leave you thirsty, but new research says it’s not really thirst you’re trying to quench, but more hunger. In a recent simulated trip to Mars, scientists tested whether salty snacks led to drinking more water, thus producing more urine. One group was tested for 105 days, the other for 205. They had identical diets with the exception of salt intake. Surprisingly, the group with a salty diet drank less than the other group. Researchers said that salt triggers a mechanism in the kidneys to hold onto water and produce urea, which eats up energy and causes hunger, not thirst. It was previously believed that salt grabbed onto water molecules in the body and dragged them out via urine, but that’s not the case. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

One hobby could prolong your life. FOX’s Alex Hein reports: This is Housecall for Health. If you’ve been searching for a new hobby, this latest study suggests that picking up running could help you add years to life. Researchers said that even runners who smoke, drink or are overweight tend to outlive their non-runner friends by about three years. The study was conducted at the Cooper Institute in Dallas and found that pounding the pavement trumps all other forms of physical activity in terms of adding to your lifespan. The study was published in Progress in Cardiovascular Disease and found an average of reported running time by participants to be about two hours weekly. One of the more interesting take aways, according to many reports, is that running adds more time to people’s lives than it actually takes up, with estimations suggesting that an hour spent running may actually add seven hours to your life. This means that you don’t even have to become a fanatic marathoner to enjoy the health perks that come along with your new favorite pastime. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Could your puppy be providing more than just companionship for your family? FOX’s Alex Hein reports on a new study that says just that: This is Housecall for Health. There’s more to the relationship between a dog and new baby than adorable photo shoots and constant companionship. In fact, a Canadian report has found that babies from pet-owning families possess more microbes linked with a lower allergy and obesity risk than their pet-less counterparts. The University of Alberta researchers studies faecal samples from the Canadian healthy infant longitudinal development study and discovered that babies in the womb and early after birth who were exposed to pets had higher levels of two crucial microbes that are linked to reduced levels of childhood allergies and obesity. Indirect exposure, like a dog being near a pregnant woman, counted in these instances. So the next time your partner nags you about getting a puppy, it might be worth it to give it some thought. The study was published in the Journal Microbiome. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Are you a night owl? New research shows it may be because of your genetics. FOX’s Alex Hein has ‘Housecall for Health’: This is Housecall for Health. Are you a night owl desperately seeking to become a early bird? Well, unfortunately, it could be a matter of genes. But thanks to researchers, there may be hope on the horizon. In a recent study, researchers looked at 70 people from six families and found that a genetic mutation was common among those who were diagnosed with delayed sleep phase disorder. The condition causes the circadian clock to run behind so they wake up later than normal and stay up well into the night. All of the so-called night owls had the mutation, while those who had a normal sleep schedule did not. The researchers noted this is the first genetic mutation associated with DSPD and published their findings in the journal Cell. Finding such a link could open doors to finding treatment, or ways to manipulate these genes so that night owls could have a solution to developing a sleep schedule that aligns more regularly with daily activity. For more on this story check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

A new study has found that certain countries could be affecting a baby’s temperament. FOX’s Alex Hein has the details in the ‘Housecall for Health’: This is Housecall for Health. Forget the nursery rhymes, if you’ve got a fussy baby, maybe you should consider a move to Denmark. Researchers in the U.K. compiled the first universal charts for normal amounts of crying during a baby’s first three months. They discovered that newborns tend to cry more in Britain, Canada, Italy and the Netherlands than in other countries. In Denmark, Germany and Japan, babies were the least fussy. On average, the study found babies cry for about two hours per day in the first two weeks. They cry a little more in the following few weeks until they peak at around two hours and 15 minutes a day at six weeks. Parents can expect some relief as they simmer down to about one hour and ten minutes of crying by the time they reach 12 weeks old. They hope the chart will help health workers answer quell concerned parents fears about whether their baby is fussing to much. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Maybe Popeye was onto something after all. FOX’s Alex Hein has the details on groundbreaking research involving spinach leaves: This is Housecall for Health. A team of scientists in Massachusetts successfully converted a spinach leaf into a tiny beating human heart muscle, which is a step they hope might one day help doctors repair damaged organs. The team swapped the plants cells for human cells, which transformed the plants veins into a blood vessel network. They said they chose spinach for the groundbreaking experiment because of the leaf’s complex vein system. Once the human tissue had developed, the next step involved pushing fluids through the leaf to show blood could flow through a similar system in the future. The hope is that the tissue built out of spinach leaves could be implanted into patients with damaged hearts, and restore blood flow to areas of the organ that have been damaged by disease, trauma or infection. The development is exciting, and researchers did call it promising, but they also cautioned that they have much work left to do. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Mom and dad’s genetics may not be to blame for the big nose. FOX’s Alex Hein with details on a new study with your “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. It may be time to cut your mom and dad some slack about the ill-fated shape of your nose, as a new study suggests its not your ancestors fault per say, but rather the ancestral climate that’s to blame for how you look. The researchers, from Penn State University, believe noses were shaped over time by local climates as ancestors adapted to either warmth and humidity or cold and dry air. The study involved 3D facial imaging of nostrils and nose shapes and measurements of nostril width, which is the distance between the nostrils, nose height, nose ridge length and how far it sticks out. They noted that noses serve as a way for humans to condition the air before it reaches the lungs. Using that reasoning it’s fair to argue that natural selection led to certain noses being more fit for certain climates than others. Narrower nostrils for instance, were better suited to moisten and warm air, which is important in cold dry regions. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

A new study may take some of the mystery out of death. FOX’s Alex Hein has more in this “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. From Hollywood directors to your death obsessed neighbor, everyone has an opinion on what happens to your body after you die. But a new study published in the Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences says that the brain can be active for up to 10 minutes after a person has been declared clinically dead. The researchers observed what happened in four critically ill patients when they were taken off life support. They found brain activity only persisted with one of the patients after the final heartbeat. The patient had the same kind of brain waves seen during deep sleep. Interestingly, the researchers noted all four patients brains reacted differently once they were declared clinically dead. Meaning what happens after death likely changes from person to person. The researches didn’t have a reason as to why patients reacted differently and didn’t say if it had to do with previous illnesses. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Internet buyer beware, purchasing medications over the internet could be dangerous. FOX’s Alex Hein explains in this “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. It may seem like a no-brainer, but desperate times can lead to desperate measures, which means some may turn to online vendors to purchase medications to avoid paying a pricey pharmacy fee, but this practice has some experts worried. The care quality commission in the U.K. inspected 11 internet prescription services and found widespread failings among the providers. They say that while some of these shortcuts were indeed well run, others cut corners that could potentially present a significant risk to patients. Some of the websites were found to prescribe unlicensed medicines, while others were sending wrong medicines for described conditions. In many instances patients can go online and self diagnose to order their own medicine with minimal security check points. Regulators are now trying to install a set of standards to protect consumers and keep them safe. These include seeking permission to contact the patients doctor, and obtaining a comprehensive medical history. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Could smoking weed mean you are smarter? FOX’s Alex Hein reports in this “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. Not too many associate high achieving students with under-age drinking and smoking marijuana. But according to a study of British adolescents, the group is more likely to pick up those habits than their less academically gifted peers. The study tracked 6,000 teenagers use of tobacco, alcohol and pot from ages 11 to 20. During their early teens, the smarter students were less likely to smoke cigarettes than their peers. But they were more likely to say they drank alcohol during the same period than the other students. As they grew older, the more academically inclined students were 50 percent more likely to use pot occasionally and nearly twice as likely to use it regularly than their peers. They were also twice as likely to have developed a regular drinking habit. The researchers speculate the high achieving students may be more open to new experiences or possibly have more access to alcohol. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Did the 2016 take a toll on your mental health? FOX’s Alex Hein reports in this “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. The election season may have ended months ago, but simply thinking about politics still has Americans stressed out. The American Psychological Association’s annual ‘Stress in America: Coping with Change’ reflected a higher level of anxiety over political matters and where the country is heading, among both Democrats and Republicans. The nation’s economy as well as work and money stress topped the list of stressors among Americans, but 57 percent of those polled deemed the political climate a very significant or somewhat significant stress source. Almost half said the same about electoral outcomes. 72 percent of Democrats said the outcome of recent elections was a significant stressor, while 59 percent of Republicans considered the nation’s future a substantial source of stress. Experts say Americans should try to meditate or breathe deeply to relieve symptoms, as well as reaching out to others in their network. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

A new study found that doctors across the country may be to blame for their patients opioid addiction. FOX’s Alex Hein has “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. In an emergency situation, you hardly have time to consider who to call, let alone which hospital to go to first. But an alarming new study suggests that choosing the wrong one may leave you with an opioid addiction that is hard to kick. A national comparison of emergency room physicians uncovered a broad range of prescribing patterns for painkillers, and it suggests that high-volume prescribers may be encouraging long-term use of the pills among their elderly patients. Doctors considered frequent prescribers were 300 percent more likely to give out prescriptions for painkillers than low-volume physicians in the same hospital, and those heavy-prescribers were more likely to give their patients prescriptions for longer periods. Among elderly Medicare patients, opioid overdoses quadrupled between 1993 and 2012. Not only does excessive use lead to addiction, but it also increases the likelihood of fatal falls among this population. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Cases of the flu are still rising across the United States. FOX’s Alex Hein reports: This is Housecall for Health. As a country the latest data suggests we are far from being over the flu, with the number of cases spiking sharply throughout the first week of February. Deaths from flu-related complications and hospitalizations among children and the elderly remain high. So far, 20 children have died from the influenza virus. One of the most important take aways from this data is that it’s still not too late to get a flu shot if you have not already done so. This is especially critical for the vulnerable population which includes the chronically ill, the very young, the elderly and pregnant women. Experts say it would have been better to have gotten vaccinated in October, but it’s still helpful to go get a shot now. The CDC recommends that anybody aged six months or older get a flu shot, and that mothers of newborns should get it to help protect their infants who are too young. In a typical flu season, complications from the virus send more than 200,000 Americans to the hospital. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

A new study says breakfast really is the most important meal when looking at heart health. FOX’s Alex Hein weighs-in with your “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. Did you skip breakfast this morning? Then don’t load up on calories tonight. In fact, eating more calories earlier in the day and consuming less food at night, may not only reduce your odds of a heart attack, but it may also reduce your risk of a stroke or other cardiac or blood vessel disease. According to the American Heart Association, as many as 30 percent of U.S. adults routinely skip breakfast, which is becoming more common as people snack throughout the day, instead of consuming three traditional meals. When they do eat breakfast, they’re less likely to have risk factors for cardio vascular disease, like high cholesterol and elevated blood pressure. Those who skip morning meals are more likely to be obese or have poor nutrition. Researchers believe meal timing may impact the body’s internal clock and we may not process sugars as well at night as we do during the day. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Breast cancer patients could get more answers from genetic testing and counseling. FOX’s Dr. Sapna Parikh explains in this “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. A diagnosis of breast cancer means a lot of questions and a search for answers: What kind of surgery is best for me? What will the follow-up treatment be like? And what’s the long-term prognosis? But according to a new study, some questions are not answered because genetic testing wasn’t done. The study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds only a small percentage of woman with early stage breast cancer receive genetic testing before they have surgery. Researchers say genetic testing can help guide woman and their doctors in choosing what kind of surgery to have and what treatments should follow to reduce the risk of new cancer forming in the future. Some answers can come from a thorough family history, but genetic testing could provide more information. The study also finds that among the women who are tested, many are not offered genetic counseling to help explain what it all means for them and for their prognosis. For more health news, go to FOXNews.com. I’m Dr. Sapna Parikh, FOX News. Follow Dr. Sapna Parikh on Twitter: @Sapna_Parikh

Seemingly harmless sounds like crunching on a snack could be a real bother for suffers of Misophonia. FOX’s Alex Hein with details of a new study in your “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. Hidden between the political posts and Tom Brady devotion on Facebook you may have caught a headline or two about how seemingly harmless sounds to you can actually cause rage or anxiety in others. The noises can be as benign as breathing, popcorn munching or even nose sniffling, but for Misophonia sufferers it’s enough to drive them crazy. A study from Newcastle University in Britain said they may have an explanation for it, and it has to do with a particular part of the brain that processes emotions. In patients with the disorder this area of the brain goes into overdrive when triggered by the noises, and the region of the brain is also connected differently compared to normal brains. The researchers say it could be heavily connected to recalling bad past memories, and experiences associated with the noises. For the study researchers surveyed nearly 200 patients who said they first became aware of their symptoms around age 12. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Laundry pods continue to be a major health concern for young kids. FOX’s Alex Hein reports in “Housecall For Health”: This is Housecall for Health. Parents have been warned about the dangers laundry pods pose to toddlers and young children around the house, but a new study sheds a scary light on the type of injuries parents should look out for. Between 2012 & 2015, the number of chemical burns to the eye linked to laundry detergent packets rose more than 30 percent among young children. More than 1200 four-year-olds received burns in that time period. Kids are getting injured when the packets break and the contents squirt into one or both eyes or when the contents leak onto their hands and they then touch their eyes. The researches found most of these injuries are occurring in the home where kids are playing with the packets or confusing them either toys or candy. The injuries are difficult to recover from, depending on severity. Meaning some children are actually at risk of long-term vision impairment. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

An old myth is bring used to assist with dropping weight. FOX’s Alex Hein explains: This is, Housecall for Health. Remember that myth you heard about as a kid? If you felt your stomach after running around and it was cold, that meant you were burning calories? Welp, a new health trend is a little bit like that, plastic surgeons and dermatologists are turning to fat freezing to eliminate about 20 percent of the fat cells on a particular area of the body in just an hour’s time. The professionals say it’s a quick and harmless way to drop extra pounds. You could even get it done while watching a movie or catching up on your emails. All that’s required of the patient is an hour of their time, and then a machine inserts specific body parts, like love handles and chubby backs, into a cooling chamber. The cells are cooled down to below body temperature, which causes them to get metabolized and then excrete. More than 425,000 nonsurgical fat reduction procedures were conducted in 2015. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889 FOR MORE ON THIS STORY CLICK HERE

Doctors in Colorado are using acupuncture to treat children. FOX’s Joy Piazza with your “Housecall for Health”: This is, Housecall for Health. It’s an alternative therapy to help treat a child with severe eczema in Colorado. Emily Cadwell says her daughter Mckenna is being treated with acupuncture, stimulating specific points on the body with thin needles. The 19-month old was: (Cadwell) “Really, she was just miserable. Very itchy, her skin was very red and inflamed.” Acupunturist Peyton Dryden says the little girl has responded well: (Dryden) “Shes cleared up quite a bit.” Dr. Paul Murray with the Whole Health Center in Denver says other common problems that acupuncture can help treat are colic and acid reflux: (Dr. Murray) “With kids, they havent lived that long, so the condition is not that old. In Chinese medicine, the fresher the better.” The Gillette Children’s Special in St. Paul Minnesota conducted a study analyzing nine children treated for various conditions between June 2014 and June 2015. They concluded some of the patients had a decrease in pain, while others had complete relief. The FDA approved acupuncture needles for use by licensed practitioners in 1996. With Housecall for Health, I’m Joy Piazza, FOX News.

A new blood test could help assess risk of heart attack complications and blood clots. FOX’s Alex Hein explains, in this “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. While chest pain is typically the tell-tale sign of a heart attack, a new blood test may help doctors differentiate between a serious pain or a false alarm. A study published in the European Heart Journal described a test that measures the blood levels of a molecule called TMAO, which is produced when gut bacteria breaks down foods, including red meat, eggs and dairy. Previously, research conducted in animals has linked high levels of TMAO with greater blood vessel inflammation and studies conducted in heart diseases patients have shown that individuals with higher levels of TMAO have a higher risk of blood clots. In the most recent study, patients with the highest levels were nearly twice as likely to die during the seven year follow up period than those with the lowest levels. From that and other indicators, researchers said when patients come to the ER with chest pains, doctors could use a blood test for TMAO to determine which have the highest risk for serious complications. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Every parent has their own way to cure a crying baby: a pacifier, their favorite toy, but one Denver couple has an odd solution: watching football. FOX’s Alex Hein has the story in today’s “Housecall for Health”: This is, Housecall for Health. Any tired new parent can tell you the tricks and trades they’ve picked up along the way to help soothe a crying baby, but for longtime Broncos fans Laura and Bryan Catron, getting their baby Lola to stop crying has meant putting aside their Denver pride. Little Lola, who has already undergone two heart surgeries in her three months of life, will only stop crying to watch the Cowboys take the field. Laura said the family’s has watched so much football recently that she feels like other parents whose children got hooked on the hit Disney movie ‘Frozen’. Bryan said the soothing effect of the Cowboys is instantaneous, and it doesn’t matter if its on a laptop, phone or television. When Bryan and Laura tried to get her to watch the Steelers or the Browns, little Lola kept right on crying. Though they’d much rather her root for the Broncos, they said her happiness is worth the agony of rooting for Dallas. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889 FOR MORE ON THIS STORY CLICK HERE

Ever hear something so clearly you could taste it? Well one women could. FOX’s Alex Hein explains in “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. A curious report found in the British paper, The Sun, features a woman who could only taste words, smell sounds, and was cured after being struck by lightning, only for her curious symptoms to later return. The woman, who wasn’t identified, suffers from Synaesthesia, which is the ability to taste words, hear colors and sense auras around people. Researchers don’t have a firm grasp on what causes the strange condition. Trinity College Dublin researchers are highlighting this woman’s case to see if the extra publicity may lead to a new way of treating the condition. According to the paper, the patient has been able to hear colors since birth. As an example researchers said high-pitched notes appeared pastel. They said that after she was struck by lightning and began taking pills for migraines, the symptoms disappeared, which leads them to believe that the issues are more deeply wired into people’s brains than previously thought. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Whether you are drinking regular or diet sodas, there may be an increase in ditching the sugary pop-cola from your diet. FOX’s Alex Hein takes a look: This is, Housecall for Health. It’s a smart move to ditch sugary drinks from your diet in order to life a healthier life, but if you’re making the move from regular soda to diet soda in an effort to ditch calories, it probably won’t help you much. A new study suggests that at the end of the day, while an average can of soda packs in about 150 calories and 39 grams of sugar, you’ll probably still consume the same number of total calories overall. They’re still trying to figure out why, and how bodies and brains react to calorie-free sweeteners. But while diet soda drinkers did not indulge to excess, they did report feeling slightly hungrier before lunch than those who drank the sugary drink, but these drinkers only ate enough extra to make up for their drink’s lack of calories. The results were published in the International Journal of Obesity, and it was noted that they appear to contradict other findings that suggest swapping sugary drinks for artificially sweetened ones lead people to consume less calories. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Studies have warned about the risk of using daily pain medication damaging your stomach – but can it also harm your hearing? FOX’s Alex Hein with details in this “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. There are plenty of articles on how popping pain relievers daily could damage your stomach or potentially harm your heart, but did you know that regularly popping a dose of Advil or Tylenol could also compromise your hearing? A new study examining the long-term use of over-the-counter pain relievers has found that women who took certain meds steadily for six years were 10 times more likely to experience hearing loss. According to the New York Times, while the mechanism behind the hearing loss is unknown and the study did not prove causation, it does add to a growing body of evidence that the drugs are linked to auditory issues. The researchers tested Advil, Aleve and Tylenol. More than 54,000 mostly white women between the ages 48 and 73 self-reported their usage. Two thirds of American women over 60 experience hearing loss, and researchers say the study may highlight why. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Should doctors take classes on empathy skills during training? FOX’s Alex Hein weighs-in with “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. Bedside manners often matter a great deal to patients, especially in a time of grave illness or ahead of an impending surgery. One doctor believes that instead of being urged to be more compassionate, physicians should learn specific empathy skills during their training to improve a patients overall level of care. Dr. David Jeffrey, who wrote the paper, said there’s concern about a general psychological and social support for patients from their doctors, and that the commercialization of health care has left patients vulnerable to being treated as an instrument to bring in money. The flip side, he said, is if doctors are too emotionally involved with patients they may experience psychological distress and burnout. He said that while compassion and sympathy are simple reactions, it takes skill to develop empathy, which should be a goal for medical education. His letter was published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Could using an electronic device not be as bad as originally thought? FOX’s Alex Hein with the details in “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. Countless studies and experts tell you to put down the phone or tablet before heading to bed to help optimize your quality of sleep, but a new one says for those already struggling with insomnia issues, turning on the computer may be the only way to help fix it. An automated program called SHUTi is an online version of cognitive behavioral therapy, which can help address the shortage of sleep clinicians trained to carry out this type of therapy. The study focused on more than 300 people with chronic insomnia, most of whom had already tried medication or supplements. Half the group received digital placebo, which included tips on how to deal with sleep issues, while the other half got six weeks of SHUTi, which uses sleep restriction and stimulus control. The program helps patients dispel destructive beliefs about sleep and requires patients to log daily sessions. A year later, 57 percent of SHUTi subjects enjoyed normal sleep. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

What keeps you up at night? A new study says if you drink a lot of soda that could be one reason causing you to toss and turn. FOX’s Alex Hein has the details in “Housecall For Health”: This is Housecall for Health. It may seem like an obvious link, but a new study suggests that adults who sleep five hours or less per night are more likely to be heavy soda drinkers than those who get more rest. With soda as the main source of added sugar in the American diet, it’s not surprise that soda, and a lack of sleep, are both independently associated with obesity. Sugar-sweetened beverages are also linked to rising rates of heart disease and diabetes. In a survey of 19,000 adults, the poor sleepers consumed 21 percent more sugar sweetened drinks than adults who got a healthy seven to eight hours per night. The main association was caffeinated non-diet sodas. What’s more, is that compared to heavier sleepers, those who reported no more than five hours of shut eye were more likely to smoke or be sedentary. They were also more likely to have chronic health issues. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Could your favorite cheese improve your health? FOX’s Alex Hein weighs-in with your “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. Are you a cheesehead? Do you find a helping of fresh grated Parmesan to be irresistable? Well, there’s good news for you, a recent study published in the Journal Nature Medicine reported that eating cheese, specifically the aged kind containing the compound spermidine, was linked to a longer life in mammals. The study focused on 800 Italians and found that those who had more cheese had lower blood pressure, a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and 40 percent lower risk of heart failure. Diets often include cheese to promote heart benefits as well as anti-hypertension properties. But before you reach for the cheese whiz, keep in mind eating everything in moderation is more beneficial than overdoing it. There’s also been a study linking an intake of cheese to a heightened risk of breast cancer, lympoid cancers and lung cancer. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Sleep apnea has been fingered in the deadly September Hoboken NJ Transit crash. FOX’s Alex Hein with details on the safeguards regulators are drafting in your “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. Railroads across the country are being urged to test train operators for obstructive sleep apnea after federal regulators found the engineer in September’s deadly New Jersey commuter train crash had the fatigue-inducing disorder. The Associated Press reports that the Federal Railroad Administration will issue a safety advisory this week stressing the importance of sleep apnea screening and treatment. Metro North found that one in nine of its engineers suffers from sleep apnea. NJ Transit already tests for sleep apnea, but updated its rules last week to prevent diagnosed engineers from operating trains unless they’re being treated. The advisory is considered a stopgap measure while regulators draft rules to require sleep apnea screening. But that process could take years to pan out. Airline pilots with sleep apnea aren’t allowed to fly unless they’ve been treated, and regulators are pushing for bus and truck drivers to get tested as well. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

What simple steps at home can help avoid getting sick at work? FOX’s Alex Hein with some suggestions in your “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. We’ve discussed washing your hands and avoiding touching your face to help keep you safe from catching the dreaded office cold, but Self magazine says getting sleep can help keep your immune system healthy to fight off invading germs. If you don’t prioritize sleep, your body may be vulnerable to bacteria and viruses causing you to get sick more easily. For those who are restless sleepers, deep breathing and meditation can help you get some shut eye. Self also advocates for living a life full of healthy habits like exercising regularly and fueling your body properly. However, it’s important to avoid overdoing it, pushing yourself too hard can run down your immune system and make you more susceptible to the germs. Even with these tips you’re likely take a health hit, especially if you’ve got kids. Once you do, focus on taking care of yourself, and don’t be afraid to use your sick days to prevent spreading even more germs in the work place. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Having family members that suffer from heart disease doesn’t necessarily mean you will have the same fate. FOX’s Alex Hein explains: This is Housecall for Health. While family history of heart disease is considered a determining factor for your own risk, clean living can help better your odds even if your genes are stacked against you. This new study has found the opposite is also true. Eating a bunch of junk and indulging in unhealthy habits can ruin the benefits of good genes. The study was discussed at an American Heart Association conference and explored four studies that included imaging to check for plaque and building up in heart arteries. Participants were checked for 50 genes related to heart risks and sorted into three groups by healthy lifestyle factors. People with the most gene risk had nearly twice the chance of developing heart problems than people in the lowest gene risk group did, while the same was true for those in the unfavorable lifestyle group versus the favorable one. A healthy lifestyle also mitigated the damage from flawed genes, suggesting that putting in the work can yield serious results. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Mixed results for health related ballot questions around the country. FOX’s Lisa Brady has “Housecall for Health”: Four more cities passing a so-called soda tax on sugary beverages, including Oakland, San Francisco and a bay area neighbor and Boulder, Colorado, months after Philadelphia became the first major U.S. city to do it. The tax aimed in part at helping to curb childhood obesity and illnesses including diabetes. Tax hikes on cigarettes were rejected in Colorado, North Dakota and Missouri, but California voters approved a hike of two-dollars a pack, also raising taxes on other tobacco products and nicotine used with e-cigarettes, after recently raising the smoking age to 21. Opponents argue most of the new tax revenue won’t be used for tobacco prevention and control programs and that it could boost black market cigarette sales. California voters also rejecting a ballot measure aimed at curbing some prescription drugs prices and another measure that would have required porn actors to use condoms. For more check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Lisa Brady, FOX News.

Muscle memory? FOX’s Alex Hein reports on a new study that may prove there is a link between muscles and memories: This is, Housecall for Health. A recent U.S. study concerning children and their strength may lead some parents to get their kids signed up at the gym. The study found an independent link between muscle fitness and kids’ performance on memory tests as well as their math and reading skills. The study, funded by Nike, concentrated on kids ages nine to 11-years-old. They completed an aerobic exercise test as steady speed on a treadmill with gradually increasing incline until they were too out of breath to continue. Then they completed a similar test of muscular fitness with a battery of upper body, lower body and core exercises using body weight or a medicine ball, including lunges push ups and shoulder presses. The kids did as many repetitions of each exercise as possible within 30 seconds. Then they completed computerized tests of working memory, Algebra, Geometry reading and writing. Kids were more muscular fitness on the body weight and medicine ball tests also did better than others on memory and academic tests. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

New research may provide relief for young children suffering from a peanut allergy. FOX’s Alex Hein has “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. A wearable skin patch may be the answer to childhood peanut allergies, as a new study shows promise in the therapy that delivers small doses of peanut protein to the skin. The National Institutes of Health funded the study which was published in the Journal of Allergy and Clinical Immunology. It says nearly half of those treated with the patch were able to consume at least 10 times more peanut protein than they were able to consume prior to treatment. Researchers found the largest improvement in children ages four to 11-years-old, but did not see as big of an effect in children 12 and older. The therapy works by training the skins immune system to tolerate small amounts of peanuts. The patch has not yet been approved by the Food and Drug Administration, but according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the number of people who have a food allergy is growing, but there is no clear answer as to why. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

How much screen time should your children have may now depend on their age and family dynamics. FOX’s Alex Hein reports on the recent changes in this “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. The American Academy of Pediatrics has revised its long-standing recommendation regarding the amount of screen time children should have per day. While it once issued a general limit to two hours per day, the group now suggests each family devise a plan that accounts for the health, education and entertainment needs of the child and the rest of the family. It recommends parents prioritize unplugged playtime for infants and toddlers, but also recognize possible educational value that media can offer children beginning around 18 months of age. The group cautioned media introduced at this age must be high-quality programming and that too much can harm quality of sleep. The policy also says to avoid any screen media except for video chatting for children younger than 18 months and that children between 18 and 24 months only be exposed to high-quality program. Children ages two to five years should be limited to one hour of screen time per day. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex, Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Is your fitness tracking device actually motivating a healthier lifestyle? FOX’s Alex Hein explains in this “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. Fitness trackers were all the rage this summer, but do they actually work to motivate consumers or were they just flashy accessories? According to a study of out Singapore, fitness trackers add little benefit to consumers overall health, as researchers found that increasing step counts may not translate to real health improvements or weight loss. Researchers collected data on 800 employees from 13 different companies in Singapore. They mostly worked desk jobs offering little opportunity for exercise during the day. They offered cash incentives, charity donations and new devices to compare with a group who got nothing, but about a year after the trial involving incentives ended the group had essentially went back to their activity levels recorded before the study began. Only 10 percent of participants in all groups continued wearing the Fitbits at the one-year follow up. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

In today’s “Housecall for Health”, FOX’s Alex Hein reports on what to say to loved ones with suffering from cancer: When a loved one or someone you know is diagnosed with cancer, it can be difficult to find the right words to say. Prevention has come up with six things that you can say that can help offer some relief to a patient or caregiver struggling with the diagnosis: Instead of asking how to help, state the task you’ve decided to do. Like I’ll pick up the kids, or I’m dropping dinner off at 5 p.m. Know when to ooze optimism and know when to hear them out. Rather than say something generic, like it’s going to be okay, ask instead how they are doing and be responsive. Ask what the established boundaries are regarding questions you can and cannot ask. Let them know you’re thinking about them. One simple line that doesn’t always need a response. Share your good news too, but make sure it’s at the appropriate time. Don’t shy away from sharing your life with them. Nothing at all. Sometimes listening is all a person really wants. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow FOX’s Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Are carrots the key to a better eyesight? FOX’s Dr. Sapna Parikh addresses that theory in this “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. If you eat carrots, will it really improve your eyesight? Chances are you’ve heard that at some point, but is there any truth to it? Well the answer partly depends on your nutritional status is to begin with. Carrots are thought to be beneficial because of they contain beta carotene which your body converts to Vitamin-A. Vitamin-A does play a role in vision, especially night vision. It’s thought to help the eye convert incoming light into a signal that’s transmitted to the brain, so you can see in low light. For people in developing parts of the world who are undernourished, research shows that Vitamin-A supplements do improve vision. In fact, according to Scientific American, up to half a million children in those areas may become blind because of a Vitamin-A deficiency. But for most of us living in developed countries like the U.S., we already get enough Vitamin-A. Consuming more carrots or other Vitamin-A containing foods may help protect your vision, but it’s not gonna make a huge difference. For more on this story go to FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Dr. Sapna Parikh, FOX News. Follow Dr. Sapna Parikhn on Twitter: @sapna_parikh

A mothers instinct saves her sons life. FOX’s Dr. Sapna Parikh has the story in this “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. A Georgia mother’s instinct saved her son’s life. Soon after Benji was born in late 2015, his mother Pheobe knew something was wrong with his breathing, it was too fast. She says nurses reassured her that it’s normal for babies to breathe fast and slow, it’s called periodic breathing, but Phoebe tells FOX 5 Atlanta she was still worried: (Harrington) “He was breathing extremely fast over a 100 times per minute, it was like was running a marathon.” Tests revealed a hole in Benji’s heart between the two main chambers, a ventricular septal defect or VSD. That hole causes blood to flow in the wrong direction and little Benji was working so hard just to stay alive. When he was only three months old, doctors performed open heart surgery, repairing the hole in his tiny heart that merely the size of a small strawberry. Now almost a year old, Benji’s mother says he’s breathing better, smiling and thriving. For more on this story, go to FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Dr. Sapna Parikh, FOX News. Follow Dr. Sapna Parikh on Twitter: @sapna_parikh

New research shows effective ways to get people to use birth control. FOX’s Alex Hein has more in this “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. A new study has found an effective way to get people to use birth control, is to make sure it’s paid for. According to the study, women whose insurance covered the entire cost of birth control were more likely to use prescription contraceptives and to choose more effective long-term methods than women subject to co-pays. The Health Affairs study is one of the first to analyze if and how the contraceptive mandate in the Affordable Care Act implemented by President Obama has changed women’s decisions about contraceptives. Previous studies found that before the mandate women were sensitive to prices and if long-term methods cost significantly higher than short term, they were likely to choose the later. The study analyzed medical and pharmacy claims for more than 27,000 adult Midwestern women of reproductive age who worked for employers that eliminated out-of-pocket spending for prescription contraception. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Exercise is a big part of staying in shape, but you’d be surprised how many people at the ages of 50 & up aren’t. FOX’s Alex Hein has this week’s “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. A new study from the CDC suggests about one in four Americans ages 50 and older don’t regularly exercise, leaving them at a greater risk of heart disease, diabetes and cancer. The research, featured in the CDC’s morbidity and mortality weekly report, found that 31 million Americans ages 50 and older, or 28 percent, are not active beyond basic movements common in daily life. The CDC analyzed 2014 survey data that examined inactivity differences among the age group by race, sex, geographical region and more. Survey recipients were from all 50 U.S. states and the district of Columbia. They found about 30 percent of women were inactive compared to about 26 percent of men. Non Hispanic blacks were the least active followed by Hispanics, other groups and non-Hispanic whites. Inactivity appeared to slightly increase with age. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

After leaving the 9/11 memorial service early due to pneumonia, Alex Hein has the details of the Democratic nominee’s ailment in “Housecall for Health.” This is Housecall for Health. On Sunday, Democratic presidential nominee Hillary Clinton was captured on video, faltering after according to her campaign, she became overheated. Later they revealed the 68-year-old had been diagnosed with pneumonia recently, which is a serious condition, but something she should soon recover from. The Clinton campaign says she was put on antibiotics and advised to rest and modify her schedule. Pneumonia is commonly treated quickly and effectively with antibiotics. One expert said the diagnosis should not impede her function going forward. However, another doctor said people over the age of 65 have a harder time returning to normal, than do younger patients and may need a week or more to recover from even a mild case. Experts also said she is at a high risk for such an infection as she is constantly in enclosed spaces and face to face with thousands of people. For more on this story check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

There remains a large issue with health insurance coverage. FOX’s Alex Hein reports in this “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. It seems like for every covered check up there’s a horror insurance claim story involving a child’s cancer treatment or amputee’s limb. According to the Associated Press, despite efforts to expand and improve coverage, glaring disparities in coverage persist for amputees, children with autism and others in need of certain expensive treatments. Determining factors can stem from where the patient lives or who provides the coverage, two factors that the patient likely can do nothing about. The downside is that a gap in coverage can leave patients buried in debt, leading others to skip treatment altogether. The report warns that the gaps can become even wider as employers wrestle with how to combat skyrocketing healthcare costs. At least one researcher told the AP that it’ll require federal action to help close the gap, but that it’s not likely to happen anytime soon. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Consumer Reports is out with a new warning on certain supplements. FOX’s Alex Hein reports: This is Housecall for Health. We recently told you about Consumer Reports warning on caffeine powder, Aconite and Yohimbe, which are unregulated supplements that could have dire effects on the liver and kidney. Also on the list was Chaparral, which claims to help with weight loss, inflammation, skin rashes and cancer. Coltsfoot is another culprit, promising to help relieve coughs, sore throat, laryngitis, bronchitis and asthma. Consumer Reports also wants to you steer clear of Comfrey, a possible carcinogen and germander. Greater celandine, green tea extract powder, Kava, Lobelia , red yeast rice and Usnic acid. According to the report, the above mentioned products post risks to the liver, kidney, muscles, and heart and can trigger hair loss, nerve damage, convulsions and even death. If you’re unsure about a product, it’s always best to consult your physician. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

A new study showed that 9/11 had effects on babies who were not even born yet. FOX’s Alex Hein reports in this “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. According to a new study, the years following the events of 9/11 in lower Manhattan may have affected women and their babies who were not even conceived yet. Researchers found that among women who were rescue or recovery workers or women who resided below Canal Street in the World Trade Center’s neighborhood, those with the most intense exposures to the disaster had doubled the rates of preterm delivery and low birth-weight babies over the next few years. Researchers matched birth certificates for infants born in New York City between 9/11 2001 and the end of 2010 to disaster exposure data on women who were enrolled in the World Trade Center health registry. In that time there were 3,360 babies born in the city to women enrolled in the registry. Less than 10 percent of babies were born to women pregnant on 9/11. Almost seven percent were delivered preterm and six percent had low birth weight. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Genetic testing could help save your future child’s life. FOX’s Alex Hein reports in this “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. The story of one family whose son was born with a rare genetic condition that would not have been detected until many years later is inspiring others to consider at-home genetic testing before starting a family of their own. The child was born with extra pinky fingers, which is often dismissed as a superficial issue and can be addressed with plastic surgery. However, the child’s mother researched other causes, and was wary about some of the disorders associated with the trait. Through JScreen, she and her husband discovered they were carriers of a mutation for Bardet-Biedl syndrome, which affects many parts of the body and can cause cognitive issues. Patients are also at risk of renal and cardiac issues. Their results presented an argument to have their son tested, despite not showing any other symptoms of the disease aside from extra fingers. A diagnosis was confirmed and he’s now currently receiving preventive treatment for BBS. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

A new study shows the LGBT community is at higher risk for dating abuse. FOX’s Joy Piazza explains in “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. A study from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention show high school students who identify as gay, lesbian or bisexual are more likely to be assaulted in a dating situation than their classmates who are straight. The CDC interviewed more than 15,000 students of all orientations anonymously last year. Nearly one in five gay, lesbian and bisexual students said they were raped at one point in their lives, compared with one in 20 heterosexual students. Nearly one in five LGBT students say they’ve been physically assaulted on a date. More than double of what the straight students reported. And one in four LGBT students say they’ve tried to kill themselves over the past year. One in 16 heterosexual students claimed that. The study also showed that gay, lesbian and bisexual students are at a higher risk for being bullied and ostracized by other classmates. It’s the first time a government agency has compiled the data. For more on this story, check out FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health I’m Joy Piazza, FOX News. Follow Joy Piazza on Twitter: @Joyness1013

Monkeys may have the key to the cure to Zika. FOX’s Alex Hein explains: This is Housecall for Health. Researchers are turning their attention to monkeys in the fight against Zika after three experimental vaccines were shown to protect the animals from infection. According to one expert, the success in monkeys brings researchers one step closer to developing a safe and effective vaccine for humans, but he also cautioned that there’s much work left to do. In the study, one vaccine followed the traditional approach of using a dead strain of Zika to train the body to fight off the infection. They got a booster months later and were shown to be protected. In two other vaccine studies, the monkeys were given only the DNA of a single virus gene. It caused the monkeys bodies to pump out a protein found in the Zika virus, which it gave to the monkeys immune systems to attack the virus. In total eight monkeys were protected from the virus. They predict a method will be available to humans in early 2018. For more on this story check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Zika’s not the only health concern for athletes heading to Rio, now they need to worry about the water, which is heavily contaminated with raw human sewage. FOX’s Alex Hein reports in this “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. In addition to Zika, athletes are now being warned about another health hazard in Rio, as the waterways are contaminated with raw human sewage teeming with dangerous viruses and bacteria. With more than 1,400 athletes at risk of getting violently ill during water competitions, tourists are also facing potential risks as they flock to the golden beaches of Ipanema and Copacabana. Experts say swimmers and athletes who ingest just three teaspoons of water are almost certain to be infected with viruses that can cause stomach and respiratory illnesses and more rarely heart and brain inflammation. Athletes have been taking precaution to prevent illnesses like taking antibiotics, bleaching oars and donning plastic suits and gloves to limit contact with the water. One expert has advice to travelers and Olympians alike: Don’t put your head under water. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

A new cancer drug could stop cells from developing resistance to treatments. FOX’s Alex Hein reports in “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. In the war against cancer, scientists are in search of a new tactic to develop anti-evolution drugs that stop tumor cells from developing resistance to treatment. At Britain’s Institute of Cancer Research, researchers are aiming to discover at least one new drug targeting a novel evolutionary mechanism and a new immunotherapy over the next five years. While doctors have long-known about cancer’s drug resistance, it is only now with advances in genetics and the development of ultra-fast DNA sequencing that scientists are unraveling the factors driving the process. They’re working on a controller of the stress response known as HSF-1, which may lead to a number of combination treatments to stop cancer evolving, similar to the drug cocktails used to control HIV or tuberculosis. Another large part of the research will be driven by the use of mathematical models to predict the path of cancer evolution from tumor samples. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Are there benefits to smoking e-cigarettes? FOX’s Marghiee Teshineh reports in this “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. There is much debate over the benefits and risks of puffing on a e-cigarette, but according to a new study some of the benefits could be life-saving. A study published in Nicotine and Tobacco Research claims that e-cigarettes could lead to a 21 percent drop in deaths from smoking-related diseases in those born after 1997. The study distinguishes between youths who vape who would not otherwise have taken up any nicotine product, and those who vape who would otherwise have smoked cigarettes. When both were taken into account, the benefit outweighs the harm. Most previous studies count anyone who has vaped within the past 30 days as e-cigarette users, which can include someone who goes to a party and vapes once or twice. This study did not focus on those people. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Marghiee Teshineh, FOX News. Follow FOX’s Marghiee Teshineh on Twitter: @LadyTrackSide

With worries of Zika on the rise, how can pregnant women, who are twice as likely to be bit, protect themselves against mosquitoes? FOX’s Alex Hein explains with your “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. With the summer sun upon us, many have amped up their mosquito control measures in fear of the Zika virus. For pregnant women especially, taking these precautions are vital. According to a 2000 study, pregnant women are twice as likely to be bitten by certain types of mosquitoes. Researchers say there are two reasons for this: One pregnant women exhale more air than non-pregnant women, leading mosquitoes to be attracted to the carbon dioxide in their breath. Pregnant women’s abdomens are also roughly .7 degrees Celsius hotter than normal, so their skin releases more volatile compounds like mosquito attracting lactic acid. The Zika virus has wreaked havoc in the Americas and Caribbean, with many countries reporting babies born with severe birth defects. The Zika virus has not been detected in New York mosquitoes yet, but they can also carry other viruses like West Nile. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889 For more Housecall for Health CLICK HERE

New research shows that stress may not be turing those hairs gray. FOX’s Alex Hein reports: This is Housecall for Health. Do you panic at the sight of a gray hair? And then do you panic that that panic is causing even more grays? Well, you can relax, about one part at least. According to Self, while stress has been known to trigger hair loss, there’s little research showing that it can actually turn your hair gray. It’s possible that stress has some influence over the graying process, but there’s no research suggesting that stress directly causes the grays to appear. For the most part, experts say to blame your parents for your gray hairs rather than your tendency to get worked up. Genetics play the largest role in when your hair will start to turn color, and scientists even pinpointed the first gene responsible for it. That discovery could one day hold the key to preventing gray hair in people who aren’t a fan of the salt and pepper look. There is one habit you can directly link to gray hair though, cigarette smoking. According to Self a 2013 study found a significant link between lighting up and turning gray before 30. For more on this story check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Watch the latest video at foxnews.com One baseball father-son duo is teaming up to spread awareness for prostate cancer. FOX’s Alex Hein reports in “Housecall for Health”: Baseball’s famous father-son duo Ken Griffey Sr. and Jr. are teaming up again, but this time it’s to spread awareness about a deadly disease that hits close to home for them both, prostate cancer. Griffey Sr. was diagnosed with prostate cancer 11 years ago after going to the doctor at the insistence of his mother. He didn’t have any symptoms, but other patients may experience troubling urinating, poor urine flow, blood in semen, discomfort in pelvic area, bone pain and erectile dysfunction. His diagnosis prompted Jr. and his friends to get checked and now Sr. and Jr. want other men to get vocal about the cancer and have joined ‘The Men Who Speak Up’ campaign: (Griffey Jr.) “After awhile it became just a normal conversation. I have friends who you know were all around 47 to 51 and it’s a lot easier for us to talk about it. We make sure that everybody knows their doctors appointments and we get on them about keeping their doctors appointments.” For more on this story check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow FOX’s Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889 For more on the ‘Men Who Speak Up’ campaign CLICK HERE

A study released out of a Denver Hospital shows that gun related injuries are on the rise and becoming more severe. FOX’s Alex Hein has more in “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. Days after the deadliest mass shooting in U.S. history, a hospital in Denver has released a study saying that deaths from gunshot wounds at its trauma center have increased over the past decade, with gunshot injuries becoming more severe. The researchers say despite the study relying on data from one hospital, it represents a trend doctors elsewhere have reported anecdotally. The data analyzed information on gunshot wounds treated at Denver Health Medical Center from 2000 to 2013. Death rates for gunshot wounds increased during the study period by about six percent on average every two-year period. The risk of having a severe gunshot injury also increased by 6.5 percent for every two year period, and the risk of a patient having more than two severe wounds increased by about five percent. One study author said that firearms are becoming more harmful and more lethal. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow FOX’s Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

There may be a new form of therapy for patients with multiple sclerosis. FOX’s Alex Hein reports: This is Housecall for Health. Researchers now suggest that a new form of therapy for multiple sclerosis that involves destroying the patients immune system and regenerating a new one using stem cells taken from their bone marrow can ‘halt’ the progression and even reverse symptoms of the autoimmune disease. The news comes after a 13-year trial, involving 24 people with a highly active relapsing form of multiple sclerosis and saw 70 percent of the patients report a complete halt in the progression. In 40 percent of the MS patients, symptoms were reversed for a period of time. However, researchers noted a danger of the therapy is the threat of infection for patients while they are unprotected by an immune system. It’s also thought that the therapy will only help a certain type of patient in early stages of MS. The study was published the Lancet Journal and reported on by Sky News. For more on this story check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow FOX’s Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Ladies may be losing their hair faster than they think. FOX’s Alex Hein presents “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. Its normal to shed about 50 to 100 hairs per day, but according to a new study about 40 percent of American women are losing noticeably more by midlife. Alarmingly, one expert said that most women aren’t even aware of their thinning hair until they have lost about 15 percent of their hair volume, which means it started long before they caught on. Regardless of why it’s thinning, prevention has a few promising treatments you could test to help restore your luscious locks. Qilib Hair Regrowth and Revitalization system for women is a twice-daily regimen that consists of a leave-in spray and a second spray containing a botanical blend. There’s also trichotherapy hair and scalp regime for fine and thinning hair by Philip Kingsley. It’s a daily three-step program that includes a protein spra, scal drops and a dietary supplement. You can also try an FDA-cleared high tech headband by Hairmax laser band to regrow your hair, or shake up your diet to encourage hair growth. For more tips, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow FOX’s Alex Hein on Twitter: @AHlex3889

A study sheds new light on how opiate use affects the body. FOX’s Alex Hein has “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. While opioids are prescribed to help relieve chronic pain, a new study suggests these painkillers may actually do the opposite. Published in the Journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, researchers said that although their findings were drawn from mice, their observations may have implications for humans amid an opioid abuse epidemic in the U.S. that’s killed at estimated 20,000 Americans in 2015. Study authors found that only five days of morphine treatment caused chronic pain that persisted for several months by worsening pain signals from certain immune cells in the spinal cord. Researchers observed that a peripheral nerve injury in rats relayed a signal from damaged nerve cells to spinal cord immune cells known as glial cells, which are supposed to clear unwanted debris. The first signal of pain triggers glial cells for further action, but five days of opioid treatment sends them into overdrive leading to spinal cord inflammation and other consequences. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow FOX’s Alex Hein on Twitter: @AHlex3889

More Americans than ever have been reading those FDA-mandated food labels before buying packaged foods. Yet they haven’t been changed in decades. Now… there will be a change mandated for food labels in your grocery store as part of an effort to reduce obesity across the United States. FOX’s Alex Hein reports: This is Housecall for Health. Nutrition facts labels on food packages will be getting a long-awaited makeover with calories listed in bigger, bolder type and a new line for added sugars. Serving sizes will also be updated to make them more realistic so a small bag of chips doesn’t count as two or three servings. The changes were first proposed two years ago by the Food and Drug Administration and are the first major update of the labels since they were created in 1994. While fat was the focus when the labels were created, there’s now more concern about how many calories people eat. The calorie listing will now be larger than the rest of the type making it had to overlook. Serving sizes will be easier to see and it will be easier to figure out how many servings are in a container. The food industry has two years to comply, and while some companies have fought the new line for added sugar, others have supported it. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

A new cosmetic procedure is making waves for women. FOX’s Alex Hein has “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. A unique trend is sweeping through the cosmetic surgery industry promising to make women look 10 years younger. It’s called microneedling and it’s meant to reduce wrinkles. It’s claimed to be a less invasive alternative to botox fillers and lasers and it uses tiny needles to puncture the skin making small wounds. Collagen produce is stimulated during the healing process which results in smoother, more taut skin. One doctor told the New York Post that people are seeking the treatment as a way to get some tightening and wrinkle reduction at the same time. Microneedling first appeared in the 1960’s, but modern advances in technology have made the approach less painful and more popular. Sessions typically last twenty minutes and can range from $500 to $1,500 with at least three sessions recommended for the best results. The recovery promises to be minimal while producing drastic results. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

In today’s “Housecall for Health,” FOX’s Alex Hein reports on how euphoric therapy can help veterans better cope with their post traumatic stress disorder triggers: This is Housecall for Health. The triggers for post traumatic stress disorder can appear in unexpected places. For one veteran who served in Afghanistan, fireworks made him visualize grizzly images of mangled bodies. James, who’s last name is withheld, said that during his deployment he had to sever the connection between his heart and head in order to be able to process images of soldiers’ and children’s bodies mangled by explosions. But when he got back, he couldn’t reestablish the connection. He became unpredictable and was unable to control his emotions. He tried traditional and non traditional forms of therapy, but found the most help in an experimental study involving MDMA, commonly known as ecstasy or molly. One expert said that if a trained therapist can harness the euphoria and feelings of overwhelming love that ecstasy can invoke, it could help patients navigate through trauma. However, when used incorrectly or in a party setting, MDMA could have fatal consequences. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News.

Fans of the NBC hit ‘The Biggest Loser’ may be shocked to know that most of the contestants gain back the weight after the show ends. The drastic changes are not sustainable once the metabolism slows down and is unable to recover. FOX’s Alex Hein explains: This is Housecall for Health. For 17 seasons, viewers watched contestants on NBC’s ‘The Biggest Loser’ drastically change their bodies through strict dieting and intense exercise… However, a new study published in obesity says that the weight loss isn’t sustainable because their metabolisms slow down and never recover. Researchers analyzing 14 contestants from season eight found that 13 of them regained some of the weight back and four gained back what they lost, plus more. At the beginning of the competition, contestants started with an average resting metabolism. As they dieted and exercised to shed pounds quickly their metabolism slowed down. The contestants with the greatest weight lost also experienced the greatest slowing of metabolism. The show said in a statement that they are considering the study funded by the National Institutes of Health and routinely re-evaluate support systems and comprehensive procedures to ensure contestants receive the best care possible. For more on this story check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News.

The FDA is considering implementing safety training courses for prescription medication. FOX’s Alex Hein explains in “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. According to federal documents, the Food and Drug Administration is reconsidering whether doctors who prescribe painkillers like Oxycontin, should be required to take safety training courses. A meeting is set for this week where a panel of FDA advisers will review risk-management plans put in place nearly four years ago to reduce misuse and abuse of long-acting painkillers, powerful drugs frequently abused for their euphoric effects. Currently, drug makers fund voluntary training for physicians in safely prescribing their medications, but many experts said the measures didn’t go far enough and training should be mandatory. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, opioids, including prescription pain relievers and heroin, killed more than 28,000 people in 2014. At least half of all opioid overdose deaths involved a prescription drug. In the next round of meetings, outside safety experts will be asked what changes should be made to improve risk plans. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News.

We’ve all been told the story about the birds and the bees. But thanks to a recent medical study, researchers now have the capability to identify the exact moment when conception takes place. FOX’s Alex Hein has more in “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. For the first time, researchers have witnessed the exact moment conception occurs, and have recorded the ensuing explosion of sparks that form when sperm meets an egg. According to the Telegraph, scientists had previously captured the moment in animals, but this is the first time it’s been recorded in humans. By looking at the size and quality of the zinc spark, researchers could know immediately which eggs are ideal to transfer during in vitro fertilization. Researchers who analyzed a video of nine human eggs touching the sperm observed that two flashed brighter than the others, insight that could provide an important tool for doctors trying to determine which fertilized eggs to choose during IVF.. Researchers noted that some of the eggs burn brighter than others, which may indicate they are more likely to develop into a healthy fetus. This could provide a non-invasive, easily visible way to assess the health of an egg. The study was published in the journal Scientific Reports. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News.

Medical researchers are investigating how the neural mechanism “ego dissolution” can influence how the human brain functions. FOX’s Alex Hein has more in “Housecall for Health”: This is Housecall for Health. When people take the psychedelic drug LSD, they may feel as if the boundary that separates them from the rest of the world has dissolved as if they are connected with everything. Now, a new study has revealed a neural mechanism behind this phenomenon called “ego dissolution.” The study’s result suggests further research on LSD and other psychedelic drugs, which is currently banned in the U.S. and elsewhere, could provide important insight into how the human brain works. Researches stress any study should be done in a carefully controlled setting. “Ego dissolution” is also at the core of the treatment of death related anxiety and terminal stage cancer patients, which involves another drug that has some similarities with LSD. For such patients, “ego dissolution” can be a positive and trans-formative experience leading to peace, acceptance and a new perspective of things. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News.

The moral fiber of our youth may not be as innocent as we believe it to be. A Yale psychology study reveals how children prioritize between right versus wrong. FOX’s Alex Hein has more: This is Housecall for Health. Often you hear adults marvel over the innocence of children, but a recent study suggests that even little ones will make a deal with the devil if the price is right. Two psychologists at Yale were interested in finding out the age at which kids will avoid a wrongdoer, even if it comes at a cost to the kids themselves. They knew from previous research that older kids prioritize moral considerations over their own incentives. They decided to look at the moral dilemma in children both older and younger than age seven. The children were given a choice between a smaller and larger offering. Most of the time, regardless of age, the kids chose a bigger prize. But this wasn’t always the case… When the giver of the reward was called a bad guy, the participants took a small prize from a good guy. Interestingly enough, when the bad guy offered a considerable amount more than the good guy, 67% of the participants sold out to get the bigger prize. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News.

The rise in generic drugs production has led to a global shortage of essential medicine. The World Health Organization and the FDA believe intervention is necessary. FOX’s Alex Hein with the story in “Housecall for Health.”: This is Housecall for Health. Shortages of essential drugs, mostly generic medicines, whose patents have long expired, are becoming increasingly frequent globally, prompting the World Health Organization to suggest minimum prices may be needed to keep some products on the market. Shortages are due to a variety of factors from manufacturing, quality, and raw material issues to unexpected spikes in demand. The rise in shortages has gone hand and hand with the wave of consolidation among the firms making generic drugs, reducing the number of manufactures making individual product lines. Drug regulators can not mandate a company to continuing producing a drug either. In addition, shortages in developing countries can go unreported for months or even years, increasing the risk of counterfeit drugs. One FDA drug shortage program official believes global action could compliment national measures, but also said that new ways to confront shortages must be found. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News.

Having memory issues? Researchers are investigating if memory recall is affected by an individual’s weight. FOX’s Alex Hein reports: This is Housecall for Health. Having a big belly can be cause for concern for a number of health reasons like heart disease, high blood pressure and high cholesterol. And now, according to researchers at the University of Cambridge, a bigger belly may also signal trouble for your brain. In a study, overweight participants scored 15% lower on memory recall tests than normal-weight people. Researchers suggest that having a higher body mass index may hurt your memory, but they aren’t exactly sure why. They believe that fat, rather than high amounts of muscle, are likely the key factor. Another researcher told Men’s Health that its possible that it may not be the fat causing the memory problems, but that people with poorer memories are more likely to put on extra weight. If this is the case, we should try to make meals more memorable so you are less likely to be distracted which can lead to overeating. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News.

Even though new tests may be able to show people if they are more likely to develop certain diseases, some don’t change their behaviors. FOX’s Alex Hein explains: This is Housecall for Health. The saying goes that you can’t change your genes, but you can change your behavior. That seems relevant in today’s world where genetic testing and mapping are widely available. However, a new study published in the journal The BMJ finds that people who have a genetic test result that tells them they are at higher risk for lung cancer or heart disease aren’t likely to change their health behaviors anyway. Researchers in England found that providing people with information about their estimated genetic risk for developing certain diseases such as diabetes, lung cancer, skin cancer or heart disease, had little or no effect on their health-related behavior. The results from genetic tests were just not a factor that motivated people to change their lifestyle habits, especially when it came to quitting smoking and getting more exercise. Smokers who found out they had an increased genetic risk of developing lung cancer were not more motivated to stop smoking than those who were not told they had a higher genetic risk. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News.

According to experts, men and women require different amounts of sleep, you won’t believe the explanation behind it. FOX’s Alex Hein reports: This is Housecall for Health. Adding to the list of differences between men and women: Scientists now say that women need more sleep than men because their brains are more complex. According to researchers at Loughborough University Sleep Research Center in England, women’s brains are wired differently so their need for sleep is slightly greater. They also tend to multi-task more than men, meaning they use a greater amount of their brain. The researchers also noted that poor or disruptive sleep effects women more so than it does men. For women poor sleep is associated with high levels of psychological distress and greater feelings of hostility, depression and anger. Those feelings were not associated with the same degree of sleep disruption in men. Experts generally recommend that all adults aim for seven to nine hours of sleep per night. For more on this story check foxnewshealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News.

So just how much exercise should you be getting a week? FOX’s Alex Hein reports: This is Housecall for Health. Couch potatoes, rejoice! Extreme exercise may be toxic for your heart, according to a review of studies set to appear in the Canadian Journal of Cardiology. Apparently pushing your body to the max day after day can stress your heart and raise your risk for a type of abnormal heart rhythm called atrial fibrillation, or a-fib, which can ultimately lead to heart failure or a stroke. But the researchers cautioned not exercising at all is far worse for your heart than overdoing it and as always that moderation is key. Moderate-intensity exercise includes movement that raises your heartbeat such as casual sports, walking briskly, jogging, biking, or swimming. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention recommends that adults get at least 150 minutes of moderate exercise per week to help ward off unhealthy weight gain and heart disease. The review analyzed 12 studies on a-fib and athletes and endurance runners. For more on this story, check foxnewshealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News.

A new study is out that deals with anxiety. FOX’s Alex Hein reports: This is Housecall for Health. People with anxiety may not be able to distinguish between neutral and threatening stimuli as well as individuals without this mental health condition. In a small study researchers designed a sound experiment to explore the brain’s plasticity or its ability to change and respond to new situations. These changes influence how the brain reacts to stimuli and whether the person is able to distinguish between safe or dangerous circumstances. Researchers said the study suggests that people with anxiety cannot discriminate between stimuli that have an emotional content and similar mundane or daily stimuli. That might explain the anxious response that they exhibit to scenarios that seem regular, normal or non emotional to anyone else. They cautioned that the study is small and more research involving more people is still needed to understand how or whether anxiety may directly cause shifts in how people perceive the world around them. For more on this story, check foxnewshealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News.

How do doctors get rated by their patients? FOX’s Alex Hein explains: This is Housecall for Health. Whether or not a doctor is rated well by patients may depend entirely on where the visit takes place. In a small U.S. study, patients gave the same doctors different ratings depending on where their visit occurred. Researchers compared patient satisfaction surveys collected from three different locations staffed by the same set of doctors. One was an emergency department in an urban environment, while the other two were urgent care sites in more suburban areas. Patients who saw doctors in the emergency room gave them consistently lower scores compared to those in urgent care settings. Although doctors may act differently in an emergency room compared to a calmer office setting, researchers say the results also suggest that ratings are not a completely reliable measure of the quality of care physicians give. As healthcare payers put more focus on patient experience, the scores are being used to reward physicians and hospitals which do well, and punish those who don’t. For more on this story, check foxnewshealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News.

Every day someone is affected by cancer. How close are we to finding a cure? FOX’s Alex Hein reports: This is Housecall for Health. With advancements in nearly all areas of medicine, one field garners much fear among patients: Cancer. FOX News’ Dr. Manny Alvarez spoke to Dr. David Agus, author of ‘The Lucky Years’ about recent developments: (Dr. Manny) “Are we winning the war on cancer?” (Dr. Agus) “No, not even close. We’re doing better, but I have patients who die every week, and I’m sure you do too, from this horrible disease. So there are really two big advances that have happened in the last couple of years, and they’re big. They’re not curing it, so we’re not winning, but they are prolonging and decreasing some of the pain and suffering. One is what we call ‘personalized medicine’ or molecularly targeted therapy. That is, in any cancer patient, I can, literally overnight, sequence the DNA of their cancer and identify an on-switch and give them one of 30 or 40 pills that are on the market now to turn off that ‘on-switch.’ And that works, many times we can have dramatic responses in patients.” For more on this story, check foxnewshealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News.

There’s a new way to overcome a hangover. FOX’s Alex Hein has the details: This is Housecall for Health. There’s a new remedy on the market to handle the repercussions that come with spending a night out on the town, and it’s even making housecalls. The IV Doc, one of the first in home intravenous hydration services with outlets in New York City, the Hamptons, and Chicago, offers patients the opportunity to call or go online to select one of the four treatments available. Within an hour a registered nurse arrives at the client’s home or office with an IV bag full of either cleanse, detox, refresh, or revive treatments. The cleanse includes 1,000 milliliters of a sterile solution that is a mix of electrolytes while others additionally offer more solution plus medication infusions targeted at nausea and other ailments. IV hydration has long been used to treat dehydration in emergency rooms and involves injecting fluids into a patient’s veins. The IV Doc treatments take about 30 minutes and cost between $200 and $250 per session depending on the treatment selected. For more on this story, check foxnewshealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News.

Head lice has seemed to evolve, and has parents frustrated. FOX’s Alex Hein reports: This is Housecall for Health. So-called ‘super lice’ have invaded 25 states, frustrating parents and students alike as regular treatment proves to be no weapon against them. Regular over the counter treatment had a 100% success rate in 2000 against head lice, but now only work in about 25% of cases. It seems the bugs have evolved to develop resistance to it. A new FDA-approved treatment called AirAlle which was developed by Lice Clinics of America has been found to be effective, but treatments cost about $170 without insurance coverage. It uses heated air to dehydrate the lice and eggs in a single treatment that takes about an hour. The company guarantees effectiveness. Parents should teach their children about the repercussions of sharing hats, hairbrushes, and coming into contact with another’s hair. For those who do get lice, parents should rely on what they know to get it under control. For more on this story, check foxnewshealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News.

Parents around the country are in outrage over moldy sippy cups from a popular brand. FOX’s Alex Hein has more: This is Housecall for Health. Outraged parents are taking to social media to share photos of moldy Tommee Tippee sippy cups and it calls for the manufacture to investigate the potential health harm. Parents are claiming the mold on the popular cups can only be seen when opening their anti-leak spout. One parent said that his son’s sickness persisted and he couldn’t figure out why until he opened the spout of his sippy cup and discovered mold. Photos of the cups have been shared more than 45,000 times with warnings about mildew. The company issued a statement saying the mold issue is likely being caused by the use of non-recommended liquid, which includes thick formula milk, pulpy juice, and warm liquids. The company further said they contacted a concerned parent and are talking to him about his use of the cup. They apologized and are following up on any concerns. The statement also advised parents to clean the cups regularly and said to avoid any potential harm, they would be making a transparent valve available in the future. For more on this story check foxnewshealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News.

More research is needed before officials can make a definitive connection between birth defects and the Zika virus. FOX’s Alex Hein reports: This is Housecall for Health. Evidence is building for the theory that Zika can cause newborn brain defects, but nailing a definitive link will neither be simple nor swift. Specialists say picking apart numerous potential connections between mothers who show evidence of infection and babies born with microcephaly will require precision and patience. One expert said the timing depends on how definitive officials want to be. Part of the challenge is the difficulty of ruling other things out, microcephaly is known to be linked to some parasitic and bacterial diseases as well as rubella, herpes, HIV, and exposure to some chemicals. The current outbreak began in 2015 and has spread to over 20 countries in the Americas, prompting the World Health Organization to declare the virus and its suspected links to birth defects a global emergency. For more on this story, check foxnewshealth.com. Housecall for Health, I’m Alex Hein, FOX News.