Of the list of major foods that cause allergies and intolerances, there’s arguably one in this category that affects the highest number of Americans most noticeably. If you deal with a dairy sensitivity or allergy, you may want to be particularly mindful of breakfasts on the road right now.

On Tuesday, July 2, the US Department of Agriculture’s Food Safety and Inspection Services published an announcement dated June 30 advising that a brand of “liquid egg products” had been recalled because “the product contains dairy (milk), a known allergen, which is not declared on the product label.”

It may go without saying that individuals with dairy issues may want to practice caution around eggs, but this may serve as an added reminder during the height of hotel season. That’s because the product is said to have been distributed to “restaurant consignees” in Alabama, Idaho, Louisiana, Minnesota, Nebraska, New Mexico, Ohio, South Carolina, and Utah. The term “consignee” suggests these dining establishments received the product, but it is not clear whether those businesses distributed it further. Also worth noting is that this is the type of egg product that’s commonly found at hotel breakfast buffets.

For restaurant and hotel businesses, the FSIS reports that the product is called “Fair Meadow Foundations Whole Eggs with Citric Acid” and was manufactured on June 22, 2024 by Minnesota-based Michael Foods Inc. The “liquid egg blend” came in 32-ounce paperboard carton containers. The announcement states that the product was boxed and labeled as Scrambled Egg Blend. The FSIS adds that the phrase EST. G1455 is indicated inside the USDA mark of inspection.

It’s said the error was identified during a routine carton inventory evaluation, when excess containers of non-dairy egg product were discovered while a quantity of the “Whole Eggs with Citric Acid” product were unaccounted for.

The FSIS states: There have been no confirmed reports of adverse reactions due to consumption of these products. Anyone concerned about an injury or illness should contact a healthcare provider.  

FSIS is concerned that some product may be in institutional/restaurant refrigerators. Restaurants/institutions are urged not to serve these products. These products should be thrown away or returned to the place of purchase.

To contact Michael Foods or the FSIS about this advisory, details can be found in the recall announcement.

The FSIS calls this a Class I recall, which the FDA explains determines the egg recall as “a situation in which there is a reasonable probability that the use of, or exposure to, a violative product will cause serious adverse health consequences or death.”

Stay informed on recall news with The Healthy by Reader’s Digest newsletter and follow The Healthy on Facebook and Instagram. Keep reading:

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• What Is a Recall, and Why Do They Happen? An Expert Explains

If you or someone you know has needed to cash in a sick day, it’s part of a trend: According to the CDC’s data tracker, Covid cases have been on the rise in at least 44 states, with a 1.4% increase in reported positive cases in the past week. Protective measures like masking, social distancing, and frequent hand-washing can help short-term Covid infection—but a new study suggests they may also prevent long-term health complications, especially for certain demographics.

Beyond the Covid symptoms we all know, such as congestion, headache, or shortness of breath, infection can also lead to sustained issues with memory and cognition, respiratory problems and even cardiovascular complications. These long-term issues could affect anyone who catches Covid, so protective measures are always a good idea—but some Americans are more vulnerable than others, and it’s important to know if you’re at a heightened risk. For example, a new study published in Heart & Lung highlights which people could be most vulnerable to heart problems in particular.

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Led by a team of 12 virus researchers, the study followed 1,964 adult patients diagnosed with Covid-19 who were admitted to the Hospital for Infectious Diseases in Warsaw, Poland between March 2020 and November 2021.

Of those patients, 14.3% had cardiovascular complications, including 6.36% who had arrhythmias, 5.5% who suffered thromboembolic events (when a blood clot forms a blockage) and 2.39% who experienced a heart attack and/or stroke.

The researchers identified three common factors among these patients that were associated with “especially pronounced” cardiovascular complications. First, the median age of patients who experienced these issues was typically older, around 74 years old, compared to a median age of about 63 years for patients with no heart complications.

Also, patients with pre-existing heart disease and patients with a severe case of pneumonia when they received care were also more vulnerable to future heart issues associated with Covid-19 infection.

The researchers also observed a few other patterns among patients with heart problems: High blood pressure, diabetes and nicotine addiction were more common among these patients—and patients with dementia and hemiplegia, or paralysis of one side of the body, had an “extremely high risk” of heart attacks and strokes, according to the study.

The risk of cardiovascular complications underscores the need for continued vigilance in preventing Covid-19 infections, especially for older adults and those with underlying health conditions. No matter your level of vulnerability, though, the best defense against potential severe outcomes is still preventing infection in the first place. Wearing masks, practicing social distancing and getting vaccinated remain essential to both protect yourself from immediate infection—and reduce your risk of enduring health issues.

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What did we do before dry shampoo, especially in the heat of summer? A few spritzes save time when your wash is still relatively fresh, and act as a life-saver when you simply don’t have time to re-style.

However, research has identified dangers from dry shampoo—and a new alert hints at how important it is to consider what’s inside that aerosol can.

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What dry shampoo brands are being recalled?

On July 1, the United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published an update to a major hair care manufacturer’s recall of 19 dry shampoo aerosol products. The recall by Unilever was originally initiated in October 2022 to include products from the brands Dove, Nexxus, Suave, TIGI (Bed Head and Rockaholic) and TRESemmé, which had been produced as early as in October 2021. According to a press release from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the shampoos were recalled “because testing of the product showed low levels of Benzene.” At that time, the FDA referred to the reason for the recall announcement as “product safety/unapproved ingredient.”

Benzene has been classified as a human carcinogen, as the National Cancer Institute has noted the chemical can lead to cancers such as leukemia and “other blood disorders.” Benzene also happens to be an ingredient in gasoline, according to the CDC.

As part of the original recall, Unilever said an internal investigation had identified the propellant as the source of the benzene. (Propellants in cosmetics and food products such as cooking sprays are often notorious nuisances for concerning chemical exposure.)

The FDA’s update suggests the total recalled products were 1,559,190 cases of Dove, Nexxus, TRESemmé and Suave, plus 559,844 units of the two TIGI brands.

The recalled products are as follows:

• Dove Dry Shampoo Volume and Fullness: 1.15 oz, 5 oz and 7.3 oz cans
• Dove Dry Shampoo Fresh Coconut: 1.15 oz, 5 oz and 7.3 oz cans
• Dove Dry Shampoo Fresh and Floral: 5 oz cans
• Dove Dry Shampoo Ultra Clean: 5 oz cans
• Dove Dry Shampoo Invisible: 5 oz cans
• Dove Dry Shampoo Detox and Purify: 5 oz cans
• Dove Dry Shampoo Clarifying Charcoal: 5 oz cans
• Dove Dry Shampoo Go Active: 5 oz cans
• Nexxus Dry Shampoo Refreshing Mist: 5 oz cans
• Nexxus Inergy Foam Shampoo: 6.7 oz cans
• Suave Dry Shampoo Hair Refresher: 5 oz cans
• Suave Professionals Dry Shampoo Refresh and Revive: 4.3 oz cans
• TRESemmé Dry Shampoo Volumizing: 1.15 oz, 5 oz and 7.3 oz cans
• TRESemmé Dry Shampoo Fresh and Clean: 5 oz and 7.3 oz cans
• TRESemmé Pro Pure Dry Shampoo: 5 oz cans
• Bed Head Oh Bee Hive Dry Shampoo: 5 oz cans
• Bed Head Oh Bee Hive Volumizing Dry Shampoo: 5 oz cans
• Bed Head Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo: 2.1 oz cans
• Bed Head Rockaholic Dirty Secret Dry Shampoo: 2.5 oz cans

How do I know if I have an affected dry shampoo?

If you own any of these dry shampoos, you can check their UPC and lot code against the list of recalled products to see whether they were included.

The products were distributed to 43 states: Alaska, Alabama, Arkansas, Arizona, California, Colorado, Connecticut, Florida, Georgia, Hawaii, Iowa, Idaho, Illinois, Indiana, Kansas, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, Massachusetts, Maryland, Maine, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, North Carolina, Nebraska, New Hampshire, New Jersey, Nevada, New York, Ohio, Oklahoma, Oregon, Pennsylvania, Rhode Island, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, Virginia, Vermont, Washington and Wisconsin. It appears the recall also affected products distributed into Anguilla.

In June 2024, the FDA categorized this recall as Class II.

Though the FDA reports an independent health hazard evaluation found that daily exposure to the level of benzene in the affected products would likely not cause health complications, Unilever recalled them out of an “abundance of caution.” According to the FDA, Unilever had received “no reports of adverse events” at the time of the original recall.

What should I do if I have a recalled product?

If you have any of the recalled products, you can visit UnileverRecall.com for instructions on how to get a refund. You can also contact Unilever by calling (877) 270-7412 on Monday through Friday, between 8:30 a.m. and 9 p.m. EST.

It’s an important reminder to shop clean beauty. And if you’re passionate about narrowing down your purchase of cruelty-free products, consider shopping apps like Cruelty Cutter.

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If feeling anxious has ever spurred you to place your hand over your heart, new research may help articulate why this may be such a natural response. The Cleveland Clinic even highlights the link between anxiety and physical symptoms such as heart palpitations, and now a new study is connecting severe anxiety with what the authors call “the most important subtype” of heart disease.

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Researchers at the Mashhad University of Medical Sciences in Iran aimed to identify the connection between anxiety and cardiovascular diseases. The researchers used data from a 10-year prospective cohort study that examined risk factors in residents of Mashad, Iran’s second most populous city.

They also employed the Beck Anxiety Inventory, a survey that measures the frequency of anxiety symptoms, to assess participants’ anxiety levels. This classified participants into four levels of anxiety severity.

The researchers found that people with higher levels of anxiety showed a greater risk for developing heart disease over the course of 10 years. People with panic disorder could experience a “significantly” increased risk.

Also of note is their observation that “a growing number of studies are showing the possible unfavorable effect of anxiety on [cardiovascular diseases], particularly on [coronary artery disease], which is a major and most important subtype of [cardiovascular diseases.” The Cleveland Clinic describes coronary artery disease as a narrowing of coronary arteries due to plaque buildup that can lead to a heart attack. The authors suggest more research is necessary to understand the biological link between anxiety, particularly panic disorders, and coronary artery disease.

In the meantime, this is a reminder of how truly beneficial anxiety management can be. Tools like therapy, deep breathing, meditation and yoga can offer quick relief, and a healthy lifestyle with regular exercise, a balanced diet and enough sleep can make a major difference in maintaining your mental well-being. Talk with your healthcare provider about the options, including medication, that might be most appropriate for you.

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According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), smoking remains the leading cause of preventable death in the US, with 28.3 million US adults currently dealing with a smoking habit. Decades of research show smoking can contribute to a host of health problems, including lung cancer, heart disease, stroke, fertility issues and more.

Of these, increasing research suggests lung cancer isn’t the only cancer cigarette smoking may be to blame for. New research suggests a clear connection to another high-risk type that occurs a little lower down in the body.

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A June 2024 peer-reviewed study led by gastrointestinal specialists at Harbin Medical University in China and published in Scientific Reports aimed to narrow in on whether there appeared to be a direct link between unhealthy lifestyle choices such as cigarette smoking and the risk of colorectal cancer. The researchers analyzed data coming from various regions of the world gathered on 3,022 colorectal cancer patients and 174,006 people without the disease. The analysis focused on specific genetic markers linked to unhealthy lifestyle choices, including smoking, obesity, alcohol consumption and physical activity.

The researchers assessed the apparent colorectal cancer risk from four smoking behaviors: The age when individuals started smoking, whether smoking became habitual, how many cigarettes per day they smoked, and whether they had successfully quit.

The researchers report the results: “Our study found a potential association between smoking and an increased risk of colorectal cancer.” Based on their findings, people who smoked a greater number of cigarettes each day, and those who started smoking routinely before adulthood, seemed to show a significantly higher risk of colon cancer. Smoking a greater number of cigarettes daily increased the risk by 30%, while simply starting to smoke raised the risk by more than three times.

Interestingly, they cited Cuban research based on a substantial sample which suggested the relationship could be cause-and-effect, thanks to an acid that occurs in the gut called taurodeoxycholic acid. The researchers suggest smoking can lead to increased levels of this bile acid: “A recent study indicated that smoking may increase the intestinal levels of taurodeoxycholic acid (TADC) by inducing gut microbiota dysbiosis,” the researchers report, activating pathways “leading to tumorigenesis,” or the development of tumors.

Bipolar disorder is a biochemical, genetic and environmental mood disorder that includes episodes of mood swings ranging from depressive lows to manic highs. “It is important to understand that bipolar can appear differently in different people. It’s often confused with symptoms of other disorders, including ADHD and PTSD, but this diagnosis has many biological markers—so many that there are actual blood tests to test for bipolar,” says Amelia Kelley, PhD, a therapist, a researcher and psychology professor with the Traumatic Stress Research Consortium at the Kinsey Institute.

The main difference between bipolar and other mood or cognitive conditions is that these aren’t the same “mood swings” many people experience. Dr. Kelley explains that for some sufferers of bipolar disorder, the lows can last days and months and lead to suicidal thoughts and extremely negative symptoms like a lack of energy or an inability to take care of one’s self. The highs, which are often referred to as mania or manic episodes, commonly include a lack of need for sleep, dysregulated sleep, increased anxiety and restlessness and impulsive behavior, which can range from hypersexuality, impulse spending or making drastic life-altering decisions.

If you think you or a loved one has bipolar disorder, it’s important to seek treatment from a qualified mental health professional. “Many who leave bipolar untreated can make detrimental life choices, end up in dangerous relationships or circumstances, lose things that are important to them and also become self-harming as the lows of depressive episodes dramatically increase the likelihood of suicidal thoughts,” Dr. Kelley says.

Breana Grayson, a 34-year-old woman from St. Louis, understands this firsthand. Grayson has experienced symptoms of bipolar disorder all her life, but she wasn’t diagnosed until age 25. This is her story of how she discovered she had bipolar disorder and how she manages her symptoms with care.

Here’s how I knew I had bipolar disorder: One patient’s story

By Breana Grayson as told to Charlotte Hilton Andersen

I made my first best friend, Lisa, when I was 17 years old. It had taken me years to find a close friend, and I was ecstatic to have someone to bond with on that level. And then, I lost her.

It’s not that Lisa passed. Instead, I’d pushed her away, along with everyone else in my life. It was December 2017 when I had that realization, sitting in my empty apartment in Florida, 1,000 miles from home, pondering how exactly I had ended up in this place. I was all alone, and it was all my fault.

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Bipolar disorder can affect relationships

The final disconnect with Lisa happened over a small thing. She posted a group picture on social media, and I commented something a little snarky, writing, If your friend posts a pic where she looks good and you don’t, then she’s not a friend. I meant it as a compliment, but she was hurt. Instead of apologizing, I let the distance grow. I was in such a low place that I didn’t even care when she stopped calling.

Lisa wasn’t the only one this happened with. It became a pattern with all my close relationships whether they were people I was dating, friends, family or coworkers. Eventually, my mood swings would cause a clash, which would grow until the relationship exploded.

But while the mood swings seriously messed up my relationships, they really affected every aspect of my life. I’ve always been “moody,” and while I was a hardworking and studious child, these mood swings increased in frequency and severity as I got older. On my good days, I felt like I could conquer the world, but on my bad days, I felt like a total failure.

Bipolar disorder can affect decision making

When I say that my moods changed, I mean they were extreme. During one “high,” I decided to move 1,000 miles away to a city where I knew no one and didn’t have a job, and I quickly got into a relationship. When the “low” hit, it was just as extreme, and I ended up losing my job, breaking up and moving back home with my mom. Another example is when I started college and made it all the way until my last semester when I quit—just three credits shy of graduation. (I did finally finish those three credits in 2017.)

These highs and lows made it nearly impossible to consistently hold a job, maintain a romantic relationship, stick with hobbies, or achieve all my goals—all things that I knew I was quite capable of achieving, if I could just stop self-sabotaging.

During these times, I didn’t understand what was happening inside me. I felt scared and out of control, and my family reinforced my fears by telling me, “Something is wrong with you.” It made me feel bad and broken, but I didn’t know how to fix it.

Hitting rock bottom

After my realization in 2017, I moved back home to St. Louis. I was 27 years old and didn’t have a job, a family, a partner or anything else I’d hoped to achieve by this point in my life. Normally, I was driven, studious and hard-working, and now I didn’t even have my own place.

The scariest part was I didn’t even care anymore. I became very promiscuous and impulsive, doing risky things that I knew weren’t who I really was, but what did it matter? I wasn’t really living; I was just existing.

Eventually, I fell into a deep depressive episode. These dark feelings culminated with me attempting to end my own life. I decided to mix a bunch of my mother’s medications, and thanks to a combination of luck and circumstance, it was unsuccessful.

It was the wake-up call I needed, and I knew something had to change. My mother had been pushing me to go to graduate school, and with her help, I enrolled…although she had to wake me up and force me to go to my first class.

Getting diagnosed with bipolar disorder

I’ve had these mood swings for as long as I can remember, but I didn’t have a name for them until it all started to fall apart in 2016. As I sat at rock bottom, I finally looked up a therapist online. That person referred me to group therapy, and from there, I made contact with a psychiatrist. That was when I was officially diagnosed with bipolar disorder. I wasn’t broken! I had a diagnosis!

Of course, I started to research: What is bipolar disorder, exactly? It’s a mental illness that causes me to have trouble regulating my mood and energy levels. It’s characterized by fluctuations between manic episodes (or “highs,” as I’d called them) and severe depressive episodes (or “lows”). I think of it like a house in the Midwest with no air conditioning or heating. This is fine and good as long as the environment is stable, but once the weather hits, the house overheats or freezes. I’d gotten to the point where my “house” nearly always felt intolerable to live in, one way or the other.

To help regulate the extremes, along with weekly talk therapy, my doctors put me on medication—an antipsychotic and a mood stabilizer. Finding the right mix of medicines took some trial and error, but once we did, I began to see a huge difference. I finally began to feel like my true self again, the person I knew I was deep down.

Living with bipolar disorder

I wish I could say that everything was smooth sailing from that point forward, but I had periods of doubting my diagnosis and going off my medications. For instance, the crisis culminating in my suicide attempt happened in 2018, after I’d been diagnosed. It didn’t help that I was ashamed of my mental illness and hid it from everyone, even those closest to me. Finally, in 2020, I realized I needed to really commit to treating my disorder and making the lifestyle changes necessary to stay healthy. I had a job I loved, a new relationship I wanted to keep, and I was rebuilding my group of friends. I simply had too much at stake to risk losing it again.

Since then, I’ve been consistent about taking my medication and getting regular checkups with my psychiatrist. I also go to therapy a couple of times a month (or more if I need it), journal daily, get at least eight hours of sleep a night (lack of sleep is one of my top triggers for manic episodes), eat a healthy diet, avoid processed foods and make time for my hobbies.

I’m finally living the life I’ve always wanted, but none of these things have been easy for me. While I no longer have full-blown depressive or manic episodes, I still feel doom and gloom fairly often. I’d say for every five good days, I’ll have one when I fantasize about not being alive. Thankfully I can recover faster these days and the mood swings aren’t as debilitating. I’ve come so far that people are often surprised when I tell them I have mental health struggles and are confused because I seem like I “have it all together.” But mental illness doesn’t mean you’re broken. Taking the steps and the responsibility to manage it is proof that I do have it together.

I’m doing well now because I put the work into it every single day. It’s not a cure, it’s maintenance. It’s frustrating because I feel like I have to work 10 times harder than everyone else just to be “normal.” I often feel like a duck—serene on the surface, but paddling like crazy underneath, where no one can see.

Talking about bipolar disorder

One thing that’s been difficult about my diagnosis is that bipolar disorder isn’t as easy to talk about as a condition like anxiety or depression, which are getting the attention they need these days. Most people don’t know what bipolar is, and if they do, they still seem to want to approach the topic with caution, or they can seem a little untrusting of me.

This has led me to want to hide it from nearly everyone for years. But one day last year, during the midst of a difficult depressive period, my boyfriend pleaded with me: “What did I do wrong?” I realized that he thought my mood was his fault, which broke my heart. I realized I still had one thing I needed to do to manage my bipolar disorder: Be open and honest about it with my close loved ones and with others.

I’ve lost so much to bipolar disorder, but I’ve also gained a lot of wisdom and experience. That’s why I’ve decided to share my story here. I want everyone to know that having bipolar disorder isn’t shameful or a failure of character. If you suffer from it, you are not bad, broken or a failure. And you are not alone. There is no cure for bipolar disorder, but there is hope your life can get better. Today, I can say that while my life isn’t perfect, I do work I love, I have great friends in my life, I’ve reconnected with my family, I’m mentally stimulated, I have creative outlets…and while I did end up parting ways with that boyfriend, it was on good and healthy terms.

As for Lisa? I ended up sharing my diagnosis with her. While we talk occasionally and she’s supportive of me on social media, I’ve had to accept that she doesn’t want to be close friends again. Thankfully, I do have friends who have stood by my side before and after my diagnosis.

For more wellness updates, subscribe to The Healthy by Reader’s Digest newsletter and follow The Healthy on Facebook and Instagram. Keep reading:

• 988, the New Mental Health Crisis Hotline: 7 Key Facts for Everyone to Know
• 4 Eating Habits That Are Damaging to Mental Health, a Dietitian Says
• My Spouse Has Bipolar Disorder—I Was His Caregiver in Quarantine
• The Happiness Diet: 7 Best Mood-Boosting Foods, from Nutrition and Brain Experts

In a July 2023 Gallup survey, 62% of US adults reported drinking alcohol, while just under 20% of that group reported sometimes drinking more than they should. The link between alcohol consumption and brain health is a growing concern, especially considering projections that dementia rates could triple by 2050. Is alcohol part of the growing dementia problem—and if so, is the damage to your brain too far gone to try to correct?

Speaking to these concerns is director of the Cleveland Clinic’s Lou Ruvo Center for Brain Health, Dylan Wint, MD, a superlatively qualified brain expert who is quadruple-board-certified in neurology, psychiatry, behavioral neurology, and neuropsychiatry. Dr. Wint says that while “moderate” alcohol consumption (no more than one drink per day for women and two drinks per day for men) does not cause neurological damage on average, “people with neurologic conditions or at risk for neurologic conditions should probably abstain from alcohol altogether.” Echoing the World Health Organization’s January 2023 statement on alcohol, Dr. Wint states: “There is no level of drinking that is guaranteed safe for everyone.”

Still, the discourse has been confusing. Some studies have suggested that low to moderate alcohol use might actually reduce dementia risk, while others indicate there are no health benefits to drinking alcohol. What all experts can agree on, though, is that exceeding moderate drinking levels should be avoided. Alcohol consumption plays against other demonstrated health factors like nutrition, exercise, mental activity, sleep, and social relationships that have significant roles in brain health.

Below, we lay out the effects of alcohol on the brain and identify the specific drinking behaviors that research says put individuals at the greatest dementia risk.

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Can alcohol cause dementia?

The answer to this question is yes, in several ways and often linked to chronic, heavy alcohol use. The National Institute on Alcohol Abuse and Alcoholism (NIAAA) defines heavy alcohol use as the following:

• Men: Consuming five or more drinks on any single day, or 15 or more drinks per week
• Women: Consuming four or more drinks on any single day, or eight or more drinks per week

One primary mechanism that alcohol can contribute to dementia is through Alcohol-Related Brain Injury (ARBI). According to Dr. Wint, ARBI happens when alcohol directly damages the brain by excessively stimulating nerve cells and harming the brain’s white matter. White matter is composed of nerve fibers essential for transmitting messages throughout the brain.

The damage doesn’t stop there: Alcohol also diminishes blood flow and triggers the loss of nerve cells, especially in critical areas such as the frontal lobes—responsible for decision-making and emotional control—and the cerebellum, which coordinates movement.

Another dementia type often linked to alcohol consumption is Korsakoff syndrome, which frequently accompanies Wernicke encephalopathy. This condition arises from the destruction of neural pathways involved in memory due to a deficiency in thiamine (vitamin B1). Thiamine is an essential nutrient that supports brain function and overall nerve health. Dr. Wint explains the underlying issue: “Heavy alcohol use leads to poor nutrition (less thiamine intake), poor absorption (of thiamine), and lower liver storage of thiamine.” This can result in severe memory loss.

Marchiafava-Bignami disease is another outcome linked to alcohol, predominantly affecting malnourished, heavy drinkers. It involves the deterioration of the corpus callosum, the major fiber tract that connects the brain’s two hemispheres. The resulting damage can cause a range of severe symptoms, including cognitive decline, inability to walk, slurred speech and muscle spasms.

As Dr. Wint points out, other negative effects on brain health include:

• Formation of amyloid plaques, similar to those found in Alzheimer’s disease

• Liver damage, which leads to increased circulation of toxins in the blood

• Head injuries resulting from falls or altercations

• Cognitive issues stemming from heart disease

What are some other long-term neurological effects of alcohol?

One of the significant impacts of alcohol is on mental health, specifically through its disruption of neurotransmitters—the chemicals essential for communication between brain cells. This disruption can cause mood swings, depression and anxiety, notes Dr. Wint.

Physically, the effects of alcohol are equally concerning. Regular consumption can lead to issues with movement and balance as well as muscle weakness. Alcohol can also cause neuropathy, characterized by numbness, tingling, and functional impairments, primarily in the toes and feet. This occurs because alcohol damages peripheral nerves, harming their ability to transmit signals.

It’s important to note that the risk of stroke and internal bleeding in the brain escalates with regular alcohol use, too. Alcohol-induced hypertension and other cardiovascular complications can significantly increase the likelihood of strokes.

Can brain damage from alcohol be reversed?

While the changes to the brain caused by alcohol are generally seen as irreversible, Dr. Wint notes, “Functional improvement may be possible with rehabilitation and preventing further damage from alcohol and other toxic lifestyle habits.”

This means that through dedicated alcohol rehabilitation programs, which often include therapy and support groups, individuals can work toward improving their brain function. Complementing this with healthier lifestyle choices—such as a balanced diet, regular exercise, avoiding harmful substances, and managing stress—can also help mitigate further damage and potentially enhance brain recovery.

What is the life expectancy of someone with brain injuries related to alcohol?

Dr. Wint explains that the life expectancy for individuals with alcohol-related brain injuries is “quite variable, depending upon the type and severity of brain damage—anywhere from a normal lifespan to imminent death from severe, acute alcohol toxicity.”

There are cases when people may not have to cut out alcohol completely. For those for whom it’s still appropriate to occasionally relax with a drink, a low-risk level is defined as one-half to one drink per day for women and one to one and a half drinks per day for men. Dr. Wint adds that these recommendations should be lower for individuals over age 65.

To clarify, one drink equates to:

• 12 ounces of regular beer (5% alcohol)
• eight ounces of malt liquor (7% alcohol)
• five ounces of wine (12% alcohol)
• one and a half ounces of liquor (40% alcohol)

“Alcohol dependency and seeking treatment are highly stigmatized, causing people to avoid expressing concerns or seeking help,” shares Dr. Wint. If concerns about alcohol use are affecting you or someone close to you, don’t hesitate to reach out. It’s important to consult trusted healthcare professionals experienced in substance use recovery. For immediate assistance, consider contacting the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA) at their free crisis hotline: 1-800-662-4357. This resource can provide support and guidance when you need it most.

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• New Research: Drinking Alcohol Has This “Profound” Effect on Fertility
• Cut Back on Alcohol: 17 Tips to Drink a Little Less
• 21 Medications You Should Never Mix with Alcohol
• I Drank Wine Every Day for a Week—Here’s What Happened

We’ve all experienced that jaw-jarring Thud! when a lounge chair’s upright position doesn’t slot gracefully into the back-of-chair brackets. In the case of one well-known home decor brand, the consequence of such a design flaw could be not only a little embarrassing, but possibly hazardous to human safety.

Frontgate is a popular homewares retailer that’s arguably a comp to brands like Grandin Road and Ballard Designs, complete with the online and catalog shopping options, as well as in-store in some US regions. In recent days, the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CPSC) published an announcement that Frontgate was recalling “about 70,000” folding chaise lounges (with the product name “Frontgate Resort Collection Newport Aluminum and Teak Chaises,” which appear similar to those pictured above) that were sold between February 2014 and December 2023. Customers purchased the loungers online at Frontgate.com and via Frontgate catalogues, as well as in-store in Georgia, Kentucky, North Carolina, Ohio and Texas. The chairs were manufactured in China by an Ohio-based company called Cinmar, LLC and were priced between $600 and $1,400.

The first of two SKUs for the recalled chairs is 67333, which was sold in pairs in the following color choices: architectural bronze, champagne silver, cobalt, matte black and matte white. The second SKU is 166218, sold in pairs of weathered or natural finishes.

The reason for the recall is the following, according to the CPSC: “Cinmar has received three reports of incidents involving consumers’ fingers becoming entrapped between the adjustable backrest and the chair frame, resulting in two partial finger amputation injuries, and one finger-crushing injury requiring surgery.”

It’s not clear when these customer incidents occurred, but the announcement states injuries are caused due to the following: “When adjusting the backrest while seated, the adjustable backrest can unexpectedly descend with force, posing finger crushing and amputation hazards.”

In an attempt to remedy, to customers who submit a photo of the chairs the company is offering free repair kits that include a new backrest support bar and assembly instructions. The CPSC’s announcement adds: “Consumers should immediately stop using the recalled chaise lounge chairs, and contact Cinmar for a free repair.” Contact information for the company is listed as 888-298-4651 or online at www.frontgate.com/newportchaiserecall.

One more caution to keep in mind this summer—also read New Data: More Than 50% of Americans Never Learned This Life-or-Death Skill.

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• What Is a Recall, and Why Do They Happen? An Expert Explains
• Salmon Sold in 15 States Has Just Been Recalled
• A Sought-After Weight-Loss & Diabetes Drug Has Been Recalled Nationwide
• 2 Sunscreen Brands Have Recalled 20,000 Products Sold Nationwide

It’s friendly to low-carb diets, as well as those calling for omega-3 healthy fats like the Mediterranean diet—not to mention an elegant topper to crackers and bagels. But a salmon product has been identified as contaminated with a harmful bacterium, according to the manufacturer via the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

On June 25, 2024, an FDA recall alert was published for Foppen Seafood’s Smoked Norwegian Salmon Slices sold in 8.1-ounce packages, with the product labeled as “toast-sized.” The reason: “Routine testing has revealed the presence of Listeria monocytogenes in the specified lot 412.”

According to the Cleveland Clinic, animal proteins can be a usual suspect for this foodborne illness. Symptoms of Listeria infection, or listeriosis, may be but are not limited to: Fever, chills, diarrhea or upset stomach, headache, muscle aches, confusion, and more. Older individuals, as well as pregnant people or those with weakened immune systems, are among the groups that can experience the worst effects of listeriosis infection. Says the Cleveland Clinic: “Because listeriosis has an incubation period that may last up to a few months, it’s also a good idea to talk to your healthcare provider if you’ve consumed any recalled foods or drinks.”

This may apply if you shopped at a Kroger or Pay Less supermarket in any of the following states, according to the FDA’s announcement: Alabama, Arkansas, Georgia, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Mississippi, Ohio, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas, and West Virginia. (Pay Less Super Markets is a subsidiary owned by Kroger.)

Product details from the manufacturer are as follows:

• Product Name: Foppen Smoked Norwegian Salmon Slices – Toast sized
• UPC code: 8 40137 10000 2
• Package Size: 8.1 oz
• LOT 412 – to be found in the clear plastic window cut out on the front of the package.

In a statement, the maker said: “At Foppen Seafood, we operate to the highest standards of health, safety and quality control. We have taken immediate steps to address this isolated incident and we are collaborating closely with Kroger and the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to ensure a swift resolution.”

The FDA says patients should discard of the product or return it to the place of purchase for a refund, adding: “Consumers who have consumed the affected product and are experiencing symptoms such as fever, muscle aches, and gastrointestinal issues should seek medical attention.”

Stay informed on what’s happening in food recalls and health news by signing up for The Healthy by Reader’s Digest newsletter and following The Healthy on Facebook and Instagram. Keep reading:

• 13 Popular Ice Cream Brands Recall Products Nationwide Due to Potential Contamination
• A Popular Brand Just Recalled 168,000 Frozen Breakfast Items in 17 States
• Popular Coffee Manufacturer Recalls 288 Products Sold Nationwide
• A Major Condiment “Distributed Nationwide in Retail Stores” Has Been Recalled

Data cited in 2022 suggested that greater than one in five individuals who have diabetes don’t know it. “Patients may have no symptoms at all when their sugars are only slightly elevated,” says Sarah Rettinger, MD, FACE, a board-certified endocrinologist at Providence Saint John’s Health Center in Santa Monica, CA.

There’s often a stereotype that type 2 diabetes only occurs in people who are overweight or sedentary, but this is one of the common diabetes myths. Dr. Rettinger explains that type 2 diabetes is caused by a complicated interaction of genes and environment. Type 2 diabetics often first experience insulin resistance—meaning their cells do not respond well to the insulin the pancreas is making. The Cleveland Clinic explains that insulin is a hormone that moves the sugar from your blood into your cells to give you energy—but when this mechanism isn’t working properly, that sugar builds up in your blood. In response, insulin levels may climb quite high, especially in the early stages of the disease. Eventually, a patient’s pancreas may be unable to keep up with the amount of sugar in the blood, and insulin secretion from the pancreas goes down.

“Most often,” Dr. Rettinger says, “the progression from pre-diabetes to diabetes takes many years—so getting your HgbA1c, sometimes referred to as your A1c, checked every three years would find diabetes in its earliest stages,” she says. In 2024, the CDC stated what the following A1C ranges indicate:

• “Normal” (healthy) A1c = below 5.7%
• “Prediabetic” A1C = 5.7-6.4%
• “Diabetic” = 6.5% and above

Dr. Rettinger notes this disease should be on everyone’s radar as the consequences can be severe. Complications of uncontrolled diabetes include nerve damage, pain or numbness in the hands and feet, kidney disease, vision problems, heart disease and strokes. “By the time patients have higher blood sugars,” Dr. Rettinger says, “they may feel thirsty, hungry, and may be urinating excessively. Some patients lose weight without any change in diet and exercise.”

“Diabetes is a progressive disease even in patients with excellent lifestyles,” she says. “When patients get regular checkups, we can also detect the early signs of complications, often slowing down or reversing the problem.”

One of these patients is Jack Dunham, a 76-year-old retired purchasing manager who lives with his wife Jodi in Denver, CO. Here, Dunham shares his story of how he was blindsided by his diagnosis and how he’s learned to manage it over the past two decades since a young doctor in training first suggested a last-minute A1C test.

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By Jack Dunham, as told to Charlotte Hilton Andersen

In 2004, I showed up for my annual checkup expecting it to go just like every other checkup had gone for the past 56 years: Perfectly. I’ve been blessed with overall great health my whole life. I was not overweight, and as a former college athlete, I kept up my fitness level. Sure enough, my doctor did all his pokes and prods and pronounced me “fit as a fiddle.”

I was getting ready to leave when he casually asked if I had been experiencing any new symptoms since my last checkup. I mentioned that maybe I was a little more tired than usual, and maybe a little thirstier, but otherwise I felt great. He joked perhaps that was because I kept playing basketball with high school kids, and maybe it was time to play with people my own age. I was proud of my ability to keep up with the younger guys, and I probably would have just left at that point, except that a student who was shadowing the doctor that day stopped both of us.

“Maybe you should order some blood work and just check his blood sugar,” he suggested. The doctor and I both shrugged. Why not?, I figured. I was sure everything would come back just fine.

I had lab work done, and then came the news: “Well Jack, you have diabetes,” the doctor said, just as matter-of-fact as he’d been moments earlier.

My first instinct was to argue. “Of course I don’t have diabetes!” I said. “You just told me that I’m fit as a fiddle!”

He replied that I was showing a blood sugar level of nearly 400. “Plus, your A1C is above seven. By definition, you have type 2 diabetes.”

I was in shock. “Are you sure I don’t just have pre-diabetes?” I asked.

He was sure, he answered.

He then wrote me a prescription for metformin, a medication used to manage blood glucose, as well as a referral to a dietitian. I hadn’t seen any of it coming, and I’ll admit: It scared me.

Diabetes often has no symptoms at the beginning

As my wife and I drove home, she had to keep repeating what the doctor said because I just couldn’t process it. How could I possibly have diabetes? Other than some slight fatigue and thirst, I hadn’t experienced any symptoms. I would later learn that diabetes is called a “silent killer” because it’s common to have no symptoms.

It soon occurred to me that I was lucky they’d caught it when they did because I never would have gone to the doctor based on those hardly notable symptoms.

Once I’d accepted my diagnosis, I realized that it probably shouldn’t have been as much of a surprise to me as it was. Both of my siblings have diabetes, and my father had it as well. Also, in addition to playing sports like a high-school athlete, I’d been eating like one, too. All my life, I’d been able to maintain my weight and still eat whatever I wanted—and what I wanted was junk food. Once they built an In-N-Out Burger near my home, I was a regular visitor. I also enjoyed sodas and sugary drinks daily. Plus, I had a killer sweet tooth.

In hindsight, the really surprising thing was that I hadn’t gotten diabetes sooner.

My diagnosis really shook me up, and I was determined to fix my eating habits. I lost 20 pounds in a couple of months. Now I was down to the weight of my younger years, and I felt great.

But then, I had to learn another hard lesson: You can’t really cure type 2 diabetes. This wouldn’t be a situation where I could just diet hard for a few months. I would still need to stick with the healthy changes and, in my case, also would have to stay on my medication and be vigilant about watching my blood sugar…for the rest of my life. This was a hard pill to swallow at the time, but what choice did I have? It was literally a life or death decision, and I chose life.

Living with diabetes

I’m now 76 years old, and have 20 years of experience managing diabetes. I wish I could say I’ve handled it perfectly, but I still love fast food, and occasionally my weight and blood sugar levels have both crept up to show it.

But a few years ago, I had a scare with my heart that made me realize I needed to be more vigilant. Diabetes can increase the risk of heart disease, so my doctors were clear about what I needed to do. I started Weight Watchers, which did help. I still make it a point to exercise every day.

But you can’t out-exercise a bad diet. So recently, my doctors added injectable semaglutide to my metformin regimen, and that’s made a huge difference in minimizing my appetite and cravings to help me lose those extra pounds once more, and regulate my blood glucose.

What I wish I’d known 20 years ago

Looking back, I wish I’d known that you don’t have to be overweight to get diabetes. I also wish I’d been regularly screening my blood sugar from an earlier age. I shouldn’t have waited until my mid-50s to get that checked—if I had, I might have been able to catch it earlier so that I wouldn’t need medication for the rest of my life. I advocate that everyone should get regular screenings for type 2 diabetes and clean up their diets, even if you think you’re at a healthy weight.

But perhaps the best thing that I’ve done to help manage my illness is finding a social way to exercise. I’m part of a pickleball group called the Polar Bears, and we are on the court every single day, no matter how cold or hot it gets here in Colorado. (That’s me holding the sign in the photo.)

I also regularly play tennis and basketball and ride my bike. These activities keep me active, not just in my body but also in my mind and spirit. One of the greatest risks as we age is isolation and loneliness, and these folks, along with my wife, keep me happy and healthy—a state I hope to stay in for another 20 years.

For more wellness updates, subscribe to The Healthy by Reader’s Digest newsletter and follow The Healthy on Facebook and Instagram. Keep reading:

• 24 Life-Saving Facts About Glucose Even People Without Diabetes Should Know
• The 6 Best Supplements to Lower Blood Sugar, According to Expert Doctors
• Study: Walking Daily Can Reduce Your Diabetes Risk by 74%
• 15 Things Diabetes Doctors Do to Keep Their Own Blood Sugar Under Control

You know when people tell a pregnant woman that it looks like she swallowed a watermelon? It’s really time we stop commenting on people’s bodies, but I’ll admit that was accurate when I was pregnant: Watermelon was my number-one craving in all six of my pregnancies. I ate at least a watermelon a week, even outside of summer.

“That makes a lot of sense,” says fellow watermelon enthusiast Jessica Plowman, RDN, a registered dietitian nutritionist who has been practicing dietetics for over 15 years. “Watermelon can be very comforting during pregnancy as it’s sweet, easy on the tummy, hydrating, and a good source of phytonutrients.” Another reason watermelon is a craving for people with certain medical conditions? “Watermelon is one of the … best-tolerated fruits in general,” Plowman says.

I also adore watermelon even when it doesn’t look like I’m gestating one. I’m not the only one: A recent survey done by the International Fresh Produce Association ranked watermelon as #5 on its list of most-purchased fruits. Who can blame us? It’s just the perfect combination of juice, crunch and sweetness. It’s like nature’s perfect dessert.

So when my editors asked if I wanted to eat watermelon every day for a week, I immediately agreed—I was already eating it pretty much daily anyhow. They answered, “Thanks, you’re one in a melon!” (No, they didn’t. But they should have. Laugh a little, editors!)

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How to pick the perfect watermelon

This section is going to be short. The truth is that no one really knows and anyone who says they have the secret to picking the perfect melon is guesstimating at best. Over the years I’ve heard and tested many myths and theories, from knocking on them (they’re supposed to sound like a door, but no one ever specifies which type of door) to large yellow spots (supposedly the sign they’ve properly ripened in the field) to looking for “bee stings” (what does that even mean?).

Personally, I find the season in which you buy the fruit makes the biggest difference. Buying watermelons in the summer is usually a sure bet; buying them in the winter can go either way.

But perhaps my favorite of all the melon-choosing options is the way my mom does it, by asking for a professional opinion. A few years ago, my mother—bless her innocent heart—held up two melons in front of her chest and asked the produce man, “Will you thump my melons and tell me which one is best?” We still tease her about it.

My go-to method these days is a combination of luck and blind trust. I just grab one and put it in my cart. Most of the time it works out.

How to eat watermelon every day

Perhaps the first question I should really be asking is if I should be eating watermelon every day.

“It’s fine,” Plowman says. “Watermelon is really hard to OD on, and I’m never going to discourage people from eating any type of fruit.” (One serving of watermelon is about two cups of cubes per day.) “That said, I feel like I should add that your diet should be balanced so make sure you’re eating a rainbow of fruits and veggies every day. I guess if all you ate every day was watermelon, that would be a problem.”

Research suggests watermelon should also be consumed with caution if you experience any of the following:

If you’re prone to digestive symptoms, watermelon is an unsuspecting food that can cause gas—and if you experience frequent headaches, it might be wise to eat watermelon sparingly: The Cleveland Clinic points out that watermelon contains a significant amount of tyramine, which is an amino acid that affects blood pressure. This means watermelon may play a role in triggering a migraine attack.

And if you’re diabetic, it’s important to proceed with caution with most fruit for the natural sugar content. “Diabetics or other people who have difficulty regulating their blood sugar may want to minimize or avoid watermelon, as it can cause blood-sugar spikes,” Plowman cautions.

The Cleveland Clinic also says that people with allergies to “certain pollens, including grass or ragweed,” could experience an allergic reaction to watermelon.

Always talk with your doctor if you’re unsure whether eating watermelon is safe.

If you’re in the clear, the first rule for eating watermelon as much as I do is to recognize that watermelon is delicious in all its forms. Here are some of my favorite ways to eat watermelon (and the one way I will never try again):

1. Raw, in large cubes

Rule #1 of watermelons: They absolutely cannot be mushy. Maybe you’ve experienced the gag-inducing effect of a watermelon that has the texture of a wet sponge. Sometimes you just buy a mushy one and then you must endure.

But a big key to keeping watermelon firm (besides refrigeration) is cutting it into very large chunks. It’s also faster, if you’re lazy like I am. My wealth of experience with watermelons has taught me that cutting it into sugar cube-sized bits is not the way.

2. Frozen watermelon in a smoothie or slushy

If you do experience the misfortune of selecting an overripe watermelon too mushy for eating, there’s still a way to salvage it: Slice it, then freeze it. Pop a few cubes into a smoothie blend for a boost in flavor, nutrition, and hydration.

You can add frozen watermelon with other fruits, but my personal favorite is to blend frozen watermelon cubes with a dash of lime juice and a single-serving packet of sugar-free lemonade drink mix. This is such a summery treat.

3. Watermelon feta salad

It’s become a popular seasonal dish, and it’s worth a try. To make watermelon salad: Combine a bowl of cubed watermelon with a handful of crumbled feta cheese and chopped fresh mint. It’s so refreshing. There are a lot of variations on this recipe—some add cucumbers, tomatoes, onions, lime dressing, avocados or even jalapenos. As someone who’s played around with the combos, I can confirm that all are delicious.

4. Fruit kabobs

Get a giant bowl of different cut-up fruits. I like watermelon, cantaloupe, honeydew, grapes, pineapple and kiwi, but any fruit that’s firm enough to put on a pike is good. Then stab them with a wooden skewer, placing them in an artfully pleasing order. It’s basically fruit salad on a stick, but somehow fruit kabobs taste way better than fruit salad in a bowl. Kids eat these up!

Dietitian Plowman loves making these and confesses sometimes she adds marshmallows. (An RDN eats marshmallows: You heard it here first!)

5. Watermelon juice

Juiced watermelon, again with a splash of lime, is incredibly cooling on a hot summer day. It also plays well with other juices if you savor a blended juice drink.

6. Personal watermelons

You know those adorable little single-serving watermelons they sell? I never buy them because it seems pointlessly expensive, but I decided to splurge for this article. I was both delighted and disappointed to discover that they taste exactly like bigger watermelons. I thought maybe they’d be sweeter, but nope. Still yummy though.

7. Watermelon steaks

This is a super trendy recipe right now and I’ll admit I only tried it for the sake of this article. The idea is that you slice watermelon into pieces vaguely the size and thickness of a small beef steak. You coat each slice in olive oil, liquid smoke, garlic salt, and pepper. Then you pan fry or grill the suckers.

I don’t eat much meat, so the idea of a vegan alternative to steak appealed to me…but this ain’t it. In no universe did this resemble “steak.”  I’ll stick to portobello mushroom steaks.

8. Watermelon sorbet

Fact: If you add sugar to anything and freeze it, it’s going to be flavorful. (If you don’t believe me, try wasabi ice cream. That should be an abomination of desserts, but it’s quite tasty.)

Watermelon is no exception and is probably one of the most popular flavors of sorbet. I just buy mine, but sorbet is pretty easy to make in your own freezer. It also doesn’t require much added sugar to be palatable.

Health benefits I got from eating watermelon every day

“You can generally tell what nutrients fruits and veggies are high in by looking at the color,” Plowman says. The red hue of watermelon indicates it’s high in lycopene, a natural carotenoid. The deeper and darker the color, the more nutrient-dense they are, she adds.

Watermelon, admittedly, isn’t the most nutrient-dense of the fruits, but it does have some great nutritional benefits.

Watermelon increased my hydration

Watermelon lives up to its name: It is made up of an impressive 92% water, which makes it very hydrating. “We often recommend this to kids who are picky, or elderly people who forget to drink water, as a way to keep them hydrated,” Plowman says.

I don’t need to be tricked into drinking water—I actually drink a ton of plain old H2O—but I like the idea of having a variety of sources of hydration.

Plus, it made me pee a lot, so watermelon was an all-natural detox. Expert sources have noted that watermelon helps the body release toxins such as ammonia. The hydration factor is likely one reason why, while another is the presence of the amino acid citrulline.

Watermelon reduced my inflammation

So much research suggests that many of today’s modern ills stem from systemic inflammation in the body, and phytonutrients found in plants are among the best weapons we have against inflammation. Watermelon is high in lycopene, vitamins A and C, potassium, magnesium, and antioxidants—all of which fight inflammation.

Personally, I have inflammatory arthritis, an autoimmune disorder, so eating anti-inflammatory foods is very important to me. I do notice a difference in my joints when I eat more fruits and veggies.

Watermelon may have reduced my risk of cancer

Watermelon is higher in lycopene than any other fresh fruit or veggie. Lycopene is a powerful antioxidant that has been shown to decrease the risk of some cancers, heart disease and eye problems.

Cancer runs strong in my family, so I embrace anything I can to reduce my risk.

Watermelon may have lowered my risk of heart disease

Potassium is an important nutrient for heart and muscle health. (The heart is a muscle!) Getting enough potassium can reduce your risk of heart disease and lower your blood pressure.

Thankfully I don’t suffer from heart disease—but because it’s so pervasive, this is a good reminder of how a healthy, colorful diet can help all of us reduce our risk.

A final caution with eating watermelon every day

There are some downsides to eating a lot of watermelon. In my experience, the biggest one is all the extra trips to the bathroom. It makes me pee like crazy.

“I think that’s just a ‘you’ problem,” Plowman said. “Maybe it’s because you’re already very hydrated, so the extra water from the fruit goes right through. Most people aren’t as hydrated as you are.” (Which is one of the nicest compliments anyone’s ever given me!)

However, one potential downside is worse than peeing like a racehorse: There is a lot of sugar in watermelon. “Eating it in a meal with protein and fat will reduce the effect on blood sugar,” Plowman says.

Follow The Healthy by Reader’s Digest on Facebook and Instagram. Keep reading:

• Can Dogs Eat Watermelon? Here’s the Juicy Verdict, from Veterinarians
• 8 Healthy Fruit Smoothies for an Easy Breakfast
• These Infographics Show the Fruits and Vegetables in Season Every Month of the Year
• I Ate Blueberries Every Day for a Week—Here’s What Happened

There’s nothing more refreshing than reaching for a cool scoop of ice cream or a spoonful of sorbet on a hot summer’s day. If frozen treats are your hot weather go-to, though, you should take a peek in the freezer before your next pick-me-up, as an ice cream manufacturer for popular brands such as Hershey’s, Jeni’s and more is recalling products sold across the country due to potential Listeria monocytogenes contamination.

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On June 24, the U.S. Food and Drug Assocation (FDA) announced that Totally Cool, Inc. is recalling ice cream products sold at retailers and through direct delivery nationwide under several brand names, including:

• Abilyn’s Frozen Bakery
• AMAFruits
• ChipWich
• Cumberland Farms
• Dolcezza Gelato
• Friendly’s
• The Frozen Farmer
• Hershey’s Ice Cream
• Jeni’s
• LaSalle
• Marco
• Taharka
• Yelloh!

The recalled products include pints of ice cream and sorbet, ice cream cakes, ice cream sandwiches and more. They can be identified by the plant number and date on the label. You can find the full list of recalled products here.

If you have any of the recalled products, you can return them to the place of purchase for a full refund. Any questions can be passed along to Totally Cool, Inc. either over the phone at 410-363- 7801 or via email at [email protected] between 8 a.m. and 4 p.m. EST Monday through Friday.

The FDA identified the presence of Listeria monocytogenes when taking samples from Totally Cool, Inc. products. The company has since ceased production and distribution of the potentially affected products and is investigating and taking action to prevent future contamination.

Though no illnesses have been reported to date in connection to this recall, consuming Listeria can be dangerous. According to the Cleveland Clinic, eating a food contaminated with Listeria can cause fever, chills, headache, nausea, diarrhea, convulsions and more. It can also be life-threatening for people who are 65 years or older, people who are pregnant or people with compromised immune systems. If you recently ate something contaminated with Listeria and are experiencing potential symptoms, be sure to talk to your doctor immediately.

• What Is a Recall, and Why Do They Happen? An Expert Explains
• Popular Coffee Manufacturer Recalls 288 Products Sold Nationwide Due to ‘Deadly Toxin’
• A Popular Brand Just Recalled 168,000 Frozen Breakfast Items in 17 States
• I Ate Ice Cream Every Day for a Week—Here’s What Happened

When your gut health is out of whack, it can mess up your whole day; searing stomach pain or constantly running to the bathroom will quickly ruin plans. According to Johns Hopkins Medicine, 15% of people in the US experience irritable bowel syndrome (IBS), a condition identified by unusual bowel movements and stomach pain, which can be especially disruptive with symptoms such as bloating, cramping, diarrhea, constipation and more.

Whether you’re dealing with IBS or just an intense stomachache, though, you’d probably do anything for a little relief—and a new study suggests promising results if you stick to a certain, gut-friendly diet.

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The study, published in the June 2024 edition of Food Science & Nutrition, followed 73 patients with IBS for four weeks to measure the effects on gut health from both probiotics and a low-FODMAP diet.

FODMAPs are fermentable short-chain carbohydrates that can increase gas production, according to the Cleveland Clinic, and they’re found in a variety of foods. The word FODMAP is an acronym for:

• Fermentable
• Oligosaccharides
• Disaccharides
• Monosaccharides
• And
• Polyols

Doctors may recommend low-FODMAP diets—which eliminate categories of high-FODMAP foods that could contribute to digestive symptoms and then carefully add them back until the problematic foods have been identified—for people with digestive issues such as IBS.

The patients in the June 2024 study were divided into four groups: A control group, a group that began taking probiotics, a group that ate a low-FODMAP diet, and a group that both began probiotics and ate a low-FODMAP diet.

Patients in the low-FODMAP groups were asked to limit consumption of foods high in FODMAPs, such as:

• Dairy, including milk, goat milk, ice cream, yogurt and raw cheese
• Legumes, including chickpeas, kidney beans, lentils and soybeans
• Certain vegetables, including ginger, asparagus, broccoli, cabbage, fennel, garlic, leek, okra, onion, green onion, chicory, dandelion, inulin, cauliflower, green pepper, mushroom and sweet corn
• Certain fruits, including apple, mango, pear, watermelon, apricot, avocado, blackberry, cherry
• Foods with large amounts of wheat or rye, including cereals, noodles, bread, crackers, biscuits, steamed rye flour, pasta and chrysanthemum starch
• Sweeteners, including fructose, corn syrup, juice, honey, sorbitol, mannitol, maltitol and xylitol

Patients in the control group were asked to continue their typical diet while following some standard nutrition advice, including eating regular meals, limiting their consumption of fat, alcohol, caffeine and spicy foods, and avoiding foods that might worsen intestinal symptoms.

Patients who started taking probiotics were given a chewable tablet to consume three times a day throughout the four weeks.

Participants completed a questionnaire about their experience at two and four weeks, and a stool sample was taken after four weeks.

The researchers found that after two and four weeks, the group that ate a low-FODMAP diet, the group taking a probiotic and the group that combined both strategies all experienced “significant relief” in the severity and frequency of IBS symptoms, including bloating and abdominal pain, and improved satisfaction in their bowel movements.

Most anyone who has struggled with anxiety—which includes over 30% of all US adults, according to the National Institute of Mental Health—will tell you that finding the right ways to distract your mind from ruminating and fretting is no easy task. Symptoms of anxiety include excessive worrying, constant pressure and stress, as well as issues with sleep, concentration and more. So, what do you do when you can’t stay focused or calm but want to put your nervous energy into a task that helps you feel a little better? New research suggests one particular hobby could be a healthy way to distract yourself and get some relief.

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With the World Health Organization (WHO) reporting that rates of anxiety increased by 25% during the COVID-19 pandemic, a team of Canadian researchers decided to examine what leisure activities people struggling with anxiety turned to in lockdown to determine what was effective and what wasn’t.

In a June 2024 study published in PLOS One, a peer-reviewed open-access mega journal published by the Public Library of Science, the researchers analyzed data from two separate surveys taken during the pandemic, cumulatively including 8,818 participants. They examined participants’ engagement in three activities:

• Exercise
• Communication with friends and family
• Meditation

Of these activities, the researchers found that participants who engaged in exercise saw the biggest benefits for their anxiety. In the first survey, 24.4% of those who regularly exercised reported that they did not experience moderate to severe anxiety, compared to 17% who did. In the second survey, these figures were 19% and 12%, respectively.

Communication with family and friends was close behind. Among those who socialized with loved ones, 19.9% in the first survey and 18.3% in the second survey reported no moderate to severe anxiety, while 18% and 12.7%, respectively, reported that they did have intense anxiety symptoms.

Interestingly, the participants who engaged in meditation experienced the worst anxiety. In the first survey, 24% of those who meditated reported moderate to severe anxiety, with only 16.4% reporting no such anxiety. In the second survey, 17.7% reported moderate to severe anxiety, while 11.7% reported none.

Though there is significant research supporting meditation’s effects on anxiety, the most important thing is finding what works for you. If strolling around the block, playing a recreational sport with some friend  or just giving a family member a call on the phone can help lessen your stress and rumination, it’s worth a try.

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As we get older, our risk of stroke increases, with some research even indicating that the incidence of stroke doubles with each decade after the age of 45. You probably already know that managing your risk means targeting factors like your blood pressure, blood sugar, cholesterol and weight to keep your heart in healthy shape—but as you get older, keeping those metrics in check can be difficult.

One of the best ways to maintain heart health is regular exercise, which can come with aches, pains and roadblocks as you age. However, one typically accessible form of movement at any age is walking—and now, new research suggests optimizing your walking routine a certain way could help it be especially powerful in managing those varied stroke risk factors.

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A systematic review and meta-analysis published in June 2024 in BMC Geriatrics analyzed eight studies involving 1,546 participants between the ages of 60 and 85. The studies examined the results of pedometer-based walking programs for older people, measuring how using a pedometer or similar wearable device can affect someone’s activity level and by proxy, their heart health.

The studies the researchers reviewed included walking programs held two to three times a week, with sessions of 40-60 minutes over a duration of four to 26 weeks.

Across these examples, the researchers found that participating in pedometer-based walking programs led to “significant” improvements in physical activity levels and systolic blood pressure—or the top number in a blood pressure reading, which shows the pressure at which blood is leaving the heart. However, there was no significant change in diastolic blood pressure, the bottom number in a reading that indicates the pressure of blood vessels when the heart is at rest between beats.

The researchers also observed improvements in blood sugar levels and a small effect on triglycerides, a type of fat in your blood that your body uses for energy, though high levels can increase the risk of heart disease.

For more wellness updates, subscribe to The Healthy by Reader’s Digest newsletter and follow The Healthy on Facebook and Instagram. Keep reading:

• The Best Walking Workout for Older People
• 15 Stroke Symptoms in Women We Too Often Ignore, Say Neurology & Heart Doctors
• 14 Benefits of Walking for Just 15 Minutes
• 14 Foods That Can Reduce Your Risk of Stroke