Experts Are Seriously Worried About Trump's Science Information Blackout. Here's Why

Early last week, news broke that the Trump administration had issued an information blackout for the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The agency was directed to stop issuing press releases, posting to their social media pages, and speaking to members of the press or directly to the public.

The Boston Globe reported on Tuesday that EPA transition-team member Doug Ericksen expected the communications ban to be lifted by the end of last week. “We’re just trying to get a handle on everything and make sure what goes out reflects the priorities of the new administration,” he said.   

On Thursday, however, USA Today reported that—although a temporary freeze on EPA research grants had been lifted—the “tight control on how the agency communicates with the public through social media and news outlets will remain in place for now.” The EPA has not published any press releases, or updated its Facebook or Twitter pages, since January 20. Calls and emails from Health to the agency’s press office were not immediately returned.

The EPA’s not the only science agency that’s been in the news, either: The Department of the Interior and the Department of Agriculture were both given temporary gag orders last week, which have since been lifted. It also came to light last week that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) had canceled or postponed two conferences planned around the topics of climate change and LGBT youth. (These decisions were made before President Trump took office, the agency says.) 

So what does this mean for our day-to-day health and safety?

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The answer isn’t entirely clear, but public health experts are concerned about the messages being sent to the scientific community—and to American citizens—so far.

“The worry is generated by the administration’s willingness to censor information for what appears to be political purposes,” says Arthur Caplan, PhD, professor of bioethics at NYU Langone Medical Center. “There’s hinting that there could be requirements to clear things through political operatives before they get released to the public, and this type of thing hasn’t really been done before.” 

Experts have serious concerns about the EPA’s uncertain future, and its policies regarding clean air, clean water, and climate change—all things that inevitably affect human health. But in addition to its research and environmental clean-up efforts, the EPA also communicates with the public about issues directly related to health and safety. For example, its Facebook page includes posts (pre-January 20) about the dangers of wood-smoke inhalation, carbon monoxide poisoning, and radon—a gas that’s present in many homes and causes lung cancer.

If these types of media bans were to extend to other science agencies, the impacts on our health would likely be even greater. The CDC, for example, monitors the spread of illness and disease all over the world. “But this information really only matters to the extent that they are able to communicate it,” says Tara McKay, PhD, assistant professor of medicine, health, and society at Vanderbilt University.

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“If the CDC notices a big spike in flu hospitalizations, but isn’t able to provide any public messaging or prevention around this because of a gag order, then some people will die from infections that might have been avoided,” she says. “Resources will not be directed to the appropriate prevention, identification, and treatment activities.”

The CDC also plays an important role in decreasing panic around issues that really aren’t as scary as they seem. When Ebola virus was diagnosed in the United States in 2014, for example, the agency provided reassurance that treatment and prevention of transmission were top priorities.

At that time, Donald Trump criticized the government’s approach to the Ebola scare, advocating on Twitter for quarantines and travel bans not supported by scientific research. It's not outlandish to think that, as President, he might similarly go against—or try to change—the CDC’s recommendations in the event of another major health scare, says Caplan.

“If these agencies are seen as untrustworthy or censored, or they can’t get in a fast enough response, it can lead to widespread panic,” he says. That could mean unfair treatment of  people seen as disease risks, he adds, or to a misallocation of resources that would make the situation worse.

“Nobody ever called up Steve Bannon or Sean Spicer or Kellyanne Conway to find out what to do about Zika; they want to know what the CDC says and they want to know fast,” Caplan continues. “These agencies shouldn’t have to wait to find out what the administration thinks in order to answer factual questions.”

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Similar concerns would apply to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA), which is tasked with warning the public about dangers posed by foods and medicines currently on store shelves. “We don’t want to worry about whether an E. coli outbreak is being covered up because you don’t want to see certain businesses being damaged, or exaggerated because it comes from a country you don’t like, like Mexico,” says Caplan. 

The good news is, the CDC and FDA still appear to be functioning normally; both organizations are updating their social media sites, and the FDA put out a press release just Friday. And not everyone thinks the existing blackouts are cause for alarm: Last week the New York Times quoted several agency staff members who viewed the Trump directives as a normal part of a presidential transition.

Vox.com also points out that these agencies are protected by scientific integrity policies put in place by the Obama administration. The FDA’s policy, for example, states that staff is allowed to “communicate their personal scientific or policy views to the public, even when those views differ from official Agency opinions.” (As FiveThirtyEight reports, however, there’s also no legal consequence for violating these protections.) 

With the exception of the EPA, there’s been no indication that government agencies won’t be able to continue studying and monitoring imminent health threats, including disease outbreaks and foodborne illnesses. (The EPA's research projects will reportedly be approved by the administration on a case-by-case basis.)

McKay is more concerned about the second part of both the FDA's and CDC's mission: to inform decision-makers about how to address these health concerns, and provide people with information so they can take responsibility for their own health.

“That second part is just as important, if not more so, than the first,” she says. “It does the agency little to know these things are happening and not be able to do or say anything about them.” 

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6 Ways to Practice Hygge, the Danish Secret to Happiness

There isn't an exact translation for the Danish word hygge (pronounced HOO-GA), but you've definitely felt it before—maybe while playing a board game with friends on a snowy night, or curled up in front of a fireplace with a cup of tea and a really good book. Hygge has been described as "coziness of the soul," and for the Danes—who are considered the happiest people on the planet (despite their long, hard winters)—it's a way of life, says Meik Wiking, chief executive officer of the Happiness Research Institute in Copenhagen.

In his Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living ($20; amazon.com), Wiking outlines practical ways to embrace the buzzy philosophy ("hygge" made the shortlist for Oxford Dictionaries Word of the Year in 2016) and its key ingredients: togetherness, presence, indulgence, relaxation, and comfort. "[Hygge] is basically like a hug, just without the physical touch," he says. What it really comes down to is making the most of little, daily pleasures, especially when it's dark and freezing outside. Below are six of Wiking's tips for adding more hygge to your everyday life.

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Create a cozy atmosphere

“Danes are obsessed with interior design because our homes are our hygge headquarters," says Wiking. The one thing every hygge home needs? A "hyggekrog," or a cozy nook where you might enjoy your coffee and newspaper. You can also bring hygge to your space through candlelight, nature, and rich textures. “Danes feel the need to bring the entire forest inside—leaves, nuts, twigs, animal skins,” says Wiking. “Letting your fingers run across a wooden table or a warm ceramic cup is a distinctly different feeling from being in contact with something made from steel, glass or plastic.” In other words, log cabin chic has hygge written all over it.

Stock a self-care emergency kit

Instead of coming home after a particularly rough day and veging out in front of Netflix, try a self-care ritual that increases the R&R you get from your downtime. Wiking recommends creating a kit that contains comfort things like candles, quality chocolate, herbal tea, a soft blanket, warm wool socks, a page-turner, or a notebook and pen, or a photo album. All of these things allow you to wind down in a more mindful way. 

Learn a craft

Knitting is super hygge, since its slow, steady rhythm is calming for many people, says Wiking. It helps you focus in a laid-back way. But if you can’t see yourself with knitting needles, there are plenty of other hygge pastimes. “Crafts in general are hygge, especially if you do them with a friend,” says Wiking. “It's a chance to slow down and make something handmade.” Try painting, making a collage, or quilting during a night in.

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Make a hygge treat

Hygge foods are all about pleasure. Think cookies, cake, and pastries. ("Danes love freshly baked goods," says Wiking. "They don't have to look professional. In fact, the more rustic the better.") Slow, rich food—like stews and chili—are also hygge. Even more hygge than eating these foods is making them with friends and family. Wiking suggests starting a cooking club instead of throwing traditional dinner parties. “When everyone gathers and cooks together instead of one person hosting, it maximizes the hygge. It's a relaxed and informal evening,” says Wiking.

Start a new tradition with people you love

Togetherness is a big part of the hygge concept. To facilitate more time with friends and family, create a new tradition that involves a hygge activity (that is, one that encourages everyone to connect and feel comfortable). That could mean a organizing a game night, renting a cabin, going apple-picking, or taking a ski trip. “Any meaningful activity that unites the group will knit everyone more tightly together over the years,” says Wiking. “Hygge is making the most of the moment, but it’s also a way of planning for and preserving happiness. Danes plan for hygge times and reminisce about them afterwards.”

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Practice gratitude

Hygge and gratitude go hand in hand. The philosophy entails feeling thankful for the little things, like a bike ride on a beautiful day, or a cup of hot chocolate, or re-watching your favorite movie. “Research shows that people who feel grateful are not only happier but also more helpful and forgiving and less materialistic,” says Wiking. “It’s all about savoring simple pleasures.”

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Seeing a Therapist Can Actually Change Your Personality

This article originally appeared on Real Simple.

Wish you could be less neurotic or more outgoing? A new scientific paper suggests that maybe you can—with the help of a therapist, that is. While it was once assumed that people are stuck with the personality traits they’re born with, many scientists now agree that some characteristics are more fluid. But to hurry those changes along, according to the new study, it takes hard work and professional help.

The new paper, published in Psychological Bulletin, is a review of 207 previous studies that tracked changes in personality traits while people were seeing a therapist. Most were observational studies, rather than experimental; this means they could only suggest an association between therapy and personality changes, and not a direct cause.

But the findings do support the idea that traits like openness to experience, conscientiousness, extraversion, agreeableness, and neuroticism—known in psychology as the “big five”—can be changed in a relatively short period of time, says lead author Brent Roberts, Ph.D., a social and personality psychologist at the University of Illinois.

The trait that seemed most malleable was emotional stability, the review found, which relates closely to neuroticism. People tend to get less neurotic as they age, Roberts says, but his analysis showed that people in therapy can see measurable improvements after just four weeks of treatment—about half the amount of change normally expected over many years, from young adulthood through middle age.

It makes sense that people in the studies showed the most improvement in the area of emotional stability, Roberts says, since most people seek out therapy for issues related to depression and anxiety. To a lesser extent, therapy was also associated with changes in extraversion.

There’s less evidence to back up the theory that other traits can change this quickly, says Roberts. “It would be somewhat unfair to infer that going to a therapist does or does not change conscientiousness, for example, since most patients aren’t going for that type of resolution,” he explains.

The studies in the review followed people for an average of 24 weeks, and included people receiving medication, talk therapy sessions, or both. The researchers didn’t see big differences in results for different types of therapy, but they say that most patients in recent studies were undergoing a combination of the two. 

More long-term studies are needed to better understand whether these changes are permanent, says Roberts, and to determine which type of therapies really do work best for transforming personality traits. But much of the research to-date does have promising follow-up results, suggesting that gains made during therapy persist for months or years afterward.       

Roberts’ previous research has suggested that people tend to become more confident, agreeable, conscientious, and emotionally stable with age. But these changes are modest, he says, and it’s not well understood whether people can alter them deliberately.

“It’s a question that listeners to my presentations have been asking me for years,” Roberts says: “If personality does, in fact, change, can it also be changed? Initially, our position was always, ‘Well, maybe.’”

“But it seems odd to think you could transform somebody’s personality in a relatively rapid period of time, and I don’t think anyone really assumed it was the case,” he continues. In other words, therapy can certainly make you feel better temporarily—but does it really alter who you are deep down?

This research suggests yes, says Roberts. “I would say we now know that it is possible to change parts of your personality by working with a therapist,” he says. That should be encouraging news for anyone who’s thought about seeing a mental-health professional but wasn’t sure if it would really do any good.

The review doesn’t provide suggestions on how, exactly, to get treatment, but Roberts says the standard advice for choosing the right type of therapy likely still applies. Once you find a method that works for you, he does have one recommendation: “Don’t take the effort lightly,” he says. “The people in these studies and their therapists put in a lot of effort to make this type of change happen.”

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The 7 Best Health and Wellness Books of 2017

 

You’ve decided to take action and find your path to good health this year, so what better way to boost your motivation and commitment to that change than with a book that aligns with your goals. Whether you want to learn how to cook more nutritious (and easy) meals, how to build strength in the gym or how to live a stress-free and happier life, there’s a book for you.

The Telomere Effect: A Revolutionary Approach to Living Younger, Healthier, Longer

Available at Amazon, $16.66

Written by Nobel Prize-winning molecular biologist, this book dives into the science of telomeres, the parts of our chromosomes that determine how fast our cells age and die, but it also provides relatable advice on how you can reverse aging and boost health. Learn how changes to your state of mind, sleep quality, exercise and aspects of diet can impact your overall health and slow down the aging process.

The Subtle Art of Not Giving a F*ck: A Counterintuitive Approach to Living a Good Life

Available at Amazon, $14.99

Mark Manson doesn’t sugarcoat things. In this book, he tries to share how we can become better, happier people by not thinking positive all the time. His arguments are backed both by academic research and vulgar humor which help drive home the idea that “there are only so many things we can give a f**k about so we need to figure out which ones really matter.”

The No Meat Athlete Cookbook: Whole Food, Plant-Based Recipes to Fuel Your Workouts―and the Rest of Your Life

Available at Amazon, $9.99

Matt Frazier is a gym-goer turned marathon runner turned ultrarunner and he’s also the mind behind the popular site, No Meat Athlete, where he shares his transformation from a junk-food and takeout-filled diet to his current vegetarian lifestyle. In his new book, Frazier details how athletes can perform better on whole plant foods and even shares 150 vegan recipes that are affordable and quick to get on the table.

The Little Book of Hygge: Danish Secrets to Happy Living

Available at Amazon, $11.75    

Pronounced hoo-ga, hygge is a Danish word that describes a feeling or mood that comes from taking genuine pleasure in making ordinary everyday things simply extraordinary. It may be the newest craze, but there is something to learn from the philosophy of comfort, togetherness and well being, and this book provides ideas and advice on how to incorporate hygge into your everyday life.

Deep Nutrition: Why Your Genes Need Traditional Food

Available at Amazon, $16.65

Written by Los Angeles Lakers nutrition consultant Cate Shanahan, this book outlines the importance and results of eating a diet based on many traditional cuisines: fresh foods, fermented and sprouted foods, meat on the bone and organ meat. Shanahan dives into the genetic benefit of eating according to her philosophy (and like a pro athlete), which involves avoiding sugar, minimizing empty starches and drinking down bone broth and stock, which contain healing and connective-tissue-building compounds such as collagen and amino acids.

Healthy Gut, Flat Stomach: The Fast and Easy Low-FODMAP Diet Plan

Available at Amazon, $10.67

Digestion issues are real. Registered dietitian Danielle Capalino wants to help you identify the foods that can cause stomach discomfort and beat the bloat for good. The FODMAP approach is backed by science but Capalino breaks down the difference between this approach and a gluten-free diet and gives a sample meal plan and recipe to help you get started.

The Endurance Diet: Discover the 5 Core Habits of the World’s Greatest Athletes to Look, Feel, and Perform Better

Available at Amazon, $10.27

This book is a compilation of sports nutritionist Matt Fitzgerald’s 20 years of research and experience with the world’s top professional endurance athletes, who are right up there as some of the fittest and healthiest in the world. Fitzgerald outlines five core habits and key strategies for top performance: eat everything, eat quality, eat carbohydrate, eat enough, and eat individually. The book is also backed by Olympic marathoner Shalane Flanagan, who has cookbook of her own called Run Fast, Eat Slow.

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Cervical Cancer Deaths Rates Are Much Higher Than Previously Thought, Study Says

This article originally appeared on Time.com.

Cervical cancer kills more women in the U.S. than health experts have previously believed, according to a new study.

Researchers have found that the rate of death from cervical cancer is much higher than what has been reported, particularly among black women.

The mortality rate for black women was 10.1 per 100,000, compared to 4.7 per 100,000 for white women, according to the study published Monday in the journal Cancer. The rate for black women who are 85 and over was even higher, at 37.2 deaths per 100,000, the study found. Previous estimates put the death rate of cervical cancer at 5.7 per 100,000 black women and 3.2 per 100,000 white women.

“This shows that our disparities are even worse than we feared,” Dr. Kathleen Schmeler, an associate professor of gynecologic oncology at the University of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, told the New York Times. “We have screenings that are great, but many women in America are not getting them.”

The corrected rates come after researchers reevaluated the figures, keeping in mind women involved who have had hysterectomies — operations to remove the cervix.

Cervical cancer is highly preventable with vaccinations to prevent the human papillomavirus (HPV), which is the most common cause of cervical cancer, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. Cervical cancer is also treatable when diagnosed early from screening tests.

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Large Employer Health Plans Could Also See Some Impacts From Obamacare Overhaul

This article originally appeared on KHN.org.

If you think that because you get health insurance through your job at a big company, you won’t be affected if Republicans overhaul Obamacare, think again.  Several of the law’s provisions apply to plans offered by large employers too (with some exceptions for plans that were in place before the law passed in March 2010).

It’s not yet clear how President-elect Donald Trump and the congressional Republicans plan to revamp the federal health law. They have not agreed on a plan, and they do not have enough votes in the Senate to fully repeal the current statute. So they are planning to use a budgeting rule to disassemble part of the law, and that will limit what they can change. But they also may seek revisions in important regulations and guidance that have determined how the law is implemented.

Nonetheless, as the tensions grow in Washington over the future of the health law, it is important to understand some of its effects on large-group plans.

No Copays For Preventive Services

The health insurance offered by big companies is typically pretty comprehensive, the better to attract and keep good employees. But Obamacare broadened some coverage requirements. Under the law, insurers and employers have to cover many preventive services without charging people anything for them. The services that are required with no out-of-pocket payments include dozens of screenings and tests, including mammograms and colonoscopies, that are recommended by the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force; routine immunizations endorsed by the federal Centers for Disease Control and Prevention’s Advisory Committee on Immunization Practices; and a range of services that are recommended specifically for children and for women by the federal Health Resources and Services Administration.

The change that affects the most people on an ongoing basis is likely the requirement that plans cover without cost sharing all methods of contraception approved by the Food and Drug Administration. (There are limited exceptions for religious employers.)

“In terms of sustained costs, birth control is probably the biggest,” said Caroline Pearson, a senior vice president at Avalere Health.

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No Annual Or Lifetime Limits On Coverage

Even the most generous plans often had lifetime maximum coverage limits of a few million dollars before the health law passed, and some plans also imposed annual coverage limits. The health law eliminated those dollar coverage limits.

Annual Cap On Out-Of-Pocket Payments For Covered Services

The health law set limits on how much people can be required to pay in deductibles, copayments or coinsurance every year for covered care they receive from providers in their network. In 2017, the limit is $7,150 for individuals and $14,300 for families.

“Many employers often had an out-of-pocket limit anyway, but this guarantees protection for people with high needs,” said JoAnn Volk, a research professor at Georgetown University’s Center on Health Insurance Reforms, who has written on this issue.

Adult Kids’ Coverage Expanded

The law allowed workers to keep their children on their plans until they reach age 26, even if they’re married, financially independent and live in another state. Republicans have said they may keep this popular provision in place if they dismantle the law.

Guaranteed External Appeal Rights

Consumers who disagree with a health plan’s decision to deny benefits or payment for services can appeal the decision to an independent review panel.

The provision applies to all new health plans, including those offered by self-funded companies that pay their workers’ claims directly and who were previously exempt from appeals requirements.

No Waiting Periods To Join A Plan 

Employers used to be able to make new employees wait indefinitely before they were eligible for coverage under the company plan. No more. Now the waiting time for coverage can be no more than 90 days.

No Waiting Periods For Coverage Of Pre-Existing Conditions 

Prior to the ACA, employers could delay covering workers’ chronic and other health conditions for up to a year after they became eligible for a plan. Under the ACA, that’s no longer allowed. As a practical matter, though, coverage of pre-existing conditions was rarely an issue in large-group plans, say some health insurance experts.

“It was difficult administratively, and the law of large numbers” meant that one individual’s health care costs didn’t generally have a noticeable impact on the group, said Karen Pollitz, a senior fellow at the Kaiser Family Foundation. (KHN is an editorially independent program of the foundation.)

Repeal could reopen the door to that prohibited practice, however.

Standardized Plan Descriptions

The law requires all plans to provide a “summary of benefits and coverage” in a standard format that allows consumers to understand their coverage and make apples-to-apples plan comparisons. 

Basic Coverage Standards For Large-Group Plans

The health law isn’t as prescriptive with large-group plans about the specific benefits that have to be offered. They aren’t required to cover the 10 essential health benefits that individual and small-group plans have to include, for example. But the law does require that big companies offer plans that meet a “minimum-value” standard paying at least 60 percent of the cost of covered services, on average. Those that don’t could face a fine.

Initially, the online calculator that the federal Department of Health and Human Services provided to help large employers gauge compliance with the minimum value standard gave the green light to plans that didn’t cover hospitalization services or more than a few doctor visits a year. Now plans must provide at least that coverage to meet federal standards.

The result: Large employers generally no longer offer so-called “mini-med” policies with very skimpy benefits.

If the health law is repealed, that could change. In some industries with lower-wage workers and smaller profit margins, “they might begin to offer them again, and employees might demand it” to help make the premiums more affordable, said Steve Wojcik, vice president of public policy at the National Business Group on Health, a membership organization representing large employers.

Although the law strengthened coverage for people in large-group plans in several ways, consumer advocates have complained about shortcomings. It aimed to ensure that coverage is affordable by requiring that individuals be responsible for paying no more than 9.69 percent of their household income for individual employer coverage, for example.

If their insurance costs more than that, workers can shop for coverage on the marketplaces set up by the health law and be eligible for premium tax credits — if their income is less than 400 percent of the federal poverty level (about $47,000). But the standard does not take into consideration any additional costs for family coverage.

Consumer advocates also point to the wellness regulations as a problematic area of the law. The health law increased the financial incentives that employers can offer workers for participating in workplace wellness programs to 30 percent of the cost of individual coverage, up from 20 percent.

Such incentives can effectively coerce people into participating and sharing private medical information, critics charge, and unfairly penalize sick people.

“It potentially allows [plans] to discriminate against people with medical conditions, which the ACA is supposed to eliminate,” said Linda Blumberg, a senior fellow at the Urban Institute’s Health Policy Center.

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5 Mantras for a Happier, Calmer, More Confident You

Can one simple phrase actually make a difference in your life? According to Sherianna Boyle, the answer is most definitely yes. She is the author of Mantras Made Easy, ($15, amazon.com), a collection of chants and slogans meant to help people tap into the power of positive thinking. “Just like you are programmed to respond to the ring of your phone, you can program repeated words and phrases into your subconscious mind,” writes Boyle, a licensed school psychologist and adjunct psychology professor at Cape Cod Community College. “Mantras are a way to clear up negative actions, opening up new pathways for positive ones.” Whether you're looking to manage your anxiety, find more joy in your life, or summon the courage to start a new chapter, Boyle's got a mantra that may help. Below are five of our favorites from her book.

RELATED: 25 Scientifically Proven Ways to Be a Happier Person

To achieve inner peace...

"My breath is deep; my eyes are soft; I am at peace."

You are taught many things as a child: how to tie your shoes, brush your teeth, and read and write. Breathing is not something most people were taught how to do. As the benefits of mindfulness (and mantras) spread, this fortunately is beginning to shift. You do not have to be formally trained to learn how to breathe well. You can start right now by reciting this mantra. Take a long, slow, deep inhale (inflating your lower belly) and a slow, extended exhale (drawing your navel in), reciting this mantra in between. Do this for five rounds.

To beat anxiety...

"It’s got to be better than I think."

This mantra takes you beyond your thoughts. It reminds you that your thoughts could never capture the possibilities and magnificence that are available to you when you allow yourself to move through your feelings and detach from thinking. This mantra was passed on to me by Zoe Marae, PhD. She described it as a way to complete what she referred to as “repeaters.” Repeaters are what you can attract into your life based on old patterns. Reciting this mantra opens the doorway to new ways of being, and as this occurs new perceptions will surface. As Candace Pert, author of Molecules of Emotion, shares, sensations create perceptions. Utilizing this mantra gives you a much more open feeling, providing an inevitable shift in the way you see your world.

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To attract success...

"I have the confidence and knowledge to take action."

Creating a life of abundance does require some level of action. First, you are going to want to create a plan. Ask yourself, “What steps will I need to take to put things into motion?” After giving it some thought, write down these steps on paper. Be sure to include the resources available to you. Secondly, you will need to cultivate the energy required to put this plan into action. See this mantra as being one of the ways you will create the energy to manifest what you wrote down.

To find happiness...

"I give myself permission to prioritize the things that bring me joy, creativity, and connection."

At times, you might lose your sense of direction, or wonder if your life choices are off base. For example, you may crave a different lifestyle or a compatible companion. This mantra reminds you that perhaps these doubts mean that you are being connected to your divine purpose. Your creative energy can stimulate healthy change and lead to happy experiences. So allow yourself to feel these doubts, and ask yourself if they could become motivation for you to reclaim happiness. Rather than focus on what is missing from your life, this mantra encourages you to incorporate things that bring you joy (e.g., animals, nature, art, music, etc.).

RELATED: How to Get More Energy, From Morning to Night

To find the confidence to start afresh...

"I am evolving and changing for the better."

This mantra reminds you that because you are made of energy, you are always in motion. We know cells have the ability to regenerate themselves. Since you are made of trillions of cells, you are never exactly the same as you were the day before. See change as part of your evolution. Using this mantra is a positive way to support the evolution of your brain, mind, body, and spirit. 

Excerpted from Mantras Made Easy by Sherianna Boyle. Copyright 2017 F+W Media, Inc. Used by permission of the publisher. All rights reserved.

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Scientists Warn of ‘Eleventh Hour’ for Many Primate Species

This article originally appeared on Time.com.

Nearly two-thirds of primate species face the threat of extinction largely as a result of human actions that kill animals directly and destroy habitats, according to a new review from more than 30 leading primatologists.

Researchers behind the paper, published in the journal Science Advances, called for urgent action to prevent mass extinction. Measures would vary between regions but include protections for primate habitats and actions to combat illegal poaching.

“Primate conservation is not yet a lost cause,” the researchers write in the paper. “We have one last opportunity to greatly reduce or even eliminate the human threats to primates and their habitats.”

Read More: Human Activity in the Oceans is Driving Many Large Species Toward Extinction

The paper’s top line numbers were sobering. There are 504 species of primates worldwide, ranging from the 1-oz. (30 g) mouse lemur to the 450-lb (200 kg) western and eastern gorilla. But size is no protection against extinction. According to the study, fully 75% of primate species are in decline and 60% are threatened with extinction.

That danger is not spread evenly around the globe. In mainland Africa, with 111 species, for example, 42% are declining and 37% are threatened with extinction. On Madagascar, with 103 species, fully 100% are declining and 87% are threatened. Several primate species only have a few thousand animals that remain alive, including the ring-tailed lemur, Udzunga red colobus monkey, Yunnan snub-nosed monkey, white-headed langur and Grauer’s gorilla.

Threats to primates have grown increasingly grave in recent years thanks to a variety of threats. Human population growth in areas where primates live has driven up demand for food leading farmers to develop primate habitat into agricultural land. Global demand for natural resources like timber has also encouraged the destruction of forests. Less directly, man-made global warming is changing—and eliminating—primate habitats.

Humans have also targeted endangered primates directly through practices likes hunting and trapping to participate in the illegal wildlife trade. Demand for such illegal goods has spiked thanks to an increasingly globalized market, according to the research.

Read More: The Giraffe Is Now Vulnerable to Extinction Following Population Decline

The extinction of various primate species would have a direct effect on human wellbeing, according to the study. Primates help sustain ecosystems by spreading plant seeds over wide distances and acting as predators and prey. Humans often depend on the diverse life in these regions to support their own diets and local economies.

The overall range of primates stretches across 90 countries, but researchers have identified four—Brazil, Madagascar, Indonesia and the Democratic Republic of the Congo—that are home to two-thirds of primate species. Those four represent an obvious starting point for policy measures aimed at stopping primate extinction.

The paper on primates joins growing warnings from scientists that world is currently experiencing an unsustainable ecological crisis as a result of a decline in biodiversity, a measure of the different plant and animal species in a given area. Species large and small in the land and sea face potential extinction.

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What You Should Know About Meningitis, the Deadly Infection That Killed a Man in California

Imagine getting an alert from your gym that a member has died of meningitis, an infection that can be passed via close contact. You'd probably be worried, to say the least.

This is what happened after 48-year-old Sevin Philips, a frequent visitor to a SoulCycle studio in Larkspur, California, died of bacterial meningitis on January 7. Out of an abundance of caution, health officials have since contacted more than 200 of his fellow riders who may have been exposed; but they are being told not to panic, according to NBC Bay Area news.

So what is meningitis, exactly—and how contagious is it really?

Meningitis is an inflammation of the membranes covering the spinal cord and brain. There are many possible causes, including viruses, fungi, parasites, drugs, and cancer. But the type that frequently appears in the news is a bacterial form called meningococcal meningitis, caused by the bacterium Neisseria meningitidis.

“This can be horrifically serious,” says Aileen Marty, MD, professor of infectious diseases at the Florida International University Herbert Wertheim College of Medicine. It can cause brain damage and hearing loss. In the worst cases, it can lead to death in just a few hours.

RELATED: How to Fight 14 Classroom Germs

“Meningitis is not uncommon,” says Dr. Marty. “But it’s especially common in populations that are living in tight quarters, like the military or college students." (Many universities recommend the meningococcal vaccine if you live in student housing.)

That's because bacterial meningitis is transmitted via close interaction. But it's unlikely that working out next to someone who's infected would put you at risk, as health officials told SoulCycle regulars in Larkspur.

You need to be in contact with an infected person's saliva, which can happen when you live together, for example, or kiss, says Jessica MacNeil, an epidemiologist in the Division of Bacterial Diseases at the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. “The bacteria that cause meningococcal disease require prolonged (lengthy) or very close, person-to-person contact in order to spread,” she explained in an email to Health.

It's not like catching a cold or the flu, she added: “The bacteria are not spread by casual contact, being in the same room as someone who is sick, or breathing the air where a person with meningococcal disease has been." 

And the bacteria can't live outside the body for long. So you can't catch the disease by touching surfaces like a spin bike, a keyboard, or a doorknob that someone who is sick has also touched, MacNeil said.

RELATED: 15 Diseases Doctors Often Get Wrong

The classic symptoms are sudden fever, headache, and a stiff neck. "When we say headache, we mean it's among the worst headaches that somebody's had in their life. And with the stiff neck, they really can't move their neck, or they can't, for example, touch their chin to their chest," MacNeil said. Other symptoms include nausea and vomiting, confusion, exhaustion, and sensitivity to light. It can be mistaken for a bad flu, says Dr. Marty. But because meningococcal meningitis is so serious, you should seek treatment immediately.

As for protecting yourself, the best defense is washing your hands, says Dr. Marty. “Hand washing is unbelievably underrated and so important. But people don’t know how to do it,” she says.

Here's a quick refresher: Under running water, scrub your hands (get in all the crevices!) for at least 20 seconds. Rinse, and then dry with a clean towel. Wash after you go to the bathroom, before you eat, and whenever you're around someone who’s sick.

 

 

 

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Repealing Obamacare Would Take Insurance Away From 32 Million Americans and Double Premiums

How to Make Your Resolutions Last All Year

Did you resolve to make a change this year? Whether your goal was to eat healthier, run a marathon, or finally start meditating, keep those shiny new resolutions and avoid backsliding with these proven strategies from Gretchen Rubin, author of Better Than Before: What I Learned About Making and Breaking Habits—to Sleep More, Quit Sugar, Procrastinate Less, and Generally Build a Happier Life ($16; amazon.com).

1. Name it

Aiming to be fitter or healthier is a laudable goal, but what does that mean? "Choose a goal that is concrete and measurable and tied to an actual behavior," says Rubin. Examples: You want to be more active, so you’ll walk your dog every morning in the park. You want to eat better, so you’ll snack on fruit instead of chips.

2. Know yourself

Ask, "What kind of person am I, really?" If you’re not a morning person, don’t resolve to wake up at 5 a.m. to go to the gym before work—that approach is not only unrealistic, it’s going to fail fast. Rubin suggests recalling past successes to clue you in to what will work for you.

RELATED: How to Make Over Your Worst Health Habits

3. Plan for failure

Things are bound to go wrong along the way (you’ll attend a party and be surrounded by to-die-for cupcakes, say). The key is to anticipate those challenges and make an if-then plan, notes Rubin. For instance, tell yourself: "If there are cupcakes at this party, then I’ll take one, relish every bite and walk away."

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4. Show yourself some love

"When you feel energized and cared for, it’s easier to resist temptation," says Rubin. So beyond basic self-care, make sure you’re regularly treating yourself in healthy (i.e., not food- or shopping related) ways: Do a crossword puzzle when you drink your coffee, or burn a scented candle.

5. Reframe it

People sometimes feel "done" when they achieve their goal, says Rubin. "Don’t think of it as a finish line. Consider it just one milestone out of many," she says. Think about how you can build on your original goal so you have a new target to shoot for—even before you reach the first one. That way, the good-for-you momentum will carry on

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What Your Doctor Isn’t Telling You on Twitter

This article originally appeared on Time.com.

Cancer doctors with Twitter accounts have something else in common: more than 70% of them receive funding from drug companies, according to a new research letter published in JAMA Internal Medicine.

In the study, researchers identified 634 hematologist-oncologists who were active on Twitter and looked up whether they received personal payments from drug companies, unrelated to research or grants, in 2014. Most of them did: 72% received payments from drug companies and 44% were paid more than a thousand dollars. Payments received by the doctors in the study ranged from $100 to more than $50,000 in a single year.

The topic has fascinated study author Dr. Vinay Prasad, an assistant professor of medicine at the Oregon Health and Science University, ever since he noticed that cancer doctors were tweeting about drugs and clinical trials. He and his team didn’t analyze the content of the tweets in this study, so they can’t show whether the doctors were tweeting about drugs from those companies—and whether the doctors’ conflicts of interest influence what they share on social media.

However, Prasad says his team is currently answering that question in a second study, and while the research is still ongoing, Prasad says the practice is prevalent. “It is 100% happening that doctors who have conflicts of interest are tweeting about those specific drugs,” he says.

Regulatory agencies have struggled to come up with rules on promoting prescription drugs through social media. In 2014, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) introduced voluntary guidelines for companies on how to present the risks and benefits of a given product online, even with character restrictions. Among them are suggestions to post messages about risks with a hyperlink that can direct people to a more detailed listing of side effects. Currently there is no official guidance for doctors on social media.

The study authors say that their findings raise the important issue of whether, and how, a doctor’s conflict of interest should be disclosed on social media like Twitter. Prasad says he thinks doctors should disclose their conflicts in their social media bios and consider flagging them when tweeting about drugs or clinical trials by companies they are paid by.

“Although there are cancer drugs with tremendous benefits, most cancer drugs have marginal benefits and real risk and harms,” says Prasad. “People deciding what treatment is right for them are in a tough situation. If part of what’s shaping your view of these drugs is the opinion of thought leaders on Twitter, then I think you have the right to know if they are paid by drug companies.”

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Women Share Body Positive Stories with #GainingWeightIsCool Trend on Twitter

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6 Surprising Things That May Disappear With an Obamacare Repeal

This article originally appeared on KHN.org.

The Affordable Care Act of course affected premiums and insurance purchasing. It guaranteed people with pre-existing conditions could buy health coverage and allowed children to stay on parents’ plans until age 26. But the roughly 2,000-page bill also included a host of other provisions that affect the health-related choices of nearly every American.

Some of these measures are evident every day. Some enjoy broad support, even though people often don’t always realize they spring from the statute.

In other words, the outcome of the repeal-and-replace debate could affect more than you might think, depending on exactly how the GOP congressional majority pursues its goal to do away with Obamacare.

No one knows how far the effort will reach, but here’s a sampling of sleeper provisions that could land on the cutting-room floor:

Calorie counts at restaurants and fast food chains

Feeling hungry? The law tries to give you more information about what that burger or muffin will cost you in terms of calories, part of an effort to combat the ongoing obesity epidemic. Under the ACA, most restaurants and fast food chains with at least 20 stores must post calorie counts of their menu items. Several states, including New York, already had similar rules before the law. Although there was some pushback, the rule had industry support, possibly because posting calories was seen as less onerous than such things as taxes on sugary foods or beverages. The final rule went into effect in December after a one-year delay. One thing that is still unclear: Does simply seeing that a particular muffin has more than 400 calories cause consumers to choose carrot sticks instead?  Results are mixed. One large meta-analysis done before the law went into effect didn’t show a significant reduction in calorie consumption, although the authors concluded that menu labeling is “a relatively low-cost education strategy that may lead consumers to purchase slightly fewer calories.”

Privacy please: Workplace requirements for breastfeeding rooms

Breastfeeding, but going back to work? The law requires employers to provide women break time to express milk for up to a year after giving birth and provide someplace—other than a bathroom—to do so in private. In addition, most health plans must offer breastfeeding support and equipment, such as pumps, without a patient co-payment.

Limits on surprise medical costs from hospital emergency room visits

If you find yourself in an emergency room, short on cash, uninsured or not sure if your insurance covers costs at that hospital, the law provides some limited assistance. If you are in a hospital that is not part of your insurer’s network, the Affordable Care Act requires all health plans to charge consumers the same co-payments or co-insurance for out-of-network emergency care as they do for hospitals within their networks. Still, the hospital could “balance bill” you for its costs—including ER care—that exceed what your insurer reimburses it.

If it’s a non-profit hospital—and about 78 percent of all hospitals are—the law requires it to post online a written financial assistance policy, spelling out whether it offers free or discounted care and the eligibility requirements for such programs. While not prescribing any particular set of eligibility requirements, the law requires hospitals to charge lower rates to patients who are eligible for their financial assistance programs. That’s compared with their gross charges, also known as chargemaster rates.

Nonprofit hospitals' community health assessments

The health law also requires non-profit hospitals to justify the billions of dollars in tax exemptions they receive by demonstrating how they go about trying to improve the health of the community around them.

Every three years, these hospitals have to perform a community needs assessment for the area the hospital serves. They also have to develop—and update annually—strategies to meet these needs. The hospitals then must provide documentation as part of their annual reporting to the Internal Revenue Service. Failure to comply could leave them liable for a $50,000 penalty.

A woman's right to choose... her OB/GYN

Most insurance plans must allow women to seek care from an obstetrician/gynecologist without having to get a referral from a primary care physician. While the majority of states already had such protections in place, those laws did not apply to self-insured plans, which are often offered by large employers. The health law extended the rules to all new plans. Proponents say direct access makes it easier for women to seek not only reproductive health care, but also related screenings for such things as high blood pressure or cholesterol.

And what about those therapy coverage assurances for families who have kids with autism?

Advocates for children with autism and people with degenerative diseases argued that many insurance plans did not provide care their families needed. That’s because insurers would cover rehabilitation to help people regain functions they had lost, such as walking again after a stroke, but not care needed to either gain functions patients never had, such speech therapy for a child who never learned how to talk, or to maintain a patient’s current level of function. The law requires plans to offer coverage for such treatments, dubbed habilitative care, as part of the essential health benefits in plans sold to individuals and small groups.

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Here's Why Email Makes You So Stressed Out

This article originally appeared on RealSimple.com.

Email is often cited as one of the most stressful things about the modern workplace, especially for people who feel pressure to stay logged on 24/7. Now, researchers say that different personality types respond in different ways to certain email habits and behaviors—and that knowing your “type” may help you reduce email-related dread or anxiety.

The new research, which was presented today at the British Psychological Society’s annual conference for occupational psychology in Liverpool, is based on an online survey of 368 people who had also completed Myers-Briggs questionnaires to determine their personality type.

This simple test prompts users to select traits for themselves in four categories: Introverted or Extroverted; Sensing or Intuitive; Thinking or Feeling; and Judging or Perceiving. The result is a four-letter combination of these traits: ISFJ or ENTP, for example.

When psychologists from OPP—a research branch of the Myers-Briggs company—compared survey data with respondents’ personality types, they found some interesting differences in how people used email, and in what they considered the most stressful aspects.

“Our research shows that while there are some general guidelines for using email, everyone is different,” said study author and OPP researcher John Hackston, in a press release. “Knowing your personality type can help you to avoid stress and communicate better with others.”

For example, those whose types included an “I” for intuitive—whom the researchers described as having a “big-picture focus”—were more likely to check their emails on vacation, over the weekends, and before and after work than their more “matter-of-fact” (or “S” for sensing) peers.

That’s unfortunate for them, says Hackston, since emailing outside of work hours has been associated with emotional exhaustion and work-life imbalance. (This issue has become so pervasive around the world that France recently instituted a “Right to Disconnect” law, requiring companies to negotiate off-hours communication boundaries.)

That’s not all the survey found. Based on the full results, OPP developed personalized email management tips for eight unique personality types.

For example, “activists” (people who are extroverted and sensing) should remember to make sure they send all of the emails they start in a day. “Conservers” (introverted and sensing) should turn off email notifications when they need to focus and concentrate, and are encouraged to follow up with people when they don’t respond to initial emails.

“Explorers” (extroverted and intuitive) should not worry about creating subfolders if they never use them, while “Visionaries” (introverted and intuitive) should consider sending a short “holding” email if they aren’t able respond right away.

“Directors” (extroverted and sensing) should avoid being too direct when stressed, and “Nurturers” (extroverted and feeling) shouldn’t be offended if people omit pleasantries in their emails.

Some advice was more broad: Extroverts are reminded that not everyone wants to meet face-to-face all the time, while introverts are reminded the opposite—that some things really are best hashed out in person, rather than online. The entire collection of email tips, as well as tips for sending emails to different personality types, is available on the OPP website.

The researchers also provide suggestions that all personality types can use to improve their relationship with work email. These include responding more quickly; taking care with chain emails and when cc'ing large groups; being clear, concise, and polite; and thinking about your audience.

They also recommend sending fewer emails overall, and sticking to the workday whenever possible. “This may be difficult, but try and have at least some time email free to reduce your stress levels,” they write.

Psychologist Ben Dattner, PhD, a New York City-based executive coach who was not involved in the new research, agrees that there are very few set-in-stone rules when it comes to managing emails.

“Some people might find it more relaxing to totally unplug on vacation, while other people might find that stressful because they don’t have their finger on the pulse of what’s going on,” Dattner told RealSimple.com. “You might have to experiment a little, and be strategic about what you put in your out-of-office reply, to see what works best for you.”

He does think, however, that everyone can benefit from setting some time-and-place limits on email. He even cites an amusing 2005 study that revealed how email and phone distractions could affect workers’ IQ scores even more than smoking marijuana could.

“You need some sort of delineation between when you’re trying to be productive, like reading or writing, and when you’re doing email,” he says. “Close your browser or put your smartphone on mute, and tell yourself you’re only going to check once an hour or once every half hour. You may not be responding to as much all at once, but you’ll be responding better and more efficiently, and that’s what’s important.”

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This Body-Positive Athletic Ad Shows Women With Diverse Bodies and People Are Loving It

I Started My Morning Meditating In a Pod And It Was Awesome

By now, we’ve all learned about the health benefits of meditation: the practice boosts serotonin levels (yay, happiness!), lowers blood pressure, and can even alleviate chronic pain. But for many of us, taking the time to totally disconnect and do literally nothing for any period of time may seem like an impossible feat. Trust me, I understand the struggle: whenever I have a few spare minutes, I'm tethered to my phone watching YouTube videos or scrolling through my Instagram feed.

I never thought I'd ever be able to convince myself to meditate—but then I heard about Somadome, a pod equipped with soft, colorful lights and soothing music designed to help users fully immerse themselves in a meditative experience.

I decided it was worth a try. After all, my favorite part of yoga is the 10 minutes of savasana at the end of class, since it leaves me feeling calm and refreshed. I was hoping Somadome would provide the same results.

On a Thursday morning before work, I headed to Pure Yoga, a New York City yoga studio that has a Somadome. When I arrived, I was surprised to see the pod set up in a corner of the studio’s lobby, out for the world to see. Would I really be able to focus on achieving a peaceful state in such busy space?

RELATED: Why Can't I Meditate? 7 Solutions to Common Meditation Blockers

A receptionist lifted the pod's domed roof and had me sit in the padded, lounge-style chair underneath. She covered me in a blanket, handed over a pair of headphones, and told me to pick one of six audio tracks (three were guided meditations, and three were soundtracks for more seasoned meditators). I chose “Love.” Then, the receptionist closed the pod, took my bag (and phone), and I was by myself, ready to get my zen on.

At first, I had trouble relaxing, since meditating inside a fluorescent pod is a little, well, new to me. But after a few minutes of fidgeting around in the chair, I found a comfortable position, closed my eyes, and forgot about the world outside of the pod. Being enclosed in the pod blocked out any potential distractions, making this the easiest meditation experience I’ve ever had. With no coughing or sniffling sounds from fellow yogis, or the temptation of my phone, I drifted off in about five minutes.

After 20 minutes of calm, a soothing recorded voice told me my session was over. I opened the pod, climbed out, and immediately noticed how serene I felt. For me, mornings are somewhat chaotic, as I rush to get ready and get to work on time. But now, that sense of urgency was replaced with a sense of Relax, everything will get done. And that sense was right: I felt less stressed as I went about my day, and was still able to check everything off of my daily to do list.

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While Somadome is a somewhat involved form of meditation, I definitely recommend it for beginners who have trouble relaxing on their own. The guided audio tracks walk you through relaxing your entire body and mind, while the personal pod keeps you from thinking about the outside environment. Once you get the hang of the guided meditation, you can probably stick to at-home sessions, though. Since my successful morning in the Somadome, I’ve decided to make time for a few minutes of mindfulness throughout the week.

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11 Surprising Uses For Botox

This article originally appeared on Time.com.

Though it’s best known for smoothing wrinkles, Botox, which is derived from one of the most deadly toxins known to man, has repeatedly stunned the medical community for its seemingly endless applications. Though the drug is approved for nine medical conditions and several cosmetic ones, Allergan, the company that owns Botox, holds close to 800 more patents for potential uses of the drug. Since it was approved nearly 30 years ago, Botox has indeed become a staple of cosmetic enhancement, but today, more than half of its revenue comes from its therapeutic uses for conditions as varied as chronic migraines and back pain to excessive sweating and twitching eyelids.

Botox is generally considered safe if used in tiny amounts and administered by a licensed professional, but the drug is not without risks. In 2009, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) required Botox carry a black box warning—the strongest type of warning label on any drug—cautioning the drug had been linked to serious side effects. For Botox, those can include the effects of the drug spreading from the injection site, which can cause muscle weakness, vision problems, trouble breathing and difficulty swallowing. There have also been a number of high-profile lawsuits brought against Allergan in which plaintiffs claimed that off-label uses of Botox for ailments like a child’s cerebral-palsy symptoms or an adult’s hand tremors caused lasting side effects.

Once a drug is approved in the U.S. for one medical condition, doctors are legally allowed to prescribe it for any medical issue they think it could benefit, regardless of whether it’s been proven to work for that condition. The practice is common in medicine, but some experts caution that more research is needed to understand how Botox works and whether it’s safe for all health problems before off-label use balloons.

The off-label use of this particular toxin has helped turn Botox into a blockbuster, as TIME reports in an in-depth cover story. Here are some of the most intriguing uses for Botox:

Chronic migraines (FDA approved)
In 1992, a Beverly Hills plastic surgeon named Dr. William Binder observed that when he gave people Botox for wrinkles, they reported fewer headaches. Allergan later tested the drug on people with chronic migraines, and Botox was approved for the disorder in 2010. Some doctors question whether the drug is truly effective for migraines, or whether placebo effect deserves the credit. “Even if it’s placebo, the patients have fewer migraines,” says Dr. Denise Chou, an assistant professor of neurology at Columbia University Medical Center (who has no financial ties to Allergan). “Right now the other medications we have are antidepressants, anti-seizure, or anti-blood pressure drugs—other medications that have also accidentally been found to help migraines.” Today people who receive Botox for migraine prevention get 31 injections in different spots on their head and neck, and the effects can last around three months.

Excessive underarm sweating (FDA approved)
When doctors noticed that their patients being treated for facial spasms were sweating less, scientists at Allergan and outside of the company began studying whether Botox could be a successful therapy for people with a condition called severe primary axillary hyperhidrosis. Botox was approved for the treatment in 2004. Some people also use Botox to treat overly sweaty hands and feet.

Overactive bladder (FDA approved)
“In my 30 years of medical practice, Botox was one of the most impactful treatments I had never seen” for overactive bladder, says Dr. Linda Brubaker, dean and chief diversity officer of the Loyola University Chicago Stritch School of Medicine. In one study, Brubaker found that about 70% of women she treated with Botox reported about three leaks a day, compared with the average of five leaks a day at the start of the study. But there’s a catch. Sometimes, Botox can shut down the bladder too much, and people may need to use a catheter, she says.

Crossed-eyes (FDA approved)
One of the first Botox approvals was for a disorder that affects about 4% of Americans: strabismus, where the eyes do not line up in the same direction.

Depression (not FDA approved)
Though many experts are still skeptical, early trials suggest Botox may alleviate symptoms in people with depression. The proposed mechanism is based on what’s called the facial feedback hypothesis, which holds that a person’s facial expressions can influence their mood. One small 2014 study of 74 people with major depressive disorder found that 52% of people who received Botox reported a drop in symptoms six weeks later, compared with 15% of the people given a placebo. Allergan is currently conducting clinical trials to see if Botox can treat depression.

Premature ejaculation (not FDA approved)
Injecting Botox into the penis might relax the muscle and delay ejaculation; Allergan is currently testing Botox for this issue. The company also holds a patent for the treatment of erectile dysfunction, which is currently being tested in a third-party clinical trial.

Abnormal heartbeat (not FDA approved)
Allergan is exploring Botox as a therapy to prevent abnormal heartbeat patterns after open-heart surgery (called postoperative atrial fibrillation). “After having a drug on the market for 27 years, and having a good understanding of the safety profile, we’ve made the decision to take it to an area of significant unmet need,” says Dr. Mitchell Brin, senior vice president of Drug Development at Allergan and Chief Scientific Officer for Botox about the potential use.

Severely cold hands (not FDA approved)
At the Cold Hand Clinic at the University of Chicago, doctors use Botox off-label to treat people with very cold hands. Botox is injected into a person’s hand in order to relax muscles that surround constricted blood vessels, the course of poor circulation. When the vessels relax and enlarge, blood flows through the hand and into the fingertips, providing symptom relief. Doctors say the treatment can last up to three months.

Cleft lip scars in babies (not FDA approved)
Every year, about 2,650 babies are born with a cleft palate and 4,440 are born with a cleft lip. Many undergo surgery. Some doctors—like Dr. Roberto Flores, director of the Cleft Lip and Palate Program at NYU—will inject the infants’ scars with Botox in order to hold the muscles still and allow it to heal. This can greatly improve the appearance of the scars. “[We are] giving Botox to infants, but there is science behind it,” says Flores. “It’s a relatively new and innovative offering.”

Painful sex (not FDA approved)
Some women experience muscle spasms on their pelvic floor or contractions of the vagina that can make sex painful. Botox injections can ease pain by making the muscles stop contracting. Doctors at the Cleveland Clinic who offer Botox injections for painful sex say some women may need injections every six months, while others may only need them every couple years.

Severe neck spasms (FDA approved)
Even before Botox was approved for frown lines between the eyebrows in 2002, Allergan got approval for the drug in 2000 for its use in treating a disorder called cervical dystonia, which is characterized by abnormal head position and severe neck pain.

Read more about the weird and wild science behind Botox, here.

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Here’s Why the Cancer Death Rate Has Plummeted

This article originally appeared on Time.com.

Death rates from cancer, the second-biggest killer in the United States, have dropped 25% since 1991, according to a new report from the American Cancer Society. That statistic translates into a lot of lives saved; had the cancer death rate remained steady from its peak in 1991, about two million more people would have died from cancer in the years until 2014, the report finds.

The drop is fueled by decreasing death rates from the four largest types of cancer: lung, breast, prostate and colorectal. “It’s pretty exciting for us that the cancer death rate continues to decline,” says Rebecca Siegel, strategic director of surveillance information services at the American Cancer Society and lead author of the annual report, which was published in CA: A Cancer Journal for Clinicians. “We’re making a lot of progress.”

The authors credit the drop to reductions in smoking—shown last year to be responsible for about 30% of all cancer deaths—as well as advances in treatment and earlier detection.

The report also finds that cancer incidence is 20% higher in men than in women, and the cancer death rate is 40% higher in men. “There’s a different mix of cancers in men and women, and a lot of it has to do with differences in exposure to cancer risk factors,” Siegel says. Though the gender difference isn’t fully understood, men are more likely than women to smoke and drink excessively, both risk factors for several kinds of cancers. Hormone and even height differences may also make men more susceptible, though it’s not yet clear how.

Racial disparities also affect who dies from cancer, but those differences are shrinking, the report shows. In 1990, black men were almost 50% more likely to die from cancer than white men, but in 2014, that difference dropped to 21%. The gap is also narrowing in women. These drops are largely due to declines in smoking by black youth in the 1970s and early 1980s, Siegel says.

Minorities also have better access to healthcare and insurance, and the proportion of uninsured Blacks and Hispanics halved from 2010 to 2015. Those changes are too recent to make much of a dent in the present data, Siegel says, but they do suggest a way to drive cancer death disparities down even more. “The potential for an acceleration in closing that gap is there with this increased access to healthcare,” Siegel says. “Hopefully it will be sustained.”

While good news overall, the report doesn’t guarantee a continuous downward trend of death rates from cancer. Recent evidence shows that death rates from other leading causes of death—like heart disease, closely related to obesity—are on the rise. Obesity, a risk factor for cancer, probably has yet to show its full effect on the death rates of cancer, Siegel says. “We don’t know when we’re going to see the effects of the tripling of the obesity rate in the past several decades,” she says, adding that excess body weight, unhealthy diet and a lack of physical activity account for about 20% of cancer diagnoses in the U.S. Some statistics hint that obesity may already be taking a toll. Rates of colorectal cancer, which is linked to obesity, are declining overall, Siegel says, but they’re rising in people younger than 50.

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What You Should Do Today If You Have Obamacare

This article originally appeared on Money.com.

As Republicans move to eliminate Obamacare, you might be worried about the future of your health insurance plan—and rightfully so.

Here’s what’s happening: Republicans are meeting to try to figure out how to speedily repeal major parts of Obamacare through an obscure process called budget reconciliation. The reality is that it’s very likely that major portions of Obamacare—like premium tax credits and the individual and employer mandate—could be axed in the near future.

What’s more, getting rid of the health care law in its entirety might not be all that difficult. As MONEY’s Alicia Adamczyk noted in the aftermath of the presidential election, a clause in the contract between insurers and the government would allow insurers to discontinue their policies if subsidies were to end.

In order to keep insurers on board with a government-run health care plan, “it’s going to take more than ‘stay tuned’ if they repeal without a replacement plan,” said Tim Jost, a health care law expert at Washington and Lee University.

Unfortunately, if you depend on Obamacare for health insurance, there’s not much you can do except sit tight and keep your current plan as long as you can. If you haven’t signed up for Obamacare via open enrollment and would like to, the deadline for 2017 coverage is Jan. 31 and you can sign up at Healthcare.gov.

“People should sign up and continue to be covered as long as the Republicans let them,” Jost said. “People should think about if there’s anything I can get now, that might not last past repeal.”

One such policy that has people worried is birth control. Under Obamacare, it falls under preventative care, which must be provided to you for free. MONEY has previously reported that it’s not likely that this policy could be axed through budget reconciliation.

However, a full repeal could leave women without coverage for gender-specific services like birth control and breast pumps. Even worse, insurers could charge women more than men for insurance, as was the practice before the ACA was passed.

The bright side for worried Obamacare subscribers is that repealing Obamacare would be disastrous for Republicans if they aren’t able to present an alternative plan. Without a replacement plan, more than 20 million people with diseases like cancer or diabetes would be left without health insurance—a political catastrophe for the GOP.

“Responsible Republicans will do everything they can to make sure people are covered,” Jost said. “There will be a high political price to pay if people aren’t covered through 2018.”

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A Month-by-Month Guide to the Best Places to Travel in 2017

How to Get Rid of Earwax

This article originally appeared on RealSimple.com.

Mom always told you not to put anything in your ear that's smaller than your elbow. Well, she was right. Not only is that good advice; it’s now an official guideline for the diagnosis and treatment of earwax, published Tuesday by the American Academy of Otolaryngology—Head and Neck Surgery Foundation.

This update to the Foundation’s existing earwax guidelines, originally published in 2008, takes a new, consumer-focused approach, says Seth R. Schwartz, M.D., chair of the guideline update group and medical director at The Listen for Life Center at Virginia Mason Hospital in Seattle. That includes a list of do’s and don’ts for doctors to pass on to their patients.

“We tried to include information that was directly applicable to what people are experiencing at home,” Dr. Schwartz told RealSimple.com. “And the most important thing we want to get across to patients is that earwax is not unhealthy.”

In fact, earwax is normally quite good for our ears: Dirt and dust particles stick to the gunky deposits, which keep them from traveling farther down into the ear canal. And when our bodies work the way they should, old earwax moves outward naturally over time, and flakes off—or is washed off during bathing—as new earwax is formed.

But there are times this self-cleaning mechanism gets stuck, and earwax can build up and block the ear canal—a condition called cerumen impaction. It’s estimated that about 1 in 10 children and 1 in 20 adults has impacted or excessive cerumen (a.k.a. earwax), which can cause symptoms like hearing loss, ringing in the ears, a foul odor, or ears that feel clogged, painful, or itchy. In geriatric and developmentally delayed groups, the percentage may be as high as one third.

And that’s where the guidelines come in. In addition to the commonly cited elbow advice, the new list of “don’ts” warns against over-cleaning the ears (which may irritate the ear canal, cause infection, or even increase earwax levels) and using ear candles (which have no established benefit, but can cause serious and permanent damage).

What they do recommend, on the other hand, is seeking medical attention if you have symptoms of hearing loss, ear pain, or ear fullness. You should also see a doctor if you experience drainage or bleeding from your ears, they add, which are likely not caused by earwax and need further evaluation.

Patients should also ask their doctors about ways they can treat their earwax at home, the guidelines state. That may include using wax-softening eardrops or even rinsing your ears with water, says Dr. Schwartz. Your doctor might also recommend a home irrigator designed for ear cleaning, or may refer you to a specialist (like an otolaryngologist or an audiologist) for in-office cleanings or wax removal.

What you shouldn’t do is use a Q-tip—or any other tiny tool—to try to clean out your ear canal. “Even something as soft as a cotton swab can traumatize that delicate skin, which can cause pain and infection,” says Dr. Schwartz. “And a lot of people end up pushing the wax deeper into the eardrum. That makes it harder for it to make its way out naturally, and can cause even more symptoms.”

And finally, if you’re not experiencing any earwax-related symptoms, simply leave your ears alone. “For most people, wiping the outer edges of your ears with a washcloth or a tissue is all you need to do,” says Dr. Schwartz. “Don’t go any deeper than that.”

The updated guidelines were published in the journal Otolaryngology-Head and Neck Surgery, and are endorsed by several large medical groups, including the American Academy of Family Physicians, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Geriatric Society.

The guidelines should serve as a “strong reminder to patients that ear health starts with them,” says Dr. Schwartz, and should help doctors better communicate the importance of healthy habits—and, in this case, a healthy respect for earwax.

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The Case for Taking a 7-Day Facebook Detox

This article originally appeared on RealSimple.com.

It’s no secret that sometimes, spending time on Facebook can be a real downer. Maybe you’ve considered deleting your account for the sake of your sanity. But you don’t have to quit the social network altogether to feel better, suggests a new study. Researchers say that simply changing your behavior on the site—or taking an occasional break—may be just the mood-booster you need.

To be fair, the research on Facebook, and on social media in general, has been all over the map when it comes to mental health. Several studies have linked heavy use of these sites to loneliness and depression, while others have found that social networking can actually improve mood and satisfaction with life.

One problem, says Morten Tromholt, a sociology researcher at the University of Copenhagen, is that most of these studies have been observational; they’re only able to track people over time and find associations, not cause-and-effect relationships. So Tromhold wanted to conduct a true experiment that could suggest whether Facebook use actually leads to negative emotions (and not the other way around)—and whether changing one’s behavior could help.

To do that, he recruited more than 1,000 Danish Facebook users in late 2015, and tested them on several measures of social-media use, well-being, and life satisfaction. Then he asked half of them to continue Facebook use as normal, and half to take a one-week break.

Those on a break were encouraged to delete the Facebook app from their mobile devices. Most users complied with the digital detox rules, although—as a testament to the site’s pervasiveness (and addictiveness!)—some admitted to briefly checking in once or twice, either as a habit or because they needed information about an event.

After that week, Tromhold again assessed the mental health of all participants. He found that those in the no-Facebook group showed significant improvement in well-being, while those in the normal-use group showed no change.

Those gains varied depending on how, and how much, people normally used Facebook. People who were heavy users (as measured by the Facebook Intensity Scale), those who reported having a lot of envy while on Facebook, and those who tended to use Facebook passively rather than actively (reading and viewing, rather than posting and commenting) saw the most mental-health benefits from taking time off.

Tromhold’s final results were published in the journal Cyberpsychology, Behavior, and Social Networking. (His preliminary findings were published in 2015.) The experiment “provides causal evidence that Facebook use affects our well-being negatively,” he wrote, and also that “taking a break from Facebook has positive effects on the two dimensions of well-being: our life satisfaction increases and our emotions become more positive.”

Brenda K. Wiederhold, Ph.D., editor-in-chief of the journal and executive director of Virtual Reality Medical Institute in Brussels, Belgium, said in a press release that this study supports previous research that has found that “lurking” on Facebook may cause negative emotions.

“However, on the bright side, as previous studies have shown, actively connecting with close friends, whether in real life or on Facebook, may actually increase one's sense of well-being,” she added.

Tromhold notes that his findings are only averages, and that studies are almost never able to determine whether one variable truly causes another. And more research is needed to see if quitting Facebook (or other social networks) for longer periods of time have the same impact—or perhaps even better impacts—on mental health, he says.

But he believes the study does provide some real lessons for Facebook users. “These findings indicate that it might not be necessary to quit Facebook for good to increase one’s well-being,” Tromhold wrote. He suggests that if you’re a heavy user, try scaling back. If you tend to feel envy when on Facebook, avoid browsing the sections (or the specific friends) that cause this feeling. And if you often use it passively, try participating a little bit more.

Of course, Tromhold added, old habits die hard, and these things may be too difficult to change. “If this is the case,” he wrote, “one should consider quitting Facebook for good.”

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