Sixth person “cured” of HIV; Plus, 8 habits that could lengthen your life, and more recent health news
European man may be the sixth person to be “cured” of HIV
It is rare for someone with HIV to go into remission and be considered “cured,” but a European man may be the sixth to do so.
First diagnosed with HIV in 1990, the man had been taking antiretroviral drugs since 2005 and received a stem cell transplant two years ago to treat a rare type of blood cancer. Known as the “Geneva patient,” the Swiss man in his 50s is one of only six people who are considered to be definitely or possibly cured of HIV. The others had also received stem cell transplants for blood cancers, NBC News reported.
While the first five received the transplant from a donor with a rare genetic abnormality that is resistant to HIV, this man did not, NBC News reported. Scientists will hear more about the case at the IAS Conference on HIV Science, being held from July 23 to 26 in Brisbane, Australia.
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What causes prostate cancer?
In 2023 alone, 288,300 new cases of prostate cancer will be diagnosed in the United States, according to the American Cancer Society. And while that number might not seem all that high considering the U.S. population, 34,700 deaths will be related to this silent killer.
While new cases of prostate cancer were on a decline for many years, the illness has been rearing its ugly head since 2014 with an annual increase of 3%. For this reason, understanding prostate cancer causes is critical.
Prostate cancer is a form of cancer that originates in the prostate, a small gland in males responsible for producing seminal fluid, which nourishes and transports sperm.
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A new competitor for fluoride toothpaste
Fluoride may have found its match in preventing cavities.
New research shows that toothpaste containing hydroxyapatite, one of the main mineral components in teeth, can prevent cavities as effectively as fluoride, which has been used in toothpaste since 1956.
The findings were published July 18 in Frontiers in Public Health.
“If the article is correct based on the data, one might choose the hydroxyapatite over the fluoride, because the hydroxyapatite itself is safer than fluoride,” said Dr. Leonard Patella, a dentist with Northwell Health in Glen Cove, N.Y., who was not involved with the study. “If you give too much fluoride, it can be toxic. And too much fluoride, if ingested, can cause damage to teeth. It can cause something called fluorosis.”
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New malaria case reported in Florida brings national total to 8
The United States now has had eight reported cases of malaria, seven of them in Florida, state health officials reported Tuesday.
Considered a public health emergency, these cases are the first in two decades to be acquired within this country’s borders, not reported by someone who had traveled elsewhere, the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention warned last month.
Seven of the cases have been found in Sarasota County, including the latest, according to a report from Florida health officials. The remaining case was reported in Texas in June and is not connected to the Florida cases, according to Texas Department of State Health Services.
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Volunteering late in life may keep Alzheimer’s away
Many retirees opt to volunteer as a way to help others, but new research suggests this act can also benefit volunteers’ brain health.
Volunteering later in life may provide protection for the brain from both cognitive (mental) decline and dementia, according to researchers. Their findings were presented this week at the Alzheimer’s Association International Conference, in Amsterdam, in the Netherlands.
Older adults who volunteered had better memory and executive function than their peers who did not engage in these acts of service.
“Volunteers are cornerstones of all communities and imperative to the success and impact of many organizations, including the Alzheimer’s Association,” said Donna McCullough, Alzheimer’s Association chief mission and field operations officer.
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8 habits that could lengthen your life
Eight healthy habits could add years to your life.
A new study of more than 700,000 U.S. veterans breaks down the habits that when adopted by middle age, can help someone live substantially longer than folks who don’t have these habits.
These are the big eight:
- Be physically active.
- Don’t smoke.
- Don’t get addicted to opioids.
- Don’t binge-drink on a regular basis.
- Eat a healthy diet.
- Manage stress.
- Practice good sleep habits.
- Maintain positive social relationships.
The study found that men with all those habits at age 40 could live an average of 24 years longer than men who have none of them.
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Olive oil is a powerful prescription against dementia
People looking to stay mentally sharp as they age might want to swap out margarine for olive oil, a preliminary study suggests.
The study, of more than 90,000 U.S. health professionals, found that olive oil lovers were less likely to die of dementia over the next three decades.
Compared with their counterparts who rarely used olive oil, those who consumed more than a half-tablespoon a day were 28% less likely to die of dementia.
Based on the researchers’ estimates, a small diet change could make a significant difference: Trading in one daily teaspoon of margarine for the same amount of olive oil might trim the risk of death from dementia by up to 14%.
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