Women who used estrogen-only menopausal hormone therapy (MHT) were less likely to develop Alzheimer’s-related brain changes or dementia, according to a large Stanford study published Aug. 12 in Neurology.

The researchers analyzed post-mortem data from 21,462 participants, comparing 258 women who reported estrogen-only MHT use with approximately 2,701 women who reported no MHT use.

The researchers examined the brains for signs of Alzheimer’s disease, including amyloid plaques, neurofibrillary tangles and amyloid-plaque density. Plaques and tangles are two hallmark brain changes associated with the common dementia.

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The women who took estrogen-only therapy — most of whom had likely undergone hysterectomies — were found to have a 35% lower chance of Alzheimer’s pathology and 39% lower odds of dementia over a lifetime.

Among some living participants, estrogen-only users also performed better on memory testing and were better able to function independently, the study found. Biomarkers in blood and cerebrospinal fluid supported these results.

The participants averaged 70 years of age.

Recent research indicates that menopausal hormone therapy may offer greater benefits when started during or shortly after menopause, the researchers noted.

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Because the women in the study were generally older when they began treatment, the results may actually understate the potential benefits of earlier therapy.

These findings appear to contradict prior studies that linked menopausal hormone therapy to increased dementia risk.

"Estrogen has well-described neuroprotective effects in animal models," co-author Jennifer Bruno, PhD, an instructor in psychiatry and behavioral sciences, told Fox News Digital.

"Estrogen plays a role in shifting amyloid toward the non-amyloidogenic pathway and promoting tau dephosphorylation — both amyloid and tau are hallmarks of Alzheimer’s disease."

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"Additionally, estrogen supports synaptic plasticity, reduces neuroinflammation and supports blood brain barrier integrity. So, finding less AD pathology in estrogen-only users was consistent with this mechanism."

Memory can be impacted by many different conditions, which means clinical diagnoses can sometimes be unreliable, the researchers noted.

"Although there’s been great progress with bloodborne and cerebrospinal fluid biomarkers, they don’t tell you the amount and precise location of the brain damage," said senior author Hadi Hosseini, Ph.D., an associate professor of psychiatry and behavioral sciences at Stanford.

"By looking where the actual damage is done — the brain — you can see where the Alzheimer’s-associated defining features are and how many of them are there."

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The study did have some limitations, according to the researchers. As it was observational, it could only show an association but could prove that the hormone therapy reduced Alzheimer’s risk.

"It’s possible that women who used hormone therapy differed from non-users in ways we couldn't fully measure, such as baseline health status or engagement with healthcare," Hosseini told Fox News Digital. "We worked hard to adjust for known confounders and to account for who does and doesn't come to autopsy, but observational data can only take you so far."

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Alzheimer’s disease is the leading cause of dementia among older adults, with women comprising about two-thirds of diagnoses.

While the study findings don’t change current clinical recommendations, Hosseini said they highlight the need for well-designed clinical trials to confirm these observations and to determine whether menopausal hormone therapy has a protective cognitive effect.

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"These results add meaningful, first-of-their-kind pathological evidence to a genuinely controversial area — but they are a signal for further study, not a reason to start or stop MHT for brain health," Bruno added.

"We need prospective, biomarker-based trials that follow women before, during and after menopause to understand the effects of MHT on brain health."

The study was funded by the National Institutes of Health.

This story discusses suicide. If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the Suicide & Crisis Lifeline at 988 or 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

As the Lindsay Clancy murder trial spotlights the psychiatric care she received before the killings of her three children, the case has raised broader questions about the growing reliance on telehealth for mental health conditions.

Nearly half (48.3%) of American adults with serious mental illness now receive some type of mental health treatment via telehealth, according to the Substance Abuse and Mental Health Services Administration (SAMHSA).

Clancy reportedly had 14 virtual visits with her primary psychiatrist, Dr. Jennifer Tufts, over a five-month period, from September 2022 through Jan. 23, 2023, according to testimony reported by The Associated Press. The final appointment was on Jan. 23, the day before the killings. The two never met in person.

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During cross-examination, Clancy’s defense attorney, Kevin Reddington, questioned Tufts about her reliance on virtual appointments, per AP.

"Did you ever suggest to her that 'maybe you should come in and see me, rather than on the computer?'" Reddington asked.

"Talking to her over the video didn't seem like an issue," Tufts responded. "It didn't seem like there was something I was missing."

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Jonathan Alpert, Ph.D., a New York psychotherapist — who was not involved in Clancy's care and was speaking generally about telehealth rather than the specifics of her treatment — said virtual care can work very well, but that "there comes a point where a screen may not be enough."

"If someone is becoming suicidal, psychotic, manic, unstable or unable to function, the clinician has to consider whether that person needs to be seen in person or needs a higher level of care," Alpert, author of "Therapy Nation: How America Got Hooked on Therapy and Why It's Left Us More Anxious and Divided," told Fox News Digital.

"The priority has to be getting an accurate picture of what’s going on and keeping the patient safe."

Telehealth plays an important function in mental healthcare and offers many benefits, Alpert noted.

"As a provider, I can see far more people in a day doing virtual therapy than I could if I were doing in-office treatment," he told Fox News Digital.

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For the patient, it eliminates the commute to the therapist's office, which could be a limitation for those with busy schedules.

"So it does allow more and better access to care in many cases, but it does have its limitations if someone has a severe psychiatric disorder," Alpert said.

There are certain things about a patient’s appearance — such as hygiene, movements, agitation, intoxication or general behavior — that aren't as obvious on Zoom, he noted.

"Someone can pull themselves together for an appointment and look relatively fine for 30 minutes even though they're falling apart outside of it," he said.

If the patient keeps getting worse despite frequent appointments, that's a big warning sign, according to Alpert.

"More appointments aren't necessarily more treatment," he told Fox News Digital. "If someone is becoming more suicidal, paranoid, manic, disorganized, aggressive or simply unable to function, you can't just keep scheduling another video call and assume that's enough."

"At some point, the treatment plan has to change, whether that means seeing the person in person, getting an emergency evaluation or moving them to a higher level of care."

In cases where there is any concern about suicide or violence, Alpert said it’s important for the therapist to be direct and to ask the following questions.

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"If someone says they just want to die, that's one thing, and it's very concerning, but if they have a plan, say a weapon or pills, that brings it to the next level and would certainly warrant intervention, whether it's through the police or emergency services," he said.

If you or someone you know is having thoughts of suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255).

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It’s also important for the therapist to know where the patient is located during the appointment so that if there is an emergency, they can take action, Alpert advised.

"And sometimes you need information from family or other people in the patient's life, because the patient may not be giving you the whole picture."

The expert also emphasized the distinction between postpartum depression and postpartum psychosis.

"With postpartum psychosis … there may be delusions, disorganized thinking, hallucinations — and if that's what's going on, that definitely warrants inpatient treatment."

Overall, Alpert said, telehealth itself is not the problem.

"It's helped a lot of people get care who otherwise might not," he said. "The bigger issue is whether the clinician is doing a thorough assessment and whether the level of care still fits the patient's condition."

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A good clinician can identify serious risk over video, he noted — but at the same time, someone can miss serious risk sitting across from a patient in an office.

"The sicker and more unstable someone becomes, the less comfortable I'd be relying exclusively on a screen," he added.

Heavy drinking has been shown to raise mortality risk, but, at lower levels, what’s in your glass may also matter, a new study suggests.

In recent research of data from 340,924 participants in the UK Biobank, wine was linked to lower mortality, while beer and spirits were tied to higher death risk.

Data were collected between 2006 and 2022, with more than 13 years of average follow-up. The findings were presented at the American College of Cardiology’s Annual Scientific Session in New Orleans.

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In the study, participants reported their alcohol intake as never/occasional, low, moderate or high.

High consumption was defined as more than 40 grams per day for men (about three standard drinks) and more than 20 grams per day for women (about 1.4 standard drinks).

Participants with high alcohol consumption had a 24% higher risk of all-cause death, 36% higher risk of cancer death and 14% higher risk of cardiovascular death when compared to people who never or occasionally drank, according to the study findings.

With low or moderate alcohol consumption, however, the mortality risk appeared to differ according to the type of beverage.

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Spirits, beer and cider were associated with significantly higher mortality, the researchers found, while the same amount of wine intake was linked to significantly lower mortality. Moderate wine drinkers had a 21% lower risk of cardiovascular death than those who never or occasionally drank.

Conversely, those who drank low amounts of spirits, beer or cider were found to have a 9% higher risk of cardiovascular death.

"These results come from the general population, and in certain high-risk groups, such as people with chronic diseases or cardiovascular conditions, the risks could be even higher," Dr. Zhangling Chen, a professor at the Second Xiangya Hospital, Central South University in China and the study's senior author, said in a press release.

"These findings can help refine guidance, emphasizing that the health risks of alcohol depend not only on the amount of alcohol consumed but also on the type of beverage."

One potential reason for wine’s lower mortality association could be that it contains compounds such as polyphenols and antioxidants, which could have beneficial effects on blood vessels, inflammation and cardiovascular health, the researchers noted.

Jessica Steinman, a Los Angeles addiction specialist and chief clinical officer for No Matter What Recovery, said the study’s information is "helpful" but cautioned against broadly applying the findings to individuals, particularly those with a history of substance misuse.

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While certain ingredients or substances might help someone with a specific issue, she expressed her concern when it comes to mental health issues and addiction.

"When we hear these stories or get this research, it becomes a ‘black and white’ larger generalization for the population, and we want to be careful with that," Steinman, who was not involved in the research, told Fox News Digital.

"Not everybody should have daily consumption of an alcoholic substance, whether it's wine, beer or certain liquors. … If there's someone who’s struggling with substances, then they really shouldn't be having it at all."

Different substances have different levels of alcohol in them, and each person metabolizes alcohol uniquely, the expert noted.

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"All those kinds of things are so specific to one person or a small sect of people," she said. "So, we want to make sure anytime there's research given about something, that we're not taking it as a society and saying, ‘Let's do this,’ and not keeping it as black and white.

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"Overall, more is not better, but also the higher potency of alcohol and higher percentages of alcohol is going to affect people negatively as well."

Steinman recommended consulting with a medical professional for individual guidance.

The researchers acknowledged some limitations of the study. Because it was observational in design, the study could not prove that drinking wine led to lower mortality or that other alcoholic beverages directly caused higher mortality.

Also, the participants reported their baseline alcohol intake at the start of the study, which means any changes in drinking patterns during the follow-up period were not recorded.

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There was also the chance that wine drinkers may have different dietary or other lifestyle habits that could affect their health outcomes, the researchers noted.

The UK Biobank participants also tend to be healthier than the overall population, which could limit the ability for the finding to be generalized to wider populations.

The authors called for high-quality randomized studies to confirm the differences in how drinking habits reflect mortality risk.

One weekly routine could help foster better sleep and promote healthy weight loss, according to a New Jersey-based registered dietitian.

Erin Palinski-Wade, who is also a certified diabetes care specialist and author of "The Sleepdemic Solution," shared her "seven-day reset" in an interview with Fox News Digital.

The reset combines sleep, nutrition and lifestyle strategies into a five-part system represented by the acronym SLEEP.

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In a test panel conducted in connection with her seven-day program, Palinski-Wade said participants reported improvements in sleep, blood sugar and weight.

Experts recommend consulting a healthcare professional for individualized guidance before making significant changes to diet, sleep or lifestyle habits, particularly for those with underlying health conditions.

Palinski-Wade emphasized that results varied among participants with different sleep challenges. The panel included shift workers, mothers and people with long-term insomnia.

Despite those differences, within the first two to three days, the expert said people "across the board" reported falling asleep faster, getting higher-quality sleep and feeling more rested the next day.

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Panelists with pre-existing insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes also reported improvements in blood sugar levels, Palinski-Wade said.

"Once they were resting better and those stress hormones were reduced, and the body was getting the rest it needed, we were seeing better balanced blood sugar throughout the day," she noted.

Participants also reported improvements in hunger and satiety.

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"They weren't having those cravings, especially in the evening, especially those sugar cravings," Palinski-Wade said. "When they were eating, they were feeling more satisfied."

"I had a few test panel members who lost as much as seven pounds in the first seven days," she said, noting that some of the loss was water weight.

Participants reported reductions in weight and waist circumference and improvements in blood sugar, sleep and next-day energy.

Below, Palinski-Wade breaks down the five components of the SLEEP system.

Setting a rhythm involves timing meals consistently to help improve sleep. This means avoiding skipped meals, which can lead to blood sugar fluctuations throughout the day, Palinski-Wade said.

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"We want to be fueling our body all throughout the day so that our body is expecting to sleep in the evening," she said.

Skipping meals and consuming excess food and calories in the evening tells the body that it's time to burn energy, which is not going to be conducive to sleep, according to the expert.

Exposure to sunlight within the first hour of waking can help set the body’s circadian rhythm, Palinski-Wade noted.

"When your body gets that natural light, whether you go outside or put your desk by the window, that's helping your body get more in tune with that rhythm where you're awake," she said.

In the evening, Palinski-Wade recommends dimming the lights and avoiding electronics and bright overhead lighting, which helps the body wind down and prepare for restful sleep.

Eating with intention means choosing meals and snacks with nutrients that support healthy sleep, according to Palinski-Wade.

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"Whether it's serotonin and tryptophan, anti-inflammatory nutrients, we want to make sure that we're eating with intention, so we're giving our body the building blocks it needs to create sleep in the evening," she said.

Palinski-Wade recommends combining lean protein, healthy fats and fiber to help keep blood sugar steady throughout the day and support better sleep.

Powering down involves creating a consistent nighttime routine, including limiting electronics and caffeine and maintaining regular sleep and wake times, according to Palinski-Wade.

"That also applies to having a set bedtime and a set wake time ... in those seven days to reset that circadian rhythm, so we can have the best results moving forward," she said.

For those who are "trying everything," like diet and exercise, without seeing results, Palinski-Wade stressed that it is "not because you don’t have enough willpower."

"It could just be your biology working against you, and many times it's as simple as improving your sleep," she said. "If you start to improve your sleep within just a few days, you can see major changes in how you feel, how your body is processing food, in your metabolism, and then ultimately in your body weight."

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External research by the National Institutes of Health has also linked adequate sleep with appetite regulation and healthy weight management.

The National Heart, Lung, and Blood Institute states that sleep helps regulate hormones involved in hunger and fullness, while sleep deficiency can affect the body's response to insulin and has been linked to a higher risk of obesity.

Whether someone is the older or younger sibling may be linked to certain health outcomes later in life, according to a massive new study.

Analyzing medical data from 10 million U.S. siblings over two decades, researchers from the University of Chicago and Columbia University found links suggesting that birth order may be connected to specific long-term health risks.

Researchers examined 569 disease categories across families and among siblings, identifying 150 conditions that were significantly associated with birth order.

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First-born children showed a higher likelihood of neurodevelopmental and psychiatric diagnoses, including autism, ADHD, Tourette's and OCD, as well as immune-allergic conditions like food allergies.

Second-born children were statistically more prone to migraines, shingles, substance use disorders and gastrointestinal issues like gastritis.

Discussing the findings on "Fox & Friends," Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst for Fox News, noted the value of such a wide-scale study.

"I love this study because it opens a lot of questions more than it gives answers, but I think I have some answers," the doctor said.

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Regarding the heightened prevalence of ADHD among first-borns, Siegel offered his own hypothesis about parental behavior.

"My theory, they get more stimuli. The parents are like hovering over them, helicoptering them ... and they don't know where to look," he said.

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Addressing the disparities in allergic conditions, Siegel pointed to early environmental exposure, stating, "I think it's because the firstborn's immune system hasn't seen the environment before. And if it's not set properly, you get an allergy."

Siegel also touched on biological and psychological factors when evaluating differences between siblings.

"I think the womb changes after you have your first child, and the second child gets a womb that's already been used. So therefore, it's more set for it," he said.

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Regarding the higher rate of substance use disorders among second-born children, Siegel suggested emotional drivers, saying, "it may be the same idea: 'I want attention. I'm looking for attention. I wanna do something to get a rise out of you.'"

While the research highlights patterns across a large population, the study comes with limitations.

The findings demonstrate correlations rather than direct causation, meaning the trends don't necessarily stem from physiological changes, early microbial exposures or social dynamics.

Additionally, the data relies on commercial health insurance claims, which can reflect differences in diagnosis, healthcare-seeking behavior and parental attention rather than true biological functions alone.

Factors such as the age of parents between births and varying age gaps between siblings also complicate these associations. Ultimately, researchers emphasized that birth order serves as a modest population-level risk marker rather than a definitive health predictor.

The research was published in the journal Nature Health.

DNA patterns could reveal whether certain blood cancers are progressing years before routine tests detect those changes, new research suggests.

A study, published in the journal Cancer Discovery by the American Association for Cancer Research, followed 30 people with myeloproliferative neoplasms (MPNs), a group of blood cancers in which the bone marrow produces too many blood cells.

Researchers monitored DNA in the patients’ blood and bone marrow for genetic changes, then examined whether those changes were associated with blood counts, stable disease or progression to myelofibrosis or acute leukemia.

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People who stayed stable often had stable DNA without cancer-related genetic changes. This suggests a genetically "quiet" MPN is more likely to remain stable, according to the researchers, who are based at the Wellcome Trust Sanger Institute in the U.K.

Patients whose disease worsened often showed DNA changes years before routine blood tests detected progression as new groups of abnormal cells emerged and grew, according to the study.

Nine participants eventually developed acute myeloid leukemia (AML), but their disease did not progress in the same way.

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In some, MPN cells gradually accumulated harmful mutations; in others, the leukemia appeared to arise from a separate group of abnormal blood cells. Similar differences were seen in those who developed myelofibrosis.

The researchers also found that hydroxyurea, a common medication used to control blood counts in people with MPN, leaves a recognizable pattern of small DNA changes in blood cells. There was no evidence, however, that the drug causes leukemia. A similar pattern was linked to azacitidine, a drug used to treat certain blood cancers.

Three participants had "triple-negative" essential thrombocythemia, a condition generally classified as a blood cancer, yet researchers found no genetic signs of cancer in their samples.

The finding raises the possibility that some patients given this diagnosis may not have a malignant disease and may not need long-term cancer treatment.

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The study was limited by its small sample size, and the findings show associations rather than establishing cause and effect.

In an interview with Fox News Digital, Abhishek Chilkulwar, an oncologist with Orlando Health, noted that most people with MPNs can live with them "for decades."

The doctor, who was not involved in the study, called the findings a "striking demonstration" that DNA changes may signal the development of certain cancers a decade before diagnosis and that their future path may "already be 'written' in a patient's cells long before doctors can see any outward sign."

"More broadly, it's an early example of what could become precision medicine for blood cancer prevention, using a patient's own genetic data to predict risk years in advance, then someday intervening before disease progression rather than only treating it after the fact," he said.

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"That's the direction this kind of research is pointing, even though the tools to act on it aren't fully built yet."

The results suggest that periodically retesting a patient’s DNA over time could give doctors a "heads-up" that someone’s disease is heading in a dangerous direction, "well before" it shows up in routine blood work, Chilkulwar added.

"In the near term, the realistic use of this is modest: closer monitoring, not new treatment," he said. "A patient found to have acquired a high-risk mutation could be shifted to more frequent blood counts and, if warranted, more frequent bone marrow checks. So, if progression does happen, it's caught earlier.

"It would not be a reason to start stem cell transplant evaluation; transplant is a serious procedure appropriately reserved for patients who have actually progressed to myelofibrosis or AML, not something to prepare for based on a mutation that might cause problems years down the line," the doctor cautioned.

The next step, Chilkulwar said, would be pairing early genetic detection with drugs targeting those specific mutations, potentially preventing or delaying disease progression.

As the death toll from the latest Ebola outbreak in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) surpasses 2,000 people, infectious disease experts say Americans should remain aware of the humanitarian crisis overseas while understanding the reality of domestic risk.

The virus has spread rapidly across parts of eastern and northeastern DRC, with earlier cross-border cases in Uganda. Published government data shows a total of 4,381 confirmed cases.

"There's a lot of people who live there. So this is not breaking out in a town of 50, but in rural cities of hundreds of thousands," David Wohl, M.D., a professor of medicine in the Division of Infectious Diseases at the University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, told Fox News Digital.

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"Compared to previous outbreaks, the pace at which this is moving is unprecedented," he went on. 

"The slope is just so catastrophic, with more and more people getting infected at a very significant pace without much slowing down."

Controlling transmission has proven particularly difficult in the DRC due to what Wohl calls a "perfect storm" of adverse conditions.

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Dense populations and limited access can complicate efforts to deliver medical care, track contacts and establish quarantine protocols, he noted.

"There's conflict in and around these areas, which makes getting in and out of them … really tough," Wohl said.

Despite the escalating death toll in Africa, health officials emphasize that the average American faces very little threat from Ebola.

"This is not something that I think the average person has to worry about acquiring here in the United States," Wohl said, noting that transmission requires close physical contact with bodily fluids from a severely ill or deceased individual.

"It doesn’t travel across the air and across a room," he added.

Even during the massive 2014 West Africa outbreak, which Wohl said infected more than 28,000 people, only four Ebola cases were diagnosed in the U.S. Two were imported cases, and two nurses contracted the virus while caring for an infected patient in Dallas, according to the CDC. 

Several other Ebola patients who had been infected and diagnosed overseas were medically evacuated to the U.S. for treatment.

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"We just have so much better public health, healthcare systems, hygiene, access," Wohl said. "It's a very different environment."

Viruses such as measles, influenza, RSV and SARS-CoV-2 pose more immediate public health concerns for Americans, he added.

"The average person who gets a headache or a fever does not need to worry about Ebola," the doctor said.

For the U.S., potential concerns include the risk to healthcare providers traveling to Africa to assist with containment efforts and the possibility of further instability in the region.

Medical researchers are also navigating challenges with virus variants, according to Wohl.

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While treatments and vaccines were successfully deployed against the Zaire strain during the 2014 crisis, the doctor said the Bundibugyo virus circulating in parts of the DRC is genetically different. 

As a result, approved Ebola therapeutics are not approved for Bundibugyo-related disease, and their effectiveness against it has not been established.

Researchers are actively evaluating new treatments and vaccine candidates for Bundibugyo virus, Wohl said. 

Emerging technologies, including mRNA platforms, could potentially help researchers more rapidly develop vaccines against specific viral threats, according to the doctor.

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Global agencies, including the World Health Organization and the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, continue to monitor the region closely. 

Wohl emphasized that international support and resource deployment remain critical to stopping the surge.

"This is a fire that’s raging that continues to be out of control," Wohl said. 

"There’s lots of people suffering ... and I think more can be done."

Thousands of cases of a potentially deadly, drug-resistant fungus have been reported across 27 states so far this year, according to provisional CDC data.

As of the week ending July 25, a total of 3,437 clinical cases of Candida auris (C. auris) had been documented in the U.S. so far in 2026.

California accounts for 873 cases — roughly one-quarter of the country’s total. Other states with high numbers include Texas (433), Tennessee (283), Ohio (279), Georgia (193), Louisiana (179), Illinois (171), Arizona (171), Michigan (146), Virginia (132) and Pennsylvania (121), per the CDC.

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The remaining states have fewer than 100 cases each.

Candida auris is a type of yeast that can cause serious infections, primarily in hospitals, nursing homes and other healthcare settings.

The fungus, which can survive on surfaces for prolonged periods, is "highly transmissible between patients through contact with contaminated surfaces or objects," the CDC states. It can spread through contaminated items such as bedrails, doorknobs and shared medical equipment.

C. auris can also be spread by people who carry the fungus but do not show symptoms, known as "colonization."

Clinical cases do not necessarily represent infections. The CDC defines a clinical case as detection of C. auris in a specimen collected during the normal course of medical care. 

Some clinical specimens can come from sites where the presence of C. auris may represent colonization rather than a true infection.

The health effects of the fungus can range from colonization without symptoms to potentially deadly invasive infections, including bloodstream infections.

Those most at risk of infection include patients with severe underlying medical conditions. In particular, those who use breathing tubes, feeding tubes, IVs or catheters are more vulnerable, as are those who are hospitalized frequently or for long periods of time.

People without those risk factors are unlikely to become colonized with C. auris or develop an infection.

Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst and clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone, said he considers C. auris an "emerging problem of great concern."

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"It is resistant to multiple antifungal drugs, and it tends to spread in hospital settings, including on equipment being used on immunocompromised and semi-immunocompromised patients, such as ventilators and catheters," he previously told Fox News Digital.

"Unfortunately, symptoms such as fever, chills and aches may be ubiquitous, and it can be mistaken for other infections."

Invasive C. auris infections have been associated with mortality rates of 30% to 72%, although most affected patients are already seriously ill. This can make it difficult to determine how often the fungus is a direct cause of death.

Candida auris can be difficult to treat because it is often resistant to antifungal medications, leading the CDC to classify the fungus as an "urgent antimicrobial-resistance threat."

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More than 90% of U.S. samples are resistant to fluconazole, a common antifungal treatment. Echinocandins, another family of antifungals, are currently the main treatment option for C. auris, although some strains are resistant to all three main classes of antifungals.

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"Major research" is ongoing to develop new treatments, according to Siegel.

"This is part of a much larger problem of emerging antibiotic resistance in the U.S. and around the world," the physician previously cautioned. "At the same time, sterilization and disinfection measures in hospitals can be very helpful."

Fox News Digital's Angelica Stabile contributed reporting.

Family estrangement has become increasingly common in the U.S. — but experts stress that reconciliation may still be possible after relatives have cut ties.

A 2025 YouGov poll found that 38% of U.S. adults were estranged from at least one close family member, including 16% who were estranged from a parent and 10% from a child. Among parents estranged from their children, 70% said they would consider reconciling.

Research also suggests that many parent-child estrangements eventually experience a period of renewed contact. In one nationally representative study published in the Journal of Marriage and Family, 81% of adult children who experienced estrangement from their mothers later became unestranged, as did 69% of those estranged from their fathers.

5 REASONS MORE AMERICANS ARE CUTTING OFF THEIR OWN PARENTS, ACCORDING TO PSYCHOLOGIST

While every relationship is different and there are no guarantees, Texas-based psychology researcher Dr. Richard Blake stated that the majority of estrangements do come to an end – but willingness to change and find common ground is key.

In many cases, parent-child estrangements are a cycle — "they'll re-engage, then they'll fall out again," Blake said. "One of the key things from the research is that adult children will reach out and if they see nothing has changed, they'll estrange again."

In an interview with Fox News Digital, the psychology researcher shared the following steps that may increase the likelihood of repairing a fractured relationship.

Estrangement from an adult child can be seen as a form of "ambiguous loss" — a situation in which someone is gone, but there is still hope they could return, according to Blake.

He compared the situation to having a child missing in action: "You don't know if he's dead or alive and you kind of have to grieve, but you don't really know if you should be grieving, because there's hope."

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Research supports the significant emotional toll of estrangement. In a 2025 study of older parents, being cut off from an adult child was associated with poorer well-being and a reduced sense of purpose, as well as greater depressive symptoms.

Before attempting a reconciliation with an estranged parent or adult child, Blake said the first priority should be stabilizing oneself.

"What I tend to recommend first is to get that person stable, have healthy habits and build a community," he advised. "Good mental health practices are really important."

When communication with an estranged family member is possible, Blake recommends repeating back what the other person has said and acknowledging how they experienced the conflict before offering a different perspective.

"Listen to the other person and then actually repeat back what they said as you understood it, and validate that – like, ‘Oh, I can see why you felt like that. I see why you interpreted it in that way,’" Blake said.

It’s important to resist the impulse to immediately correct, contradict or defend, and to acknowledge the other person's experience without necessarily agreeing with every aspect of their account, according to the expert.

After listening, parents should be open-minded about making some changes as needed, Blake said.

"I really tell our parents … if you're 100% perfect, great … but most parents have done something wrong, something that they want to change. And if they want a relationship with their child, they are going to have to change some things."

Certain labels used during family disputes can make compromise more difficult, Blake noted, an issue he refers to as "moralized language."

"I talk about these therapy words that get thrown at parents … abuse, toxic boundaries, narcissists, gaslighting, all those things," he said. "In the research, when you use moralized language like that, compromise becomes far more difficult."

To parents on the receiving end of this type of terminology, Blake’s first recommendation is not to immediately react.

"I tell adult parents to pause before they really react, because it's understandably going to make them very angry."

Taking time before responding can help keep the conversation from escalating and allow both sides to focus on the underlying conflict rather than reacting in the moment.

After pausing, Blake recommends asking the other person to explain specifically what they mean, going beyond broad labels to the behaviors underlying the complaint.

"Okay, you've used the word toxic – can you describe the behavior or behaviors that you consider to be toxic?" he asked as an example.

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Blake distinguished between describing a person’s behavior and its impact on you, and assigning that person a sweeping label.

"If someone says, ‘When you criticize my weight, I left dinner feeling really, really upset,’ that's a fact. That's the person's interpretation," he said.

"But if you say, ‘You're toxic because you always criticize me,’ it’s very difficult to come back from that. So it sort of inflames the situation."

That approach shifts the conversation away from judgments about character and toward concrete actions and events that can actually be discussed.

When continued communication is appropriate, Blake suggested using language that focuses on a person’s own experience of a conflict rather than beginning with an accusation.

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"First, I would start by using ‘I’ statements, rather than ‘you,’" he advised. "It'd be like, ‘When you said this, I felt like this. When this happened, I did this.’"

This allows the person to discuss their own reaction to a specific interaction rather than beginning with an accusation.

Blake also recommends avoiding absolutes, such as "you always..." or "you never..." when trying to resolve a conflict.

In cases involving abuse, threats or other safety concerns, however, reconciliation or continued communication may not always be appropriate, he noted.

Although Blake maintains there is always hope for a reconciliation, he acknowledged that there is no single guaranteed formula for restoring a fractured relationship.

While there are many people who are "selling" reconciliation services, Blake cautioned, "I don't think anyone can promise, ‘I can get your kids back.’"

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The goal is to create better conditions for reconciliation, not to promise that specific actions can achieve it, he noted.

Ultimately, Blake’s advice is for the person to focus on things within their control, such as embracing healthy habits, aiming for stability and building a community.

Former National Institute of Allergy and Infectious Diseases Director Dr. Anthony Fauci privately raised a theoretical risk of first-trimester miscarriage tied to reactions from COVID-19 mRNA vaccines — then publicly said thousands of vaccinated pregnant women had shown "no red flags."

Newly released text messages from Fauci’s government-issued phone, made public by Sens. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., and Rand Paul, R-Ky., show the contrast between his private discussion and later public reassurances.

In a Jan. 25, 2021 exchange with then-CDC Director Dr. Rochelle Walensky and Dr. Vivek Murthy, Fauci discussed fever and other immune reactions some people had experienced after a second mRNA vaccine dose.

That reaction, Fauci wrote, "theoretically could be associated with miscarriage in the 1st trimester," according to the messages.

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Walensky responded that it was "definitely a good point, esp after dose two," while Murthy called Fauci’s observation "a really good point."

On Feb. 3, 2021, Fauci said more than 10,000 pregnant women had received COVID-19 vaccines without any concerning safety signals being detected, CNBC reported at the time.

"The FDA … have found, thus far … no red flags about that, about pregnant women," Fauci said during an interview with the Journal of the American Medical Association.

One week later, Fauci repeated the reassurance.

During a Feb. 10 White House briefing, Fauci said approximately 20,000 pregnant women had been vaccinated and that officials had seen "no red flags," Politico, The Daily Mail and the New York Post reported at the time.

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"Since the [Emergency Use Authorization] and under the [Emergency Use Authorization], approximately 20,000 pregnant women have been vaccinated with no red flags, as we say, and this is being monitored by the CDC and the FDA," Fauci said.

The public comments came shortly after Fauci had privately raised the theoretical possibility that fever and cytokine-related reactions after a second vaccine dose could be associated with first-trimester miscarriage.

The messages do not show that officials had found an increased miscarriage risk, only that they were discussing a theoretical concern while pregnancy data was still limited.

Months later, Fauci continued to emphasize the lack of adverse safety signals, saying "tens and tens and tens of thousands" of pregnant women had been followed after vaccination and there was "no indication whatsoever" of increased adverse outcomes compared with unvaccinated pregnant women, according to an article published Aug. 30, 2021 by What to Expect.

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The newly released texts show a contrast between officials’ private concerns and public reassurances.

"The text chain released today could have an immediate impact [on] public health and the principle of informed consent," Johnson's press release read.

Fauci, Walensky and Murthy could not immediately be reached by Fox News Digital for comment.

Newly released text messages from Dr. Anthony Fauci have sparked fresh questions about his handling of evolving COVID-19 evidence, according to Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst. 

The texts are part of an initial batch of communications from Fauci's government-issued cellphone released Monday by Sens. Ron Johnson, R-Wis., and Rand Paul, R-Ky. The messages shed light on private discussions between Fauci and other top health officials as they navigated evolving questions around the coronavirus pandemic.

In a Monday evening interview, Siegel suggested the former White House chief medical adviser was at times too "dogmatic" and slow to adapt as the science evolved.

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Siegel said Fauci was a "top immunologist" and "top vaccinologist."

"And I respect that a lot," he said, adding that he felt Fauci then ventured beyond those areas of expertise.

"The other issue is flexibility. I have a feeling about Dr. Fauci that he's too dogmatic," Siegel told Fox News Digital, adding that Fauci would "stick to some idea he has and [follow] it through regardless of contradictory or changing evidence."

Siegel said he believed Fauci veered into territory beyond his medical training and knowledge, on issues including lockdowns, school closures and masking.

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"So it's not surprising that he would, for lack of a better word, flip-flop on those areas," he said.

Regarding the newly released texts, Siegel said, "it looks like he was trying to guide other public officials and leaders from the television camera, and that's not what you should be doing."

Among the issues addressed in the newly released messages is COVID-19 vaccination during pregnancy.

Siegel emphasized that he remains a strong supporter of vaccines, including mRNA technology.

"I'm a big fan of the COVID vaccines and of the mRNA COVID vaccines," the doctor said. "I think they're getting a bad rap right now."

Pregnancy presented a complicated risk calculation because COVID-19 itself posed dangers to expectant mothers, Siegel noted. 

Early in the pandemic, he said, recommending vaccination during pregnancy was reasonable based on what was known at the time.

But as the virus changed and vaccines became less protective, Siegel said he believes the public discussion should have changed with it.

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"As the vaccine changed and the virus mutated, and as the vaccine became less protective, that needed to be entered into the public debate about the vaccine — and Dr. Fauci wasn't fast enough to do that," Siegel said.

Siegel also pointed to a study that raised questions at the time about a potential link between a second vaccine dose and early miscarriage.

"I don't think that Dr. Fauci and others may have been quick enough to consider that," he said.

While subsequent research has continued to support vaccination during pregnancy — Siegel said "the accumulation of data right now favors the vaccine throughout pregnancy" — he questioned whether contradictory evidence received sufficient consideration as it emerged.

"It's a little eyebrow-raising to me that it appears he was trying to dismiss a study" suggesting miscarriage could be a concern, Siegel said.

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More broadly, such decisions should rest with patients and their doctors, while emphasizing that the underlying medical data was "not suppressed," according to the doctor.

"I don't like when the government superimposes their views, especially if they're incorrect or if they are ill-informed, but I still think it should be between the patient and the doctor," said Siegel. 

Siegel argued that another problem came when policies failed to adjust quickly enough to changing evidence about the vaccines' effectiveness.

"I think the problem was that the mandates continued," he said. "We were too slow to pivot on this vaccine, and that led to a lot of public distrust."

Asked whether he saw a meaningful difference between what Fauci was discussing privately and what Americans were hearing publicly, Siegel said there was "more than I would like."

"There's a difference between public and private discourse here," he said. "There should be none."

As additional messages are released, Siegel said he will be watching how Fauci's guidance evolved alongside the evidence.

"I'm looking at one thing: Where was the evolution of guidance and thought and staying within your lane as more and more information came out?" he said. "Or did this develop more and more into dogma and megalomania? I don't know. That's what I'm disturbed about."

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At the same time, Siegel cautioned against judging pandemic-era communications without considering what scientists knew at the time.

"To be fair to Dr. Fauci, things need to remain in context," he said. "When did this happen? What was going on at the time? What did we know and what did we not know?"

Added Siegel, "We were learning on the job. We were learning as we went. We knew nothing about this thing, and it just blew over us."

That uncertainty, he said, made a willingness to change course all the more important.

"Humility is the best way to go — not dogma."

Middle-aged adults who manage to avoid high blood pressure, diabetes and smoking can gain nearly 13 additional years of life free from dementia, according to new research led by NYU Langone Health.

The study, published in the journal Neurology Open Access, analyzed long-term health data to determine how midlife cardiovascular wellness shapes brain function decades later.

Minimizing these three common vascular threats between ages 48 and 68 dramatically postpones mental decline, according to the research.

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"Our findings argue that people need to actively avert these factors in midlife as a strategy for preserving brain health for more than a decade," said Dr. Josef Coresh, the study’s senior investigator and founding director of the Optimal Aging Institute at NYU Langone, in a press release.

Identifying actionable ways to stall memory loss is vital, he said, pointing out that roughly 42% of Americans are projected to develop dementia after turning 55.

The reviewed data came from the Atherosclerosis Risk in Communities study, an ongoing trial that began in 1986. It included a cohort of more than 12,000 dementia-free participants whose average age was 56.

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After screening subjects for smoking habits, elevated blood pressure and diabetes, researchers tracked their health trajectories for an average of 26 years.

By the end of the observation window, 3,008 participants had developed dementia, while 5,238 died without cognitive impairment.

The study revealed a significant gap based on midlife health: Participants who avoided all three risk factors averaged 30 dementia-free years following their baseline exams. In contrast, those with all three conditions averaged just 17 years before developing dementia or dying.

Demographic trends were reported across sex and race. Female participants had longer periods of cognitive health than male participants, regardless of health risks.

Among subjects with all three risk factors, women survived an average of 18.1 years without dementia, compared to 16.6 years for men.

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White participants with all three risk factors averaged 19.6 dementia-free years, while Black participants facing the same health profile averaged 16.0 years.

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"These results suggest that vascular risk reduction may benefit all groups, but that certain populations, such as Black adults, may especially benefit from targeted prevention efforts," Coresh said, expressing hope that the data will motivate people to quit smoking and monitor cardiovascular health starting in their late 40s.

The authors noted several limitations to their findings, including that the observational design cannot prove direct cause and effect.

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Additionally, health status was recorded during a single visit, and some potential midlife lifestyle changes were unreported.

Where you live in your neighborhood could significantly affect your sleep, according to experts and recent research on urban landscapes.

Erin Palinski-Wade, a New Jersey-based nutritionist and author of "The Sleepdemic Solution," confirmed that household surroundings and ambient neighborhood conditions can directly interfere with restfulness.

Factors such as cohabitating with family members, pets or high-noise environments frequently disrupt sleep patterns, she said.

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"If you live in noisy environments, the fact is that it is going to be noisy, and you do have to make some adjustments," Palinski-Wade told Fox News Digital.

She suggested that individuals living near busy city streets consider using a white noise machine because it "can cancel out some of that environmental noise."

Beyond the immediate bedroom environment, the visual characteristics of one’s neighborhood can subconsciously influence sleep patterns, research shows.

A study led by Professor Daisuke Matsushita of the Graduate School of Human Life and Ecology at Osaka Metropolitan University in Japan analyzed more than 200,000 Google Street View images, using artificial intelligence to assess streetscape features.

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"Based on the technique used in this study, cities could potentially measure perceived safety, beauty, liveliness and enclosure, as well as pollution and noise," Matsushita stated in a press release.

The study examined 1,089 working adults residing on lower apartment floors in Tokyo. Individuals living in neighborhoods with a stronger perceived sense of safety tended to experience longer sleep durations, the researchers found.

Visual elements like trees and other greenery, and high "enclosure" rates (tall vertical buildings with few open spaces) aligned with longer sleep and fewer insomnia symptoms.

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Alternatively, highly walkable environments with abundant sidewalks and traffic signs were linked to a lower sense of safety and shorter periods of sleep, possibly due to increased foot traffic and crowdedness, the study found.

"We hope that opening up this new perspective creates further possibilities for designing healthier neighborhoods," Matsushita said.

Palinski-Wade recommends using blackout curtains to "shut out some of that light pollution and get more restful sleep."

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Environmental factors inside the home, including room temperature and whether bedroom doors are left open or closed, can also impact how much outside noise gets into the bedroom.

The findings do not necessarily suggest that people need to relocate, the researchers noted.

The study relies on self-reported sleep data from working adults in Tokyo, which may be subject to imperfect memory, and only represents a specific group of people.

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Because the research focused strictly on residents living on the lower floors of apartment buildings in a single city, the findings may not apply to people living on higher floors or in rural and suburban settings.

"The simplest thing you really can do is try to set yourself on a schedule where you go to sleep, and you wake up at the same time each night," Palinski-Wade advised, noting that maintaining this consistency on days off or weekends has the biggest impact on sleep quality and quantity.

A bride-to-be who wanted to look "like a princess" on her wedding day ended up looking far worse than that after a severe allergic reaction to a fake eyelash treatment.

Polly Bibby, 26, an illustrator, decided to try classic eyelash extensions ahead of her big day compared to her usual minimal makeup look.

She had a patch test done, she said, according to Kennedy News & Media — and since she suffered no reaction, she went ahead with the procedure in early July, before her wedding day.

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After getting the treatment done — which cost her about $88, she said — she was initially happy with her "dressier" appearance.

Just a few hours after the appointment, however, her eyes became watery and sore. She shrugged it off as symptoms of hay fever.

But when her eyes started to sting and then stick together due to a yellow discharge, alarm bells began going off. She called an urgent care medical line and was advised to head to the nearest hospital emergency room.

A shocking photo shows her red, raw and swollen eyes. After being seen by a nurse in the eye unit at Hinchingbrooke Hospital in Hinchingbrooke, Cambridge, it was confirmed she'd suffered an allergic reaction to the eyelash extensions.

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She was given a course of antibiotics and antihistamines, and told to wait three days for the swelling to go down before getting the false lashes removed.

"To keep the eyes safe, [artificial] lashes should be applied by an experienced aesthetician in a sanitary setting, with chemicals that are safe for your skin," said Rebecca J. Taylor, M.D., a board-certified ophthalmologist in Nashville, in a statement on the American Academy of Ophthalmology website.

"The procedure does come with risks, namely trauma to or infection of the eyelid or cornea; allergic reaction to the glue; and permanent or temporary loss of eyelashes."

Infection can also result, Taylor said, from inadequate hygiene in the salon or damage to the eye during application. 

Even though her skin is now slowly healing, Bibby of Cambridgeshire, in the United Kingdom, feared her eyes would still be red by the time she said "I do" to her to 29-year-old fiancé, Benjamin May. 

She said she's been sharing her experience to warn other brides about getting certain treatments so close to their big day.

"I don't wear that much makeup," she told Kennedy News & Media. "Getting married is the biggest day of your life, so I just wanted to test out different makeup and actually feel like a princess for the day."

She said it was a trial for her wedding, as she'd "never had my eyelashes done before."

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About four or five hours after the appointment, her partner looked at her eyes, she said, and thought they were a little red.

"By that evening, they had gone red, raw and were stinging. The only way I can describe [how I looked] is the man from 'The Goonies' with the big puffy eyes called Sloth. I just didn't look like myself. I looked like a different person."

She said her eyes were "burning," and "it got to the point where I was losing my vision and I couldn't see at all."

Every time she blinked, she said, her "eyes were sticking together as I had discharge building up [in] my eyes ... a sticky yellow discharge pretty similar to when babies have conjunctivitis."

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She said the medical staff who treated her were "quite taken back and shocked by it."

During the removal of the false lashes, she said it felt like "acid was being poured onto her face."

She said, "I was screaming, crying and tensing up. My eyes are still red, scabby and very 'rashy.' The eyelids themselves are really swollen, and I've still got quite blurry vision."

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She also said, "When people joke around and say things [can] go wrong [on your wedding day] — I didn't realize it would happen to me."

Ahead of her wedding, she said, "I won't be getting eyelash extensions for the big day. Going through that pain was not worth it. If I knew in hindsight, I'd just use mascara."

She added, "I'd hate for anyone else to go through this."

Strengthening the core improves balance and stability, which supports movement and physical performance, experts say.

While traditional abdominal exercises can be effective, one yoga pose may offer added benefits. Boat pose, or Navasana, forms the body into a "V" and challenges multiple muscles involved in core stability.

Melissa Leach, a certified yoga instructor and strength and conditioning coach in Philadelphia, said a strong core provides a foundation for both exercise and everyday movement.

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"Ab exercises help support that by strengthening key muscles such as the obliques, lower back and deep stabilizers like the transverse abdominis," she told Fox News Digital.

"Together, these muscles work to stabilize your spine, creating a strong foundation for movement and allowing you to transfer force more efficiently between your upper and lower body."

Many routine activities, from carrying groceries to getting up from a chair, engage the core muscles to stabilize the trunk, maintain balance and support controlled movement.

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A strong core can also help reduce the risk of lower back pain by improving stability in the spine and ensuring control during lifting and other physically demanding movements, the expert said.

"While injury risk isn’t determined by core strength alone, a well-conditioned core provides a stable foundation for movement in everyday life," she noted.

Boat pose challenges the ab muscles while also engaging the hip flexors, glutes and back, according to Leach. This helps to build functional core strength rather than just targeting a single muscle group.

Compared to the traditional situp, which is carried out in "one plane of motion," the boat pose requires the entire core to "work together to keep you balanced and lifted, which places greater demands on core stability, balance and control," Leach said.

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"Whether you're holding the pose or moving dynamically, you're training the muscles that stabilize your spine and pelvis, rather than primarily strengthening the muscles required for trunk flexion, as a situp does," she went on. 

"Both have their place, but boat pose challenges the core to work as an integrated system rather than focusing on one movement pattern."

The pose develops both stability and muscular endurance, according to Leach.

"The position requires your deep core muscles, the ones that support your spine and pelvis, to stay engaged throughout," she said. "Over time, this can translate into better posture, a stronger lower back and a core that supports everyday movement."

Leach shared the following steps for performing the boat pose safely and with proper form.

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Those looking to make the exercise more dynamic can move in and out of the pose rather than holding it, the expert said.

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For beginners, Leach recommended some modifications.

Those who struggle with balance and maintaining a straight spine can sit on a folded blanket or cushion to help tilt the pelvis forward, Leach suggested.

Another option is to sit with the back a few inches from the wall "for reassurance," she said, "while still allowing enough space for you to perform the crunching movement without hitting your head."

For seniors or anyone with limited core strength, Leach recommends trying a chair-supported version. Sit toward the front edge of a sturdy chair, hold the sides for support, and lean back slightly while lifting one or both feet a few inches off the floor.

"This builds the same engagement without the demand of balancing unsupported, and you can progress to the floor version once you feel steadier," she advised.

Former President Joe Biden’s prostate cancer has spread further since his diagnosis last year, his son Hunter Biden revealed in a BBC interview that aired Friday.

"The cancer has spread, metastasized into his bones and further," Hunter told BBC Newsnight, describing his father’s condition as "very painful" and "very debilitating in many respects."

"It’s really sad to watch," Hunter said. "The only thing that I’d say about my dad about his health right now is I wish he would complain more, because it’s not good."

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Former President Biden, 83, announced his diagnosis in May 2025, after news that a "small nodule" had been found in his prostate during a routine exam.

"While this represents a more aggressive form of the disease, the cancer appears to be hormone-sensitive, which allows for effective management," his office said at the time. "The president and his family are reviewing treatment options with his physicians."

Biden later underwent hormone therapy and radiation treatment, completing a course of radiation at Penn Medicine Radiation Oncology in Philadelphia in October 2025, according to the former president's spokesperson.

In addition to hormone therapy, common treatment options for prostate cancer include chemotherapy, targeted therapy, immunotherapy and radiopharmaceutical treatments.

Fox News Digital reached out to Biden's office for comment.

Prostate cancer is a disease found in men that develops in the prostate gland. Cases have been on the rise in recent years, with overall incidence increasing about 3% annually from 2014 through 2021, according to the American Cancer Society (ACS).

Rates of advanced-stage prostate cancer rose about 5% per year during that period.

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About 333,830 new cases of prostate cancer are expected to be diagnosed in the U.S. in 2026, and about 36,320 men are expected to die from the disease, according to the American Cancer Society.

One in eight men will be diagnosed with prostate cancer in their lifetime, the same source stated.

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Older men are at a higher risk of the disease, with six in 10 cases diagnosed in patients 65 and older. The average age at diagnosis is 67, with men under 40 rarely affected.

Prostate cancer is the second-most common cancer in men, behind only skin cancer, the ACS noted.

Among men who undergo routine prostate cancer screening, the disease is usually caught early before symptoms emerge, per the ACS.

Typical early symptoms include problems urinating, a weak or slow urinary stream or an increased need to urinate. Some men may also notice blood in the urine or bodily fluids.

More advanced symptoms may occur after the disease has spread. Those may include pain in the hips, back (spine), chest (ribs) or other areas, the ACS stated.

Men may also suffer from erectile dysfunction, weight loss, extreme fatigue, weakness in the legs or feet, or loss of bladder or bowel control.

The U.S. Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) states that men aged 55 to 69 years should have the option to undergo periodic prostate-specific antigen (PSA)-based screening to monitor for prostate cancer.

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"Before deciding whether to be screened, men should have an opportunity to discuss the potential benefits and harms of screening with their clinician and to incorporate their values and preferences in the decision," the USPSTF states.

While screening offers a "small potential benefit" of reducing the chances of dying from the disease, the agency noted that some men may experience negative effects, including false-positive results, overdiagnosis and overtreatment, and treatment complications.

Alternative prostate cancer screening methods are currently being researched, including one that uses a non-invasive urine test, as Fox News Digital recently reported.

For localized prostate cancers, where the disease is contained within the prostate, the five-year survival rate is at least 99%, according to the ACS.

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For regional cases, where the disease has spread only to "nearby structures or lymph nodes," the five-year survival rate is also 99% or greater.

If the cancer has spread to other areas of the body, the five-year survival rate drops to 37%.

Actual survival rates may vary based on the patient's age, overall health, how the cancer has progressed post-diagnosis, the disease's response to treatment and other factors, the ACS noted.

Sexual desire can change over the course of a marriage, particularly with age and major life changes. And research suggests certain lifestyle and relationship factors may also contribute to a lower libido.

But changes in desire or frequency do not necessarily mean a couple’s sex life is unhealthy, according to experts.

Dr. Anna Elton, a licensed marriage and family therapist and clinical sexologist in Massachusetts, said there is "no medically prescribed number that defines a healthy sex life."

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"What's healthy is whether both partners feel connected, satisfied and respected in their intimate relationship," she told Fox News Digital.

"For some couples, that may mean several times a week, while for others it may be once or twice a month. The healthiest benchmark is mutual fulfillment."

Rather than comparing their sex lives to those of others, Elton encouraged couples to define what is healthy for their own relationship.

"Talk about what feels satisfying, how much time can pass before one or both of you starts feeling disconnected and what your warning signs are," she said. "Once you've agreed on that range, make a commitment to maintain it together."

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Elton advised couples not to let too much time pass without "intentionally reconnecting" because prolonged disconnection can take a toll on the relationship.

"If we simply wait until the mood is perfect or the stars align, work, children and everyday responsibilities usually get in the way," she said. "Healthy relationships require intention. Both partners should share responsibility for initiating connection and creating the conditions where desire can develop."

For many couples, building careers, raising children, caring for aging parents, managing finances and juggling other responsibilities can demand more of their attention, and they may not realize that the relationship itself has become a low priority.

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"As a result, couples begin living parallel lives," Elton told Fox News Digital. "Conversations revolve around schedules, errands, bills and the kids. Intentional time together becomes less frequent. Affection, physical touch, flirting and playfulness become less frequent, replaced by stress, conflict and growing resentment.

"For many couples, those changes are among the earliest signs that the relationship is no longer being intentionally nurtured, and sexual intimacy declines soon afterward."

Elton countered that many couples she's worked with continued to have sex regularly to "keep the peace or avoid conflict." While their sex life appeared healthy from the outside, the couples felt "emotionally disconnected and unfulfilled."

"Physical intimacy and emotional closeness go hand in hand," she said. "If we want to improve our sex lives, we have to focus on the connection itself."

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"If one or both partners consistently feel rejected, lonely or resentful or avoid conversations about intimacy altogether, it's time to seek help."

If sex becomes painful or erectile difficulties arise or if hormonal concerns, trauma, depression, anxiety or persistent differences in desire are creating distress, couples should address these issues with a professional as early as possible, the expert advised.

One of the most common concerns Elton sees in her practice is differences in sexual desire, which she confirmed is "completely normal."

The key is to approach intimacy "as a team" because research has shown this leads to maintaining "stronger desire" over time.

"Being responsive means staying curious about your partner's experience," she said. "Instead of pressuring or withdrawing, couples communicate openly, respect each other's boundaries and work together to find an approach to intimacy that feels satisfying for both people."

Couples should also broaden their definition of intimacy, Elton suggested, as general affection, physical touch, flirting, emotional closeness and intentional time together can "help partners feel more connected and create the conditions where sexual desire naturally returns."

A potentially deadly "flesh-eating" bacteria has killed five people in Louisiana this year, a sharp rise from the state’s typical death toll.

Health officials are warning beachgoers to take extra precautions before heading into the water.

Vibrio vulnificus is part of a wider group of Vibrio bacteria. Found primarily in warm, coastal waters, it can cause serious, potentially life-threatening infections when contaminated seawater enters an open wound, according to the CDC.

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Infections can also occur when someone eats raw or undercooked shellfish, especially oysters.

The Louisiana Department of Health has reported nine cases and five deaths so far this year. All nine cases were linked to people entering seawater with open wounds, and all of the infected patients had existing medical conditions, officials said.

In previous years, the state has averaged seven cases and one death.

Vibrio bacteria are found in higher numbers from May to October, when water temperatures are warmer, the health department noted.

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Although infections are rare, Vibrio vulnificus can cause an illness called vibriosis, often marked by vomiting, diarrhea and abdominal pain, as well as potentially severe skin infections.

"People with severe infections may require intensive care or limb amputation," Louisiana health officials warned. "About one in five people with Vibrio vulnificus infection dies, sometimes within a day or two of becoming ill."

Initial signs and symptoms of a Vibrio skin infection include fever, redness, pain, swelling, warmth, discoloration and discharge, per the CDC.

While healthy people generally experience only mild symptoms, those who are immunocompromised or have chronic liver disease can face serious health risks.

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If Vibrio vulnificus enters the bloodstream, it can cause advanced illness marked by fever, chills, septic shock and blistering skin lesions.

Some severe cases can cause an infection called necrotizing fasciitis, which is when the flesh around an open wound dies, the CDC cautions. This rare side effect has led to Vibrio vulnificus being described as "flesh-eating bacteria."

The bacterial infection is diagnosed by testing cultures obtained from stool, wounds or blood, according to health officials.

For mild infections, the CDC recommends increasing fluid intake to prevent dehydration.

Those with severe or prolonged infections should receive antibiotics to improve survival rates.

For patients with infected wounds, surgery may be necessary to remove dead tissue.

About one in five people will die from the infection, sometimes within a day or two of becoming ill, the CDC states.

Health officials caution against entering warm saltwater or brackish water if any fresh cuts, scrapes or wounds are present.

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It’s also recommended to avoid consuming raw oysters and other raw shellfish, and to avoid cross-contamination of other foods with raw seafood or its juices.

Protective gloves should be worn when handling raw shellfish.

Those with liver disease, cancer, diabetes, HIV or thalassemia (a group of hereditary blood disorders) — as well as those who are taking immune-suppressing medications — are at a higher risk of complications and should take extra precautions, the CDC warns.

The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has begun the decertification of Network for Hope, the federally designated organ procurement organization serving Kentucky and parts of Indiana, Ohio and West Virginia, following federal reviews that uncovered serious patient safety failures.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services initiated the decertification action after investigations revealed persistent safety issues, including instances where the organ harvesting process was initiated on patients who still showed active signs of life.

Appearing on America's Newsroom, Dr. Marc Siegel, a senior medical analyst for Fox News, described details from his interview with Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr. regarding the department's actions against the nonprofit organization.

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"Health and Human Services Secretary Kennedy is bringing to light horror stories about the dark corners of organ harvesting," Siegel said.

"The department is now pulling the accreditation of Kentucky's Network for Hope, the main organ procurement organization in the state."

Network for Hope's chief executive officer stated that the organization plans to appeal the federal decision, maintaining that it remains fully compliant with organ procurement and transportation network policies.

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Siegel said he spoke with Secretary Kennedy about the case of TJ Hoover, a prospective donor who reportedly nearly had his organs removed by Network for Hope while still alive.

"Even after those signs of life, Kennedy says the organ procurement process continued until the physician refused to proceed," the doctor said.

HHS' Health Resources and Services Administration examined 351 cases at Network for Hope between 2021 and 2024 in which organ donation was authorized but ultimately not completed.

The review identified 103 cases with concerning features, including 73 patients with what HHS described as "neurological signs incompatible with organ donation."

"HHS says it uncovered 73 separate instances where the process of harvesting an organ should have been stopped sooner," Siegel said. "The investigation revealed that the nonprofit pressured medical personnel to proceed despite patients showing active signs of live and neurological function."

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According to federal officials, investigators found evidence of inadequate neurological assessments, poor coordination with hospital care teams, questionable consent practices and improper classification of causes of death.

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"Thirty percent of the procedures that they were performing had something wrong with them," Siegel added. "If there's a bad organization that's willing to do things that are unethical, they're going to get away with things at any place where they operate."

Despite the agency's findings, Siegel noted that Kennedy remains supportive of organ donation when conducted under proper standards, pointing to personal experience with his own family.

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"Kennedy says he strongly supports organ donation when it's done ethically and properly," Siegel said. "His own nephew, Michael Hines, saved multiple lives by donating his organs after his death at age 20."

A recent scientific review challenged the idea that consuming more protein necessarily leads to better health, suggesting that the optimal amount depends on factors such as age, activity level and overall health.

After reviewing more than 350 studies, researchers at the University of Wisconsin-Madison concluded that while higher protein intake can support muscle growth and other health benefits, consuming more than the body needs may offer little advantage.

In fact, it could even reduce longevity in some sedentary adults, particularly when protein comes from certain sources or amino acid profiles, they concluded.

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For those wondering how to adjust their own diets in light of these findings, the answer lies in personalization, activity level and food sources, according to experts.

"We are hearing conflicting things from doctors ... and influencers," Tanya Freirich, a registered dietitian nutritionist in Charlotte, North Carolina, told Fox News Digital.

"The message lately has been to increase your protein," said the expert, who was not involved in the research. 

"However, we do know that excess protein is associated with negative effects. It can put a strain on your kidney health, and it can interfere with bone and calcium homeostasis."

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For sedentary individuals, cutting back on excess protein isn’t the only option, according to Freirich. Increasing physical activity can also help the body use nutrients more effectively.

"If you are moving your body — strength training, building muscle or doing sports — you probably do need a little bit more protein," she noted.

"Now, let's say you were a super active person and unfortunately had an injury and have gone down to a very sedentary level — you should modify your protein because your body is not utilizing it in the same way."

Exercise may also support longevity in ways that go beyond nutrition, Freirich noted, by helping people stay active and independent.

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"Adding exercise is always a good idea because it is associated with having fewer falls, having more joy in life and protecting you from injury," she said.

For those looking to rebalance their nutrition without doing a total overhaul, Freirich offered the following five tips.

No. 1: Focus on plate proportions: Aim for 50% of your plate to consist of vegetables, 25% protein and 25% starches or whole grains.

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No. 2: Do the quick math: A general guideline is to consume 0.8 grams of protein per kilogram of body weight per day for adults with lower activity levels, while those who are more physically active may benefit from about 1.0 gram per kilogram per day.

No. 3: Eat the rainbow: Incorporate fruits and vegetables across various colors to ensure a diverse intake of vitamins and micro-nutrients.

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No. 4: Switch to plant proteins: Shift a portion of animal protein toward plant-based alternatives like lentils, beans, chickpeas and seeds. "A lot of people who were on protein-restricted diets and saw better health outcomes were eating a lot of their proteins from plants," Freirich noted.

No. 5: Stick to whole foods: Unprocessed foods support natural satiety signals. "Moving away from really processed foods to more unprocessed foods actually helps your body regulate a lot better," Freirich advised.

Ultimately, dietary choices shouldn't be governed by a single headline or study, according to the expert.

"Research is ever-evolving," Freirich said. "Everyone should think about their personal situation and discuss it with healthcare providers to figure out the best route for them."