Journavx (Suzetrigine) Is a New Opioid Alternative for Pain Relief

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has approved suzetrigine, the first drug in a new family of non-opioid painkillers to treat moderate-to-severe acute pain.

Suzetrigine, to be sold under the brand name Journavx, is the first new type of pain medicine approved by the FDA in more than two decades. It works by stopping nerve cells from sending pain signals to the brain.

Unlike oxycodone and other opioids, which can become addictive because they impact reward centers in the brain, suzetrigine is thought to be nonaddictive because it targets nerve cells outside the brain.

“A novel, effective pain medication that has no potential to induce overdose or addiction is a game-changer,” says Keith Humphreys, PhD, a psychiatry professor at Stanford University in California.

The new drug is only approved for acute pain, meaning pain typically lasting less than three months. It’s not cleared for chronic pain.

“Today’s approval is an important public health milestone in acute pain management,” said Jacqueline Corrigan-Curay, MD, acting director of the FDA’s Center for Drug Evaluation and Research, in a statement. “A new non-opioid analgesic therapeutic class for acute pain offers an opportunity to mitigate certain risks associated with using an opioid for pain and provides patients with another treatment option.”

Suzetrigine Could Replace Opioids in Some Cases

In two late-stage clinical trials of more than 2,000 adults who had moderate-to-severe pain after surgery, suzetrigine eased pain significantly more than a placebo without causing any serious side effects, according to findings presented at the American Society of Anesthesiologists meeting last year. But suzetrigine didn’t relieve pain as much as the opioid hydrocodone.

Another mid-stage clinical trial of about 200 patients with a type of nerve compression that causes sciatica also found suzetrigine significantly reduced pain. But people in this study experienced similar improvements whether they took suzetrigine or a placebo (dummy pill).

“The results are indeed mixed, but even if suzetrigine replaces opioids as a first-line pain therapy option for only some procedures, that would reduce the healthcare system’s overall risk of inducing opioid use disorder in patients,” Dr. Humphreys says.

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Robert F. Kennedy Jr. Has Spasmodic Dysphonia — Here’s What That Is

If you followed Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s presidential campaign last year or tuned in to his confirmation hearings as Donald Trump’s choice to lead the Department of Health and Human Services, you probably noticed his raspy and halting speaking voice.

He doesn’t have laryngitis or a respiratory infection, but rather a disorder called spasmodic dysphonia.

 Kennedy, 71, has been living with the condition since he was in his forties.

Read on to learn more about this unusual condition, including symptoms, diagnosis, and treatment.

What Is Spasmodic Dysphonia?

Spasmodic dysphonia, now referred to as laryngeal dystonia, is a rare neurological condition affecting the vocal cords. “It causes involuntary spasms in the vocal folds, leading to a strained, strangled voice, or a voice that is unpredictable,” says Lyndsay Madden, DO, an associate professor of otolaryngology at Wake Forest University School of Medicine in Winston-Salem, North Carolina.

“Speech and voicing are often greatly impacted in people with spasmodic dysphonia and it can make communication quite challenging,” adds Dr. Madden.

There are three types of spasmodic dysphonia:

  • Adductor Spasmodic Dysphonia This is the most common type, in which the vocal cords stiffen and slam shut, causing speech to sound tight and strained.
  • Abductor Spasmodic Dysphonia Less common, this type causes the vocal cords to open unexpectedly, which leads to a weak, breathy voice.
  • Mixed Spasmodic Dysphonia This rare form combines symptoms of both adductor and abductor types.

The condition is considered rare, affecting approximately 1 in 100,000 people, says Madden.

Symptoms of Spasmodic Dysphonia

The symptoms of spasmodic dysphonia depend on whether the spasms cause the vocal cords to close or open.

Symptoms may include voice changes that sound:

  • Breathy and soft, like a whisper
  • Strained and tight
  • Hoarse
  • Broken (because sounds and parts of words are cut off while speaking)
  • Shaky or trembling

Causes and Risk Factors for Spasmodic Dysphonia

“The exact cause is not fully understood, but it is thought to involve a combination of genetic and environmental factors. Some cases have been linked to prior upper respiratory infections, stress, or voice overuse, though no single cause has been identified,” says Madden.

“Sometimes the symptoms may be preceded by a psychological trauma — death in the family, for example. In most other cases, the voice problems start insidiously [the symptoms come on slowly] and persist with no clear precipitating cause,” says Edward Damrose, MD, a professor of otolaryngology and an otolaryngologist at Stanford Health Care in California.

Recent work on the underpinnings of the condition suggests that complex neural networks in the cerebral motor cortex, the part of the brain that is responsible for speech, become disorganized, he says.

“This causes aberrant input to the brain stem nuclei, where the main motor neuronal bodies

of the vocal cords reside. The overall effect is a downstream cascade of incorrect neural input to the vocal cord muscles, leading to spasms,” says Dr. Damrose.

The condition most often affects women, especially between the ages of 30 and 50 years old. All races and ethnicities appear to be susceptible, says Damrose.

How Is Spasmodic Dysphonia Diagnosed?

A specialist, such as an otolaryngologist or a speech-language pathologist, will assess your voice, and may employ a technique called videostroboscopy, in which a tiny camera is used to examine your larynx and vocal cords.

“The condition is often underdiagnosed, as many voice conditions are, because most people do not know that there are options for treatment of this condition,” says Madden.

Treatment for Spasmodic Dysphonia

While there is no cure for spasmodic dysphonia, various treatments can reduce symptoms and improve communication.

  • Botox injections: Long considered the gold standard of treatment, Botox (a drug made from a toxin that can temporarily weaken or paralyze certain muscles) is injected into the voice box periodically to relax the spasms, says Damrose.
  • Voice therapy: A speech-language pathologist can work with you to improve your voice control and help you manage the strain.
  • Surgery: Surgery is an option, but few people turn to it because symptoms tend to recur afterward, says Damrose. “Endoscopic surgery to remove some of the vocal cord muscle is a more recent and promising surgical development,” Damrose says.

In a February 2024 interview, Kennedy said that his condition had improved thanks to surgery.

“About six months ago I had a novel surgery that they only do in Kyoto. And it made my voice much better, which you probably won’t believe, but it was much worse than this before,” he said.

Life With Spasmodic Dysphonia

Spasmodic dysphonia can be stressful. Counseling and support groups can help people cope with the emotional and social impact of the disorder. For people who have problems speaking, there are devices such as text-to-speech apps or voice amplifiers.

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10 Foods That Are Packed With Potassium

Get on the avocado toast train. This creamy, green-fleshed fruit isn’t just high in fiber and heart-healthy fats, it’s also loaded with 690 mg of potassium.

 That makes it twice as good for your heart. Avocados in the diet are associated with reduced heart disease, according to a review of research.

Avocado is so versatile, you can incorporate it into any meal of the day. In addition to mashing it for toast and guacamole, you can add slices to tacos, sandwiches (use it in place of butter or mayo, suggests Roach), burgers, and even smoothies. Largeman-Roth recommends using one of her favorite avocado recipes. “Blend ½ avocado with ½ banana, ¼ cup low-fat vanilla yogurt, ¼ cup ice, 1 cup coconut water, 1 teaspoon of agave nectar, and ¼ teaspoon ground cinnamon,” she says. (Vegans can substitute silken tofu for yogurt.)

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Weight Loss Surgery vs. Medication: What’s Better?

If you’re considering weight loss surgery or medication, have a conversation with your healthcare provider about both options. An obesity management specialist can help walk you through the options in a way that is tailored to your unique needs. You can find an obesity specialist through the American Board of Obesity Medicine.

“When you’re working with providers who specialize in obesity management, they are going to be able to help meet you where you are,” says Cassetty. “They’re taking into consideration things like your access to food, your culture, and foods you might want to include. They’re really working with you personally to help you get healthier.”

Furthermore, they may be able to tell you about options that you’re not even aware of. “Most people are not aware of the fact that there are actually three major classes of weight loss therapies: weight loss surgery, weight loss medications, and a third option, endoscopic nonsurgical procedures,” says Thompson.

Endoscopic sleeve gastroplasty, for instance, is a relatively new procedure that does not require a surgeon to make incisions in the skin. Instead, doctors thread a tube down the throat into the stomach and then use sutures to create accordion-like folds in the stomach tissue, reducing the amount of room for food.

“Endoscopic nonsurgical procedures are what I would consider the middle option for weight loss. These procedures are less invasive and less risky than surgery and deliver greater and more durable weight loss than medications,” Thompson says.

To find an obesity specialist who can walk you through your options and your benefits and risks:

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The Jenny Craig Diet: Pros and Cons, Cost, Foods, and More

The Jenny Craig company announced it was going out of business and shutting down all operations, including its retail stores and packaged foods, NBC News reported on May 3, 2023.
If you watch TV, there is a good chance you have heard of the Jenny Craig diet. A number of celebrities have publicly gone on the Jenny Craig weight loss program, and they can often be seen on commercials and talk shows. What Is the Jenny Craig Diet? The Jenny Craig diet is a weight loss program that involves meeting with a supportive consultant. You will meet with your personal consultant at your local Jenny Craig center or over the phone if you are doing the program from home. Your consultant will assess your eating habits, activity level, and motivation level, and customize the Jenny Craig weight loss program so it will work best for you. When you are on the Jenny Craig diet, their meal plan features eating six times per day. Five will be prepared Jenny Craig meals, snacks, bars, or shakes, while one is your own snack. A typical day might consist of oatmeal for breakfast, an energy bar for a mid-morning snack, a broccoli and cheese stuffed potato for lunch, a piece of fruit for an afternoon snack, chicken marsala for dinner, and a piece of chocolate cake for dessert. The cost of food is about $20 per day. (Weekly, the average cost of food is $156.) Part of the program is known as their “Fresh and Free Additions,” which are fresh fruits and vegetables that help you add volume to meals and snacks for few calories. Along with eating the Jenny Craig foods to keep your calorie intake under control, exercise is strongly suggested, as is attending weekly meetings with your personal consultant to keep you on track. The program encourages developing an active lifestyle, and they provide videos to get you started in walking, balance, strength, cardio, and more.
The Jenny Craig Diet: Pros and Cons Pros and Cons Every individual responds to weight loss programs differently, and what works for some people may not work for others. The trick is to find a sound, healthy program that you like and are able to stick to. The Pros Here are some of the pros of the Jenny Craig weight loss program: There’s no calorie counting. With the Jenny Craig diet, your meal plan is completely taken care of and you don’t even have to cook, which can be a major benefit for people who don’t like to get bogged down with counting calories. “There is actually no thinking about meal preparation at all,” says Audrey Young, RDN, CDE, a nutritionist who practices in Peabody, Massachusetts. You get one-on-one support. “The other great thing about [the Jenny Craig diet] is that they have a ton of support,” says Young. “People are more successful when they take advantage of any support that is available.” It’s based on sound science. Young says that the Jenny Craig weight loss program is based on the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) guidelines for daily eating. The Cons But there are a few drawbacks to this diet: There’s a lack of nutritional education. It’s true that many people can experience short-term weight loss while on programs like the Jenny Craig diet, but keeping the weight off becomes a major challenge, unless you continue to rely on the company’s services. Jenny Craig offers a maintenance program , in which you can work with their consultants to learn about how to decode nutrition labels, incorporate exercise into your routine, and build your own menu with your own food. The support staff is not nutrition-credentialed. While the support component of the Jenny Craig diet is one of its beneficial attributes, the support representatives are not necessarily trained health or nutrition professionals. “They are not counselors and they are not dietitians” who are registered, says Katherine Tallmadge, RD, a registered dietitian-nutritionist in Washington, DC, and author of Diet Simple: 192 Mental Tricks, Substitutions, Habits and Inspirations . It’s expensive. “It can cost up to $100 a week for the prepackaged boxes, and you [have to] supplement that with your own fruits and vegetables,” Young says. It is much cheaper to buy prepackaged, low-calorie meals and snacks from the supermarket, and supplement them with lots of fruits and vegetables. While the Jenny Craig diet may help you lose weight, you may be better off adopting a diet plan that can teach you healthy habits to keep your weight down for years to come. Of course, if having support makes a critical difference to you, it may be worth considering.
The Benefits and Risks of the Jenny Craig Diet: An Overview Benefits and Risks Here’s a glance at some more of the potential benefits and risks of trying this popular weight loss plan. What Are the Benefits of the Jenny Craig Diet? The food is preset. The people at Jenny Craig have done all the thinking for you. Because meals and snacks are prepackaged, you don’t have to worry about measuring out portions or overeating. “You only get so much food, which means you will probably only eat that much,” says Amy Goodson, RD, a sports nutritionist who is based in the Dallas–Fort Worth area in Texas. You get fruits and vegetables. It’s a plus that you get to add in fruits and vegetables to meals and snacks. Not only does it help make the dishes taste fresher, as Jenny Craig notes, it also helps you get more nutrients, says Goodson. Are There Any Risks to Following Jenny Craig? It may not be sustainable. “You have to think about things like will your family get tired of you eating this way? Will you miss eating out with friends?” says Goodson. Eating is a hugely social activity and dieting with prepackaged meals means you may have to bring said meals over to someone’s house, skip eating at a restaurant, or cook a meal for your family and not eat it, if you want to stay on the plan. Long-term success is shaky. As Tallmadge mentioned, after you go off the plan, you are essentially left to fend for yourself. “My biggest issue with commercial prepackaged plans are maintenance,” says Angela Lemond, RDN, co-owner of Lemond Nutrition in Plano and Rockwall , Texas, who explains that they can make keeping the weight off as hard as losing it.
Jenny Craig Diet Reviews Reviews When it comes to considering plans like Jenny Craig versus Nutrisystem, the basic crux is that prepared meals are sent to your door. Because of that, they’re going to be pretty similar in terms of their pros and cons, says Lemond. Both can be expensive, especially since you’re also supplementing them with your own food, and they don’t arm you with knowledge about how to eat well long term, but they do provide convenience in terms of ease of meal prep and food decisions, she says. One study on overweight dieters found those on Jenny Craig for 12 weeks lost about 12 pounds (lbs), outperforming Curves, Nutrisystem, Weight Watchers (WW) , and a control group in that measure, according to a review of the diet published in January 2019 by U.S. News & Word Report . U.S. News also detailed a study from April 2015 published in the journal Annals of Internal Medicine that also found Jenny Craig helped people lose more weight compared with popular diet plans like Nutrisystem — 4.9 percent more weight loss after a year compared to controls. What Is Jenny Craig Rapid Results? Jenny Craig Rapid Results is a plan that claims its members can lose up to 16 lbs in the first four weeks, with average results being 11.6 lbs. It takes a cue from intermittent fasting, where followers eat for a 12-hour window (for instance, 7 a.m. to 7 p.m.) and fast for a period overnight. You will still eat six times a day, but you’ll consume more calories in the morning and taper off as the day goes on. The idea is to “optimize your metabolism” and take “advantage of your body’s natural fat-burning ability, so you lose weight faster,” the website says.
How Much Do the Jenny Craig Diets Cost? Pricing First, you’ll pay an enrollment fee. U.S. News & World Report outlines it as such: Members pay a $99 enrollment fee and at least $19 a month for the “Premium” plan. A month-to-month “Trial” membership costs $39 per month (without the enrollment fee). Look for promotions, too. For instance, they may charge a reduced enrollment fee ($49) on a Premium plan that can be refunded to you if you hit your goal weight. As for the cost of food, you are supplied with five meals or snacks daily. The Jenny Craig website advertises this as about $20 per day. In the fine print, they note that the average person pays $156 per week for food. Add up the cost of food plus your monthly membership fee to know how much your personalized plan will cost.
What Food Can You Eat on the Jenny Craig Diet? What You Will Eat The food you eat on Jenny Craig diet is prepackaged (thus portion- and calorie-controlled) plus you’ll add in your own fruits and vegetables. They supply classics so that you don’t feel deprived, including desserts. On the plan, you might eat cinnamon rolls, lasagna with meat sauce, pepperoni pizza, cheese ravioli, chicken tacos, as well as favorite snacky foods like cheese curls and kettle corn popcorn.
Jenny Craig Food Menu and Sample Shopping List Food Menu and Shopping List The good news is that on the plan, you are not responsible for buying foods to cook the meals. Five of the six meals or snacks you will be eating in a day are the prepackaged Jenny Craig meals. However, you will buy your own fruits and vegetables to add to those meals and snacks with things like side salads or mixing into the entrees. It’s up to you depending on your tastes, but during your weekly grocery shopping on Jenny Craig you might buy some of the following fresh foods: Raspberries Blueberries Strawberries Apples Pears Cucumbers Spinach Lettuce Celery Carrots Tomatoes Broccoli Peppers Green beans A 3-Day Sample Menu on Jenny Craig The below is a sample of how you might put together the meals and snacks offered in the One Week Menu Kit. Day 1 Breakfast Cinnamon Rolls Snack Caramel Peanut Delight Essential Nutrition Bar Lunch Tuna Dill Salad Kit Snack Ranch Snaps Dinner Classic Cheeseburger Snack or Dessert Bowl of berries Day 2 Breakfast Egg and Vegetable Sunrise Scramble Snack Orange Lunch Loaded Baked Potato Snack Cocoa and Nut Bar Dinner Beef Merlot Snack or Dessert Chocolate Lava Cake Day 3 Breakfast Egg , Cheese, and Turkey Sausage Burrito Snack Sliced veggies Lunch Chicken Street Tacos Snack Cheese Curls Dinner Meatloaf and Vegetable Medley Snack or Dessert Lemon Cake
A Complete Jenny Craig Food List Here you’ll find the items that are currently included on the Jenny Craig meal plan, which you can choose from to create your daily and weekly menus: Apple Cinnamon Oatmeal Apple Crisp Asian-Style Beef With Vegetables Baja-Style Chicken Quesadilla Balsamic Vinaigrette Dressing Cranberry Almond Barscotti Beef Merlot Blue Corn Tortilla Chips Blueberry and Oats Square Blueberry Pancakes and Sausage Breakfast Syrup Broccoli and Cheese Stuffed Potato Butternut Squash Ravioli Caramel Peanut Delight Essential Nutrition Bars Cheddar Cheese Crisps Cheddar Cheese Omelet Cheese Curls Cheese Ravioli Cheesy Beef Enchilada Bowl Cheesy Broccoli Cheesy Egg and Bacon Skillet Cheesy Egg and Sausage Scramble Cheesy Potatoes and Chicken Chicken Burrito Chicken Cranberry Salad Kit Chicken Fettuccine Alfredo Chicken Marsala Chicken Pot Pie Chicken Ranch Melt Chicken Street Tacos Chicken Tortilla Soup Chocolate Dream Shake Chocolate Lava Cake Chocolate Walnut Brownie Chocolate Muffin Chunky Vegetable Medley Soup Addition Cinnamon Rolls Cinnamon Coffee Cake Classic Chicken Carbonara Classic Cheeseburger Classic Lasagna with Meat Sauce Cocoa and Nut Bar Classic Waffles Classic Salisbury Steak Country Sausage Gravy Scramble Creamy Penne with Vegetables Cranberry Almond Cereal Creamy Herb Dressing Egg and Vegetable Sunrise Scramble Egg, Cheese, and Turkey Sausage Burrito Creamy Tomato Vegetable Soup Addition Fiesta Chicken and Rice Garden Vegetable Frittata Fish and Chips Grilled Chicken Teriyaki Bowl Green Beans with Garlic and Olive Oil Ham and Swiss Baguette Grilled Chicken Sandwich Iced Lemon Essential Nutrition Bars Italian Style Wedding Soup Hearty Beef and Potatoes Iced Oatmeal Cookie Homestyle Beef Pot Roast Lemon Cake Lemon Cookies Loaded Baked Potato Kettle Corn Maple French Toast Multigrain Hoops Cereal Margherita Pizza New York Sesame Bagel Meatloaf and Vegetable Medley Pork Carnitas Burrito Bowl Peanut Butter Cookies Pecan Glazed Chicken Pumpkin Loaf Philly Cheesesteak Sandwich Pepperoni Pizza Ramen Noodle Bowl with Chicken and Veggies Ranch Snaps Romano Pasta with Chicken Southwest-Style Chicken Fajita Bowl S’mores Bar Ranchero Skillet Spaghetti with Meatballs Three Cheese Macaroni with Broccoli and Carrots Sunshine Sandwich Tuna Dill Salad Kit White Bean Chicken Chili Turkey and Wild Rice Vanilla Cream Shake Triple Chocolate Cheesecake Vanilla Buttercream Cupcake White Cheddar Popcorn Turkey Burger Turkey Bacon and Egg White Sandwich Homestyle Turkey and Mashed Potatoes
How Much Should You Exercise on Jenny Craig? Exercise While it is recommended to exercise on Jenny Craig in order to “build an active lifestyle,” there is not a specific prescription for how much exercise you should do or how often. They do encourage using their workout videos to create a full 30-minute workout and increasing the intensity or number of repetitions to build fitness. You will work with your personalized consultant to determine a personalized exercise plan.
How to Get Started With Jenny Craig Getting Started If you’re interested in joining Jenny Craig, your best bet it to visit their website: JennyCraig.com . From there, you can find a location nearest you and visit to learn more information or you can sign up online via the Shop Plans tab. There, you’ll be able to choose a 12-week Trial Program or the 12-month Premium Program depending on what is right for your budget and lifestyle.
Jenny Craig Before-and-After Pictures Before-and-After Photos For inspiration, Jenny Craig features some of its weight loss success stories on its website and on Pinterest . You’ll find before-and-after photos and information on how they lost the weight and are keeping it off. Here are some before-and-after snapshots of real people who found success on Jenny Craig:

Additional reporting by Krisha McCoy .

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13 Celebrities Share Their Experiences

Secrecy, shame, and stigma once surrounded GLP-1 medications, but that is starting to change. In fact, many celebrities have gone public about their experience taking them. Called GLP-1 (or glucagon-like peptide 1) drugs, the buzzy weight loss and diabetes drugs include semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy) and the dual GLP-1/GIP dual agonist tirzepatide (Mounjaro and Zepbound).

“There’s definitely a shift happening, and that shame is beginning to go away,” says Angela Fitch, MD, current president of the Obesity Medicine Association and chief medical officer of Knownwell.

The rise of GLP-1 drugs has helped the public become more aware of the real causes of obesity and being overweight — it’s not simply a lack of willpower.

 “Instead of thinking of obesity as a choice, people are beginning to realize it’s a chronic disease that contributes to a host of other chronic conditions,” says Dr. Fitch. And though GLP-1s aren’t perfect (they come with side effects), they can also help with those conditions related to obesity, such as heart disease and type 2 diabetes.

“The more people who talk about using these drugs, the more the conversation is normalized, and it makes other people with similar struggles feel they are not alone,” says says Tina Marinaccio, RDN, a Denville, New Jersey–based registered dietitian who is certified in weight management from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics.

Here are 13 famous faces who have spoken out about GLP-1 drugs.

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How to Identify and Treat Shoulder Lumps, Bumps, and Cysts

A cyst is a closed pocket under the skin filled with some type of fluid or other material. There are a few different kinds.

Epidermoid Cysts

These are one of the most common types of small, noncancerous bumps that grow under the skin. Typically, they are filled with keratin, a protein that makes up the majority of dead skin cells. They can appear on the shoulders as well as the face, neck and trunk.

 Epidermoid cysts may appear because of a clogged hair follicle, or be caused by severe acne, for example.

These bumps are usually harmless, but they can become inflamed or infected if not treated properly. A dermatologist may prescribe an antibiotic or remove them in a minor surgery.

Pilar Cysts

Sometimes called trichilemmal cysts or wens, most of these bumps are similar to epidermoid cysts, but they mainly appear on the scalp (although they can sometimes show up on the face, neck, arms, and legs). About 10 percent of the population are affected by these types of cysts, more often occurring among women than men.

Paralabral Cysts

Paralabral cysts, also called ganglion cysts of the shoulder, are small collections of fluid beneath the skin near the shoulder joint. They are brought on by tears in the labrum, a rim of soft tissue or fibrous cartilage that surrounds the socket of a ball-and-socket joint to make it more stable.

While relatively rare, these swellings arise around the socket of the shoulder joint (glenoid) and sometimes around the hip joint. This type of cyst occurs in around 2 to 4 percent of the population and may present more frequently in males, especially those in their thirties or forties.

Unlike other cysts, paralabral cysts can cause pain. To relieve the ache, treatment first involves conservative options like physical therapy and ultrasound-guided aspiration (a procedure directing a needle into a body part to remove fluid or tissue). If those measures fail, a patient may get surgery to drain the cyst and repair a tear if present.

Bone Cysts

Bone cysts are fluid-filled areas in the bone itself, and most develop in the long bones of the arms or legs. They often have no symptoms and go away on their own, but some weaken the bone and increase the risk of fracture.

Typically, bone cysts are treated with a combination of monitoring with regular X-rays, and injections of corticosteroids into the cyst to help it heal. A surgical procedure may be required in serious cases, such as curettage (scraping out the cyst contents) and bone grafting to fill the cavity.

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5 Vitamins and Minerals You Need to Make Sure You’re Getting Enough of if You Have Crohn’s Disease

2. Medication and Flare-Ups Can Affect Calcium Absorption

People with Crohn’s disease may run low on calcium. One reason may be because many individuals with Crohn’s disease are also likely to be lactose intolerant.

 (If you’re lactose intolerant, you may have to avoid dairy, which is rich in calcium.) Also, some drugs used to treat Crohn’s disease, such as corticosteroids, can reduce calcium absorption.

A flare-up of Crohn’s can also cause lower levels of albumin — a protein made by the liver that binds to calcium — and lead to lower calcium levels.

Calcium is essential for making and sustaining bone, as well as keeping the heart and muscles working properly.

 This means people with Crohn’s can be at risk of osteoporosis, bone fractures, weak muscles, and irregular heart rhythms.

“The trick is to not restrict your diet too much or avoid dairy products,” says Sandborn. “But, if dairy is exacerbating your Crohn’s symptoms, then over-the-counter calcium supplements are good.”

Biologics can be used to treat flare-ups and ease the inflammation associated with Crohn’s disease.

3. Resection Surgery Can Make It Hard to Absorb Vitamin B12

Vitamin B12 is the most common deficiency among people with Crohn’s, says Sandborn. Severe cases can lead to anemia as well as nerve damage, resulting in tingling or numbness in the fingers and toes.

Vitamin B12 is absorbed in the ileum, the lower portion of the small intestine that leads to the large intestine. If the end portion of the ileum has been inflamed, scarred, or surgically removed, the vitamin does not properly absorb in the body, which results in a deficiency.

Like iron, this vitamin is important for maintaining a sufficient level of red blood cells.

“Your doctor needs to periodically monitor vitamin B12 in your blood,” says Sandborn. “Patients will typically need lifetime replacement if they’ve had corrective surgery for Crohn’s.”

B12 is mostly found in animal products, such as eggs, milk, fish, poultry, and other meats. Fortified breakfast cereals can also provide sufficient vitamin B12.

 But if the end portion of the ileum has been removed, Sandborn says, the vitamin will have to be given as a shot (typically once a month) or an intranasal formulation, such as a nasal spray.

4. Lack of Folic Acid in the Diet Causes Folate-Deficiency Anemia

Folate deficiency is less common among people with Crohn’s and occurs most often in those taking methotrexate or sulfasalazine. When inflammatory bowel disease specialists prescribe either of these drugs, they often also prescribe a folic acid supplement to compensate for folate loss.

Folate is a B complex vitamin, found in beans, leafy green vegetables, asparagus, rice, and fruits. It is key to producing red blood cells for protein synthesis and skin health.

Pregnant women, including women with Crohn’s, are advised to take folic acid to prevent birth defects.

5. Insufficient Vitamin D Can Trigger Flare-Ups

Vitamin D deficiency is very common in people with Crohn’s. “Just having Crohn’s seems to be an additional risk factor for vitamin D deficiency, but it’s not well understood why,” says Sandborn.

The two main ways to get vitamin D are exposing your skin to sunlight and taking a supplement. (Vitamin D is also found in certain foods, including eggs, fortified milk, and fatty fish,

 but not in levels high enough for optimal health.)

Vitamin D is essential for bone health, and a review found that flares create a high risk of vitamin D deficiency, while well-maintained vitamin D levels reduce the risk of flares.

Talk to your doctor if you’re concerned about vitamin D deficiency, so they can run tests and determine your current levels.

“There is still a lot of research to be done in Crohn’s disease,” Sandborn says. “[Following a] restricted diet is a common practice, but I think this does a lot of harm, because there’s not enough science behind some of these restrictions. Many patients don’t need so many restrictions. Eating a healthy, well-balanced diet is probably the best thing you can do.”

The Takeaway

  • Dietary restrictions, inflammation, blood loss, drug side effects, and surgery can all lead to low levels of essential vitamins and minerals, including iron, calcium, vitamin B12, folic acid, and vitamin D in people with Crohn’s disease.
  • When left unaddressed, certain vitamin and mineral deficiencies can result in serious health consequences such as anemia, osteoporosis, and nerve damage.
  • Talk to your doctor about the need to test for and monitor potential vitamin and mineral deficiencies.

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Safety, Uses, and Food Lists

While ingesting small amounts of Red Dye 40 seems unlikely to affect overall health, a growing body of research suggests it may be connected with a number of issues.

Behavioral Issues in Children

Some research has linked Red 40 to increased hyperactivity and behavioral changes in some children, particularly those diagnosed with ADHD (attention deficit hyperactivity disorder), potentially worsening symptoms like difficulty sitting still, excessive talking, anxiety, moodiness, and irritability.

Countries in the European Union require foods containing Red 40 and other synthetic dyes to carry a warning saying that these products “may have an adverse effect on activity and behavior in children.”

“There’s pretty good evidence at this point indicating a small but significant deleterious effect of Red 40 on the behavior of most children,” says L. Eugene Arnold, MD, a professor of psychiatry and behavioral health at the Ohio State University, who has conducted research on this topic.

Trials in Britain have linked juices containing dye to a small but significant rise in hyperactivity in children, with or without ADHD.

A review of 27 studies looking at artificial dyes, including Red 40, concluded that evidence “supports a relationship between food dye exposure and adverse behavioral outcomes in children.”

Allergic Reactions

According to Dr. Arnold, research has identified three genes that may direct the body’s reaction to synthetic dyes. One gene is involved in the synthesis of dopamine, a molecule that promotes focus and impulse control; the two other genes are involved in the synthesis of histamine, a molecule that promotes alertness.

Too much histamine, however, can bring on allergy symptoms.

The Center for Science in the Public Interest says that Red 40 may trigger allergic reactions in some people, causing hives and facial swelling.

Cancer

“Red Dye 40 is generally considered safer than the now-banned Red Dye 3, since it has not been shown to cause cancer in animals like Red 3 did with thyroid tumors,” says Lorne Hofseth, PhD, an associate dean for research with the Drug Discovery and Biomedical Sciences College of Pharmacy at the University of South Carolina in Columbia, who has conducted extensive research on artificial dyes.

Still, it’s known that Red 40 can contain trace amounts of benzene and 4-aminobiphenyl, which are known human carcinogens.

“Concerns about Red 40’s potential for accelerating cancer through DNA damage and inflammatory mechanisms suggest it may not be entirely risk-free,” Dr. Hofseth says.

Hofseth explains that synthetic dyes by their nature have the potential to result in inflammation.

“Synthetic food dyes are, by definition, xenobiotic, or foreign to the body,” he says. “Things that are foreign to the body are going to stimulate an inflammatory immune response and cause damage to cells.”

 Long-term inflammation and cancer are “intimately” connected, he says.
Hofseth and his collaborators conducted research on mice injected with the equivalent of an “acceptable” human daily intake of Red 40, and observed a low level of inflammation in the rodents’ colons after nine months.

They also looked at human colon cells exposed to Red 40 and saw DNA damage that increased as the dose of Red 40 increased.

Still, a dearth of research involving human subjects makes it difficult to know if results from animal and cell studies predict real-life cancer risk in people.

“The evidence for a cancer connection is suggestive but not conclusive — animal studies and cell research provide ‘pretty good’ evidence, but robust human studies are still needed to confirm the link,” Hofseth says.

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Flossing Teeth Once a Week Could Lower Stroke Risk

Flossing your teeth at least once a week may reduce your risk of stroke and irregular heartbeat, according to a preliminary study to be presented next week at the American Stroke Association’s International Stroke Conference 2025 in Los Angeles.

“Flossing was also linked to better overall health, including lower blood pressure, healthier cholesterol levels, and lower chances of diabetes,” says study lead author Souvik Sen, MD, chair of the neurology department at the University of South Carolina School of Medicine and a neurologist at Prisma Health in Columbia, South Carolina.

Exploring the Link Between Oral and Heart Health

The researchers were looking to find out which oral hygiene behavior — dental flossing, brushing, or regular dentist visits — had the greatest impact on stroke prevention.

The study included about 6,300 people. About 65 percent said they flossed.

A detailed questionnaire gathered information about oral hygiene habits and dental visits, as well health status, including high blood pressure, diabetes, high cholesterol, smoking, and body mass index.

During the 25 years of follow-up, 434 participants had strokes, of which 147 were larger artery brain clots, 97 were heart-driven clots, and 95 were hardening of the smaller arteries. About 1,300 people experienced atrial fibrillation (also called afib), an irregular and usually very rapid heart rhythm.

Flossing Benefits May Extend Beyond Your Gums

In the new research, which hasn’t yet been peer reviewed, flossing at least once a week was linked to the following benefits:

  • 21 percent lower risk of ischemic stroke, the most common type of stroke, which happens when a blood clot blocks a blood vessel in the brain

    (Flossing more than once a week was associated with an even greater reduction in risk.)
  • 44 percent lower risk of cardioembolic stroke, which are blood clots traveling from the heart
  • 12 percent lower risk of afib, which can lead to blood clots in the heart and increase the risk of stroke and heart failure

Researchers found a lowered risk associated with flossing whether or not people regularly brushed their teeth or got routine dental care.

Why Does Flossing Protect the Heart and Brain?

This isn’t the first study to find a link between oral health and stroke. Because of the connection, the American Heart Association recommends that people see a dentist and get regular dental checkups as part of a heart-healthy lifestyle.

But researchers were surprised by the reduction in atrial fibrillation risk. A recent study suggests that at least 10.5 million Americans have afib, much higher than previously thought.

Why would flossing specifically lower this risk? “Flossing leads to reduction in oral infections such as gum disease and caries [cavities],” says Dr. Sen. This results in less inflammation, which has been tied to atrial fibrillation by several possible mechanisms, he says:

  • Inflammation and oxidative stress promote atrial fibrosis (scarring) and structural remodeling, disrupting normal electrical conduction in the heart.
  • Inflammatory stress impacts heart rate variability and increases the risk of atrial fibrillation.
  • Inflammation damages the endothelial lining of blood vessels, which in turn increases the risk of blood clots. Afib patients with chronic inflammation have a higher risk of stroke and embolism.

Inflammation is also tied to hardening of the blood vessels (called atherosclerosis) that can lead to stroke and heart attack, says Sen.

Preliminary Study Doesn’t Conclusively Prove That Flossing Lowers Heart Disease Risk

Because this study was observational — it collected data on existing dental hygiene habits — it doesn’t prove that flossing is directly responsible for the reduction in stroke and afib risks.

“Flossing is great for your teeth, but linking it directly to stroke prevention is tricky,” says Harlan Krumholz, MD, a professor of medicine and director of the Yale Center for Outcomes Research and Evaluation in New Haven, Connecticut. Dr. Krumholz was not involved in the study.

“People who floss regularly often take better care of their health in general — eating well, exercising, and keeping up with medical care — so it’s hard to say whether flossing itself lowers stroke risk, or if it’s just part of an overall healthy lifestyle. Studies like this are interesting, but we need to know more to prove cause and effect,” he says.

A recent global health report revealed that oral diseases such as untreated tooth decay and gum disease affected 3.5 billion people in 2022, making them the most widespread health conditions in the world.

 In the United States, about 4 in 10 adults have some form of periodontal (gum) disease, such as gingivitis and periodontitis. In adults over 65, 6 out every 10 people have gum disease.

Bottom Line: Flossing Is an Easy and Affordable Way to Improve Health

“Flossing isn’t just good for your teeth — it might help protect your heart and brain, too,” says Sen.

“It’s a simple, affordable way to improve oral health and possibly prevent serious heart and brain conditions,” he says.

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