Housecall for Health

There could soon be a cure for one of the most common allergies. FOX's Alex Hein with more in this "Housecall for Health": This is Housecall for Health. Peanut allergy sufferers may soon know the joy of peanut-butter flavored goodness after a study found effectiveness in an oral treatment. Researches gave children with the allergy a probiotic with a peanut protein daily for 18 months. A month later, 80 percent were able to tolerate peanuts without any symptoms. Four years later, 70 percent were still able to eat peanuts without any adverse reactions. About half of the children involved in the study were consuming peanuts regularly while others were eating them infrequently. A lead researcher told BBC News that it's the first time a treatment for the allergy was shown to be effective for such a long period of time. She said the main takeaway is that children who had an allergy were able to eat them the same as children who do not have an allergy, and that over time they remained tolerant of the previous allergen. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Could the amount of sleep you are getting have an impact on your weight? FOX's Alex Hein explains a new study in this "Housecall for Health": This is Housecall for Health. So, not only could skimping on your sleep hurt your mental health or give you bags under your eyes, but it could also add some pounds to your waistline. This new study, which followed 1600 adults who self reported sleeping habits, found that those who got an average of six hours of shuteye had a waist circumference three centimeters larger than those who slept for nine hours a night. Those who were skimping on sleep also had higher BMI and lower good-cholesterol levels. There was a group who fell in between six and nine hours, with participants getting an average of 7.5 hours of shuteye. Those adults still fared better than those who were only getting six hours. Researchers emphasized that they didn't find a link between less sleep and poorer diets, nor did they prove a direct explanation as to whether less sleep caused you to gain weight or was the result of weight gain. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Scientists may be one giant step closer to a cure in the fight to end AIDS. FOX's Alex Hein explains in this "Housecall for Health": This is Housecall for Health. In a major reveal at an AIDS conference in Paris, researchers said a South African girl who was born with the AIDS virus has kept her infection suppressed for more than eight years after stopping anti-HIV medicines. They say the results are evidence that early treatment is capable of causing long-term remission. Currently, HIV treatments that aim to keep the virus under control must be taken over of a lifetime, and only one person has ever been thought to be cured. But his treatment involved a bone marrow transplant from a donor with a natural resistance to HIV, which is risky and impractical due to the large number of patients already infected. What's hopeful about the girl's case, is that she is the third child to enter long remission after beginning aggressive treatment soon after infection. She started when she was two and stopped 40 weeks later. Tests found the virus was not capable of reproducing in her immune system cells. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Three dimensional printing technology may soon help people on long transplant wait-lists. FOX's Steve Rappoport with the details in this "Housecall for Health": This is Housecall for Health. The power of 3D printing continues to amaze us all, and now scientists have upped the ante yet again, creating a silicone heart that beats just like a human one. The group, based in Zurich, posted a video of their model which even has a fluid pumping through the heart just like a real organ. The only caveat with this amazing feat, is that it only lasts for 3,000 beats, and then the material gives out. To you and I this may seem like a failure, but researchers say it's a major advance toward potential options when considering how to build artificial hearts, which now rely on mechanical parts that are prone to complications. Heart disease is the leading cause of death in the United States, with people of all ages and backgrounds suffering from the illness. An advancement in this field could provide relief to those patients, and millions more worldwide. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Steve Rappoport, FOX News. Follow Steve Rappoport on Twitter: @SteveRappoport

This is Housecall for Health. Though the face is the most common place for skin cancer to appear, on average we miss about 10 percent of it when applying sunscreen. University of Liverpool researchers asked 57 participants to apply sunscreen to their face with no further instructions or details on how to do it. Photos were taken of each person's face with a UV-sensitive camera before and after the application. The areas covered with sunscreen appeared black due to the camera. On average, people missed about 9.5 percent of their whole face, most commonly skipping the eye lids and areas between the inner corner of the eye and bridge of the nose. On a second go round, researchers asked them to do it again after telling them specifically about skin cancers of the eyelid region. This time, there was a slight improvement, with users missing just about 7.7 percent of their face. Researchers said sunglasses will help protect these crucial areas if you can't remember to. For more on this story check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

This is Housecall for Health. The number of women giving birth in the U.S. has hit a historic low, causing some experts to warn about a potential national emergency. There is good news from this stat as the number of teen births in the country continued to fall. However, the number also decreased for women in their twenties, and while the number increased for women in their thirties and forties, it was not enough to prevent an overall decline. The low, which was tacked at one percent lower to the number of births recorded last year, may not seem significant now, but experts cautioned that if the rate continues to drop we could see economic and even cultural turmoil. The data, which was released by the CDC, also showed that the U.S. had higher fertility rates compared to other developed countries, and still more birth compared to deaths. While some sounded alarm, others said to watch for new trends as the economy shifts upward again. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Sick building syndrome? Is it a real thing? FOX's Alex Hein says yes, according to one study: This is Housecall for Health. Do you sneeze more while at work? Ever wonder how often they clean the air filters? Do you notice an achy feeling return when you head back to the office on Monday? Well, it turns out, you might be suffering from symptoms of sick building syndrome. According to a new study, toxins lurking behind your office's wallpaper might in turn be making you sick. The toxins can easily become airborne and post an indoor health risk to those exposed to it regularly. According to the study, symptoms of the illness could be compared to those of flu or allergies like headaches, burning or itching eyes, stuffy nose, sneezing, coughing, sore throat, tight chest or others. People with asthma may find their symptoms exasperated when in a contaminated office space. Aside from tainted wallpaper, study authors note poorly maintained air conditioners, indoor chemical varnish, mold and bacteria and poor ventilation's could be culprits. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

A life-like baby robot could help save lives. FOX's Alex Hein reports in this 'Housecall for Health': This is Housecall for Health. Sounds real doesn't it? The heart beat, spit up and blinking that comes with it does too, but the sounds are actually coming from Super Tory, a highly sophisticated robot meant to train doctors, nurses and EMT's on how to save the lives of real newborns. Super Tory is being hailed as the world's most advanced neonatal patient simulator and is the first that can go into cardiac arrest and be revived with real time chest compression's and a ventilator. The robots skin can even change color when a button triggers respiratory distress. Doctors at Atlanta Children's Hospital and two others are working with the robot to study an array of symptoms including different cries, frowns and skin tones. The robot is meant to give medical staff hands on experience when dealing with tiny patients who often can't express what's bothering them. It offers the opportunity to make a mistake without fatal consequences so that they're ready for human patients. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Houscall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News.

As we gear up for summer, Doctors are advising us to be focused on staying cool. FOX's Joy Piazza reports in this 'Housecall for Health': This is Housecall for Health. With a lot of the country facing higher than normal temperatures and summer right around the corner, Doctors are advising folks to avoid getting heat stroke: (Dr. Marciniak) "If a person is in the heat too long, they may experience excessive sweating, they can get muscle cramping, they can feel faint." Dr. Alison Marciniak at the Sparrow Hospital in Lansing, Michigan: (Dr. Marciniak) "People, they aren't dressing correctly for the weather. They may not be taking in enough fluids." She also says if you do get overheated, apply a cold compress to your neck or under your armpits to cool down. And it's not just us humans who need to stay cool. John Dinon is with the Ingham County Animal Control and Shelter in Mason, Michigan: (Dinon) "Make sure your pet has water at all times, if they're not indoors make sure they have access to shade, if they're out running around and exercising keep an eye on them. If they seem to be lethargic or excessively panting you definitely want to bring them in to a cool area." For more health news, go to FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Joy Piazza, FOX News.

Hot water or cold water for washing hands? It might not make a difference. FOX's Alex Hein explains in "Housecall for Health": This is Housecall for Health. Sure, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration recommends a minimum handwashing temperature of at least 100 degrees to kill harmful bacteria, but could we be scorching ourselves for no reason? Researchers at Rutgers University will have you thinking so, as their new findings suggest that washing hands in cold water is just as effective as washing them in blazing hot water. Instead of focusing on the temperature, researchers concluded that technique can remove contaminants just as well as long as sanitary products are used. One of the study leads said safety is really going to come down to what a person feels comfortable doing when washing their hands, whether its doing so in colder water or warmer water, so that time is dedicated to properly scrubbing and ridding of bacteria. The team said their results should cause the FDA to consider changing its policy for handwashing guidelines, and believe that it could save energy in things like dishwashers and washing machines. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Could a lack of sleep turn your brain... cannibalistic? FOX's Alex Hein has the details in this Housecall for Health: This is Housecall for Health. Skipping out on sleep may not only affect your mood contribute to those big bags under your eyes, but it could cause part of your brain to start eating other parts. While that sounds frightening, researchers say it may not be such a bad thing. The study, which focused on mice, found that in sleep-deprived mice, two types of glial cells, astrocytes and microglial cells increased in activity. When the mice missed out on sleep, astrocytes went into overdrive and actually ate portions of synapses. But one expert said the astrocytes targeted the largest, most used synapses, like old pieces of furniture that probably need more attention and cleaning. But another issue with the lack of sleep, is an increase in microglial activity which has been linked to Alzheimer's in the past. The findings were a scientific first, but the researchers are unsure if the same thing happens in the brains of humans, or if catching up on sleep can reverse these effects. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

The number of people contracting Alzheimer's Disease is on the rise and Baby Boomers pose a large risk. FOX's Alex Hein with details in your "Housecall for Health": This is Housecall for Health. With our increasing lifespan comes an increased risk of age-related diseases, and as Baby Boomers get older, more and more are being diagnosed with Alzheimer's Disease. So much so, that the CDC reported a 54 percent jump from 1999 to 2014. Alzheimer's is currently the sixth leading cause of death in the U.S. with more than 93,000 deaths recorded in 2014. It affects 5.5 million adults in the U.S. and is expected to affect 13.8 million adults over age 65 by year 2050. The report also noted that more patients with Alzheimer's are dying at home rather than in a medical facility, likely placing a further burden on family members and caregivers. The number of people who died at home increased to 24.9 percent in 2014, which was up from 13.9 percent in 1999. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Tick season is approaching, so what can you do to avoid them? FOX's Alex Hein reports: This is Housecall for Health. Health officials have been warning about a dangerous tick season this summer, but what are some of the things you should do if you find one crawling on you? First off, remain calm. Just because you've been bitten doesn't automatically mean you'll get Lyme disease. Find a pair of tweezers to pull the full tick off of you, careful not to leave any pieces behind. Put the tick in a zip-block bag and ake a photo of it so you can identify it later and then dispose of the bag. You may have heard some people tell you to burn the tick off of you, but not only is that dangerous it could case the tick to release toxins into your body. While it takes up to twenty four hours for a tick to transmit lyme bacteria to a host, if you're worried about it or don't know when you were potentially bit, make an appointment with a doctor to get checked out. Otherwise, monitor the area for any irritation or the telltale bulls eye rash. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

A small piece of chocolate isn't so bad for you once in awhile. FOX's Alex Hein explains: This is Housecall for Health. While so-called choc-o-holics may have gotten a bad rap over the years, a new study has found that eating a small amount of chocolate every week or so may decrease your risk of developing a serious type of irregular heart rhythm. AFib is a quivering or irregular heartbeat that can lead to blood clots, stroke, heart failure and other heart-related complications. In this case, researchers used data collected for a long term study of people in Denmark. Based on their data, about 3,300 cases of AFib occurred over an average of 13 years. Those who ate one serving, which is about one ounce of chocolate per week, were 17 percent less likely to be diagnosed with AFib than those who don't eat chocolate at all. Those who ate two to six ounces were week were less likely to be diagnosed with AFib, while those who ate more than once once per day were 16 percent less likely to have the condition. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Parents beware, could suntan lotion harm your child instead of protecting from UV rays? FOX's Alex Hein has details with your "Housecall for Health": This is Housecall for Health. A mother in Canada wants other parents to pay extra attention to the type of sunscreen they choose for their children after she claims her 14 month old daughter suffered second degree burns from an aerosol kids sunspray. Rebecca Cannon said she used Banana Boat Kids SPF 50 to protect her daughter Kyla and three-year-old nephew. Throughout the day she said she noticed her daughter's face getting more and more red and when she woke the next day her cheeks had blistered. She took her to the emergency rooms where doctors said it was a second degree chemical burn or a severe allergic reaction. A dermatologist agreed with the chemical burn diagnosis. Banana Boat said they requested Cannon send the spray in so they could inspect it as part of the investigation, but Cannon said she wants more to be done after finding stories of similar experiences online. According to a post on Facebook, Kyla is recovering from her injuries. For more on this story check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

New research may give women faced with infertility new hope. FOX's Alex Hein reports: This is Housecall for Health. The magic of 3D printing has paved the way for medical miracles through the field of modern medicine. The latest involves a mouse, prosthetic ovaries and a healthy offspring. Being hailed as a landmark study, researchers believe the engineered ovaries made of gelatin, could one day help to restore fertility in human cancer survivors rendered sterile by radiation or chemotherapy. The team built the ovaries by 3D printing various patterns of overlapping gelatin filaments on glass slides. Then they carefully inserted the mouse follicles into the scaffolds. They implanted 40 to 50 follicles into each bio-prosthetic ovary and sutured them into seven mice. After mating, three of the females gave birth to healthy litters. They also gave birth and lactated naturally, meaning the follicles produced a normal level of hormones in the mice. They're hopeful a similar method using extracted follicles from humans or donated samples could create similar results. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Humans may have a better sense of smell than scientist originally thought. FOX's Alex Hein has details in you your "Housecall for Health": This is Housecall for Health. If you've ever been told you've got a nose like a hound, truth is, you do! A study in the Journal Science has concluded that humans can sniff just as well as puppers can, as well as other mammals who largely rely on their sense of smell, like rodents. The myth that animals can sniff better than you has persisted largely because humans have way less olfactory receptors than mice rates and pups, but we can detected up to one trillion odors which is as much as they can. Scientists said the belief is further confused because of the way humans sniff versus how other mammals get it done. Humans rely on scent receptors to send a message to the brain, while dogs have a pump mechanism that picks up chemicals in liquid form. We're also not trying to run around identifying our friends or foes by the scent of their urine like they are. So the next time you're jealous of your pups super sniffer, be thankful you reap the same benefits without the cold wetness that goes along with it For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News.

Swearing may actually be good for you. FOX's Alex Hein has the details in this 'Housecall for Health': This is Housecall for Health. If you've been told you've got a mouth like a sailor, we've got a study for you. Researchers said a good dose of foul language during physical activity, whether exercising or moving a heavy object, may actually help you get the job done. Psychologists instructed volunteers to swear before intense exercises and found that a burst of foul language led to improved performance when compared to uttering neutral or mild mannered words. The study was a follow up to one researchers had conducted to see if swearing increases pain tolerance. While that first study saw an increase in heart rate and changes linked to the fight or flight response, the exercise swearing did not. But researchers did note that peak power was increased by an average of 24 watts when participants swore. Potential reasons for this increase were not explained in the report, but it might be worth testing out quietly the next time you feel like giving up on your workout. For more on this story check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Hearing a non-existent boom sounds terrifying, but many people suffer from this phenomenon. FOX's Alex Hein reports: This is Housecall for Health. Exploding head syndrome sounds like something out of a Sci-Fi movie, but in reality, it's a very real medical condition that thousands of people suffer from. Patients diagnosed with the condition can sense the sound of an object crashing to the ground or the sight of a bright flash of light, even though no such events really occurred. You see, for these patients, no actual explosions take place when the person experiences a symptom, but rather it's a sensory sleep disorder. For example, when a person with exploding head syndrome is either falling asleep or waking up, they may hear a thunderously loud noise, but no such noise has actually occurred. This recent study, covered by Live Science, suggests that up to 13.5 percent of people experience the phenomenon at some point during their lives. Theories about what causes these sensations revolve around the reticular formation part of the brain. That same area is thought to be involved in sleep paralysis as well. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Houscall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Researchers have successfully created an artificial womb. FOX's Alex Hein has the details: This is Housecall for Health. Can a plastic bag save the lives of premature newborns? That's what these researchers are banking on after creating an artificial womb that managed to keep baby sheep alive for four weeks. The creation, called a biobag, is a plastic bag filled with fluid to mimic the inside of a uterus. Hypothetically, tubes from a baby's umbilical cord would extend to an external device to provide oxygen to their blood. After, the baby would be taken out of the bag and hooked up to a mechanical ventilator which would help them breathe. The technology is targeted for infants born in the middle of the second trimester as early as 22 weeks gestation. The technology, however, is far from being implemented in human hospitals, and it's unclear if parents will be ready to accept it. There are also concerns about how to stick potential tubes into a human baby's umbilical cords without causing damage. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Houscall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Watch the video below: Watch the latest video at video.foxnews.com Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

A college professor may have discovered a vaccine that could take some of the stress out of the teenage years. FOX's Alex Hein has the details: This is Housecall for Health. Like music to a suffering teenager's ears, a U.C. San Diego professor said he's got an idea for a vaccine that could signal the end of dreaded acne. Eric Huang, who once worked on a biodefense vaccine to fight anthrax, told news outlets that a six-year study has the potential to lead to a vaccine that targets the bacteria behind acne. He told reporters that there's two types of vaccines in the works, one is preventative and one is therapeutic. The target patient, he said, is pre-adolescent kids. However, large-scale clinical trials involving humans are likely a year or two away, as the vaccines have only been tested on mice and small samples of human skin biopsies. Still, news of the potential landmark vaccine is enough to get the interwebs chatting, with many commenters wishing they had it during their high school days. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

You may want to cut back on those diet sodas. FOX's Alex Hein reports: This is Housecall for Health. Soda isn't the most nutritious thing for you, we all know that. But for those patting themselves on the back for making the switch to diet, hold off. A new study claims that daily dose of diet soda could put you at triple the risk for suffering a stroke. Researches found that diet fizz has a warning association with dementia too. The study looked at 10 years worth of data for more than 4,300 people and said that the results indicate people need to move past the word diet, and consider other health factors when making drink choices. The trouble might lie in the artificial sweeteners used in these calorie light drinks, which have caused world wide concern in the past. The low calorie substitutes might lead to weight gain and can also increase the risk of developing Type 2 Diabetes. One expert said the brain isn't set up to deal with that kind of intensely sweet zero calorie version of sweetness that artificial sweeteners provide. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

A new study may disprove the myth that salty snacks make you thirsty. FOX's Alex Hein has the details in this 'Housecall for Health': This is Housecall for Health. Milk and cookies, peanut butter and jelly, chips and soda. Ever wonder how that last one came to be? Sure it's common to believe that salty snacks leave you thirsty, but new research says it's not really thirst you're trying to quench, but more hunger. In a recent simulated trip to Mars, scientists tested whether salty snacks led to drinking more water, thus producing more urine. One group was tested for 105 days, the other for 205. They had identical diets with the exception of salt intake. Surprisingly, the group with a salty diet drank less than the other group. Researchers said that salt triggers a mechanism in the kidneys to hold onto water and produce urea, which eats up energy and causes hunger, not thirst. It was previously believed that salt grabbed onto water molecules in the body and dragged them out via urine, but that's not the case. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

One hobby could prolong your life. FOX's Alex Hein reports: This is Housecall for Health. If you've been searching for a new hobby, this latest study suggests that picking up running could help you add years to life. Researchers said that even runners who smoke, drink or are overweight tend to outlive their non-runner friends by about three years. The study was conducted at the Cooper Institute in Dallas and found that pounding the pavement trumps all other forms of physical activity in terms of adding to your lifespan. The study was published in Progress in Cardiovascular Disease and found an average of reported running time by participants to be about two hours weekly. One of the more interesting take aways, according to many reports, is that running adds more time to people's lives than it actually takes up, with estimations suggesting that an hour spent running may actually add seven hours to your life. This means that you don't even have to become a fanatic marathoner to enjoy the health perks that come along with your new favorite pastime. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Could your puppy be providing more than just companionship for your family? FOX's Alex Hein reports on a new study that says just that: This is Housecall for Health. There's more to the relationship between a dog and new baby than adorable photo shoots and constant companionship. In fact, a Canadian report has found that babies from pet-owning families possess more microbes linked with a lower allergy and obesity risk than their pet-less counterparts. The University of Alberta researchers studies faecal samples from the Canadian healthy infant longitudinal development study and discovered that babies in the womb and early after birth who were exposed to pets had higher levels of two crucial microbes that are linked to reduced levels of childhood allergies and obesity. Indirect exposure, like a dog being near a pregnant woman, counted in these instances. So the next time your partner nags you about getting a puppy, it might be worth it to give it some thought. The study was published in the Journal Microbiome. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Are you a night owl? New research shows it may be because of your genetics. FOX's Alex Hein has 'Housecall for Health': This is Housecall for Health. Are you a night owl desperately seeking to become a early bird? Well, unfortunately, it could be a matter of genes. But thanks to researchers, there may be hope on the horizon. In a recent study, researchers looked at 70 people from six families and found that a genetic mutation was common among those who were diagnosed with delayed sleep phase disorder. The condition causes the circadian clock to run behind so they wake up later than normal and stay up well into the night. All of the so-called night owls had the mutation, while those who had a normal sleep schedule did not. The researchers noted this is the first genetic mutation associated with DSPD and published their findings in the journal Cell. Finding such a link could open doors to finding treatment, or ways to manipulate these genes so that night owls could have a solution to developing a sleep schedule that aligns more regularly with daily activity. For more on this story check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

A new study has found that certain countries could be affecting a baby's temperament. FOX's Alex Hein has the details in the 'Housecall for Health': This is Housecall for Health. Forget the nursery rhymes, if you've got a fussy baby, maybe you should consider a move to Denmark. Researchers in the U.K. compiled the first universal charts for normal amounts of crying during a baby's first three months. They discovered that newborns tend to cry more in Britain, Canada, Italy and the Netherlands than in other countries. In Denmark, Germany and Japan, babies were the least fussy. On average, the study found babies cry for about two hours per day in the first two weeks. They cry a little more in the following few weeks until they peak at around two hours and 15 minutes a day at six weeks. Parents can expect some relief as they simmer down to about one hour and ten minutes of crying by the time they reach 12 weeks old. They hope the chart will help health workers answer quell concerned parents fears about whether their baby is fussing to much. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Maybe Popeye was onto something after all. FOX's Alex Hein has the details on groundbreaking research involving spinach leaves: This is Housecall for Health. A team of scientists in Massachusetts successfully converted a spinach leaf into a tiny beating human heart muscle, which is a step they hope might one day help doctors repair damaged organs. The team swapped the plants cells for human cells, which transformed the plants veins into a blood vessel network. They said they chose spinach for the groundbreaking experiment because of the leaf's complex vein system. Once the human tissue had developed, the next step involved pushing fluids through the leaf to show blood could flow through a similar system in the future. The hope is that the tissue built out of spinach leaves could be implanted into patients with damaged hearts, and restore blood flow to areas of the organ that have been damaged by disease, trauma or infection. The development is exciting, and researchers did call it promising, but they also cautioned that they have much work left to do. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Mom and dad's genetics may not be to blame for the big nose. FOX's Alex Hein with details on a new study with your "Housecall for Health": This is Housecall for Health. It may be time to cut your mom and dad some slack about the ill-fated shape of your nose, as a new study suggests its not your ancestors fault per say, but rather the ancestral climate that's to blame for how you look. The researchers, from Penn State University, believe noses were shaped over time by local climates as ancestors adapted to either warmth and humidity or cold and dry air. The study involved 3D facial imaging of nostrils and nose shapes and measurements of nostril width, which is the distance between the nostrils, nose height, nose ridge length and how far it sticks out. They noted that noses serve as a way for humans to condition the air before it reaches the lungs. Using that reasoning it's fair to argue that natural selection led to certain noses being more fit for certain climates than others. Narrower nostrils for instance, were better suited to moisten and warm air, which is important in cold dry regions. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

A new study may take some of the mystery out of death. FOX's Alex Hein has more in this "Housecall for Health": This is Housecall for Health. From Hollywood directors to your death obsessed neighbor, everyone has an opinion on what happens to your body after you die. But a new study published in the Canadian Journal of Neurological Sciences says that the brain can be active for up to 10 minutes after a person has been declared clinically dead. The researchers observed what happened in four critically ill patients when they were taken off life support. They found brain activity only persisted with one of the patients after the final heartbeat. The patient had the same kind of brain waves seen during deep sleep. Interestingly, the researchers noted all four patients brains reacted differently once they were declared clinically dead. Meaning what happens after death likely changes from person to person. The researches didn't have a reason as to why patients reacted differently and didn't say if it had to do with previous illnesses.  For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Internet buyer beware, purchasing medications over the internet could be dangerous. FOX's Alex Hein explains in this "Housecall for Health": This is Housecall for Health. It may seem like a no-brainer, but desperate times can lead to desperate measures, which means some may turn to online vendors to purchase medications to avoid paying a pricey pharmacy fee, but this practice has some experts worried. The care quality commission in the U.K. inspected 11 internet prescription services and found widespread failings among the providers. They say that while some of these shortcuts were indeed well run, others cut corners that could potentially present a significant risk to patients. Some of the websites were found to prescribe unlicensed medicines, while others were sending wrong medicines for described conditions. In many instances patients can go online and self diagnose to order their own medicine with minimal security check points. Regulators are now trying to install a set of standards to protect consumers and keep them safe. These include seeking permission to contact the patients doctor, and obtaining a comprehensive medical history. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Could smoking weed mean you are smarter? FOX's Alex Hein reports in this "Housecall for Health": This is Housecall for Health. Not too many associate high achieving students with under-age drinking and smoking marijuana. But according to a study of British adolescents, the group is more likely to pick up those habits than their less academically gifted peers. The study tracked 6,000 teenagers use of tobacco, alcohol and pot from ages 11 to 20. During their early teens, the smarter students were less likely to smoke cigarettes than their peers. But they were more likely to say they drank alcohol during the same period than the other students. As they grew older, the more academically inclined students were 50 percent more likely to use pot occasionally and nearly twice as likely to use it regularly than their peers. They were also twice as likely to have developed a regular drinking habit.  The researchers speculate the high achieving students may be more open to new experiences or possibly have more access to alcohol. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Did the 2016 take a toll on your mental health? FOX's Alex Hein reports in this "Housecall for Health": This is Housecall for Health. The election season may have ended months ago, but simply thinking about politics still has Americans stressed out. The American Psychological Association's annual 'Stress in America: Coping with Change' reflected a higher level of anxiety over political matters and where the country is heading, among both Democrats and Republicans. The nation's economy as well as work and money stress topped the list of stressors among Americans, but 57 percent of those polled deemed the political climate a very significant or somewhat significant stress source. Almost half said the same about electoral outcomes. 72 percent of Democrats said the outcome of recent elections was a significant stressor, while 59 percent of Republicans considered the nation's future a substantial source of stress. Experts say Americans should try to meditate or breathe deeply to relieve symptoms, as well as reaching out to others in their network. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

A new study found that doctors across the country may be to blame for their patients opioid addiction. FOX's Alex Hein has "Housecall for Health": This is Housecall for Health. In an emergency situation, you hardly have time to consider who to call, let alone which hospital to go to first. But an alarming new study suggests that choosing the wrong one may leave you with an opioid addiction that is hard to kick. A national comparison of emergency room physicians uncovered a broad range of prescribing patterns for painkillers, and it suggests that high-volume prescribers may be encouraging long-term use of the pills among their elderly patients. Doctors considered frequent prescribers were 300 percent more likely to give out prescriptions for painkillers than low-volume physicians in the same hospital, and those heavy-prescribers were more likely to give their patients prescriptions for longer periods. Among elderly Medicare patients, opioid overdoses quadrupled between 1993 and 2012. Not only does excessive use lead to addiction, but it also increases the likelihood of fatal falls among this population. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Cases of the flu are still rising across the United States. FOX's Alex Hein reports: This is Housecall for Health. As a country the latest data suggests we are far from being over the flu, with the number of cases spiking sharply throughout the first week of February. Deaths from flu-related complications and hospitalizations among children and the elderly remain high. So far, 20 children have died from the influenza virus. One of the most important take aways from this data is that it's still not too late to get a flu shot if you have not already done so. This is especially critical for the vulnerable population which includes the chronically ill, the very young, the elderly and pregnant women. Experts say it would have been better to have gotten vaccinated in October, but it's still helpful to go get a shot now. The CDC recommends that anybody aged six months or older get a flu shot, and that mothers of newborns should get it to help protect their infants who are too young. In a typical flu season, complications from the virus send more than 200,000 Americans to the hospital. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

A new study says breakfast really is the most important meal when looking at heart health. FOX's Alex Hein weighs-in with your "Housecall for Health": This is Housecall for Health.  Did you skip breakfast this morning? Then don't load up on calories tonight. In fact, eating more calories earlier in the day and consuming less food at night, may not only reduce your odds of a heart attack, but it may also reduce your risk of a stroke or other cardiac or blood vessel disease. According to the American Heart Association, as many as 30 percent of U.S. adults routinely skip breakfast, which is becoming more common as people snack throughout the day, instead of consuming three traditional meals. When they do eat breakfast, they're less likely to have risk factors for cardio vascular disease, like high cholesterol and elevated blood pressure. Those who skip morning meals are more likely to be obese or have poor nutrition. Researchers believe meal timing may impact the body's internal clock and we may not process sugars as well at night as we do during the day. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Breast cancer patients could get more answers from genetic testing and counseling. FOX's Dr. Sapna Parikh explains in this "Housecall for Health": This is Housecall for Health. A diagnosis of breast cancer means a lot of questions and a search for answers: What kind of surgery is best for me? What will the follow-up treatment be like? And what's the long-term prognosis? But according to a new study, some questions are not answered because genetic testing wasn't done. The study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association finds only a small percentage of woman with early stage breast cancer receive genetic testing before they have surgery. Researchers say genetic testing can help guide woman and their doctors in choosing what kind of surgery to have and what treatments should follow to reduce the risk of new cancer forming in the future. Some answers can come from a thorough family history, but genetic testing could provide more information. The study also finds that among the women who are tested, many are not offered genetic counseling to help explain what it all means for them and for their prognosis. For more health news, go to FOXNews.com. I'm Dr. Sapna Parikh, FOX News. Follow Dr. Sapna Parikh on Twitter: @Sapna_Parikh

Seemingly harmless sounds like crunching on a snack could be a real bother for suffers of Misophonia. FOX's Alex Hein with details of a new study in your "Housecall for Health": This is Housecall for Health. Hidden between the political posts and Tom Brady devotion on Facebook you may have caught a headline or two about how seemingly harmless sounds to you can actually cause rage or anxiety in others. The noises can be as benign as breathing, popcorn munching or even nose sniffling, but for Misophonia sufferers it's enough to drive them crazy. A study from Newcastle University in Britain said they may have an explanation for it, and it has to do with a particular part of the brain that processes emotions. In patients with the disorder this area of the brain goes into overdrive when triggered by the noises, and the region of the brain is also connected differently compared to normal brains. The researchers say it could be heavily connected to recalling bad past memories, and experiences associated with the noises. For the study researchers surveyed nearly 200 patients who said they first became aware of their symptoms around age 12. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Laundry pods continue to be a major health concern for young kids. FOX's Alex Hein reports in "Housecall For Health": This is Housecall for Health. Parents have been warned about the dangers laundry pods pose to toddlers and young children around the house, but a new study sheds a scary light on the type of injuries parents should look out for.  Between 2012 & 2015, the number of chemical burns to the eye linked to laundry detergent packets rose more than 30 percent among young children. More than 1200 four-year-olds received burns in that time period. Kids are getting injured when the packets break and the contents squirt into one or both eyes or when the contents leak onto their hands and they then touch their eyes. The researches found most of these injuries are occurring in the home where kids are playing with the packets or confusing them either toys or candy. The injuries are difficult to recover from, depending on severity. Meaning some children are actually at risk of long-term vision impairment. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

An old myth is bring used to assist with dropping weight. FOX's Alex Hein explains: This is, Housecall for Health. Remember that myth you heard about as a kid? If you felt your stomach after running around and it was cold, that meant you were burning calories? Welp, a new health trend is a little bit like that, plastic surgeons and dermatologists are turning to fat freezing to eliminate about 20 percent of the fat cells on a particular area of the body in just an hour's time. The professionals say it's a quick and harmless way to drop extra pounds. You could even get it done while watching a movie or catching up on your emails. All that's required of the patient is an hour of their time, and then a machine inserts specific body parts, like love handles and chubby backs, into a cooling chamber. The cells are cooled down to below body temperature, which causes them to get metabolized and then excrete. More than 425,000 nonsurgical fat reduction procedures were conducted in 2015. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889 FOR MORE ON THIS STORY CLICK HERE

Doctors in Colorado are using acupuncture to treat children. FOX's Joy Piazza with your "Housecall for Health": This is, Housecall for Health. It's an alternative therapy to help treat a child with severe eczema in Colorado. Emily Cadwell says her daughter Mckenna is being treated with acupuncture, stimulating specific points on the body with thin needles. The 19-month old was: (Cadwell) "Really, she was just miserable. Very itchy, her skin was very red and inflamed." Acupunturist Peyton Dryden says the little girl has responded well: (Dryden) "She`s cleared up quite a bit." Dr. Paul Murray with the Whole Health Center in Denver says other common problems that acupuncture can help treat are colic and acid reflux: (Dr. Murray) "With kids, they haven`t lived that long, so the condition is not that old. In Chinese medicine, the fresher the better." The Gillette Children's Special in St. Paul Minnesota conducted a study analyzing nine children treated for various conditions between June 2014 and June 2015. They concluded some of the patients had a decrease in pain, while others had complete relief. The FDA approved acupuncture needles for use by licensed practitioners in 1996. With Housecall for Health, I'm Joy Piazza, FOX News.

A new blood test could help assess risk of heart attack complications and blood clots. FOX's Alex Hein explains, in this "Housecall for Health": This is Housecall for Health. While chest pain is typically the tell-tale sign of a heart attack, a new blood test may help doctors differentiate between a serious pain or a false alarm. A study published in the European Heart Journal described a test that measures the blood levels of a molecule called TMAO, which is produced when gut bacteria breaks down foods, including red meat, eggs and dairy. Previously, research conducted in animals has linked high levels of TMAO with greater blood vessel inflammation and studies conducted in heart diseases patients have shown that individuals with higher levels of TMAO have a higher risk of blood clots. In the most recent study, patients with the highest levels were nearly twice as likely to die during the seven year follow up period than those with the lowest levels. From that and other indicators, researchers said when patients come to the ER with chest pains, doctors could use a blood test for TMAO to determine which have the highest risk for serious complications. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Every parent has their own way to cure a crying baby: a pacifier, their favorite toy, but one Denver couple has an odd solution: watching football. FOX's Alex Hein has the story in today's "Housecall for Health": This is, Housecall for Health. Any tired new parent can tell you the tricks and trades they've picked up along the way to help soothe a crying baby, but for longtime Broncos fans Laura and Bryan Catron, getting their baby Lola to stop crying has meant putting aside their Denver pride. Little Lola, who has already undergone two heart surgeries in her three months of life, will only stop crying to watch the Cowboys take the field. Laura said the family's has watched so much football recently that she feels like other parents whose children got hooked on the hit Disney movie 'Frozen'. Bryan said the soothing effect of the Cowboys is instantaneous, and it doesn't matter if its on a laptop, phone or television. When Bryan and Laura tried to get her to watch the Steelers or the Browns, little Lola kept right on crying. Though they'd much rather her root for the Broncos, they said her happiness is worth the agony of rooting for Dallas. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889 FOR MORE ON THIS STORY CLICK HERE

Ever hear something so clearly you could taste it? Well one women could. FOX's Alex Hein explains in "Housecall for Health": This is Housecall for Health. A curious report found in the British paper, The Sun, features a woman who could only taste words, smell sounds, and was cured after being struck by lightning, only for her curious symptoms to later return. The woman, who wasn't identified, suffers from Synaesthesia, which is the ability to taste words, hear colors and sense auras around people. Researchers don't have a firm grasp on what causes the strange condition. Trinity College Dublin researchers are highlighting this woman's case to see if the extra publicity may lead to a new way of treating the condition. According to the paper, the patient has been able to hear colors since birth. As an example researchers said high-pitched notes appeared pastel. They said that after she was struck by lightning and began taking pills for migraines, the symptoms disappeared, which leads them to believe that the issues are more deeply wired into people's brains than previously thought. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Whether you are drinking regular or diet sodas, there may be an increase in ditching the sugary pop-cola from your diet. FOX's Alex Hein takes a look: This is, Housecall for Health. It's a smart move to ditch sugary drinks from your diet in order to life a healthier life, but if you're making the move from regular soda to diet soda in an effort to ditch calories, it probably won't help you much. A new study suggests that at the end of the day, while an average can of soda packs in about 150 calories and 39 grams of sugar, you'll probably still consume the same number of total calories overall. They're still trying to figure out why, and how bodies and brains react to calorie-free sweeteners. But while diet soda drinkers did not indulge to excess, they did report feeling slightly hungrier before lunch than those who drank the sugary drink, but these drinkers only ate enough extra to make up for their drink's lack of calories. The results were published in the International Journal of Obesity, and it was noted that they appear to contradict other findings that suggest swapping sugary drinks for artificially sweetened ones lead people to consume less calories. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Studies have warned about the risk of using daily pain medication damaging your stomach - but can it also harm your hearing? FOX's Alex Hein with details in this "Housecall for Health": This is Housecall for Health. There are plenty of articles on how popping pain relievers daily could damage your stomach or potentially harm your heart, but did you know that regularly popping a dose of Advil or Tylenol could also compromise your hearing? A new study examining the long-term use of over-the-counter pain relievers has found that women who took certain meds steadily for six years were 10 times more likely to experience hearing loss. According to the New York Times, while the mechanism behind the hearing loss is unknown and the study did not prove causation, it does add to a growing body of evidence that the drugs are linked to auditory issues. The researchers tested Advil, Aleve and Tylenol. More than 54,000 mostly white women between the ages 48 and 73 self-reported their usage. Two thirds of American women over 60 experience hearing loss, and researchers say the study may highlight why. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Should doctors take classes on empathy skills during training? FOX's Alex Hein weighs-in with "Housecall for Health": This is Housecall for Health. Bedside manners often matter a great deal to patients, especially in a time of grave illness or ahead of an impending surgery. One doctor believes that instead of being urged to be more compassionate, physicians should learn specific empathy skills during their training to improve a patients overall level of care. Dr. David Jeffrey, who wrote the paper, said there's concern about a general psychological and social support for patients from their doctors, and that the commercialization of health care has left patients vulnerable to being treated as an instrument to bring in money. The flip side, he said, is if doctors are too emotionally involved with patients they may experience psychological distress and burnout. He said that while compassion and sympathy are simple reactions, it takes skill to develop empathy, which should be a goal for medical education. His letter was published in the Journal of the Royal Society of Medicine. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Could using an electronic device not be as bad as originally thought? FOX's Alex Hein with the details in "Housecall for Health":  This is Housecall for Health. Countless studies and experts tell you to put down the phone or tablet before heading to bed to help optimize your quality of sleep, but a new one says for those already struggling with insomnia issues, turning on the computer may be the only way to help fix it. An automated program called SHUTi is an online version of cognitive behavioral therapy, which can help address the shortage of sleep clinicians trained to carry out this type of therapy. The study focused on more than 300 people with chronic insomnia, most of whom had already tried medication or supplements. Half the group received digital placebo, which included tips on how to deal with sleep issues, while the other half got six weeks of SHUTi, which uses sleep restriction and stimulus control. The program helps patients dispel destructive beliefs about sleep and requires patients to log daily sessions. A year later, 57 percent of SHUTi subjects enjoyed normal sleep. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

What keeps you up at night? A new study says if you drink a lot of soda that could be one reason causing you to toss and turn. FOX's Alex Hein has the details in "Housecall For Health": This is Housecall for Health. It may seem like an obvious link, but a new study suggests that adults who sleep five hours or less per night are more likely to be heavy soda drinkers than those who get more rest. With soda as the main source of added sugar in the American diet, it's not surprise that soda, and a lack of sleep, are both independently associated with obesity. Sugar-sweetened beverages are also linked to rising rates of heart disease and diabetes. In a survey of 19,000 adults, the poor sleepers consumed 21 percent more sugar sweetened drinks than adults who got a healthy seven to eight hours per night. The main association was caffeinated non-diet sodas. What's more, is that compared to heavier sleepers, those who reported no more than five hours of shut eye were more likely to smoke or be sedentary. They were also more likely to have chronic health issues. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Could your favorite cheese improve your health? FOX's Alex Hein weighs-in with your "Housecall for Health": This is Housecall for Health. Are you a cheesehead? Do you find a helping of fresh grated Parmesan to be irresistable? Well, there's good news for you, a recent study published in the Journal Nature Medicine reported that eating cheese, specifically the aged kind containing the compound spermidine, was linked to a longer life in mammals. The study focused on 800 Italians and found that those who had more cheese had lower blood pressure, a reduced risk of cardiovascular disease and 40 percent lower risk of heart failure. Diets often include cheese to promote heart benefits as well as anti-hypertension properties. But before you reach for the cheese whiz, keep in mind eating everything in moderation is more beneficial than overdoing it. There's also been a study linking an intake of cheese to a heightened risk of breast cancer, lympoid cancers and lung cancer. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889

Sleep apnea has been fingered in the deadly September Hoboken NJ Transit crash. FOX's Alex Hein with details on the safeguards regulators are drafting in your "Housecall for Health": This is Housecall for Health. Railroads across the country are being urged to test train operators for obstructive sleep apnea after federal regulators found the engineer in September's deadly New Jersey commuter train crash had the fatigue-inducing disorder. The Associated Press reports that the Federal Railroad Administration will issue a safety advisory this week stressing the importance of sleep apnea screening and treatment. Metro North found that one in nine of its engineers suffers from sleep apnea. NJ Transit already tests for sleep apnea, but updated its rules last week to prevent diagnosed engineers from operating trains unless they're being treated. The advisory is considered a stopgap measure while regulators draft rules to require sleep apnea screening. But that process could take years to pan out. Airline pilots with sleep apnea aren't allowed to fly unless they've been treated, and regulators are pushing for bus and truck drivers to get tested as well. For more on this story, check FOXNewsHealth.com. Housecall for Health, I'm Alex Hein, FOX News. Follow Alex Hein on Twitter: @Ahlex3889