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How suppressing inflammation can lower your risk for serious disease

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:59:00 GMT

This content is sponsored by MedStar Washington Hospital Center.When people think about their risk for heart disease, they may consider their family history, whether or not they smoke, how active they are, and how they eat. Dr. Allen Taylor, Chairman of the Department of Cardiology at MedStar Washington Hospital Center, said that while those things matter, our bodies continuously have a degree of inflammation in them, which also has to be considered.“Inflammation accelerates and increases the risk of atherosclerosis, we’ve just never had a way to address it,” he said.Atherosclerosis happens when the walls of the arteries stiffen over time and narrow because of a buildup of plaque. Plaque is made up of cholesterol, fat, and other cells in the blood that deposit along the inner walls of the arteries.Over time, the passage through which blood flows can become narrower, and less blood reaches the body. This heightens your chance of a heart attack, stroke, or kidney failure.Researc...

Colorado weather: Where will it snow this week?

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:59:00 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Get ready for cold temperatures in the mountains. This weekend's looking spooky with potential frost in the Denver metro area and snow in the mountains.Winter weather advisoryThe National Weather Service has issued a winter weather advisory across most of the high country including Vail, Aspen and Steamboat Springs from Wednesday night to Friday morning. For a winter weather advisory, expect one or more of these conditions:Snow of 3-5 inches in 12 hoursSleet of less than half an inchFreezing rain with sleet and or snowBlowing snowWhere will it snow?According to the NWS in Grand Junction, expect snow near the Elk Mountains and Central Mountain Valleys.An estimated 6 to 12 inches of snow may fall. Most of the snow will be above 8,500 feet, but some may dip below 7,000 feet.Snow is expected to fall near Rabbit Ears Pass, Rocky Mountain National Park and Medicine Bow Range as well. What is the difference between a winter weather advisory and winter storm warning? Win...

Prepare for slick roads with first major Colorado mountain snow coming

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:59:00 GMT

DENVER (KDVR) -- Clouds, light snow and rain showers are expected to push into the high country on Wednesday with a Winter Weather Advisory in several mountain areas through Friday morning.Friday night could bring Denver's first freeze through Saturday morning. With cold weather on the way, the National Weather Service office in Boulder warns drivers about hazardous driving conditions in the mountains. FOX31 Newsletters: Sign up for alerts from the Pinpoint Weather team The heaviest snow is expected in the mountains Thursday, but cold temperatures will reach the metro area in the Denver weather forecast Wednesday and stick around through at least Saturday morning. While mountain areas have already seen freezing temperatures, this is expected to be the first major snow of the season in the mountains.The NWS said now is the time to winterize your vehicle, especially if you plan to travel in the mountains this week.Snow tires and tire pressureFor the Denver metro area, the rule of th...

Dolphins place rookie RB De’Von Achane on IR with knee injury, expect him to return this season

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:59:00 GMT

MIAMI GARDENS, Fla. (AP) — The Miami Dolphins are placing rookie running back De’Von Achane on injured reserve on Wednesday after he suffered a knee injury against the New York Giants.Coach Mike McDaniel did not confirm whether Achane’s injury will require surgery, nor did he provide many details on the extent of the injury. He said it is not a “grave” injury, and he expects Achane to return this season. The injury happened late in a 31-16 win over the Giants on Sunday.“It wasn’t a black-and-white decision where it was obvious, but it was something that Chris (GM Chris Grier) and I knew was the best thing for the team, which always coincides with what’s best for that particular athlete,” McDaniel said.Achane will miss Sunday’s game against the Carolina Panthers, as well as matchups against Philadelphia, New England and Kansas City. The Dolphins have a bye in Week 10, so he will be eligible to return in Week 11 against the Raiders.Miami’s run...

Santos says he won’t accept plea deal and will run for reelection

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:59:00 GMT

(CNN) — Embattled Rep. George Santos remained defiant on Wednesday after facing new federal criminal charges, insisting he would not accept a plea deal and that he will run for reelection next year.Santos, a New York Republican, claimed that none of the 23 charges against him had any merit, contending that he would fight them all in court and battle calls for his expulsion.“I’m going to continue to fight this as much as I said in the past. Nothing has changed,” Santos told a small group of reporters in his office on Wednesday morning. “I think I’ve made it clear that I will fight this to prove my innocence. So yeah, I’m pretty much denying every last bit of charges.”Federal prosecutors on Tuesday unveiled a fresh round of charges against Santos, called a superseding indictment, that brings the total number of counts against him to 23. This indictment is wider in scope and provides new and damaging details about Santos’ alleged efforts to personally profit through his campa...

The American Academy of Pediatrics conjures 10 Halloween pedestrian safety tips

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:59:00 GMT

Dr. Sadiqa A. I. Kendi | (TNS) American Academy of PediatricsWith Halloween around the corner, it’s a good time to consider ways to improve the safety of trick-or-treaters planning to roam neighborhoods and communities. The holiday brings delight to many but also heightens the risk of pedestrian injuries, as costumed characters dart from house to house or are distracted by scary sights and sounds, especially after nightfall.Those who are handing out treats at home can also help improve safety by keeping pathways to the door well lit and free of any obstacles like bicycles or garden hoses that might block the path of visiting goblins, witches and ghosts. Drivers should be extra careful on the roads that day, especially between 5:30 and 9:30 p.m., when trick-or-treaters are most likely to be out.It’s always best for an adult to accompany young children when they trick or treat. Often your town or park district will offer Halloween activities earlier in the day so you can avoid going o...

Virginia is for lovers … of wine and autumn leaves

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:59:00 GMT

Gretchen McKay | Pittsburgh Post-Gazette (TNS)LOUDOUN COUNTY, Va. — Virginia has long been a favorite destination for travelers, thanks to its beautiful beaches, breathtaking mountainous scenery and storied American history. (It was home to four of the first five U.S. presidents.)It’s also a great place to see spectacular fall foliage and drink a glass of wine, whether your prefer a full-bodied red, a crisp white or simply want a taste of Norton, America’s oldest native grape.In the 1980s, the entire state had only six wineries. Today, there are more than 300 wineries and 4,000 acres under vine in eight distinct American Viticultural Areas, says Anne Boyd, director of the Virginia Wine Marketing Board,Virginia’s $1.73 billion wine industry has created more than 10,000 full-time jobs and has been a boon for tourism, drawing about 2.6 million visitors a year, according to Boyd.Chrysalis Vineyards has the largest single planting of Norton, a native American grape, in the world, with 40...

20 books we’re looking forward to reading in the fall and winter of 2023

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:59:00 GMT

Whether you’re in a rush to fulfill your New Year’s resolution or you just want something to keep you company as the weather gets cooler, it’s not too late to pick up some books to read before 2023 comes to a close. This season has several titles to keep you interested and educated, and give you something to talk about holiday parties (they’ll be here before you know it). Related: Sign up for our free Book Pages newsletter about bestsellers, authors and moreWhether your interests are cryptocurrency or the Roman Empire, video games or true crime, you’re bound to find something exciting to curl up with this fall — here are 20 books you might want to add to your shopping list.“Going Infinite: The Rise and Fall of a New Tycoon”Author: Michael LewisWhat It’s About: The “Big Short” author turns his eye to Sam Bankman-Fried, the Stanford-born cryptocurrency exchange CEO whose arrest and trial on fraud charges have been dominating headlines this year. Lewis has a gift for making difficult s...

Shonda Rhimes to bring ‘Black Barbie’ documentary to Netflix

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:59:00 GMT

Karu F. Daniels | New York Daily News (TNS)Netflix uber-producer Shonda Rhimes has snapped up the rights for “Black Barbie: A Documentary,” which chronicles Mattel’s 1980 introduction of the first Black doll, bringing some much-needed diversity to the iconic brand.The film, first shown at SXSW earlier this year, was written and directed by filmmaker Lagueria Davis, whose aunt Beulah Mae Mitchell worked at Mattel and was one of three Black women who advocated for the groundbreaking toy.According to the documentary’s logline, “Black Barbie” examines “the importance of representation and how dolls can be crucial to the formation of identity and imagination.”Cultural commentators, historians and consumers also weigh in on the impact of the doll. Mitchell and other Black women share their own stories of not seeing themselves represented, and how Black Barbie’s arrival affected them.“Telling Black Barbie’s story has been such a personal journey and it warms my heart to celebrate the legac...

What’s that sound? A heart murmur can be innocent or serious

Published Wed, 25 Dec 2024 06:59:00 GMT

Mayo Clinic Staff | (TNS) Mayo Clinic News NetworkLubb-dupp. Lubb-dupp. Those are the words that health care professionals often use to mimic the sound of your heartbeat. That steady, regular sound is made by your heart valves opening and closing as blood circulates through your heart.You may have heard the term “heart murmur.” A murmur is an extra heart sound that can be heard by a stethoscope. Sometimes, the murmur sounds like a humming, which can be faint or loud. It might be temporary or persistent. Heart murmurs may be present at birth or develop later in life during pregnancy, phases of rapid growth like adolescence or from a fever or anemia.The murmur may disappear as quickly as it comes if it has a temporary cause. However, a murmur also could be persistent and loud, easily heard and sound like a churning mill wheel or cooing seagull. This might indicate a serious heart problem.What causes a heart murmur?Multiple factors can cause a murmur. It could be a heart va...