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The Worst Flu Season in a Decade Americans falling ill with the flu is increasing. Additionally, hospitalization rate has increased as well. This number is important to predicting the death rate. According to the CDC (Centers for Disease Control and Prevention), this year’s flu season is about to equal the flu season from 2014-2015. During the 2014-2015 flu season, roughly 34 million Americans fell ill with the flu, 710,000 had to go to the hospital as a result and almost 56,000 died. The CDC also tracks the number of children that die as a result of the flu. It tracks these numbers individually as opposed to death totals, which it estimates. During the 2014-2015 flu season, there were a total of 148 child flu deaths. This year, there are currently 37. There are, however, still several weeks left in the flu season. The CDC often does not learn about flu-related deaths until a few weeks after the case. This is especially true with children who die at home from the flu. The flu pandemic in 2009 was historically bad because it was a new virus. This year’s flu season is dominated by the H3N2 virus (also known as the Hong Kong flu), which has been around for almost half a century. This year’s flu season has been one of the worst the country has seen in almost a decade. Although it’s at the tail end of the flu season, people who have not had their flu shots yet should still get them. To stay up to date with all the latest health news, be sure to visit us at The Benefits Store today. #fluseason

How the Poliovirus Could Stop Cancer Research gathered from a study performed at Duke University was recently published in the Science Translational Medicine journal suggesting that the poliovirus could help the body to fight cancer. The research team consisted of Professor Smita Nair of the Department of Surgery and Dr. Matthias of the Department of Neurosurgery. The research reveals how a modified poliovirus is able to combat cancer by helping the body to identify and attack cancerous cells. This modified version of polio has been in clinical trials for almost seven years. Preliminary results have shown positive signs that the virus could fight more aggressive forms of brain tumors. The research team explored how the poliovirus acted in melanoma and triple-negative breast cancer. Studies showed that the poliovirus would attach itself to the cancerous cells as a result of the CD155 protein that these cells carried, which act as a receptor for the poliovirus. As a result, the virus begins attacking these cells, which in turn triggers the release of antigens from the tumor. The body is unable to identify these antigens, which are toxic substances, and therefore attacks them. Basically, the release of the antigens helps jumpstart the body’s immune system. Not only could this help to eliminate cancer, the process seems to have continuous success, which means that it could stop tumors from re-growing. The use of the poliovirus could help the body’s immune system to identify and more effectively attack cancerous cells, thereby fighting cancer and preventing the return growth of tumors. For all the latest news relating to cancer or to keep up to date with the latest health news in general, be sure to continue visiting us at The Benefits Store. #Poliovirus

Lifetime Friends Turn Out to be Long-Lost Brothers Macfarlene, who is 74 years old, and Robinson, who is 72, were both born in Honolulu, HI and first met in elementary school. They became close friends, to the point where their families would often vacation together. One day, Macfarlene decided he wanted to find out who his biological father was. He took a DNA ancestry test, only to find out that Robinson was his biological brother. Macfarlene was born in 1943 right after the attack on Pearl Harbor. His mother decided to give him up for adoption for reasons unknown to him. Her parents stepped having decided to “hanai” him. This Hawaiian tradition allows a family to adopt a person informally even if they do not have the proper papers. However, Robinson, who was born 15 months later, was put up for adoption. Robinson would never know who his biological mother or father were. Robinson was given DNA test opportunities from both 23 and Me and Ancestry for his birthday a few years back. He submitted swabs from his cheek for both. Last year, Macfarlane submitted DNA samples to both companies as well with the encouragement of his daughters. He was provided with a list of 800 people he was related to. It was his daughter who noticed that there was a near identical match. The name was “Robi737.” They asked Robinson if that was his username and he confirmed. DNA testing can help to not only reveal your family history, it can also bring long-lost family members together. For all the latest health news, visit The Benefits Store today. #DNATesting

Life Expectancy in the U.S. Although the life expectancy has dropped in the U.S., it’s only regarding the life expectancy of men. The life expectancy for women has not dropped. The life expectancy for men at birth is currently 76.1 years, while for women it’s 81.1 years. It’s also worth noting that the life expectancy drop wasn’t equal for all racial and ethnic groups either. The average death rate of black men increased by one percent in 2016, while the average death rate for white women dropped by one percent. The Leading Causes of Death in the U.S. The report published by the CDC revealed that the number of deaths per 100,000 has risen among young adults from 2015 to 2016. Around 63,600 of those deaths were related to drug overdoses in 2016, roughly two-thirds of which were caused by opioids. Although these overdose-related deaths were not directly linked to the drop in life expectancy, it wouldn’t be a stretch to say they are somewhat related. Death rates associated with drug overdoses have increased by 18 percent each year from 2014 to 2016. According to the report, heart disease was the leading cause of death in the U.S. Other major causes of death in the U.S. included cancer, chronic lower respiratory diseases, unintentional injuries, diabetes, stroke, pneumonia, influenza, Alzheimer’s disease, suicide and kidney disease. The third leading cause of death was found to be unintentional injuries, replacing chronic lower respiratory diseases in that spot from last year. (Drug overdoses are classified as unintentional injuries.) Life expectancy is dropping in the U.S., while drug-related deaths are increasing. Stay up-to-date with all the latest health news by visiting us at The Benefits Store today. #USLifeExpectancy

Why Losing Weight Shouldn’t be a Resolution There are hundreds of different diets out there that are meant to help you lose weight. Few of these diets consider what impact their advice will have over the long-term. Studies have shown that you are statistically likely to put back on whatever weight you lost on your diet. The Journal of the American Dietetic Association published research involving 80 obese women who were chronic dieters. Half of them were put on a “normal” diet. Roughly 40 percent of dieters ended up quitting the diet over time, failing to lose weight. Although many of them lost weight over the short-term, they regained that weight and even gained more weight in some cases over the long-term. Learn to Eat Intuitively Eating intuitively involves ignoring what you’ve learned about how many calories you should eat and what’s good for you and what isn’t. It’s all about learning how to listen to your body’s needs and fulfilling those needs with the food choices you make. For example, if you’re trying to decide between an apple and a candy bar, think about what your body is feeling. It may need fiber and vitamin C or it may need sugar. Make your choice based on how your body feels, not what you know about the flavor or nutrition factors of the food. Instead of going on a diet that only works for a few months, make a resolution to learn how to eat intuitively. Doing so is more likely to result in a healthier lifestyle and a positive body image. To learn about more health tips, visit us at The Benefits Store today. #HealthiestResolutions

Apple Watch and Fitbit Can Diagnose Hypertension and Sleep Apnea Cardiogram and the UCSF Health Lab recently published a study revealing that wearables, such as Apple Watch and Fitbit, are surprisingly accurate when it comes to diagnosing hypertension and sleep apnea. In fact, research revealed that wearables diagnose hypertension with 82 percent accuracy and sleep apnea with ninety percent accuracy. Over 6,000 subjects were tested over the course of the study. Of the subjects, thirty-seven percent had hypertension and 17 percent had sleep apnea. Sleep apnea is a disorder that causes a person’s breathing to be regularly disrupted while asleep. Hypertension is the condition of having high blood pressure. These two conditions affect millions of Americans. Many Americans don’t even realize they have either of these conditions; it’s estimated by the American Sleep Apnea Association over 80 percent of Americans who suffer from sleep apnea don’t realize it. According to the CDC (Center for Disease Control), roughly 75 million Americans suffer from hypertension, which accounts for around twenty-nine percent of the U.S. population. Apple and Fitbit are both looking into expanding their medical research into hypertension and sleep apnea as well as abnormal heart rhythms. They realize their wearables could provide an easy and effective way for individuals to recognize there is something wrong with their bodies and to provide an accurate diagnosis of those conditions. Realizing something is wrong as a result of a reading provided from a wearable could encourage people to visit their doctors, which, in turn, could help to save lives. It turns out that the Apple Watch and Fitbit could be incredibly beneficial in helping to diagnose certain conditions, such as sleep apnea and hypertension. For all the latest health news, visit us at The Benefits Store today. #AppleWatchandFitbit

The Left Brain vs. Right Brain Study The PLOS One journal published a study in 2013 that focused on brain-side dominance. The study lasted two years and involved over 1,000 subjects. The brains of these subjects were carefully studied in search of differences between the right and left brain hemispheres. The research revealed that there were no major differences. However, that doesn’t mean there aren’t differences between the left side and the right side of the brain. They’re also not completely different from each other. In fact, many of the processes that take place on one side also take place on the other side. In fact, according to Dr. Harold Wolff, a renowned brain scientist in the 20th century, everything about the brain that makes an individual human exists on both the left side and the right side of the brain. One of the reasons that the idea that each side of the brain was different originated from the findings of two neuroscientists in the 19th century. They found that people who struggled with language processing often had damage to certain parts of their left sides of the brain. Not to mention that the book, “The Strange Case of Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde” helped popularize the idea of left brain vs. right brain dominance. Although people often say “left brain vs. right brain” to describe whether they are more creative or logical, the differences between the two hemispheres of the brain are not that substantial. To learn more about how your brain can affect your health, be sure to visit us at The Benefits Store today.

5 Holiday Light and Christmas Tree Safety Tips The following are a few safety tips that you should keep in mind when setting up holidays lights or a Christmas tree: Check your lights for damage – Always check your lights for broken or cracked sockets, loose connections or wires that are frayed or bare. Strings of holiday lights that are damaged are more likely to pose a potential fire hazard if they short. If they’re damaged, just throw them away. Be careful when plugging in your lights – First of all, never connect more than three strands of incandescent holiday lights together. If you’re using extension cords, make sure that each cord is rated for its intended use and in good condition. Be careful using holiday lights outside – Make sure your holiday lights are certified for outdoor use. Not all holiday lights are. If they are, make sure you only plug them into a GFCI (Ground-Fault Circuit Interrupter) outlet, which will automatically shut off the flow of electricity if there is a short, which can prevent potential electrical fires from breaking out. Don’t put your Christmas tree near a heat source – Avoid putting your tree near fireplaces, candles, radiators, and vents where the heat or flames could cause the branches to catch fire. Make sure your tree isn’t blocking an exit – Don’t put the tree up near a doorway. This could obstruct a potential exit that you may need in the event of a fire. If you’re planning to put up a Christmas tree or decorating with holiday lights this holiday season, then make sure you keep these safety tips in mind. Learn about more safety tips throughout the year by continuing to visit us at The Benefits Store.

Brianna Baby Doll – This doll may seem harmless, but the clothing and ponytail holders, which are removable, present choking hazards to smaller children. The doll is marketed to children 18 months and older, which means that this can be a serious safety risk. Hand Fidgetz Spinners – These novelty items have become quite popular over the past year. They were always supposed to be novelty items and not toys. Despite this, they are still sold in a lot of toy aisles and are popular among kids. The problem is, they contain high levels of lead and have been known to overheat while charging, both of which are safety risks. Nerf Zombie Strike Deadbolt Crossbow – Nerf guns are a lot of fun for older children, but they can still pose an injury risk. Even though this particular nerf toy shoots toy arrows that are soft and shouldn’t hurt, they are launched with such force that they could still potentially cause injuries to the eye or face. Pull Along Polly – This toy is meant for playpens or cribs. However, its cord is 19 inches long, which is much longer than the industry safety standard of 12 inches and can pose a strangulation hazard. Slackers Slackline Classic Series Kit – Although this toy may seem like a ton of fun for children – and is marketed towards kids of all ages – even the label on the kit warns that there is a serious safety risk present as a result of potential strangulation or fall-related injuries. These are some of the holiday toys you should avoid this year. To keep up-to-date with all the latest health-related news, be sure to keep visiting us at The Benefits Store. #holidaytoys

The study revealed that oral semaglutide improved the health of patients with Type 2 diabetes. When taken once a day, the pill helped to lower HbA1c levels (a measurement of blood glucose) by upwards of 1.9 percent over a three month period, while also helping aid in weight loss. The discovery could be very beneficial, as Type 2 diabetes continues to be a real problem that can result in serious complications; not to mention the fact that more people seem to be developing Type 2 diabetes throughout the state of California. The fact that the medication can be taken orally is also a huge benefit, as many people who suffer from Type 2 diabetes have issues injecting themselves. There are other drugs that can be used to treat Type 2 diabetes; however, many of these drugs have undesirable side effects, such as the development of hypoglycemia (low blood sugar) and unwanted weight gain. According to the study, 90 percent of the subjects who took oral semaglutide managed to achieve the desired blood sugar levels, while 71 percent of the subjects even lost weight. According to an endocrinologist at the Southside Hospital in Bay Shore, NY, semaglutide and other drugs found in its class are highly recommended for the treatment of Type 2 diabetes, but aren’t often used because they generally need to be administered via injection, something that can be difficult to do regularly on one’s own. If such medications were to be made available through a pill, such as oral semaglutide, then it could change the way diabetes is treated for the better. Oral semaglutide promises to be an easier and more effective way to treat Type 2 diabetes, according to recent studies. To keep up with all of the latest advancements in diabetes medication as well as with other health news, be sure to visit us at The Benefits Store today. #DiabetesTreatment

Editorial credit: / Shutterstock.com The second biggest health insurance company in the country, Anthem Blue Cross, recently proposed raising its rates, but after regulators in the state of California questioned their rationale for doing so, Anthem decided to reduce two of its planned premium increases for 2018. Premiums will be reduced by around $114 million according to state officials. Anthem Lowers Premium Hikes One of the reasons Anthem was planning a premium increase was to counter future medical cost estimates, which included the predicted 30 percent increase in pharmacy expenses in the individual market. This prediction was double the estimates of two other large insurance companies and didn’t match national industry trends, which is why it was challenged by the California Department of Managed Health Care. Because their estimates were challenged, Anthem decided to reduce their insurance rate increase for the upcoming year by three percentage points for individuals and families. However, the increase in rates from this year to the next is still 37.3 percent, which is the second-highest increase among 11 insurers that participate in the Covered California exchange. They also reduced its planned rate increase for small businesses by almost 50 percent to only 2.5 percent. Helping to Lower Premium Hikes The Department of Managed Health Care and an elected insurance commissioner are the two insurance regulators in the state of California. While they can be effective in pressuring insurance companies to lower their rates, as evidenced by Anthem’s rate hike reductions, they do not have the authority to completely block rate increases. According to Anthem, they regularly work with regulators in order to revisit their estimates and rates when more data becomes available. Regulators that reviewed the company’s small-group rates revealed that Anthem updated their projection for medical spending, which is what resulted in their ability to reduce their planned premium increase. The insurance market can be a tricky one to follow, but fortunately, California keeps close track of insurers to make sure that consumers receive high-quality insurance at fair rates. For more health insurance news and updates, be sure to keep up with The Benefits Store.

The Great American Smokeout began in the 1970s – The event has been going on for almost five decades and started out back when smoking was incredibly common and not everybody was aware of the health risks of smoking. The idea originated in 1970 when people were asked to quit smoking on a specific day and to donate the money that they would have used on cigarettes on a high school scholarship fund in Massachusetts instead. The event has helped promote anti-smoking laws – The event’s success in promoting the dangers of smoking as well as promoting quitting smoking has led to numerous landmarks in the areas of environment, research and policy in regards to smoking. Over the course of the almost five decades that the event has gone on, workplace smoking restrictions were passed, smoking bans on buses and flights were passed, tobacco companies were sued over false advertising and the Family Smoking Prevention and Tobacco Control Act was signed into law. The Great American Smokeout is still needed – Even though the dangers of smoking are widely known, one out of five American adults still smoke cigarettes. Not to mention that 32 percent of all cancer deaths are caused by smoking. The Great American Smokeout can be just what a smoker needs to finally give up smoking. Giving up smoking for a day can be beneficial – Even smokers who stop smoking just for the Great American Smokeout will experience a drop in heart rate, blood pressure and carbon monoxide levels in their blood. To keep up with all the latest health-related news, visit us at The Benefits Store today.