FDA: Formaldehyde in Hair Smoothing Products, What You Should Know
If you decide that you want to make your hair less frizzy or straighter, you may choose to go to a professional stylist at a hair salon for a hair straightening or smoothing service. Most hair smoothing or straightening products release formaldehyde gas, a known human carcinogen as classified by the International Agency for Research […]
CDC: Genetics Basics
WHAT TO KNOW Overview Your genes affect many things about you, including how you look (for example, your eye color or height) and how your body works (for example, your blood type). In some cases, your genes are linked to diseases that run in your family. In other cases, your genes influence how your body […]
FDA: What You Need To Know About Using Cannabis, Including CBD, When Pregnant or Breastfeeding
FDA strongly advises against the use of cannabidiol (CBD), tetrahydrocannabinol (THC), and marijuana in any form during pregnancy or while breastfeeding. Cannabis and Cannabis-derived products have become increasingly available in recent years, with new and different types of products appearing all the time. These products raise questions and concerns for many consumers. And if you […]
CDC: Preventing Type 2 Diabetes
KEY POINTS What is prediabetes? Before developing type 2 diabetes, most people have prediabetes. This is when their blood sugar is higher than normal but not high enough yet for a type 2 diabetes diagnosis. In the United States, about 98 million adults have prediabetes; that’s 1 in 3 people. There are usually no signs […]
FDA: Infant Formula – Safety Do’s and Don’ts
The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) oversees manufacturers of infant formulas and helps ensure that these products are safe and support healthy growth in infants who consume them. Don’t Make Homemade Formula The FDA advises parents and caregivers to not make or feed homemade infant formula to infants. Homemade infant formula recipes have not been […]
CDC: Fitting a New Habit Into Your Life
KEY POINTS Start small It might be tempting to jump right into a big, new goal, like walking a 5k, but this can feel overwhelming. Build your confidence with things you know you can do, and then add new challenges. For example, a new physical activity could start with just 1 day per week, for […]
FDA: Mammography – What You Need to Know
Mammograms continue to be the best primary tool for breast cancer screening. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration, along with some FDA-approved state certifying agencies, certify facilities to perform mammography. The FDA also clears, approves, and authorizes new mammography devices for sale in the U.S. Congress enacted the Mammography Quality Standards Act (MQSA) in 1992 […]
CDC: Manage Blood Sugar
KEY POINTS How do I check my blood sugar? Use a blood sugar meter (also called a glucometer) or a continuous glucose monitor (CGM) to check your blood sugar. A blood sugar meter measures the amount of sugar in a small sample of blood, usually from your fingertip. A CGM uses a sensor inserted under the […]
FDA: How to Use the Consumer Complaint System and MedWatch
If you have a complaint about a product regulated by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), the agency wants to hear about it. The FDA offers a number of ways to report a complaint. Two of the main reporting systems available to consumers are the Consumer Complaint Reporting system and MedWatch. 1. Consumer Complaint Reporting As a […]
CDC: Change Negative Thoughts to Get Motivated
KEY POINTS All-or-nothing thinking All-or-nothing thinking happens when you believe there are only two possible outcomes: success or failure. This could lead you to set too many goals because you believe this is the only path to success. It could also lead you to abandon your goals when mistakes happen—you believe you’ve already failed. This […]