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FRIDAY, July 22, 2022 (American Heart Association News) -- Scott Kern didn't have much time to exercise.An executive at a chain of discount stores, he got to work early to get a head start on what often was a 12-hour workday. His incentive was getting home early enough to see his young daughter, Katie, before she went to bed.Scott, who lives in Norfolk, Va., was in relatively good shape. He grew up playing sports but hadn't worked out regularly for many years. He knew he could stand to lose a few pounds.His wife, Trisha, was more health-minded. She introduced him to healthier meals and often encouraged him to exercise. She was especially concerned because she feared what might already be lurking his body. She knew Scott had a family history of heart disease. His maternal grandfather...

FRIDAY, July 22, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- New York health officials said Thursday that the first U.S. case of polio in nearly a decade has been confirmed in a young unvaccinated adult in Rockland County."Based on what we know about this case, and polio in general, the [New York] Department of Health strongly recommends that unvaccinated individuals get vaccinated or boosted with the FDA-approved IPV polio vaccine as soon as possible," State Health Commissioner Dr. Mary Bassett said in a statement. "The polio vaccine is safe and effective, protecting against this potentially debilitating disease, and it has been part of the backbone of required, routine childhood immunizations recommended by health officials and public health agencies nationwide."In the Rockland County case, the patient...

FRIDAY, July 22, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- It may sound bananas, but new research shows eating this potassium-rich food can improve heart health.Avocados and salmon also are high in potassium, helping counteract the negative effects of salt in the diet and lowering blood pressure, researchers said. Other potassium-rich foods include a variety of vegetables, fruits, nuts, beans, dairy products and fish."It is well known that high salt consumption is associated with elevated blood pressure and a raised risk of heart attacks and strokes," said study author Dr. Liffert Vogt, a professor of clinical nephrology and renal physiology at Amsterdam University Medical Centers in the Netherlands. "Health advice has focused on limiting salt intake but this is difficult to achieve when our diets...

FRIDAY, July 22, 2022 (HealthDay News) -- As blistering temperatures blanket much of the country, more people are at risk heat exhaustion and potentially fatal heat strokes. One expert offers tips on how to avoid the dangerous effects of record-breaking temperatures.While anyone can develop heat-related illness from prolonged exposure to excessive heat and/or high humidity, including athletes or those whose job requires them to spend time outside, some people are particularly vulnerable.Dr. Jed Zeigler, an emergency medicine specialist at Penn State Health Hampden Medical Center in Enola, Pa., explains that people who struggle to control their body temperature are more susceptible to the dangers of extreme heat. Those who have heart failure, kidney failure, poor circulation or high...