Vital Signs

You’ve probably heard eating too much processed food is bad for you. A new study suggests why: What you eat can alter the microbiome in your gut that can affect your health.

Amid the pandemic, seasonal viruses like flu and West Nile virus have shown up in North Texas, but not RSV, a respiratory virus that affects mostly young children.

It will be months before the general public can get vaccinated against COVID-19. But those who’ve recovered from it are believed to have antibodies offering protection from the virus.

The arrival of COVID-19 vaccine came as welcome news for health care workers first in line to get the shots. But they’re still contending with a worsening coronavirus surge.KERA’s Sam Baker talked with CEO Barclay Berdan about how Texas Health Resources is handling this health crisis.

A survey over the summer found that with gyms closed by the pandemic, more people have turned to walking for exercise. It has a number of benefits: More energy, better sleep, weight loss, for instance. But that’s if you walk the right way.

Healthcare workers and vulnerable populations will be first to receive the COVID-19 vaccines allotted to Texas. But polls suggest getting some other people to get vaccinated may be a major hurdle.

Vital Signs host Sam Baker spoke with Dr. Joseph Chang, the chief medical officer with Parkland Hospital System, about how to stay safe during the holiday season. Chang said the type of gathering, cleaning precautions and proper mask-wearing are all things to keep in mind.

About 3 million people in the U.S. suffer from this form of inflammatory bowel disease. A recent study of mice suggests colitis may be linked to the amount of sugar and added sugars in food and beverages.

Current recommendations call for most people to begin colon cancer screenings at 50. But the U.S. Preventive Services Task Force wants to lower that to age 45 — just as the American Cancer Society recommended two years ago. Dr. Clifford Simmang, a colon and rectal surgeon with Baylor Scott White Health, explained to KERA’s Sam Baker why the Task Force recommendation carries more weight.

The DFW COVID-19 Prevalence study began in summer with 2,000 participants. Researchers hope to enroll another 30,000 Dallas and Tarrant county residents, plus 15,000 front-line workers in essential industries, to help determine how the virus is spreading in the area.

The intravenous version of remdesivir recently approved by the Food and Drug Administration is given to hospitalized patients. Baylor Scott and White are conducting clinical trials on an inhaled version that might avoid a hospital stay altogether.

Early detection is key to successful treatment of breast cancer. A breast surgical oncologist warns delayed or canceled mammograms can lead to diagnoses at later stages.