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Alyssa Escalante

Articles by Alyssa Escalante

Measles: Preventing the Spread in Healthcare


Hand covered in a measles rash.

Measles (Rubeola) is a contagious, infectious disease caused by a virus. While some people think of measles as just a little rash and fever that clear up in a few days, measles can cause serious health complications. View our “Measles Fact Sheet” in English or Spanish and let’s dive deeper into measles and how frontline healthcare workers can minimize the spread of this infectious disease! Who is at Risk? Anyone who is not immune to measles is at risk. Measles is very contagious. It spreads through the air when an infected person breathes, talks, coughs or sneezes. You can get measles just by being in a room where a person with measles has been. Complications of measles can be minor, like ear infections, or serious, like pneumonia and encephalitis. There are ...

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Sarampión: Previniendo la Propagación en el Entorno de Prestación de Servicios de Salud


Hand covered in a measles rash.

El sarampión (rubéola) es una enfermedad contagiosa e infecciosa causada por un virus. Aunque algunas personas piensan en el sarampión como simplemente un pequeño sarpullido y fiebre que desaparecen en unos pocos días, el sarampión puede causar complicaciones de salud graves. ¡Consulta nuestra "Hoja Informativa sobre el Sarampión" en inglés o español y profundicemos en el tema del sarampión y cómo los trabajadores de la salud de primera línea pueden minimizar la propagación de esta enfermedad infecciosa! ¿Quién está en Riesgo de Contraer Sarampión? Cualquier persona que no se haya vacunado o que no haya tenido sarampión en el pasado está en riesgo. El sarampión es muy contagioso. Se puede propagar a través del aire cuando una persona infectada respira, ...

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The Good, The Bad, and The Artificially Sweetened: Drink Recommendations for Children


Children drinking water.

The beverages we drink are important for our hydration and health. That’s why experts have made recommendations for healthy drink choices for children ages 5 to 18 based on evidence from the Academy of Nutrition and Dietetics, the American Academy of Pediatric Dentistry, the American Academy of Pediatrics, and the American Heart Association. Healthy Eating Research (HER) has published these main recommendations: Beverages to drink: Plain drinking water and plain pasteurized milk. Beverages to limit: 100% juice, plant-based milk alternatives, and sweetened flavored milk. Beverages to avoid: Sugary drinks, sugar-sweetened beverages, beverages with non-sugar sweeteners, and caffeinated beverages. Let’s dive deeper into these recommendations and how they can impact your ...

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Researchers Work to Improve Treatment for Uveal Melanoma


Doctor examining eye of senior.

Researchers at the Mayo Clinic are working to better understand and find treatment for uveal melanoma, also called melanoma of the eye. Uveal melanoma is a type of cancer that involves one of the three parts of the eye that comprise the uvea: the iris, the ciliary body, and the choroid. The researchers have developed organoid models, or 3D models grown from patient tissue, which accurately reflects a patient’s unique genetic and biological characteristics. “When derived from a patient’s cancer tumor, an organoid will behave and respond to treatments outside the body in a lab (in vitro) just like the original tumor would inside the body (in vivo),” according to a Eureka Alert news release. Let’s look further into this research and how it can impact all ...

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Viruela del Mono o Viruela Símica (Mpox en inglés): Previniendo la Propagación en el Entorno de Prestación de Servicios de Salud


Mpox

La viruela del mono (mpox en inglés, llamada anteriormente monkeypox) es una enfermedad causada por la infección con el virus del mismo nombre (virus de la viruela del mono-MPXV). ¡Consulta nuestra "Hoja Informativa sobre viruela del mono" en inglés o español y profundicemos en el tema del viruela símica y cómo los trabajadores de la salud de primera línea pueden minimizar la propagación de esta enfermedad infecciosa! ¿Qué es la viruela del mono o viruela símica? Este virus es parte de la misma familia del virus de la viruela. La viruela del mono no está relacionada con la varicela. Cualquier persona que haya estado en contacto personal cercano por un periodo de tiempo con una persona o animal que tenga la viruela del mono está en riesgo. En los EE. UU., los ...

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Mpox: Preventing the Spread in Healthcare


Mpox

Mpox (formerly known as monkeypox) is a disease caused by infection with a virus, known as monkeypox virus (MPXV). This virus is part of the same family as the virus that causes smallpox. Mpox is not related to chickenpox. View our “Mpox Fact Sheet” in English or Spanish and let’s dive deeper into mpox and how frontline healthcare workers can minimize the spread of this infectious disease! Who is at Risk for Mpox? Anyone who has been in close, personal contact with a person or an animal that has mpox over a period of time is at risk. How Does Mpox Spread? Close contact with a person with mpox, including sexual and intimate contact. Direct contact with mpox-infected animals. Direct contact with mpox-contaminated materials. Passing from a pregnant person with ...

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Too Much Rest After Exercise Could Impact Cognitive Decline


senior couple jogging in the summer park

Physical activity is an important key to overall health. For example, studies have shown that dance can improve memory retention and even 10 minutes of physical activity can help destroy cancer cells. But what happens after you are physically active? Studies also found that increased physical activity was often followed by extended rest, which may reduce long-term benefits. Now, a recent research study has found that replacing rest between exercise sessions with additional ecologically relevant physical activities may help improve cognitive decline among Spanish-speaking Latino adults. Let’s dig deeper into this study and how it impacts older people. What is Ecological Momentary Intervention? Dr. Ulf G. Bronas at the Columbia School of Nursing and his research team ...

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How Does Alcohol Contribute to Cancer Risk?


Man holds beer alcohol consumption

Alcohol use is the third-leading preventable cause of cancer in the US, behind only tobacco and obesity, contributing to nearly 100,000 cancer cases and 20,000 cancer deaths each year. Consuming alcohol increases the risk of developing at least 7 types of cancer including: Mouth (oral cavity) Esophagus Breast (for women) Liver Throat (Pharynx) Voice Box (Larynx) Colon and Rectum Let’s dig deeper into this issue and what actions can be taken to decrease the risk! Warning Labels on Alcoholic Beverages With the many health risks that come with alcohol consumption, the U.S. Surgeon General has called for updating alcoholic beverage labels to include a warning about the risk of cancer associated with alcohol consumption. “Pursue changes to label ...

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13,250 People Commented on the Proposed Front-of-Package Nutrition Label Requirement


Nutrition facts, added sugar, healthy lifestyle, balance of ingredients in daily ration, food product label, groceries

The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a new proposal to require front-of-package nutrition labels on most foods that have a Nutrition Facts label on back. The proposal would require a compact informational box, also referred to as the “Nutrition Info Box,” with nutrient information on the front (or principal display panel) of products. The box would also contain information on saturated fat, sodium, and added sugars content in a simple format showing whether the food has “Low,” “Med,” or “High” levels of these nutrients. The aim is to give consumers nutrition information to help them quickly, easily identify how foods and drinks can be part of a healthy diet. “Nearly everyone knows or cares for someone with a chronic disease that is due, in part, to the ...

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