When the holidays season is in full swing, families and friends gather to enjoy time together over warms meals and plenty of dessert. But sometimes food spoils the party. Every year, foodborne diseases sicken 1 in 6 Americans (48 million people), hospitalize 128,000 people, and kill 3,000 people, according to the CDC. Let’s tackle how we can prepare food safely and keep the holidays healthy.
What Is Food Poisoning?
You can get sick with food poisoning after swallowing certain germs like salmonella. Common symptoms include: Diarrhea
Stomach pain or cramps
Nausea
Vomiting
Fever “Most people have mild illnesses [from food poisoning], but some infections spread by food are serious or even life-threatening. Some people may need ...
Gun violence is on the rise in the US. In fact, gun violence was declared a national public health crisis in 2024. Since 2000, gun violence has caused the deaths of more than 800,000 people and led to 2 million injuries in the US, according to a recent JAMA report. Many of these deaths have been among children and adolescents, affecting families across the country. To address this, JAMA gathered 60 leaders for a summit to create a roadmap to address the increase on firearm violence to promote fewer injuries and deaths by 2040. “The vision for 2040 is a country where firearm violence is substantially reduced and where all people and communities report feeling safe from firearm harms,” according to the roadmapreport. Let’s go over the roadmap and its ...
One quarter (25%) of all Latino children live in doubled-up households, according to new data from the National Research Center on Hispanic Children and Families (NRCHCF). Doubled-up households are “those in which children live in households with their parents(s) and with other adults, who can include other relatives (e.g., a grandparent) and those who are unrelated,” according to NRCHCF. Let’s dig deeper into what this means and how it impacts families. Latino Family Households by the Numbers According to NRCHCF research, doubling up with a grandparent is the most common among such arrangements, with 15% of Hispanic/Latino children live with a parent and a grandparent. Additionally, 7% of Latino children live with a parent and some other extended family member, ...
Latinos continue to be a growing population in the US. However, at 19.5% of the population, Latinos only comprise 6% of all physicians, according to the Association of American Medical Colleges (AAMC). Fewer Latino physicians to meet the growing population can lead to worse health outcomes for Latinos, who rely on physicians that look and sound like them to build trusting patient-doctor relationships. To shine a light on this issue, National Latino Physician Day occurs every Oct. 1 during Hispanic Heritage Month to honor Latino physicians and share the need for more. Let’s go over how National Latino Physician Day came to be and why Latino physicians are integral for closing the gap on health differences for Latinos and all people.
How Did National Latino ...
Smoking cigarettes is the top cause of preventable death in the United States. The good news is that help is out there—just ask Katherine Saucedo. Saucedo, a San Antonio resident, got help quitting smoking from the no-cost Quitxt bilingual text-message service from UT Health San Antonio. Quitxt, created by Dr. Amelie G. Ramirez and Dr. Patricia Chalela at UT Health SanAntonio with the support of the Cancer Prevention and Research Institute of Texas, sends texts messages to help South Texas adults quit smoking. Messages help with motivation to quit, setting a quit date, handling stress, using nicotine replacement (if needed), and more. Saucedo has been smoke-free for the past three months using Quitxt. “Huge improvements, just better lung capacity. I don't feel short of ...
Year after year, scorching temperatures rock countries across the globe. With the last few summers some of the hottest on record, weather and health experts alike are warning people about the dangers of prolonged exposure to heat. The World Health Organization (WHO) and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) are advising individuals, organizations, and companies on how to navigate the heat waves. The latest guidance and report issued by the organizations focuses on the health and safety of manual laborers, particularly outdoor workers, who are exposed to heat conditions. “Heat stress is already harming the health and livelihoods of billions of workers,” said Dr Jeremy Farrar, WHO Assistant Director-General, Health Promotion, Disease Prevention and Care. ...
Texas Gov. Greg Abbott recently signed a law that mandates the first-ever warning labels on foods like chips and candies that contain dyes and additives not allowed in other countries. “The law mandates disclosures for more than 40 ingredients, including food dyes and additives commonly used in food processing to help with texture, taste or shelf life,” according to AP News. Let’s dig deeper into what this law means and how it impacts families and communities.
What Does This Law Entail?
The newly signed law will require foods made with any of more than 40 dyes or additives to have warning labels starting Jan. 1, 2027. The labels will include verbiage saying the products’ contain ingredients “not recommended for human consumption” in Australia, Canada, Europe, or ...
Moving Matters! Did you know that physical activity directly impacts your health? The more work you put into your body, the more you reap the long- and short-term health benefits of exercise. That’s true at any age, but especially in older adults, who experience higher risk for diseases such as heart disease and cancer. One of the most serious diseases many older individuals face is dementia and Alzheimer's, which affects nearly 1 out of every 9 seniors in the US as of 2023, according to the Texas Department of Health and Human Services. But with a well-balanced diet and regular exercise, symptoms have been known to ease and those who haven’t been diagnosed with the disease show a reduced risk for developing it. In fact, a new study published by the Journal ...
Obesity is a critical risk factor for diabetes and cancer. We shared the latest in obesity prevention and management at UT Health San Antonio’s webinar, “Tipping the Scales Toward Health,” at 11 a.m. Central on Wednesday, April 23, 2025. The webinar featured experts from the Mays Cancer Center at UT Health San Antonio, the Metropolitan Health District of the City of San Antonio, and Genentech to explore the issue of obesity and related chronic health conditions like diabetes and related cancers that are impacting South Texas. Panelists discussed strategies for obesity management, diabetes management, and promoting a healthy weight. They will also addressed the non-medical drivers of health and share available resources and support for healthy lifestyles and the prevention ...
