An ultra-processed diet made this doctor sick. Now he’s studying why
Dr. Chris Van Tulleken took part in a month-long experiment. He ate 80% of his calories from ultra-processed food. He explains what happened in his new book, Ultra-processed People. Jonny Storey/Chris Van Tulleken Eating processed food is nothing new. Humans have been crushing grains to make bread for thousands of years. But in recent decades, […]
There’s a way to get healthier without even going to a gym. It’s called NEAT
Laura Gao for NPR If anyone asked if I get enough exercise, my answer would be unequivocal: Yes, I make a point of carving out time to sweat, get my heart pumping and move around. I probably would not mention that I prefer to drive the half mile to pick up my coffee instead of […]
MN health data roundup: COVID-19, deer & cannabis
This week’s health data round-up includes mainly good news on COVID-19 in humans, but bad news for COVID-19 in deer. As the state rapidly approaches the Aug. 1 legalization of recreational marijuana, we also take a quick look at some newly published national research which suggests a need for parents to be careful with cannabis […]
Minneapolis mayor says police will look the other way on some psychedelic drugs
Updated: 6:03 p.m. Minneapolis Mayor Jacob Frey on Friday signed an executive order directing the city’s police department and other agencies to deprioritize investigating or arresting people for using certain psychoactive plants, such as psilocybin mushrooms. The executive order states that it will now be the city’s “lowest law enforcement priority” to investigate or arrest […]
‘Hi, Doc!’ DM’ing the doctor could cost you (or your insurance plan)
Doctors are starting to face a flood of message from patients and some health care companies are billing for clinical advice delivered this way. jose carlos cerdeno martinez/Getty Images If you wanted to talk with your doctor before the pandemic, you generally had to schedule an in-person appointment. But the sudden, rapid expansion of telehealth […]
What we know: How, when, where you’ll be able to get recreational weed
Recreational marijuana becomes legal in Minnesota in under two weeks. Beginning Aug. 1, people 21 and older can possess, use and grow cannabis in limited amounts. Purchasing marijuana, on the other hand, is a bit more complex — at least for now. Here’s what we know: When will Minnesota’s first recreational dispensaries open? People can […]
Hennepin County treatment court graduates commit to long-term recovery at first ceremony since COVID
For the first time since before the pandemic, Hennepin County district court held a celebration for people who qualified for and chose treatment over prison time. They were a handful of the hundreds of people in what’s known as treatment courts around the state, a way to divert people with substance use disorder away from […]
Mosquitoes spread malaria. These researchers want them to fight it instead
Mosquitoes spread malaria. Now researchers hope that a gene drive technology could turn them into malaria fighters. Although not every scientist thinks it’s a good idea to genetically modify a wild animal. James Gathany/AP Mosquitoes carry malaria, which kills hundreds of thousands of people each year. Now some researchers are trying to use genetic engineering […]
More Minnesota kids hospitalized due to opioid exposure
The Minnesota Poison Control System is reporting another dangerous result of the opioid epidemic: a rise in the number of Minnesota children hospitalized due to fentanyl exposure. Since January of 2022, an organization official said it’s been contacted about 66 children under age 3 requiring medical care due to exposure to opioids, including fentanyl. The […]
Essentia’s new $900 million hospital in Duluth features amazing views, thoughtful planning
After three and a half years of construction and two years of concept and design work, officials from Essentia Health in Duluth plan to formally cut the ribbon Thursday to celebrate the grand opening of its new $900 million dollar hospital. The 18-story glass tower — measured from Superior Street to the helipad on the […]