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Your Genes Have A Surprising Impact On How Marijuana Affects You

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Studies have found links between genetics and the ways in which people react to marijuana.

Marijuana is a widely used drug yet it remains unpredictable. Seasoned users can usually manage the effect that marijuana has on them, while also staying calm during an unpredictable high. For newcomers, however, it’s different; novice users usually can’t predict how the drug will affect them, whether it’ll lead to a paranoid high or giggle fest.

Science says your genes might play a part in how your body reacts to cannabis.

Cannabis functions by binding itself to the cannabinoid receptors in our bodies, which are located in our cells, containing our individual DNA. Mutations in CB1 or CB2 receptors can make you more vulnerable to different illnesses, such as Chron’s disease or anorexia. These changes could also impact how your cells bind to different molecules including the ones in cannabis.

RELATED: Will Smoking Marijuana Make Me Psychotic? These Scientists Think Your Genes Have The Answer

In a 2019 study, published in the journal Nature Neuroscience, researchers found that a variable in the gene CHRNA2 could increase the risk of becoming addicted to cannabis. Cannabis addiction is something that’s not all that understood, with many people doubting its existence. Symptoms of marijuana withdrawal include depression, irritability, a higher heart rate and more.

While this gene doesn’t indicate whether or not someone is a marijuana addict, it does increase the odds of these kinds of responses to heavy use of the drug.

nice genes this new dating app using your dna to find your perfect match
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All of this means that when sharing a bong or a joint with friends, a few of them can have slightly different reactions depending on several factors including their genome, personal experience with the drug and the strain they’re ingesting.

Genes are extremely complex. Although we’re born with some genetic mutations, other mutations can occur due to the things we’re exposed to throughout our lives, such as the foods we eat, the germs we interact with, our levels of stress, and more.

RELATED: Marijuana Makes You Paranoid? Study Suggests Your Genes Are To Blame

There’s a lot we don’t understand about cannabis and its impact on our genes, but there’s a lot of possibilities once you start playing around with these variables, hopefully resulting in more medicinal and recreational effects of the drug.

How Marijuana And CBD Help Create Calm, Healing Walks

The heightened visual and auditory senses that cannabis can provide are just the ticket for many people who experience a daily anxiety buzzkill. 

Being locked down or otherwise limited in your movements during this pandemic doesn’t mean you are down and out on keeping physically fit.

But it does mean you are limited on your options for getting out like you used to. Those long walks that used to be just a part of what you did once or twice a week in your fitness regime is now becoming a bigger part of a daily routine. And cannabis should be right there with you, mind and body.

There has been more scientific research on terpenes in cannabis where scientists are finding interesting properties that come into play for those moving and grooving while fighting the COVID crazy.

For example, a 2015 study published in European Journal of Pharmacology, shows that the terpene, myrcene — and to a lesser extent, limonene — can help provide an anti-inflammatory effect for joints and allow people with osteoporosis to move about better.

Both of these terpenes are available in certain strains of high THC cannabis; myrcene (also found in hops and lemongrass) is the dominant terpene in OG Kush, Grape Ape and Purple Urkle and others; limonene is dominant in White Fire OG, Banana OG, Black Cherry Soda and others. More research on these terpenes is on the way from the National Center for Complementary and Integrative Health (NCCIH).

CBD products generally have lower levels of myrcene and other terpenes in their full-spectrum oils than in high-THC indica strains, generally because most hemp products where CBD oil comes from are sativa strains. But you can purchase distilled terpene isolates and add them to any CBD product. Many CBD manufacturers will show their terpene profile on the product label or their website.

RELATED: Study Shows How Marijuana Can Motivate You To Exercise

The heightened visual and auditory senses that cannabis can provide are just the ticket for many people, where anxieties about these turbulent times — and the unknowns of what is coming next — are a daily buzzkill.

Walking while consuming cannabis can actually affect the way you walk, according to a 2017 study, which found that there was a change in the body’s biomechanics, specifically how someone swings their arms and legs.

How Marijuana And CBD Help Create Calm, Healing Walks
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And if you happen to take a walk through the woods, guess what? There are terpenes lurking in the atmosphere of a forest that can provide healing properties, such as pinene, which has been shown to fight tumors. Pinene is in the pine tree resin and provides the fragrance of a pine tree, which is the dominant terpene in the Blue Dream strain.

There has also been news about how a cannabinoid receptor in the human body’s endocannabinoid system, which is stimulated by THC, gets fired up during exercise and actually helps motivate the person exercising to higher performance levels.

RELATED: Cannabis Users Exercise Much More Than You Think

So while you are taking that daily walk in your chosen quiet place, around the block, or through the woods, there are other perceptions that come into play when you add cannabis to the mix. For example, THC use can increase “internal clock speed”, meaning time seemed compressed. That long walk was probably more like a really long walk.

The bottom line is that when you are out there trying to feel better about you, your life and our current situation, remember, as one researcher found out: low THC/high CBD cannabis is best for reducing perceived symptoms of depression; high THC/high CBD cannabis is best for reducing perceived symptoms of stress.

And that means you, as a cannabis consumer looking to stay fit, can keep on keeping on until the light at the end of the dark COVID-19 tunnel illuminates a pathway to a new beginning for all of us.

3 Ways To Celebrate Pride Month This Year

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The pandemic has cancelled most Pride parades and events, dealing a blow to different LGBT organizations. Here’s how you can still celebrate and contribute.

This year’s Pride celebration will be very different from previous years. In 2019, World Pride Month was held in New York, commemorating the 50th anniversary of the Stonewall riots. Over 2.5 million people were in attendance, listening to music, drinking and watching the floats that drove by the East Village. While this year a smaller Pride parade was expected, the pandemic has changed things, forcing all events to go online.

If you’re unfamiliar, Pride month is a celebration of the LGBTQ community’s history, one that has mutated over time. Marches transformed into parades and nowadays famous brands battle each other for the spotlight, marketing products towards queer people. Although these efforts represent the great change that has occurred in America, sometimes the rainbow ads and designs are more of a gesture than a true effort.

Before purchasing your rainbow shoes, it’s worth examining if the brand in question is actually helping out the queer community, if some part of the money you spend is being donated to organizations that can make a difference for the lives of queer people.

Despite the advancements that the LGBTQ community has made, it’s still important to remember the history of Pride and why we celebrate it in the first place. Here are some ways in which you can celebrate all that Pride represents, while also making a meaningful contribution to the community:

Attend a virtual parade

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Different cities are throwing virtual prides, preparing lineups of artists and entertainers as a way of keeping people connected. InterPride, the international network of Pride parades, will be throwing a Global Parade, which hopes to connect people from all over the world, even those who live in countries where Pride parades are illegal. “It’s going to be a very interesting production. We are looking at not just entertainment pieces but human rights components as well,”  InterPride co-President Julian Sanjivan told Vox.

You could also visit Stonewall Inn, the historic gay bar on NYC’s Christopher Street that was the scene of an uprising against police repression in 1969, through the website Stonewall Forever. The online exhibit showcases Christopher Park, the epicenter of the LGBT movement, and features snippets of soundbites from the Stonewall protests, which marked a turning point for LGBTQ rights during the late 60s. The site also features relevant bits of interviews, photographs and history, explaining Pride and LGBTQ activism.

Donate to a fundraiser or organization

Why A Big Win For The LGBT Community Matters To Marijuana Companies
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Due to the cancellation of most Pride parades, many LGBTQ organizations are concerned that they won’t receive the necessary funds and donations to keep themselves functioning. Check out NYCPride.org, the Trevor Project and LGBT Foundation in order to make donations and learn about different events that are being held in order to bring the community together.

Research before you buy

Instagram Is Developing An App Just For Shopping
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When purchasing Pride themed clothes and shoes, it pays to do some research and to check if your purchase is contributing to a cause that matters to you. Last year, brands like ASOS, Levi’s, GAP, and more donated proceeds to LGBTQ organizations. Due to the economic uncertainty that the world is facing, it’s very important to keep these organizations funded and running, helping out those in need and working on the future of the LGBTQ community.

COVID-19 Has Changed The Healthcare Landscape 

Larry Kaiser with Optimum Healthcare IT  shares some of the nuances and considerations healthcare professionals and businesses have had to face with increasing pressure.  

“At the end of March 2020, the United States was ranked as one of the top 10 most technologically advanced countries in the world. When a global pandemic struck the country, however, the healthcare system and the technology that drives it brought the country to its knees” – Larry Kaiser 

COVID-19 has changed the healthcare landscape. In an ever-changing world of new regulations, partnerships, and strategy, one healthcare leader believes the U.S. market will be forever marked by COVID-19. In an exclusive interview with The Fresh Toast, Larry Kaiser, the Vice President of Marketing and communications for Optimum Healthcare IT, a staffing and consulting services firm based in Jacksonville Beach, Florida, described the pandemic crisis from an insider’s perspective.

He explained that regulatory changes instituted by CMS will evolve the face (and best practices in healthcare) from this moment on.  He believes that a post-COVID-19 future means hospital capacity, Medicare directives, billing and the supply chain will be forever marked. 

RELATED: Science Explains How Marijuana Inspires Awe 

Kaiser mentioned that lessons learned included realizations about revving up the U.S. supply chain for PPE, the rise of agile, temporary (pop-up) hospital locations, and an ever-growing list of off-label medications used to treat up-and-coming diseases. Kaiser believes, “The new normal may bring fewer places to go when you are sick. However, a positive side effect may be increased and improved data sharing so that wherever you go, access to your records is available.”

Here, Kaiser shares some of the nuances and considerations healthcare professionals and businesses have had to face with increasing pressure.  

As the pandemic rages on, what are the biggest key takeaways for healthcare professionals and hospitals/clinics?  

The FDA Reissued Guidelines For PPE In Hospitals And Clinics
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More than anything, the COVID-19 pandemic made a lot of people realize that the healthcare system and the systems used to both run it and treat patients were not prepared for such an event. The impacts of this will be felt both in the short-term and the long-term. I believe that the biggest key takeaways for both healthcare professionals as well as hospitals/clinics are:

  • COVID-19 is going to be around for some time and may never actually go away.
  • Technology such as telehealth is now a necessity.
  • Organizations are going to be facing financial strain for some time, and some may close because of it.

With the FDA’s EUA’s and new processes in place, do you think it’s going to affect the speed/agility of approvals in years to come?  

How COVID-19 Has Changed The Healthcare Landscape 
Photo by CDC via Unsplash

Yes, I do. In my opinion, we are not doing ourselves any favors with fast-tracking vaccines. When speed becomes the main focus, corners get cut, and mistakes are more likely to be made. Once there is a COVID-19 vaccine, it begs the question, will the FDA undo what was put in place for it? You may see the companies working on cures for cancer and other diseases that may want the same fast-track to approval. Will it be allowed?

RELATED: Science Says Medical Marijuana Improves Quality Of Life

As elective surgery options start to open, will we be looking at additional challenges that health care professionals should be privy to? 

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When healthcare organizations shifted 100% of their focus to fighting COVID-19, elective surgeries were one of the first things to be canceled or postponed. The challenge with doing so was that the hospitals lost their primary source of revenue. It was a necessary step, but the financial impacts will be felt for some time. With almost all of the state’s relaxing restrictions, and these surgeries starting up again, healthcare professionals need to take extra precautions. Patients will require additional screening to ensure they are not infected upon arrival. The doctors, nurses, and other professionals in the room will also need to screened daily and take extra precautions for both their safety and the patients. There could also be additional challenges with the necessary PPE. If a hospital is running short, do they delay surgeries to ensure the emergency department staff has what they need to treat patients? Plans will need to be in place for situations like this as well as a possible second wave of infections.

COVID-19 has changed the healthcare landscape, we will see where it goes.

Are You Smoking Too Much Marijuana

It’s none of our business how much weed a person consumes or how they manage their lives. But the reality is, as much as we all love it, marijuana can still bring on some unwanted stress.

Here’s some twisted logic. While it is acceptable in America to refer to a person who drinks too much booze as an alcoholic, calling someone a stoner or pothead for having an overly enthusiastic devotion to the doobie will almost certainly rile up the cannabis advocacy community. In this circle the preferred nomenclature is “cannabis connoisseur” or “patient” — really any moniker that doesn’t defer to the Cheech and Chong stereotype.

Yet regardless of the given name, there are still those members of stoned society that, let’s not candy coat it, make smoking weed such a priority in life that all of their real world responsibilities, like work and family, seem to fall by the wayside. While it may be a stretch to call these people “cannaholics,” anyone who makes getting stoned their life rather than part of it may need to get a hobby…or a job.

Here are a few tell tale signs that you might be riding the thin line between connoisseur and full-blown pothead.

Your Relationships Are Suffering

Anyone who smokes weed has, at one time or another, had relationship troubles. But if a cannabis user is in a position where it is difficult to fulfill family obligations because somehow they are always too stoned to drive when it comes time to pick up the kids from school or take mom to her doctor’s appointment, it could be time to consider a little break.

RELATED: CBD Can Assist Those Addicted To Marijuana

You Are On The Verge Of Being Fired…Or Can’t Get A Job

Like it or not, work is an essential part of living. After all, weed and all that other crap most humans need to survive can get expensive. So if getting high is putting your job in jeopardy, a total reassessment of what’s important could be in order. Also, if you are having difficulty finding a way to pay the bills because you can’t clean up long enough to pass a drug test, you might be residing deep in pothead territory. Just saying.

You Have Weed But Cannot Pay Your Rent On Time

This is a big one. Paying rent or a mortgage is typically the largest bill most adult humans have to contend with. It is that one expense that must be met every month to keep us from being kicked out into the streets. Considering the importance of shelter, it stands to reason that if a person’s cannabis consumption is chipping away at the monthly budget in as manner that makes it difficult to make rent, it’s time to get a grip.

RELATED: If Cannabis Addiction Is Real, How Many People Are Affected?

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Look, it’s none of our business how much cannabis a person consumes or how they manage their lives. But the reality is, as much as we all love it, marijuana can still bring on some unwanted stress. Sure, this is mostly due to its overall legal status and the stigmas associated with it, but these variables are still very real.

Common sense goes a long way to keeping it together out here in the big, bad world. Regardless of whether a person is medicated, ripped out of their minds or existing in a completely sober bubble of boredom, the struggles will find a way in. Just do your thing the best you know how and hope for the best. That’s all any of us can do.

How To Use Cannabis To Combat PMS Symptoms

Cramps can range from mildly uncomfortable to downright debilitating, making it impossible for people to complete their daily responsibilities.

If you’re among the countless women who are forced to endure the wrath of PMS, with its cramps, bloating, headaches, and mood swings each month, then cannabis just might be the solution you’ve been looking for.

There’s no definitive proof yet — largely due to the federal government’s failure to declassify marijuana as a Schedule I drug and therefore limit the research available — but early studies, as well as firsthand accounts suggest that medical marijuana can significantly abate a number of PMS symptoms.

Period Cramps

Cramps, for many women, are the most uncomfortable side effect of a period. They can range from mildly uncomfortable to downright debilitating, making it impossible for people to complete their daily responsibilities. Cramps occur when the muscles in your abdomen contract to allow your uterine lining to shed each month. The muscle relaxant properties of cannabis—THC, more specifically—can help sooth the pain from these contractions and alleviate cramp discomfort.

Headaches

In addition to painful cramps, headaches also accompany the monthly menstrual cycle for many women. Severe period headaches—sometimes called menstrual migraines—can seriously impact concentration, focus, and general productivity. Fortunately, the anti-inflammatory properties of cannabis are shown to significantly reduce the severity of headaches, sometimes eliminating them altogether.

RELATED: Can You Cure Your Cramps With CBD?

Marijuana Cuts Migraine and Headache Pain in half, study finds
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Depressed Mood

There’s physical period pain and then there’s mental period pain. Depressive thoughts and feelings are another hormone-induced side effect of PMS that too many have to combat. Studies on both THC and CBD’s effects on depressed moods suggest that ingesting the drug can boost serotonin levels in the body—your “feel-good” hormone—and mitigate these feelings substantially. And unlike antidepressants, which often take weeks to take effect (and are likely overkill if a person is only depressed during PMS), taking cannabis can improve your mood after just one dose.

Diarrhea

So we’ve covered physical pain and mental pain, but what about the awful diarrhea that rears its head with a woman’s monthly visitor? Yep, cannabis can help that too. Cannabis’ aforementioned ability to ease cramps and reduce inflammation in your body can also alleviate gastrointestinal distress. Specifically, in early studies, cannabis has been shown to reduce hypermotility, which is a fancy word for when food moves too quickly through your gastrointestinal tract.

cbd and menstrual pain
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How To Use Cannabis For PMS

When it comes to best treating PMS symptoms with cannabis, you have a few options with respect to how you use it.

Topical Application

If you’re not keen on getting high with your pain relief, then applying cannabis topically via cream or lotion is your best bet. There are a number of topical pain-relieving cannabis lines available and all you have to do is apply it directly to wherever you’re most uncomfortable for effects.

Teas And Edibles

tea staycation
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When topical application isn’t enough, ingesting an edible or drinking cannabis-infused tea is a great option for pain relief. Edibles have a knack for bringing more powerful body-high experiences than other modes of ingestion, which makes them among the best options for your most painful period days.

Old-Fashioned Smoking

Of course, you can always just smoke the flower if you’re looking for quick and easy relief. It’ll be more effective than topical application and is generally not as intense as an edible high. Plus, its effects are immediate, so you can easily moderate how much or how little you want/need.

Why Food Tastes Better When You Have The Munchies

The munchies are one of the most pleasant side effects of marijuana. Here are some explanations as to why that is.

While seasoned consumers find ways of ignoring the urge to inhale satisfying snacks after consuming weed, succumbing to it always leads to really delicious eating — whether you’re splurging on a five-course meal or simply rediscovering the nuances of a grilled cheese sandwich.

The munchies cause some stress for people who don’t want to gain weight, but they’re a great medicinal side effect, stimulating the appetite of people who have trouble eating for whatever reason. Despite the vast body of evidence that exists on the munchies, we don’t really understand why it happens. But there is some research that highlights some interesting connections. Here’s why food tastes better when you have the munchies.

A study conducted on mice found that THC activated a receptor in their brains augmented their sense of smell, leading them to eat more than normal. All mice were exposed to banana and almond oils, spending a while sniffing them until they habituated to the smells. Mice who were exposed to THC didn’t habituate as fast, spending much more time sniffing the oils.

RELATED: Researchers Have Statistical Proof That The Munchies Really Do Exist

Maybe that also occurs in humans, whose sense of smell and taste is closely linked. Perhaps we love to eat while high because we can smell and taste things better, transforming common and every day foods into truly special experiences.

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Other studies have found different connections between THC and hunger, with some showing that the drug has an effect on receptors in the brain that stimulate dopamine – the hormone associated with pleasure – whenever people eat while high. There’s also data that suggests that THC stimulates receptors in the hypothalamus, leading to the production of the hormone gherlin, which regulates hunger.

RELATED: Is Legal Marijuana Creating More Junk Food Junkies?

All of this evidence proves that THC’s effects on the body is complex, with a lot of moving parts that involve our hormones and cannabinoid receptors. Maybe it’s people’s augmented sense of smell, or the production of dopamine and gherlin, but we love to eat while high. It feels great.

What Are The Benefits Of Mixing CBD And Coffee?

If you’re healthy and simply want your morning fix, but are just a little on edge, CBD coffee is likely right up your alley.

In a nation where over 80% of its residents drink coffee, it’s no wonder that we run on caffeine and anxiety. What if the anxiety part could be mitigated, though? Cannabidiol (CBD) coffee could be just the ticket to calming those nerves while still getting you nice and buzzy.

There are a few properties to coffee that make it the drink of choice for so many. For one thing, the aroma actually has anti-anxiety properties. Its rich smell just makes us feel good, which can also help to relieve nervousness. Also, coffee is a natural antioxidant. 

The benefits of CBD are also well known, though controversial. It’s understood that CBD is an anti-inflammatory, anti-seizure medicine that’s good at combating depression and anxiety. However, without other cannabinoids — even THC in low doses — CBD isn’t as effective. It still performs, just at a lower rate. Additionally, it needs to be taken consistently to really work any wonders. 

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CBD can be ingested in many ways besides dropping tincture into coffee or getting CBD fueled coffee pods or packages. There are vape pens, gummies, capsules, and tincture, to name just a few. But any of these methods can be implemented at the same time as a cup o’ Joe, thus also interacting with the coffee and mellowing it out a tad. 

this is how much coffee is safe to drink each day
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Really, CBD coffee is the ultimate combination (except CBD/THC coffee, that takes the cake!). For one thing, because CBD is known to be calming and even to make one sleepy, it combines with the caffeine to even you out, even after that third cup. In fact, if you’re drinking three cups of coffee, combining them with CBD or even a little weed is highly recommended.

RELATED: Are Coffee And Cannabis Compatible? Here Comes The Science

To reiterate, if you are suffering from a serious medical condition, putting CBD isolate into your coffee isn’t the ultimate way to get your CBD therapy; you’ll need to consult with a CBD and entourage effect expert for that. However, if you’re healthy and simply want your morning fix, but are just a little on edge, CBD coffee is likely right up your alley. Wake up and smell the cannabinoid/caffeine combo!

How To Improve Your Internet When Working From Home

With all the stress going on in our lives, rebooting the Wi-Fi or spending hours talking to our internet provider is not something we should be worrying about.

There’s never been a more important time for having a decent Wi-Fi set up in your home. How good your internet is determines the effectiveness of your work and after-hours entertainment. Also, with all the stress going on in our lives, rebooting your Wi-Fi or spending hours talking to your internet provider is not something you should be worrying about.

Internet modems and routers are usually simple enough to understand and set up, although they may cause a few challenges for people who aren’t experienced with them. Still, necessity forces us to learn. Here’s how you can improve your internet when spending most of your time at home:

Adapt your work space

How To Improve Your Internet When Working From Home
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There are better internet spots in your home than others. The closer you are to your router, the stronger your connection is going to be. You can try out a speedtest in different areas of your house where you like to work, and stick to the one that works best, especially for Zoom meetings, work calls and any other internet demanding activity.

You will usually get the fastest internet when connected to your Ethernet cable, so see if you can plug in to it and find a comfortable spot to work. You can also buy a long Ethernet cable. If you don’t want to plug in to the internet, keep in mind that the further away you’re from the router and the more walls that stand between you and the device, the poorer your connection will be. Before buying a new router, switch the device from it’ current spot, placing it someplace high, where there’s no clutter. This will eliminate interference and hopefully improve on the quality of your internet.

Create a schedule that works with your housemates

setting a schedule can make you less productive
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The more devices that are connected to the internet, the harder your router will have to work to maintain a strong connection. This is annoying, especially now that everyone is quarantined, which is why a schedule might work for you and your household. Make sure other people are off the internet or aren’t playing video games on their PC when you’re on a work call or needing high speed internet. If that’s not possible, split up the loads. Have some people in your house connect to a different frequency in your modem; most modern devices have 2G and 5G networks.

Buy a new router

How To Improve Your Internet When Working From Home
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If none of the above work, it might be time to upgrade your internet and purchase a new router — maybe even a Wi-Fi extender, which extends your signal to different parts of the house. There’s hundreds of options to choose from, with different features and price ranges.

Cardiac Complications Due To COVID-19: What Healthcare Workers Need To Know

For those with pre-existing heart conditions, a COVID-19 diagnosis can sometimes mean the difference between recovery and fatality.

As the leading cause of death in the United States, heart disease has affected over 18.2 million adults, according to the Centers for Disease Control (CDC.) As a risk factor for morbidity with COVID-19, those with heart disease are facing substantially greater odds in having complications from coronavirus. Shown to weaken the heart muscles, as well as creating issues in breathing, COVID is disproportionately affecting those with underlying heart conditions at an alarming rate. 

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has been monitoring reports of heart-related COVID complications since the beginning of the pandemic to authorize new uses of products, helping in the fight against the virus. 

More choices to combat heart failure and decrease practitioner risk

Leaning heavily on measures put in place during the COVID-19 crisis, the FDA is utilizing its Emergency Use Authorization (EUA) protocols to efficiently approve devices for life-saving functions to save American lives. With an ever-growing list of EUAs currently in place, the FDA is adding to its arsenal against coronavirus, one product at a time. 

Earlier this month, the FDA rolled out a new EUA for the emergency use of the Eko electrocardiogram (ECG) Low Ejection Fraction Tool (“ELEFT”). Slotted to help with underlying cardiac conditions, the diagnostic tool can help screen for potential complications as well as address issues with declining cardiac health due to the coronavirus.

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This artificial intelligence device, offered by Caption Heath, offers practitioners the ability to see cardiac imaging without training, giving those on the front lines access to tools that lead to better decision-making. According to FierceBiotech, the device “can help more front-line hospital staff conduct exams on their own, reducing exposures to sonography personnel.” 

Legal Marijuana Saves 50000 lives a year study shows
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Some approvals while others stall

Breaking with President Trump, the FDA stressed that healthcare professionals should use caution when using treatments like hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine as they were not determined safe. Proven in some studies to cause heart conditions, the use of hydroxychloroquine and chloroquine are being heavily monitored. In a statement, the FDA shared that they were “aware of reports of serious heart rhythm problems in patients with COVID-19 treated with hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine, often in combination with azithromycin and other QT prolonging medicines.”  

RELATED: What To Know About The FDA’s Stance On Hydroxychloroquine And Chloroquine

In fact, a study just published in The Lancet found that patients treated with hydroxychloroquine or chloroquine faced an increased risk of death or heart issues, which may further delay the treatment from FDA approval. 

For those with pre-existing heart conditions, a COVID-19 diagnosis can sometimes mean the difference between recovery and fatality. With new research underway every day, the FDA and CDC continue to monitor the crisis, risk factors and solutions.

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