Weekend Wrap Up 6.16.17

Woot woot! The weekend is almost here. I’ve got the Friday blahs, however, as a result of some early mornings along with dreary weather here in Nashville. Some days it’s just so hard to get out of bed, right?! So, I’m excited for a weekend of lounging at home – with a few social commitments here and there. It’s not a weekend without brunch, after all. What are you up to this weekend? If you’ve got some downtime, check out this week’s medical news on the lighter side. 

Tweet revenge – Twitter erupts as diabetes forum tries to lock down photo sharing. Researchers and innovators at the American Diabetes Association conference in San Diego were surprised to find that the organization put a ban on sharing photos of the event on social media. Frustrated by censorship, many attendees took to posting covertly. 

Some airports are making travel easier for autistic passengers. 

Lead detected in 20% of baby food samples, surprising even researchers. While most associate the toxic element with paint chips and contaminated drinking water, a recent analysis shows baby food is also to blame. The toxic metal was most commonly found in fruit juices, root vegetables, and cookies such as teething biscuits. 

In other food + chemical news…here’s how farmers turn salmon pink. Farm raised salmon would naturally be an unappealing white shade. So, farmers add a coloring chemical to salmon feed to turn flesh a reddish color. Why the chemical alteration? Consumers will pay up to $1 more per pound for salmon of a darker hue. 

The best and worst countries to be a kid. Norway and Slovenia top the list as the best places to grow up. 

The global inequality of blood supplies. Giving blood is popular in rich countries – but not in all parts of the world. June 14th, World Blood Donor Day, brings awareness to the issue. 

Dog snuck into California hospital as fake baby. A young woman wrapped up the dog in a blanket pretending it was a baby after her hospitalized grandmother requested to see the pup. “I happened to be passing my grandmother’s house when she called so of course I was gonna do it” said granddaughter Shelby Hennick. The canine conundrum has gone viral. 

Nevada may become first state to offer Medicaid to all, regardless of income. The cost of premiums for participants in the state plan has yet to be decided. 

Too many Americans apparently think chocolate milk comes from brown cows…seven percent of Americans to be exact. I think I’ll have a chocolate shake today – from a brown cow living in the arctic, naturally. 

Why do I sweat so much? The question all Southerners are asking this time of year…

Have a fantastic weekend!