Wednesday, 1 February 2023

Eye drops sold at Walmart and Amazon linked to serious infections.

February 1, 2023 | VIEW IN BROWSER

This is TODAY

The CDC is recommending people avoid using a brand of over-the-counter eye drops potentially linked to a drug-resistant eye infection that has left at least three people with permanent vision loss. Plus, a mystery at the Dallas Zoo involving two missing monkeys takes a bizarre twist, and Jenna Bush Hager shares her book club pick for February.

The Latest

👁️ Eye drops sold by Amazon, Walmart are possibly linked to drug-resistant eye infections, CDC says.

One person has died and at least three others were left with permanent vision loss due to a bacterial infection linked to a brand of over-the-counter eye drops, the CDC said. The agency warned that a majority of those affected reported using preservative-free EzriCare Artificial Tears, which are sold by Amazon, Walmart and other stores. The CDC has identified at least 50 people in 11 states with Pseudomonas aeruginosa, a type of bacteria resistant to most antibiotics. While the infections have not definitively been traced to the eyedrops, the CDC recommended people stop using EzriCare Artificial Tears immediately until their investigation is complete. The product has not been recalled as of yesterday. Here's what to know.

Dallas Zoo mystery deepens after 2 missing monkeys are found in the closet of an abandoned home.

Two emperor tamarin monkeys that police believe were taken from the Dallas Zoo were found yesterday inside the closet of an abandoned home south of Dallas, officials said. A day earlier, investigators said they believed the monkeys were abducted after finding a hole cut in their habitat. No arrests have been made. It was the latest suspicious incident at the troubled zoo in the last three weeks. Previously, an endangered vulture was found dead with an "unusual wound," a clouded leopard escaped its wire mesh enclosure after an incision was made in it, and a similar hole was found cut in the zoo's langur monkey habitat, officials said. Here's the latest.

📚 Jenna Bush Hager's February book pick is a 'late-in-life coming-of-age story.'

The Read with Jenna pick for February is out, and Jenna Bush Hager says it had her alternately crying and laughing. Jenna selected "Maame," the debut novel by Jessica George about a British Ghanaian woman navigating bad internet dates, racism, horrible bosses and complicated family issues in London while also caring for a father with Parkinson's disease. Jenna will talk about the book with the author at a live-streamed event with an interactive Q&A on Feb. 21. If you'd like to attend, you can register here.

💅 Are gel manicures safe? What to know about the skin cancer risk to hands and nails.

Gel manicures are a regular part of many beauty routines, but a new study found radiation emitted by ultraviolet nail polish dryers can damage DNA and cause mutations in human cells. People place their nails under the UV rays for 30 seconds to several minutes to harden the gel nail polish, leading to questions of whether time under the nail lamp can increase the risk of skin cancer. Research has found that the UV nail polish dryers may cause cancers of the hand or skin, but no definitive link has been proven, one dermatologist told us. Here's what to know and how to protect yourself before your next trip to the nail salon for a gel manicure.

Live Better TODAY

Achieve your life goals with easy tips.

Detox diets are notoriously suspicious, but if you feel like you've been overindulging a little bit and want a reset, there are simple ways to get back on track without getting scammed. We have 10 ways to reduce bloating, cleanse your body and start fresh. Simple habits like starting your day with lemon water, eating a healthy breakfast, enjoying a cup of tea and twisting to relieve tension (above) are just some of the methods backed by science that actually work. See them all here.

What's for dinner?

Allow us to do the meal-planning for you.

These slow-cooker Mediterranean stuffed peppers (above) from Joy Bauer allow you to set it and forget it by gathering a few simple ingredients and letting the slow cooker do the work. The healthy dish is packed with ground turkey, rice, feta, veggies and herbs, all topped with a silky tahini sauce. Joy's recipe makes six peppers, which will fit easily in a 6-quart slow cooker. She also shared a recipe for chocolate banana fudge cakes that get an extra fudgy consistency from the slow cooker compared to the oven. Get the recipes here.

Daily Delight

A little pick-me-up before you go.

Does your baby even lift, bro? Ariah Banda, a newborn in the U.K., has the internet marveling at her defined arms that make her look like a baby version of The Rock. "The first time we bathed her, I looked at my husband and I was like, 'Babe, she's got muscles. She's got big, big muscles,''' mom Yoana Banda told us. Banda showed off her "buff baby" in a viral TikTok video that captured Yoana, 26, doing strength-training exercises in the gym while pregnant. "When you continue to weight lift throughout your pregnancy and your baby comes out the womb with muscle," the caption said. While it's fun to think Yoana was lifting for two to give Ariah some impressive baby biceps, a doctor told us it's likely more about what mom was eating. "A healthy diet in pregnancy can have great health benefits for a child," the doctor said.