Have a pacemaker? Keep your cell phone at least 6 inches away
CBSN
Magnets used in portable devices including cellphones and smart watches may impair pacemakers and affect other implanted devices, the Food and Drug Administration warned Thursday.
The FDA advises keeping cellphones and smart watches at least 6 inches away from pacemakers, defibrillators and other potentially life-saving mechanisms to avoid potential interaction. The magnets can inadvertently cause the medical devices to enter "magnet mode," causing them to stop functioning, according to the agency. The devices are supposed to go into magnet mode during medical procedures such as an MRI scan, but can lead to adverse consequences in other scenarios.On May 7, health influencer Paul Saladino, M.D.. posted a video to his X account that promoted feeding "raw dairy" to infants. The post received over 90,000 views and sparked strong backlash before it was removed the following day. Saladino regularly advocates for "animal-based" diets featuring raw milk, including on his TikTok channel where he has over half a million followers.
Everywhere you look, things are getting more complicated. Our phones have over a thousand settings. Showerheads come with apps. Cars have touchscreens. Ovens have touchscreens. "There's no doubt that 'featuritis' is real," said design consultant Jakob Nielsen. "Most of these things are too complicated."
New research is adding to the evidence linking ultra-processed foods to health concerns. The study tracked people's habits over 30 years and found those who reported eating more of certain ultra-processed foods had a slightly higher risk of death — with four categories of foods found to be the biggest culprits.