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<ul class="summary-list"><li>McDonald's is investing $100 million into recovering from an E. coli outbreak, CNN reported.</li><li>McDonald's said the outbreak led to a drop in restaurant visits and sales.</li></ul>McDonald's is reportedly spending $100 million to lure customers back to stores following an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-quarter-pounder-ecoli-outbreak-why-important-sales-2024-10">E. coli outbreak</a> linked to slivered onions served on Quarter Pounder hamburgers.$35 million of the investment is going toward marketing, including a value deal centring on the chain's chicken nuggets, according to a memo sent to employees seen by CNN.An additional $65 million will be spent on the franchisees that were worst affected by the outbreak, it said.McDonald's did not immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider.More than 100 people across 14 states were infected by the outbreak; 34 were hospitalized and one died, according to the US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention."Slivered onions are the likely source of illness in this outbreak," the CDC said. The supplier of the topping issued a recall.McDonald's stock is down just over 7% in the past month.<a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-store-visits-sales-drop-e-coli-outbreak-2024-10">McDonald's said in its third-quarter earnings that store visits and daily sales also took a hit</a> as some customers stayed away from <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mcdonalds-sales-dropped-second-quarter-in-a-row-sharees-down-2024-10">its restaurants</a> during the health scare.Its new marketing campaign will reportedly include TV ads that showcase a 10 McNuggets for $1 deal that can be redeemed through the chain's app."The relevance, trust, and love for the Golden Arches has been hard-earned over nearly 70 years by our unwavering commitment to do the right thing. The past three weeks have only further exemplified that," read the memo seen by CNN that was signed by Michael Gonda, chief impact officer for North America, and Tariq Hassan, chief marketing and customer experience officer.

McDonald's is reportedly spending $100 million to help lure customers back after the E. coli outbreak

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Trump tapped Elon Musk and Vivek Ramaswamy to co-lead a new Department of Government Efficiency.</li><li>The aim of the department is to cut government spending.</li></ul>President-elect Donald Trump has chosen <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-department-government-efficiency-doge-2024-11">his picks to help cut government spending</a>. Areas like transportation and education could face heightened scrutiny.On Tuesday, Trump selected Tesla CEO <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-trump-tesla-spacex-x-department-government-efficiency-jobs-2024-11">Elon Musk</a> and former GOP presidential candidate Vivek Ramaswamy to co-lead a new Department of Government Efficiency, or <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://markets.businessinsider.com/news/stocks/dogecoin-price-market-value-ford-crypto-boom-trump-elon-musk-2024-11">DOGE </a>— an acronym that matches a dog-themed meme that Musk has frequently referenced.The department does not currently exist as a government agency, so Musk and Ramaswamy's role would likely entail offering advice to Trump on areas to cut spending, which Congress would then need to approve.<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://fiscaldata.treasury.gov/americas-finance-guide/federal-spending/#spending-categories">Data</a> from the Treasury Department shows that the government spent $6.75 trillion in fiscal year 2024, resulting in a deficit. The highest amounts of spending came from the Department of Health and Human Services, the Social Security Administration, and the Treasury Department.Social Security accounted for $1.46 trillion of the spending, health accounted for $912 billion, and Medicare made up $874 billion of the government spending over the past year.Trump said in the announcement that the office would "provide advice and guidance from outside of Government, and will partner with the White House and Office of Management &amp; Budget to drive large scale structural reform, and create an entrepreneurial approach to Government never seen before."Every year, Congress has to approve discretionary spending through the annual appropriations process. That includes areas like the $305 billion spent on education and other social services and the $137 billion spent on transportation.Social Security and Medicare are forms of mandatory spending that do not require annual congressional approval and would require legislation to change.Musk said during a Trump rally prior to the election that he would identify at least $2 trillion in spending cuts, which would amount to nearly a third of total government spending, including the mandatory retirement security programs.Trump said that Musk and Ramaswamy's work will be concluded "no later than July 4, 2026." While it's unclear what the government efficiency department will advise, Trump has previously <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/student-loan-forgiveness-under-trump-biden-debt-relief-efforts-stalled-2024-11">suggested</a> shutting down government agencies, like the Education Department, to reduce inefficiency. Ramaswamy has echoed that sentiment, voicing support for <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/candidate-vivek-ramaswamy-wants-shut-down-fbi-replace-it-2023-4">shutting down a range of agencies</a>, including the IRS and the FBI.Trump alone could not close a federal agency — doing so would require congressional approval.Karoline Leavitt, a Trump-Vance transition spokeswoman, said in a statement to Business Insider: "The American people re-elected President Trump by a resounding margin giving him a mandate to implement the promises he made on the campaign trail. He will deliver." She did not elaborate on the areas the government efficiency commission would prioritize for spending cuts.Musk also <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://x.com/elonmusk/status/1856520760656797801">wrote</a> on X on Tuesday that all of the department's actions will be posted online "for maximum transparency" and that "anytime the public thinks we are cutting something important or not cutting something wasteful, just let us know!"

Elon Musk is looking to cut government waste. Here's what the US spends money on right now.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Retirees have been spending big thanks to recent gains in Social Security income, Bank of America said.</li><li>But annual payment increases are falling behind workers' wage growth, the note said.</li></ul>A baby boomer spending spree is losing momentum as retirees fall behind in income growth.<a target="_blank" href="https://institute.bankofamerica.com/economic-insights/older-generations-spending-growth-easing.html">Bank of America</a> said retired consumers enjoyed greater spending power in the past two years as Social Security income got a boost.Known as the cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA, the payment increase occurs each October to adjust for inflation. The bank said it jumped 8.7% in 2022, marking the highest increase in four decades."This was significantly greater than the wage growth that both Millennials and Gen X were experiencing at the time (the same is true for Gen Z)," the note said. "So, for a while, retiree incomes from Social Security were rising faster than the incomes of people in employment, which helped older generations grow their spending faster than younger ones."Since about mid-2022, a gap has emerged between retirees' spending growth and that of younger consumers.<div type="image" title="Chart showing total card spending based on each generation" height="1288" width="2342" msid="114824558" hostid="261" sizebytes="88626"></div>However, the COLA advantage is eroding. This year's increase was only 3.2%, weaker than the after-tax wage growth among millennials. In 2025, the adjustment will weaken further to 2.5%.That appears to have already narrowed the gap in intergenerational spending growth, though tt may also be true that retirees don't feel as pressured to spend heavily, the bank said, as was the case after the pandemic."Older generations had a weaker bounce-back in spending following the pandemic, in part because they were likely more sensitive to the health risks around resuming social activities. As a result, some of their recent strength in spending was likely them making up for lost time," the note said.The trouble with weaker spending among baby boomers is that the generation's willingness to splurge has been <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/us-recession-baby-boomer-consumer-spending-downturn-retirement-hard-landing-2024-5">credited with helping the US avoid a recession</a> in recent years. Market vet Ed Yardeni recently noted that the boomer generation has become America's richest, with boomer households sitting on $79.8 trillion in net worth due to stellar gains on real estate and stock holdings over the past several decades.

Retiree spending helped thwart a US recession. But boomers are losing a key financial advantage.

<ul class="summary-list"><li><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk">Elon Musk</a> will co-lead the Department of Government Efficiency, which aims to cut federal spending.</li><li>Musk said on X that he'll launch a "leaderboard" to track spending and crowdsource ideas for cuts.</li></ul>Elon Musk has officially landed the role as co-leader of the new Department of Government Efficiency, and he's already crowdsourcing for suggestions. President-elect Donald Trump announced on Tuesday evening that Musk will <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-trump-tesla-spacex-x-department-government-efficiency-jobs-2024-11">head the department</a> alongside businessman Vivek Ramaswamy, with the goal of curbing government spending.In a post on X, Musk promised that the DOGE — named after the cryptocurrency — will publish all of its activity online to ensure "maximum transparency" and will "have a leaderboard for most insanely dumb spending of your tax dollars."As of Wednesday morning, the post had garnered more than 26 million views, 18,000 comments, and 50,000 retweets. Business leaders were among those reacting to the news and, in some cases, offering suggestions.Ryan Petersen, CEO of supply chain management company Flexport, responded on X asking where to submit programs to cut."The US Department of Agriculture runs a foreign language school. I took a Chinese class there. Why does the department of agriculture need to teach Chinese? We have community colleges for that right?" <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/typesfast/status/1856700690480894463">Petersen wrote</a>. The USDA does not offer typical foreign language classes, but <a target="_blank" href="https://www.usda.gov/media/press-releases/2023/11/15/usda-releases-language-access-plan-expand-access-department">provides access to language learning tools</a> through an internal platform.Bill Ackman, a billionaire hedge fund manager and outspoken Trump supporter, <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/BillAckman/status/1856522503323005434">reposted Musk's announcement</a> of a leaderboard on X, writing, "It's becoming exciting again to be an American." Shuan Maguire, another outspoken Trump supporter and partner at venture capital firm Sequoia Capital, <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/shaunmmaguire/status/1856500082063094287">retweeted the president-elect's announcement</a> that Musk would head DOGE and called it "one of the greatest things I've ever read."The responses to Musk's announcement and general appointment as head of DOGE stretched across the partisan tech aisle. Aaron Levie, CEO of cloud computing company BOX who endorsed Harris, responded to Trump's announcement of the agency on X."There's a significant opportunity to make the government more capable of delivering for Americans, and ironically it will actually cost less not more," <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/levie/status/1856529079136334136">he wrote</a>. Other Democrats aren't so keen on the idea — Sen. Elizabeth Warren poked fun at the department in her own X post."The Office of Government Efficiency is off to a great start with split leadership: two people to do the work of one person," <a target="_blank" href="https://x.com/SenWarren/status/1856541693836734783">she wrote</a>. "Yeah, this seems REALLY efficient."In the 2024 fiscal year, the federal <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/trump-elon-musk-vivek-ramaswamy-department-government-efficiency-doge-2024-11">government spent $6.75 trillion</a>. Nine-tenths of that goes to federal programs, according to the Center on Budget and Policy Priorities.Almost one-quarter of the budget funds health-insurance programs, like Medicare and Medicaid. Another 21% goes toward Social Security, with 13% going toward defense.It remains unclear how <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/elon-musk-trump-calls-zelenskyy-erdogan-influence-2024-11">expansive Musk's government</a> role will be and how much he will be able to reshape the budget in his business-friendly image.Trump's transition team and Musk did not immediately respond to Business Insider's requests for comment.

Elon Musk said he will launch a leaderboard to track 'insanely dumb' government spending, and business leaders are weighing in

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Lauren Boebert was probed for voting against increased healthcare for military veterans.</li><li>Her Democratic opponent, Trisha Calvarese, asked her about her "nay" vote for the PACT Act in 2022.</li></ul>Colorado Rep. Lauren Boebert said that she voted against a bill to increase healthcare benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits because she did not want to spend "a billion dollars forever" on unclear legislation.The topic emerged when she sparred with her Democratic opponent, Trisha Calvarese, in their first and possibly only debate on Tuesday. They are fighting for a seat in Colorado's 4th congressional district.Calvarese probed Boebert about her controversial vote against the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.va.gov/resources/the-pact-act-and-your-va-benefits/">PACT Act</a>, which provides healthcare and benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits, Agent Orange, and other toxic substances.In August 2022, both houses of Congress passed the bill with overwhelming support, and President Joe Biden signed it into law.The bill <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/senate-passes-pact-act-providing-aid-veterans-exposed-burn-pits-2022-8">expanded health coverage</a> for an estimated 3.5 million former soldiers who served in Iraq and Afghanistan, where burn pits were used to dispose of trash, sewage, and medical waste. Exposure to these toxins has been linked to respiratory issues and cancer.Calvarese mentioned Boebert's "nay" vote on the bill, saying, "I think if you're going to be America first, you can't put veterans last.""I do just want to point to your vote that you voted against care for veterans exposed to cancer-causing toxins and burn pits during war," Calvarese added.Boebert defended her vote by saying she refused to vote "for something that we had 22 hours to read, that's over 2,000 pages long."The Denver Post <a target="_blank" href="https://www.denverpost.com/2024/09/03/colorado-lauren-boebert-trisha-calvarese-4th-congressional-district-election/">reported</a> that Boebert added she wasn't willing to spend "a billion dollars forever because we couldn't get a couple of pieces of language right in the legislation."During their debate, Calvarese and Boebert also sparred on topics like national debt and minimum wage, per The Denver Post.Representatives for Boebert didn't immediately respond to a request for comment from Business Insider, sent outside business hours.

Lauren Boebert says she voted against more health benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits because she didn't want to spend 'a billion dollars forever' on unclear legislation

When Josef Woodman's shoulder gave out in 2012 — strained from chopping firewood on his farm outside Chapel Hill, North Carolina — he said he was quoted between $2,400 and $3,200 for an MRI at Duke University Hospital.He didn't want to shell out the cost of a nice vacation just to find out he didn't need surgery, so he decided to wait, even as his mobility decreased to the point where he had to severely limit his farm work and could hold only one-third of the weight he normally could. Two years later, his patience was rewarded: While on a work trip to Bangkok, he got an MRI for just $460, landing an appointment two days after his consultation at a hospital."The results came back and they said, 'You don't need surgery. You've got a separated rotator cuff,'" Woodman said. The surgeon prescribed physical therapy, which he completed in the US. "The shoulder got way better," he told me. He was glad he waited.Like Woodman, millions of Americans travel abroad for medical procedures each year, saving anywhere from 40% to 90% on the services they receive. Many <a target="_blank" href="https://www.amjmed.com/article/S0002-9343(18)30620-X/fulltext">don't have health insurance</a> or don't get coverage for the procedures they seek out — dental work and cosmetic procedures like breast implants and liposuction are by far the most popular. There's also a small but growing market for people seeking thorough checkups and testing abroad. An ascendant medical-tourism industry is offering these types of screenings, including MRIs and electrocardiograms, in beautiful locations around the world and packaging them with transportation, accommodations, food, shopping, and sightseeing. And with an increasing obsession with "wellness" and celebrities like Kim Kardashian promoting full-body imaging, it's easy to see why more and more Americans are looking to pair cabanas with CAT scans."If you've got some kind of joint pain, or if you have some kind of condition that isn't progressing, incorporate that into your normal travel plans," Woodman, now 72, said. In 2007, he founded Patients Beyond Borders, a healthcare-consulting company that helps Americans plan medical vacations, after growing up taking trips to Mexico for dental work with his dad. "In any kind of industrialized nation, you'd be able to get access to good-quality screening and people who can interpret the results," he said.Medical tourism comes with risks; the American Medical Association recommends going only to medical facilities recognized by international accrediting bodies and following up testing with care at home. But a growing number of Americans are willing to take those risks, as suites of tests abroad are often cheaper and faster than just a single test in the US."We just don't have a preventative-oriented society here in the United States," Woodman said. "Our approach is reactive."In a July <a target="_blank" href="https://www.tiktok.com/@bryn.elise/video/7386406512593325355?lang=en">TikTok</a> that's amassed over 17 million views, Bryn Elise documented her experience at a Turkish hospital where she received over 30 scans and tests, including an EKG, chest X-ray, and abdominal and thyroid ultrasounds, in a single day. The bill? $830. Without insurance, the cost of an EKG alone in the US <a target="_blank" href="https://enhancehealth.com/blog/how-much-does-an-ekg-cost-at-urgent-care-without-insurance/#:~:text=The%20total%20cost%20of%20an,where%20you%20get%20the%20service.">can vary from $100 to $5,000</a>."Personally, I'd rather spend $700 on a flight to Turkey, get dozens of tests there, and take a whole vacation than spend the thousands that this would have cost in the United States," Elise said in the video, which also featured clips of her on a beach, poolside, and eating a spread of delicious-looking Turkish veggie bowls. The 29-year-old health- and beauty-tourism influencer said she booked the trip because she wanted to investigate some "mysterious ailments," including brain fog, vision problems, and heart palpitations, without paying America's sky-high healthcare costs. She told her followers she had struggled with an eating disorder for 10 years and that "since our US checkups are only a tap on the knee and a blood-pressure check, I've been low-key terrified that I've caused permanent damage to my body but would never find out until it's too late."Her tests unearthed an astigmatism, early signs of osteoporosis, and "critically low" levels of vitamin B12. "The feeling of impending doom I've had due to health concerns is gone," Elise said.She chose a hospital that had been accredited by the Joint Commission International, an Illinois-based organization that has accredited over 1,000 health facilities in more than 70 countries. Dr. Paulo Neno, an international-accreditation surveyor at the commission, told Business Insider the accreditation process takes up to two years to complete and is renewed every three years. It includes a 12-part evaluation, during which a team of doctors and nurses visit the medical facility and assess everything from its operating theaters and intensive-care units to its power and water systems."We are focused on understanding how they are providing safe care for high-risk patients," Neno said.It's unclear, though, how many medical tourists visit accredited facilities, and there's still the question of whether all these tests are useful for someone who is seemingly in good health. Woodman knew he had an issue that needed to be examined, but Elise was more interested in a holistic screening regimen. One person commented on Elise's TikTok, "The hypochondriac in me thinks this is the perfect vacation. I'd go every year."Since COVID-19 came into the picture, health screenings and extensive physicals have received some buzz. Last year, Kardashian got a full-body MRI done by Prenuvo, a US chain of diagnostic clinics that offers the service for $2,500. In an Instagram post promoting it, Kardashian described it as a "life saving machine" that could detect cancer or conditions like aneurysms in their earliest stages. Especially given the <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/colon-cancer-cases-doubled-young-people-2024-5">rise in colon cancer</a> among young people — a disease that can spread with no or minimal symptoms — <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/get-colonoscopy-colon-cancer-symptoms-colorectal-oncologist-2024-4">early screenings</a> are on more people's minds.But Arturo Vargas Bustamante, an associate professor of health policy and management at the University of California, Los Angeles, said these kinds of rigorous tests can often do more harm than good."You may get a lot of things that you may not need based on your age profile, or you may get screenings that ultimately would find something that could lead to treatment that may harm you," he said. US guidelines on which demographics should get tested are based on scientific evidence, he added, while clinics abroad may be more motivated by profit.If a test finds cancer at a very early stage when it's very slow-moving, Vargas Bustamante said, the patient may feel compelled to treat it immediately, subjecting themself to chemotherapy and radiation. But in reality, it's possible they could have gone years without needing to start treatment. "Sometimes knowing too much may not be that good for you," he said.Others, however, think that America's lack of access to robust preventive screening is a critical failure.Dr. Misael Uribe Ramos is the director of international medicine at Médica Sur in Mexico City, a Joint Commission International-accredited hospital that offers checkups with eight different specialists for $1,600. Uribe Ramos has seen interest in rigorous physicals boom since the outbreak of the COVID-19 pandemic — and he thinks it's a good thing.Often when you go to the doctor, it's to treat a specific issue or disease, he said. "But why is that? Because you don't have prevention," he said. "Prevention is the best way to be healthy."In America, chronic illnesses such as heart disease, diabetes, and cancer are leading causes of death and disability, driving the majority of the US's $4.5 trillion in yearly healthcare expenses, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cdc.gov/chronic-disease/about/index.html">according to</a> the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. These illnesses are largely preventable. The CDC also says that between 30% and 50% of cancers diagnosed today could be prevented by reducing risk factors (like not smoking and maintaining a healthy body weight) and getting recommended screenings and vaccinations. However, according to the <a target="_blank" href="https://health.gov/news/202401/prevention-still-best-medicine">US Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion</a>, only 5.3% of Americans 35 and older received all recommended clinical prevention services in 2020 — a number that dropped from 8.5% in 2015. Why? Simply put, many Americans aren't regular healthcare users. They often don't have a family doctor, they live too far from one, they don't have a way to get there, or they simply can't afford it, the Office of Disease Prevention and Health Promotion says. Meanwhile, preventive-care services aren't prioritized because healthcare providers are paid to treat diseases — not to prevent them by keeping people healthy. A 2020 study said the National Academy of Medicine <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC7309216/">estimated</a> that missed prevention opportunities cost the US $55 billion annually.Other countries take a different approach. In Japan, for instance, the most basic annual checkups include EKGs, chest X-rays, blood tests, eye and hearing tests, and stool and urine tests. And some residents require a more comprehensive version that includes cancer screening. Japanese employers are required to provide them for all of their employees. In 2019, about 74% of men and 66% of women in Japan completed some type of medical checkup, according to the country's Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare.South Korea's regimen is similar to Japan's. On a work trip there in 2010, Woodman had extensive testing done, including an MRI and CT scan, as part of a "wellness preventative program" he tried out for work, he said. He was offered an endoscopy and colonoscopy as part of the package but declined."Testing in the United States is really kind of pathetic," Woodman said. "They weigh you. They take your blood test. 'How tall are you?' And that's pretty much it."Americans seeking better preventive screening tend to visit South Korea, Thailand, and the United Arab Emirates, while Mexico, Barbados, and Thailand are popular for genetic and fertility testing, as well as testing related to gender-affirming care, medical-tourism advocates told BI.Many of these countries have hospitals that cater to foreigners. In Mexico, Médica Sur's checkups take about five hours, with screenings across disciplines such as internal medicine, cardiology, gynecology, and ophthalmology. (In the US, a typical physical takes less than an hour.) Packages include breakfast, transportation, accommodation, menus catering to dietary restrictions, discounted sightseeing for an extra cost, and concierge staff who help patients coordinate their stay and remain by their side for the duration. The hospital is also connected to a Holiday Inn if visitors want to stay on-site.Results are available within two weeks, at which point the patient can discuss the findings with a doctor in person or remotely; a checkup three months later is also included in the price. If, for example, the screenings indicate a malignant tumor, Uribe Ramos said, doctors will explain to a patient which follow-up tests they need, either in their home country or at Médica Sur. He recommends getting a thorough exam once a year.Since opening its international-medicine wing in 2019, the hospital has seen 5,000 foreign patients, most of them American and Canadian, Uribe Ramos said.Imani Bashir was living in Cancún three years ago when she felt what she thought was a lump in her breast. At the time she was 34 — <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cancer.org/cancer/screening/screening-recommendations-by-age.html#:~:text=Women%20ages%2040%20to%2044,should%20get%20mammograms%20every%20year.">young</a> to be receiving a mammogram — but her family had a history of the disease, so she booked an appointment anyway. In the US, the median <a target="_blank" href="https://ascopubs.org/doi/10.1200/JCO.2023.41.16_suppl.e18917">cost</a> of a mammogram ranges from $140 to $360 for women who aren't insured. In Mexico, it was under $50. As a Black woman who grew up in the US without health insurance, the 37-year-old communications director found the experience especially validating."When we go to the doctor and say that we're in pain, it's kind of just shooed away, like it's not a big deal," Bashir said. In Mexico, the medical center didn't question her. Now that she's living in Washington, DC, she continues to travel to Mexico for both her and her son's dental appointments and other medical issues because it's cheaper and easier to get appointments. "It always feels good when you feel like you can take care of yourself, and financially, it's not going to be a detriment to your life and your health," she says.Given how many people experience difficulty navigating the American healthcare system, it's no surprise that the medical-tourism market is growing rapidly. Patients Beyond Borders estimates the industry is growing between 15% and 25% each year. And 2022 <a target="_blank" href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC9104082/#:~:text=The%20increase%20in%20medical%20tourism,other%20time%20in%20the%20past.">research</a> found that the increase in international tourism had helped fuel the trend. As <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/travel-agents-back-gen-z-millennials-vacation-planning-overseas-resorts-2024-6">more people spend time abroad</a>, it becomes easier to tack a few small medical tests onto your trip.Vargas Bustamante thinks traveling internationally for rigorous testing probably most benefits healthy people who just want "peace of mind." Despite the risk factors, the industry's growing appeal illustrates the limitations of American healthcare."Why would someone have to buy a plane ticket to go all the way on the other side of the world just for an adequate amount of healthcare? It's nuts," Bashir said. "But if people have the privilege, if people have the money to be able to do so, then I say, yeah."<a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/author/manisha-krishnan">Manisha Krishnan</a> is an Emmy award-winning journalist who covers healthcare. She is based in Brooklyn.

Mojitos and an MRI: Meet the Americans who are getting health screenings on vacation 

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Kayla Barnes-Lentz, a self-described biohacker, wants to live to 150.</li><li><a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-rapamycin-and-how-does-it-help-prevent-aging-2023-3">Biohackers</a> can use experimental methods to try to extend their lives, taking the longevity trend to extremes.</li></ul>This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Kayla Barnes-Lentz, a 33-year-old longevity clinic owner and podcaster living in LA. It has been edited for length and clarity.From the second I wake up, my day is built around optimizing my health, and I feel better now at 33 than I did at 18. I own a longevity and precision medicine clinic in Cleveland, where we identify the root cause of chronic disease in clients, and help high performers who want to extend their healthspans. I build my biohacking protocols into my workday, such as by having <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/i-tried-being-more-active-at-work-was-less-productive-2024-8">walking meetings</a>, using a whole-body vibration plate for lymphatic drainage, or combining a sauna with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/longevity-investments-ultra-rich-are-making-supplements-devices-2024-10">red light therapy</a> at midday.I was initially interested in biohacking because I wanted to perform better and work long hours to move my business forward. Once I started to see the changes in how I was feeling by just eating more <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/health/diet-nutrition/is-organic-food-better-for-you">organic foods</a>, I really went all in. I have a very Type A personality and I just got obsessed with human optimization.So, I knew it would take someone special to be my partner because not everyone is interested in living like I do.<div type="image" title="Kayla Barnes-Lentz and Warren Lentz standing in front of a red light." height="1240" width="1164" msid="114429012" hostid="261" sizebytes="48100"></div><h2 id="08c5a859-8cc7-4566-81de-1071bab33329">I wanted to find a partner who prioritized their health</h2>Just before my husband and I met on an app called <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-raya-elite-celebrity-dating-app-rich-famous-2019-12">Raya</a>, I had finally reached a place where I felt like I could date. I was so <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/passion-work-job-identity-dangers-2018-11">in love with my work</a> that love just wasn't really a priority. I had spent most of my life focused on building a business, my health, and optimizing my routines.But when I met Warren, it was very clear that he was the one. We matched on Raya in May last year, he proposed in August, and we got married in the September.I took our first video call in my clinic, so it felt natural to bring up health as I showed him our IV lounge, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hyperbaric-oxygen-therapy-what-it-feels-like-body-lab-london-2022-2">hyperbaric oxygen chamber</a>, and where we do cryotherapy.I knew he was very into health, too. He was already posting about it on Instagram and our first in-person date was at a really healthy grocery store called <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/things-high-end-grocery-store-employee-wishes-people-knew-erewhon">Erewhon</a>.I asked him for <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/biological-age-test-calculation-interpret-results-2024-2">health test results</a> really early on because we were excited to be able to optimize our health together. He initially sent me his full annual physical results, which showed hormone levels and all of the basic stuff. Then I sent him a bunch of additional tests to do, including for gut health, genetics, biomarkers, and a total toxic burden test, which looks at levels of heavy metals, molds, and environmental toxins in the body.Everything came back really good. There wouldn't have been a hard cut-off if his blood pressure had been a certain level or anything like that, because he had so many of the things that I was looking for. He was ambitious, we shared faith, he had an interest in health, and we wanted the same things for our futures. He felt so perfect for me, and I would have been able to help him fix whatever issues we did find in testing.He was definitely mastering the basics before, like diet and nutrition, but I've helped him make changes to significantly improve his labs since he sent me those first results, such as going to bed much earlier, doing <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/guides/home/best-cold-plunge-tubs">cold plunges</a> every morning, eating 100% organic, spending time in a hyperbaric oxygen chamber, and sleeping in a Faraday cage. He calls me the "Chief Health Officer" of our relationship.Some people think that is very unromantic, but anyone who knows us knows that we are so in love. We just happened to connect over our passion for health.<div type="image" title="Kayla Barnes-Lentz and Warren Lentz in a sauna, holding hands." height="1182" width="1164" msid="114429021" hostid="261" sizebytes="73554"></div><h2 id="94a0f241-6611-48dc-9956-37b27764295d">I want to have as much time with my husband as possible </h2>We got married at 33 and 36, which is a little later in life, so I want to have as much time with him as humanly possible. I just want to live as long as my husband does. My goal is that both of us make it to 150.A lot of people in the biohacking industry are kind of siloed on their own, so it's nice to show that you can have a beautiful marriage and do this together.Warren has also shown me how to relax a little bit more. I always prioritized very systematic de-stressing, like breathwork and being in nature. Now we're doing something that I've never done before: sometimes we'll turn on something relaxing on the TV and cuddle a bit before bed.We also have biweekly marriage optimization meetings. We take notes on what we want to talk about, and Warren makes an agenda. We start with compliments, then there's "the optimization section," which covers what we can each do more or less of to improve the relationship, and then we close with compliments again to make it a positive meeting. We discuss anything that's on our minds, from nutrition and trying a new therapy to emotions, which has been very beneficial.Getting married is one of the <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/good-relationships-help-you-live-longer-reduce-physical-pain-2023-1">best biohacks</a> I've done because it has given me a really incredible sense of security and peace.

I'm a biohacker who wants to live to 150. I asked my husband to do health tests before we started dating and I'm now the 'Chief Health Officer' of our relationship.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Wendy Altschuler left her home state of Montana in her early 20s after finding love.</li><li>She has rarely returned — a few times when her mom was dying and later for her dad's second wedding.</li></ul>At 19, I fell in love with a long-haired musician wearing a white linen shirt dotted with wooden buttons. He caught my eye while strumming an acoustic guitar and singing his heart out at an open-mic-night dive bar in Montana.It only took two years before I <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/left-hometown-seeking-job-opportunities-au-pair-travel-europe-backpacking-2024-2">packed up everything I owned and moved</a> across the country to build a life with him in Chicago, leaving the weathered mountains, coniferous forests, and wildflower-filled meadows of my childhood forever in the rearview mirror.Later, I'd marry that music man. Together, we weathered the vicissitudes of life through the challenges of working and paying for college, moving multiple times, and going through career changes. And, just as I was <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/parental-stress-is-a-public-health-crisis-2024-9">becoming a mother</a>, I'd lose my own through a lengthy and painful struggle with breast cancer.Even though we could barely afford it at the time — with three little boys to take care of — we made the journey back to my home state to spend time with my parents and to give my children a chance to feel their grandparents' love.After <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/only-child-dealing-alone-mom-illness-2024-4">my mom died</a>, the worry about my father's health and welfare grew. How would he endure, all alone without my mom? What was my responsibility in all of this, living several states away and raising my own family?<div type="image" title="Grandpa with three grand sons seated on a wooden bench" height="2330" width="3262" msid="114231912" hostid="261" sizebytes="560444"></div><h2 id="c663ac73-ff61-40ea-9e0a-f566d53edd99">My dad had no interest in leaving Montana</h2>But my father had created his own life, surrounded by horses and wide-open spaces. The fact that the only time he had ever visited me was for my wedding — something I told him he was obligated to do — was incredibly telling for where he'd want to spend his remaining years.When my dad found love again and chose to get <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mom-remarried-accept-relationship-wedding-letting-go-2024-6">remarried</a> a few years later, it was a great relief. I was proud of him for fighting for his existence and for deciding that he deserved happiness — even at his mature age. I knew it was challenging to be vulnerable and put yourself out there again after so many decades of marriage.When we arrived in Montana for his wedding, I popped in a local coffee shop before the big day, while my husband and boys waited outside. As soon as I spotted the bold brush strokes, I knew it was hers, my mother's painting hanging on the wall.Unbeknownst to me, the owners had bought it from an antique store, where my mom sold some of her outsider art before she died. Gutted, all of it came rushing back — the pain of watching my <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/quit-goldman-sachs-to-take-care-of-mother-no-regrets-2024-5">mother get sick </a>and lose her hair, her vibrancy, as she withered and suffered and eventually didn't know who or where she was anymore. The sting of seeing the faraway look in my dad's tired eyes when he told the young men setting up the hospital bed in his living room, "you'll be back to pick this up, she'll be dead soon."I ran out of that coffee shop, sobbing into my hands as I struggled to explain to my husband what I had seen, trying like mad to pull myself together because my three little boys were looking up at me, and we had a wedding to get to.Two of my sons stood next to my dad, properly dressed in cowboy hats and boots, with the Bridger <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mom-left-family-celebrate-40th-birthday-alone-switzerland-travel-solo-2024-8">Mountains in view</a>, while my youngest walked down the aisle with the real rings stacked on his thumbs, pointing up to Montana's big sky.<div type="image" title="Man in cowboy hat dancing with woman with a band in the background" height="5197" width="3469" msid="114231913" hostid="261" sizebytes="635810"></div>My father and I would slide our boots in tandem on the dance floor while my husband played with the band on the stage behind us. That day, I experienced a kaleidoscope of emotions, ultimately landing on gratitude for a full life, where love was the golden thread weaved throughout.A handful of months later, at Christmas, I opened the best present I'd ever received: my husband had bought me my mother's painting from the coffee shop.As the years go by, flowers sprout, bloom, and return to the soil. Ponderosa pines still smell like kettle corn and vanilla. My <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/mom-left-kids-home-took-middle-son-travel-alone-greece-2024-9">sons continue to grow</a> and mature and find their own passions and footing. Eventually, they will also flee the nest.<h2 id="6a592a0b-2c85-4c72-a8f9-88cb2be5c300">It had been 3 years since they'd seen Grandpaw</h2>This past summer, just before my three teenagers would start high school together, we took one more <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/took-teenagers-on-roadtrip-everyone-enjoyed-it-2024-10">family trip</a> back to Montana. This time, it would be a surprise — nobody would know we were coming. It wasn't a holiday, birthday, or special occasion. It was just because we love my dad.Laying the groundwork, I made sure to call him more than normal for several months prior, gently teasing out information to be sure he'd be home during our visit. Nearly every day, he visits a country coffee shop near his house, the same one we would ride horses to when I was a kid. My plan was to show up there and send my boys in to casually sit down next to him. Would he recognize them after three long years? Would this timeworn cowboy cry?When he wasn't there, however, we had to amend our plans and show up at his house. We drove back and forth before pulling into his long driveway, parking out of view. The five of us shuffled past dozens of chickens to reach his door, unobtrusive and quiet to avoid being spotted.I was a bit nervous when I knocked, heavy with the hopes of pulling off something I had been planning for so long. My old man opened the door, and we all screeched, "Surprise!"He stumbled back a step and then reached for my kids, delight stretching across his face. He said nothing and everything at the exact same moment.Got a personal essay about reconnecting with family that you want to share? Get in touch with the editor: <a target="_blank" href="mailto:akarplus@businessinsider.com">akarplus@businessinsider.com</a>.

My 3 kids spend little time with their grandpa. So, we flew across the country for a surprise visit.

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Omada Health's booming weight loss program could push the startup closer to a public market debut.</li><li>The startup says care for GLP-1 patients has become its most popular front door for new customers.</li></ul>Last spring, diabetes startup Omada Health said it wanted to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/omada-strategy-weight-loss-drugs-semaglutide-ozempic-2023-5">help employers manage patients taking a blockbuster new class of weight-loss drugs</a>.A year later, that business has taken off.Omada Health's metabolic health program has now become the entry point for most new employers considering contracts with Omada Health, Duffy said."The inbound that we get from benefits buyers, the first question is, tell me more about the GLP-1 care track. And that's the thing that turns into the other conversations," Duffy said.Weight loss is now at the forefront of their pitches to employers "even if we don't necessarily want it to be," Duffy said, "because it's the thing. There's such a focus on metabolic care for obesity, and then they're like, oh cool, you guys also do diabetes and hypertension."Launched in 2011, Omada provides virtual care for diabetes, hypertension, musculoskeletal care, and diabetes prevention, alongside obesity, to employers, health plans, and even health systems. The startup is now looking ahead to an IPO, having <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/exclusive-omada-health-confidentially-filed-s1-ipo-public-2024-10">filed its S-1 this summer</a>, Business Insider first reported in October. Omada previously declined to comment on its IPO plans.But as weight loss pushes Omada closer to a public market debut, Duffy said those contracts with employers haven't looked like what he expected.The startup had initially envisioned that employers would use Omada as a gatekeeper, choosing to pay for buzzy GLP-1 drugs only after a patient had already tried Omada's program, or cutting off the drug coverage after a year and using Omada to help patients maintain their weight loss.But most employers haven't chosen those routes, Duffy said."That's not a common voice. The majority of [our customers] — I actually don't know the reason, but I think it's much simpler — they're choosing to cover the drugs with lifestyle support alongside," Duffy said.<h2 id="d2408f5d-2923-4e91-b037-e2b5136c8d9c">The fraught market for Ozempic</h2>While dozens of healthtech companies, from <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/weightwatchers-ceo-out-ozempic-weight-loss-drugs-2024-9">WeightWatchers</a> to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/ro-weight-loss-program-insurance-delays-wegovy-shortage-2023-6">Ro,</a> have rushed to build online programs to prescribe Ozempic and Wegovy, as well as <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/hims-and-hers-cheap-weight-loss-drugs-stock-soaring-2024-5">compounded versions of the weight-loss drugs</a>, Omada doesn't prescribe GLP-1s itself. Instead, the startup set out to help patients taking GLP-1s — which began as a class of diabetes drugs — make changes to their diet and exercise.When Duffy <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/omada-strategy-weight-loss-drugs-semaglutide-ozempic-2023-5">told Business Insider about these plans in May 2023</a>, the startup was confronting a rising tide of employers panicking about the costs of the expensive drugs. The prescriptions typically cost between $8,000 and $10,000 per patient per year, <a target="_blank" href="https://www.wtwco.com/en-us/insights/2024/07/8-employer-considerations-about-glp-1-drugs">according to WTW</a>, formerly Willis Towers Watson. The firm said GLP-1 drugs for obesity account for about 10% of all pharmacy spending.Those cost concerns haven't abated. Most companies still don't cover GLP-1 prescriptions for weight loss, though <a target="_blank" href="https://www.cnn.com/2024/10/09/business/weight-loss-drugs-glp-1-wegovy-employer/index.html#:~:text=More%20employers%20may%20start%20covering,obesity%20drugs%2C%20such%20as%20Wegovy.&amp;text=Still%2C%20more%20than%20a%20quarter,a%20human%20resources%20consulting%20firm.">more pay for the drugs now</a> than in previous years. Employers expect their healthcare costs <a target="_blank" href="https://www.hrdive.com/news/weight-loss-drugs-fuel-large-employer-healthcare-cost-concerns-2025/724977/">to increase by about 8%</a> in 2025, largely due to the explosion of GLP-1s.But Duffy said only a small fraction of Omada's total contracts have imposed strict limits on GLP-1 coverage with Omada as a gatekeeper."In the narrow network world, there's a subcategory of enterprise GLP companies who just make it so that their employees can only get GLP with our conditions. You typically get less GLP usage there because you're introducing a friction point," he said.<div type="image" title="Two boxes of semaglutide under the trade names of Ozempic and Wegovy." height="3533" width="5300" msid="114728141" hostid="261" sizebytes="423802"></div>GLP-1s already come with plenty of friction points for patients. For the past two years, the drugs were in short supply, making it difficult for any patients to get their hands on the drugs, especially without a diabetes diagnosis. Those shortages are reportedly easing, with the FDA removing GLP-1 ingredient tirzepatide from <a target="_blank" href="https://dps.fda.gov/drugshortages/resolved/tirzepatide-injection">its shortage list</a> earlier this month, but many pharmacies are <a target="_blank" href="https://www.npr.org/sections/shots-health-news/2024/09/06/g-s1-21139/ozempic-wegovy-shortages">still dealing with empty shelves</a>.And GLP-1s can also produce plenty of side effects, which, in combination with their high costs and shortages, prompts most patients to <a target="_blank" href="https://www.nbcnews.com/health/long-people-stay-ozempic-stop-2-years-analysis-shows-rcna161216">stop taking the drugs</a> within the same year. That's a problem, since clinical data has shown that the majority of patients <a target="_blank" href="https://www.medpagetoday.com/special-reports/exclusives/112138">regain most of the weight</a> they lost on a GLP-1 after they stop taking it.Omada previously said it wanted to <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/omada-strategy-weight-loss-drugs-semaglutide-ozempic-2023-5">help patients keep the weight off after stopping their GLP-1 usage</a>. The company said it isn't yet ready to share any findings on how effective those efforts have been.Going forward, Duffy said Omada is continuing to refine its metabolic health strategy as the business grows. He said the startup is also looking to partner with <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://resourcecenter.omadahealth.com/omada-resources/omada-health-partners-with-intermountain-healthcare-and-castell-to-establish-integrated-virtual-care-option-for-diabetes-management-and-prevention">more health systems</a> to provide Omada's virtual solutions for conditions like diabetes and obesity to health systems' patients.

Weight loss care is leading IPO-hopeful Omada Health's latest growth surge as Ozempic boom continues

<ul class="summary-list"><li>Julie Gibson Clark says you don't have to spend a lot to improve your longevity.</li><li>Her daily habits include vegetable eating, trips to the gym and sauna, and some time for meditation.</li></ul>Julie Gibson Clark has been <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/longevity-experts-keep-biological-age-young-anti-aging-2023-5">biohacking</a> since long before it was a cool thing to do. It runs in her family.Her dad, a NASA astronaut on <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/how-nasa-astronauts-pee-and-poop-in-space-2018-8#when-nasa-built-skylab-its-first-space-station-in-1973-a-toilet-was-needed-since-astronauts-were-going-to-be-living-in-space-for-months-at-a-time-8">Skylab</a> in the 1970s, instilled in her from a young age the idea that food was fuel. She grew up learning that you can engineer peak performance through the proper training and <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/anti-aging-foods-brain-heart-health-better-immunity-longevity-2023-9">nutrients</a>.<div type="image" title="skylab " height="1330" width="2000" msid="114988892" hostid="261" sizebytes="184020"></div>But it wasn't until Clark, now 56 and a recruiter, became an adult that she really became interested in optimizing her healthspan. Her aim now is to slow down the aging process, improving her overall health, plus getting stronger, slimmer, and less stressed as a result.And she's gotten really good at it. In 2023, she was ranked number two in the worldwide "Rejuvenation Olympics," <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/woman-spending-less-than-millionaire-bryan-johnson-anti-aging-ranking-2023-11">beating tech founder Bryan Johnson at his own game</a>, with a pace of aging of around 0.66, according to a <a target="_blank" href="https://www.publichealth.columbia.edu/news/epidemiologists-develop-state-art-tool-measuring-pace-aging">Dunedin PACE</a> blood test. That's roughly 34% slower than time.For about 25 years prior, she'd been slowly tweaking her own longevity strategy. It started out with just a few supplements and some home cooking in her early 30s to help manage persistent acid reflux. Slowly, but surely, she began seeing benefits and changes in her body. She quit drinking and eventually, she stopped taking her antidepressant.She says her formula is simple, and she only changes it slowly and methodically when it suits her "why" — which is to remain in good health for as long as possible, so she can travel, learn, and enjoy time with her teenage son as he grows up.<div type="image" title="julie outdoors, with cactus" height="2000" width="1429" msid="114988889" hostid="261" sizebytes="214458"></div>"You've got to figure out what's your 'why,' what's your intention, and what are your resources?" Clark told Business Insider.Clark feels strongly that you don't have to invest in expensive procedures or gadgets to do it well. Affordable diet and workout hacks can get you <a target="_blank" href="https://www.biorxiv.org/content/10.1101/2024.10.22.619522v1">pretty far</a> when it comes to healthy aging."You have to go, 'Well, this is the rest of my life.' This isn't 10 weeks to the beach body, or even four weeks, or any of those things," she said. "I'm going to take one new thing and I'm going to do it until it's so habitual, it's as easy as brushing my teeth."Her habits also include daily prayers every morning, a meditation session in the early afternoon, and a solid 7 a.m. gym routine, after which she treats herself to a hot sauna and a cold shower.<h2 id="47101dc1-d0cb-47dd-ba75-457559905cc0">How to spend $370 a month on longevity</h2><ul><li>Gym membership at EOS Fitness: $27<div type="image" title="sauna" height="2661" width="3992" msid="114988899" hostid="261" sizebytes="406982"></div></li></ul>Clark treats herself to a sauna and cold shower combo after working out. She likes to think of it like a mini spa treatment.<ul><li>Baby greens she buys in bulk from Costco: roughly $35-$40<div type="image" title="A bag of spinach" height="4000" width="6000" msid="114988896" hostid="261" sizebytes="597522"></div></li></ul>She loves leafy greens.In the summertime, when it's really hot, she'll boil two big bags of spinach and keep them in the fridge to add to meals, like spaghetti sauce. In the winter, she likes adding them to a midmorning <a target="_blank" href="https://www.instagram.com/juliegibsonclark/reel/DBb5WOfSKIr/">greens latte</a>.Dr Dean Sherzai, a brain doctor who specializes in preventive care for dementia, says adding <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-salad-greens-are-good-for-brain-health-aging-2024-7">two servings of greens to your diet</a> per day is a great way to promote and preserve brain health as you age.<ul><li>Vegetables: about $100-$120<div type="image" title="Fruit and vegetable aisle." height="1404" width="2136" msid="114988893" hostid="261" sizebytes="534894"></div></li></ul>Clark focuses on eating a pound of vegetables every day, from morning to night, plus getting a good dose of protein into her diet, a macronutrient that <a target="_blank" class="" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/eating-more-protein-help-women-healthy-aging-positive-impact-2024-1">recent studies suggest</a> is key for healthy aging in women.She typically shops at Sprouts about once a week for the organic veggie haul (not including greens), including purple carrots, sweet potatoes, and celery. She rounds her veg-forward diet out with proteins like chicken, eggs, or meat from local farmers."I try to get a whole rainbow of stuff," she said, depending on what looks good around the periphery of the market.Eating <a target="_blank" href="https://magazine.medlineplus.gov/article/eat-fruit-and-vegetables-live-longer">vegetables is consistently linked to longer, healthier lives</a>. Vegetables are a complex mix of fiber and vitamins. The phytochemicals that give veggies their bright colors have myriad benefits that go beyond what fits on a nutrition label.<ul><li>Nicotinamide Riboside (an <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-nad-longevity-supplement-hollywood-uses-prevent-aging-2024-7">NAD+ boosting</a> supplement): $26</li></ul>A supplement popular with longevity-seekers, it is thought to promote cellular health and boost energy.<ul><li>NOVOS Core: $80<div type="image" title="A person scooping a supplement powder into a clear plastic cup." height="1414" width="2121" msid="114988897" hostid="261" sizebytes="58504"></div></li></ul>This is a powder supplement touted to "slow down aging."It includes 12 different ingredients, including a microdose of lithium and AKG, a popular longevity booster thought to improve muscle health and wound healing.Clark started taking NOVOS Core during a particularly stressful time in her life. She said she was shocked when, after about six months on the product, her pace of aging was reduced by 8%, according to TruDiagnostic tests. It's made her a believer in the product, and for the past several months she's been earning a 10% commission from Novos through an affiliate link on her website.<ul><li>Prescription compounded hormone replacement therapy, for menopause: $50</li></ul><a target="_blank" href="https://jamanetwork.com/journals/jamanetworkopen/fullarticle/2822953">Recent evidence</a> suggests hormone therapy can improve biological aging in postmenopausal women.<ul><li>Vitamin D3 and K2: $4</li></ul>This is a combination supplement. Some research suggests <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/vitamin-d-calcium-supplements-good-for-aging-reduce-cancer-risk-study-2024-3">vitamin D supplementation (plus calcium</a>) may be linked to fewer cancer deaths in women.<ul><li>Magnesium taurate and magnesium glycinate: $7 and $9</li></ul>Magnesium deficiency is common. Experts say roughly half of the US may not get enough in their diet. <a target="_blank" href="https://www.businessinsider.com/why-salad-greens-are-good-for-brain-health-aging-2024-7">Leafy greens</a> like spinach and kale are a great way to get more.<ul><li>Vitamin B complex: $9</li></ul>B vitamins help our body extract and produce energy from foods we eat.<ul><li>Omega-3: $23</li></ul>Omega-3 is an essential fatty acid that the body can't make on its own, so people need to get it from food or supplements. It supports brain health.

A 56-year-old recruiter sets aside $12 a day for her longevity routine to slow aging. Here's how she spends it.

A recent study has revealed that more than 3,600 chemicals used in <keyword id="21367852" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="food-packaging" source="keywords">food packaging</keyword> and preparation have been detected in human bodies, raising concerns about their potential impact on health. These chemicals, some of which are hazardous, are finding their way into the food we consume, sparking calls for more research and stricter regulations. <h2>Chemicals we don’t know enough about</h2>Of the thousands of chemicals identified, around 100 are classified as being of “high concern” for <keyword id="20060201" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="human-health" source="keywords">human health</keyword>. According to Birgit Geueke, the lead author of the study from the <keyword id="23220554" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="Food-Packaging-Forum-Foundation" source="keywords" meta.keywordsubtype="org" meta.entityname="Food Packaging Forum Foundation" meta.hostid="261" meta.entityid="Food Packaging Forum Foundation">Food Packaging Forum Foundation</keyword>, some of these chemicals are well-known, while the health effects of others remain largely unexplored. Chemicals such as <keyword id="20307473" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="PFAS" source="keywords">PFAS</keyword> (often referred to as "forever chemicals") and bisphenol A (<keyword id="20186545" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="BPA" source="keywords">BPA</keyword>) are familiar names in the scientific community. Both have been extensively studied and are linked to a range of health problems. PFAS, for example, have been detected in multiple parts of the human body and are associated with various diseases, including cancer, liver damage, and thyroid dysfunction. Bisphenol A, commonly found in plastics, is a hormone-disrupting chemical that has been banned from baby bottles in many countries due to its harmful effects on reproductive health. However, many of the other chemicals detected—like oligomers, byproducts of plastic production—are still a mystery in terms of their health implications. "There is almost no evidence on the health effects of these chemicals," Geueke said, highlighting the need for further research. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="111250040" title="Karnataka Health Department bans use of artificial food colouring in kebabs; imposes hefty fine of 10 lakhs!" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> <h2>How do these chemicals enter our bodies? </h2>Food contact chemicals (FCCs) are substances that can "migrate" from packaging materials—such as plastic, paper, glass, or metal—into the food we eat. These chemicals can also enter the food chain from other parts of the food-making process, such as conveyor belts and kitchen utensils. The study originally catalogued about 14,000 FCCs, but researchers were astonished to find 3,601 of them present in human biomonitoring databases, which track chemicals found in human tissues and fluids. This unexpected result underscores how pervasive these substances are. <h2>High concern: PFAS, BPA and Phthalates </h2>Among the most troubling chemicals are the PFAS, which have gained notoriety as “forever chemicals” because they do not break down easily in the environment or the human body. These chemicals have been linked to a host of health issues, including immune system suppression, developmental problems, and various cancers. Bisphenol A (BPA), a well-known endocrine disruptor used in the production of plastics, is another substance of concern. BPA can interfere with the body’s hormone systems, particularly oestrogen, and has been associated with fertility problems, breast cancer, and developmental disorders in children. Phthalates, another group of hormone-disrupting chemicals, are used to make plastics more flexible. They have been linked to infertility and developmental issues, making their presence in food packaging particularly concerning. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="112623051" title="474 Indian spice samples fail FSSAI&amp;#39;s safety tests as countries suspend sale of Indian spice brands" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div> <h2>What can we do? </h2>While this study doesn’t determine how much of these chemicals we’re exposed to or their specific sources, it does highlight the need for more comprehensive research and better data on their potential <keyword id="19977451" type="General" weightage="20" keywordseo="health-risks" source="keywords">health risks</keyword>. Duane Mellor, a specialist in evidence-based medicine at Aston University in the UK, praised the study for being thorough but cautioned against panic. Instead, he encouraged consumers to advocate for stronger regulations on <keyword id="21364182" type="General" weightage="100" keywordseo="chemicals-in-food" source="keywords">chemicals in food</keyword> packaging. "Rather than being unduly alarmed, people should demand better data and minimise unnecessary exposure," Mellor said. To reduce exposure to these potentially harmful chemicals, Geueke recommended simple measures like reducing the time food spends in contact with packaging and avoiding heating food in the containers it comes in. Many of these chemicals migrate more easily into food when heated, making microwaving plastic containers or takeout packaging a common source of contamination. <h2>The regulatory response </h2>Some chemicals are already facing bans. The European Union is in the final stages of banning the use of PFAS in food packaging, and a similar ban on bisphenol A is expected to come into effect by the end of this year. As more research emerges, governments around the world may follow the EU's lead in implementing stricter controls on these hazardous chemicals, protecting consumers from hidden dangers in their everyday meals. For now, the best way to protect yourself is to stay informed, reduce unnecessary exposure, and support efforts for stricter regulations on food packaging materials. <div type="Article" hostid="261" msid="109322441" title="2 foods Michael Pollan always buys organic to reduce his exposure to harmful chemicals" mstype="2" mssubtype="0"></div>

You Searched For "spending on health" and got 11 results

McDonald's is reportedly spending $100 million to help lure customers back after the E. coli outbreak

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Elon Musk is looking to cut government waste. Here's what the US spends money on right now.

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Retiree spending helped thwart a US recession. But boomers are losing a key financial advantage.

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Elon Musk said he will launch a leaderboard to track 'insanely dumb' government spending, and business leaders are weighing in

Alice Tecotzky

Lauren Boebert says she voted against more health benefits for veterans exposed to burn pits because she didn't want to spend 'a billion dollars forever' on unclear legislation

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Mojitos and an MRI: Meet the Americans who are getting health screenings on vacation

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I'm a biohacker who wants to live to 150. I asked my husband to do health tests before we started dating and I'm now the 'Chief Health Officer' of our relationship.

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My 3 kids spend little time with their grandpa. So, we flew across the country for a surprise visit.

Wendy Altschuler

Weight loss care is leading IPO-hopeful Omada Health's latest growth surge as Ozempic boom continues

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A 56-year-old recruiter sets aside $12 a day for her longevity routine to slow aging. Here's how she spends it.

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New research reveals more than 3,600 food packaging chemicals in human bodies. Is it time we stopped eating food out of takeout containers?

Ashmita Gupta

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