FIRST ON FOX: President Donald Trump will sign an executive order on Thursday establishing the Make America Healthy Again Commission, which will be led by newly confirmed Health and Human Services Secretary Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Fox News Digital exclusively learned. 

The commission will be chaired by Kennedy and will be "tasked with investigating and addressing the root causes of America’s escalating health crisis, with an initial focus on childhood chronic diseases," the White House explained to Fox News Digital.

Kennedy was confirmed as the nation's leader of the U.S. Health and Human Services on Thursday and was expected to be sworn in later in the afternoon. His commission will work to "restore trust in medical and scientific institutions and hold public hearings, meetings, roundtables" to receive input from health leaders. 

The commission, Fox Digital learned, will focus on four policy directives to reverse chronic disease, including providing Americans transparency on health data to "avoid conflicts of interest in all federally funded health research;" prioritizing "gold-standard research on why Americans are getting sick" in all federally-funded health research; working with farmers to ensure food is healthy, as well as affordable; and expanding health coverage and treatment options "for beneficial lifestyle changes and disease prevention."

The commission initially will focus on childhood chronic diseases, such as autism and fatty liver disease, and also investigate adult chronic diseases, such as asthma and the U.S. average life expectancy compared to other nations. 

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Within 100 days of the commission's founding, it is expected to publish "an assessment that summarizes what is known and what questions remain regarding the childhood chronic disease crisis, and include international comparisons." Within 180 days, it is expected to "produce a strategy, based on the findings of the assessment, to improve the health of America’s children," Fox Digital learned. 

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Kennedy and Trump vowed on the campaign trail to "Make America Healthy Again," including directing their focus on autism among youths in recent years. The commission will investigate chronic conditions for both adults and children, including those related to autism, which the White House said affects one in 36 children.

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Trump, in recent months, has cited autism stats while previewing his second administration, balking at the number of children currently diagnosed compared to just 25 years ago. 

"When you look at, like, autism from 25 years ago, and you look at it now, something's going on," Trump said in December ahead of his inauguration. "Think of this: 25 years ago, autism, 1 in 10,000 children. Today it's 1 in 36 children. Is something wrong? I think so, and Robert and I, we're going to figure it out." 

Trump also vowed while on the campaign trail in June that he would "establish a special Presidential Commission of independent minds who are not bought and paid for by Big Pharma, and I will charge them with investigating what is causing the decades-long increase in chronic illnesses." 

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The Republican-controlled Senate voted 52–48 on Thursday to confirm Kennedy. His confirmation hearings before the Senate in late January included a few outbursts from protesters, as well as Democrats grilling him over his vaccine stances. 

Kennedy, who ran for president as a Democrat in the 2024 cycle before ultimately dropping out and endorsing Trump, clarified to the Senate that he is not "anti-vaccine." 

"I worked for years to raise awareness about the mercury and toxic chemicals in fish. And nobody called me anti-fish. And I believe that… that vaccines play a critical role in healthcare. All of my kids are vaccinated. I've read many books on vaccines. My first book in 2014, a first line of it is ‘I am not anti-vaccine’ and last line is ‘I am not anti-vaccine.’ Nor am I the enemy of food producers. American farms are the bedrock of our culture, of our politics, of our national security," Kennedy said during his hearing before the Senate Finance Committee in January. 

A California budget official revealed this week that taxpayers in the Democrat-run state are paying billions of dollars more on healthcare for illegal immigrants than previously known.

Guadalupe Manriquez, the California Department of Finance program budget manager, told the state Assembly Budget Committee Monday the state is "spending $9.5 billion total funds" to "cover undocumented individuals in Medi-Cal" in the current year.

Manriquez explained that this is a "revised number based on the governor’s budget-updated estimates," adding the earlier figure was from the earlier "budget act." 

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"Of the $9.5 billion, $8.4 billion is general fund," she said.

Republican Assemblyman Carl DeMaio noted that the cost of healthcare for illegal immigrants could be enough to help solve some of the state’s budget woes and "avoid going into the rainy day fund," The Center Square reported. He said the number originally floated was roughly $6 billion. 

A new state law enacted at the start of 2024 ensures that "immigration status doesn't matter" for those looking to apply for taxpayer-backed insurance, according to the state's health department website. 

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California Assembly Minority Leader James Gallagher told Fox News Digital in a statement that gutting the insurance availability for illegal immigrants would make a significant dent in the state’s deficit.

"California’s budget is $30 billion in the red, but instead of tightening its belt, Sacramento is doubling down on reckless spending," the Republican said. 

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"The state is shelling out $9.5 billion on healthcare for illegal immigrants while emergency rooms overflow, hospitals teeter on the brink and working Californians struggle to see a doctor," he continued. "Rather than making responsible choices, leaders are raiding the rainy-day fund to keep the spending spree going. This isn’t just a budget crisis — it’s a complete failure of leadership."

Democratic Assemblywoman Pilar Schiavo said during the hearing that healthcare costs are a major target of the new administration, which leads to uncertainty for the state.

"We know that today unelected Elon Musk and DOGE have taken their sights to Medicare and Medicaid, which is Medi-Cal here in California. And that is, you know, well over half of our budget," the lawmaker said.

The spending discussion comes at a time when the federal government is conducting a major crackdown on illegal immigration, including raids done by Immigration and Customs Enforcement and much stricter policies at the border itself.

Steve Hilton, founder of Golden Together and a Fox News contributor, said it's "yet another example of California Democrats' totally wrong priorities."

"Here's yet another example of California Democrats' totally wrong priorities. They have nearly doubled the state budget in the last ten years, yet over a third of Californians cannot meet their basic needs," Hilton said. 

"We have the highest poverty rate in America. We pay the highest taxes and get the worst results. People are asking, "Where did all our money go?" And here's the answer: ideological obsessions like this — free healthcare for people who are here illegally. People have had enough of all this. There's going to be change in California sooner than people think."

On February 1, President Donald Trump announced a 10% tariff on Chinese goods to help stop "the flow of contraband drugs like fentanyl to the United States, through illicit distribution networks," which "has created a national emergency, including a public health crisis."  

Trump was correct when he stated that "Chinese officials have failed to take the actions necessary to stem the flow of precursor chemicals to known criminal cartels and shut down money laundering by transnational criminal organizations." This is consistent with what I advised him when I served as secretary of Health and Human Services in his first term.  

Among the most significant health crises confronting the nation is the continued manufacturing, shipping and distribution of fentanyl from Chinese companies. Fentanyl, a synthetic opioid more potent than morphine, has been a major contributor to the opioid overdose crisis in the United States.  

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It is estimated that over 80,000 people are killed every year in the United States by fentanyl. Nationally, fentanyl has emerged as the leading cause of death for individuals aged 18 to 45. The Drug Enforcement Administration has identified China as the primary source of fentanyl and its related substances trafficked into the U.S., often through international mail and express consignment channels.  

We’re all hopeful that new tariffs, which include provisions that suspend the duty-free exemption for low-value shipments under $800 — a loophole that has been exploited to smuggle fentanyl and its precursor chemicals into the United States, will go a long way toward stopping the problem at hand.  

Unfortunately, however, fentanyl is no longer the only product being smuggled in from China that is threatening Americans’ health and safety.  

China also has a state-owned corporation with chartered monopoly status to sell nicotine products. This monopoly provides the communist regime with a significant amount of annual funding. In 2023, its receipts clocked in at $210 billion, $10 billion shy of funding the entire People’s Liberation Army.  

One of China’s most important nicotine products is its flavored vapes, which the country continues illegally smuggling into the United States.  

In 2023, over 60% of disposable vapes sold in the U.S. were illicit, with the majority originating from China. This is concerning because there is increasing evidence that some of these products contain harmful contaminants, such as heavy metals, pesticides and other toxins, due to lax manufacturing standards in Chinese factories.  

This raises the question: now that the U.S. has taken significant action to squelch the prevalence of Chinese fentanyl within our borders, what can it do to stop the scourge of these dangerous Chinese nicotine products?  

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First, the administration must crack down on illicit Chinese vape imports through targeted customs enforcement and stricter penalties for distributors of illegal e-cigarettes. A concerted effort to increase inspections at ports of entry, penalize bad actors in the supply chain as needed and will significantly reduce their presence.  

Second, the administration, including incoming Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and incoming Trade Representative Jamieson Greer, should override former President Joe Biden’s appointees at the International Trade Commission’s decision to ban the only legal, U.S.-produced flavored vaping products from the marketplace within the 60-day window that they have to do so. If it goes into effect, this prohibition will allow China’s illicit marketplace to grow stronger.  

Finally, and perhaps most importantly, the administration should work with Congress to reintroduce and pass legislation that holds Chinese companies accountable for violating U.S. safety and trade laws. The halt of illegal fentanyl imports through the Phase One tariffs in 2020 showed that trade measures can pressure China into compliance. Extending these policies to cover unsafe vape products would protect American consumers from dangerous, unregulated imports.  

From the devastating fentanyl crisis that precipitated the imposition of tariffs on China to the resurgence of youth vaping driven by illegal flavored e-cigarettes, the pattern is clear — China does not follow the rules.  

Protecting our families, especially our children, from these dangers must remain a top national priority.  

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Amid Robert F. Kennedy Jr.’s push to improve healthcare as part of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement, there is a growing focus on vaccine transparency.

One of the most common childhood inoculations — the measles, mumps and rubella (MMR) vaccine — has been a requirement for school attendance since its development in the 1970s.

Fox News medical contributor Dr. Nicole Saphier answered some frequently asked questions regarding the vaccine in a video for Fox News Digital. (See the video at the top of the article.)

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People often ask why the three vaccines are combined, which Saphier said is simply for convenience.

"From a public health standpoint, if the goal is to vaccinate as many children as possible to reach that herd immunity and keep these infections at bay, again, parents are more likely to only bring their child to the pediatrician that one time," the doctor said.

"And on a child, isn't it easier to give one injection as opposed to three separate injections?"

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Saphier also addressed concerns about MMR vaccine side effects, including inflammatory reactions at the site of the injection, where the skin can become red and warm.

Children can also have low-grade fevers and feel irritable or lethargic, which is "likely to happen" even with each individual vaccine – not just when the vaccines are combined.

"The reality is there are always side effects when it comes to any sort of healthcare intervention," she said in the video. "But with vaccines in particular, you can have the more mild side effects, and there are some severe, more rare side effects that are well-documented."

The potential for a link between autism and vaccinations has been a deterrent for many parents when choosing to vaccinate their children, but Saphier said the "overwhelming majority" of "good research" shows no causal link.

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One of the largest studies, conducted in Denmark, found a lower risk of autism in more than 650,000 vaccinated children, the doctor noted.

While the U.S. has a higher incidence of autism compared to other countries, specifically Europe, the doctor revealed that European nations have higher rates of MMR vaccine uptake.

"The signs and symptoms [of autism] start to show around the time we're giving all these vaccines, so it makes sense to kind of think they may be related," she said. 

"And it made sense to do as much research as we can to make sure there isn't a link."

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"But I think we need to be looking really hard at our environment, what we're ingesting, the pollutants, the toxins, everything in big agriculture, big pharma, in our food industry and everything else."

Saphier suggested that a link to autism may be found after diving into the "harmful chemicals" consumed by Americans that other nations do not consume.

The doctor also said that medical agencies — such as the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) and the American Academy of Pediatrics — should be "less stringent" on vaccination schedules, leaving the decision to the parents.

"If parents don't want to give these vaccines when their babies are so little, I think it's OK to have that conversation and let them wait until their child's a little bit older before they head off to kindergarten," said Saphier, who is a mother of three boys.

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"Because maybe at that time, you start to see signs of autism between about 1 to 3 years of age for the most part. So maybe let the parent get their child through that time, and if there aren't signs of autism, then maybe they'll feel better about … being able to vaccinate their children."

"It should be a conversation between the doctor and the patient," she said.

"Unfortunately, during the COVID pandemic, the CDC and a lot of healthcare professionals really took away this conversation." 

"By putting the COVID vaccine and booster for children in the same basket as MMR and some of the other vaccines, when it comes to children, that was the biggest mistake they could have ever [made]," Saphier continued. 

"That has caused more vaccine hesitancy and concern."

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Saphier expressed her hope that the MAHA movement will help identify safety signals in vaccines, which will "give parents the confidence they need to continue with the vaccine programs, because they really can save lives."

Fox News Digital's Khloe Quill contributed reporting.

President Donald Trump's tariffs on China have raised significant concern over their potential impact on healthcare costs, but while the move could have a broad effect on the industry, it is likely they will not produce the devastating results that some may be expecting, health policy and trade experts say. 

A survey by market research group Black Book Research found that 84% of the healthcare consumers they questioned said they expect to see higher costs due to increased pricing on medical treatments and drugs as a result of Trump's new tariffs. But health policy expert Chris Pope posited that healthcare is "not a very highly tradable sector" and that the sectors that do rely on trade relations, like pharmaceutical drugs or medical devices, will hinge on the magnitude of any Trump tariffs.

"There's not much international trade for most of healthcare. The biggest parts of healthcare – physician services, these are all provided domestically already, and hospitals are a domestic part of healthcare, so you take out those two things, and you've kind of ruled out almost three-quarters of all healthcare spending," Pope said in an interview with Fox News Digital. "So, for the most part, we're talking about drugs and devices, which are, at most, about a quarter of healthcare spending."

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"In terms of prices for the industry, whether it's absorbed in their margins, or they do less research and development, or they pass it on to consumers … it's not completely devastating, but it's definitely annoying," said Christine McDaniel, a senior economist at George Mason University's Mercatus Institute.

Experts told Fox News that drug prices are among the most vulnerable aspects of the healthcare system, largely due to the U.S.' reliance on China for certain precursor chemicals and compounds that are essential for producing important medications. However, Pope said that the impact will likely only affect generic drugs and not branded drugs that are based on demand rather than supply. Generic drugs are already relatively cost-efficient, with many of them ranging under $10, he said.

Monica de Bolle is an immunologist and a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics, a Washington, D.C.-based think tank. She painted a bleaker picture of how many drugs could be impacted by the tariffs.

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"If you go through a list of the kinds of things that we import from China when it comes to active drug ingredients, or anything else that goes into the making of over-the-counter drugs, everything is in there. If you look at the list, it basically spans the range of potential medications that anyone takes at any point in their lives," said de Bolle. "It includes things like over-the-counter NSAIDS, so non-steroidal, anti-inflammatory drugs, things like Motrin, ibuprofen, even Tylenol, because Acetaminophen is on that list."

She added that drugs that are more dependent on China include medications for anxiety and other psychiatric disorders, such as antidepressants, and following Trump's tariffs, "those prices are going to go up, for sure," she said.

Experts say costs in healthcare could also rise due to disruptions in the supply chain for medical devices, but they noted that the impact will be a lot harder to generalize, compared to the impact on drug pricing. 

"Maybe before [the supply chain] was broken up into five stages. Well, now maybe they've broken it up into six or seven stages. So there are certain things that they have to stay in China for, or they have to source from China, but then they do the next step in India or another nearby country . . . which is going to be more expensive," McDaniel said.

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However, Pope argued that prices could change, depending on the device and the magnitude of Trump's tariffs. 

"It's going to vary a lot, according to where the devices are manufactured, where the components are manufactured, what kind of subsidies are available from other countries and domestically, and the degree of retaliation," he said.

While Trump's tariffs might be new, the experts say that getting out of China is not. Reducing the U.S.' dependency on Chinese products tied to healthcare, particularly drugs like antibiotics, has been talked about among lawmakers for some time due to the potential national security risks. Parallel to these discussions, companies have been preparing for future tariffs in light of increased geopolitical tensions.

"There has been a lot of discussion coming from both the Democratic camp, as well as the Republican one, about the necessity to bring some of the production of certain types of drugs back to the U.S. to reduce dependency on China," said de Bolle. "This whole deal about drugs and medical equipment and all of that that was under discussion before Trump. So, it's not even Trump-related."

"In essence, you know what's happening now with the tariffs that Trump imposed isn't any different from the sorts of things that these people were thinking of doing anyway."

A woman who suffered intensely painful periods for some 20 years was finally diagnosed with a revealing ailment — helping to clear up a mystery that began plaguing her even before she became a teenager.

Jen Moore, 35, a former wedding cake baker, said she was unable to stand up straight when she first began experiencing painful periods as a girl of 11 years old.

She said doctors put her on birth control pills to try to reduce her periods, according to news agency SWNS — but that didn't alleviate her pain over the years.

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She was informed by doctors that what she was experiencing was "normal," she told the news agency — and that she was just someone who was "unlucky" to have painful menstrual periods.

But during the COVID lockdown, when she came off the contraceptives after 22 years, she said she "didn't recognize the person she became" and would often pass out from the pain and blood loss.

When she went to a physician due to her menstrual pain and had an ultrasound, she was told that no endometriosis had been detected, she told SWNS.

Not satisfied, Moore, of Cambridge, England, paid on her own to have an MRI scan.

She was ultimately diagnosed with endometriosis and adenomyosis, conditions in which the lining of the uterus grows in places where it should not be.

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Said Moore, "At the time, I thought it was normal because I didn't know any different."

When she was young, she said, her mother took her to see doctors — and Moore said she was told that her painful periods eventually would stop.

She said doctors told her that even if she did have endometriosis, "all they would do is put me on the pill."

She also said that today she still feels "rage" at what happened to her.

"I also feel heartbroken," she told SWNS, "thinking about myself as an 11-year-old who had no idea she was about to go through so many of these things."

She added, "I feel hope that generations are standing up and that they don't want to tolerate this anymore."

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Yet "I feel that it shouldn't have to fall to the patients to do that," she also said.

Moore said that even now, she feels "exhausted" and that there "isn't an area of my life" that this hasn't touched.

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She said that even though she had painful periods for so long, she wanted to go to college and try to live as normal a life as possible, "despite being bed-bound" for about a week every month. 

She has learned, she said, that she has endometriosis on her bowels and her bladder — "it's everywhere again, it's just relentless."

She said she's had "this condition damaging her organs for 22 years — that's a lot of damage to unpick, so surgeries are never magic and [don't] always provide a pain-free life."

"Unfortunately," she said, "there is still a lot of endometriosis for me."

Janet Lindsay, CEO of Wellbeing of Women, told SWNS, "Endometriosis is a condition that affects the lives of many women, often for years before a diagnosis is made … For too long, women's pain has been dismissed or misunderstood."

There is an "urgent need," she said, "for greater awareness, early diagnosis, and better support for those living with the condition."

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Last year, Bindi Irwin, daughter of the late Steve "Crocodile Hunter" Irwin, discussed her recovery from surgery following an endometriosis diagnosis. 

Irwin, 26, said her "inescapable" pain was dismissed by doctors for 10 years as she was tested for all kinds of diseases.

"I was tested for everything," Irwin told People magazine last summer. "Every tropical disease, Lyme disease, cancer, you name it. I had every blood test and scan imaginable."

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Endometriosis, according to the Mayo Clinic, is a condition "in which cells similar to the lining of the uterus, or endometrium, grow outside the uterus," as Fox News Digital previously reported.

"Endometriosis often involves the pelvic tissue and can envelop the ovaries and fallopian tubes."

The condition can be severely painful for those suffering from it — and it can impact fertility and menstruation.

Lauryn Overhultz of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.

A man who is 92 years old is not only still competing in his activity of choice, he's teaching others the secrets of how to live a long, healthy and fulfilling life.

Ivan Pedley, a retired toolmaker, plays ping-pong twice a week and said he has no plans to stop any time soon.

The grandfather of three took up the paddle sport when he was 14, news agency SWNS reported. Now, 78 years later, he's still playing.

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The retiree plays roughly 14 games a week at the Great Wyrley Table Tennis Club in Staffordshire, West Midlands, England.

He often goes up against opponents who are much younger, SWNS said.

And while he may have slowed down a bit over time, Pedley said he rarely gets knocked off the table and that success at the sport is all about "technique."

He said regular ping-pong playing helps him stay fit and healthy and that continuing to play it well into his senior years is the best thing he's ever done.

"I enjoy every minute of it.", said Pedley, who lives in Walsall, West Midlands.

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"It's the best thing I've ever done. I don't know anyone older than 92 playing." 

He said that while others who play might be "faster" than he is, "it's all in the technique."

There are "a lot of people in their 60s" who play, he said, "but I play the younger people, too. I try to play everybody at the club.

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"I'll keep going for as long as I can, as long as my health stays. Sitting on your backside is no help to anyone."

He said he first found his passion for ping-pong while he was a teenager and let it go for a while when he was in his 20s.

But once he reached his 60s, he rediscovered his love of the sport after a chance game with a friend while on vacation, he said.

He then started playing regularly again while also continuing to stay involved in bowling, swimming and judo. He's a brown belt.

Pedley said he believes he's gotten better at ping-pong because of the standard of skill in those he's playing against these days.

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He added, jokingly, "I do let these [them] win sometimes, though, because I don't want to dishearten them."

Pedley goes to the club on Tuesdays and Fridays, he said, spending up to three hours each time.

"I don't want to sit here and do nothing," he said. "I like to keep myself healthy. … I keep going. It makes me get up and do it.

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"Once you're committed, you have to try and turn up. I'd tell anyone to join a club to start with.

"I've done amateur competitions. I've got certificates from what I've achieved at table tennis."

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"He'll always put his heart into it," club Secretary Tony Reeds told SWNS about Pedley/.

He said Pedley will play against "anyone" who comes into the club to play ping-pong.

"He's part of the furniture now. He's had some good games."

Pedley tells people, "If you want to keep fit, this is the way to do it," Reeds noted.

Older people are wise to stay active, eat well, remain connected to others and take care of themselves both physically and mentally in other ways as well, health and medical experts have long said. 

Contributing to the saturation of wives-focused television series in the 2010s was "Mob Wives," a docu-series following the lives of Italian women married to men serving prison sentences for mob-related crimes.

The reality show starred main protagonists Drita D'Avanzo, Carla Facciolo, Karen Gravano and Renee Graziano, daughter of infamous Bonanno crime family consigliere Anthony Graziano, and detailed tumultuous friendships and marriages, chaos and brutal banter.

"I received a call from a producer," Kelly Gorsky, a specialist in therapy, psychology and anger management, told Fox News Digital. "He said, ‘I have a complicated situation, a complicated potential client. Can you handle a difficult person, and would you be open to possibly treating them on a TV show?"

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Since 2007, Gorsky has treated clients through her private practice.

With over 1 million viewers per episode, Season One of "Mob Wives" aired recorded sit-down sessions between Gorsky and Graziano.

"I learned to be challenged," Gorsky said. "I actually learned composure, self-filtering, self-control, self-regulation, even when a client attempts to place you in very uncomfortable circumstances."

Season One offered viewers a look into the stages of grief as a major story line unfolded in Graziano’s life. Her former husband, Hector "Junior" Pagan, was revealed as an FBI informant who wore a wire and snitched on her father. Graziano detailed her struggles to Gorsky during weekly sessions.

She acknowledged one key takeaway was learning how to support a client through the most challenging and unusual circumstances.

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"Whatever they wanted to use out of that 50-minute session, it was out of their discretion," she said. "They got to use whatever content they wanted."

Unsure about the value of sessions recorded in an industrial building for viewers’ entertainment, Gorksy didn’t sign on for additional seasons.

The show aired for six seasons. The final episode aired one month after beloved "Mob Wives" cast member Angela Raiola, known as "Big Ang," died from complications of lung cancer.

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Gorsky authored the book "Anger Management: 101," providing insights on how individuals can avoid engaging in or propelling arguments. She details coping skills, tools and information for an alternative to anger, which she initially applied to her own life.

"I had a tremendous amount of anger, friction, yelling, screaming, arguing, and it was just a roller coaster," she said, describing her childhood. "It wouldn’t stop."

"Anger is a pretty healthy emotion that provides you with a cue that something is wrong," Gorsky said.

The court-approved book is written in short chapters, and clients are encouraged to work through them gradually.

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"The end goal is to make better decisions because you have better skills to resolve conflicts," Gorsky said.

"Even if you’re the most reactive individual, most of the time, everything is preplanned," she said. "All your plans, situations, people, events, gatherings; you know whom you’re with. You know who the people are. You know what the usual conflicts are."

Gorsky recommends planning management of expectations and responses versus flying blind and welcoming the alternative.

"Usually circumstances are predictable," she said.

As Robert F. Kennedy Jr. appeared on Capitol Hill Wednesday for the confirmation hearing for HHS Secretary, supporters and leaders in the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) movement gathered to show their support.

Among the supporters was Marla Maples, ex-wife of President Trump and mother to Tiffany Trump, who co-founded the Global Wellness Forum.

The organization "unites and empowers groups and activists worldwide, amplifying their efforts to promote health, sovereignty, truth and transparency," according to its website.

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Maples spoke with Fox News Digital in an on-camera interview sharing her excitement for the MAHA movement and her hopes for a healthier America under her friend Kennedy.

"I have to support America's health, our children's health … we suffered so long with what they're putting in our food supply without having consent on what we're getting medically," said Maples.

Maples added, "It's the most important thing I think we have for ourselves [and] our children … and I have a little grandbaby coming, so I want to make sure we leave a cleaner world for our children's children, too."

Tiffany, 30, is expecting a child with her husband Michael Boulos, President Trump announced in October. 

MAKE AMERICA HEALTHY AGAIN: THE POWERHOUSE FOODS THAT WORK MEDICAL MAGIC

Maples shared that Americans should "read every label" of the food they are consuming.

"Just make sure you stay away from corn syrups, any artificial colors. I've been telling people forever. No refined sugars." 

Maples said she believes Americans should rely on their own intuition when it comes to their health.

"Truly, you have an inner sense of what's good for us, and really trusting that, taking time and just caring enough about yourself."

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She added, "It's really about maintaining your own health and being your own best doctor."

Maples also advocated for people growing their own food when possible.

"If you have the chance to grow your own garden, that's the best. I used to do it growing up. Now I live in a condo and I have little herbs growing."

The wellness advocate is also a big believer in the power of prayer, sharing, "Be really sure before you put anything in your body and pray over it all."

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To stay fit both physically and mentally, Maples shared that she does handstands and lots of stretching.

"If I have a chance to play a sport during the week, I'll get out and do that because it keeps my mind very clear and helps my mind be very focused."

Representatives of the Global Wellness Forum were also seen supporting Kennedy at his confirmation hearing.

"We're going to be helping support Bobby and Bobby's initiatives in the government … making sure there's a way we can bring teams together to support what he's going to be doing in the government, so we can support in the community," Maples added.

Robert F. Kennedy Jr., President Donald Trump's nominee for secretary of the Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), is back on Capitol Hill for a second day of Senate confirmation hearings after a grilling by Democrats during a contentious first day.

Kennedy will take questions on Thursday in front of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee.

On Wednesday, in front of the Senate Finance Committee, which will vote on Kennedy's confirmation, there were plenty of verbal fireworks over past controversial comments by the vaccine skeptic and environmental crusader who ran for the White House in 2024 before ending his bid and endorsing Trump.

But Kennedy's uneven performance didn't appear to do damage to his confirmation, as no Republican on the panel voiced opposition to his nomination to lead 18 powerful federal agencies that oversee the nation's food and health. Those agencies include the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, the Food and Drug Administration, the National Institutes of Health, and the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services.

MULTIPLE OUTBURSTS AT COMBUSTIBLE RFK JR CONFIRMATION HEARING

Democrats on the committee repeatedly pointed to Kennedy's controversial vaccine views, including his repeated claims in recent years linking vaccines to autism, which have been debunked by scientific research.

They also spotlighted Kennedy's service for years as chair or chief legal counsel for Children's Health Defense, the nonprofit organization he founded that has advocated against vaccines and sued the federal government numerous times, including a challenge over the authorization of the COVID vaccine for children.

"Mr. Kennedy has embraced conspiracy theories, quacks and charlatans, especially when it comes to the safety and efficacy of vaccines. He's made it his life's work to sow doubt and discourage parents from getting their kids life-saving vaccines," Sen. Ron Wyden of Oregon, the top Democrat on the panel, charged in his opening statement.

WATCH: RFK JR WARNS THAT AMERICA’S HEALTH IS IN ‘GRIEVIOUS CONDITION’

The senator also pointed to past Kennedy vaccine comments in podcasts, including one from 2020 when he said he would "pay anything" to be able to go back in time and not vaccinate his kids.

"Are you lying to Congress today when you say you are pro-vaccine? Or did you lie on all those podcasts?" Wyden asked.

Pushing back in a heated exchange, Kennedy said the statements he made on podcasts have "been repeatedly debunked."

And he vowed he would do nothing to prevent Americans from obtaining certain vaccines.

"I support the measles vaccine. I support the polio vaccine. I will do nothing as HHS secretary that makes it difficult or discourages people from taking anything," Kennedy said.

Democrat Sen. Michael Bennet of Colorado accused Kennedy of "peddling half-truths, peddling false statements."

RFK JR ACCUSES DEMOCRATS OF PUSHING DISHONEST NARRATIVE

And Democrat Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse of Rhode Island, who has known Kennedy for decades, dating back to their days as law school students and roommates at the University of Virginia, told his friend, "Frankly, you frighten people."

Kennedy was also heckled multiple times near the start of the hearing.

As Kennedy delivered his opening comments and said, "News reports have claimed that I am anti-vaccine or anti-industry. I am neither. I am pro-safety," a protester shouted, "You lie."

The heckler was led out of the hearing room by Capitol Police, as was a second protester minutes later.

And another protester was spotted in the audience holding a sign reading, "Vaccines Save Lives, No RFK JR." 

The 71-year-old Kennedy, a scion of the nation's most storied political dynasty, launched a long-shot campaign for the Democrat presidential nomination against President Joe Biden in April 2023. But six months later, he switched to an independent run for the White House.

Kennedy made major headlines again last August when he dropped his presidential bid and endorsed Trump. While Kennedy had long identified as a Democrat and repeatedly invoked his late father, former Sen. Robert F. Kennedy, and his late uncle, former President John F. Kennedy – who were both assassinated in the 1960s – Kennedy in recent years built relationships with far-right leaders due in part to his high-profile vaccine skepticism.

Trump announced soon after the November election that he would nominate Kennedy to his Cabinet to run HHS.

In the two months since Trump's announcement, it's not just Democrats who've raised questions about Kennedy's confirmation. Social conservative Republicans took issue with his past comments in support of abortion rights.

"My belief is we should leave it to the woman. We shouldn't have the government involved, even if it's full term," Kennedy said as he ran for president. 

But since endorsing Trump, Kennedy has walked back his stance on abortion. And in an exchange Wednesday with Democrat Sen. Maggie Hassan of New Hampshire, Kennedy said, "I agree with President Trump that every abortion is a tragedy."

Independent Sen. Bernie Sanders of Vermont, a former two-time Democrat presidential candidate, argued that Kennedy made a "major U-turn" on abortion.

Kennedy seemed to struggle when answering questions about how he would reform Medicare and Medicaid, the massive government healthcare programs used by millions of older, disabled and low-income Americans. He made misstatements on how Medicaid works, with senators offering corrections.

"I don’t have a broad proposal for dismantling the program," Kennedy said of Medicaid.

And he said Trump hadn't asked him to cut the program but rather "asked me to make it better."

Kennedy, whose outspoken views on Big Pharma and the food industry have also sparked controversy, vowed that "if confirmed, I will do everything in my power to put the health of Americans back on track."

While Democrats may find common ground with Kennedy's aim to shift the focus of the agencies he would oversee toward promotion of a healthy lifestyle, including overhauling dietary guidelines, taking aim at ultra-processed foods and getting to the root causes of chronic diseases, Kennedy lamented that they oppose him because he's Trump's nominee.

"Now they’re against me because anything that President Trump does, any decision he makes, has to be lampooned, derided, discredited, marginalized, vilified," Kennedy said.

RFK JR LIKELY TO BE CONFIRMED AS HEALTH SECRETARY, FOX NEWS MEDICAL ANALYST PREDICTS

With Republicans controlling the Senate by a 53-47 majority, Kennedy can only afford to lose the support of three GOP senators if Democrats unite against his confirmation. During Wednesday's hearing, no Republicans appeared to oppose the nomination.

Republican Sen. Thom Tillis of North Carolina appeared to lean into the Democrats' attacks on Kennedy by asking, "I got a real quick question for you: Are you a conspiracy theorist?"

Kennedy answered that it "is a pejorative that's applied to me mainly to keep me from asking difficult questions of powerful interests."

GOP Sen. Steve Daines of Montana, a chemical engineer, noted that there were several Republican doctors on the committee.

"We believe in science. I’m thankful that you do, too," Daines said.

Republican Sen. Bill Cassidy of Louisiana, a physician who said he had a "frank conversation" with Kennedy about immunizations when they met this month, didn't ask about vaccines during the committee hearing. Instead, he kept his questions about federal healthcare programs, including Medicare.

Meanwhile, GOP Sen. Ron Johnson of Wisconsin took aim at Democrats on the committee for what he claimed was "hostility on the other side. … I'm disappointed with it."

Following Wednesday's hearing, Democrats kept up their criticism.

"I think you saw today that he's not backing down from any of his really crazy, loony conspiracy beliefs," Sen. Chris Murphy of Connecticut told reporters.

And Sen. John Fetterman of Pennsylvania, who is thought to be one of the few Democrats who may support Kennedy's confirmation, said, "I don't think it went well for him."

But GOP Sen. Roger Marshall of Kansas, who sits on the Finance Committee, pointed to Democrats on the panel and said, "I understand their concerns about vaccines. I think Bobby put those concerns to bed."

And Republican Sen. Jim Banks of Indiana told reporters that Kennedy "did great today. I expect him to do great tomorrow."

The latest confirmation hearings for President Donald Trump's Cabinet nominees were packed with fiery exchanges with lawmakers, interruptions from protesters, and tearjerking testimonies that came as the Senate works to fill out the president's administration.

Several candidates under consideration to head key positions in the Trump administration were grilled by lawmakers during their Senate confirmation hearings on Wednesday.

The hearings were off to a fiery start with the Senate Finance Committee's questioning of Robert F. Kennedy Jr., Trump's nominee for secretary of Health and Human Services. The Senate also held confirmation hearings for Howard Lutnick, Trump's longtime friend, who he picked to head the Department of Commerce, and Kelly Loeffler, who is being considered to lead the Small Business Administration (SBA).

During the heated confirmation hearing of Kennedy, Democratic Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, D-R.I., told the Trump nominee that he frightens people, specifically referring to his stance on vaccines. 

"Americans are going to need to hear a clear and trustworthy recantation of what you have said on vaccinations, including a promise from you never to say vaccines aren't medically safe when they, in fact, are, and making indisputably clear that you support mandatory vaccinations against diseases that will keep people safe," Whitehouse said during the hearing. "You're in that hole pretty deep."

Whitehouse then referenced a recent measles outbreak in Rhode Island as he pressed Kennedy on his vaccine stance.

"Frankly, you frighten people," Whitehouse told the Trump nominee. 

However, Kennedy pushed back on the claims that he is anti-vaccine, noting that all his children are vaccinated. 

Kennedy's Senate confirmation hearing was disrupted by several protesters who snuck into the Senate Finance Committee hearing room. 

After Kennedy told lawmakers that he is not against vaccines, one protester stood up and was heard shouting, "You lie."

Howard Lutnick, who was introduced by Vice President JD Vance, shared an emotional story about his brother being tragically killed during the 9/11 terrorist attacks in New York City.

Lutnick's brother, Gary, was tragically killed while working at the World Trade Center on Sept. 11, 2001, along with 657 of the Lutnick brothers' friends at their financial firm, Cantor Fitzgerald, the commerce nominee described during the hearing. 

Lutnick said that he took his son to kindergarten that day, sparing his life. 

"The company was located on the top five floors of the World Trade Center. I still can't say it without being emotional, sorry, but no one in the office survived," he said on Wednesday, appearing to hold back tears.

"I made the decision that I've made enough money in my life," Lutnick said. "I can take care of myself. I can take care of my family. It is now my chance to serve the American people."

Kennedy and Sen. Raphael Warnock, D-Ga., went back and forth after the Democratic senator claimed the Trump nominee previously likened the Center for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) to "Nazi death camps."

"You compared the CDC work to Nazi death camps. You've compared it to sexual abusers in the Catholic Church. You've also said that many of them, as in the direct quote, belong in jail," Warnock said during the hearing on Wednesday. 

Asked if he stands by the statements, Kennedy refuted the claim. 

"I don't believe that I ever compared the CDC to Nazi death camps. I support the CDC. My job is not to dismantle or harm the CDC. My job is to empower the scientists," Kennedy said. "I never said it."

Warnock read a transcript of Kennedy's remarks at a conference making the reference, but the HHS nominee further defended the intent of his statement.

"I was comparing the injury rate of children towards other atrocities," Kennedy said. "I wouldn't compare the CDC to Nazi death camps."

SBA pick Kelly Loeffler got into a heated exchange with a member of the Senate Small Business and Entrepreneurship Committee while defending Trump against Democratic claims that he "acted illegally" twice in the past week.

"The president has already acted illegally twice in the last 5 days. He fired the inspectors general. That was illegal, under the law. He froze all funding on Monday night. That was also against the law," Sen. Ed Markey of Massachusetts claimed during his questioning of Loeffler.

"So it's not as though he won't ask you to do something that is illegal and unconstitutional, he's been doing it all week. And this is the first week," he added.

However, Loeffler immediately came to the defense of Trump and doubled down on her support of the president's recent actions.

"If I could just, for the record, note that these were not illegal actions," Loeffler told the committee. "I support the president's actions. It's in his right to select members of the executive branch, that's what he's doing. And he's certainly in the right to stop wastefully spending as most presidents do when they come in to pause wasteful spending."

Markey began speaking over Loeffler as she defended the president before changing the subject.

Fox News' Emma Woodhead contributed to this report.

A man who served in World War II as an airman recently turned 100 years old — and celebrated in style with two different birthday parties. 

He also said the smartphone has been one of the most significant inventions in his lifetime — plus shared his tips for living a long and healthy life. 

John Fife, who lives in Clevedon, in North Somerset in the U.K., turned 100 on Dec. 26, 2024, news agency SWNS reported.

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He celebrated first with family and friends at a hotel — and second with friends and neighbors in the lounge at Coleridge Court, a McCarthy Stone Retiring Living development, as SWNS noted.

He said, "I feel very fortunate that I still enjoy good health and am able to get out and about."

Born and educated in Edinburgh, Fife said he was called up for national service with the Royal Air Force in 1943. 

He trained as a wireless operator and air gunner in the RAF, SWNS said. 

He then served with Coastal Command Air/Sea Rescue until he was demobilized in 1946.

TO LIVE LONGER, DO THESE 5 THINGS EVERY DAY, SAYS A BRAIN HEALTH EXPERT

After leaving the military, Fife got married and started a career in the civil service with the Post Office Savings Bank in two different locations.

He, his wife and their two sons moved to Glasgow in 1966 where, following the separation of the Savings Bank from the Post Office, he worked on setting up a new headquarters for the Savings Bank, known today in the U.K. as National Savings & Investments, the same source noted.

During this time, he received special recognition for his services.

"In 1970, I was presented to Queen Elizabeth II on her visit to the headquarters of the new Department," Fife said, as SNWS reported.

He retired from the Civil Service in 1984 and moved to Clevedon to be nearer his sons.

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So how does he keep active even today? 

"I start each day with a fixed goal, such as a long walk or going to church, and I love completing jigsaws," he said, as SWNS reported.

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He said he's also "made new friends and started new activities since moving to Coleridge Court in 2022."

When asked for his secrets of living a long life, Fife was quite clear.

"Make a decision to do things and carry them out and do what you can to help the less fortunate," he said.

He said medical advances throughout his years on Earth have been extraordinary — and also named the smartphone as probably the most significant development he's witnessed in his 100 years.

With President Donald Trump back in the White House, many of America’s doctors are welcoming the new administration’s greater focus on health and wellness.

The Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) initiative — led by incoming Secretary of Health and Human Services Robert F. Kennedy Jr. — aims to improve nutrition, eliminate toxins, preserve natural habitats and fight the chronic disease epidemic, according to its website.

Several physicians shared with Fox News Digital what they hope and expect to see on the health front during the next four years.

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As Trump takes back the White House, Dr. Marc Siegel, Fox News senior medical analyst, said he looks forward to a greater focus on mental health.

"The mental health epidemic is worsening, including among our teens," he told Fox News Digital — a problem that he said is worsened by "social media overreach."

"The best approach is connectivity, and a return to a time of community and family priorities," said Siegel, who is also a clinical professor of medicine at NYU Langone Health. "I am hopeful that President Trump will emphasize this."

The doctor is also optimistic that the new administration will focus on pandemic preparedness, based on lessons learned from COVID-19.

In particular, Siegel said he hopes to see increased surveillance, advances in biotechnology and the use of artificial intelligence to track threats.

Personalized medicine will also be a focus in Trump’s White House, Siegel predicted, with an increased use of wearables.

"We could save hundreds of billions of dollars with DOGE (Department of Government Efficiency) and HHS addressing health care rather than sick care," Siegel said. 

"The focus will be on wellness, lifestyle, exercise and diet," he added, along with a "war on ultraprocessed foods."

Dr. Ken Berry, a family physician and diabetes specialist in Tennessee, shared with Fox News Digital that he hopes Trump’s presidency will be a "new golden age for American health."

"For too long, the practice of medicine has been polluted by corporate profits, questionable research, silenced physicians and misleading statements to the public," said Berry, who helps patients overcome obesity, insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes.

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"I hope to see a thoughtful re-evaluation of all existing research, the restoration of an unhindered doctor-patient relationship, the cessation of direct-to-consumer pharmaceutical advertising, and an end to Big Food's misleading health claims," Berry went on.

The doctor also encourages a "vigorous effort" to educate Americans on genuinely healthy food and lifestyle choices, along with a "renewed cultural appreciation for the idea that being healthy and happy is not only achievable, but also aspirational."

Dr. Robert Lufkin, a California physician who is also a medical professor at UCLA and USC, applauded the new administration’s goal to address the rise in chronic diseases, including a focus on lifestyle factors and exposure to chemicals.

"I am excited about this administration's possible health actions in several areas," he shared with Fox News Digital.

In particular, Lufkin said the new administration aims to "prioritize research into environmental triggers such as pesticides, industrial pollutants and food additives."

"They also plan to advocate for transparency in corporate practices and stricter regulation of industries contributing to environmental degradation," he added.

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Lufkin also highlighted MAHA’s goal to improve food safety and nutrition and to reduce exposure to unhealthy substances.

"This could be done by regulating harmful ingredients like artificial sweeteners, high-fructose corn syrup and chemical additives in processed foods," he said.

Lufkin also supports the administration's goal to restrict unhealthy foods for public assistance programs and to encourage local and sustainable farming.

Shifting the health care system’s focus from treatment to prevention is another important part of MAHA's agenda, the doctor noted.

This could involve expanding alternative and holistic therapies and educating the public on the importance of lifestyle changes, including exercise, proper nutrition and stress management, he noted.

"Another goal is to minimize reliance on pharmaceuticals and encourage the use of natural treatments and non-drug interventions for common conditions," Lufkin said.

The doctor also applauded the new administration’s plans to combat corporate influence in health care, and to "examine the pharmaceutical and chemical industries’ values of prioritizing profits over public health."

Dr. Shana Johnson, a physical medicine and rehabilitation physician in Scottsdale, Arizona, said she hopes the Trump administration continues to build on its policy of increasing price transparency for clinics, hospitals, health insurers and pharmaceutical companies. 

"Hidden prices, manipulated many times over, have allowed Americans to be overcharged and exploited for profit, whether it's generic medications being marked up by 1,000% or an emergency room visit for dehydration costing $5,000," she told Fox News Digital. 

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In many cases, she noted, prices are "essentially hidden and manipulated," which means the consumer has no idea of the cost basis or true value of a service.  

"I am seeing more price manipulation to make it look like health insurance is paying for services, when they are actually upcharging the service," she said. 

"For example, if I pay the cash price for a mammogram, it is less expensive than if I use my health insurance," Johnson went on. "This is true for generic drugs as well."

The Trump administration has a "great opportunity" to address the growing mental health crisis in America, according to Jonathan Alpert, a psychotherapist in Manhattan and Washington, D.C.

"I truly believe the Trump administration has an opportunity and responsibility to address mental health in a way that helps people build resilience, not just catering to political or cultural trends," he told Fox News Digital.

One of Alpert’s big concerns, he shared, is that the "woke" culture may be inadvertently contributing to a mental health crisis. 

"While it’s important to validate emotions and acknowledge systemic challenges, there’s a growing trend of overpathologizing normal human struggles and promoting victimhood as an identity," Alpert said. 

Rather than "overemphasizing individual traumas or identity-based grievances," Alpert calls for a focus on accountability and personal growth.

"We need policies that foster self-reliance and mental toughness while still offering support for those who genuinely struggle," he said.

In Trump’s administration, Alpert said he hopes to see a commitment to mental health initiatives that foster both support and personal responsibility. 

"This includes improving access to therapy, but also addressing how social media, divisive rhetoric and identity politics are affecting young people’s sense of self-worth and mental health," he said. 

"There’s a real danger in allowing cultural narratives to dictate how we approach mental health, turning it into a political battleground instead of a space for growth."

"Not every challenge is trauma, not every disagreement is harmful and not every failure stems from systemic oppression," Alpert went on. 

Rather than encouraging victimhood, therapy should help people take ownership of their lives, develop resilience and thrive despite adversity, according to the psychotherapist.

As Donald Trump assumes the presidency, the U.S. looks to his administration with hopes for "substantial improvements in public health," according to Dr. Brett Osborn, a Florida neurosurgeon and longevity expert.

"A key expectation is a commitment to reforming health care policy to make it more accessible and affordable," he told Fox News Digital.                        

"This could involve fostering competition in the health care market (thereby driving insurance premiums down), enhancing price transparency at the hospital level, and expanding coverage options to ensure that families across all income levels receive adequate care."

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Osborn also hopes that the administration will tackle obesity by incentivizing healthier food options, more explicit nutritional labeling, and support for physical activity initiatives at schools.

"Furthermore, addressing food supplies in underserved areas could promote better access to fresh, nutrient-rich foods, reducing diet-related illnesses such as diabetes and heart disease," he added.  

Another expectation is an emphasis on preventive instead of reactive care, according to Osborn.

"Encouraging regular health screenings to identify risk factors for disease and supporting wellness education campaigns could significantly reduce the burden of preventable diseases," he said.

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Ultimately, Osborn went on, the new administration has the potential to prioritize health — "not just as a matter of policy, but as a cornerstone of national prosperity." 

"Without health on an individual and national scale, the nation will continue to falter," the doctor said. 

"However, as President Trump said during his inauguration speech, ‘From this moment on, America’s decline is over.’"

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has officially banned red dye — called Red 3, or Erythrosine — from foods, dietary supplements and ingested medicines, as reported by the Associated Press on Wednesday.

Food manufacturers must remove the dye from their products by will have January 2027, while drug manufacturers will have until January 2028 to do so, AP stated. 

Any foods imported into the U.S. from other countries will also be subject to the new regulation.

RED FOOD DYE COULD SOON BE BANNED AS FDA REVIEWS PETITION

"The FDA is taking action that will remove the authorization for the use of FD&C Red No. 3 in food and ingested drugs," said Jim Jones, the FDA’s deputy commissioner for human foods, in a statement. 

"Evidence shows cancer in laboratory male rats exposed to high levels of FD&C Red No.3," he continued. "Importantly, the way that FD&C Red No. 3 causes cancer in male rats does not occur in humans."

The synthetic dye, which is made from petroleum, is used as a color additive in food and ingested drugs to give them a "bright cherry-red color," according to an online statement from the FDA.

The petition to ban the dye cited the Delaney Clause, which states that the agency cannot classify a color additive as safe if it has been found to induce cancer in humans or animals.

The dye was removed from cosmetics nearly 35 years ago due to potential cancer risk.

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"This is a welcome, but long overdue, action from the FDA: removing the unsustainable double standard in which Red 3 was banned from lipstick but permitted in candy," said Dr. Peter Lurie, director of the group Center for Science in the Public Interest, which led the petition effort, as reported by AP.

Nearly 3,000 foods are shown to contain Red No. 3, according to Food Scores, a database of foods compiled by the Environmental Working Group.

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The petition to remove Red No. 3 from foods, supplements and medications was presented by the Center for Science in the Public Interest and 23 other organizations and scientists.

A married couple who have long enjoyed the game of Scrabble both together and separately before they even met are never at a loss for words — and attribute their wedded bliss in part to their love of the nostalgic game.

They're still playing in tournaments built around the game decades after they began doing so.

Graham Harding and his wife Helen Harding, both in their 60s, have been married for over 20 years.

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They met in the 1990s at Scrabble tournaments, as news agency SWNS reported.

But it was a "special match" in 2000 that brought the couple together — and has kept them together now.

Graham Harding is from the East Berkshire Scrabble Club, while his wife Helen is from the Leicester Scrabble Club in the U.K.

They have been taking part in the UK Open Scrabble Championship in Reading this week.

"Scrabble is all about having a good vocabulary," said Graham Harding, SWNS noted.

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"But it is a Scrabble vocabulary — not necessarily everyday English."

Added Helen Harding, "The more words you know, the more ammunition you've got."

The couple said they were "vague acquaintances" for about five years after they first met.

Then they got together after a special match in Swindon.

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They maintained a long-distance relationship before they got married in 2004.

The couple even brought their Scrabble board to their wedding. 

It featured a message with Scrabble pieces that said, "Congratulations on your wedding day" — while their wedding cake said, in Scrabble letters, "Helen and Graham."

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They each took up the hobby early in life well before they met each other. 

The tournament that's been taking place this week is the first since the COVID pandemic after a five-year break — and the couple has played some two dozen games in it as of Friday, SWNS reported. 

Millions of new cases of diabetes and heart disease every year are caused by sugary drinks, according to newly published research.

Tufts University in Boston led the study, which found that about 2.2 million new diagnoses of type 2 diabetes and 1.2 million new cases of cardiovascular disease were attributed to sugar-sweetened sodas and juices each year, according to a press release.

The findings were published in the journal Nature Medicine this week. 

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The highest rates were found in Colombia, where 48% of new diabetes cases were linked to sugary drinks, and in Mexico, where nearly a third of cases were attributed to them.

Meanwhile, in Latin America, more than 24% of new diabetes cases were linked to sugary beverages, and 21% in sub-Saharan Africa, the study found.

In South Africa, 27.6% of new diabetes cases and 14.6% of cardiovascular disease cases were attributed to sugary drinks.

Sugary drinks cause blood sugar to spike because they are "rapidly digested," the research team said. 

When consumed on a long-term basis, these types of beverages, in addition to increasing the risk of type 2 diabetes and heart disease, can also lead to weight gain and insulin resistance, the researchers added.

Professor Dariush Mozaffarian, the study's senior author, said in a university press release, "Sugar-sweetened beverages are heavily marketed and sold in low- and middle-income nations." 

He added, "Not only are these communities consuming harmful products, but they are also often less well-equipped to deal with the long-term health consequences." 

FRIENDS, FAMILY MAY PROTECT AGAINST HEART ATTACK, STROKE AND TYPE 2 DIABETES, STUDY SUGGESTS

Certain groups are more likely to experience negative health effects from sugary drinks, including men and younger adults, the researchers noted, as news agency SWNS also noted.

New Jersey-based registered dietitian Erin Palinski-Wade, who was not involved in the research, said the findings were to be expected, as diets rich in added sugars are more likely to increase the risk of chronic health conditions, including type 2 diabetes.

"Sugar-sweetened beverages are a major cause of added sugar in the diet and easy to overconsume, as they provide little fullness," she told Fox News Digital.

"The high calorie content and lack of satisfaction due to little protein, fat or fiber in these drinks can lead to excess calorie consumption, which can lead to weight gain — especially gains in visceral fat (belly fat), which has been found to increase the risk of type 2 diabetes," she went on.

Palinski-Wade pointed out that there were some limitations to the new research.

"This was an observational study, not a causation study, and shows only an association between diets containing sugar-sweetened beverages and diabetes," she noted. 

"It does not prove that those drinks alone trigger an onset of type 2 diabetes."

To remedy the issue, the study authors called for a "multi-pronged approach," including public health campaigns, regulations on advertising and taxes on sugar-sweetened beverages, the release stated.  

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"We need urgent, evidence-based interventions to curb consumption of sugar-sweetened beverages globally, before even more lives are shortened by their effects on diabetes and heart disease," first author Laura Lara-Castor, now at the University of Washington, said in the release.

Mexico implemented a sugary drinks tax in 2014, which has shown to be effective in reducing consumption, the researchers stated.

"Much more needs to be done, especially in countries in Latin America and Africa, where consumption is high and the health consequences severe," wrote Mozaffarian. 

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"As a species, we need to address sugar-sweetened beverage consumption."

Many different factors are involved in insulin resistance and type 2 diabetes, Palinski-Wade noted.

"However, reducing your intake of sugar-sweetened beverages can go a long way toward improving overall blood sugar regulation and future health."

The new research was supported by the Gates Foundation, the American Heart Association and Mexico’s National Council for Science and Technology. 

Fox News Digital reached out to the researchers for further comment.

Imagine a world where clean drinking water is readily available even in the most remote areas.

This vision is becoming a reality thanks to innovative research from scientists in Canada. 

A team of scientists at Dalhousie University in Halifax, Nova Scotia, has developed a groundbreaking device that could revolutionize water desalination, offering hope to millions facing water scarcity worldwide.

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At the heart of this innovation is a floating solar still, a device that harnesses the sun's energy to purify seawater. 

Dr. Mita Dasog, an associate professor of chemistry and Killam Memorial chair at Dalhousie, explains the science behind it: "Refractory plasmonic nanomaterials are very good at capturing light and converting that light into heat."

This principle forms the foundation of their ingenious design. The solar still, conceptualized by Dr. Matthew Margeson during his Ph.D. studies, addresses challenges that have long plagued similar devices. It minimizes thermal losses, prevents salt buildup and can withstand harsh maritime conditions.

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The floating solar still operates through an elegantly simple yet highly effective process. First, ocean water is drawn up to the device's foam surface through a wicking system. Once the water reaches the surface, it is evaporated by solar-heated plasmonic materials. As the water vapor rises, the salt is left behind, ensuring that only purified water is collected. The vapor then recondenses on a clear plastic dome situated above the device. Finally, the purified water is funneled down the sides of the dome and collected in a sealed bag for easy access.

The results of this process are impressive. In real-world tests conducted in Halifax Harbour, the device produced up to 0.97 gallons of clean water daily, which was a record-breaking yield for passive floating solar stills.

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What sets this device apart is its use of unconventional materials. Instead of relying on expensive precious metals, the team turned to an unlikely source: used tires. Through a process called pyrolysis, carbon waste from tires is transformed into a crucial component of the desalination unit.

Dr. Dasog emphasizes the importance of accessibility: "We shouldn't be making an expensive or very complicated device. It has to be easy to manufacture, last for a long time and be easy to take apart and move." This approach not only makes the technology more affordable but also addresses the environmental issue of tire waste.

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The device's capabilities extend beyond water purification. It can simultaneously desalinate, disinfect and decontaminate water at a remarkably low cost: less than one cent per liter. It can also generate a small amount of thermoelectricity, potentially powering onboard water quality sensors.

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The team's next step is to conduct further testing in South Asia, with the ultimate goal of making the device available worldwide. Dasog, nominated for the Emerging Leader award at the Water Canada Summit, envisions the device as a lifeline for communities displaced by war or climate change.

As we tackle the growing challenges of water security, innovations like the plasmonic solar still shine a light of hope. By blending cutting-edge science with sustainable materials, the researchers at Dalhousie University are doing more than just purifying water; they’re paving the way for a future that is both equitable and resourceful. This device not only makes clean drinking water accessible but also highlights how we can use renewable energy sources to address pressing global issues.

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Breakfast may be the most important meal of the day for a few reasons – and feeding your brain is one of them.

In a video posted to X on Sunday, Fox News medical contributor Dr. Nicole Saphier asked her neurosurgeon husband, Dr. Paul Saphier, M.D., what he was having for breakfast.

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Saphier, founder of Coaxial Neurosurgical Specialists in New Jersey, responded that he was having a "heart- and brain-healthy breakfast."

This included a variety of ingredients that could make up a yogurt parfait.

The meal started out with some 0% fat Greek yogurt, which provides "great lean proteins," as well as probiotic health benefits, the doctor said.

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Saphier added some high-antioxidant blueberries – great for both cardiovascular health and brain health – as well as some honey.

"Immunologically, [honey] is good for you," he said. "A lot of antioxidants there as well. Helps decrease a lot of other issues related to the brain."

The neurosurgeon also included granola in his breakfast, which mixed in chia seeds, flax seeds and nuts for "lean, healthy oils" like omega-3 fatty acids.

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"A lot of Mediterranean diet-type nuts in there," he said, tapping the granola bag.

Saphier topped off the meal with an immune-boosting supplement to help ward off sickness in the cold and flu months.

The doctor ended the video by encouraging others to "try to eat healthy, stay healthy and ring in 2025 with a great start."

Made a New Year's resolution to get fit and healthy again?

One gym owner says good luck with that — because there's no place for new joiners in the month of January at his venue.

Gym owner Clayton Leah, 31, has been turning away potential new members at his gym, Ascendancy Fitness, even though this is the busiest time of year, he told Fox News Digital in a phone interview on Saturday, Jan. 4. "We stopped sign-ups on New Year's Eve," he said.

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He has a specific reason for his unusual stance, he said.

The purpose is to protect existing gym members and long-time fitness practitioners from an influx of new joiners, he told Fox News Digital.

Often, he said, the eager January newcomers wind up dropping away as their intentions to maintain a New Year's resolution wear off. 

Leah said in part that he did not want "to annoy all of our existing members who have been with us for so long."

He added of his gym's news, "I would hate to focus more on the negative than the positive. The response has been overwhelmingly positive," he told Fox News Digital on Saturday.

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"The majority of people appreciate the fact that we've done this and see why we've done it," he also said. "We've always prioritized our membership experience — it's so important to us."

For those who are criticizing his gym for a "not smart" business move, it's actually "been the opposite," he said. 

"The first priority is our members, and they are highly appreciative of what we're doing," he said. 

"Naturally, we have some inquiries about joining. And I've said this before, but as soon as you take something away from people, then people want it more. But that's not why we've done this." 

"We wanted to try and break the mold," he also told news agency SWNS.

He said he's trying to "take an unconventional approach and protect our existing members – that is the most important thing for us."

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The gym is located in Warrington, Cheshire, in England, roughly halfway between Liverpool and Manchester.

His gym has about 650 current members. It also gives one-time day passes for those who want to work out there. 

Leah said he hopes his gym's decision would encourage people to join the gym throughout the year — rather than just in January, when people are drawn to the venue because of ambitious New Year's resolutions. 

He said the fitness industry "is an amazing industry" and "we're trying to help people with whatever fitness and health goals they have."

The gym owner said the only negative reaction to the blocked memberships had been from those hoping to join. 

He said, "The only negative response people have is a case of ‘I was going to join, but now I can’t.'"

He added, "For those people, I say, ‘Well, you should have joined sooner,'" he told SWNS.

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This is not the first case of gyms or fitness clubs banning new members in January.

Equinox, a luxury fitness club, banned new members on Jan. 1, 2023, as Fox News Digital previously reported. 

It was part of a "We Don't Speak January" campaign to discourage short-term New Year's resolutions and encourage long-term commitment. 

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Certified personal trainer and strength coach Melissa Kendter of Pennsylvania said every trainer’s "main passion" should be guiding others toward leading a healthier lifestyle and building long-term success with sustainable habits, as Fox News Digital also previously reported.

Leah of Ascendancy Fitness said his gym is likely to reopen to new memberships in February, although the gym doesn't have a specific date confirmed as yet.

"Obviously our plan was to avoid the January influx," he told Fox News Digital. 

Angelica Stabile of Fox News Digital contributed reporting. 

New research is emphasizing that socializing with friends and family may help protect people against heart attack, stroke, type 2 diabetes and other conditions and illnesses.

The study suggests that social interactions may keep people healthy because these interactions boost the immune system and reduce the risk of disease.

Cambridge University researchers, along with colleagues in China, came to these conclusions after studying protein in blood samples taken from over 42,000 adults recruited to the U.K. Biobank, news agency SWNS reported. 

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The study team said social relationships play a key role in well-being. 

Professor Barbara Sahakian of the Department of Psychiatry at the University of Cambridge said, "These findings drive home the importance of social contact in keeping us well. More and more people of all ages are reporting feeling lonely," as SWNS noted.

"That’s why the World Health Organization has described social isolation and loneliness as a global public health concern … We need to find ways to tackle this growing problem and keep people connected to help them stay healthy."

Evidence increasingly shows that both social isolation and loneliness are linked to poorer health and an early death, the same source reported. But the underlying mechanisms through which social relationships impact health apparently have remained elusive until now, the news agency also said.

U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Vivek Murthy previously warned against the health risks of loneliness, as Fox News Digital reported earlier. 

"Loneliness is a common feeling that many people experience," he said when issuing an advisory nearly two years ago on the topic, per The Associated Press. "It's like hunger or thirst. It's a feeling the body sends us when something we need for survival is missing."

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"Millions of people in America are struggling in the shadows, and that's not right," he also said at the time. "That's why I issued this advisory to pull back the curtain on a struggle that too many people are experiencing."

The researchers connected to the new study said that one way to explore biological mechanisms is to look at proteins circulating in the blood, SWNS noted. Proteins, which are molecules produced by genes, are essential for helping the human body function properly.

They can also serve as useful drug targets, allowing scientists to develop new treatments to tackle diseases. 

The Cambridge team and scientists at Fudan University, China, examined the "proteomes," or the suite of proteins, in blood samples donated by more than 42,000 British adults aged 40 to 69. 

That allowed them to see which proteins were present at higher levels among people who were socially isolated or lonely — and how these proteins were connected to poorer health, SWNS said.

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The team calculated social isolation and loneliness scores for individuals in the study, which was published in Nature Human Behaviour, a monthly peer-reviewed journal. 

Social isolation is an objective measure based on, for example, whether people live alone, how frequently they have contact with others and whether they take part in social activities, the team said. 

Loneliness, by contrast, is a subjective measure based on whether an individual feels lonely.

When the researchers analyzed the proteomes and adjusted for factors including age, sex and socio-economic background, they found 175 proteins associated with social isolation and 26 proteins associated with loneliness. 

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Many of the proteins are produced in response to inflammation, viral infection and as part of immune responses, the team said — and they also showed links to cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, stroke and early death.

The researchers then used a statistical technique to explore the causal relationship between social isolation and loneliness, on the one hand, and proteins on the other.

With that approach, they identified five proteins that were found in abundance during periods of loneliness.

"We know that social isolation and loneliness are linked to poorer health, but we’ve never understood why," said Dr. Chun Shen of the department of clinical neurosciences at the University of Cambridge and the Institute of Science and Technology for Brain-Inspired Intelligence, Fudan University.

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"Our work has highlighted a number of proteins that appear to play a key role in this relationship, with levels of some proteins in particular increasing as a direct consequence of loneliness," he said, as SWNS reported.

Professor Jianfeng Feng of the University of Warwick said, "There are more than 100,000 proteins and many of their variants in the human body … AI and high-throughput proteomics can help us pinpoint some key proteins in prevention, diagnosis, treatment and prognosis for many human diseases and revolutionize the traditional view of human health."

He also said, "The proteins we’ve identified give us clues to the biology underpinning poor health among people who are socially isolated or lonely, highlighting why social relationships play such an important part in keeping us healthy."

One of the proteins produced at higher levels as a result of loneliness was ADM.

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Previous studies have shown that ADM plays a role in responding to stress and in regulating stress hormones and social hormones, such as oxytocin — known as the "love hormone" — which can reduce stress and improve mood.

The team found a "strong" association between ADM and the volume of the insula, a brain hub for interoception, the ability to sense what's happening inside the body.

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The greater the ADM levels, the smaller the volume of the region. 

Higher ADM levels were also linked to lower volume of the left caudate — a region involved in emotional, reward and social processes. Higher levels of ADM were also linked to an increased risk of dying young.

The researchers said another of the proteins, ASGR1, is associated with higher cholesterol and an increased risk of cardiovascular disease — while other identified proteins play roles in the development of insulin resistance, "furring" of the arteries and cancer progression.

Melissa Rudy of Fox News Digital contributed reporting.