Health Rewind: Flu Season Off to Slow Start

Plus, Sierra Leonean doc treated for Ebola in Omaha dies.

Polar Vortex Brings in “Pollen Vortex” This Allergy Season - Health experts are predicting that the extreme winter we experienced this year is going to make allergy season one of the worst ever. Why? Because the winter pushed back pollen season and now all of the plants are dumping pollen right now instead of in phases, Mother Jones writes. Are you ready for the Pollen Vortex?(Photo: Fuse/Getty Images)

1 / 10

This Year’s Flu Season Not as Bad as Last Year - The good news: So far, flu season is not as bas as it was last year this time, says the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. But before we get hyped: Flu season doesn’t really peak until January/February. In the meantime, get your flu shot now, Health Day suggests. —Kellee Terrell(Photo: Fuse/Getty Images)

171625732

2 / 10

How Race and Income Affect Your Dental Health - Good oral hygiene is determined by race and money, says a new study. Researchers found that both play a factor in how many teeth you have, with low-income adults having lost eight more teeth than their richer counterparts. Lack of access to dental care and diets higher in sugary and fatty foods are to blame for these disparities, Medical Daily points out.(Photo: Tetra Images/Getty Images)

The Ten Healthiest Restaurant Chains in the US - Do you like eating out, but don’t want to gain weight? The organization Grellin has created a new list of the healthiest spots to dine in. Looking at the percentages of healthy food on its menu, the list includes Au Bon Pain and Rubio's (57); Subway (54); Cosi (47) and Panda Express (37), the Huffington Post reported.(Photo: Tim Boyle/Getty Images)

3 / 10

The Ten Healthiest Restaurant Chains in the US - Do you like eating out, but don’t want to gain weight? The organization Grellin has created a new list of the healthiest spots to dine in. Looking at the percentages of healthy food on its menu, the list includes Au Bon Pain and Rubio's (57); Subway (54); Cosi (47) and Panda Express (37), the Huffington Post reported.(Photo: Tim Boyle/Getty Images)

Ebola - Congress approved $5.4 billion of the $6.2 billion that Obama requested to fight the deadly disease at home and abroad. Of that amount, $2.7 billion would go to the Health and Human Services department and $2.5 billion to help African nations fight the disease. (Photo: John Moore/Getty Images)

4 / 10

Gates Foundation Pledges $5.7 Million to Ebola Research - Billionaire and Microsoft founder Bill Gates and his wife, Melinda, announced that they will donate $5.7 million for Ebola research in West Africa. The money will be used to seeing if using blood transfusions donated from past Ebola suffers can help cure those currently with the disease, USA Today reported. (Photo: John Moore/Getty Images)

Measles Outbreak Out of Control - Once believe to be an issue of the past,  measles came back with a vengeance due to a decline in children and adults being vaccinated. According the Centers of Disease Control and Prevention, as of November 29, 610 cases have been reported across the country, making these numbers the worst we've seen in 20 years.  (Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

5 / 10

Millions of Low-Income Kids Skipping Out on Their Check Ups - A recent report found that only 63 percent of Medicaid kids are getting their free preventive care check-ups. Yes, thanks to Obamacare and Medicaid expansion, this number is up from 56 percent in 2006, but more needs to be done researchers claim to reach the 80 percent goal, the Atlantic writes.  (Photo: Joe Raedle/Getty Images)

ADVERTISEMENT
Train - The National Breast Cancer Coalition runs online advocacy training for folks who want to learn how to work the system to prevent and cure breast cancer. (Photo: Matt Dutile/Corbis)

6 / 10

Are You Enrolling in Obamacare This Year? - Did you miss out on getting health insurance last year? Don’t fret: The Health Insurance Marketplace has reopened! Think Progress points out that signing up this year is easier: the computer system works better; there are more plans to choose from than before; and premiums haven’t skyrocketed.(Photo: Matt Dutile/Corbis)

Photo By Photo: Matt Dutile/Corbis

Dr. Martin Salia Dies - A surgeon who was diagnosed with Ebola while working in Sierra Leone and flown to the U.S. for specialized treatment has died, officials reported on Nov. 17. According to USA Today, Dr. Martin Salia, a permanent U.S. resident, died about 36 hours after arriving at the Nebraska Medical Center’s Bicontainment Unit. "Dr. Salia dedicated his life to saving others,” President Obama said in a statement. "He viewed this vocation as his calling.”(Photo: AP Photo/United Methodist News Service, Mike DuBose, File) 

7 / 10

Dr. Martin Salia Dies From Ebola - A doctor from Sierra Leone who became infected with Ebola died Monday morning at a specialized hospital in Nebraska, Health Day reported. Dr. Martin Salia was suffering from advanced stages of Ebola after being flown into Omaha from Sierra Leone for treatment, which included experimental medications. Salia was 44 and left behind a wife and daughter.(Photo: AP Photo/United Methodist News Service, Mike DuBose, File) 

122718156

8 / 10

Teen Dating Cyber Abuse Is Common Among Girls of Color - Researchers from the University of Pittsburgh found that 40 percent of the teens surveyed said they had been a victim of cyber abuse in the past three months. Those at risk: Girls of color, bisexual girls and those dating more than one person, CBS.com writes. The most common form of abuse was stalking and making mean comments.(Photo: Gary S Chapman/Getty Images)

Photo By Gary S Chapman/Getty Images

Are Fast Foods Really Getting Healthier? - While fast food joints claim to be more health conscious, a recent report says that isn’t true. Researchers looked at the most popular fast food items and found that the salt and fat levels have stayed the same since 1996. However, trans fat levels in French fries did go down and portion sizes have not gone up, writes Health Day.  (Photo: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

9 / 10

 Say What?! Trans Fats Can Erase My Memory? - Trans fats — found in fast foods, margarine and other foods — can affect your memory, says a new study. Middle-aged men with diets high in trans fats remembered on average 11 words less than men with healthier diets. Trans fats are believed to disrupt cellular functions, but more research needs to be done, says USA Today. (Photo: Jeff J Mitchell/Getty Images)

March Is National Kidney Month - Did you know that this month is National Kidney Month? Read more about what these organs do for your body, how to protect them and how kidney disease impacts African-Americans. —Kellee Terrell Photo: De Agostini Picture Library/De Agostini/Getty Images)

10 / 10

Sickle Cell Trait Linked to Kidney Disease - Blacks who carry the sickle cell gene are twice as likely to have kidney disease than those who don’t have the gene, a recent study found. While having full-blown sickle cell is rare, 1 in 10 Blacks carry the gene and researchers hope that these findings will encourage doctors to detect kidney disease among Blacks earlier, Medical Express reported.  (Photo: De Agostini Picture Library/De Agostini/Getty Images)