L.A. Times - Health

Walk around Los Angeles with your cat? We want to hear from you

Emily Tarinelli — Wed, 5 Aug 2026 16:46:57 GMT

It can feel as if you can't walk on a Los Angeles sidewalk or trail without running into a dog. But we want to hear from the intrepid folks walking their cats around the city.

Arellano: What gets me so angry about California's proposed billionaire tax

Gustavo Arellano — Wed, 5 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT

What Prop. 40 supporters don't get is that you can only smack a goose so much to give more until it bites back, which is what California billionaires are increasingly doing by throwing their cash around to defeat any political candidate exuding a whiff of progressivism.

Is Los Angeles the world's best biking city? He's biked 5,840-plus miles in one year to find out

Oren Peleg — Tue, 4 Aug 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Marc Papas is challenging the idea that Los Angeles belongs only to cars. He's taking on a multi-year, 7,500-mile biking trek across every single block in Los Angeles.

This common 'heat wave mistake' could harm your health as temperatures soar over 95 degrees this weekend

Deborah Vankin — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 23:57:16 GMT

The CDC warns that electric fans can actually raise your body temperature in extreme heat. Learn the safe temperature limits and expert-backed ways to beat the heat.

Stretch your body, not your wallet: 5 free yoga and Pilates events in August

Deborah Vankin, Dante Estrada — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 19:20:13 GMT

Try goat yoga in Grand Park, a relaxing sound bath or candlelit yoga sessions across L.A. this August — all for free.

Taco Bell was crushing it — then cyclosporiasis hit

Caroline Petrow-Cohen — Fri, 31 Jul 2026 16:21:02 GMT

Despite outperforming other fast food chains and posting impressive same-store sales, the Mexican-inspired chain Taco Bell has taken a hit after being linked to Cyclospora.

I tried Silver Lake's trendy $35 workout — and ended up sweating next to my favorite pop star

Deborah Vankin — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Inside Body Dada, the Silver Lake barre studio where low-impact workouts meet avant-garde art ethos, killer playlists and the occasional celeb sighting.

'The child is terrified': Doctors on the front lines of a measles comeback speak out

Amy Maxmen — Tue, 28 Jul 2026 01:03:31 GMT

It looks to be the start of a bad era, not merely a bad year for measles. Confirmed measles cases just hit a 35-year high.

Troubled former NFL linebacker Daniel Adongo deported to Kenya by ICE

Steve Henson — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 15:37:43 GMT

Daniel Adongo, the first Kenyan to play in the NFL, overstayed his visa after his brief career with the Indianapolis Colts. ICE deported him in June.

What's the deal with ... people smearing beef tallow on their faces?

Jenna Belhumeur — Mon, 27 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

I put animal-fat skincare to the test for two weeks to see if it's actually beneficial. Here's what happened to my skin, along with what dermatologists and cosmetic chemists say about the science behind the trend.

Neurodivergent kids face special mental health risks. New initiative seeks ways to protect them

Corinne Purtill — Fri, 24 Jul 2026 18:11:55 GMT

Jake Collective and the American Foundation for Suicide Prevention are launching a $5 million, five-year initiative

Measles surges dramatically in California among children and young adults

Rong-Gong Lin II — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention said 93% of confirmed measles cases are associated with outbreaks. There have been 34 new outbreaks reported so far this year.

New drug could help people stricken with valley fever

Susanne Rust — Thu, 23 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

A new drug could help people stricken with the most severe forms of valley fever. A small trial showed positive results, with fewer of the side effects affecting other treatments.

L.A.'s best new Korean spa is like Wi Spa but with free parking and less crowding (for now)

Deborah Vankin — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Spa Hyu might just be the next Wi Spa — minus the overwhelming crowds and shoulder-to-shoulder lounging. From a 1,200-pot plant wall to authentic Korean treatments, this affordable sanctuary is worth the drive.

These L.A. moms are returning to sports for their kids — and themselves

Lynda Lin Grigsby — Mon, 20 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

For mothers who left sports behind, getting back in the game takes more than motivation. A new mommy-and-me tennis class and childcare grant are making their dreams possible again.

Bass administration quietly replaced chief heat officer a month ago

Noah Haggerty — Thu, 16 Jul 2026 21:05:13 GMT

After L.A. City Council rejected Mayor Bass' proposal to eliminate the city's climate emergency office, her administration quietly replaced its inaugural director with a senior Bass advisor.

Why public health officials are 'cautiously optimistic' about Trump's CDC pick

Corinne Purtill — Wed, 15 Jul 2026 21:01:15 GMT

Dr. Erica Schwartz has the skills for the job running the CDC, doctors say. They just hope she'll be allowed to do it.

After her son's death, she found a new purpose. 'He's whispering: Mom, this is your path'

Lisa Boone — Thu, 9 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

After suffering the loss of her child, journalist Esme Saleh leaned into her creative side, painting folk art-inspired taper candles as a way to move forward.

What's the deal with ... coffee enemas?

Shelby Hartman — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Are coffee enemas actually good for you? We look into the buzz and examine the science, risks and benefits behind the controversial gut-health trend.

Contributor: The crucial medical question that AI can't ever answer

James N. Weinstein and Ogan Gurel — Wed, 8 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

AI can be very knowledgeable. Doctors can have excellent judgment. But ultimately the patient's own priorities often determine which treatment approach is best.

Environmental justice group sues California over carbon market overhaul

Hayley Smith — Tue, 7 Jul 2026 21:56:16 GMT

The lawsuit claims that California's air regulator rushed changes to its signature cap-and-invest program without proper environmental review.

Fans slam FIFA's cooling breaks. Why the U.S. World Cup team doctor disagrees

Corinne Purtill — Tue, 7 Jul 2026 21:22:03 GMT

This year's World Cup, hosted across the U.S., Canada and Mexico, is the hottest played since the tournament began in 1930. If venues are air conditioned, are FIFA's hydration breaks necessary?

Contributor: Alcohol should be marginalized like smoking

Emma Fenske — Thu, 2 Jul 2026 19:28:00 GMT

Drinking causes 1 in every 20 deaths worldwide. Perversely, because its harms are so widespread and longstanding and well known, many people accept them.

Boyle Heights blaze choked parts of L.A. with astronomical soot pollution

Tony Briscoe, Hayley Smith — Thu, 2 Jul 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The warehouse fire exposed residents to smoke and soot that was worse than the 2025 Los Angeles County fires.

At Mindful Archery, L.A. women take aim at their exes, toxic jobs and Donald Trump

Deborah Vankin — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 17:51:36 GMT

At Angie Fadel's Mindful Archery workshops in Los Angeles, women and nonbinary attendees use bow and arrow instruction, somatic breathwork and nature therapy to release stress and find inner strength.

Contributor: Mental health care isn't ready for psychedelic side effects

Laura Zam — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 10:01:00 GMT

Accelerated FDA approval will invite recklessness. But don't block these important medications. Take steps to prepare.

After bold pledge, EPA shelves microplastics testing in U.S. drinking water

Susanne Rust — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

In April, EPA Chief Lee Zeldin and Robert F. Kennedy Jr. held a news conference declaring their dedication to studying microplastics, in the human body and in drinking water. But a new EPA drinking water testing rule leaves them out.

ER visits spiked during toxic Boyle Heights warehouse fire

Hayley Smith — Tue, 30 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The weeklong Lineage warehouse fire coincided with a surge in hospital visits from Angelenos concerned about throat pain and breathing problems, The Times has learned.

They started playing L.A. Municipal softball 50 years ago. They're still at it

Christopher Buchanan — Fri, 26 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

As the original Doc Feeney's All Stars roster crosses into their 70s, a new generation is stepping up to the plate to keep a half-century of brotherhood — and the memory of a fallen teammate — alive.

As Trump pulls funding for HIV healthcare, Latino and queer communities suffer

Katerina Portela — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 21:52:24 GMT

In his 2019 State of the Union address, President Trump promised to "defeat HIV in America." But L.A. nonprofits say his recent budget cuts have led to a rise in HIV spread among Latinos and little funding for lifesaving tests and medicine in L.A. County.

Health concerns mount as Boyle Heights warehouse fire stretches into a week

Tony Briscoe, Kori McNair, Mack Baysinger — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Toxic air has covered the San Gabriel Valley and beyond at times, as the fire continues to burn and the wind shifts the pall in different directions.

What's the deal with ... microdosing Ozempic?

Shelby Hartman — Tue, 23 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Can a smaller dose of GLP-1s cut side effects and costs? Experts weigh in on the rising trend of microdosing Ozempic and Wegovy.

Dads are swapping kid chaos for golf at this L.A. wellness club

Maddie Connors — Tue, 16 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Led by a wellness coach, Dad's Link Golf Club blends community, fatherhood and fellowship to help dads focus on mental health.

Pilates on a floating mat? This beachfront pool workout in L.A. will challenge your core

Deborah Vankin — Mon, 15 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Part yoga, part Pilates and entirely unstable: Inside the high-intensity, low-impact pool workout making waves at the Annenberg Community Beach House.

Yoko Ono's popular 'Wish Trees' at the Broad offers hope to Angelenos in unsettling times

Deborah Vankin — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Angelenos are flocking to the Broad to tie their personal hopes to Yoko Ono's 'Wish Trees for Los Angeles' — creating a powerful, moving snapshot of the city's collective mood.

Why new dads shouldn't panic about low testosterone

Keith Wagstaff — Wed, 10 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

While a plummeting hormone level can trigger depression and irritability, experts say a modest decline can make men more invested, less stressed co-parents.

Bacteria found in Target baby wipes could be life-threatening to infants; recall underway

Seamus Bozeman — Mon, 8 Jun 2026 21:35:43 GMT

The discovery of bacteria in baby wipes sold at Target stores has prompted a nationwide recall, the FDA announced.

One label, many risks: how grouping Asian Americans hides deadly cancer patterns

Meg Tanaka — Sat, 6 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

A nationwide effort that includes many California researchers seeks to find out why some Asian American communities have high rates of certain cancers.

Emergency room visits during heat waves available to the public in 'near-real time' in L.A. County

Blanca Begert — Thu, 4 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

A new dashboard makes public for the first time heat-related deaths and emergency room visits in near-real time.

Nearly 400,000 Californians cancel health coverage after losing federal aid

Melody Petersen — Tue, 2 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Facing higher premiums and the loss of federal subsidies, 374,000 Californians canceled their health insurance coverage in the first three months of the year.

'People are getting hurt': OpenAI sued by Florida over alleged safety risks

Queenie Wong — Tue, 2 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

The lawsuit alleges the San Francisco company prioritized speed and commercial gain over safety concerns, including the use of AI for self-harm and violence.

Want to feel more loved? You're probably going about it the wrong way

Todd Martens — Mon, 1 Jun 2026 10:00:00 GMT

In "How to Feel Loved," Sonja Lyubomirsky and Harry Reis reveal the differences between being in love and truly feeling love. The latter, they argue, is the key to happiness.

Hot on the Erewhon Trail: Seeking high-end smoothies while my novel sits cold

Swan Huntley — Mon, 25 May 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Yes, I have a book to write. But I'm walking an 80-plus-mile walk to all the Erewhons in L.A. to question privilege, including my own, and search for levity.

California, other states sue over new Trump limits on loans for nurses, PAs, therapists

Kevin Rector — Tue, 19 May 2026 21:54:08 GMT

California and other Democratic-led states are suing the Trump administration over new limits on federal borrowing by students in healthcare fields.

Sniff and find connection? These hip fragrance gatherings tantalize L.A.'s 'smellers'

Martine Thompson — Tue, 19 May 2026 10:00:00 GMT

Across Los Angeles, groups like the Smellers Club, Reverie of Scent and Silverlake Scent Club are transforming what was once a solo ritual into something communal.

How Formula One problem-solving tactics are being used in fight against dementia

Kevin Baxter — Mon, 18 May 2026 11:00:00 GMT

Doctors and dementia researchers with ties to Formula One are embracing the high-pressure and experimental lessons from the sport to fight the neurological condition.

L.A. County health officials confirm fifth measles case this year

Caroline Petrow-Cohen — Sun, 17 May 2026 03:39:34 GMT

Officials have confirmed a measles case in a Los Angeles County resident who recently traveled internationally.

Two chemicals in everyday California air may pose 'unacceptable' cancer risk, findings suggest

Hayley Smith — Thu, 14 May 2026 20:00:55 GMT

California health officials have released new scientific findings that suggest the health risks from exposure to two chemicals present in ambient air, acrolein and ethylene oxide, are worse than previously known.

Tax windfall may rescue Newsom's final budget as governor

Taryn Luna — Thu, 14 May 2026 13:00:00 GMT

The unusual early preview of his final budget comes as Gov. Gavin Newsom begins to wind down his time at the state Capitol and considers a run for president in 2028.

Vance says $1.3 billion in Medicaid payments to California will be deferred over fraud concerns

Kevin Rector — Wed, 13 May 2026 22:29:26 GMT

Vice President JD Vance said Wednesday that the Trump administration is deferring $1.3 billion in Medicaid reimbursements to California over concerns the state is allowing "fraudsters" to drive up costs to taxpayers by pushing unnecessary medications on unsuspecting patients.

Contributor: 'Super meth' isn't exactly real, but the drug is a real factor in L.A. homelessness

Sam Quinones — Wed, 13 May 2026 10:01:00 GMT

Hyper-pure methamphetamine is a major driver of mental illness in Los Angeles and many other parts of the country.

L.A. quietly fires its first chief heat officer

Hayley Smith — Tue, 12 May 2026 18:38:26 GMT

Marta Segura stepped into the new role in 2022 amid a dramatic increase in climate-fueled heat events.

Contributor: Fuel drug development, not Big Pharma's profits

Kevin J. Morrison — Tue, 12 May 2026 10:17:00 GMT

More than 200 drugs in the pipeline for ALS are stuck in a system that favors big, slow-moving pharmaceutical companies.

Contributor: Therapy isn't the only help. Peers offer a different kind of support.

Bo Lopker — Tue, 12 May 2026 10:16:00 GMT

Counseling can be prohibitively expensive and sometimes is not even what's needed most. Sometimes people just need to feel heard and less alone.