In October, California Gov. Gavin Newsom signed a bill into law banning four common food additives: Red Dye No. 3, potassium bromate, brominated vegetable oil and propylparaben.

That might not seem like news to the rest of the country, but what nearly 40 million Californians eat (or don't eat) has an impact on pretty much everybody else. It's not like there will be junk food for Californians and junk food for the rest of us. And, in fact, other states are already considering similar laws.

Red Dye No. 3 is the most common of the newly banned additives, used as a colorant in red and pink icings, drinks and candies. Potassium bromate acts as a leavening agent in baked goods. Brominated vegetable oil is primarily found in citrus-flavored store-brand sodas where it works as a stabilizer for the flavor oils. Propylparaben is a preservative, often used in packaged baked goods such as breads, pastries and tortillas.

All four chemicals have been linked to cancer, reproductive issues and neurobehavioral concerns. The primary impetus is protecting children, because these additives may affect the endocrine system, which controls hormone functions in the body.

But if the thought of your favorite packaged doughnut suddenly lacking the oomph of, say, a dash of potassium bromate has you worried, don't panic just yet. The law goes into effect Jan. 1, 2027, giving manufacturers time to tweak their recipes.

Body of Knowledge

The glabella is the smooth part of the forehead above and between the eyebrows. A crinkled glabella is the sign of a serious thinker — or maybe just somebody frowning.

Get Me That, Stat!

In 2021, more than 71% of adults aged 50 to 75 years old said they received the recommended colorectal cancer screening, according to the National Center for Health Statistics. The death rate from colorectal cancer among persons aged 55 and above has decreased over the past 20 years. However, it has increased among persons ages 45 to 54.

Stories for the Waiting Room

Long COVID affects roughly 6% of American adults infected by the virus. Simply described, it involves the signs, symptoms and conditions of the disease continuing or developing after an acute infection.

Among medical experts, long COVID isn't new. It is indistinguishable, in fact, from a condition known as post-infectious syndrome or myalgic encephalomyelitis/chronic fatigue syndrome.

Some authorities have suggested long COVID merits a more precise name, one that more fully captures the seriousness of the condition.

Doc Talk

Uvula — The small, fleshy bit of tissue hanging like a punching bag at the back of your throat. It's there to help prevent food and liquid from going up your nose when you swallow, and it also secretes saliva to keep your mouth hydrated.

Mania of the Week

Onychotillomania — an obsessive tendency to pick at one's fingernails

Best Medicine

Laughter is the best medicine, except when treating diarrhea.

Observation

"Once a nurse, always a nurse. No matter where you go or what you do, you can never truly get out of nursing. It's like the Mafia: you know too much." — Deb Gaudlin, RN

Medical History

This week in 1984, Baby Fae died. She had been born a month before and diagnosed with an almost-always fatal heart deformity. Doctors proposed a last-resort, experimental transplant, replacing her defective organ with a walnut-sized young baboon heart.

Fae survived for 20 days before passing due to complications. The transplanted heart itself had not been rejected.

Ig Nobel Apprised

The Ig Nobel Prizes celebrate achievements that make people laugh, then think. A look at real science that's hard to take seriously, and even harder to ignore.

In 2001, the Ig Nobel Prize in psychology went to Lawrence W. Sherman of Miami University for his insightful study: "An Ecological Study of Glee in Small Groups of Preschool Children."

Medical Myths

Plant "milk" derived from oats, almonds, rice and other sources is not more nutritious than milk that comes from a cow. Indeed, the latter is typically much higher in protein and the former have more added ingredients, such as sodium and sugars.

Med School

Q: Both the uvea and choroid perform important sensory functions. Where are they located?

A: The eye. The uvea is the middle layer of the eye between the sclera (white part) and the retina (the light-sensitive layer at the back of the eye). It has three parts: the iris, the ciliary body (which secretes the transparent liquid within the front of the eye) and the choroid — a layer of blood vessels between the sclera and the retina.

Curtain Calls

Mike Edwards, a cellist and founding member of the band Electric Light Orchestra, was killed in 2010 at the age of 62 when a large round bale of hay rolled down a hill and collided with the van he was driving in rural England.

To find out more about Scott LaFee and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Photo credit: OSPAN ALI at Unsplash