Smokers who make the decision to quit will experience immediate health benefits, including a rapid reduction in their risk of atrial fibrillation (A-Fib), according to new research published in JACC: Clinical Electrophysiology. The study, conducted by Dr. Gregory Marcus, a cardiologist at the University of California, San Francisco, offers compelling evidence for smokers to quit, showing that it’s never too late to avoid the damaging effects of smoking on heart health.

Dr. Marcus, the senior author of the study, emphasized that A-Fib can be prevented even in individuals who have smoked for years. "The findings provide a compelling new reason to show current smokers that it’s not too late to quit, and that having smoked in the past doesn’t mean you’re ‘destined’ to develop A-Fib," Marcus explained. "Even for the current and longtime smoker, A-Fib can still be avoided."

What is Atrial Fibrillation (A-Fib)?

"There’s strong evidence that smoking increases the risk of A-Fib," Marcus said. "But the benefits of quitting smoking have been less certain." With this in mind, his team sought to determine whether quitting could significantly lower a person’s risk of developing A-Fib, or if the risk would remain the same.

The research team analyzed data from over 146,700 current and former smokers, tracking their smoking habits and health over a 12-year period using data from the UK Biobank database. The results were promising: former smokers had a 13% lower risk of developing A-Fib compared to current smokers, while those who quit during the study saw an 18% reduction in their risk.

"This is likely a testament to the potency of reducing atrial fibrillation risk pretty shortly after quitting," Marcus said in a statement from the American College of Cardiology.

The findings highlight the importance of quitting smoking, not only for general health but specifically for reducing the risk of serious heart conditions like A-Fib.

Tips for Quitting Smoking

Quitting smoking is one of the most effective ways to lower the risk of A-Fib and improve overall heart health. While it can be challenging, the benefits of quitting are clear and immediate. Here are some tips to help you quit smoking successfully:

1. Choose a specific date to quit smoking and stick to it. Prepare yourself mentally and physically for this change.

2. Reach out to family, friends, or a support group to help keep you accountable. Sharing your goals with others can provide encouragement.

3. Options like nicotine patches, gum, or lozenges can help ease withdrawal symptoms and reduce cravings.

4. Identify situations that make you want to smoke, such as stress or social gatherings, and find healthy ways to cope with them.

5. Regular exercise can help distract you from cravings and improve your mood during the quitting process.

6. Drinking water can help flush nicotine out of your system faster, reducing cravings.

7. Activities like yoga, meditation, or deep breathing exercises can help manage stress, a common trigger for smoking.

Quitting smoking offers immediate and significant benefits, particularly in reducing the risk of atrial fibrillation. The latest research provides smokers with more motivation to quit, showing that it's never too late to take control of their heart health.

SMA-1. a rare disease, known as the spinal muscular atrophy type 1 or the Werdnig-Hoffmann disease is when the muscle weakness appears at birth or within the first six months. This rare condition prevents infants from sitting unassisted and causing severe breathing, swallowing, and sucking difficulties, leading to a poor prognosis without aggressive support. This condition has impacted the twin babies of the former Little Mix singer Jesy Nelson. Her twin babies may never be able to walk. However, she said that her babies will "fight all the odds" after they were being diagnosed with such a rare genetic condition.

Nelson, 34, and her fiancé, Zion Foster welcomed their twins, Ocean Jade and Story Monroe Nelson-Foster in May, when they were both born prematurely. In an emotional Instagram video, posted on Sunday, Nelson revealed the diagnosis her twin babies had.

“We were told that they’re probably never going to be able to walk; they probably will never regain their neck strength, so they will be disabled, and so the best thing we can do right now is to get them treatment, and then just hope for the best,” she said.

“Thankfully, the girls have had their treatment, which you know, I’m so grateful for because if they don’t have it, they will die," she further said.

Nelson's babies were diagnosed four months of, what she said, "gruelling" hospital appointments, and so she wanted to raise awareness of the condition and the signs one should look out for because "time is of the essence" with the condition.

“I just think that I can raise as much awareness about this as possible, and the signs, then, you know, something good has to come out of this,” said Nelson.

Read: SMA Type 1: What This Health Condition Could Mean For Jesy Nelson’s Babies’ Mobility

Jesy Nelson Twins: What Are The Signs of SMA-1?

Nelson said that there could be some common signs to look out for, which includes floppiness, inability to hold yourself up without support, a "frog-like" positioning of the legs without much movement, and rapid breathing in the tummy.

"If anyone is watching this video and they think they see these signs in their child, then please, please take your child to the doctor, to the hospital, because time is of the essence, and your child will need treatment. And the quicker you get this, the better their life will be," she added.

What Are The Other Types Of SMA?

There are five recognized subtypes of SMA, classified by the age symptoms appear, severity, and expected life span:

SMA Type 0 (congenital SMA): This extremely rare form appears before birth, with reduced fetal movement. Newborns often show severe muscle weakness and usually experience respiratory failure, with death occurring at birth or within the first month.

SMA Type 1 (severe SMA): This accounts for roughly 60% of SMA cases and is also called Werdnig-Hoffman disease. Symptoms start within the first six months, including weak head control and low muscle tone (hypotonia). Infants may struggle to swallow and breathe, and without respiratory support, life expectancy is typically under two years.

SMA Type 2 (intermediate SMA): Also called Dubowitz disease, symptoms appear between six and 18 months. Muscle weakness worsens over time, usually affecting the legs more than the arms. Children may sit but cannot walk. Around 70% survive into their mid-20s, with respiratory complications being the main cause of death.

SMA Type 3 (mild): Known as Kugelbert-Welander disease, this type appears after 18 months. Weakness primarily affects the legs, making walking difficult, but breathing issues are rare, and life expectancy is generally unaffected.

SMA Type 4 (adult): The mildest form, it appears after age 21. Muscle weakness progresses slowly, and most people remain mobile, with normal life expectancy.

A deadly fungus that resists multiple drugs is already spreading quickly through hospitals in the U.S. and is becoming an increasing concern worldwide, though there may be some hope for new treatments, according to a recent scientific review.

Candida auris (C. auris), often called a "superbug fungus," is spreading across the globe and becoming harder for the human immune system to fight, researchers at the Hackensack Meridian Center for Discovery and Innovation (CDI) noted in a review published in early December.

The findings echo previous CDC warnings that classified C. auris as an "urgent antimicrobial threat" — the first fungal pathogen to earn this label, as U.S. cases have risen sharply, particularly in hospitals and long-term care facilities.

Superbug Fungus: Dangerous Spike in Superbug Infections Across the U.S.

According to the CDC, roughly 7,000 cases were reported across dozens of U.S. states in 2025, and the fungus has now been identified in at least 60 countries.

The review, published in Microbiology and Molecular Biology Reviews, explains why the pathogen is so difficult to contain and highlights that outdated diagnostic tools and limited treatment options lag behind its rapid spread. Researchers involved included Dr. Neeraj Chauhan of Hackensack Meridian CDI, Dr. Anuradha Chowdhary of the University of Delhi’s Medical Mycology Unit, and Dr. Michail Lionakis, chief of the NIH’s clinical mycology program.

The team emphasized the urgent need for “novel antifungal agents with broad activity against human fungal pathogens, improved diagnostic tests, and immune- or vaccine-based adjunct treatments for high-risk patients.” They also stressed that awareness campaigns and better surveillance, especially in resource-limited countries, are key to improving outcomes for those affected by opportunistic fungal infections.

Superbug Fungus Symptoms

The symptoms of a Candida auris infection can vary depending on which part of the body is affected. According to the Cleveland Clinic, some possible signs include:

• Fever
• Chills
• Extreme fatigue or weakness
• Low blood pressure
• Rapid heartbeat (tachycardia)
• Abnormally low body temperature (hypothermia)
• Pain, pressure, or a sense of fullness in the ear (in cases of C. auris ear infection)

Because many individuals who contract C. auris are already critically ill, the infection’s symptoms might not always be obvious. In fact, people can carry the fungus without showing any signs but still have the potential to transmit it to others.

Superbug Fungus: How C. auris Spreads

First discovered in 2009 from a patient’s ear in Japan, C. auris has now reached dozens of countries, including the U.S., where some hospital intensive care units have had to shut down due to outbreaks. The fungus is most dangerous to people who are already critically ill, particularly those on ventilators or with weakened immune systems, with some estimates suggesting up to half of infected patients may die.

Unlike many other fungi, C. auris can survive on human skin and cling to hospital surfaces and medical equipment, making it easy to spread in healthcare settings. “It is resistant to multiple antifungal drugs and tends to spread in hospitals, including on equipment used for immunocompromised patients, such as ventilators and catheters,” said Dr. Marc Siegel, senior medical analyst at Fox News and clinical professor at NYU Langone.

The fungus is often misdiagnosed, delaying treatment and infection control measures. “Symptoms like fever, chills, and aches can be mistaken for other infections,” Siegel added.

Treatment Challenges and Research Progress

Currently, only four main classes of antifungal drugs exist, and C. auris has shown resistance to many of them. While three new antifungal medications have been approved or are in late-stage trials, drug development has struggled to keep pace with the pathogen’s evolution.

Despite this, researchers remain cautiously optimistic. A study from the University of Exeter in England, published in Communications Biology, identified a potential vulnerability in the fungus. The team found that C. auris activates specific genes to scavenge iron, which it needs to survive. Drugs that block this process may eventually stop infections or allow existing medications to be repurposed.

“We may have uncovered an Achilles’ heel in this deadly pathogen during active infection,” said Dr. Hugh Gifford, co-author and clinical lecturer at the University of Exeter.

While research continues to understand and combat C. auris, health officials stress that strict infection control, rapid detection, and investment in new treatments are crucial. Importantly, C. auris is not considered a threat to healthy individuals, but it poses a serious risk to patients in hospitals and long-term care settings.

Former Little Mix singer Jesy Nelson has opened up about her twin baby daughters being diagnosed with a rare genetic disorder that could mean they "probably will never walk." Jesy and her musician partner, Zion Foster, welcomed Ocean Jade and Story Monroe Nelson-Foster prematurely last May. On Sunday, she shared in an Instagram video that her daughters have Spinal Muscular Atrophy (SMA), which she called the "most severe muscular disease." "It affects every muscle in the body — legs, arms, even breathing and swallowing," she explained. Below, we break down more about this health condition.

Jesy Nelson Twins Facing SMA Type 1 Condition

Jesy Nelson revealed the heartbreaking news that her eight-month-old twins have been diagnosed with the rare genetic disorder Spinal Muscular Atrophy, which may mean they never walk. The 34-year-old singer and her fiancé, Zion Foster, 27, welcomed daughters Ocean Jade and Story Monroe Nelson-Foster in May after a complicated pregnancy.

In an emotional Instagram video, Jesy struggled to hold back tears as she admitted: "I am grieving a life I thought I was going to have with my children."

SMA gradually weakens all the muscles in the body, causing floppiness, breathing and swallowing difficulties, and delays in motor development. Jesy shared that her life has been completely upended as she now acts as a caregiver, managing breathing machines and performing tasks that no parent should have to do with their child.

SMA Type 1: What Is It?

SMA Type 1, also known as Werdnig-Hoffman disease, is the most severe form of Spinal Muscular Atrophy. It is a genetic condition that leads to progressive muscle weakness due to a lack of Survival Motor Neuron (SMN) protein. Symptoms typically appear before six months of age and include poor head control, weak cries, trouble swallowing, and an inability to sit on their own. Without early, aggressive treatment, this can cause severe breathing and feeding problems and often leads to early death, though new therapies are improving outcomes, according to the Cleveland Clinic.

Jesy Nelson Twins: Types of SMA

There are five recognized subtypes of SMA, classified by the age symptoms appear, severity, and expected life span:

SMA Type 0 (congenital SMA): This extremely rare form appears before birth, with reduced fetal movement. Newborns often show severe muscle weakness and usually experience respiratory failure, with death occurring at birth or within the first month.

SMA Type 1 (severe SMA): This accounts for roughly 60% of SMA cases and is also called Werdnig-Hoffman disease. Symptoms start within the first six months, including weak head control and low muscle tone (hypotonia). Infants may struggle to swallow and breathe, and without respiratory support, life expectancy is typically under two years.

SMA Type 2 (intermediate SMA): Also called Dubowitz disease, symptoms appear between six and 18 months. Muscle weakness worsens over time, usually affecting the legs more than the arms. Children may sit but cannot walk. Around 70% survive into their mid-20s, with respiratory complications being the main cause of death.

SMA Type 3 (mild): Known as Kugelbert-Welander disease, this type appears after 18 months. Weakness primarily affects the legs, making walking difficult, but breathing issues are rare, and life expectancy is generally unaffected.

SMA Type 4 (adult): The mildest form, it appears after age 21. Muscle weakness progresses slowly, and most people remain mobile, with normal life expectancy.

Jesy Nelson Twins: What Are the Symptoms of SMA?

Muscle weakness is the hallmark of SMA, typically starting in the muscles nearest the body’s core. Symptoms vary depending on the type.

Symptoms of SMA Type 0 include:

• Reduced fetal movements
• Arthrogryposis (joint contractures)
• Low muscle tone (hypotonia)
• Severe muscle weakness
• Life-threatening breathing issues

Symptoms of SMA Type 1 include:

• Limited head control
• Hypotonia
• Loss of reflexes (areflexia)
• Cannot sit without support
• Abnormal breathing patterns, including a bell-shaped chest
• Difficulty swallowing, which can affect growth (failure to thrive)
• Weakness in facial muscles, appearing later in the disease