all good reasons to get it controlled. >> dr. nancy snyderman in our home studios in new york. nancy, thanks. >> you bet. >>> also in new york, on wall street today, the markets finished slightly up across the board. the dow, s & p, both hit new all-time highs for the third straight trading session. >>> we are back in a moment after another break with one couple's amazing find along the side of the road. >>> autopsy was performed today on cory monteith. the canadian-born co-star of "glee" was found dead on saturday in his hotel room in vancouver. he had struggled much of his life with substance abuse and last emerged from rehab in april. the death of this talented young man an enormous shock to the show's global fan base. cory monteith was 31. >>> leonard garment has died. he was richard nixon's white house counsel after john dean left. he advised nixon to resign and suggested gerry ford as his replacement. he used to say he was born on a kitchen table in a tenement house in brooklyn. garment could never fully explain richard nixon or never fully comprehend him. and in later ye

nancy snyderman. >> reporter: researchers followed more than 2,000 men over the age of 50 who did not have prostate cancer when the study began. blood from each man was stored for analysis. at the conclusion of the trial, men who started with the highest blood levels of omega 3 fatty acids, the type found in fatty fish and fir oil supplements had a 71% increased risk of developing a deadly form of prostate cancer. researchers said they did not expect this link. >> inflammation we know is associated with the development of prostate cancer, and omega 3 fatty acids decrease inflammation. but this was an association but in the opposite direction we expected. >> reporter: today's report is a confusing message for millions of men like 54-year-old bill ross who take fish oil supplements to protect his heart. confusion, because bill also has a family history of prostate cancer. >> my father is a prostate cancer survivor. he's been battling prostate cancer now for about 20 years. and so, you know, i'm at risk. >> reporter: conventual wisdom for years has been that fish oil protects against can

nancy snyderman, thank you. >> we want to take you to an incredible scene unfolding on copacabana beach in rio where a sea of the faithful have turned out to see the pope. there on an elaborate stage they were expecting up to 1 million people. from the looks of it, they have come very close to that goal. nbc's anne thompson covers his trip from an amazing vantage point, tonight, high above the beach. anne, good evening. ♪ >> good evening, brian. it really is a remarkable sight. a massive crowd one that rivals new year's eve on these sands. as pope francis ends a day that took him to both side of the city. pope francis is the man electrifying brazil. he takes every picture. kisses every baby. accepts every gift. an energetic pope the world has not seen in decades. tonight, enthusiastically welcomed by nearly 1 million young people on copacabana beach. >> i'm so excited! i can't wait to see him! >> reporter: staking their places early. [ chanting ] ♪ as warships patrolled the coast and soldiers walked the tourist-filled streets. this morning, francis happily went where few tourists go

nancy snyderman, nbc news, new york. >>> and quickly here, we got a situation in the gulf tonight. if you know the region, 40 miles south of grand isle, louisiana, it's a natural gas platform. it collapsed and is burning to the water line. officials are telling us there are few environmental dangers evident. if you know the region and its history of course we have heard that before. we'll keep an eye on it. when we come back, the story behind the "photo of the day." i >>> we came across a photo today that is almost shocking to look at at first. taken at kennebunkport, maine at the summer home of former president george h.w. bush 41. in fact, it's shocking because it shows the former president in a way we have never seen him before. >> reporter: it doesn't look at all like the former 41 we have come to know. then you see the reason for the former president's new look. the 2-year-old named patrick sitting in his lap. patrick is the son of one of president bush's secret service agents. he's lost his hair during chemo while undergoing treatment for leukemia. so the former president and

nancy snyderman. >> reporter: when zakite jackson was six months old, he was diagnosed with a form of epilepsy that causes seizures. >> he was having between 60 to 250 seizures a day. >> reporter: his mom made the controversial decision to give her son marijuana. >> despite the stigma associated with ckanncannabis, we really ot to him. >> the seizure activity was down. he started pumping his legs on the swings. i mean, he was nine years old, you teach your children that from the time they're three, and he could never get it. >> it's really good medicine. >> reporter: in 17 states, including colorado, where kai lives, kids are able to get medical marijuana by prescription to treat everything from autism to cancer to seizures. because growersan breed the plants with low levels of thc, they're getting just the medicinal benefits and not the high. still, some critics say marijuana used therapeutically could be a gateway to other drugs. it's not been clinically tested nor approved by the fda. >> using marijuana as a medication is jumping the gun, we really don't know what the side effects

all good reasons to get it controlled. >> dr. nancy snyderman in our home studios in new york. nancy, thanks. >>> also in new york, on wall street today, the markets finished slightly up across the board. the dow, s & p, both hit new all-time highs for the third straight trading session. >>> we are back in a moment after another break with one couple's amazing find along the side of the road. r break with couple's amazing find along the side of the road. before copd... i took my son fishing every year. we had a great spot, not easy to find, but worth it. but with copd making it hard to breathe, i thought those days might be over. so my doctor prescribed symbicort. it helps significantly improve my lung function starting within five minutes. symbicort doesn't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. with symbicort, today i'm breathing better. and that means...fish on! symbicort is for copd including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. it should not be taken more than twice a day. symbicort may increase your risk of lung infections, osteoporosis, and some eye problems. tell yo

all good reasons to get it controlled. >> dr. nancy snyderman in our home studios in new york. nancy, thanks. >>> also in new york, on wall street today, the markets finished slightly up across the board. the dow, s & p, both hit new all-time highs for the third straight trading session. >>> we are back in a moment after another break with one couple's amazing find along the side of the road. before copd... i took my son fishing every year. we had a great spot, not easy to find, but worth it. but with copd making it hard to breathe, i thought those days might be over. so my doctor prescribed symbicort. it helps significantly improve my lung function starting within five minutes. symbicort doesn't replace a rescue inhaler for sudden symptoms. with symbicort, today i'm breathing better. and that means...fish on! symbicort is for copd including chronic bronchitis and emphysema. it should not be taken more than twice a day. symbicort may increase your risk of lung infections, osteoporosis, and some eye problems. tell your doctor if you have a heart condition or high blood pressure

nancy snyderman. >> reporter: when zakai jackson was four months old, he was diagnosed with a form of epilepsy that causes life threatening seizures. >> he was having between 60 to 250 seizures a day. >> reporter: his mom made the controversial decision to give her son marijuana. >> despite the stigma associated with cannabis, we really owed it to zakai to give it a try. >> reporter: the first night she gave him a liquid form of medical marijuana, she could see the difference. >> the seizure activity was down. he started pumping his legs on the swings. i mean, he was nine years old, you teach your children that from the time they're three, and he could never get it. >> it's really good medicine. their lives are completely changed. >> reporter: in 17 states, including colorado, where kai lives, kids are able to get medical marijuana by prescription to treat everything from autism to cancer to seizures. because growers can breed the plants with low levels of thc, they're getting just the medicinal benefits and not the high. still, some critics say marijuana used therapeutically could be

. >> now, dr. nancy snyderman reporting. >> stocks closed mix for yesterday. want to check in with jeff live for us in london. jeff, what's the latest for the federal reserve. >> good morning to you, thomas. will they are won't they? that was the at the heart of investors' minds s the fed to get on the hurry on the tapering process? 50/50. there is a split on the council about how quickly we start removing some of this bond purchasing program. nen ben bernanke came out and offered good words. we got a relief rally off of the back of that. hedge funds are going to start advertising. . the s.e.c. has given the green light for hedge funds to start marketing directly to potential clients. they will put in place some protection, though, you'll have to be acredited investor with a sophisticated view of where you put your money. that's what the s.e.c. decided. >>> there was something rotten at the core of apple's e-book story, now they have decided that they did conspire with five publishers to set e-book prices higher than they should have been, apple facing hundred

dr. nancy snyderman, nbc news new york. >> that's nbc nightly news. brian williams will be here tomorrow. i'm lester holt. have a good night, everyone. >>> good evening. i we begin with a breaking story. the clock ticking on union leaders to come up with a deal to avid a strike. a deadline less than six hours away. if a settlement is not reached, it could come to a hult tomorrow morning. the two sides are meeting right now. >> reporter: this meeting is likely the last hope to avoid a strike tomorrow. both sides are meeting inside this building on west grand avenue in oakland at this hour. the fact both sides are even in

nancy snyderman. >> reporter: the report out today is a snapshot of how america's health compares to other developed nations. and just as important, it's a look at what's happening in our own communities. while we are living longer, we are falling behind. >> things are getting better over the past two decades, but the pace of improvement is slower than in other high-income countries. >> reporter: on average, life expectancy for men in the united states is 76 years, up from 67 40 years ago. for women, it's now 81, up from 76. but that varies dramatically by region. men living in fairfax county, virginia, are expected to live the longest. about 81 years. but travel 350 miles and men in mcdowell county, west virginia, live on average to just 64 years. that's similar to the life expectancy in gambia, west africa. one of the world's poorest countries. women fair better with the highest life expectancy in marin, krals at 85. and lowest, 72 years in perry, kentucky. on par with vietnam, a nation plagued by poverty. the biggest risk of death? what and how much we eat. >> the most dramatic ch

donny deutsch, dr. nancy snyderman and also, donny? >> yes. >> "pot meet kettle," it's a good one. >> "the new york post" has ten writers on staff to write cover headlines. >> they don't need them. thomas, back to you. >> mika, thanks so much. >>> still ahead on "way too early" your most creative captions, that lunch between secretary clinton and the. the. "morning joe" moments away. [ male announcer ] the biggest news in breakfast is actually tiny. new kellogg's raisin bran® with omega 3 from flax seeds. plus plump juicy raisins. flax seed? who are you? i still got it. [ male announcer ] invest in your heart health with kellogg's raisin bran® cereals. yeah? then how'd i get this... [ voice of dennis ] ...safe driving bonus check? every six months without an accident, allstate sends a check. silence. are you in good hands? it's time... for aveeno® positively radiant face moisturizer. [ female announcer ] only aveeno® has an active naturals total soy formula that instantly brightens skin. and helps reduce the look of brown spots in

nancy snyderman. >> reporter: nan coffee's back has been bothering her for two years. >> i feel it more when i'm sitting for a long time. >> she's one of 66 million americans trying to manage back pain. but a new report reveals, when it comes to treating it, more doctors and patients are getting it wrong. they're not following the established guidelines like first using over-the-counter pain medications and anti-inflammatory drugs, holding off on tests like mris and ct scans, and doing physical therapy exercises before resorting to surgery. instead people are increasingly turning to stronger and potentially addictive narcotics. there's been a 50% rise in the number of prescriptions since 1999. the study also reveals advanced screenings and referrals to specialists have gone up, despite recommendations to treat back pain conservatively. >> we live in a -- in an instant fix society. everyone is busy, and you want to just click on it and be done with it. most people -- all of us don't want to wait to get better. >> reporter: most people with back pain who follow the recommended guidelines

nancy snyderman is here to walk three them, first about the benefits of aspirin for women. >> yeah, brain, this is a very interesting study. long-term, looking at healthy women ages 45 and over, the women were followed for at least 18 years. here's what the researchers found. women who took low dose aspirin, about 100 milligrams, every other day, had a 20% decreased chance of getting cancer of the colon. and women who stayed on aspirin longer had even better results. the caveat, of course, is it can cause stomach upset in some people. so for those women, doctors need to say bleeding is a possible risk. but really amazing data. >> now more positive elements for aspirin. the second subject was dementia in the news today. >> yeah, this is really interesting. there's a big meeting going on in boston right now, an amazing study coming out. looking at french, where they keep very good medical records. over 400,000 retired people were followed for dementia. and here's what the researchers found. those who retired later in life, in fact, stayed sharper. it's a real reminder that our brain is plas

it's where we begin here tonight with our medical editor dr. nancy snyderman. this is important stuff. >> it is, good evening, brian. for many in the cancer world today's step is long overdue in making the diagnosis and treatment of cancer smarter and more cost effective. turn the page of any dictionary, land on the letter "c" and find one of the most frightening words no one wants to hear, cancer. this one word carries a loaded and complex meaning for millions of americans every year. a panel of experts advising the national cancer institute is recommending an about face in the way doctors diagnose and treat some types of the disease that have little or no chance of being lethal. in fact, the group is even taking a closer look at what the word cancer means in some instances. for example, in women the diagnosis ductal carcinoma in situ is a non-lethal breast disease that should not be called cancer. >> whenever something is called carcinoma or cancer, people immediately want to act, and the reality is we should be watching them as opposed to aggressively treati

it's where we begin tonight with our chief medical editor dr. nancy snyderman. nancy, good evening. >> good evening, brian. over 3,000 people die every year in this country from food-borne related illnesses. today's proposed measures aim to reduce the risks posed by the complexity of a global food system. paul littlejohn of suburban ft. worth blames a bag of grapes for making him so sick, he had to go to his doctor. >> he said, yeah, there is an intestinal bug going around. >> reporter: that intestinal bug is cyclospora, a nasty parasite found on tainted fruits and vegetables and the latest example of health concerns in america's food supply. the centers for disease control is currently investigating two outbreaks of food-borne illness. cyclospora sickened more than 300 people so far. a hepatitis a outbreak infected more than 150 americans across nine states has been tied to pomegranate seeds from turkey. since 2011 8 of the past 19 outbreaks tied to food are from products brought in from around 150 countries from around the world. >> everybody wants a safer foo

nancy snyderman. >> make this design for me. >> reporter: at the mayo clinic in rochester, minnesota, 63-year-old architect david cane is healthy and volunteering in a study that could help find a treatment for alzheimer's. >> begin. >> reporter: by targeting the disease at its earliest stages. >> we give medications to people, improves their memory a little bit, improves their social interaction abilities a little bit, but it really doesn't alter the long-term outcome of the disease. >> reporter: to figure out what's an early warning sign for alzheimer's versus normal memory loss, researchers at brigham and women's hospital asked 200 healthy volunteers, ages 65 to 87, to report concerns about their own memory. each also got a brain scan, looking for buildup of amyloid plaque, a protein deposit associated with alzheimer's disease. it turns out those who were most anxious about their memory also had the highest levels of plaque, meaning people can likely sense when something is going wrong. doctors are exploring this possible connection by tracking the group to see if any get the disea

nancy snyderman joins us on set. new york city mayor candidate bill de blass yo and from "breaking bad" actress ana gunn. >> mika, the lower 48, call it the summer doldrums. quiet weather pattern. not the case in europe. to italy outside of milan yesterday, they saw this. a severe line of storms rolled through with a tornado. this tornado was about 15 to 20 miles outside of the city limits there. here's the video of it from the hurrica cell phone. it was a little off the ground and the next shot shows it all the way down to the ground. i mean, that would scare anyone anywhere. 12 people were injured unfortunately but no one was killed. even italy can get a few tornadoes but a rare event. back here in the lower 48, heavy rain last night in missouri and in areas of oklahoma. it's good. this area hasn't had a good wet summer in a while. we watched a tropical depression moving through the hawaiian islands overnight. continues to be south near honolulu. rainy wet weather today. the storm didn't do damage there whatsoever.

dr. nancy snyderman has the details when "morning joe" comes right back. i think farmers care more about the land than probably anyone else. we've had this farm for 30 years. we raise black and red angus cattle. we also produce natural gas. that's how we make our living and that's how we can pass the land and water back to future generations. people should make up their own mind what's best for them. all i can say is it has worked well for us. the beach on your tv is much closer than it appears. seize the summer with up to 50% off hotels at travelocity. vietnam in 1972. [ all ] fort benning, georgia in 1999. [ male announcer ] usaa auto insurance is often handed down from generation to generation. because it offers a superior level of protection and because usaa's commitment to serve military members, veterans, and their families is without equal. begin your legacy, get an auto insurance quote. usaa. we know what it means to serve. >>> joining is live in new york city, nbc's chief medical editor dr. nancy snyderman. a couple of topics we want to go through

nancy snyderman and dr. zeke emanuel. thank you. >>> next, author lily koppel joins us with a fascinating look with the women behind america's space program. the first american reality tv stars before they even knew it. sfx: oil gushing out of pipe. sfx: birds chirping. where over seventy-five percent of store management started as i'm the next american success story. working for a company hourly associates. there's opportunity here. i can use walmart's education benefits to get a degree, maybe work in it, or be an engineer, helping walmart conserve energy. even today, when our store does well, i earn quarterly bonuses. when people look at me, i hope they see someone working their way up. vo: opportunity, that's the real walmart. hing, helicopthierhis hibuzzing, andk engine humming. sfx: birds chirping sfx: birds chirping >>> welcome back to "morning joe." joining us now is author lily koppel who in her latest book "the astronaut lives club" tells the real story of wives of the so-called mercury 7 and the role these women

dr. nancy snyderman, thank you so much. coming up, she's been on broadway and the big screen. now jane lynch is hosting a hilarious new tv game show. our conversation with the "glee" star is next on "morning joe." ♪ [ male announcer ] clearly this isn't one of those speed-eating contests. that's a hebrew national hot dog. a kosher hot dog. that means we're extra choosy about the cuts of beef that meet our higher kosher standards. and only a good, old-fashioned slow-motion bite is gonna capture all that kosher delight. and when your hot dog's kosher, that's a hot dog you can trust. hebrew national. [ tap ] ♪ 'cause tonight [ tap ] ♪ we'll share the same dream ♪ ♪ at the dark end of the street ♪ ♪ ♪ you and me ♪ you and me ♪ you and me ♪ "that starts with one of the world's most advancedy," ♪ you and me distribution systems," "and one of the most efficient trucking networks," "with safe, experienced drivers." "we work directly with manufacturers," "eliminating costly markups," "and buy directly from local farmers in every region of the country." "when you

let's bring our own dr. nancy snyderman into this conversation. she looked so young and noticed she was forgetting words. how do you know if it's normal aging or something potentially more serious. >> when you look at her speak you can tell she is searching for words and that can be a real issue and early warning sign, especially for someone that already mastered language well. problem solving. major lapses during the day of memory. the inability to figure out why you're going to the store, why you have a laundry list sometimes getting lost. all of those issues, when they become destructive to normal mundane tasks we undertake every day, each of those can be an early warning sign. >> and maria, you mentioned this enabled the researchers to look at the early stage of the disease and allow someone to have more control about their future. >> as nancy also knows, doctors believe that alzheimer's is present in your system 20 years before it's actually diagnosed and the earlier that doctors are able to get people into clinical trials, the better they th

it's saving his life and giving him a better quality of life. >> dr. nancy snyderman reporting. still ahead, actress and comedian aisha a taylor describes heartwarming tales of epic humiliation. up next, former senator byron dorgan joins the table. what inspired this new political thriller when "morning joe" comes right back. ♪ [ agent smith ] i've found software that intrigues me. it appears it's an agent of good. ♪ [ agent smith ] ge software connects patients to nurses to the right machines while dramatically reducing waiting time. [ telephone ringing ] now a waiting room is just a room. [ static warbles ] [ telephone ringing ] i'to guard their manhood withoom trnew depend shields and guards. the discreet protection that's just for guys. now, it's your turn. get my training tips at guardyourmanhood.com always go the extra mile. to treat my low testosterone, i did my research. my doctor and i went with axiron, the only underarm low t treatment. axiron can restore t levels to normal in about 2 weeks in most men. axiron is not for use in women or anyone younger than 18 or me

nbc's chief medical editor dr. nancy snyderman is here as well. good to have you. unbelievable numbers when you think about it. >> it really is. we talked about it a good bit on the show. especially, it's not just younger americans, but younger americans are more heavily medicated than any generation in our history. but also, catherine, a lot of this may just have to do with us making better diagnoses and pigeon holing this. >> the data are kind of scarce unfortunately. it looks like over the last ten years or so, actually, the numbers have been pretty stable. the difference is that we have better information about what kinds of treatment we should be expanding and that sort of thing, although not perfect information. you talked about overmedication but actually the rates of treatment are quite low relative to the rates of diagnosis. not getting adequate treatment either because they can't afford it or because they're too embarrassed or other reasons. >> that embarrassment, the stigma that we saw through most parts of our society 10, 20, 30 years ago, has gone away

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joining me now to discuss the findings is dr. nancy snyderman. hey, nancy, great to see you. >> great to see you. >> give us the background here. is this a use it or lose it story, you just have to keep using your mind, otherwise it will go? >> it's exactly a use it or lose it story. it's a reason you and i will never retire. it underscores the fact that the brain is really quite plastic. it continues to change over our lives. we used to think once you hurt a certain chronological age, that was it, and now we know these time lines are bogus. the more people stay in the workforce, the more creative they are, they tax the brains, around the younger people. and the socialization makes a difference. the increased stimulation means that for every year you stay in, the 3% is cumulative. this is a rock-solid study, looking over 400,000 people in france. and i think it is absolutely applicable to the u.s. workforce. >> how do you do it? at some point, companies want you to go, right? i mean, what do you do, keep working till you're 100? >> i think at som

that was dr. nancy snyderman reporting. did you hear that? it's not cigarettes anymore. it's the food. >> so you're saying -- >> we can smoke? >> no. >> but we shouldn't eat. >> my god. filling in for joe, eugene. up next, the public view them as the most trusted news man. his family knew him as so much more. walter cronkite iv joins us with a new book on his legendary grandfather. keep it right here on "morning joe." oh, he's a fighter alright. since aflac is helping with his expenses while he can't work, >> my god. he can focus on his recovery. he doesn't have to worry so much about his mortgage, groceries, or even gas bills. kick! kick... feel it! feel it! feel it! nice work! >> my god. ♪ you got it! you got it! yes! aflac's gonna help take care of his expenses. and us...we're gonna get him back in fighting shape. ♪ [ male announcer ] see what's happening behind the scenes at aflac.com. [ male announcer ] see what's happening behind the scenes resoft would be great, but we really just need "kid-proof." softsprings got both, let me show you. right over here. here,

. >>> and this heat can be dangerous for some, and dr. nancy snyderman is here. how do you know if you have a heat-related illness? >> nobody is safe in a heat dome like this, and not safe for your pets or kids at sports camp, and tkeuz dizziness and nausea. by the time you are feeling chills and you stop sweating and your skin is dry, that means your thermostat has been thrown and it's a real emergency. >> and there are people susceptible to this, right? >> yeah, the young and elderly. and this is one of those times when we say to those people, absolutely stay in an air-conditioned place, and if you don't have air-conditioning, try a central cooling unit near you, and if you like to run, you like to run at 5:00 or 6:00 in the morning, and there is no reason for midday exercise. you have to use a phenomenal amount of common sense when it's this hot. you have to try out of the sun. >> what can you do to thwart it off? >> rehydrate, and prehydrate. you have to buy the electrolyte drinks, and drink beforehand and by the time you are thirsty, you are already down a p

dr. nancy snyderman is back with details. this is an incredible story. >> it sounds out of passion, music. performing is in brad carter's blood. an actor in los angeles he landed guest starring roles in some of the most popular television shows. however, his true passion has always been music, playing the guitar to be exact. >> i'm a guitarist since 1988. music is my first love. i'm an actor for a living but i always have music to turn to. it's a part of your soul. >> reporter: but seven years ago brad's hands started to shake and overtime he stopped taking the stage. >> you watch all your skills and who you are as a person sort of, they're vanishing in front of your eyes. it's hard to watch that happen. and you can't do anything about it. >> reporter: doctors diagnosed him with benign essential tremor and when medications failed to stop the shaking brad decided to undergo a surgical procedure called deep brain stimulation. >> we put a pacemaker in the brain and with the stimulation we help it restore a more moral pattern of

dr. nancy snyderman. back to you. headline to me seems to be that diet sodas and foods with artificial sweet ners may be just as bad for people as the real deal. >> this is not a great city that adds to the increasing volume of work that we know that just because you use artificial sweet ners, it doesn't mean that you can get by with consuming fewer calories. there's some pretty good research that this may change how we, in fact, crave sweets. the artificial sweet ners are sweeter than actual sugar so when you consume them as artificial sweet ners, your body almost wants sweets and craves them in a different way. >> it's not that they have calories because they don't. >> they have no calories. >> it's that you then go off and crave other sweet things. >> correct. >> and eventually gain weight. >> right. there's a pretty good link now that just because you consume these doesn't mean you're going to be healthier. there may be now a link to premetabolic problems, diabetes, obesity, etc. they are not a cure all. let's be

. >> let's get more now with dr. nancy snyderman. good morning. you were shocked when you saw a 400% increase for women. >> i think the whole country was taken by storm. and physicians, especially, there's enough blame to go around. doctors who overprescribe, patients who fake symptoms. and i think this is a collective responsibility to say these are great medications when used for the right things. but they are short-term fixes. >> i've seen a lot of theories about why women in particular may have been seeing this increase. smaller body mass, so maybe the gap between a therapeutic dose is narrower. >> we know that men can tolerate more alcohol and liver enzymes can tolerate only as much can throw at them. we're going to find that some people are more predisposed to addiction and they should be watched careful live. then if you really have problems, you use them. but never with three and four and five refills. one, maybe. but you just come back to see your physician. >> do you feel like the stigma for some of these prescription painkillers -- >> i

nbc's chief medical editor dr. nancy snyderman has the details on that. good morning to you. >> this comes from a little parasite called cyclosporin that can get in the food stream. when it does get into the food system it can spread from person to person when they eat contaminated foods. so far the number of cases is relatively small, but it has popped up in several regions around the country and doctors are on alert. the parasite can be nasty, causing food-like symptoms that can last for up to a month. doctors say this outbreak is spreading. >> we're having to do multiple different diagnostic tests to be able to isolate this particular parasite, and there seems to be only one ant bitic that's effective. >> reporter: doctors haven't identified the source of the current outbreak or even whether these cases are connected, but cyclospora is most commonly spread by contaminated fruits and vegetables. shopping for produce, this connecticut mother now wonders if cyclosproa made her daughter sick. >> my daughter was at the pediatrician yesterday with stomach cr