Category: Health Conditions

Blood Test May Improve Lung Cancer Screening

A blood test may help determine if nodules detected during CT scans are lung cancer, researchers report. Annual screenings of patients at high risk for lung cancer can catch tumors early and improve a patient’s long-term prognosis. However, low-dose computer tomography (LDCT) has a high false-positive rate that can lead to unnecessary biopsies. The researchers…


Spike Protein From Infection and Vaccines Contributing to Autoimmune Diseases, Studies Suggest

Photos of Debbie Botzum-Pearson before (left) and after neuromyelitis optica (Courtesy of Debbie Botzum-Pearson). On the morning of Jan. 15, 2022, Debbie Botzum-Pearman, who had been a strong healthy woman for 66 years, woke up paralyzed from the chest down. On Sep. 13, 2022, nearly nine months later, she managed to stand up without assistance…


Zucchini: The Superfood Growing in Your Garden

The zucchini is an underestimated nutritional treasure. The peak harvesting season for this delicious member of the gourd family in the Northern Hemisphere is from May to August. When harvested correctly, zucchini (Cucurbita pepo) is dark green and has firm fruit. Although most people think of it as a summer vegetable, it is, indeed, a…


Passive Smoking a Potential Risk for Future Generations: Study

Children are at an increased risk of developing asthma if their fathers were exposed to second-hand smoke as children, a study by researchers from the Australia’s University of Melbourne has found. Published on Thursday in the European Respiratory Journal, the study also demonstrated that a child’s asthma risk increases further if their father became a…


Using Meditation in Pediatric Medicine

Children actively meditating experience lower activity in parts of the brain involved in rumination, mind-wandering, and depression, our team found in the first brain-imaging study of people younger than 18 years old. Over-activity in this collection of brain regions, known as the default mode network, is thought to be involved in the generation of negative…


Dance Has Positive Effects on Depression: Study

Did you know that dancing has positive effects on depression? Studies have found that dancing can help improve mood, reduce stress and anxiety, and promote a positive self-image. So if you’re feeling down, why not give dancing a try? There are plenty of different types of dances to choose from, so you’re sure to find…


Can’t Get Your Teen Off the Couch?

Many parents understand the frustration of coming home from work to find their teens slumped on the couch with their eyes glued to their phones or the TV. This isn’t unusual, and dozens of studies have shown that physical activity levels decline during the teenage years. In Australia, less than 10 percent of older adolescents…


FDA Just Fast-Tracked a Vaccine for Alzheimer’s

A vaccine that targets amyloid beta in the brain to treat Alzheimer’s disease has been granted fast-track designation by the FDA. STORY AT-A-GLANCE The U.S. Food and Drug Administration granted fast-track designation to UB-311, a vaccine for Alzheimer’s disease made by biotechnology company Vaxxinity Aside from the potential problems that can arise when a vaccine…


Fix Your Liver: Nonalcoholic Fatty Liver Disease Is Surging in the U.S.

According to a recently-published study in the World Journal of Hepatology, nonalcoholic fatty liver disease – or NAFLD – has reached epidemic proportions worldwide. And the disease is particularly entrenched in the United States, with researchers estimating that up to 35 percent of American adults are affected. While mild forms of NAFLD may feature no symptoms, untreated NAFLD…


How to Get Enough Calcium—Without Dairy

Calcium could, in all fairness, be called the king of minerals. It’s the most abundant mineral found in the human body, and it plays a critical role in the formation and maintenance of bones and teeth, as well as muscle contraction, blood clotting, and nerve signaling. The vast majority of the body’s calcium—98 percent according…