Category: Health Conditions

Children Need More Violet Light – Here’s Why

Short-sightedness is a global public health problem. Most people think of myopia (the medical term for short-sightedness) as an inconvenience because the blurred vision it causes is easily corrected with glasses or contact lenses. The problem is that a myopic eye is a longer eye and so the light sensitive part at the back of…


Soothing a Sore Throat: Soothing a Sore Throat

We’ve all had sore throats around this time of year. Your throat feels scratchy and may hurt when you swallow. What can you do to soothe a sore throat? And when is it a sign of a more serious infection? Most sore throats are caused by viral infections such as the common cold or the…


How Rhubarb Might Ward Off Colon Disease

Emodin, a compound found in Chinese rhubarb (Rheum palmatum), may help prevent colorectal disease due to impressive therapeutic effects, including anti-inflammatory and antitumor properties. STORY AT-A-GLANCE As a revered medicinal herb in traditional Chinese medicine, Chinese rhubarb, also known as rhei or dahuang, has long been prized for its antibacterial, anti-inflammatory and antifibrotic properties One…


This Common Medicine Kills Your Gut Bacteria, Here’s How to Prevent That

In recent years, antibiotics abuse has become increasingly serious. We even take antibiotics to cure colds, even when they’re caused by viruses and not bacteria. The only function of antibiotics is to kill bacteria, such as gastroenteritis-causing salmonella, but people mistakenly, and frequently, think strong antibiotics are a cure-all for common ailments. We now know…


Is Fructose As Addictive and Harmful As Alcohol?

Millions of pounds are consumed annually, yet it may be more like a drug than a food and just as damaging and addictive as alcohol… Fructose, which literally means “fruit sugar,”* sounds so sweet and innocent. And indeed, when incorporated into the diet in moderate amounts in the form of fruit – always organic and…


Why You Should Try Walking With Poles

Have you ever noticed people outside walking with poles, even on flat surfaces, and wondered why they’re doing it? This is known as Nordic walking, and it’s a little bit like cross-country skiing but without the snow. Walking with poles was first developed in Scandinavia and came to central Europe about 20 years ago. For…


COVID Dreams: The Pandemic’s Effect On Sleep and Mental Health

Research from the Turner Institute for Brain and Mental Health at Australia’s Monash University has shown that the COVID-19 pandemic disrupted the sleep habits and dreams of people across the world. The findings came out of a global survey on mental health and sleep, which was carried out during the pandemic with over 2000 participants,…


Self-Employed Women Are Often Healthier: Study

Women who are their own bosses might have healthier hearts to show for it, a new study suggests. The study, of more than 4,600 working U.S. women, found that those who were self-employed typically got more exercise and were less likely to be obese or have high blood pressure or diabetes — major risk factors…


Turning Away From Vaping, Nicotine-Addicted Teens Choose Candy, Gums

Teens increasingly are turning to nicotine-loaded gum, lozenges and gummies for a quick rush, a groundbreaking study warns. Tobacco-free oral nicotine products were the second-most commonly used nicotine or tobacco items among more than 3,500 Southern California ninth- and tenth-graders surveyed last fall, researchers reported Aug. 8 in the journal Pediatrics. About 3.4% of respondents…


Data Shows 2 Biggest Factors for Cancer Risk

Smoking and older age are the two most important risk factors for cancer, a new, large study shows. The researchers also said doctors should look at excess body fat, family history and several other factors to help patients decide if they need additional screening and preventive interventions. “Single cancer type-specific screening recommendations are based on…