Bacterial changes could lead to serious diseases. vchal/ Shutterstock E-cigarettes are a popular alternative to smoking, but we still know very little about the effects of them on our health. While numerous studies have explored the effect of e-cigarettes on our lungs, heart, and overall health, one important and oftenContinue Reading
Iakov Kalinin/Shutterstock It has been suggested that taking vitamin D may protect people from getting COVID-19. But should we be using supplements to ward off the virus? We need to separate fact from fiction. Vitamin D is essential for maintaining overall health, especially for bones, teeth and muscle. It regulatesContinue Reading
The coronavirus pandemic has triggered what has been described as a “sanitary pad crisis” in India. Priya, a 14-year-old schoolgirl, considers herself lucky: her parents can still afford pads. But several of her friends will have to go without. In some parts of India, schools are a critical part ofContinue Reading
Jacob Lund/Shutterstock Modern medicine rightly emphasises the importance of science. The focus, however, too often displaces our attention from the real point of healthcare – to care. This is nicely captured by William Osler’s (1849-1919) admonition to attend to the patient rather than their disease – a sentiment treated asContinue Reading
The reasons for this appetite gain are still unknown. Nok Lek/ Shutterstock People often believe that exercise can make you hungrier, so they may therefore eat more during subsequent meals. But for the typical person, single sessions of land-based moderate to high-intensity exercise (such as running, resistance exercise and intermittentContinue Reading
The neighbourhood a child grows up in may influence their health for years to come by changing the activity of their genes. Sergey Bezgodov/ Shutterstock Numerous studies have shown that children who grow up in more deprived neighbourhoods tend to have worse physical health as adults compared to those raisedContinue Reading
The novel coronavirus – SARS-CoV-2 – may have been in Europe for longer than previously thought. Recent studies have suggested that it was circulating in Italy as early as December 2019. More surprisingly, researchers at the University of Barcelona found traces of the virus when testing untreated wastewater samples datedContinue Reading
Beta amyloid causes damage to the blood vessels. Christoph Burgstedt/ Shutterstock People who suffer from a combination of type 2 diabetes, high blood pressure, high cholesterol, and obesity have a condition known as “metabolic syndrome”. This condition causes the blood vessels to stiffen. When the arteries are stiff or becomeContinue Reading
Shutterstock Figurative language, by which the speaker intends to communicate something other than what is actually said by the words used, is commonplace in human communication. Some claim that metaphorical expressions such as “My home has become a prison” or “My daughter is a monster” are used on average sixContinue Reading
When I open up about my referral for an autism spectrum disorder assessment, I draw on examples from the only popular reference I have for an autistic doctor – what’s portrayed on TV. You have probably seen these medical dramas – The Good Doctor, House, Grey’s Anatomy. There are more.Continue Reading