PENN STATE UNIVERSITY PARK, Pa. — Move over, apples — new research from Penn State suggests that eating one avocado a day may help keep “bad cholesterol” at bay. According to the researchers, bad cholesterol can refer to both oxidized low-density lipoprotein (LDL) and small, dense LDL particles. In a randomized, controlled feeding study, the...
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Student correctly guesses mystery disease on Netflix series ‘Diagnosis’
by Virginia Commonwealth University Lilian Fung was taking a break from studying when she came across a column in The New York Times Magazine called “Diagnosis” that described hard-to-solve medical mysteries. The column, written by Lisa Sanders, M.D., tells a patient’s story and crowdsources diagnoses from readers. Fung, a third-year medical student in the Virginia Commonwealth University...
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What is the difference between CT scans and MRI scans?
By Jenna Fletcher Reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, PhD, MSN, RN, IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT CT scans and MRI scans are two different medical imaging methods that create detailed images of internal body parts, such as bones, joints, and organs. Doctors order CT scans or MRI scans to help diagnose a wide range of medical conditions....
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How to treat peripheral neuropathy naturally
By Zawn Villines Reviewed by Heidi Moawad, MD The peripheral nerves send information to the brain and spinal cord. Damage to these nerves can affect their signaling, resulting in a variety of painful or otherwise unusual sensations. Doctors call this damage peripheral neuropathy. People with peripheral neuropathy may experience painful tingling, hot and cold sensations,...
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Common symptoms of depression: What to know
By Jennifer Berry Reviewed by Timothy J. Legg, PhD, CRNP Everyone experiences feelings of sadness occasionally, but depression is different. It persists over time and can cause a variety of other symptoms. Depression is a medical condition that affects more than 300 million people globally, according to the World Health Organization (WHO). People sometimes call it clinical depression or major depressive disorder....
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Does the flu shot give you the flu?
By Rachel Nall, MSN, CRNA Reviewed by Debra Rose Wilson, PhD, MSN, RN, IBCLC, AHN-BC, CHT The flu shot will not give a person influenza, or the flu. Instead, it should help prevent the infection, which causes a significant number of visits to the doctor in the United States each year. According to research from...
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Do feminine hygiene products expose women to dangerous volatile organic compounds?
MARY ANN LIEBERT, INC./GENETIC ENGINEERING NEWS New Rochelle, NY, October 29, 2019–New research suggests that women’s feminine hygiene practices – in particular vaginal douching and use of feminine powder – may be associated with higher levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) in their blood. A new study that used biomarkers to link use of feminine...
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What time of day should I take my medicine?
by Nial Wheate and Andrew Bartlett, The Conversation Whether you need to take a drug at a specific time of day depends on the medication and the condition you are treating. For some medicines, it doesn’t matter what time you take it. And for others, the pharmacist may recommend you take it at the same time each day. But we estimate that for around 30% of all medicines, the time...
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Heavy smoking causes faces to look older
by Public Library of Science “Smoker’s Face,” a condition where smokers look older than they are, is just one of many negative effects caused by heavy tobacco usage. Louise Millard of the University of Bristol and colleagues report these findings in a new study published 31st October in PLOS Genetics. Some people carry one or...
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High blood pressure: Could noise be a risk factor?
By Tim Newman Fact checked by Isabel Godfrey A recent study investigated the relationship between occupational noise-induced hearing loss and blood pressure. The authors conclude that chronic noise exposure increases the risk of hypertension. According to the new paper, globally, more than 600 million people have jobs that expose them to hazardous noise levels. This...