Did you know that cancer is more common the further way from the equator you live? And that diagnoses are more common in winter? See the pattern for reported colorectal and breast cancer diagnoses charted against latitude: Source This study used sunlight measurement data from NASA and age-adjusted breast and colorectal cancer incidence rates for…
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Ever wondered why you get brain fog when you’re hot, dehydrated or both? Scientists at Georgia Tech have used brain imaging technology to show the effects of heat and dehydration on cognitive function. And it could have significant impacts on those working under these conditions. In the study, subjects performed a repetitive task for 20…
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Around about eight hours is what most people need to sleep each night for optimal health. But what happens to shift workers? Or if you have jet lag, stay up late, or even have insomnia? How does upsetting your circadian rhythm affect your health? Researchers in Uppsala have studied acute (short term) sleep loss in otherwise…
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A long time ago we told children that watching too much television would give them square eyes. It turns out that statement isn’t as far from the truth as we initially thought. Too much screen time won’t change the shape of your eyes, but it can irreversibly damage them. Newer technologies such as TVs, computer…
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We all know the dangers of too much sun; burning, ageing, skin cancers, to name a few. But new research tells us we can only make Vitamin D from the midday sun. Does that sound like it’s against all that we’ve been told about the sun? It did to me. But not all sunlight is…
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The gut microbiome, the collection of bacteria in our intestines, is coming more and more to light as possibly responsible for a number of seeming unrelated conditions. A new study gave a number of patients with bipolar disorder either a probiotic or a placebo. All of the study participants also continued with their regular psychiatric…
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I’ve written before about the effects of inactivity on heart health. And if that wasn’t enough to motivate you to move, this article might. A new study has shown that just two weeks of inactivity can trigger diabetic symptoms in vulnerable people. The study asked prediabetic patients to reduce their activity to just 1,000 steps…
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I’ve seen a lot of conditions in my clinic but a newer one would definitely be social media addiction. Before you start laughing, it’s definitely a real thing. In his now-viral video, Simon Sinek gives his take on millennials in the workplace and likens social media to alcohol addiction. I read a fascinating article recently…
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Tempted to respond to that text while you’re having dinner with someone? Or to answer that email while you’re on the phone? New research shows that even though you may think you’re great at multitasking, you probably aren’t. That’s not to say you aren’t doing two things at once, but you probably aren’t doing either…
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Exercise is a four-letter word for some people, but it really is the key to heart health. I read a recent study that followed fifty-three men through two years of an exercise program designed to test the effects on heart health. All the participants were healthy but sedentary at the start of the trial. Some…
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