Ovarian cancer survivor’s Facebook post helps five others get diagnosed
(Rebecca Alter/ The Loop) — People say that ovarian cancer is a silent killer because we can rarely sense it coming; its symptoms are so vague and unapparent, that by the time they’ve been noticed, it’s often too late.Cancer survivor Erin Barrett was first diagnosed with the disease after becoming incredibly sick from what she …
Could too much sitting be bad for our brains?
(Dr. Michael Wheeler/ The Conversation) — In many aspects of life where we need to use our brain power, we also tend to sit down: at school, at work, sitting exams or concentrating on a crossword. In a new paper, we explore how prolonged sitting may affect the brain’s fuel supply and have a negative impact on brain health.
The brain is a glucose …
This app turns your smartphone into an ultrasound to measure heart health
(Danielle Kirsh/ Medical Design) — Engineers at the California Institute of Technology have turned a smartphone camera into an ultrasound to non-invasively give detailed information about someone’s heart health.
Ultrasound scans take 45 minutes using the machine. Using the Caltech-developed app, the procedure is cut down …
Cancers linked to excess weight make up 40% of all U.S. diagnoses, study finds
(Jessica Glenza/ The Guardian) — Cancers associated with being overweight or obese account for 40% of all diagnoses of the disease in the United States, an increasing share of all cancer diagnoses nationwide.
Although new cases of cancer have fallen since the …
Just 42% of women know the signs of breast cancer, so here’s a recap
(Miranda Larbi/ Metro UK) — A few days ago, Julia Louis-Dreyfus revealed that she has breast cancer.
The disease, it seems, doesn’t care about social standing, celebrity or wealth – if you get it, you get it. And if you miss the signs early on, it becomes an increasingly difficult battle to fight.
Despite the large numbers of women …
When breast cancer struck early, I didn’t lose hope
(Nichola Precious/ HuffPost Canada) — Three years ago, I had no hair and had just begun my first of 20 rounds of radiation.
Up to that point I thought I was living a fortunate and happy life in Halifax. I had married my best friend and the love of my life. Once our careers were underway we had two amazing children. When the …
Sports and energy drinks unhealthy for kids and teens, pediatricians say
(CBC News) — Most children and teens shouldn’t consume sports and energy drinks, and the products should no longer be marketed to them, the Canadian Paediatric Society says.
In a new position statement released Tuesday, the society said sports drinks are …
The shorter your sleep, the shorter your life: the new sleep science
(Rachel Cooke/ The Guardian) — Matthew Walker has learned to dread the question “What do you do?” At parties, it signals the end of his evening; thereafter, his new acquaintance …
Hard to watch patients succumb to the ‘secret powers’ of alternative therapy
(The Guardian/ Dr. Ranjana Srivastava) — The consultation is over and I stand to escort her out. Through the open door, I notice the waiting row of patients staring drearily at the television.
“But …