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 …
75% of Canadians diagnosed with thyroid cancer don’t need aggressive treatment, new study suggests
(CBC News) — Three out of four Canadians diagnosed with thyroid cancer don’t require the aggressive treatment they get, an overdiagnosis likely due to the increased use of ultrasound imaging, suggests a new study published by …