New: Thanks to InVideo, we have a video version of the post below. Check it out at bottom of the post. Incredible immunotherapy responses in some cancers, but not in others, have puzzled the research community. What is it about some cancers that allows the immune system to be activated? Why are some cancers able to evade the immune system even when...
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Our last post discussed the connection between our kidneys and blood pressure. The kidneys release urine in a steady flow. It moves down the ureters–muscular tubules–to the bladder. How does the bladder work? What happens when you hold urine in your bladder instead of going when you need to? Here is a well done description of how the bladder...
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Going to the doctor can be a challenging experience for any number of reasons–the tests, the physical exam, the news, the diagnosis, the bill–but you should at least be able to understand what your doctor is saying to you. Yet, medical jargon seems to be a necessary evil that patients and caregivers deal with on a regular basis. If you think...
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Our last blog post focused on microbiomes and their potential involvement in obesity. To complement that post, here is a TED Talk about how people who move from other countries to the US lose their normal gut flora. Another TED Talk, from 2014, describes the microbes in communities that are all over our bodies. It also discusses the Human...
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You’ve followed the diets, you’ve increased your exercise, and you still can’t lose weight. The problem may be related to the composition of your gut bacteria. Gut Bacteria and Weight Loss In a study published in Mayo Clinic Proceedings, researchers found evidence pointing to gut bacteria, “gut microbiota” hindering weight...
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“We receive a constant stream of changing (and often conflicting) messages on healthy eating. Food marketing is evolving rapidly, and now includes channels such as social media. This complex and crowded information environment can make it hard for Canadians to make healthy eating choices.” Canada has released its equivalent of the USDA Food...
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Dental health is a critical component of personal heath. For people living with diabetes, dental care is especially important since diabetes can compromise your immune system. There are between 200 and 300 bacteria in your mouth so remembering to brush at least twice a day needs to be part of your daily ritual. Although it is counter-intuitive, choosing a...
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Around one million people in the US have Parkinson’s disease. In Parkinson’s, the dopamine-producing cells of the brain–in an area called the substantia nigra–die off. Abnormal proteins are what kill these brain cells. In fact, all neurodegenerative diseases have deposits of abnormal proteins, and neurobiologists call them...
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“The best and most beautiful things in the world cannot be seen or even touched–they must be felt by the heart.” ~Helen Keller “Wherever you go, go with all your heart.” ~Confucius Today celebrates the heart. Today also celebrates heart donors. “In Living On Through Organ Donation,” we shared the story of an amazing...
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In 1904, a physician wrote about a patient with leukemia who went into remission when he got the flu. Though the patient was not cured, it was a ray of hope at a time when there were no treatments for leukemia. Other cases were reported throughout the years of people with Burkitt’s Lymphoma and Hodgkin’s Lymphoma going into remission when they...
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Changing the way health care is delivered… A recent article in The New York Times discusses the impact of a physician’s demeanor on health outcomes. In a series of experiments, the authors, Lauren Howe and Kari Leibowitz two social psychologists at Stanford University, tested the notion that the “care” element of healthcare...
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During July and early August of 2018, the Harris Poll in association with the American Society of Clinical Oncologists (ASCO’s) conducted a poll of 4,887 U.S. adults, 1001 of these have or had cancer. This second annual National Cancer Opinion Survey explored a wide range of topics. The findings clearly describe disparities in the care patients with...
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