Barkha Mathur

Is your pet your therapy? Doctors explain how dogs and cats change stress

Pet ownership can bring comfort and calm through routine and companionship, though experts stress that emotional benefits differ widely and can sometimes come with added strain

What happens when you drink tea with your daily meals? Doctor explains

Tea is a daily ritual for many Indians, but doctors say having it with meals may interfere with nutrient absorption and digestion. Here's what to do without giving up your tea

Lost your voice after concert or match or cold? Here's how to recover

Lost your voice after cheering, singing or a bad cold? The instinctive whispering may worsen the damage. An ENT expert explains what helps your vocal cords heal faster

Is addiction a choice or a disease? Doctor explains the brain shift

Substance use may begin as a personal choice, but repeated exposure alters brain circuits that control reward and impulse, turning use into a disease for some people

Can your body expose a smoking habit before you admit it yourself?

You may hide a cigarette, but the body keeps score. A doctor explains how smoking leaves subtle signs across organs long before stains, smell or a confession appear

How much cannabis is too much? Scientists put a number on addiction risk

For the first time, scientists have proposed a weekly THC limit linked to cannabis addiction risk, suggesting adults staying under about 40 mg THC a week face lower odds of dependence

Small daily habits, big anatomical consequences: What your body is becoming

From phones to chairs to shoes, according to doctors, your small daily habits and choices are reshaping your body, with effects that often surface years later as stiffness and joint pain

Why weight returns fast after stopping obesity drugs? Homeostasis explained

Here's how homeostasis, hormones and obesity drugs affect why lost weight often returns faster than expected

₹3.5 cr on cow dung cancer research: Science or waste of taxpayer money?

A state-funded cancer research project centred on cow-based remedies has triggered debate. Surgical oncologist explains what science says, what evidence is missing, and why accountability matters

Google removes some AI health summaries after wrong advice sparks alarm

Can AI search answer put your health at risk? Google has removed 'AI Overviews' from some medical searches after a report by The Guardian flagged misinformation with potentially dangerous consequences

Why do leg cramps happen at night? An orthopaedic doctor explains

From nerve misfiring to sleeping position, night-time leg cramps have many triggers. A doctor explains what causes them and when they need medical attention

If you think you look older than your age, doctor recommends these changes

National Youth Day: Seeing more patients who look older than their years, a doctor says modern work-life habits are quietly affecting sleep, hormones, metabolism and long-term heart health

Is your bedroom too warm for your ageing heart? New study raises alarm

Hot nights may be stressing ageing hearts. A new Australian study finds that bedroom temperatures above 24 degrees Celsius during sleep can disrupt heart recovery in older adults

Just one night of binge drinking can damage your gut lining, study finds

A Harvard-led study shows even one episode of binge drinking can injure the small intestine, weaken the gut barrier and trigger immune responses that allow toxins to leak into the bloodstream

Can listening to music help your brain work better? Psychiatrist explains

Many of us work and study with music playing in the background. A doctor explains whether it truly sharpens the brain or mainly lifts mood, motivation and emotional state

Stopping Ozempic or Mounjaro? The weight may come back faster than you think

New research shows people regain weight far faster after stopping obesity drugs than after dieting, with benefits fading quickly and raising questions about how long GLP-1 medicines need to be taken

OpenAI launches ChatGPT Health, but it won't diagnose or treat you

ChatGPT Health introduces a dedicated space for health queries, allowing users to link medical records and fitness apps, even as OpenAI warns it is not a substitute for medical care

Why women need age-specific nutrition and what to put on the plate

Hormonal shifts across life stages mean women's nutrition needs change over time, affecting muscle, bones, heart health and metabolism, making age-specific diets a biological necessity

Why cervical cancer still kills one woman every two minutes worldwide

Cervical Cancer Awareness Month: The UN says cervical cancer, though preventable, continues to claim lives worldwide due to gaps in vaccination, screening and timely treatment

Want accurate lipid test results? What you eat, do the night before matters

A new warning from an Apollo doctor explains how dinner, alcohol, sleep, smoking and even exercise just before a lipid profile test can quietly distort cholesterol and triglyceride results