Page 14 - Latest Updates on Health with BS

An autoimmune encephalitis wiped a man's memory. Here's how he's coping

My year of unraveling is how a despairing Christy Morrill described nightmarish months when his immune system hijacked his brain. What's called autoimmune encephalitis attacks the organ that makes us us, and it can appear out of the blue. Morrill went for a bike ride with friends along the California coast, stopping for lunch, and they noticed nothing wrong. Neither did Morrill until his wife asked how it went and he'd forgotten. Morrill would get worse before he got better. Unhinged and fighting to see light, he wrote as delusions set in and holes in his memory grew. Of all the ways our immune system can run amok and damage the body instead of protecting it, autoimmune encephalitis is one of the most unfathomable. Seemingly healthy people abruptly spiral with confusion, memory loss, seizures, even psychosis. But doctors are getting better at identifying it, thanks to discoveries of a growing list of the rogue antibodies responsible that, if found in blood and spinal fluid, aid ..

Heart-attack risk calculators fail to flag almost half at risk, shows study

New findings show that almost half of future first-time heart-attack patients would not be flagged by existing tools, raising concerns over how heart disease risk is assessed and managed.

Good old kalonji may help control fat and cholesterol, says new study

A new clinical trial shows that kalonji, long used in Indian kitchens, may help lower cholesterol and slow fat formation, offering a natural metabolic boost alongside regular diet and lifestyle habits

Is excessive chewing hurting your spine and posture? Orthopaedists explain

From jaw fatigue to neck stiffness, orthopaedists explain how continuous chewing places stress on the jaw-neck chain and may affect long-term spinal comfort and alignment

Are you the eldest child? Here's what it does to your mental health

Why do so many first-borns feel both pride and pressure? Psychologists explain how family dynamics, gender expectations and cultural norms shape what people now call the "eldest child syndrome"

Why many preterm births are preventable and what doctors want you to know

From subtle symptoms to unmanaged health conditions, doctors explain why many preterm births can be avoided with early screening, closer monitoring and greater awareness during pregnancy

Reversing antibiotic resistance: Experts reveal what can still work

Resistance can decline and older drugs can regain usefulness, but only if hospitals, communities and policymakers commit to long-term behavioural change and evidence-based interventions

How starting exercise in your 40s can reduce dementia risk by nearly half

A major long-term study tracking adults for 37 yrs finds that regular physical activity in your 40s, 50s and beyond can cut dementia risk by up to 45 per cent, even in those with genetic vulnerability

Understanding egg-freezing: A smart option for delayed motherhood

As awareness grows, egg-freezing is becoming an empowering choice for many women. From ideal age windows to the medical steps and risks, here's what you should know.

Watching a lot of reels, short videos? It hurts your brain, says study

Heavy use of Reels, Shorts and TikTok may impair attention, increase stress and anxiety, and disrupt sleep, according to a new review of 98,299 people examining the cognitive toll of short-form videos

High temperature exposure during pregnancy impacts stress molecules: Study

An exposure to high temperatures during pregnancy could be disrupting amino acids and vitamins key to managing stress and energy, thereby increasing the risk of a premature delivery, suggests an analysis of blood samples. Studies have observed a link between warmer ambient temperatures and preterm births, where a baby is born before 37 weeks of pregnancy. The analysis, published in the journal Science Advances, looked at small molecules or "molecular fingerprints" in blood samples of 215 pregnant women who were residents of the US metropolitan city of Atlanta, and matched residential addresses with the maximum ambient temperatures experienced throughout their pregnancies. The first-of-its-kind study by researchers at Emory University found a disruption in levels of naturally occurring substances in blood, such as methionine, proline, citrulline and pipecolate, when ambient temperatures were higher. Methionine is an essential amino acid, obtained through diet, while citrulline is a

HPV research bolsters case for vaccine as misinformation battle intensifies

HPV vaccination reduces the incidence of cervical cancer by about 80 per cent in people vaccinated at or before the age of 16, according to findings published Monday in two Cochrane reviews

Gurugram doctors save 28-year-old's severed forearm in rare complex surgery

The injury was caused by a sharp cut that resulted in total amputation of the distal one-third of the left forearm

'Air pollution doesn't just damage lungs, also increases risk of dementia'

Speaking about whether Air pollution can cause stroke, Neurologist Joy Dev Mukherji dismissed these assumptions but suggested the risk of dementia

What makes long Covid long: New evidence raises concern and diagnostic hope

Research finds persistent immune and clotting abnormalities, underscoring the scale of India's long Covid burden and its impact on heart and vascular health

India's metabolic crisis deepens as young adults face diabetes surge

Diabetes is increasingly becoming a major global health concern, with an estimated 589 million adults currently living with the condition and the number expected to rise to 853 million by 2050

Osteoporosis in Men: How declining testosterone fuels fragile bones

As testosterone declines with age, men face faster bone deterioration, higher fracture risk, and subtler early symptoms that are often missed until advanced osteoporosis sets in

Keeping eyes safe in high pollution: Simple habits that protect vision

With irritation, dryness and blurred vision rising each smog season, here are some warning signs to never ignore and simple daily habits that keep the eyes protected through winter

Five skincare red flags dermatologists say shoppers routinely overlook

From viral hype to '100% results' claims, dermatologists outline five subtle yet crucial red flags that often mislead shoppers into buying products that overpromise and underdeliver

Even two cigarettes a day raise heart failure risk by 50%, study finds

Even smoking two cigarettes a day can stiffen blood vessels, raise clotting, sharply increase the risk of heart failure and early death, new global research warns about the dangers of 'light' smoking