Health

Dr explains: How music therapy matches CBT in easing anxiety among cancer survivorsMusic therapy is emerging as a powerful, evidence-based tool in cancer survivorship care. A recent MSK study finds it as effective as CBT in managing anxiety with long-lasting benefits through song writing and telehealth delivery. Read hereThis is an AI generated image.

Common sweetener could hold untapped potential to fight aggressive cancer, study findsResearchers find that fermented stevia extract exhibits disease-fighting properties against pancreatic cancerThe chemical properties of stevia plant extract could help fight pancreatic cancer cells, researchers discovered. (iStock)
The study was not performed on humans, so there is “still a lot that’s unknown about whether this will help patients,” an oncologist commented. (iStock)
The stevia used as a beverage sweetener does not show any benefit to fighting cancer in its current form. (iStock)
“Pancreatic cancer is a very aggressive malignancy,” an oncologist said. “And we know that even with the most aggressive of therapies, unfortunately, our outcomes are not good.” (iStock)

‘Body eats itself’: What happens when the body is starved of foodGaza is gripped by a man-made famine as starvation deaths rise sharply. Doctors describe mothers too weak to breastfeed and children unable to swallow. Experts explain how the body ’eats itself’ in five stages of starvation — from burning stored carbs to consuming vital organs — in a crisis that aid workers say is entirely preventableA doctor checks Palestinian girl Jana Ayad, who is malnourished, according to medics, as she receives treatment at the International Medical Corps field hospital, amid the Israel-Hamas conflict, in Deir Al-Balah in the southern Gaza Strip, June 22, 2024. File Image/Reuters

Popular weight-loss medication could relieve painful arthritis symptoms, doctors reportWeight-loss doctor says patients experienced ‘tremendous relief’ after taking GLP-1 drugsRheumatoid arthritis, a chronic autoimmune disease that occurs when the immune system attacks its own tissues, causes inflammation, pain and stiffness in the joints. (iStock)
A New York City weight-loss doctor in New York City said she’s witnessed patients experience “tremendous relief” from inflammatory arthritis disease after taking GLP-1s. (iStock)
“Most patients were actually able to stop their arthritis medications,” a doctor noted of GLP-1 usage. (iStock)

Aging hits a dramatic turning point at one specific number, scientists discoverStudy of 13 human tissues shows substantial changes during a particular decadeA researcher said these findings could help with early targeted interventions regarding accelerated organ aging and disease risk. (iStock)
Researchers discovered that blood vessels are the most susceptible to aging. (iStock)
A table indicates where researchers noted sensitivity to aging in the human body.

World Lung Cancer Day: How AI and adaptive therapy are revolutionising lung cancer radiotherapyHow AI, adaptive therapy, and precision tools are transforming lung cancer radiotherapy, making treatments faster, safer and more effective than ever. Read here

Rare tick-borne virus causing neurological symptoms diagnosed in Northeastern statePowassan virus spreads much faster than Lyme disease and can cause fatal brain inflammationAs tick season continues to pick up steam across the U.S., a Maine resident has been diagnosed with a potentially serious tick-borne illness. (iStock)
Powassan virus is transmitted to humans through the bite of an infected woodchuck tick or an infected deer. (iStock)
To prevent tick bites, experts recommend using EPA-registered insect repellents containing at least 20% DEET, wearing light-colored clothes with long sleeves, and tucking pants into socks when outdoors. (iStock)

Your daily sandwich could be making you sad and anxious, health experts warnGluten sensitivity may trigger inflammation, affecting mood and brain function, but not all breads are badA registered dietitian nutritionist highlights the fact that gut microbes respond to the foods people eat, influencing mood for better or worse. (iStock)
While celiac disease is a well-known autoimmune condition triggered by gluten, even people without celiac can suffer from gluten sensitivity. (iStock)
“If you don’t have celiac disease, or non-celiac gluten sensitivity, gluten has not been shown to be detrimental to mental health,” one dietitian nutritionist said. (iStock)
Diets like the Mediterranean diet, which include whole grains with gluten, have been shown to support cognitive function and reduce symptoms of anxiety and depression. (iStock)

World’s ‘oldest baby’ is here: How child was born from embryo frozen in 1994A baby boy born in Ohio has made history after being born from an embryo that was frozen more than 30 years ago, long before his parents had started school. Named Thaddeus Daniel Pierce, he was born on July 26 and is now believed to be the world’s ‘oldest baby’. He breaks the previous record held by twins born in Oregon in 2022Thaddeus Daniel Pierce was born from an embryo that had been stored for 30 and a half years. Image: X

Your heart may be older than you think — and the number could predict disease riskMen’s hearts average 7 years older than chronological age, while women’s hearts are 4 years olderA study from Northwestern Medicine found that most American adults have a “heart age” that is several years older than their chronological age. (iStock)
The PREVENT Risk Age Calculator determines a person’s heart disease risk based on several factors, including blood pressure, cholesterol levels, smoking status, current medications and the presence of diabetes. (iStock)
The hope is that more information about heart health risk could increase preventive care, the lead researcher said, as heart disease has been the country’s leading cause of death for over 100 years. (iStock)
Future studies are needed to measure the impact of heart age on healthy lifestyle changes, preventive therapies and patient outcomes, the team concluded. (iStock)