Health & Fitness

America has had an epidemic of poor health long before SARS-CoV-2 appeared earlier this year. This is largely a result of industry propaganda influencing their choices of large amounts of processed foods that are high in carbs and industrially processed vegetable oils.

However, over the past several months, several polls discovered more about the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic response on mental health, and it’s not good. In the featured video, Glenn Greenwald, host of System Update, discusses the “crumbling of the U.S. social fabric” and explores the rise in “deaths of despair” from drugs and suicide brought on by the pandemic.

Anxiety, Depression and Suicide Are at All-Time Highs

Indeed, statistics show rates of depression, anxiety and suicide are currently at an all-time high.^1,2 The Kaiser Family Foundation has conducted polls at regular intervals since the beginning of the pandemic. Here’s a quick summary of findings over time:

Stress Is Taking a Toll, CDC Finds

Similarly, a study⁷ by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention published August 14, 2020, found 40.9% of the 5,412 respondents reported struggling with anxiety, depression or symptoms of trauma- and stressor-related disorder (TSRD) relating to the pandemic; 13.3% of American adults reported new or increased substance use as a way to manage stress, and 10.7% of adults said they’d seriously contemplated suicide in the past 30 days.

Unpaid caregivers for adults had the highest rate of suicidal ideation at 30.7%, followed by young adults, age 18 to 24 (25.5%) and essential workers (21.7%). Symptoms of trauma- and stressor-related disorder caused by the pandemic, increased substance use and suicidal ideation were all also more prevalent among employed than unemployed respondents. 

Now, as noted by Greenwald in the video above, depression and suicide rates were seeing significant increases even before the pandemic, especially among younger people. This, despite the explosion of social media, where you can stay connected to people across vast distances 24/7.

This paradoxical result has been taken as evidence that social media simply cannot replace actual face-to-face interactions. We need physical contact. We need to be able to interact face-to-face.

Between lockdowns and mandatory mask orders, not only has physical contact been extinguished, but we also cannot see each other’s facial expressions when wearing masks. Both significantly contribute to the feeling of alienation and loneliness.

Antidepressant Use Has Skyrocketed

According to an April 16, 2020, report^8,9,10 by Express Scripts, an employer-based pharmacy benefit management company, prescriptions for antidepressants have also skyrocketed, rising 34.1% between mid-February and mid-March, by which time stay at home orders had been issued for many parts of the U.S.

Combined, drugs for anxiety, depression and insomnia rose by 21%. Mirroring poll results, far more women have turned to antidepressants than men, with women increasing use by 40% compared to men, who had a 22.7% rise in prescriptions.¹¹

June 3, 2020, The Food and Drug Administration reported¹² that the antidepressant Zoloft had been added to the FDA’s list of drugs experiencing shortages due to increased demand. Increased antidepressant use has also been reported in Queensland, Australia.¹³

All of this is regrettable, considering studies^{14,15,16,17,18,19} have repeatedly shown antidepressants work no better than placebo for mild to moderate depression and come with a long list of adverse health effects.

According to a 2017 systematic review²⁰ that included meta-analysis and trial sequential analysis of 131 placebo-controlled studies, all trials were at high risk of bias, thereby rendering their clinical significance “questionable.” None of the trials, even when reporting a positive result, met the threshold for clinical significance of three points on the depression score.

The authors also pointed out that “SSRIs significantly increase the risk of both serious and non-serious adverse events,” and that “The potential small beneficial effects seem to be outweighed by harmful effects.”

Suicide Rates Are Spiking

As one would expect, we are also seeing a rise in suicides. In a July 2020 Buck Institute webinar reported by Townhall,²¹ CDC director Robert Redfield stated that lockdowns and lack of school attendance have had a disproportionally negative impact on children and teens’ mental health. Among high school students — who are at very low risk of dying from COVID-19 — suicides and drug overdoses have surpassed the death rate for COVID-19.

“This is why I keep coming back for the overall social being of individuals,” Redfield said. “Let’s all work together and find out how we can find common ground to get these schools open in a way that people are comfortable and they’re safe."

Townhall pointed out that it’s unclear where Redfield got his data,²² but highlighted a May 21, 2020, report²³ by ABC7 News, in which Dr. Mike deBoisblanc, at John Muir Medical Center in Walnut Creek, California, stated the hospital had “seen a year’s worth of suicide attempts” in just four weeks.

Trauma nurse Kacey Hansen was also quoted, saying, “What I have seen recently, I have never seen before. I have never seen so much intentional injury.” In March, FirstLink, a company that answers 211 helplines and the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline for North Dakota and parts of Minnesota, reported a 300% increase in call volume.²⁴ Text conversations with the national Crisis Text Line were also double that of the normal volume during the week of March 15.²⁵

The week of April 20, which, looking back, coincided with the peak of COVID-19 deaths in the U.S., suicides exceeded COVID-19 deaths in Tennessee,^26,27 and in Knox County (one of the few areas in Tennessee where nonessential businesses were ordered to close), eight suicides took place within a span of just 48 hours during the third week of March.²⁸

Meanwhile, only six patients died from COVID-19 in the entire state that week. In a statement, Knoxville, Tennessee, Mayor Glenn Jacobs said:²⁹

“That number is completely shocking and makes me wonder if what we are doing now is really the best approach. We have to determine how we can respond to COVID-19 in a way that keeps our economy intact, keeps people employed and empowers them with a feeling of hope and optimism — not desperation and despair.”

Isolation Worsens Already Existing Mental Health Issues

A report released in April by The Well Being Trust predicts³⁰ “deaths of despair” due to the COVID-19 pandemic may reach as high as 75,000. Psycom, which reported the results, noted:³¹

“The research has been clear on this one for years: isolation and loneliness is bad for our health — both physical and mental. According to a meta-analysis co-authored by Julianne Holt-Lunstad, PhD, a professor of psychology and neuroscience at Brigham Young University, lack of social connection heightens health risks as much as smoking three-quarters of a pack of cigarettes a day, every day.

‘There is robust evidence that social isolation and loneliness significantly increase risk for premature mortality, and the magnitude of the risk exceeds that of many leading health indicators,’ Holt ­Lunstad says. The coronavirus has obviously exacerbated the problem.”

In a related article, Psycom notes that:³²

“The effects of this crisis are more far-reaching than heightened anxiety, which pretty much everyone is feeling. There are also trickle-down effects to those with addiction and behavioral disorders like OCD, ADHD, and substance abuse.

Along with the good that social distancing can do for our own health and society in general, it also increases feelings of isolation, loneliness, stress, and fear — all of which can be triggers that make many mental illnesses infinitely worse.”

The article goes on to address what people struggling with nine of the most common mental health problems can do to cope better. This includes those with anxiety, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder, substance abuse and eating disorders, ADHD, bipolar disorder, schizophrenia and post-traumatic stress disorder. For more details about each of those, please refer to the original Psycom article.³³

Intentional and Unintentional Deaths Reported by CDC

According to data³⁴ released by the CDC August 26, 2020, only 6% of the total COVID-19-related death toll had COVID-19 listed as the sole cause of death on the death certificate. Six percent of 161,392 is 9,683. “For deaths with conditions or causes in addition to COVID-19, on average, there were 2.6 additional conditions or causes per death,” the CDC states.

Now, we’ve heard reports of accident victims being listed as COVID-19 deaths, and Table 3 in this August 26 report is granular enough that we can see that a total of 5,133 “COVID-19-related deaths” also had “intentional or unintentional injury, poisoning or other adverse events” listed on the death certificate.

This number likely also contains suicides where the individual was found to test positive for SARS-CoV-2, or was suspected of testing positive. (Please note, these data are accurate as of this writing, as shown in the partial screenshots below. The CDC does not notate when data are altered as new death certificates come in, so the numbers may therefore be different from what is reported here, depending on when you’re looking at it. For the most up-to-date figures, see the CDC’s website.³⁵)

The Difference Between Being Scared and Being Fearful

Fear is the primary emotion that the technocrats are using to manipulate and coerce their tyrannical controls. It is the most powerful tool at their disposal and highly effective which is why it is being deployed.

As explained in “You Can Control Fear,” there’s a difference between being scared and being fearful. Right now, the whole world is holding its proverbial breath in anticipation for what might come next. It’s easy to feel fearful, considering the daily barrage of bad news.

However, understanding the difference between being scared and living in fear can be very helpful, as fear has a paralyzing effect while being scared primarily heightens alertness. Novel threats raise a person's level of anxiety to a greater degree than familiar threats, even when they have the same or similar consequences. This is thought to be related to activity in your amygdala, which processes emotions.³⁶

Ryan Holiday, media strategist and author of 10 books, including “The Daily Stoic” and “The Obstacle Is the Way,” writes:³⁷

“Being afraid? That’s not fight or flight. That’s paralysis. That only makes things worse. Especially right now. Especially in a world that requires solutions to the many problems we face. They’re certainly not going to solve themselves. And inaction (or the wrong action) may make them worse, it might put you in even more danger. An inability to learn, adapt, to embrace change will too.”

While fleeting feelings of concern are expected when faced with new experiences, when such feelings are allowed to continuously dominate, paralysis can set in. To thrive in times of great uncertainty and fear, Holiday stresses the importance of training, education and preparation, which are the foundations of courage.³⁸

The difference between being fearful and being scared is that fear paralyzes your ability to evaluate what's happening and to make decisions. But preparation and information help you to make decisions and act, even when you're scared. This is the definition of courage — taking action despite being scared.

How to Reduce Fear and Find Courage

There are several strategies you can use to reduce fear and find courage. It is important to begin with the understanding that your thoughts engender feelings. Your emotions do not have a life of their own, but rather are dependent on your thinking.

So, one of the strategies you can use to reduce fear is to change the way you think about things. Yes, we’re dealing with many unknowns right now, but focusing on planning and preparation rather than getting locked into panic mode can go a long way toward safeguarding your mental health. Take the safety precautions you can take, and limit your exposure to the news.

Psychology Today³⁹ recommends reducing anxiety by consuming positive news stories while keeping up with what’s going in the world. Also do your best to apply some critical thinking when reading the news.

It’s important to pay careful attention to “vague or loaded terms, cited statistics, and unstated assumptions.” In other words, don’t accept at face value what’s in the news but, rather, consider the information and ask questions about what you’re being told. Other stress- and depression-reducing techniques include:⁴⁰

• Getting enough exercise
• Eating whole foods
• Limiting sugar
• Getting quality sleep
• Practicing meditation and mindfulness training

When you’re tired and your body doesn’t have adequate nutrition to function, you’re more apt to fall into the trap of fear-based thinking. Additional nondrug treatment strategies for depression can be found in “What Does the Best Evidence Say About Antidepressants?”

The Emotional Freedom Techniques

A strategy that can provide more immediate results is the use of Emotional Freedom Techniques, or EFT. In the video above, Julie Schiffman demonstrates a tapping strategy to relieve anxiety and other challenging emotions brought on by news and uncertainty about this pandemic and/or self-quarantining. If you aren’t familiar with EFT you’ll find a library of demonstrations at “Basic Steps to Your Emotional Freedom.”

The NET FAST Technique

Another alternative is the Neuro-Emotional Technique’s First Aid Stress Tool, or NET FAST, demonstrated in the video above. Firstaidstresstool.com also provides an excellent printable summary with visuals of the technique,⁴¹ which even a young child can do. Here is a summary of the FAST procedure:

1. While thinking about an issue that is bothering you, place your right wrist, palm up, into your left hand. Place three fingers of your left hand onto the area of your right wrist where you can feel your pulse
2. Place your open right hand on your forehead. Gently breathe in and out several times while concentrating on feeling the issue that bothers you
3. Switch hands and repeat Steps 1 and 2

Suicide Prevention Resources

If you feel depressed, anxious or creeping despair, please do not hesitate to reach out to family, friends or any of the available suicide prevention services:

• The National Suicide Prevention Lifeline (U.S.) — Call 1-800-273-TALK (8255)
• Crisis Text Line — Text HOME to 741741 to connect with a crisis counselor
• Lifeline Crisis Chat — Chat online with a specialist who can provide emotional support, crisis intervention and suicide prevention services at suicidepreventionlifeline.org
• Alternatively, call 911, or simply go to your nearest Hospital Emergency Department

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Because dementia affects many older people, it’s often considered a normal part of aging, but it’s not. In fact, the brain damage that can lead to dementia is often linked to poor diet and nutritional deficiencies, especially in the B complex vitamins and docosahexaenoic acid — an omega-3 fat more commonly known as DHA.

Although it’s widely accepted that DHA contributes to proper brain development in infants and helps maintain normal brain function in adults,¹ up until now, the majority of studies haven’t been able to find a solid connection between DHA and the prevention of dementia, specifically Alzheimer’s disease. However, researchers from the University of Southern California speculated that maybe, in previous studies, the doses were too low to have an impact.

In a small clinical trial published in EBioMedicine in 2020,² these researchers divided 33 participants with risk factors for Alzheimer’s disease into two groups. One group was given a supplement combination that included 1 mg of vitamin B12, 100 mg of vitamin B6, 800 mcg of folic acid (the synthetic version of folate or vitamin B9) and 2,152 mg of DHA every day for six months. The other group was given a placebo.

After the six-month trial period, the researchers took blood and cerebrospinal fluid samples to see if the DHA reached the brain. They found the participants who took the supplements had 200% more DHA in their blood, compared to the placebo group. DHA in cerebrospinal fluid increased by 28%.

One major thing to note is that this study used around 2,000 mg of DHA, which is double the typical 1,000 mg used in most previous studies. Unlike previous studies, the researchers also measured cerebrospinal fluid, in addition to blood, to see how much DHA actually made it to the brain.

These two factors led researchers to conclude that high doses of DHA, combined with B vitamins, may help prevent cognitive decline, but that smaller doses may not be as beneficial.

Brain Changes Associated With Dementia

To understand how B complex vitamins and high-dose DHA may prevent cognitive decline, it’s helpful to understand the physiological and physical changes that occur in your brain as dementia develops.

A healthy adult brain has approximately 100 billion neurons.³ Each neuron has branches that extend from it to form connections with the other neurons around it. Through these connections, called synapses, nerves send signals to each other that create thoughts, memories, feelings, emotions and skills.

In someone with dementia, neurons in the parts of the brain that are involved in memory, learning and thoughts become damaged or destroyed. As the disease progresses, neurons in other areas, like the ones involved in walking and swallowing, become damaged or destroyed. The brain also becomes inflamed and atrophies, or shrinks and wastes away.⁴

Because of this progression, dementia is categorized as a degenerative disease, which means that it gets worse as time goes on. In fact, research shows these brain changes begin 10 to 20 years before symptoms even start to develop.⁵

How DHA Protects Your Brain

Your central nervous system contains growth factors called neurotrophins that have a role in the growth, maturation and maintenance of your cells. One particular neurotrophin, called brain-derived neurotrophic factor (BDNF) is highly involved in the growth and survival of nerve cells specifically.⁶

Low levels of BDNF have been connected to the development of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease,^7,8 as well as other brain disorders such as Parkinson’s disease, Huntington’s disease and schizophrenia.⁹ Low levels of DHA are at least partly to blame for low levels of BDNF.

Aside from helping to keep your brain levels of BDNF high, DHA has also been shown to play a role in several different neuronal processes, including the creation of new nerves, the survival of existing nerves and neuroplasticity. DHA also plays a role in nerve signaling and transmission of nerve impulses, the creation of new nerve synapses and the brain processes involved in learning and memory.¹⁰

In a 2011 study in PLOS One, researchers found that a low dietary intake of DHA, especially during periods of brain maturation, could negatively affect brain function and neuroplasticity in adult life. On the other hand, getting adequate DHA is critical for optimizing brain performance, building healthy neurons and protecting against neurological disorders.¹¹

B Vitamins Support Cognitive Function and Prevent Dementia

Aside from the fact that B vitamins help the body process DHA, vitamins B6, B9 (folate) and B12 are also particularly important for supporting cognitive function as you age. These vitamins have been shown to be highly protective against age-related cognitive decline and the development of Alzheimer’s disease.¹²

One of the primary reasons is elevated homocysteine levels. Homocysteine is an amino acid that you get primarily from eating meat, but blood levels become elevated when you’re not getting enough of these B vitamins. In a 2005 study in The American Journal of Clinical Nutrition, researchers performed cognitive tests on 720 elderly Italians.¹³ After the cognitive tests, they took blood samples and measured homocysteine and vitamin levels.

They found that those with elevated homocysteine levels had a higher risk of dementia and Alzheimer’s disease. The researchers concluded that elevated homocysteine levels could directly cause brain damage and increase the generation of amyloid plaques — a characteristic of Alzheimer’s disease — and went on to say that low serum folate and vitamin B12 played a role.

In a later 2010 report in Nutrition Reviews, researchers pointed out that vitamins B6, B9 and B12 are essential coenzymes in the methylation process that helps convert homocysteine to methionine, another essential amino acid that’s used to make many different compounds in the body, including the “master antioxidant” glutathione.¹⁴

Your body can eliminate homocysteine naturally, provided you're getting enough B9 (folate), B6 and B12. In a 2010 study published in PLOS One, participants were given either a placebo or 800 micrograms (mcg) of folic acid (the synthetic form of B9), 500 mcg of B12 and 20 mg of B6 for 24 months.¹⁵

After the trial period, those who received the B-complex treatment had significantly less brain shrinkage than those who received the placebo. The conclusion of the study was that if you’re able to control homocysteine levels by getting adequate amounts of B vitamins, you may be able to reduce brain atrophy, which may also slow the onset of Alzheimer’s disease.

Another 2013 study published in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America showed that not only do B vitamins help slow brain shrinkage in general, but they also specifically slow shrinkage in the brain regions known to be most severely impacted by Alzheimer’s disease by as much as 700%.¹⁶

Why B Vitamins Have Such a Powerful Effect on Brain Health

It’s not just about homocysteine, though. Another reason B vitamins have such a profound effect on brain health and conditions like dementia is the fact that they are required for the maintenance of myelin, the fatty sheath surrounding your nerve cells.¹⁷

If this protective coating gets damaged, nerve signals can become slow and sporadic. This can eventually lead to cognitive decline, decreased motor function and mood changes.

Vitamin B6, folate and B12 also regulate the synthesis and breakdown of brain chemicals involved in mood control, like serotonin, melatonin, GABA and dopamine.¹⁸ This is why a deficiency in one or more of these B vitamins can trigger symptoms of anxiety or depression. Drops in dopamine and the way your body regulates the neurotransmitter have also been linked to dementia.¹⁹

B Complex and DHA Work Together

While B complex vitamins and DHA are independently valuable, they work best when taken together. In a 2016 report in the Journal of Alzheimer’s Disease, researchers reported that when DHA is low, treatment with B vitamins had no effect on cognitive decline, but when DHA is in the upper normal range, B vitamins interact with the omega-3 fatty acids and help slow cognitive decline.²⁰

This means that to get the most out of B complex and DHA, you need to make sure your diet is rich in high-quality sources of all of the nutrients. Here are my recommendations for getting the B complex vitamins that help prevent cognitive decline:

Nutrient	Dietary Sources
Vitamin B6	Turkey, grass fed beef, organic pastured chicken, wild-caught salmon, sweet potatoes, potatoes, sunflower seeds, pistachios, avocado, banana and nutritional yeast.21
Folate (B9)	Fresh, raw, organic leafy green vegetables, especially broccoli, asparagus and turnip greens, and a wide variety of beans, especially lentils, but also pinto beans, garbanzo beans, kidney beans, navy and black beans.22
Vitamin B12	Vitamin B12 is found almost exclusively in animal tissues, including foods like beef and beef liver, lamb, snapper, clams, salmon, shrimp, scallops, poultry, eggs and dairy products.23 Nutritional yeast is also high in B12 and is highly recommended for vegetarians and vegans. One serving (2 tablespoons) provides over 4 mcg of natural vitamin B12.24

Some of the highest dietary sources of DHA include:²⁵

Wild-caught Atlantic salmon	Herring
Sardines	Mackerel
Rainbow trout	Oysters
Sea bass	Pacific cod

You can also get DHA from high-quality fish oil supplements, like cod liver oil and krill oil. Focusing on food quality and making sure your diet includes a wide variety of the listed foods will help ensure that you get all of the nutrients you need to keep your brain healthy.

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When you're trying to lose weight, the best and most sustainable way is doing it gradually, cutting your calorie intake by about 25 percent. Dietitian Melissa Meier shows us the best foods that are high in nutrients but cost next to nothing. 

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One-third of Australian women will experience trauma, either physical or psychological, during and/or after childbirth. This Birth Trauma Week, childbirth expert, author, and doula Rhea Dempsey shares how to minimise the risk of a traumatic birth.

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A newly published study looking at cats in Wuhan, where the first known outbreak of COVID-19 began, shows more cats might be contracting the disease than first believed.

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Researchers compared lipoproteins and metabolites in the blood of COVID-19 patients and healthy subjects, revealing signs of multi-organ damage in patients that could someday help diagnose and treat COVID-19.

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A Danish university lecturer experiments with banning screens in discussion lessons. A new study looks at the results, which include greater student presence, improved engagement and deeper learning.

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People who were children when their parents were divorced showed lower levels of oxytocin -- the so-called 'love hormone' -- when they were adults than those whose parents remained married, according to a new study. The lower level may play a role in having trouble forming attachments when they are grown.

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Lung cancer is the second most prevalent cancer in the US, and the deadliest cancer killer. In 2020, an estimated 135,720 people will die from the disease — more than breast, colon, and prostate cancers combined.

I’ll never forget meeting new, advanced-stage lung cancer patients who ask if their diagnosis could have somehow been made earlier, when treatment would have been more likely to succeed. In 2009, when I began practicing thoracic oncology, there were no approved screening tests for lung cancer.

A brief history of lung cancer screening

Hope for early detection and death prevention came in 2011 with the publication of the National Lung Screening Trial (NLST). This was the first randomized clinical trial to show a lung cancer mortality benefit for lung screening, using annual low-dose computed tomography (LDCT) scans for older patients with a significant smoking history. This led to the 2014 US Preventive Services Task Force (USPSTF) recommendation for lung cancer screening. The USPSTF recommended a yearly LDCT scan to screen people who met certain criteria: a 30-pack-year smoking history (smoking one pack of cigarettes per day for 30 years or the equivalent amount); being a current smoker or former smoker who quit within the past 15 years; and age from 55 to 80 years.

Since the NLST publication, an additional randomized clinical trial done in Europe (the NELSON trial, published in the New England Journal of Medicine in February 2020) also showed a reduction in lung cancer mortality associated with screening younger patients (ages 50 to 74) and with a lower pack-year smoking history. Based on this trial and other modeling information, the USPSTF issued a draft recommendation in July 2020 to change the current lung screening guidelines to include people ages 50 to 80, as well as current and former smokers with at least a 20-pack-year smoking history. For former smokers, the screening eligibility criterion remains a quit date within the past 15 years. The USPSTF estimates that following the proposed guideline could lead to a 13% greater reduction in lung cancer deaths compared to the current guideline.

Proposed guidelines could narrow racial disparities associated with screening eligibility

In addition to amplifying the benefits of screening by extending screening to younger patients with lighter smoking histories, the proposed changes may also help to eliminate racial disparities in screening eligibility. Blacks in the US have a higher risk of lung cancer compared to whites, and this risk difference occurs at lower levels of smoking. By extending the screening criteria, more people are eligible for screening, but the eligibility increases are enriched in non-Hispanic Blacks and women.

This is certainly a move in the right direction. But it’s worth noting that the rate of LDCT screening of eligible patients has been low (but is slowly increasing) since the initial lung screening guidelines were approved six years ago. My hope with the expanded eligibility criteria for lung screening is that we can renew the push to screen all eligible patients, and continue the necessary education of doctors and patients to incorporate lung screening into routine health care.

Weigh the risks and benefits of lung cancer screening

When I speak to colleagues and patients about lung cancer screening, one of the most frequent questions I receive is about the downsides of screening and how to evaluate the risks and benefits. My reply is to consider their willingness to undergo curative treatment like lung surgery or radiation treatment. Fortunately, there are now several treatment options available for most patients with lung cancer.

There are other risks to consider. For example, screening carries the possibility of false positive results that can lead to unnecessary scans, or even biopsies or surgery. A biopsy or surgery for what turns out to be noncancerous disease is a rare occurrence, but it can happen. Also, on occasion there can be a complication of a procedure. Knowing the risks before starting the screening process is important.

Progress in lung cancer screening has led to earlier diagnosis

I look forward to the day when we substantively decrease lung cancer deaths in the US and worldwide. Now, when I see patients with positive LDCT screens, I tell them how lucky we are to have found the cancer early, when we have a good chance of cure. Every time I deliver this news, I smile and think of the progress of the last 10 years, and I gear up to accelerate the momentum into the next decade and beyond.

The post Proposed guidelines likely to identify more early lung cancers appeared first on Harvard Health Blog.

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Engineers have invented a soft wearable device which simulates the sense of touch and has wide potential for medical, industrial and entertainment applications.

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Now more than ever, Americans and people all over the world are under increased stress, which may adversely affect their health and well-being. Researchers explore the possibility that mindfulness with paced breathing reduces blood pressure. One of the most plausible mechanisms is that paced breathing stimulates the vagus nerve and parasympathetic nervous system, which reduce stress chemicals in the brain and increase vascular relaxation that may lead to lowering of blood pressure.

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Individuals who can unconsciously predict complex patterns, an ability called implicit pattern learning, are likely to hold stronger beliefs that there is a god who creates patterns of events in the universe, according to neuroscientists.

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A new study identifies insomnia as a risk factor associated with increased risk of developing type 2 diabetes (T2D). The study identifies 34 risk factors that are thought to increase (19) or decrease risk (15), as well as a further 21 'suggestive' risk factors where evidence was not quite as strong.

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Scientists review macrophage activation syndrome -- a feature of the cytokine storm that kills patients with severe cases of COVID-19, as well as possible treatments.

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The significant reduction in vehicle journeys during the COVID-19 lockdown did not reduce the level of toxic fine particles in Scotland's air, according to experts at the University of Stirling.

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A research group has now developed a hypothesis whereby iron deposits in the brain -- resulting from alcohol-induced vitamin B1 deficiency -- can be regarded as key factors in cognitive decline.

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A team of researchers has uncovered crucial molecular details regarding the activity of the 'tau' protein, promising to revolutionize the therapy of tau-induced neurodegenerative diseases.

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In a large study of adults with Type 2 diabetes, moderate drinking (defined as eight or more alcoholic beverages a week) was associated with a 60% or higher increased risk of high blood pressure. The severity of high blood pressure also increased with eight or more drinks per week.

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With life expectancy increasing, age-related diseases are also on the rise, including sarcopenia, the loss of muscle mass due to aging. Researchers have demonstrated that a well-known drug can delay the progression of age-related muscle weakness.

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