Credit: iStock Did you know our brains glow? Well, not glow exactly—technically it’s called fluorescence—but this phenomenon ends up making the brain look kind of like red and green Christmas lights under a microscope. If you want to impress your family and friends at the holiday dinner table this season, read on to learn more … Continue reading The Cerebral Christmas Lights: Your Glowing Brain
Gobble Up Your Thanksgiving Turkey for Better Gut Health
Credit: iStock With Thanksgiving just around the corner, many people connect their post-feast drowsiness to the amino acid tryptophan found in turkey. But how does tryptophan make you feel sleepier and more relaxed? It turns out tryptophan is not only known for causing those cozy post-meal naps but also for being a precursor to Vitamin … Continue reading Gobble Up Your Thanksgiving Turkey for Better Gut Health
Speedy Delivery: How Your Body’s Lymphatics Doubles as a Drug Delivery System
Credit: iStock Our bodies have two important transportation systems: the blood vessel system and the lymphatic vessel system. The blood vessel system is a closed circuit that connects to the heart, also known as the cardiovascular system. The cells that make up the inner wall of blood vessels, called blood endothelial cells, are tightly connected. … Continue reading Speedy Delivery: How Your Body’s Lymphatics Doubles as a Drug Delivery System
The Haunted House of Microbes: Exploring the ‘Eerie’ Microbiome System
Credit: iStock It’s Halloween! This time of year many of us revel in all things spooky, huddle by a cozy fire and share chilling tales of our favorite monsters. Embracing the eerie ambiance of the season and the looming specter of fearsome creatures, I’ve embarked on a journey to delve into the enigmatic world of … Continue reading The Haunted House of Microbes: Exploring the ‘Eerie’ Microbiome System
Watching Scary Movies Can Help Reduce Your Stress (Really!)
Credit: iStock If you’re a fan of scary movies, you might notice that intense scenes may make you a little fidgety. As a scare pops up suddenly, you may unconsciously clench your fists or grip the arms of the couch, your heart rate quickens, goosebumps start to prickle your skin and sweat beads out of … Continue reading Watching Scary Movies Can Help Reduce Your Stress (Really!)
Can a New Football Helmet Curb Concussion?
Credit: iStock Football and fall go hand in hand for many people. Whether they are going to the games, watching on TV or running their own fantasy teams, football fans dread seeing their favorite player on the weekly injury report. Just as football and fall go together, unfortunately, so do football and traumatic brain injury … Continue reading Can a New Football Helmet Curb Concussion?
Spotlight On: Lymphatic System and Lymphedema
Credit: iStock The cardiovascular system includes the heart, arteries and capillaries that transport blood, oxygen, nutrients and water across our bodies. Veins also collect blood, while something called the lymphatic system collects a fluid called lymph. Lymph contains byproducts from our metabolism and immune factors to maintain our health. Cardiovascular health is central to our … Continue reading Spotlight On: Lymphatic System and Lymphedema
The Oral Microbiome: Tiny Organisms with a Huge Impact on Health
Credit: iStock Have you heard of the gut microbiome? This diverse community teeming with trillions of bacteria, fungi and other tiny organisms lives in the body’s intestines. Even if you’re familiar with the gut microbiome, you might be less so with the oral microbiome, another major community of microorganisms. This one lives in our mouths. … Continue reading The Oral Microbiome: Tiny Organisms with a Huge Impact on Health
Spotlight On: Cervical Cancer
Credit: iStock “Barbie”—an empowering movie about feminism featuring a personified version of the iconic doll—ends with a line that is shocking, surprising and funny (spoiler alert!): “I’m here to see my gynecologist.” Earlier in the movie, viewers learned that Barbie does not have genitals, but by the end of the movie, she starts to embrace … Continue reading Spotlight On: Cervical Cancer
Feeling Queasy? Try Some Ginger!
Credit: iStock Nausea, whether from motion sickness, hormones, stress or even a questionable meal, is a feeling many of us are familiar with. From attempting to read in a moving car to indulging in a bit too much ice cream, this pesky symptom has the uncanny ability to transform an otherwise enjoyable day into a … Continue reading Feeling Queasy? Try Some Ginger!