Credit: iStock/Elena Istomina Did you know that the trillions of bacteria residing in your gut actively influence one of the most critical numbers in your life: your blood pressure? For a long time, scientists mainly looked at genetics, diet and lifestyle as the key reasons behind high blood pressure. While these factors are important, there’s … Continue reading Beyond the Bugs: Could Chemicals from Microbes Help Lower Blood Pressure?
Chronic Disease
The Quiet Art of Protecting Your Lungs Against COPD
Credit: Amin Mohajeri Take a slow, deep breath. Feel the pleasant airflow entering your lungs, nourishing your blood and fueling your cells. This effortless, automatic rhythm is a priceless gift. With each breath, oxygen flows into the body and carbon dioxide leaves. Yet this delicate exchange can be disrupted over time by long-term exposure to … Continue reading The Quiet Art of Protecting Your Lungs Against COPD
Spotlight On: Metastasis
Credit: iStock/Ekaterina79 Cancer is a scary experience. You may have heard the term “metastasis” in relation to cancer that can spark more worry. You might not understand exactly what metastasis is. It’s the spread of cancer, from its original site,—such as when breast cancer spreads to the lungs or the brain. Read on to learn … Continue reading Spotlight On: Metastasis
Good Morning, Fall! How ‘Falling Back’ to Standard Time Affects Our Body Clock
Credit: iStock/simonapilolla Fall is here—a time for sweaters and scarves, warm beverages and changing leaves. Nights grow longer as the sun sets earlier, and in many parts of the U.S., we “fall back” from daylight saving to standard time to accommodate this shift. We may celebrate the feeling of getting to sleep in, or we … Continue reading Good Morning, Fall! How ‘Falling Back’ to Standard Time Affects Our Body Clock
Exploring Why Alcohol Makes Some People Feel Awful, But Not Others
Credit: iStock There is no shortage of research showing how alcohol harms your body. While there are many long-term consequences to drinking, alcohol also produces immediate negative effects such as drowsiness and/or sedation, loss of balance and coordination, and a depressive mood. Surprisingly, how we react to these symptoms could actually protect us from developing … Continue reading Exploring Why Alcohol Makes Some People Feel Awful, But Not Others
Understanding the Link Between Oral Health and Dementia
Credit: iStock/simarik Dementia is a brain disorder that affects memory, thinking and cognitive functioning. It is the seventh leading cause of death in older people and affects more than 57 million people worldwide. In recent years, research on this topic has expanded, meaning you may have seen more recommendations (such as healthy eating and exercising) … Continue reading Understanding the Link Between Oral Health and Dementia
How Blood Flow Reveals Our Cardiovascular Future
Credit: iStock/Jurgute Imagine you are watering a beautiful flowerbed with a garden hose. The water flows smoothly, nourishing each plant. Now, imagine if the hose gets kinked, causing a weak trickle of water. The flowers start to wilt, unable to receive the sustenance they need. In many ways, the blood vessels in our bodies work … Continue reading How Blood Flow Reveals Our Cardiovascular Future
Bile Acids and Gut Microbiota Work Together to Regulate Blood Pressure
Credit: iStock/libre de droit Did you know that liver, our second largest organ, also plays a role in regulating our blood pressure? It has to do with bile acids, a substance that the liver cells make to help with digestion. Let’s dive in a little more to understand how it all works. Bile acids Bile … Continue reading Bile Acids and Gut Microbiota Work Together to Regulate Blood Pressure
Becoming a Science Advocate: Lessons I Learned from the 2025 APS Hill Day
APS members Emily Grammer, Macy Stahl and Brian Simmons advocated for science research funding on Capitol Hill. As a scientist with a chronic illness, I have always been passionate about advocating for patients who may not be able to speak up about their own health care journey. This passion drove my desire to intertwine advocacy … Continue reading Becoming a Science Advocate: Lessons I Learned from the 2025 APS Hill Day
GLP-1 Agonists: More Than Just Weight Loss
Conference attendees listen to a scientific session at the 2025 American Physiology Summit. Originally developed to treat diabetes, glucagon-like peptide-1 (GLP-1) agonists have recently dominated media coverage due to their potent effects on weight loss. Preliminary research has also suggested that these drugs may also have a protective role in other body systems and improve … Continue reading GLP-1 Agonists: More Than Just Weight Loss