Credit: iStock Our immune system’s job is to protect our body and work as a self-defense tool against viruses and other harmful substances. Our immune system works as a cohesive unit spread across our body in different organs, cells and even the blood. Without it, our bodies would be more prone to infection and we … Continue reading May The Best Immune System Breathe!
Immune System
Tummy Troubles Up High: How Altitude Affects GI Physiology
Credit: iStock If you’re planning a spring skiing vacation or a summer of hiking in the mountains, you might want to prepare your mind and body for the physiological effects of high altitude. At altitude, the air pressure is lower. The amount of oxygen in the air is the same as sea level (about 21%), … Continue reading Tummy Troubles Up High: How Altitude Affects GI Physiology
Targeting the Immune System to Treat Cancer
Credit: iStock This month, in celebration of the 100th anniversary of the American Physiological Society journal Physiological Reviews, we are highlighting recent research published in the journal. Interested in reading more in celebration of Physiological Reviews’ birthday? Read our spotlight on migraine, about bariatric surgery’s effect on hunger and new thoughts on why you can't sleep. When we hear the … Continue reading Targeting the Immune System to Treat Cancer
Post-vaccination Blues: Why Feeling Sick Is a Good Sign
Credit: iStock Many of us have experienced symptoms such as a sore arm or a fever after receiving vaccinations. Feeling a little under the weather can make some people hesitant to get a jab in the future. But these aftereffects are actually a good thing and an important part of how our bodies develop immunity … Continue reading Post-vaccination Blues: Why Feeling Sick Is a Good Sign
The Physiology of Grief
Credit: iStock Many of us have experienced the death of a loved one and the grief that inevitably accompanies it. Such loss is widely considered to be the most stressful event we will ever encounter in our lives. I have been thinking about this lately because in just a few months it will be five … Continue reading The Physiology of Grief
Why ‘Physiology’ Is Important to the Nobel Prize Name
Many physiologists and physicians around the world look forward to the first week of October. It’s not the crisp, cool autumn air or the promise of enjoying one more pumpkin spice latte before they disappear from coffeeshops that beckons, although those things are nice too. It’s the anticipation of learning what top scientific research has … Continue reading Why ‘Physiology’ Is Important to the Nobel Prize Name
COVID-19 and the Heart
Credit: iStock SARS-CoV-2—the virus responsible for COVID-19—is a respiratory virus. When first discovered, the virus was thought to mostly affect the lungs. We now know that it affects many different organs in the body, including the heart. All respiratory viruses, including the seasonal flu, lead to a higher risk of cardiovascular disease. But SARS-CoV-2 appears … Continue reading COVID-19 and the Heart
How Math Is Leading to Breakthroughs in Cancer, Breath Tests and Understanding of Glaucoma
What do you get when you put mathematicians and physiologists in a room together? The question may sound like the beginning of a joke, but the answer is not a punchline. Last week, math modelers and experts who study the body’s smallest blood vessels—called the microcirculation—met in Scottsdale, Ariz. This group of elite scientists explored … Continue reading How Math Is Leading to Breakthroughs in Cancer, Breath Tests and Understanding of Glaucoma
Sea Water vs. Saline: Why Not All Salty Water Is Created Equal
Sunshine, warmer temperatures and no school—summer is well underway. Summer brings with it an abundance of outdoor activities—hiking, biking and trips to the beach—plus cuts, scrapes, bumps and bruises. You might think a jump in the ocean to soak those scrapes in the salt water might help. But this isn’t always the best way to … Continue reading Sea Water vs. Saline: Why Not All Salty Water Is Created Equal
A Battle Against ‘Superbugs’ in a New Medical Era
Have you heard of “superbugs?” Superbugs are bacteria that have gained the superpower to survive in the presence of antibiotics—medicines developed to slow or kill the growth of bacteria. Antibiotics are widely used to treat infections and to prevent infections after surgery. Because antibiotics are effective and convenient, doctors prescribe them often, which may lead … Continue reading A Battle Against ‘Superbugs’ in a New Medical Era