Taking high-dose vitamin D supplements for five years did not affect the incidence of cardiovascular disease or cancer
A trial by the University of Eastern Finland found that taking a much higher dose of vitamin D than recommended for five years did not affect total mortality or the incidence of cardiovascular disease or cancer in older men and women. In population studies, low levels of vitamin D in the body have been linked […]
The Flu Is Back
The U.S. flu season has arrived on schedule after taking a year off, with flu hospitalizations rising and two child deaths reported. Last year’s flu season was the lowest on record, likely because COVID-19 measures — school closures, distancing, masks and canceled travel — prevented the spread of influenza, or because the coronavirus somehow pushed […]
Is It Safe to Take Tylenol or Ibuprofen Before COVID-19 Vaccine?
The CDC does not recommend taking Tylenol or ibuprofen before getting the COVID-19 vaccine, as doing so may weaken its effectiveness Because taking over-the-counter painkillers before getting vaccinated may reduce the responsiveness of your immune system and therefore weaken the effectiveness of the vaccine, the CDC does not recommend taking Tylenol or ibuprofen before getting […]
As Black Women, Finding A Therapist Who ‘Gets It’ Was Almost Impossible
As two Black women, we grew up with a lot of stigmas about taking care of our mental health. It’s normal for Black women to rely on our families or friend groups to stay strong. We also found solace in our places of worship, our partners, and ourselves. But we did not go to therapists. […]
Antibiotics linked to increased risk of colon cancer
There is a clear link between taking antibiotics and an increased risk of developing colon cancer within the next five to ten years. This has been confirmed by researchers at Umeå University, Sweden, after a study of 40,000 cancer cases. The impact of antibiotics on the intestinal microbiome is thought to lie behind the increased […]
Do some diabetes drugs reduce the risk of Alzheimer’s? Study finds people taking the drugs have fewer biomarkers, slower cognitive decline
People taking certain drugs to lower blood sugar for type 2 diabetes had less amyloid in the brain, a biomarker of Alzheimer’s disease, when compared to both people with type 2 diabetes not taking the drugs and people without diabetes. The new study, published in the August 11, 2021, online issue of Neurology, the medical […]
What To Do If You’re Fully Vaccinated And Feeling Helpless Right Now
If you’ve been taking the coronavirus pandemic seriously — you’ve worn your mask, social distanced and gotten fully vaccinated — you might be feeling anxious and angry at the current situation. It’s understandable: You did your part, and yet here we are. States with low vaccination rates, including Florida, Mississippi and Louisiana, are seeing scary […]
What to Do When It’s Time to Let Go … of the Specialist
So, how do we get our colleagues to let go, to stop taking care of our patients? Seems like a funny thing to ask. Don’t get me wrong, we need our specialist colleagues; we value the care they provide and their expertise and assistance. We in primary care would probably be pretty much lost without […]
Protein ‘big bang’ reveals molecular makeup for medicine and bioengineering
Proteins have been quietly taking over our lives since the COVID-19 pandemic began. We’ve been living at the whim of the virus’s so-called “spike” protein, which has mutated dozens of times to create increasingly deadly variants. But the truth is, we have always been ruled by proteins. At the cellular level, they’re responsible for pretty […]