Caffeine is an active ingredient in some of the world’s favourite drinks and has a powerful effect on humans. What happens if you take too much? It is there naturally in your morning coffee and cup of tea or added to your favourite energy drink and many popular soft drinks. For many of us, a […]
Tag: Health
Ultraprocessed foods alligned with early death
Eating ultraprocessed foods is associated with an early risk of death, according to a 30-year study — but different foods have different impacts. Ultraprocessed foods are those that contain ingredients “never or rarely used in kitchens, or classes of additives whose function is to make the final product palatable or more appealing,” according to the […]
Syphilis cases in U.S., highest since the 1950s
The number of syphilis cases in the U.S. are on the rise. According to a new report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, cases increased by nearly 80% to more than 207,000 between 2018 and 2022. Rates increased among all age groups, including newborns, and in all regions of the country. In 2022, […]
Immeasurable pieces of plastic in bottled water
Microscopic pieces of plastic are everywhere. Now, they’ve been found in bottled water in concentrations 10 to 100 times more than previously estimated. Researchers from Columbia University and Rutgers University found roughly 240,000 detectable plastic fragments in a typical liter of bottled water. The study was published Monday in the Proceedings of the National Academy […]
Have a cup of Joe, It’s international Coffee day
Coffee is one of the most widely consumed beverages in the world with an estimated two billion cups consumed each day. To recognise the work of millions of coffee farmers, producers and baristas from all over the world, every year on October 1, the world celebrates International Coffee Day. This year’s theme is “promoting the […]
Mitch McConnell heckled by crowd at speech
Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell was drowned out by a crowd of Kentuckians telling him to “retire” during a speech in the state on Saturday. Many in the media and on social media have described the episode as humiliating. The 81-year-old Republican recently suffered a public health scare that led many to question whether he […]
Petting a dog for 5 minutes can boost health
What’s four-legged, furry, and often serves up a quick little mood boost? That’s right, a dog. It turns out even short, friendly interactions with canines can be good for our health. I started pondering the power of dogs during one of my daily strolls around my neighborhood. Almost invariably, I’ll run into at least one […]
Does daily multivitamin use improve memory?
Americans spend billions of dollars on supplements each year, and roughly 1 in 3 adults report taking a multivitamin. But there is a debate about whether this helps promote good health. A team of researchers wanted to assess how a daily multivitamin may influence cognitive aging and memory. They tracked about 3,500 older adults who […]
Are sugar substitutes better than the real thing?
To satisfy the public’s craving for sweetness and concern about the health effects of sugar, food companies have increasingly turned to sugar substitutes. Natural and artificial sweeteners are added to everything from sodas to toothpaste, lip balm to snack items. Now, studies are raising concerns about the health effects of these substitutes. Late last month, […]
The sad state of U.S. life expectancy
Just before Christmas, federal health officials confirmed life expectancy in America had dropped for a nearly unprecedented second year in a row – down to 76 years. While countries all over the world saw life expectancy rebound during the second year of the pandemic after the arrival of vaccines, the U.S. did not. Then, last […]
Canada’s new alcohol guidance; 2 drinks a week
In Canada, it should be Dry January all year round, according to new national recommendations that say zero alcohol is the only risk-free approach. If you must drink at all, two drinks maximum each week is deemed low-risk by the government-backed guidance. The advice is a steep drop from the previous recommendation, published in 2011. […]
Should we be concerned about Monkeypox? Biden says “YES”
President Joe Biden said Sunday the new monkeypox outbreak should concern “everybody,” as it continues to baffle medical officials around the world. “Everybody should be concerned about [it],” Biden said in South Korea, while speaking with a group of reporters before he boarded Air Force One for Japan, Reuters reported. The president’s remarks come as […]