How to rein in the widening disease definitions that label more healthy people as sick

May 16, 2017 17:01 pm UTC| Insights & Views Health

In the early 1990s a small meeting of experts, part-funded by drug companies, decided on a new definition of the bone condition osteoporosis. Historically, the label was limited to people who had fractures, but with the...

Why bad moods are good for you: the surprising benefits of sadness

May 16, 2017 16:46 pm UTC| Health

Homo sapiens is a very moody species. Even though sadness and bad moods have always been part of the human experience, we now live in an age that ignores or devalues these feelings. In our culture, normal human emotions...

Speed and co-ordination are key to curbing the DRC's Ebola outbreak

May 16, 2017 16:28 pm UTC| Insights & Views Health

Three people have died and more than 125 are suspected to be infected with the Ebola virus in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC). The outbreak comes less than two years after the most deadly spread of the disease in...

Fainting and the summer heat: Warmer days can make you swoon, so be prepared

May 16, 2017 16:03 pm UTC| Insights & Views Health

Over one million Americans faint every year, and countless more do worldwide. Fear, pain, the sight of blood or prolonged standing think the long lines of summer travel can trigger fainting. These triggers set off a...

Electrically stimulating your brain can boost memory – but here's one reason it doesn't always work

May 16, 2017 16:02 pm UTC| Health

The first time I heard that shooting electrical currents across your brain can boost learning, I thought it was a joke. But evidence is mounting. According to a handful of studies, transcranial direct current...

22q11.2 deletion: the most common syndrome you have never heard of

May 16, 2017 15:45 pm UTC| Health

You wouldnt be blamed for thinking that 22q11.2 was a postcode or password. My guess is you wouldnt have thought it was the most prevalent syndrome of its kind. So lets talk about 22q. Everyone has 23 pairs of...

How do we decide which disease to prevent next? Long-term studies help

May 16, 2017 14:05 pm UTC| Insights & Views Health

Every time someone quits smoking, takes their child for a vaccination or has their blood pressure checked, theyre taking part in preventive health measures designed to reduce the chances of getting sick. But how do...