By Louis Betz Approximately 80% of the United States population engage in sports and fitness activities. Engaging in athletics provides benefits to physical health, social behavior, and developing soft skills like leadership and teamwork, especially in adolescents and young adults1. Despite the benefits of sports, it is important to identify and minimize potential health risks, … Continue reading Tackling concussions head-on with safer sports equipment
Health
The menopausal puzzle: piecing together hormones, health, and aging
by: Katie Kimbark The term “menopause” was first described in the early 1800s by French scientist Charles Pierre Louis de Gardanne.1,2 Despite its descriptions in the preceding millennia, he was the first to designate menopause as a medical phenomenon, distinct from any other stage in a woman’s life. Although women are often attuned to the … Continue reading The menopausal puzzle: piecing together hormones, health, and aging
Polio’s Resurgence Under Genocide: A Public Health Crisis Ignored
By Ikram Mezghani Imagine waking up with a sudden fever that leaves your muscles aching, and as the days pass, moving your limbs becomes impossible. For much of the early 20th century in the United States, that was a reality for many patients who contracted polio. Poliovirus is a highly contagious but often silent disease … Continue reading Polio’s Resurgence Under Genocide: A Public Health Crisis Ignored
Naturally Misleading: Uncovering What’s Hiding in Our Food
By: Jenny Lausch Imagine you are doing your weekly shopping at Aldi on a Saturday afternoon. You are a graduate student just trying to get by and do your best to stay healthy despite your crazy hours in lab and (very) limited free time. You are trying to limit your soda intake, so instead you … Continue reading Naturally Misleading: Uncovering What’s Hiding in Our Food
Heartbeat: One Researcher’s Advocacy Journey from the Lab to Human Impact
By Zari McCullers At a forum I attended in early October, I sat in a room filled with fellow researchers – primarily in the basic and biomedical sciences – ready to hear about the power of patient advocacy. This event was meant to remind us not just why we do our work, but for whom. … Continue reading Heartbeat: One Researcher’s Advocacy Journey from the Lab to Human Impact
Cadmium, arsenic, and lead, oh my! The implications of heavy metals in menstrual products
By: Natale Hall The overlooked safety (or lack thereof) of menstrual products Menstruation, or the process by which the inner lining of the uterus is shed each month, is experienced by roughly 1.9 billion individuals worldwide. However, the safety concerns of common menstrual products such as tampons has been largely overlooked despite nearly 100 years … Continue reading Cadmium, arsenic, and lead, oh my! The implications of heavy metals in menstrual products
Fetal microchimerism: a lovely mix
By Luz E. Ortiz Pregnancy is a season of hormonal, emotional and physical changes. I know because I have “been there and done that”! Despite being five years into my motherhood journey, it wasn’t until recently that I heard a passing comment by an older man mentioning how during pregnancy the baby’s cells travel to … Continue reading Fetal microchimerism: a lovely mix
Sugar Substitutes: Sweet for Your Tastebuds but Maybe Not Your Health
By: Abbey Rebok Cakes, cookies, pies – oh my! Desserts full of sugary goodness may be good for your soul, but it is no surprise that too much sugar may not be so sweet for your health. As of 2021, approximately 11.6% of the U.S. population has diabetes, and this number is expected to continue … Continue reading Sugar Substitutes: Sweet for Your Tastebuds but Maybe Not Your Health
Magic in the Mushrooms: Exploring the Health Benefits of Ergothioneine
By: Abbey Rebok Mushrooms are a vital part of any healthy ecosystem, but are they also a vital component to human health? Mushrooms possess various environmental roles such as decomposing plant matter to recycle nutrients, generating symbiotic relationships with other organisms, breaking down environmental pollutants, and in some species, controlling pest populations. While most people … Continue reading Magic in the Mushrooms: Exploring the Health Benefits of Ergothioneine
Making Stuff (Taste) Great: How MSG Got Its Bad Reputation
By: Rachel Kang You may have noticed products at the grocery store proudly advertising “No MSG Added” on the packaging. We’ve been taught to avoid and fear MSG, but have you ever questioned why that is – or what MSG even is? Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is a common additive to savory dishes that adds an … Continue reading Making Stuff (Taste) Great: How MSG Got Its Bad Reputation
Lions Talk Science 