Are Headaches Associated with Dementia? What to Know

Last month, the actor Chris Hemsworth announced he’s taking a break from acting after learning through genetic testing that he carries two copies of the APOE4 gene variant, sometimes called the “Alzheimer’s gene.” Alzheimer’s disease is the most common type of dementia, a general term for the loss of cognitive function marked by a severe decline in memory, thinking, and reasoning. Dementia is caused by damage to brain cells; however, it is not always clear what triggers this damage. Hereditary...

Having Migraines in Midlife Could Increase Your Risk For Dementia

Having migraines with aura in midlife can increase your chances of developing dementia later in life, researchers report. For the study published in The Journal of Headache and Pain, investigators looked at 30-year medical data from all inhabitants of Denmark born between 1935-1956. The purpose of the analysis was to see whether those who had received a migraine diagnosis in midlife were also more likely to receive a dementia diagnosis later in life compared to those without migraine. ...

Poor Gut Health Might be Connected to Severe COVID-19

For decades, scientists have been studying the role the human microbiome plays on health. The gastrointestinal tract, or simply the “gut,” is made up of a series of organs essential for breaking down food, absorbing nutrients, and excreting waste. But it also harbors a vibrant, complex community of trillions of bacteria, fungi, and other microbes that together make up the gut microbiome. In addition to controlling digestion, the gut microbiome is in constant close communication with the immune system. In...

EXERCISE IS PERHAPS THE MOST EFFECTIVE MEDICINE

The benefits of exercise have been associated with longer life, reduction in risk of heart disease, diabetes, dementia, Alzheimer’s, asthma, and now, decreasing the mortality rate of cancer survivors. A study published in the Journal of the National Cancer Institute found that physical exercise is associated with reduced all-cause mortality in breast cancer and colon cancer survivors. For decades, physicians have been telling sick or injured people, that bed rest and not exerting oneself when ill or injured, will help...