Category: Health

When the daytime air feels like an oven and night brings no relief, people in Karachi, Pakistan, say the heat “goes straight to the head”. They mean more than dizziness or sweat. It’s the creeping panic of a body that cannot cool down: restless nights, frayed tempers, a household on edge. Here, a heatwave is […]

Last July, in the remote locality of Butête, in southern Haiti, nine-year-old Jonas* lost his life to rabies. When a stray dog bit the boy on the leg, the wound seemed minor. Like many families living far from any health facilities, his mother was unaware that immediate care was critical. Within a week, the child […]

Numbers are all around us. In the morning, we wake up to an alarm that tells us it’s time to get out of bed. When deciding what to wear, we often check the temperature outside. We count out the vitamins or prescription pills we need to take while eating our breakfast, we estimate how long […]

The phrases “autism spectrum” or “on the spectrum” have become part of everyday language. They are often used as different ways of referring to someone who is “neurodivergent”. The term was coined in the 1980s by psychiatrist Dr Lorna Wing, whose work transformed how autism was understood in the UK. At the time, her “autism […]

Digestive discomfort – whether it’s bloating after a heavy meal or the occasional bout of indigestion – can make anyone miserable. While modern medicine offers effective treatments, there’s renewed interest in natural ways to support gut health. For centuries, herbs and spices have been used in traditional medicine for their digestive benefits, and modern science […]

In a magical scene towards the end of 2007 film Ratatouille, notoriously harsh food critic Anton Ego is instantly transported back in time, his childhood memories revived by a spoonful of the film’s eponymous dish. No pictures were needed – just the taste and scent of the food. Smell is the quietest of our senses, […]

When Donald Trump gave a press conference in late September urging pregnant women to avoid taking paracetamol unless medically necessary because of a possible link to autism, the reaction from the scientific community was swift and loud. There is no scientific evidence that paracetamol – commonly sold as Tylenol in the US – causes autism. […]

The bladder is easy to overlook – until it starts causing trouble. This small, balloon-like organ in the lower urinary tract quietly stores and releases urine, helping the body eliminate waste and maintain fluid balance. But just like your heart or lungs, your bladder needs care. Neglect it and you risk discomfort, urinary tract infections […]

Actress, singer and makeup mogul Selena Gomez has been candid about her experience of living with lupus. Since 2015, Gomez has documented on social media and in interviews the effect the condition has had on her health. In 2017, the actress shared that she’d undergone a kidney transplant due to lupus-related organ damage. Then, earlier […]

“These life changing injuries account for one quarter of all reported injuries, of a total of over 167,300 people injured since October 2023,” said Rik Peeperkorn, WHO Representative in the West Bank and Gaza. Over 5,000 people have faced amputation and other severe injuries to arms, legs and the spinal cord. Briefing journalists in New […]