Each pregnancy is linked with an additional two to three months of biological ageing, researchers say. Photo: Pexels (Jamie Grierson/ The Guardian) — Pregnancy may speed up biological ageing in women, a study has found. Scientists at the Columbia University Mailman School of Public Health in New York looked at the reproductive histories and DNA samples from 1,735 people in a long-term, continuing health survey in the Philippines to investigate the influence pregnancy has on the ageing process. They worked out participants’ biological age using six different “epigenetic clocks” – genetic tools ..read more

Radiologist holding a medical image (Tina Dawn/VM-Med) What do Radiologists Do?  Radiologists are medical doctors who specialize in detecting, diagnosing, and treating injuries and diseases using medical imaging (radiology) procedures, X-rays, computed tomography (CT scans), magnetic resonance imaging (MRI scans), nuclear medicine, PET scans and ultrasound. Radiology is essential to the diagnosis and early treatment of many diseases. The importance of diagnostic imaging in the fight against breast cancer cannot be overestimated.  While both are important and essential to the diagnosi ..read more

Beyond simply feeling decrepit, perception of being older can affect health by encouraging unhealthy eating and reducing exercise. Photo: Pexels (Ian Sample/ The Guardian) — Two nights of broken sleep are enough to make people feel years older, according to researchers, who said consistent, restful slumber was a key factor in helping to stave off feeling one’s true age. Psychologists in Sweden found that, on average, volunteers felt more than four years older when they were restricted to only four hours of sleep for two consecutive nights, with some claiming the sleepiness made them feel decad ..read more

The 44-year-old says for years, debilitating pain was brushed off as just being her period. Photo: Pexels (Sawyer Bogdan/ Global News) — After struggling with debilitating pain her whole life, Tara DeMerchant is grateful to finally have answers, but angry it took almost 30 years to get help. The 44-year-old from Bala, Ont., which is an hour north of Barrie, was recently diagnosed with endometriosis. DeMerchant says she struggled with pain since she was 14, self-medicating with cannabis to cope with pain that only got worse as time went on. “It’s debilitating. I have days where I can ..read more

Women only have to exercise 140 minutes a week to lower mortality risk by 18 percent. Photo: Pexels (Kelyn Soong/ The Washington Post) — It’s well-established that exercise can help you live a longer and healthier life. Now, a new study suggests that women may require less exercise to get similar longevity benefits as men. The finding is striking because physical activity guidelines for American adults are the same for men and women. But partially because of differences in size, muscle mass and lean body mass, it appears that women can make big gains in longevity while doin ..read more

Woman at an early stage of pregnancy (Tina Dawn/ VM-Med) — No two people are alike, so not everyone experiences the same early symptoms of a pregnancy. Some women may notice they’re pregnant almost immediately after conception. Some may not realize until months later. While you still need to take a pregnancy test or an ultrasound to confirm a pregnancy, there are several tell-tale early indicators with which your body will often let you know you may have conceived. Early Signs of Pregnancy Among the more obvious early signs you may be pregnant: ·         Missed period · &nb ..read more

Black women tend to be diagnosed at a younger age, with more aggressive forms of breast cancer. Photo: Pexels (Tashauna Reid, Amina Zafar/ CBC News) — Breast cancer tends to hit Black women at younger ages and be more aggressive, but they’re underrepresented when it comes to genetic screening, say doctors launching a new awareness campaign.  The awareness campaign, announced Wednesday by Women’s College Hospital in Toronto, focuses on genetic screening for changes or mutations in two key genes, BRCA1 and BRCA2, as well as others.   Dr. Aisha Lofters, a family ..read more

BU study finds long COVID has detrimental effect on sex, is associated with sexual dysfunction in cisgender women. Photo: Pexels (Andrew Thurston/ The Brink – Boston University) — From work to school to socializing, COVID-19 has impacted just about every part of our lives—and now Boston University research has shown that also includes what happens in the bedroom. A study of more than 2,000 cisgender women found the coronavirus disease can impair sexual function, with long COVID having an especially detrimental effect. “If you’re sick with COVID, you’re probably less interested in sex and maybe ..read more

Large study further boosts fast-evolving efforts to predict and prevent neurogenerative diseases. Photo: Pexels (Michael Peel/ Financial Times) — Blood proteins can predict dementia up to 15 years before clinical diagnosis, scientists using machine learning techniques have found, boosting research into how to prevent the debilitating condition that afflicts more than 55mn people worldwide. The analysis, the largest of its kind to date, bolsters the findings of smaller studies suggesting certain proteins are “biomarkers” of susceptibility to Alzheimer’s and other neurodegenerative diseases, say ..read more

Woman with breast discomfort (Tina Dawn/ VM-Med) — Painful or tender breasts are not uncommon. Throughout their lives and menstrual cycles, most women will experience some form of discomfort and perhaps even occasional pain. People sometimes assume the worst when they experience unusual symptoms or discomfort in their breasts, and they shouldn’t. The reasons vary and are often quite benign and easily treatable.  Why do you experience breast tenderness?  There are many non-serious reasons why your breasts may suddenly hurt. Here are all the far-more-likely reasons your body is behavin ..read more