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Tag: health blog

Inactive Drug Additives May Have Unwarranted Effects

Inactive ingredients are a common staple of prescription medications. Often, they’re pretty harmless additives, like water, salt, or table sugar.

But some inactive ingredients may not be so inactive after all. A press release published by the National Institutes of Health yesterday says some inactive ingredients display biological activity, including “inflammation-related properties.”

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National Immunization Awareness Month

August is National Immunization Awareness Month. And with the word “vaccine” buzzing around now more than ever, let’s take a moment to explore the science behind how they work.

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On the Bright Side of COVID-19: Placentas and Vaccines

Despite the recent spike in coronavirus cases, a glimmer of hope shines in from two recent National Institutes of Health press releases.

First, the NIH says placentas lack major molecules used by COVID-19 to cause an infection. This may explain why it’s (thankfully) very rare to see fetuses and newborns contracting the virus from infected pregnant mothers.

Second, the first phase of an NIH-sponsored COVID-19 vaccine appears to safely generate an immune response in healthy adults.

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Why Anxiety Prevents You From Falling Asleep

Your heart’s beating like a racehorse and you’re gasping for air. Beads of sweat break from your pores and trickle across your skin. Your stomach’s in a twist and your mind is either shouting garbled nonsense or filled with cotton balls.

Sound familiar? These are among the most common symptoms of anxiety. About 31 percent of adults in America will experience anxiety at some point in their life, according to the National Institute of Mental Health.

In addition to interfering with your daily life, anxiety can make sleeping seem like an impossibly arduous task. But… why?

Fortunately, Vanessa O. of Sleepopolis is here to explain the ins and outs of anxiety-induced insomnia.

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Bug’s Philosophy: The Truth About Self Love

Self love and self care seem to be abundant in the air these days. Yet, they’re often polluted by a shroud of toxic positivity the trails behind them.

While optimism is central wellness, too much of that cream in your coffee will leave you wondering if you’re better off just drinking milk.

Although cynicism could be revered as the counter-culture to suffocating positivity, the two can exist in equilibrium.

In fact, self love thrives in a space of self acceptance. How are you expected to love every part of yourself if you’re unwilling to accept all that comes with being you: the good and the bad?

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Burping and Belching: How the Hell Do You Make it Stop!?

Listen, we all get gas trapped in our stomachs or upper gastrointestinal tract from time to time. Burping is simply a part of the human experience.

But if your conversations are regularly interrupted by little squeaks or ogrish growls that rattle around your rib cage before flinging themselves of your mouth, it may be time to change up your lifestyle habits.

Excess burping could also be a sign of an underlying condition, like a gastrointestinal disorder.

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