Type 1 diabetes Archive

Thanks to vaccination, the US has been polio-free since 1979, and the spread of this disease has been interrupted in most countries. But worldwide eradication of polio has been elusive, and traces of the virus were recently found in wastewater in London.

A 2022 study found that people who recover from COVID-19 face significantly higher risks of developing type 2 diabetes than those who had short-term upper respiratory tract infections, which are often caused by other viruses.

Strength training triggers many body reactions that protect people against chronic disease. For example, strengthening muscles helps reduce blood sugar, lower blood pressure, burn calories, and discourage chronic inflammation. Evidence suggests that getting 30 to 60 minutes of weekly strength training leads to the highest amount of health benefits. That's in line with the recommendation from the 2018 Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans. But doctors say any amount of strength training can help health.

Unsweetened cocoa powder has variable amounts of health-promoting flavanols, depending on how it is processed. Fruits and vegetables are better sources of these compounds, which may improve blood pressure and blood sugar.

A troubling aspect of COVID infection is long COVID, also known as post-acute sequelae of SARS-CoV-2 infection, or PASC. PASC is marked by persistent symptoms 30 days or more after a person tests positive for COVID. Also, symptoms suggestive of PASC may emerge many weeks after recovery from the initial infection. Scientists are still learning about PASC, but they have discovered much so far, such as who may be at higher risk, what symptoms are common, how long it may last, and what people can do to protect themselves.

Two important types of fat in the body are white fat and brown fat. White fat is located in the chest, abdomen, and upper legs; too much of it constitutes obesity. Its function is to provide insulation against the cold, store fats derived from food, and continually release small amounts of the fats to be converted into energy. Brown fat is found in small amounts in the neck, shoulders, chest, and abdomen. Its main function is to burn the fat it stores, creating heat that keeps the body warm.

In January 2022, the CDC published updated recommendations for vaccinating adults against pneumococcal disease and approved two new pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs).

Over two decades ago, the Diabetes Prevention Program study showed that type 2 diabetes could be slowed or even prevented in people with early signs of it. Now, a long-term follow-up study focusing on death rates from several causes has produced some surprising results.

A study compared eating a serving of French fries every day for a month to eating a serving of almonds with the same number of calories, and found that levels of some health markers were similar between the two groups — but those numbers don't tell the full story.

A 2022 Harvard study suggests that an Epstein-Barr virus infection, the most common cause of mononucleosis, may trigger multiple sclerosis (MS) in some people.