Recent Blog Articles
New urine test may help some men with elevated PSA avoid biopsy
Dupuytren's contracture of the hand
Why play? Early games build bonds and brain
Moving from couch to 5K
How — and why — to fit more fiber and fermented food into your meals
Tick season is expanding: Protect yourself against Lyme disease
What? Another medical form to fill out?
How do trees and green spaces enhance our health?
A muscle-building obsession in boys: What to know and do
Harvard Health Ad Watch: New drug, old song, clever tagline
Immune System Archive
Articles
Why do we need new flu shots every year?
With influenza virus, a new vaccine must be developed each year to adapt to the virus's changing structure.
Why won't my hives go away?
Hives are red, itchy welts that crop up on the skin. Allergic reactions and stress, among other triggers, can cause episodes of hives, which typically last several days to a couple of weeks. Cases that last six weeks or longer may be autoimmune hives.
How high a fever is too high?
A fever is the immune system's response to an infection or invader. Most fevers drop after people take over-the-counter medications. People should call a doctor if their fever reaches 103° F and go to an emergency room if it reaches 105°.
What are the different types of body fat?
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.
New recommendations for pneumococcal vaccination
In January 2022, the CDC published updated recommendations for vaccinating adults against pneumococcal disease and approved two new pneumococcal conjugate vaccines (PCVs).
Vitamin B6 flies under the radar: Are you getting enough?
Vitamin B6 helps with the body's enzyme reactions, immune system health, brain chemicals, and more, but it doesn't get a lot of attention. The body can't synthesize it, so people need to get it from food, and a recent study found that a surprisingly high percentage of people may be deficient in vitamin B6.
What is alopecia areata and how is it managed?
Hair loss is a common problem for many men and women, but what does it mean to have alopecia? Alopecia areata occurs when the body's immune system attacks hair follicles, resulting in hair loss. AA can affect the scalp, eyebrows, eyelashes, or anywhere hair grows on the body.
Fighting inflammation with food
A healthy diet is believed to play a role in warding off chronic inflammation that can lead to chronic diseases such as diabetes, cardiovascular disease, cancer, and cognitive decline. Six types of foods that may help fight chronic inflammation are berries, fatty fish, leafy greens, nuts, seeds, and tomatoes. These foods are all found in a Mediterranean-style diet, which consists of fruits, vegetables, legumes, whole grains, nuts, seeds, lean proteins, and small amounts of dairy foods and olive oil.
Should you monitor this chronic inflammation marker?
Five hours of weekly exercise may help prevent some cancers
Recent Blog Articles
New urine test may help some men with elevated PSA avoid biopsy
Dupuytren's contracture of the hand
Why play? Early games build bonds and brain
Moving from couch to 5K
How — and why — to fit more fiber and fermented food into your meals
Tick season is expanding: Protect yourself against Lyme disease
What? Another medical form to fill out?
How do trees and green spaces enhance our health?
A muscle-building obsession in boys: What to know and do
Harvard Health Ad Watch: New drug, old song, clever tagline
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