Let’s get these blood cells into shape! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science Sickle cell anemia is a genetic condition that makes round red blood cells crescent- shaped. These cells can’t carry oxygen, which causes them to die early, blocking blood vessels. Patients with sickle
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Is your sleep quality ON THE ROCKS? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. WINE-ing about not getting a good night’s sleep? Maybe that after-work cocktail is to blame! Dandan Zheng and researchers at Penn State University wondered whether alcohol intake affects sleep. To find out, they
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“In a world of zero gravity, you won’t BELIEVE your eyes!” This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Here on earth, our blood knows how to go where it belongs. But because astronauts live in zero gravity, nothing is pulling blood to their lower bodies. Over
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One Yoplait please…doctor’s orders! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Loading up my grocery cart – with yogurt! Which is healthy, right? Yes! Maybe more than you think! Enter University of South Australia’s Alexandra Wade and colleagues at the University of Maine. They asked around
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Wash your mouth out with soap! Literally? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Uh oh… food poisoning! Your immune system protects you — but it can’t guard everywhere at once. What’s an upset stomach to do in the meantime? Enter Ryan Gaudet and colleagues at
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Look out, Itchy and Scratchy – we’ve got your number! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Scratching, rubbing, wiggling … being itchy is not fun! It can even be a symptom of serious medical conditions like eczema. You KNOW how itchy you are, but how
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Beyond Burgers, Morning Star sausages, tofu bacon! Oh my! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Look at all the veggie selections on the menu! Doctors — and parents — say they’re good for our overall health. But how exactly? What does eating more vegetables and
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Cold weather — it’s SNOW joke! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. It’s freezing out, and you’re MISERABLE! Forget the down parka – what if your GENES could warm you ? Enter Victoria Wyckelsma from the Karolinska Institutet in Sweden and team. They study a
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Are sugar-free alternatives a SWEET idea for your gut? This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science. Think of your stomach as a mine. Deep down, the miners — your gut bacteria — work to break down food into nutrients you can use. Things go smoothly when
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I just can’t stop hic – hic – hiccupping! This is Sandra Tsing Loh with the Loh Down on Science, saying… What’s YOUR favorite home remedy? A good scare? Upside-down drinking? Hiccups are caused by spasms of the diaphragm — the muscle separating the chest and abdomen. This spasm forces
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