Melody Jacob

I have been enjoying exploring Glasgow, and one thing I always enjoy is the bus routes and being able to make quick decisions about the next stop or the journey toward my destination. I never used to trust myself with reading maps, but thanks to God and GPS, I have improved significantly in navigating with maps since arriving in the UK. Upon arriving at Buchanan Bus Station, I noticed a bus bound for Glasgow Central Station. The driver asked if I had a train ticket. I replied no, and he let me in. He was such a kind person to me. I arrived at the train station, purchased a round-trip ticket for £6.50, and received directions to platform 16. Upon reaching the platform, I remembered I had been there before and didn’t like it. The smell was bad, and there was the sound of rushing water. From the look of things, it’s an old railway station. Nevertheless, I got on the right train when it arrived, and wow, I had a wonderful time riding it. I was pleased when the train left the Glasgow Centra...

Grab your gym clothes and walking shoes because your friend is probably right. While there haven't been many studies on exercise protecting against infections, the few that exist all suggest it does. The biggest study on this, done by Harvard Medical School, was published in JAMA Network Open in February 2024. The study tracked almost 62,000 adults aged 45 and above from before the COVID pandemic started in early 2020 until the end of 2022. Researchers gathered information on factors like chronic diseases, income levels, and lifestyle habits that might affect the risk of infection. They also kept an eye on who got COVID-19 and how severe their symptoms were. Out of all the participants, 69% were considered "sufficiently active," meaning they did moderate to vigorous exercise for at least 150 minutes every week. Another 11% were "insufficiently active," and 20% didn't exercise at all. The results showed that those who kept up with enough physical activity wer...

Do you need a little extra push to increase your daily steps? According to a study published online on April 7, 2024, by Circulation, reminders or rewards might help. In the study, researchers asked over a thousand people (average age 67) to wear activity trackers, walk daily, and set step goals. They were then randomly placed into one of four groups, each receiving different encouragement to exercise: the chance to win game points, earn money, get both money and game points, or receive a daily text message with their previous day's step count. After one year, all groups increased their daily steps by at least 1,500. In contrast to the message-only group, participants in the money or game points groups walked over 500 more steps daily, while those in the combined incentives group walked nearly 900 more steps daily. Would you like to give this a try at home? Use a walking app that gives game points and incentives, and set a phone reminder to work out. Photo by Boys in Bristol Photog...

Q. It's happening again: every summer, I get bitten by mosquitoes far more than my family and friends. Why does this happen? Why do mosquitoes bite me so much? People with Type O blood tend to attract more mosquitoes. A. You're not imagining it. Some people are naturally more attractive to mosquitoes than others. Scientists are still trying to understand why, but they believe it has to do with each person's unique scent, which is created by a variety of molecules throughout the body. This scent, unlike underarm odor, is not something you can change, so there's no need to worry. Other factors, such as blood type and breathing patterns, also seem to influence mosquito attraction. For example, people with Type O blood tend to attract more mosquitoes. Additionally, breathing heavily, like after exercising, releases more carbon dioxide, which mosquitoes find appealing. To reduce the chances of getting bitten, try a few simple strategies. When spending time outdoors, use frag...

Concerns about the health effects of microplastics continue to rise. A new study reveals that individuals with microplastics in the plaque blocking their neck arteries are significantly more likely to experience a heart attack or stroke compared to those with plastic-free plaque. Researchers analyzed plaque from the neck arteries of 257 individuals and discovered tiny plastic particles, mainly polyethylene and some polyvinyl chloride, in 58% of the samples. After nearly three years, those with microplastics in their plaque had a 4.5 times higher rate of heart attack, stroke, and death compared to those without. While these findings are observational and cannot definitively link microplastics to these health issues, other unmeasured factors may also contribute. This study was published in the March 7, 2024, issue of The New England Journal of Medicine. Polyethylene, used in making plastic bags and bottles, slowly breaks down and can be found in food and water, potentially explaining how...