Over the past few years, headlines have raised alarm bells, “Victorian diseases are making a comeback.” Measles outbreaks, scarlet fever warnings, cases of tuberculosis cropping up in urban centers all evoke a troubling echo of a time most of us believed we’d left behind but is the return of these so-called “Victorian” diseases truly a resurgence or have they simply never left us?

Many of these illnesses never disappeared entirely. Diseases like TB, measles, typhoid, and scarlet fever were dramatically reduced in prevalence due to clean water, public sanitation, improved nutrition, antibiotics, and widespread vaccination programs—but they weren’t eradicated.

In fact, public health officials have long acknowledged that these infections have remained in the background, controlled but not conquered. It is only through the combined strength of science-driven public health policy, social infrastructure, and community awareness that we’ve been able to keep them from becoming the epidemics they once were.

Vaccine hesitancy, global travel, growing antibiotic resistance, poverty, urban overcrowding, and weakened health systems in the wake of COVID-19. Measles outbreaks, for example, have surged in communities where childhood immunization rates have dropped. Tuberculosis, often associated with 19th-century slums, remains a global health threat, especially among vulnerable and marginalized populations.

Lastly, climate change and increased human-animal interaction have sort off reshaped the infectious disease landscape, allowing tick-borne and vector-borne illnesses once considered rare to move into new regions and populations.

Diseases That Have Recently Become More Prevalent

Here is a list of diseases and what you need to know about them according to the UK Health Security Agency health blog.

Typhoid

Typhoid was extremely common in the Victorian era, even affecting royalty, and it remains a problem in areas with poor sanitation globally. Caused by bacteria spread through contaminated food or water, it's estimated that 1 in 5 people with untreated typhoid worldwide die. In the UK, improved access to clean water, wholesome food, and good hygiene have drastically reduced its spread, with around 500 cases reported annually, mostly linked to international travel. It's now rarely fatal in the UK, often preventable by vaccine for travelers, and treatable with antibiotics.

Scarlet Fever

In 2018, England and Wales saw over 30,000 cases of scarlet fever, the highest since 1960, though numbers had declined significantly over the previous century due to better living conditions and antibiotics. This highly contagious childhood illness is usually mild and easily treated with antibiotics, which also reduces the risk of complications and spread. While a 1914 epidemic recorded 165,000 cases and 2,800 deaths, in 2014, fewer than 5% of patients were hospitalized, with no deaths, highlighting its much less severe consequences today. Investigations into recent case increases are ongoing.

Tuberculosis (TB)

At the start of the 19th century, TB killed at least 1 in seven people in England. Improvements like milk pasteurization (which significantly reduced TB from contaminated milk) combined with faster diagnoses and effective antibiotics became central to TB control. Today, less than 6% of those with TB in the UK die from it, with fewer than 4,672 cases reported in 2018—the lowest numbers ever. This decline is a major public health success. However, TB remains the top infectious killer globally, especially in poorer communities, emphasizing the need for continued efforts.

Cholera

Cholera, a severe diarrheal illness, can cause fatal dehydration within hours. England's last major outbreaks between 1832 and 1866 resulted in thousands of deaths. It is now very rare in the UK, with cases typically linked to international travel. A key public health breakthrough in the Victorian era was identifying cholera as waterborne, leading to major projects that provided clean water and sewage systems. While still a global concern with ongoing outbreaks in other parts of the world, cholera is easily avoided when traveling by using boiled or bottled water and practicing good hand hygiene.

Whooping Cough

Before routine immunization in the 1950s, whooping cough affected tens of thousands. Vaccination drastically reduced cases, though the infection hasn't disappeared and can peak every 3-4 years. Despite vaccine success, nearly 10,000 cases were confirmed in 2012, with increases also seen in other countries. These rises may be due to factors like better testing and changes in vaccine type. A vaccine program for pregnant women, introduced in response to the 2012 outbreak, has been highly effective in protecting babies until they receive their own vaccinations, making it crucial for expectant mothers to get vaccinated.

Rickets

Rickets, a deficiency disease caused by a lack of calcium or vitamin D, was widespread in poorer areas of Great Britain during the Victorian era. It wasn't until the early 1900s that researchers understood the critical role of sunlight and vitamin D in bone development. While most people get enough vitamin D from sunshine and diet in warmer months, supplements are recommended during autumn and winter, especially for those with limited sun exposure, darker skin, or for babies.

Why Are Some Age-Old Diseases Making A Comeback?

According to 2021 study published in the Lancet journal, few of the many reasons why diseases are reappearing is because sometimes, Sometimes, the germs themselves change, becoming easier to spread or more harmful. For instance, scarlet fever, once thought almost gone, has seen a global rise, including a mysterious spike in England. This might be because the bacteria causing it picked up new genes from viruses, creating "supercharged" versions that spread more easily. Also, germs are becoming more resistant to antibiotics, which means treatments that used to work are no longer as effective, allowing some diseases to re-emerge.

Is COVID-19 A Catalyst?

The study points out that human behavior is a major factor. More people living in crowded conditions and moving around (like through migration) can create new opportunities for diseases to spread. When public health systems and vaccination efforts break down, often due to conflicts, wars, or even global pandemics like COVID-19, diseases like measles can surge.

Changes to the environment caused by human activity can also upset the balance between people, animals, and germs, allowing old diseases to reappear or new ones to emerge. For example, some research suggests that climate change forced bats to move, potentially leading to new interactions between bats and viruses, and even affecting how viruses evolve and spread to other animals, like the virus that causes COVID-19.

The studies and historical significance of these diseases show that these diseases never really left. The only differences is that, now these diseases are not as fatal. These illnesses are largely preventable through good hygiene, vaccination, or proper nutrition. It remains crucial for scientists and healthcare professionals to continue investigating, managing, and informing the public about preventing diseases that could seriously affect health and well-being.

Rather than calling it a ‘comeback’, experts argue we’re witnessing a failure in vigilance. These diseases were never gone; they were simply held at bay and prevented and with weakened health safeguards or lapses in vaccination, they are ready to exploit the cracks.

We have all learned about global warming and what are some things that affect it as kids. However, being aware of the causes has not stopped the progression of said calamity. While we may have read the effects of it on news like the polar ice caps melting, animals suffering as well as how it has affected the flora, the direct impact had not hit us, until now.

A new study suggests that human-caused climate change was directly responsible for the deaths of around 1,500 people during last week's intense heat wave in Europe. Researchers found that these people would not have died if not for the extra heat caused by the burning of fossil fuels like oil, coal, and gas over the past century. This study is unique because it directly links climate change to specific fatalities, moving beyond just its role in extreme weather events.

Human Cost of Extra Heat

Scientists calculated that roughly 2,300 people probably died from the heat across 12 European cities during the recent period of high temperatures. A significant finding was that nearly two-thirds of these deaths were due to the additional warmth climate change added to the already hot summer weather.

Experts highlight that heat waves are often "silent killers" because doctors and hospitals typically don't list heat as the main cause of death, making their true impact hard to grasp. Of the deaths linked to climate change, over 1,100 were individuals aged 75 or older, showing the particular vulnerability of the elderly.

Climate Change Made the Heat Wave Worse

Researchers explained that there has been a significant rise in heat. This crucial increase meant that certain groups of people were put into a truly dangerous situation. Researchers looked at a period in late June and early July across major cities including London, Paris, and Rome.

They discovered that, for most cities, the extra warmth from greenhouse gases added 2 to 4 degrees Celsius (3.6 to 7.2 degrees Fahrenheit) to what would have been a more natural heat wave. London experienced the largest increase, with nearly 4 degrees Celsius (7.2 degrees Fahrenheit) of added heat. This extra heat, caused by climate change, led to the most additional deaths in Milan, Barcelona, and Paris.

Previous Instances Of Climate Change And Illnesses

The US Enviromental Protection Agency explains that changes in our climate can directly impact the quality of the air we breathe, both inside our homes and outdoors. Warmer temperatures and shifting weather patterns can make air pollution worse, leading to more asthma attacks and other serious health problems affecting our lungs and hearts.

The detailed how warmer temperatures caused by climate change will lead to more days with dangerous levels of ground-level ozone. This harmful pollutant is a key ingredient in smog.

When people breathe in more ground-level ozone, they face a higher risk of dying sooner or needing hospital care for breathing problems. Ground-level ozone can actually harm lung tissue, reduce how well your lungs work, and cause inflammation in your airways.

These are just a few aspects of climate change and how it has a direct impact on your health.

Scientists Connected Climate Change to Deaths

This recent study, which is an extension of ongoing research by international scientists, uses established methods to find global warming's fingerprint in extreme weather. They combine this with long-standing public health research that looks at death trends.

To make the connection, researchers compared the actual temperatures recorded last week with what computer models predict would have happened in a world without heat-trapping gases from fossil fuels. Then, health experts used existing formulas to estimate how many deaths would normally be expected in each city without those extra degrees of warmth, taking into account factors like location, population, and other health variables like chronic diseases. They effectively isolated the impact of temperature.

Previous studies have linked excess heat deaths to human-caused climate change generally, but this one goes a step further by connecting it to specific recent deaths. An earlier 2023 study estimated that for every degree Celsius rise in temperature in Europe, there are an extra 18,547 summer heat deaths.

What Can We Do To Reduce The Effects of Climate Change?

The United Nations Climate Action explains that tackling climate change offers huge health benefits. By phasing out fossil fuels and investing in sustainable transport, food, and energy, we can significantly improve public health. This means cleaner air, healthier diets, and more physical activity. The health gains from these changes are estimated to be about double the cost of global climate policies, potentially saving a million lives annually worldwide by 2050 just by reducing air pollution.

As kids, we have all heard different variations of ‘if you cry the wound hurts more’ or ‘don’t cry over spilt milk’ as this would encourage us to not focus on the pain and teach us how to regulate our emotions. While this may have been a trick for us as kids, it is true that our mental health can affect how well we manage things in life. This was also backed by a recent study that showed how our personality and outlook in life could actually affect treatment.

It turns out your mindset might play a surprisingly big part in how your asthma affects you. Recent studies are showing a clear link between how hopeful or down someone feels and how their asthma symptoms develop over time. This isn't just about feeling good; it suggests that cultivating a positive outlook could actually make a real difference in managing your breathing condition. It seems your mental state isn't just a byproduct of your health, but an active participant in its progression, offering a new avenue for improving well-being.

How Expectations Influence Asthma Outcomes

According to a study published in the journal Health Expectations, individuals who anticipate their asthma and overall health to decline tend to report more symptoms as time goes on. This isn't just a psychological effect; negative expectations were also associated with a greater reduction in actual lung function.

Tracking Optimism and Asthma

To explore this connection, researchers followed over 300 individuals diagnosed with asthma for about six months. During this time, participants completed surveys about their expectations regarding their future asthma symptoms and overall health. They also regularly underwent lung function tests and diligently kept track of their symptoms. The findings were quite consistent: the more negative a person's expectations were, the more symptoms they reported, and the more their lung function tended to decline. This clear correlation highlights the importance of patient outlook.

"Placebo Effect" and Adherence to Treatment

One compelling idea to explain these findings is something akin to the placebo effect. Imagine having a very strong belief about how things will unfold—that belief can become incredibly powerful. It can actually influence your actions and behaviors. For instance, if you firmly believe your asthma is destined to worsen, you might be less motivated to consistently follow your doctor's advice or faithfully take your prescribed medications. Your conviction about your future health can directly impact your adherence to treatment, thereby affecting your actual health outcomes.

Mental Well-Being And Physical Healing

A similar observation also made in a 2012 study published in the Immunology and Allergy Clinics of North America journal. They explained that other studies have repeatedly shown that stress can actually affect how fast your wounds heal. This isn't just a small effect; stress can have a real and important impact on your body's ability to fix itself after an injury.

When you're stressed, your body reacts in certain ways, like releasing specific chemicals. These body responses to stress can directly slow down the healing process. Think of it like your body being too busy dealing with the "stress alarm" to fully focus on fixing a cut or scrape.

Beyond direct effects, stress can also indirectly make wound healing worse by encouraging unhealthy habits. For example, when people are stressed, they might not sleep well, eat poorly, or even smoke. These behaviors are known to harm your overall health and, in turn, can slow down how quickly a wound closes and repairs itself. So, stress can lead to actions that further hinder healing.

Future Aspects of The Study

While these findings are genuinely fascinating and point to a strong link, experts are keen to conduct more studies to confirm these results. They want to ensure the findings are consistent across different groups and, more importantly, to understand the precise ways in which a patient's expectations influence their long-term health. This further research is crucial for gaining a deeper insight into this intriguing mind-body connection and potentially developing new strategies for asthma management. It's an important area for continued exploration.

High blood pressure, or hypertension, affects nearly 1 in 3 adults globally and is a leading cause of stroke, heart disease, kidney failure, and premature death. Although pills are filling the typical treatment charts, increasing research and some innovative practitioners are calling for a life-style-based approach to treating, and even reversing, hypertension.

Introducing so-called the MAP Formula Mumbai doctor Dr. Pramod Tripathi went on Instagram to post his three-step lifestyle plan purporting to reduce blood pressure naturally by targeting its underlying biological causes, not merely symptoms. He claims that more than 1,350 individuals have already quit taking their blood pressure medication following his regimen. But what on earth is this MAP formula—and does it stand up to scientific review?

What Is the MAP Formula for High Blood Pressure?

Dr. Tripathi’s approach to blood pressure management focuses on three interconnected lifestyle strategies- Magnesium intake, Abdominal breathing, and Prolonged fasting. Each targets different but related mechanisms that influence vascular tone, nervous system balance, and insulin resistance, all of which play key roles in hypertension.

High blood pressure may be one of the most common chronic conditions today, but it doesn’t have to be a permanent one. Dr. Tripathi’s MAP formula offers a simple, structured, and science-backed approach that empowers people to take control of their health naturally. The formula is straightforward- M: Magnesium-rich diet and supplements, A: Abdominal breathing for nervous system balance and P: Prolonged fasting to lower insulin and improve vascular health

M: Magnesium

Magnesium is involved in more than 300 biochemical reactions in the body, and its role in affecting the blood pressure is well established that helps to relax the blood.

Magnesium relaxes blood vessels, reduces vascular resistance, and improves circulation. Those who suffer from hypertension have a lower magnesium level that causes constriction of the vessels and results in increased pressure. Dr. Tripathi suggests there are better natural sources of magnesium -

• Pumpkin seeds, one of the richest food sources
• Green leafy vegetables, particularly when mixed into chlorophyll-dense green smoothies
• Magnesium glycinate supplements (200 mg), which are gentle on the stomach and extremely bioavailable

A 2021 meta-analysis in the American Heart Association journal Hypertension reaffirmed that magnesium supplementation can substantially lower systolic as well as diastolic blood pressure, particularly in individuals with magnesium deficiency or insulin resistance.

A: Abdominal Breathing

The majority of individuals with hypertension, Dr. Tripathi says, breathe incorrectly—shallow, fast chest breathing that places the body in a state of sympathetic overdrive (the "fight-or-flight" state) all the time. The autonomic nervous system has two divisions:

• The sympathetic system, which increases blood pressure and heart rate
• The parasympathetic system, which encourages relaxation and decreases blood pressure

Chest breathing can turn on the sympathetic system, but abdominal (diaphragmatic) breathing can help turn on the parasympathetic system, slowing down the heart, decreasing cortisol, and lowering blood pressure naturally.

Taking 3–5 slow belly breaths per hour can seem easy, yet research indicates even that minimal change can produce quantifiable changes in blood pressure, mood, and stress tolerance.

Dr. Tripathi also invites the audience to practice yogic breathing exercises, a lot of which are available freely through guided videos on sites such as YouTube. The trick is persistence, daily breathing forms a nervous system reset after some time.

P: Prolonged Fasting

The last and most important pillar of the MAP formula, as cited by Dr. Tripathi, is Prolonged Fasting (PF). Insulin isn't only a blood sugar hormone—it also plays an unseen but significant role in blood pressure control. Elevated insulin levels, commonly found in individuals with insulin resistance or type 2 diabetes, cause:

• Sodium retention, which raises blood volume
• Overactivity of the sympathetic nervous system, increasing blood pressure
• Vascular damage, decreasing their elasticity and elevating vascular resistance

Briefly, hyperinsulinemia (excess insulin) is a stealthy cause of diabetes and hypertension.

Extended fasting—fasts for 48 hours or more under medical supervision—can sharply decrease insulin levels, allowing the body time to restore insulin sensitivity and regulate hormone balance. Dr. Tripathi reports that this treatment has caused more than a thousand patients to discontinue their blood pressure medication altogether.

It's not merely anecdotal, an increasing body of peer-reviewed research, including a 2022 paper in Cell Metabolism, does seem to indicate that intermittent and longer-term fasting can help lower systolic blood pressure, enhance insulin sensitivity, and reduce inflammation.

Nevertheless, longer-term fasting is not for everyone and must be done with caution, particularly by individuals with ongoing illnesses, medical guidance being paramount.

Can the MAP Formula Substitute Medicine?

Dr. Tripathi is not guaranteeing miracles—but he is indicating that for many, high blood pressure is a reversible condition, not a lifetime sentence. The focus on root causes of the MAP formula—nutrient deficiency, stress response, and insulin resistance—makes it an attractive addition to conventional methods.

However, medical professionals caution against it. Experts state that although magnesium, stress reduction, and dietary interventions such as fasting can definitely be beneficial, patients must not stop medications cold turkey. Collaborate with a doctor in reducing dosages if blood pressure is brought under control.

That being said, an overall lifestyle regimen such as the MAP formula—potentially could reduce patients' reliance on medication or arrest the disease's advancement toward more severe hypertension stages.

As with any lifestyle change, it should be personalized to and guided by a healthcare provider particularly if you have severe high blood pressure or are taking more than one medication.