While headaches are common, the intensity of a migraine is an entirely different experience for those who suffer from it. Migraines are defined as a neurological disorder that causes moderate to severe headaches, usually on one side of the head. They also lead to severe symptoms such as nausea, vomiting, sensitivity to light, confusion, blurred vision, and frequent mood changes amongst others. However, there are several fruits and vegetables that can prevent migraine attacks, reduce their intensity as well as ease their symptoms.

1. Magnesium Rich Food

Magnesium is necessary for maintaining optimum muscle and nerve function. Now, research has highlighted a connection between migraine frequency and magnesium deficiency. To counter that, one needs to eat magnesium-rich foods such as dark leafy greens, avocados, bananas, and tuna are excellent sources of magnesium. While dark chocolate also contains magnesium, its effect on migraines remains debated.

2. Omega-3 Fatty Acids

Studies suggest that omega-3 fatty acids can reduce migraine frequency. Fatty fish like salmon and mackerel, as well as seeds and legumes, are rich sources of omega-3s.

3. Fiber-Rich Foods

Increased fibre intake has been linked to a reduction in severe headaches. Food items such as whole grains, fruits, vegetables, potatoes, and beans are excellent sources of dietary fibre and they not only aid digestion but also help reduce migraine attacks.

4. Hydration

Dehydration is a common migraine trigger. Staying hydrated may help reduce the severity and frequency of migraines. Additionally, certain teas may alleviate symptoms like nausea.

5. Whole Foods

Minimizing processed foods in favour of whole, unprocessed foods—such as fruits, vegetables, grains, legumes, and nuts—can be beneficial. Avoiding additives like artificial sweeteners, preservatives, and flavourings, which may act as triggers, is also advisable.

While there are food items that help prevent migraine, there are others that could work otherwise and trigger migraine. Some of them include:

• Nitrate-rich foods like cured meats.
• Monosodium glutamate (MSG) is found in processed foods.
• Artificial sweeteners, particularly aspartame and sucralose.
• Tyramine in fermented foods and aged cheeses.
• Histamine in alcohol and dried fruits.
• Gluten-containing foods like wheat.
• Caffeine’s Dual Role in Migraine
• Caffeine can act as both a trigger and a remedy. While some people find caffeine exacerbates migraines, others benefit from its inclusion in headache medications. However, regular caffeine consumption may reduce its effectiveness, so moderation is essential.

How To Track Your Diet?

Maintaining a food journal can help pinpoint migraine triggers. By tracking meals and migraine episodes, patterns may emerge. Once you identify this, you can easily eliminate food items that trigger migraine.

Diets, as a whole, also play an important part in navigating through this chronic disease. While no universal diet exists for migraines, several eating plans show promise to reduce or end it. The list includes ketogenic, low-fat, high-fibre, and plant-based diets. Meanwhile, specific diets like the Mediterranean and DASH (Dietary Approaches to Stop Hypertension) are also linked to migraine relief. It is pertinent to note that restrictive diets, such as elimination diets, carry the risk of malnutrition and should only be undertaken with medical supervision.

Lung cancer remains one of the deadliest forms of cancer worldwide, accounting for nearly one in five cancer-related deaths each year. What makes this cancer especially dangerous is how silently it advances. Many people miss the early signs or ignore them, believing they’re just symptoms of a lingering cold, allergies, or an old infection but on World Lung Cancer Day—observed every year on August 1—the message is clear, early detection can mean the difference between life and death.

First observed in 2012, World Lung Cancer Day was launched by the Forum of International Respiratory Societies (FIRS) in partnership with patient advocacy groups. The aim? To break the silence surrounding lung cancer, correct widespread misconceptions, and push for better early detection and prevention.

Despite advances in medicine, lung cancer continues to slip under the radar. Many associate it solely with smoking, overlooking other contributors like air pollution, genetic factors, or secondhand smoke. Moreover, stigma often deters patients from seeking help early especially non-smokers who don’t consider themselves at risk.

While a chronic cough might seem harmless, dismissing it as seasonal or due to pollution, the reality is that it could be your body’s early warning system. Lung cancer rarely causes symptoms in its earliest stages, which is why seemingly minor signs like a persistent cough or subtle breathlessness deserve closer attention. By the time more severe symptoms—like coughing up blood, wheezing, or unexplained weight loss—appear, the disease may already be in an advanced stage.

What makes lung cancer particularly dangerous is its ability to remain silent until it’s too late. This is why awareness and early screening, especially in high-risk groups, are crucial. Smokers and former smokers, people exposed to secondhand smoke or environmental toxins, and those with a family history should be especially vigilant. Even if you don’t fall into these categories, don’t ignore your instincts. If something feels off—get it checked.

When a Cough Isn't 'Just a Cough'

Dr. Rakesh Pandit, Senior Consultant & Head of Internal Medicine at Aakash Healthcare, emphasizes that we often brush off coughs that last beyond a week or two, that’s a mistake. “A recurring cough is not always just a leftover from the flu or a seasonal allergy,” he says. “It could point to asthma, acid reflux, lung infections, tuberculosis—or even early-stage lung cancer.”

Dr. Pandit adds that if a cough persists for over eight weeks in adults (or four weeks in children), it needs medical attention. And it’s not just about coughs—symptoms like breathlessness, chest pain, coughing up blood, wheezing, or unexplained weight loss should be immediate red flags.

In fact, lung cancer is often detected late because the symptoms can be vague or mimic other conditions, a long-standing cough, shortness of breath, and fatigue—these aren’t always alarming on their own, but together, they can signal something serious.

Technological advances in low-dose CT scans now allow for earlier detection, improving survival rates significantly. The five-year survival rate for early-stage lung cancer can be as high as 60%, compared to just 6% in advanced stages. That’s a major difference—and it all starts with paying attention to symptoms that seem small.

Also, it’s not just about cancer. Chronic coughing and breathlessness can be early signs of other serious conditions like COPD, pulmonary fibrosis, or even heart failure. So addressing them isn’t just about cancer prevention—it’s about taking charge of your overall respiratory health.

What Missed Symptoms Can Lead To?

Dr. Sachin Kumar, Director of Pulmonology & Critical Care Medicine at Sakra World Hospital in Bengaluru, recalls a case that perfectly illustrates the cost of late detection. A 48-year-old man visited a doctor for back pain. Painkillers didn’t work. An MRI revealed cancer in the spine—further tests showed the primary cancer was in the lungs. It had already spread.

“This is how deceptive lung cancer can be,” Dr. Kumar explains. “Often, the first symptoms don’t even involve the lungs. That’s why awareness is key.”

Why Lung Cancer Is Not Just a Smoker’s Disease?

One of the most dangerous myths about lung cancer is that only smokers are at risk. While smoking remains the number one cause, non-smokers aren’t safe either. Dr. Debanti Banerjee, Consultant at HCG Cancer Center, Kolkata, warns that more young adults, women, and non-smokers are being diagnosed than ever before.

“Increasingly, we’re seeing lung cancer in non-smokers—possibly due to genetic predispositions, air pollution, and environmental toxins,” she explains. “People must understand that anyone can get lung cancer, and everyone needs to be vigilant about symptoms.”

She adds, “Lung cancer doesn’t always shout—it often whispers. Catching it in stage 1 or 2 can mean curative treatment. Catching it at stage 3 or 4? That’s a different story.”

What Are The Environmental Triggers and Everyday Risks?

In addition to smoking and secondhand smoke, prolonged exposure to pollution, dust, biomass fuel (like wood or coal used for cooking), and occupational hazards (like asbestos) significantly increase lung cancer risk. People living or working in such conditions often develop chronic coughs from continuous lung irritation. Unfortunately, this persistent irritation can mask the early signs of something more dangerous.

“Especially in urban environments, we’re breathing in harmful particles every day,” Dr. Pandit says. “If you’re in a high-risk environment, you can’t afford to ignore a chronic cough or delay a check-up.”

What You Can Do To Prevent And Early Diagnosis?

Here’s the thing—lung cancer caught early is often treatable but because early symptoms are vague, diagnosis is frequently delayed. The solution lies in being proactive.

1. Don’t dismiss persistent symptoms, especially coughs, breathlessness, fatigue, or weight loss.
2. Get screened if you’re high-risk, this includes smokers, ex-smokers, people over 50, or those with a family history.
3. Avoid triggers, stay away from secondhand smoke, reduce exposure to pollution, and use protective gear if working in hazardous conditions.
4. Vaccinate for infections like tuberculosis and influenza can damage lungs and increase vulnerability.
5. Annual health checks should be part of your routine, not just something you do when you’re sick.

“Most causes of a recurring cough are treatable if caught early,” Dr. Pandit says. “That’s why a cough that won’t quit needs more than just home remedies or over-the-counter syrup. It needs medical evaluation.”

When detected in its early stages, non-small cell lung cancer (NSCLC)—the more common and slower-growing form—can often be removed surgically or treated with radiation and targeted therapies. But in later stages, treatment gets more complicated and outcomes become uncertain.

Dr. Banerjee sums it up best, “We need to move beyond fear and stigma. Early diagnosis isn’t about being alarmist—it’s about giving people a fighting chance.”

The theme of World Lung Cancer Day isn’t just about awareness. It’s a call to action- to listen to your body, to challenge the assumptions around who gets lung cancer and to make preventive health a priority. So, if you or someone you know has a cough that keeps coming back, don’t wait.

As the rainy season begins across West and Central Africa, an estimated 80,000 children are now at high risk of contracting cholera, according to the United Nations. The warning, issued on Wednesday by Farhan Haq, deputy spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, highlighted active cholera outbreaks in the Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) and Nigeria, with potential for cross-border transmission to neighboring nations.

Cholera, an acute diarrheal infection caused by consuming contaminated food or water, has long plagued regions lacking basic sanitation and safe drinking water. The current threat underscores deep-rooted challenges around water infrastructure and hygiene, worsened by seasonal rainfall and poor access to medical treatment.

“The risk is particularly high among children, who are already vulnerable due to malnutrition and limited access to healthcare,” Haq said at the UN's daily briefing.

Citing UNICEF, he added that several countries, Chad, the Republic of Congo, Ghana, Côte d'Ivoire, and Togo, are already grappling with ongoing cholera epidemics, while others such as Niger, Liberia, Benin, the Central African Republic, and Cameroon remain under active surveillance due to their vulnerability.

To help contain the spread, UNICEF has been supplying critical health, water, hygiene, and sanitation resources to affected communities and treatment centers.

“Efforts include support for vaccination drives and urging families to adopt improved hygiene practices,” Haq noted. But despite ongoing efforts, UNICEF says it urgently needs $20 million to scale up emergency response over the next three months, including risk communication and community engagement.

What Is Cholera?

The World Health Organization (WHO) describes cholera as a global public health threat closely tied to poverty and underdevelopment. The disease, caused by the bacterium Vibrio cholerae, spreads through contaminated food or water and leads to rapid, severe dehydration due to acute watery diarrhea. Without treatment, it can be fatal within hours.

Most individuals infected with cholera experience mild to moderate symptoms and can be treated with oral rehydration solutions (ORS). However, severe cases require immediate intravenous fluids and antibiotics. The WHO emphasizes that prompt diagnosis and treatment are crucial in lowering the case fatality rate to below 1%.

Though often underestimated, cholera remains endemic in many low-income countries, particularly during natural disasters, conflicts, or population displacement.

In 2023 alone, over 535,000 cases and 4,000 deaths were reported from 45 countries, a figure believed to be much lower than the actual burden due to weak surveillance and stigma around reporting.

Prevention Hinges on Water, Sanitation, and Community Action

Experts stress that cholera control is not only a medical issue but also a matter of basic infrastructure and education. Long-term prevention requires universal access to clean water, sanitation facilities, and hygiene promotion. During outbreaks, rapid WASH (water, sanitation and hygiene) interventions—such as chlorinated water supplies, soap distribution, and hygiene education—can significantly reduce transmission.

Oral cholera vaccines (OCVs), including WHO-approved options like Euvichol-Plus and Dukoral, provide added protection in outbreak-prone areas. Due to global vaccine shortages, a one-dose regimen is now being used in emergency campaigns.

Community engagement remains central to cholera prevention. From spreading awareness about handwashing and safe food handling to modifying funeral practices for victims, involving local populations in response efforts can save lives and halt further spread.

The Global Task Force on Cholera Control (GTFCC), led by WHO, continues to coordinate international efforts to eliminate cholera by supporting national response plans, advancing surveillance tools, and developing treatment kits that can serve 100 patients per unit.

As West and Central Africa brace for worsening conditions during the rainy season, the international community’s attention turns to not just halting the current outbreaks, but building resilient systems that can prevent such crises in the future.

Influenza can look like a run-of-the-mill childhood illness, but in an occasional patient it can cause a life-threatening illness known as acute necrotizing encephalopathy (ANE). This isn't a normal fever or headache—it's a catastrophic neurologic emergency characterized by out-of-control brain swelling and an incessant immune attack.

A new JAMA review illuminates 41 pediatric cases of ANE in the U.S. from late 2023 through spring 2025. In nearly all cases, the patients had previously been healthy before developing acute and severe flu-like symptoms. Of these cases, 27% ended in death, and 63% of survivors had moderate to severe neurologic disability three months after the illness.

What Is Acute Necrotizing Encephalopathy (ANE)?

ANE occurs when the body’s immune system goes into overdrive during an influenza infection. Dr. Thomas LaRocca, co-senior author of the study and pediatric critical care specialist at Stanford, describes it as “similar to the sepsis response” in which the immune system causes damage to the brain instead of fighting infection.

Typically, after a few days of flu symptoms—fever, congestion, vomiting—kids suddenly develop neurologic signs like seizures, altered mental status, or coma. In all 41 cases, children suffered significant brain swelling. 95% had fevers, while 68% experienced seizures.

ANE resembles the worst-case scenario of flu complications—fast, deadly, and difficult to treat once it spreads.

Pandemic-Level Numbers During Two Severe Flu Seasons

While ANE is rare historically, researchers identified 41 confirmed cases across 23 U.S. pediatric hospitals over two flu seasons, an unusually high incidence tied to aggressive influenza activity in 2023–2025.

The majority of children were 5 years old, previously healthy, and almost all infections were associated with influenza A (39 of 41), with only two cases attributed to influenza B. Disturbingly, only six children had been vaccinated against the flu that year—fewer than 16%, versus about 55% national pediatric vaccination coverage.

This stark gap raises a critical warning: even though ANE is rare, it’s heavily preventable through vaccination.

Why Timing and Early Treatment Is Important?

ANE progresses quickly. Nearly half of the fatal cases occurred within eight days of hospitalization; survivors spent an average of 22 days in hospital, with 11 days in ICU.

Treatment must start fast. As Dr. Keith Van Haren, pediatric neurologist at Stanford and co-author, stresses: early intensive care—combining steroids to calm the immune system and plasma exchange (replacement of a child’s plasma with donor plasma)—can significantly improve chances.

Despite ANE’s reputation as nearly always fatal, about 70% of survivors regained some mobility: 19 could sit, 16 could stand, and 13 could walk independently within three months—even after severe brain swelling.

Dr. LaRocca and Van Haren also point out that intensive neurocritical care, careful immunotherapy, and early support increase recovery odds even when the diagnosis appears grim.

ANE represents just one extreme of flu’s neurological impact. During the 2024–25 season, 13% of pediatric flu deaths involved encephalopathy or encephalitis (IAE), with ANE being the most severe subtype. Historically, the average rate has been around 9% of child flu deaths—ranging from 0% in the mild 2020–21 season to 14% in 2011–12.

These statistics remind us that while ANE is rare, brain complications from flu are not negligible—and they disproportionately affect young children under 5.

Why Vaccination Is The Best Prevention For Kids?

Both experts and study authors emphatically agree: prevention is better than cure.

“Vaccinate,” Van Haren said plainly. Not only does the flu shot reduce typical risks like respiratory failure—but it also prevents extreme complications like ANE. For children who survive one episode of ANE, vaccination becomes even more critical to avoid recurrence.

Given that only a small fraction of affected children had been vaccinated, these deaths and disabilities were arguably avoidable.

What Parents Should Watch For?

Here’s what families and healthcare providers should know:

• Monitor flu symptoms closely—especially in kids who develop neurological signs like confusion or seizures.
• Act early, don’t wait for symptoms to escalate. Ensure transfer to hospitals equipped for neurocritical care and plasma exchange.
• Remember that ANE progresses fast—every hour counts.
• If your child survives, rehabilitation is possible. Many children regain functional abilities despite initial severe outcomes.
• Don't let hope fade early; survival is real when aggressive care is delivered promptly.

The unusual spike in ANE during the 2023–2025 flu seasons serves as a wake-up call to both the medical community and families: even previously healthy children are vulnerable. While ANE remains a rare complication, early recognition and intervention can dramatically alter its course.

More broadly, this work underscores the hidden dangers of influenza—and why simple preventive steps matter so much.

Flu-Linked brain swelling in children is rare but when it does strike, it can be fatal or leave lifelong disability. Vaccination, vigilant symptom awareness, and rapid access to advanced care are key to prevention and survival. In cases where the immune system spirals out of control, timely and aggressive treatments like steroids and plasma exchange can make the difference between recovery and tragedy.