I was recently speaking to an endocrinologist and she said something that was kind of predictable—People do not know what I do. Most of the time, they think that I play with hormones like testosterone and estrogen and treat sex disorders. While it is a fact that endocrinologists deal with hormones, they do not always deal with sex, behaviour or mood issues. Conditions like high blood pressure, skin rash and even osteoporosis could be triggered by hormonal imbalances in the body. And, thus it is pivotal to pay attention to everyday symptoms that could mean the same. Here are a few:

A Racing Heart

Noticing your heart pounding out of nowhere? Many people rush to a cardiologist when this happens. However, according to Dr. Rachel Pessah-Pollack, an endocrinologist at NYU School of Medicine, who spoke to a leading US media organization, a racing heart could be a sign of hyperthyroidism. Some patients report palpitations or feeling winded and then check their fitness tracker to find their heart rate is consistently over 100 beats per minute.

The good news? If an overactive thyroid is to blame, there are plenty of treatment options—from medication to surgery. In some cases, like thyroiditis triggered by illness (including COVID-19), it may even resolve on its own.

Itchy Rash and Constant Thirst

Young people sometimes with an itchy and irritating rash in their private parts show up at the doctor's office thinking they have a groin infection. But if the rash comes with extreme thirst or hunger, it is diabetes that might be the real culprit. Yeast infections thrive on high blood sugar and if left untreated diabetes can make things worse.

New-Onset Anxiety

Have you always been calm but recently felt gripped by unexplained anxiety? It could be more than stress. Dr. Pessah-Pollack underscored that patients who experience extreme worry and even shaky hands because of hyperthyroidism. Paired with symptoms like weight changes or trouble sleeping, it’s worth discussing with your doctor.

A Hump Between Your Shoulders

Noticing a hump at the base of your neck? This could be a sign of Cushing syndrome, caused by high cortisol levels. While this condition often leads to rapid weight gain, it doesn’t always show up in obvious places. Instead, you might see changes like a "moon face," thin arms and legs, or stretch marks. If you suspect this, your doctor can test cortisol levels and identify what’s causing the imbalance, whether it’s medication, a tumour, or another factor.

Sudden Fractures

Breaking a bone from something as minor as a cough or a gentle bump? Fragility fractures like these might be linked to osteoporosis or a lack of essential nutrients like vitamin D or calcium. While most people might run to a bone and joint specialist, it is important to see an endocrinologist. tumour

Feeling Too Hot Or Too Cold

Do you sweat like crazy when you never used to? Or maybe you’re suddenly freezing, even in a warm room? These shifts might be tied to your thyroid. Hyperthyroidism often causes excessive sweating, while hypothyroidism slows your metabolism, leaving you perpetually cold.

Thinning Eyebrows

Losing the outer part of your eyebrows is a classic sign of hypothyroidism, as per experts. While it’s frustrating to notice, treatment can restore both your thyroid function and your hair.

Struggling With Peripheral Vision

If you feel like you’re seeing the world through a tunnel, it could be a sign of a pituitary tumour. These benign growths can press on the optic nerve, causing vision issues. Dr Kazlauskaite often sees men realize something’s wrong after a car accident or another close call on the road, while women may notice hormonal changes first.

Extremely High Blood Pressure

Dangerously high blood pressure spikes, especially when paired with sweating or tremors, could signal adrenal gland tumours like pheochromocytomas. These are rare but serious conditions that require prompt attention.

What's it like to live with ADHD or dyslexia or know how a neurodivergent friend actually feels in their mind-not just the textbook definitions, but the day-to-day emotional rollercoaster? In Chris Packham’s groundbreaking new documentary, Inside Our ADHD Minds, we’re invited into the lives of Henry and Jo, two individuals navigating the invisible yet overwhelming terrain of neurodivergence.

Henry, a vibrant tour guide in Soho, speaks with honesty about forgetting to eat, losing track of time, and the deep fear that even those closest to him don’t truly understand who he is. Then there’s Jo, whose story hits a different chord. After 14 career changes and years of being labeled “too much,” it took her daughter’s comment to spark the realization that ADHD might have been part of her life story all along.

What follows in the documentary is not just awareness it’s a revelation. With stunning personal films, expert insights, and Chris Packham’s own neurodivergent lens guiding the way, Inside Our ADHD Minds dismantles stereotypes and replaces them with empathy, clarity, and humanity. This isn’t just about attention or hyperactivity it’s about identity, grief, resilience, and the need to be truly seen.

the two-part documentary series offers an emotionally intelligent and deeply personal exploration into the minds of individuals living with ADHD and dyslexia. It’s a follow-up to Packham’s earlier acclaimed project, Inside Our Autistic Minds, and again leans into empathy, science, and storytelling to deepen public understanding of neurodivergence.

As rates of ADHD and dyslexia diagnoses rise globally, especially among women and adults, Packham’s series couldn’t be more timely. But unlike dry medical overviews, this is narrative-driven, first-person neurodivergence—seen through the eyes of those who live it. From chaotic inner worlds to coping mechanisms that go unnoticed, here are the seven most compelling takeaways from Inside Our ADHD Minds—and what they reveal about the realities of neurodiverse thinking.

1. ADHD Isn’t an Attention Deficit- It’s Attention Dysregulation

One of the first myths the documentary busts is right there in the name: “attention deficit hyperactivity disorder.” As Packham candidly explains while walking through the woods—a signature format in the series—ADHD is not about lacking attention. It's about struggling to control and regulate it. One expert likens it to having six televisions on in your brain, all blaring at once, with no remote control.

This reframing is important. People with ADHD don’t lack focus—they often focus too much, too intensely, or on the “wrong” thing from a neurotypical perspective. Recognizing this nuance allows for more compassionate, functional approaches to support and treatment.

2. Gender Disparities in Diagnosis Persist

A vital theme running through the series is the gendered nature of neurodivergence diagnosis. While ADHD has historically been associated with hyperactive boys in classrooms, Packham interviews experts who explain how girls—like Jo, one of the documentary’s protagonists—often display symptoms differently. They may internalize their restlessness, mask their distress, or be mislabeled as emotional, disorganized, or lazy.

This misrecognition delays diagnosis, sometimes for decades. Jo wasn’t diagnosed until adulthood, after navigating 14 careers and hitting emotional and professional burnout. Her journey reflects a broader issue: ADHD and dyslexia in women are under-diagnosed, under-researched, and misunderstood—something healthcare systems globally must address.

3. Expressive Storytelling Can Be Transformative

Perhaps the most powerful element of the documentary is the way it allows neurodivergent individuals to represent themselves. Both Jo and Henry, the two central figures with ADHD, are given the opportunity to make short films to express what their minds feel like from the inside.

Henry’s film is a chaotic collage of missed alarms, cluttered thoughts, and forgotten meals—offering his family a visceral insight into why even small daily tasks can feel overwhelming. Jo’s story is more emotional, showing the grief she carries for the person she might have become if she had been diagnosed earlier.

These segments remind us that self-expression and creative agency are critical tools for mental health and healing. They can bridge the chasm between external behavior and internal reality in ways clinical language cannot.

4. Dyslexia Is More Than Letter Confusion

In the second episode, Packham shifts the lens to dyslexia—a learning difference that affects up to 10% of the population. While commonly associated with reading difficulties, the documentary underscores the broader cognitive landscape of dyslexia: challenges with time management, memory, verbal expression, and navigation.

One striking insight comes from the lived experience of Packham’s stepdaughter, Megan McCubbin, who was told by a teacher that she would never succeed in science due to her dyslexia. Today, she holds a degree in zoology. Her story is a testament to the fact that neurodivergence often coexists with creativity, adaptability, and resilience—not deficiency.

5. Living with Neurodivergence Means Managing Constant Fatigue

A subtle but crucial theme throughout the series is the sheer exhaustion of navigating a world not built for you. Dyslexic individuals often expend extraordinary energy simply trying to remember appointments, organize their day, or communicate clearly. ADHD minds, bombarded by sensory input and interrupted thoughts, can find even simple decisions emotionally taxing.

This cognitive labor takes a toll. Many neurodivergent individuals live with chronic fatigue, which further exacerbates symptoms and can lead to a cycle of self-blame and burnout.

6. Medication Isn’t One-Size-Fits-All

Both Jo and Henry try medication as part of their ADHD management—but with mixed results. Henry, diagnosed during his school years, disliked how the medication made him feel. Jo, however, found relief. This mirrors real-world experiences: medication can be life-changing for some, while others prefer alternative or supplemental strategies like cognitive behavioral therapy, coaching, and lifestyle modifications.

The documentary handles this with grace—there’s no agenda or judgment, only individual stories and honest reflection. It’s a reminder that treatment for neurodivergent conditions must be personalized and patient-centered.

7. Neurodivergent People Need Understanding—Not “Fixing”

Ultimately, Inside Our ADHD Minds is about asking for understanding, not solutions. Henry isn’t asking his parents to change him. Jo isn’t looking for retroactive pity. What both seem to want is acknowledgment: “This is how I operate, and I’m okay.”

This message lands at a time when the neurodiversity movement is gaining traction globally—from classrooms in the U.S. to boardrooms in Europe and universities in Asia. Creating truly inclusive societies means moving beyond awareness to acceptance and adaptation.

As Chris Packham himself notes, “By better understanding neurodivergent people’s lived experiences, we can help remove barriers to their success.”

And that’s the real takeaway here: empathy, not diagnosis, is the first step toward meaningful support.

A sedentary lifestyle is one of the biggest perpetrators of declining brain health. According to the Alzheimer's Drug Discovery Foundation there are many other factors like eating unhealthy processed foods, high LDL cholesterol, depression, traumatic brain injury, diabetes, smoking, high blood pressure etc., that can cause dementia. One of the best ways to prevent cognitive decline is said to be physical exercise. It reduces chronic inflammation, improves blood flow as well as releases proteins necessary for brain health. However, a new study shows physical activity is not the cure-all answer for decline in cognitive health.

The surprising thing was the link between how much time older adults spend sitting and their risk of getting Alzheimer's disease. What's even more interesting is that this risk seems to be higher even for people who make sure to get their daily exercise. The study found that those who sat for longer periods were more likely to experience a decline in their thinking skills and even showed signs of their brains shrinking over time, regardless of their exercise habits.

More Sedentary Time Means Faster Brain Decline

The study published in the Alzheimer’s & Dementia journal 2025, followed a group of adults aged 50 and older for an average of seven years. They used special watches to track exactly how much each person moved around during the day and how much time they spent being still. Over this period, they found a clear pattern: the more hours someone spent sitting down regularly, the worse their performance was on tests that measured their memory and how quickly they could process new information. This suggests that prolonged sitting has a negative impact on brain health over time.

Daily Exercise May Not Help Your Brain As Much

One of the key findings of this study is that simply exercising once a day might not be enough to completely protect your brain if you spend the rest of your time sitting. The lead researcher emphasized that while exercise is definitely good for overall health, minimizing the total time you spend sitting down each day could be even more important for reducing your chances of developing Alzheimer's disease later in life. This highlights the need to think about our activity levels throughout the entire day, not just during planned workouts.

The results of the study were quite revealing. They showed that even a large majority of the participants – about 87% – were meeting the recommended weekly amounts of physical activity set by health authorities. Despite getting enough exercise, these individuals still faced a higher risk of brain shrinkage and cognitive decline if they also spent a lot of time sitting down. This strongly suggests that being sedentary is an independent risk factor for Alzheimer's disease, meaning it can be harmful to the brain even if you are otherwise physically active.

You Need Less Sitting Time For Brain Health

Researchers emphasized the importance of breaking up long periods of sitting with movement. She stated that taking regular breaks to stand up and walk around throughout the day is likely a promising way to help prevent the kind of brain degeneration that can lead to cognitive decline and eventually Alzheimer's disease. This suggests that incorporating more short bursts of activity into our daily routines, rather than just focusing on a single workout, could be very beneficial for long-term brain health.

Pneumonia is one of the most common infections that was responsible for 14% of all deaths in children under the age of five, influencing the death of 740,180 children in 2019. It is a form of acute respiration infection that affects the lungs, making it difficult or painful to breathe. The Centers of Disease Control and Prevention statistics explain that the number of visits to the emergency department due to pneumonia happens to be 1.4 million people in 2021.

The symptoms and effects of pneumonia can be mild like coughing, shortness of breath to fever, chest pains nausea, vomiting or diarrhea. However, since the infection can be severe, doctors must treat them with urgency. To help them identify severe cases quicker, a new study published in the Lancet May 2025, reveals new models that can help doctors distinguish severe cases from the moderate ones.

Can This Help Lower The Risk Of Pneumonia

The researchers made an interesting discovery about common cold symptoms. They found that if a child has a runny nose and feels stuffed up, they are actually less likely to have a more serious type of pneumonia. In fact, the chances are lower by quite a bit! On the other hand, the study also pointed out some warning signs that suggest a child might have severe pneumonia.

The research showed that some common cold symptoms, like a runny nose and congestion, actually means a child is less likely (by 41%) to have a more serious form of pneumonia. On the other hand, certain signs like stomach pain, difficulty breathing, a fast heartbeat, and low oxygen levels in the blood point to a higher chance of severe pneumonia in children.

The study pointed out that doctors haven't had a good way to know for sure which of these children are in danger of getting much sicker. This new research is trying to fix that problem by giving doctors better tools to quickly identify the kids who need the most help right away.

Symptoms That Identified Mild from Severe Pneumonia

The researchers analyzed 2,200 children between the age bracket of 3 months and 14 years of age. The symptoms that were associated with increased risk of moderate or severe pneumonia

• Children with stomach pain had a significantly higher chance (52%) of having moderate or severe pneumonia.
• Kids who wouldn't drink fluids also faced a greater likelihood (57%) of a more serious pneumonia case.
• If a child had already been given antibiotics before coming to the emergency room, their risk of moderate or severe pneumonia was notably higher (64%).
• Labored breathing made the risk of moderate or severe pneumonia almost three times (2.8 times) as high.
• A faster than normal heartbeat also indicated a considerably increased risk (64%) of more serious pneumonia.

Pneumonia's Impact on Children's Health

Pneumonia is not just a minor illness; it's actually one of the most common infections that affects children all across the globe. It's also a very frequent reason why children in the United States end up needing to be admitted to the hospital. This shows just how important it is for doctors and scientists to really understand pneumonia and find the best ways to diagnose it, treat it, and even predict how serious it might become for each child who gets it.

Researchers pointed out that said that while most kids who get pneumonia will thankfully have a milder form of the illness, there's a small group, about 5 out of every 100 children, who will become very sick and might develop serious health problems. It's absolutely crucial for doctors to be able to spot these children very early on. This way, they can start strong and fast treatments to stop their condition from getting worse and potentially causing long-term issues.

Impact of This Study On Pneumonia Care

Being able to tell how severe a child's pneumonia will be doesn't just help the very sick kids. It can also help the kids who are likely to have a milder illness. If doctors can confidently say that a child's pneumonia is not serious, they can avoid doing extra medical tests that might not be needed. They can also prevent the child from having to stay in the hospital if it's not really necessary, which can be a big relief for both the child and their family.