They're known by many names—goose pimples, goosebumps, or even cutis anserine, which is what doctors call them—but the effect is always the same: small bumps on your skin when you're cold, emotional, or even frightened. They might be small, but goosebumps are a fascinating leftover from our ancient history, a biological response that binds us to the animal kingdom in more than one way. But why do they happen, and are they useful for anything? Let's explore the science behind goosebumps.

Each and every hair in your body is connected to it an infinitesimally small muscle called the arrector pili. Activating theses muscles tightens them up and lifts the associated hair perpendicularly out from the hair shaft, in turn causing minute bulges overlying the attached hairs. Activation is caused through stimulation of nerves activated by these special muscles leading ultimately to release by the brain controlling the system.

The nerves surrounding the arrector pili send electrical messages that instruct these muscles to tense up. The process is not voluntary, and you can't decide when the goosebumps will occur. But what's behind this action?

Why We Get Goosebumps?

A Chilling Reaction to Cold

The most typical cause of goosebumps is cold exposure. When the body senses a decrease in temperature, the sympathetic nervous system is triggered, making the arrector pili muscles contract. This will lift body hair, which, in thick-furred animals, traps a layer of warm air. In humans, though, our fairly thin body hair makes this purpose largely ineffective.

Fear and the Fight-or-Flight Response

Ever felt your hair stand on end when you hear something creepy in the dark? That's your fight-or-flight response activating. When we sense danger, the body releases a hormone called adrenaline, getting us ready for action. In animals, this makes them look bigger and more formidable to predators. Humans don't have sufficient body hair for this to work, but the physiological reaction is still there.

Emotional and Aesthetic Triggers

Goosebumps are not just reserved for fear or cold; they also happen when we feel strong emotions. Whether it is listening to a moving piece of music, seeing a moving moment, or feeling intense nostalgia, goosebumps tend to follow intense emotional experiences. This response is believed to be associated with the reward system of the brain, releasing dopamine when we feel something intensely moving.

Sexual Arousal and Excitement

Another less familiar cause of goosebumps is sexual excitement. Like the physical responses of blushing or increased heart rate, goosebumps can occur as a reaction to increased emotional or physical stimulation. This once again relates to the autonomic nervous system, which controls involuntary body responses.

Are Goosebumps an Evolutionary Leftover or Still Functional?

For animals, the advantage of piloerection is obvious—it prevents body heat from escaping and is a defense mechanism against predators. But for us, goosebumps are a vestigial trait, much like the tailbone or wisdom teeth. Without fur, do goosebumps have any functional purpose now?

Surprisingly, new studies indicate that goosebumps might be involved in hair growth. A study in the journal Cell discovered that nerves that cause goosebumps are entangled with hair follicle stem cells. When these nerves stimulate the arrector pili muscles, they also stimulate hair follicle stem cells, which could encourage hair regeneration. Although this process is more applicable in hairy animals, it presents interesting possibilities for hair growth therapies in humans.

Is There A Reason Why You Should You Be Worried?

Goosebumps are usually harmless in most cases. But in some rare cases, they can be indicative of underlying medical conditions, which include:

Temporal Lobe Epilepsy: Certain seizures can cause a condition called piloerection seizures, which cause repeated episodes of goosebumps.

Autonomic Nervous System Disorders: Certain disorders of the autonomic nervous system can lead to abnormal goosebump reactions.

Opiate Withdrawal: Goosebumps are frequent in heroin or opioid withdrawal, leading to the expression "quitting cold turkey," as the bumps have the appearance of a plucked turkey.

If you observe too much or chronic goosebumps without a clear cause, it might be a good idea to see a medical professional.

Since goosebumps no longer play a meaningful survival role for humans, it's possible that they might slowly disappear over the course of evolutionary time, as other vestigial characteristics have. But with new evidence connecting goosebumps to hair growth, they could be more important than we originally thought.

There was a time when skincare felt like a competitive sport. People layered acids, scrubbed their faces raw, and measured success in stings, peels, and redness. But times are changing. A new, science-backed wave is sweeping in, one that values results without leaving your skin feeling like it has been through a survival reality show.

From Shelf Overload to Skincare Simplicity

The modern approach is a gentler, more measured one: using well-formulated products that are kind to the skin barrier but still pack enough punch to make a visible difference. And the best part? You only need a few steps, not a 12-item shopping list.

The Four Steps That Actually Work

Malini Adapureddy, Founder of Deconstruct Skincare, swears by a routine that’s simple enough to remember before coffee and effective enough to see results in weeks. Designed for Indian skin and climate, this four-step method covers the essentials: cleansing, treating, moisturising, and protecting.

Step 1: The Clean Slate

Step 2: The Targeted Glow Shot

Unlike some actives that feel like they’re burning through your soul, this combination is gentle enough for daily use.

Step 3: The Barrier Hug

Step 4: The Non-Negotiable

Why Gentle Works Better Than You Think

Consistency is the secret here. When your skin isn’t constantly fighting irritation, it can focus on repairing itself, building resilience, and looking better over time.

If you’ve been coughing for weeks, blaming it on “lingering winter sniffles” or chalking it up to “just getting older,” it might be time to step away from the cough syrup and lean in for some uncomfortable truth. Your cough could be more than a seasonal annoyance. In rare but serious cases, it could be a red flag for a life-limiting condition called pulmonary fibrosis.

What is Pulmonary Fibrosis?

In plain terms, “pulmonary” means lungs, and “fibrosis” means scarring. It’s a serious, progressive condition where lung tissue becomes scarred and stiff, making it increasingly hard to breathe.

Reportedly, there’s currently no cure. Treatments exist, but they mainly slow down the damage rather than reverse it. The sooner you get diagnosed, the better your chances of managing symptoms and that’s where spotting the signs early is crucial.

Symptoms to Watch For

Shortness of breath (especially when climbing stairs or speed-walking to catch the bus)

Why That Cough Happens

Coughing is your body’s bouncer, booting out anything that might harm your lungs — dust, smoke, rogue crumbs, the works. The process involves your vocal cords clamping shut, then snapping open with a burst of air.

With pulmonary fibrosis, this reflex can get stuck on a loop. Coughing irritates the vocal cords, which makes you cough more, which irritates them further, a vicious cycle that can turn even a quiet cup of tea into a coughing fit.

The Four Flavours of Cough

Acute cough – Lasts less than three weeks; often tied to infections or irritants.

Coughs can also be:

Dry/unproductive – Triggered by things like temperature changes, dusty air, or laughing.

Who’s More at Risk?

While pulmonary fibrosis can happen to anyone, your risk might be higher if you:

Are over 50

Managing the Cough

A pulmonary fibrosis cough often doesn’t respond to standard cough medicines. Instead, treatment usually focuses on easing symptoms and improving quality of life.

Your doc may recommend alternative medications used for chronic cough in other conditions. These don’t cure the scarring but can make the coughing less intrusive. They’ll also want to check for other contributing factors like acid reflux, sinus issues, or side effects from medication, because if those are making things worse, tackling them can help.

Everyday Coping Tricks

While you work with your doctor, you can try a few lifestyle tweaks to manage coughing fits:

Avoid smoky, dusty, or heavily polluted spaces

Pulmonary fibrosis is rare, but catching it early can mean more treatment options and better management. Plus, you’ll finally know whether your cough is from a stubborn cold or something that needs closer attention. Your cough could be a harmless side effect of a dusty ceiling fan or it could be your body waving a red flag.

If you’ve ever stared at a packet of mixed nuts wondering whether to sprinkle them over your porridge or just eat them by the handful, here’s your permission slip: go for it. According to Dr Sarah Berry, a professor at King’s College London and Chief Scientist at ZOE, nuts and seeds are not just snackable; they are good for cholesterol crunching. In fact, swap some of your less healthy fats for these nutritional powerhouses, and you could lower your cholesterol by up to 10 per cent in just 10 days. That is faster than most fad diets.

The 10-Day Cholesterol Challenge

High cholesterol often feels like one of those invisible problems, until it suddenly is not. It can quietly build up in your arteries, increasing the risk of heart attacks and strokes. But Dr Berry, during an appearance on the Zoe podcast, said that you can make a real difference in under two weeks by tweaking, not overhauling, your diet. It’s not about eating less fat; it’s about eating the right kind of fat.

And this is where most people get it wrong. “Don’t do a low-fat diet,” Dr Berry warns, calling the idea “radical” to anyone still following decades-old advice. Instead, aim for a moderate-fat diet rich in polyunsaturated and monounsaturated fats—exactly the kinds you’ll find in nuts, seeds, and certain oils.

Why Low-Fat Diets Miss the Point

It is tempting to think cutting fat will cut cholesterol, but Dr Berry explains that’s a trap. Not all fats are bad. Saturated fats, found in red meat and some processed foods, can push LDL cholesterol—often dubbed “bad” cholesterol—into dangerous territory. But polyunsaturated fats, abundant in seeds, seed oils, and many nuts, do the opposite.

Simply adding nuts to your meals, whether as a snack, salad topping, or nut butter, can slash LDL cholesterol by 5 to 10 per cent. You have to make a swap. This benefit comes from replacing “harmful” fats, like those in certain animal products and fried foods, with healthier plant-based fats.

Seeds: The Cholesterol Fighters

Sunflower seeds, flaxseeds, chia seeds—they’re all loaded with polyunsaturated fatty acids that support heart health. Stir them into yoghurt, blend them into smoothies, or scatter them over roasted veggies. You’ll barely notice the extra effort, but your arteries will thank you.

Seed oils, like sunflower and flaxseed oil, can also be smart choices in moderation, adding healthy fats to your cooking without the cholesterol-raising impact of certain animal fats.

Rethinking Dairy, Meat, and Carbs

Dr Berry isn’t out to demonise all animal products. Fermented dairy like yoghurt and cheese gets a surprising green light. These foods, she says, don’t have the cholesterol-raising effect you might expect from their saturated fat content. That’s not permission to live on brie and cheddar, but it is a reason to stop fearing your cheese board.

Red meat, however, is a different story. Packed with saturated fats, it’s a direct contributor to rising cholesterol levels. Swapping steak nights for lentil stews or chickpea curries a couple of times a week could make a noticeable difference to your numbers.

Then there’s the carbohydrate conundrum. The real trouble lies with refined carbs like white bread, white rice, and sugary snacks. These are rapidly processed by your body and can be converted into triglycerides, which worsen cholesterol profiles. But whole grains are firmly in the “good for you” column. Wholegrain bread, brown rice, oats, and quinoa can help improve cholesterol levels when they replace the refined stuff.

Building Your 10-Day Cholesterol Menu

Swap your morning white toast for porridge topped with walnuts and chia seeds. Your mid-morning biscuit could become a small handful of almonds. At lunch, toss sunflower seeds into your salad, and use olive or sunflower oil for dressing. Dinner might feature grilled salmon or chickpeas instead of steak, with a side of quinoa instead of white rice.

Why This Works So Fast

Cholesterol levels can be surprisingly responsive to dietary changes. LDL cholesterol particles are constantly being produced and cleared from your bloodstream. When you replace saturated fats with healthier fats, you improve your body’s ability to remove LDL cholesterol. Combine that with reducing refined carbs and upping your wholegrain intake, and the improvement can be measurable in just days.

Dr Berry’s advice is refreshingly realistic: no calorie counting, no extreme restrictions, just sensible swaps. It’s about building habits you can maintain beyond the initial 10 days, keeping your cholesterol low for the long haul.

Forget the idea that lowering cholesterol means bland food and joyless salads. With nuts, seeds, and the right fats, you can eat deliciously and still give your heart a health boost in record time.