Lung cancer ranks highest globally, reporting 2.26 million cases in 2019 and 1.8 million cases in 2020. Different aspects of cancer has been researcher to understand what increases or decreases the risk of cancer. One such aspect was the allergies and cancer link. Many previous studies have looked into this, however, most of them drew inconclusive answers.

New research suggests that your allergies might actually be protecting you from cancer. A recent study published in the journal Frontiers in Medicine found a surprising connection between common allergies and a lower risk of developing lung cancer, especially in men and people with allergic rhinitis, also known as hay fever.

The study looked at the relationship between different allergic diseases and the chance of getting lung cancer. It found that the type of allergy matters. For example, a history of asthma has been linked to a higher risk of lung cancer, but a history of allergic rhinitis or eczema might lower that risk. The researchers decided to exclude asthma from their study to avoid confusion from previous research.

What Is The Link Between Cancer And Allergies?

Scientists have a few ideas about why this link exists. One theory is that allergies boost the immune system's production of an antibody called immunoglobulin E (IgE). This IgE might help the body find and get rid of early-stage cancer cells before they can grow.

Another theory suggests that constant immune stimulation from allergies could cause random changes in fast-growing cells, which could potentially increase the risk of cancer. However, the findings of this particular study support the idea that certain allergies offer a protective effect.

How Does Having Allergies Lower Your Risk Of Cancer?

The study was a meta-analysis, which is a type of research that combines and analyzes results from many different studies. In this case, researchers looked at 10 studies that included more than 3.8 million people to see if there was a link between allergic rhinitis (hay fever), eczema, and lung cancer risk. Here are the key takeaways from their findings:

Allergies May Offer Protection

The study found that people with allergies had a 25% lower chance of developing lung cancer compared to those who didn't have allergies.

Allergic Rhinitis and Lung Cancer

There was a strong connection between having allergic rhinitis and a lower risk of lung cancer. This was particularly noticeable in men and in people living in North and South America.

Eczema's Link

Overall, the study didn't find a strong link between eczema and lung cancer risk. However, it did find that eczema was associated with a lower risk of lung cancer specifically in men.

Differences Between Genders

The study showed that allergies seemed to offer a greater protective effect for men. Men with allergies had a 44% lower chance of getting lung cancer, while women with allergies had a 29% lower chance.

The researchers noted that the study had a few weaknesses. For example, some studies relied on people's memory of their own diagnoses, which can sometimes be inaccurate. They stressed that more research is needed to fully understand these connections and to help develop better ways to assess and prevent cancer.

Many of us take sleep for granted. It is that one activity that does not need much effort, and we need for our health. However, it is not the same for everyone. Many people suffer with sleep disorders that affect how well they sleep, how much as well as whether they sleep at all. One such issue is obstructive sleep apnea (OSA). A total of 80.6 million people in the US were estimated to live with OSA and for many it goes undiagnosed and still remains an major health complication.

If you struggle with sleep apnea, a recent study from India suggests a surprising new solution: blowing into a conch shell. This ancient practice, known as shankh blowing, seems to improve sleep and reduce breathing problems during the night without needing a machine or medicine.

How Conch Blowing May Help Sleep Apnea

Scientists think that blowing into a conch shell helps to make the muscles in your throat and the back of your mouth stronger. When you take a deep breath and then blow out hard through the shell, you create resistance and vibrations. This action is like a workout for your upper airway muscles. In people with OSA, these muscles often become too relaxed and collapse while they're sleeping, which stops their breathing for a short time. By strengthening these muscles, the conch shell exercise might help keep your airway open.

In the study, a small group of people practiced this exercise for 15 minutes a day, five days a week. After six months, the people who blew the conch shell had some impressive results:

• They felt 34% less tired during the day.
• They had four to five fewer times per hour when their breathing stopped at night.

This is great news because many people find the standard treatment for sleep apnea, which uses a CPAP machine with a face mask, to be uncomfortable. Blowing a conch shell could be a simple and low-cost alternative.

What Are The Health Benefits of Conch Blowing?

While the results are exciting, experts say we need more research. In Indian tradition, many customs, like blowing a conch shell, are believed to have significant health benefits. While these practices have been followed for a long time without formal scientific studies, modern research is now beginning to explore their positive effects on both the mind and body.

According to Asian Pacific Journal of Health Science, the sound it produces is thought to create positive vibrations that can influence a person's mood and emotions. Listening to its sound may help a person feel more relaxed, focused, and optimistic. Scientists have even used special brain scans (called EEGs) to study how the brain responds to the sound of a conch shell, finding that it may help clear the mind of other thoughts and make a person more receptive. It is believed that the regular practice of blowing a conch shell offers many health benefits, particularly for the heart and lungs.

Respiratory Health

Blowing the conch requires a strong exhale, which is thought to improve the respiratory system and may help with conditions like asthma and other lung problems.

Heart Health

Some people believe that regularly blowing a conch shell can help reduce blockages in the heart.

Oral Health

This practice may also help reduce fat on the tongue and prevent various mouth and face problems.

Mental Well-being

The vibrations and sound from the conch are thought to create a feeling of optimism, hope, and determination. They are also believed to clear the surroundings of negative energy and create a more peaceful atmosphere.

UK Health Security Agency has issued heat health warning, as temperatures are likely to hit the mid-30 degree Celsius, which is hotter than Bali this week. The officials have warned that this heat is likely to affect your health, which includes the potential rise of death, especially among people over the age of 65s as well as people with pre-existing health conditions.

When high temperatures hit, they can significantly impact your health, particularly your lungs. With a heatwave expected, people with lung conditions like asthma are advised to be especially careful.

How Heat Affects Your Lungs

According to the Canadian Lung Association your body works to maintain a stable internal temperature, but this requires extra energy during extreme heat and humidity. If you have COPD, your body is already using a lot of energy just to breathe. The additional strain from trying to stay cool can impact your breathing and increase the risk of a flare-up. Similarly, for people with asthma, extreme temperatures can cause the air to become stagnant and trap pollutants, which can also trigger an asthma attack.

It's also important to know the signs of heat stroke and when to seek medical attention. If your lung symptoms worsen, and your action plan isn't helping, contact your doctor. If you can't reach them, go to the emergency room.

In hot weather, it's not just the heat you have to worry about. High levels of pollen and air pollution often happen at the same time. These can also make it very hard to breathe. They can even lead to more people needing to go to the emergency room. A study by Asthma + Lung UK found that one out of every three people with a lung condition said that hot weather made their symptoms worse.

Tips for Staying Safe in the Heat

To help manage your symptoms during a heatwave, consider these recommendations:

Stay in a Cool Environment

When it's hot and humid, especially if the air is polluted, the safest thing to do is to stay indoors. Try to find a place that has air conditioning and clean air. This could be your home, or you can visit a public place like a library, community center, or shopping mall.

Keep Your Home Cool

Close all your windows, doors, curtains, and blinds during the day. This helps to stop the sun and heat from getting inside. If your home doesn't have air conditioning, you can open a window at night to let in the cooler air, but only if the air outside is clean and not polluted. Using fans can also help move the air around and make you feel cooler.

Avoid Strenuous Activity

Try to avoid hard work, intense exercise, or any other strenuous activities. The hottest part of the day is usually between 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. If you need to go outside, it's best to do it early in the morning or later in the evening when it's not as hot.

Stay Hydrated and Dress Appropriately

It's very important to drink lots of water all day long to stay hydrated. If you go outside, wear loose, light-colored clothes. This helps your body stay cool. Wearing a hat will also protect you from the sun.

Monitor Air Quality

Look up the Air Quality Index or Air Quality Health Index for your area. This will tell you how clean the air is and if it might affect your breathing.

Know Your Symptoms and Medication

Always have your rescue inhaler with you, and take your other daily medicines exactly as your doctor told you to. Be aware of the warning signs that your condition is getting worse. This might include more coughing, feeling short of breath, or having more phlegm. If you have a COPD action plan, follow it as soon as you notice these symptoms.

Technology has given us the luxury and ease of travelling faster, safer as well as making the most informed decisions. But is this much information good for our brain? The worry regarding how much of our health is being affected by the latest technology has been something many researchers have looked into.

UCLA health details how previously, researchers had looked into how TVs had affected our brain activity. They tracked the TV habits of 599 volunteers and found that those who watched the most hours over 11 years. What they found was that these people, after years of watching the television for extended periods of time had smaller entorhinal cortex. This part of the brain is important for memory, finding your way around, and understanding time.

So how does this connect to GPS? This navigation tool that gives us turn-by-turn directions is incredibly easy. It gives us the arrival time, warns you about traffic, and suggests new routes. But some studies are finding that this convenience might have a downside. When we use GPS all the time, we don't just forget how to read a map. Research suggests that a specific part of the brain that helps us with navigation might get weaker, too.

What Is The GPS-Brain Connection?

This brings us to a part of the brain called the hippocampus, which is located deep inside your head. It's a very old and important structure that helps with memory and navigating. The hippocampus is also key for making plans and decisions. When people have Alzheimer's disease or other memory problems, this area of the brain often shrinks. Things like aging, depression, and stress can also cause it to get smaller. Now, new research suggests that letting GPS do all the work means we're not exercising this important brain area.

Does Using GPS Make Us Slow?

Several studies show a clear link between GPS use and brain activity.

• A study in the journal Nature Communications found that when people followed spoken GPS directions, their hippocampus was much less active than when they navigated on their own.
• Another study found that people who used GPS all the time had a significant drop in their ability to remember locations.
• On the other hand, a study of London taxi drivers showed the opposite. As their knowledge of the city's streets grew, their hippocampi actually got larger over time.

The main takeaway is that you can improve your brain health by actively navigating. Experts even suggest adding physical activity to the mix, like a sport called orienteering where you use a map and compass to find your way. This can help keep your brain healthy and adaptable.

How Did We Navigate Before Maps?

When you actively explore, you strengthen your hippocampus. As we get older, our navigation skills and hippocampus can decline, so keeping this part of the brain active is very important. According to a 2021 study published in the Scientific Reports, we use 2 main types of navigation methods.

Egocentric Navigation

This is like following a list of instructions. You know the directions in relation to yourself ("turn left at the big tree"). This is what most GPS apps do. It's passive, meaning you just follow the steps without making your own decisions.

Allocentric Navigation

This is like using a mental map. You understand how different landmarks relate to each other, so you can find your way from any point. This is an active process that builds a true cognitive map in your hippocampus.

GPS apps that give you turn-by-turn directions use the first method. They tell you exactly what to do, which means you don't have to make any decisions. This makes you a "passenger in your own body" instead of an active explorer.

Can We Learn to Navigate Better?

The study in this text suggests a new approach to GPS that helps us stay engaged. Instead of turn-by-turn directions, they used a virtual audio beacon. This is a continuous sound that always comes from the direction of your destination. This is what they did:

The Test

They had a group of people do a scavenger hunt on a large campus. Some used traditional verbal turn-by-turn directions, and others used the new audio beacon system. Participants were a mix of "experts" (employees who knew the campus) and "naïve" (new interns who didn't).

The Results

The group that used the audio beacon, especially the new interns, did much better at remembering the locations. They were more accurate when pointing to landmarks and better at drawing the locations on a map. This suggests that the audio beacon system helps people build a better mental map of their surroundings.

Why it Works

The audio beacon acts like a compass, guiding you toward the destination but letting you choose your own path. This makes you an active navigator again, which is what helps your brain build and strengthen its cognitive map.