Experiencing a migraine is a nightmare, with its pulsing, throbbing pain. This neurological disorder triggers recurring headaches of moderate to high intensity, typically affecting one side of the head and lasting from 2 hours to more than 2 days. For those who have been suffering from this debilitating pain or have recently been diagnosed with migraines, there are remedies beyond medication that can alleviate your discomfort. Lifestyle changes, stress management techniques, proper hydration, and a regular sleep schedule are crucial in managing and reducing the frequency and severity of migraine attacks.

Migraine symptoms vary depending on the stage. Common symptoms include difficulty concentrating, trouble sleeping, fatigue, nausea, vomiting, dizziness, and sensitivity to light and sound. For those enduring these head-splitting aches, there are alternative ways to alleviate your pain without solely relying on medication.

Yoga is an ancient practice that promotes holistic well-being through a blend of postures and breathing techniques. It offers a side-effect-free approach to combating migraines. Here are some yoga poses you can practice daily for long-term relief:

6 Yoga Asanas for Migraine & Headache Relief

Practicing yoga can be a natural and effective way to alleviate migraine and headache symptoms. Here are six yoga asanas that can help provide relief:

1. Shavasana (Corpse Pose)

Shavasana helps relax the entire body, reduce stress, and calm the mind. Lie flat on your back with your arms at your sides, palms facing up, and focus on deep, slow breathing.

2. Adho Mukha Svanasana (Downward-Facing Dog)

This pose improves blood circulation to the brain and relieves tension in the neck and shoulders. Start on your hands and knees, then lift your hips up and back to form an inverted V shape.

3. Setu Bandhasana (Bridge Pose)

Setu Bandhasana stretches the chest, neck, and spine while improving blood flow to the brain. Lie on your back with your knees bent and feet flat on the floor, then lift your hips towards the ceiling.

4. Hastapadasana (Standing Forward Bend)

This forward bend pose helps calm the mind and alleviate stress, which can trigger migraines. Stand with your feet hip-width apart, then bend forward from the hips and try to touch your toes.

5. Balasana (Child’s Pose)

Balasana is a restorative pose that gently stretches the back and relaxes the mind. Kneel on the floor, sit back on your heels, and stretch your arms forward, lowering your forehead to the ground.

6. Viparita Karani (Legs-Up-The-Wall Pose)

This pose helps improve circulation and relaxes the mind and body. Lie on your back and extend your legs up against a wall, keeping your body at a 90-degree angle.

If you’ve never tried yoga before, it’s advisable to start with a class rather than an online video, and always consult with your healthcare provider first. Migraine headaches can cause unbearable pain, significantly impacting both your personal and professional life. While yoga can help increase your resistance to migraines, it should not replace medication. Continue your prescribed medication until advised otherwise by your doctor.

Practicing these simple yoga postures can lessen the impact of migraine attacks and may eventually stop them altogether. So, roll out your yoga mat, dedicate some time each day, and work towards shutting migraines out of your life for good.

A sudden spike in cases of appendiceal adenocarcinoma, particularly among Gen X and millennials, has become a growing concern among medical professionals. Frequently misdiagnosed or neglected because of similar symptoms to other gastrointestinal conditions, this kind of cancer is unusual but bears remarkable similarities with a not-so-uncanny condition—diverticulitis. Familiarizing oneself with the unique characteristics of these two conditions is vital for the diagnosis at an early stage, appropriate treatment, and improved health outcomes.

Appendix cancer, which was once thought to be extremely rare, is now trending up in a disturbing direction. In a recent study in the Annals of Internal Medicine, Vanderbilt University Medical Center researchers crunched data from the U.S. National Cancer Institute's SEER program from 1975 to 2019. The results are eye-opening: rates of appendiceal adenocarcinoma (AA) have more than doubled among Generation X and quadrupled among millennials relative to those born in the mid-20th century.

Although still rare with only some 3,000 new cases diagnosed each year in the U.S.—this increase reflects the larger trend of increasing gastrointestinal cancers among young adults, such as colorectal and stomach cancers. What is so troubling about this increase is how easily symptoms of appendix cancer can be confused with other digestive complaints, particularly diverticulitis, a much more common condition.

What Is Appendix Cancer?

Appendix cancer (appendiceal cancer) occurs when cells in the appendix start to mutate and multiply out of control. The appendix—a small sac at the juncture of the small and large intestines—has been a mystery to scientists for a long time regarding its purpose. Some think it contributes minimally to immune well-being, while others consider it a vestigial organ. But one thing is certain: When cancer hits this organ, it can be hard to spot.

Symptoms of Appendix Cancer

The majority of the patients do not develop any symptoms until the disease becomes advanced or is incidentally found during surgery for appendicitis or other unrelated surgeries. If symptoms happen, they can be:

• Abdominal pain on the lower right side, which is persistent
• Bloating or distension in the abdomen
• Diarrhea due to the changes in bowel habits
• Vomiting, nausea, and early satiety
• Ascites (fluid accumulation in the abdomen)
• Unintended weight gain or rise in waistline

In some cases, appendix cancer can lead to pseudomyxoma peritonei (PMP)—a rare condition where mucin-producing tumor cells create jelly-like fluid that fills the abdominal cavity, causing further complications and discomfort.

What Are the Causes and Risk Factors of Appendix Cancer?

Although the exact reasons for this generational increase remain unclear, researchers suggest that lifestyle and environmental factors may be playing a major role. The consumption of ultra-processed foods, sugary beverages, and processed meats has increased sharply in recent decades. Additionally, obesity and metabolic syndrome—both risk factors for various cancers—are more prevalent among younger people today than in past generations.

While scientists haven’t pinpointed the exact causes of appendix cancer, several risk factors have been identified:

Age: Though it can occur at any age, most cases are diagnosed between 40 and 60 years.

Gender: Women are weakly more susceptible to developing appendix neuroendocrine tumors.

Smoking: Similar to most cancers, the risk is enhanced by smoking.

Family History: There can be a genetic factor in some instances, but more studies are necessary.

Underlying Conditions: People with diseases such as atrophic gastritis or pernicious anemia might be at greater risk.

What Is Diverticulitis?

Diverticulitis, which is far more prevalent, also may show symptoms similar to appendix cancer. Diverticulitis happens when diverticula—the tiny, bulging pouches that develop inside the colon—are inflamed or infected. These pouches are normally harmless, a state of affairs called diverticulosis, but they will cause trouble if bacteria become trapped and grow.

When diverticulitis hits, it can be mild or deadly, particularly if it results in complications such as bowel perforation or sepsis.

Symptoms of Diverticulitis

Most patients with diverticulitis develop:

• Persistent pain in the abdomen, typically the lower left quadrant (but can be right-sided in certain people, particularly those of Asian origin)
• Fever and chills
• Nausea and vomiting
• Tenderness or cramping of the abdomen
• Constipation or diarrhea

The inflammation may persist for a few days and is often accompanied by bloating and loss of appetite. In long-standing cases, recurrent inflammation may result in scarring and narrowing of the intestines, bowel obstructions, and long-term gastrointestinal problems.

Causes and Risk Factors for Diverticulitis

While diverticula are created through pressure on weakened areas of the colon wall, the cause of why some develop inflammation while others do not continues to be undetermined. Risk factors that contribute include:

Age: After 40 years of age, incidence rises

Diet: Fiber intake is low and red meat and fat are consumed in excess

Sedentary lifestyle: Physical inactivity leads to decreased gut motility

Obesity and Smoking: Both promote inflammation in the body

Certain Medications: NSAIDs, opioids, and steroids can either trigger or exacerbate the condition

Appendix Cancer vs. Diverticulitis: How To Tell the Difference Early?

Distinguishing between appendix cancer and diverticulitis based solely on symptoms is challenging—even for seasoned physicians—due to the significant overlap in abdominal discomfort, bowel changes, and nausea. However, the location and duration of pain, the presence of systemic symptoms (like fever vs. ascites), and advanced imaging can provide clues.

Pain in appendix cancer is usually chronic and fixed in the lower right quadrant, accompanied by bloating, early satiety, or ascites without explanation.

Diverticulitis is more likely to have fever, infection, and left lower quadrant abdominal pain, particularly in Western populations.

CT scans, colonoscopy, biopsies, and tumor markers play a critical role in establishing the diagnosis and excluding malignancies.

The outcomes of confusing one with the other can be dire. Although diverticulitis tends to heal with antibiotics, diet modification, and in some cases, surgery, appendix cancer needs oncological attention, typically through surgical removal of the appendix and surrounding tissues, followed by chemotherapy, especially in case of spread of the cancer.

With the rising prevalence of appendix cancer in younger adults, regular follow-up for unexplained or chronic abdominal symptoms—regardless of age—is more important than ever before. Doctors now encourage patients and clinicians to suspect less common possibilities such as appendix cancer when usual diagnoses cannot account for symptoms.

The spike in appendix cancer cases, especially among young adults, is a sign of a changing tide in gastrointestinal well-being. Diverticulitis, although still a prevalent and oftentimes benign illness, shares such similar symptoms that we can no longer afford to brush off chronic abdominal pain.

If you, or someone close to you, are having prolonged gastrointestinal complaints, don't write it off as diet or stress. Seek medical help immediately.

Human papillomavirus (HPV) is a virus that affects every sexually active person at some point of their life, even if there are no symptoms. The World Health Organization explains that it can affect the skin, genital area, and throat. While preventative measures do help, they cannot totally protect themselves from transmission. Despite the contagious nature of the virus, these infections go away without treatment. However, there are some likely scenarios where they can cause abnormal cells to develop, which later on become cancer.

What deters many people from getting themselves checked out is the general stigma surrounding sexually transmitted infections or diseases. So, when at home tests became available, the rates screenings improved a lot!

A new study suggests that women are much more likely to get screened for HPV (human papillomavirus) if they can do the test themselves at home in private. This is a big deal because almost all cervical cancers are caused by HPV. Researchers found that when women were offered a mail-in test kit, the number of women getting screened more than doubled.

Why At-Home Testing is a Game-Changer

Around 11,500 women are diagnosed with cervical cancer each year in the U.S. Sadly, more than half of these women have either rarely or never been screened for HPV. Traditional screening often involves a pelvic exam at a clinic, which can be uncomfortable or distressing for some women. It also requires them to take time off and travel to the clinic.

The good news is that the first at-home screening test for cervical cancer recently got approved for use in the U.S. and should be available very soon. This new option could make a huge difference in how many women get screened.

How the Study Proved Its Point

To see how at-home testing would work in real life, researchers studied nearly 2,500 women aged 30 to 65. They divided the women into three groups:

• One group received a phone call reminding them to go to a clinic for screening.
• Another group was mailed an at-home self-collection test kit.
• The third group received an at-home kit and also got a follow-up call if they didn't return their kit quickly.

The results were clear: women who were offered an at-home test kit were more than twice as likely to get screened. About 41% of those who received a kit participated, compared to only 17% who just got a phone reminder to go to a clinic. When women who received a kit also got follow-up reminders, participation jumped even higher, to 47%. Interestingly, over 80% of the women in the test kit groups who participated chose to mail in their kit for analysis, rather than going to a clinic.

Making At-Home Tests Accessible

The study also found that about 13% of the women who returned a kit tested positive for a high-risk type of HPV. As these self-collection tests become more widely available, it's crucial to ensure they are offered in clinics and health centers, especially for people who face bigger challenges in accessing healthcare. By removing these hurdles, experts hope to increase screening rates and significantly reduce the burden of preventable cervical cancer.

Researchers now plan to investigate how to best use these HPV self-collection tests in different healthcare settings. While at-home HPV testing offers great promise, the next challenge is to make sure it's adopted safely and effectively into regular medical practice. This includes figuring out how healthcare providers can best follow up with women who have abnormal test results.

For decades, moderate alcohol consumption—typically defined as one to two drinks per day—was thought to provide certain protective benefits for heart health. However, the American Heart Association (AHA) has now issued a strong scientific statement saying that belief no longer holds up against emerging evidence. The AHA, along with many cardiologists in India, including those in Kolkata, are urging caution and reconsideration of alcohol's role in heart health.

Rethinking the “Protective” Myth

According to the AHA statement released on June 9, new studies using improved research methods have cast doubt on earlier findings that suggested alcohol might reduce the risk of cardiovascular diseases like heart attacks or strokes. While some observational studies hinted at cardioprotective effects, experts now say the data lacks consistency and credibility.

The idea that moderate drinking might lower the risk of certain heart conditions emerged from flawed or outdated studies, many of which didn’t adequately account for lifestyle, dietary patterns, or underlying health issues in participants.

Complex and Controversial Links

The relationship between alcohol and cardiovascular disease is far from straightforward. The AHA points out that alcohol use has long been linked with a range of heart-related conditions—including high blood pressure (hypertension), myocardial infarction (heart attack), arrhythmias, stroke, and heart failure. While excessive alcohol consumption has always been known to be harmful, even moderate intake may not be as safe as once believed.

Cardiologists caution that no randomized controlled trial has definitively shown alcohol in any form to be beneficial for heart health. Claims that wine—especially red wine—may have positive effects apply only in very specific contexts, and do not justify broad public recommendations.

When Moderation Isn’t Enough

Experts highlight that for certain individuals, particularly those with high blood pressure, reducing or even eliminating alcohol consumption may be the only safe course. This is because alcohol—even when consumed moderately—can aggravate hypertension and make it harder to control.

There’s also uncertainty around stroke risk. While heavy drinking undeniably increases the likelihood of strokes, the impact of low to moderate drinking remains unclear due to conflicting data. This uncertainty challenges the assumption that light drinking is harmless.

Addiction and Lifestyle Risks

Health professionals continue to warn that all forms of substance use, including alcohol and tobacco, contribute to lifestyle diseases and chronic health conditions. The 2020–2025 Dietary Guidelines for Americans recommend no more than two drinks a day for men and one for women. However, India’s revised Dietary Guidelines, prepared by the Indian Council for Medical Research and the National Institute of Nutrition, do not make any mention of alcohol at all—highlighting a gap in national-level public health messaging.

The global burden of alcohol-related health issues is immense. The U.S. National Institutes of Health (NIH) estimated that alcohol-related conditions could cost the U.S. nearly $1.87 trillion between 2011 and 2050, equivalent to about 1.45% of the country’s GDP. The NIH also criticized the lack of clear public messaging, which has allowed myths about alcohol’s safety to persist for decades.

In 2023, the World Health Organization (WHO) reinforced this warning. In a statement published in The Lancet Public Health, it declared that there is no safe level of alcohol consumption that does not affect health. WHO has also set a goal of reducing harmful alcohol use globally by 10% between 2013 and 2025.