Podcast
What's That Rash?
Hosted by ABC Australia · EN
Get answers to the health questions everyone's asking. Our experts give you the information you need to feel good and make the best decisions for your brain and body.
57episodes
Episodes
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Deep dive on progressive exercise
Yesterday00:23:02Summary readyYou might've heard the qualifier that exercise is good for you – but you need to be progressing that exercise over time.Running further, lifting heavier, exercising for longer. How important is it to up the stakes?Norman and Tegan flex their muscles on progressive training and its benefits.References: Thomas L. DeLorme and the Science of Progressive Resistance Exercise Associations of Muscle Mass and Strength with All-Cause Mortality among US Older Adults Skeletal Muscle Strength as a Predictor of All-Cause Mortality in Healthy Men Progressive overload without progressing load? The effects of load or repetition progression on muscular adaptations Strength and Hypertrophy Adaptations Between Low- vs. High-Load Resistance Training: A Systematic Review and Meta-analysis Physical activity types, variety, and mortality: results from two prospective cohort studies If you enjoyed this episode, check these out! Working out? Why 'No Pain No Gain' is bull Is a vibration plate worth the cost? You'll catch your death! Does cold weather cause colds? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryHantavirus: what we know about the cruise ship outbreak
3d ago00:13:43Summary readyA cruise ship at the centre of a virus outbreak — sound familiar?Passengers and crew are beginning to disembark the MV Hondius after several cases of hantavirus sent them into quarantine. The virus is usually caught through contact with infected rodent urine, droppings or saliva. Transmission between humans is rare. Norman and Tegan answer common questions about the hantavirus, and how it compares to the handling of COVID-19. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryWhy is yawning contagious?
1w ago00:18:27Summary readyIt’s easy to catch a yawn – you might even yawn while you’re reading this.It’s not just humans that yawn, but all kinds of verterbrates, even fish! But contagious yawning is rarer.Norman and Tegan unpack why we yawn in this live recording at the World Science Festival Brisbane.References: Yawning: no effect of 3-5% CO2, 100% O2, and exercise Brain size and neuron numbers drive differences in yawn duration across mammals and birds Excessive yawning and thermoregulation: two case histories of chronic, debilitating bouts of yawning Different yawns, different functions? Testing social hypotheses on spontaneous yawning in Theropithecus gelada Why yawns are contagious—in all kinds of animals: Evolutionary biologist Andrew Gallup explains why we yawn after others Mirror neuron activity during contagious yawning—an fMRI study The mirror-neuron system If you enjoyed this episode, check these out! Why are some people right (or left) handed? Can consuming dairy really give you acne? Is daylight saving time bad for us? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryTonsils, appendix, gallbladder: is anything actually useless?
2w ago00:21:28Summary readyYou might know them as "vestigial" organs, but we no longer overlook organs that aren’t vital for life.While they can be removed, your tonsils, appendix and gallbladder play important roles in the body.Norman and Tegan define what "vestigial" actually means, and how our bodies adapt to losing an organ.References: How Do We Know What Human Organs Do? - JSTOR Daily Tonsils, adenoids and throat infections — do doctors still recommend surgery? - ABC News Association of Long-Term Risk of Respiratory, Allergic, and Infectious Diseases With Removal of Adenoids and Tonsils in Childhood Influence of Tonsillectomy on Various Disease Outcomes: An Outcome-wide Association Analysis and Mendelian Randomization Analysis Cytokine production in patients with recurrent acute tonsillitis: analysis of tonsil samples and blood - PMC Association of Long-Term Risk of Respiratory, Allergic, and Infectious Diseases With Removal of Adenoids and Tonsils in Childhood - PMC Microbial Composition of Human Appendices from Patients following Appendectomy Long-term impacts of appendectomy associated with increased incidence of inflammatory bowel disease, infection, and colorectal cancer Cholecystectomy (Gallbladder Removal) If you enjoyed this episode, check these out! Why do we have wisdom teeth? Can peptides keep you young and buff? Is it OK to exercise when you're sick? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryShould you be eating more fruit?
3w ago00:20:59Summary readyNot a fruit lover, but eat plenty of veggies? Ever wondered if skipping that banana might actually matter?We all know a mix of fruit and vegetables is key to a long, healthy life.Norman and Tegan dig into whether eating little or no fruit could actually be bad for you.References: What exactly is a tomato? The difference between fruit and veg - ABC News Key statistics and data about child and adult consumption of fruit and vegetables - Australian Bureau of Statistics Fresh fruit consumption and all-cause and cause-specific mortality: findings from the China Kadoorie Biobank Fruit consumption and risk of type 2 diabetes: results from three prospective longitudinal cohort studies Fruit and Vegetable Intake and Mortality: Results from Two Prospective Cohort Studies of US Men and Women and a Meta-Analysis of 26 Cohort Studies The global burden of disease attributable to suboptimal fruit and vegetable intake, 1990-2021: a systematic analysis of the global burden of disease study Fruit and vegetable consumption and all-cause mortality: evidence from a large Australian cohort study A basket of new fruit varieties is coming your way – The Economist Releasing a sugar brake generates sweeter tomato without yield penalty If you enjoyed this episode, check these out! What's the best time of day to exercise? Is whitening your teeth bad for you? What are the health benefits of coffee? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryRed and other light therapy — can it work?
4w ago00:19:36Summary readyIf you’re into skincare, you’ve probably been advertised light therapy face masks.These high-tech hockey masks promise to plump up or heal your skin through light – often red, but sometimes yellow, green, blue or even purple.Norman and Tegan go through the rainbow to assess where there's evidence, and where there's not.References: Sweaty sauna bathing for better health - What's That Rash? Near Infrared Photoimmunotherapy: A Review of Recent Progress and Their Target Molecules for Cancer Therapy Effect of NASA Light-Emitting Diode Irradiation on Wound Healing Visible Red Light Emitting Diode Photobiomodulation for Skin Fibrosis: Key Molecular Pathways Utilization of light-emitting diodes for skin therapy: Systematic review and meta-analysis Photodynamic Therapy Using HMME for Port-Wine Stains: Clinical Effectiveness and Sonographic Appearance Effect of Blue Light on Acne Vulgaris: A Systematic Review The efficacy of violet light in the treatment of acne Featured review: What are the benefits and risks of light therapy for treating atopic eczema? Light therapy for preventing seasonal affective disorder This episode first aired on December 18, 2024. Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryWhy are some people right (or left) handed?
Apr 700:20:09Summary readyWhat determines whether you’re right or left handed? Is there really such a thing as being ambidextrous?It’s a surprisingly complicated story, and culture comes into play – some people are forced to go against their dominant hand.Norman and Tegan parse through the history of handedness in this live recording at the World Science Festival Brisbane.References: A large-scale population study of early life factors influencing left-handedness The handedness of Kerrs and Carrs The association between switching hand preference and the declining prevalence of left-handedness with age Stuttering and “Retraining” Left-Handed Children in Mid-Century U.S. Can training to become ambidextrous improve brain function? Brain Size Associated with Foot Preferences in Australian Parrots The Influence of Handedness on the Clinical Presentation and Neuropsychology of Alzheimer Disease If you enjoyed this episode, check these out! Can sudoku really keep your brain younger for longer? Should you train cardio and strength on the same day? The four steps you need to form a habit Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryHeadaches: causes, cures and exercise?!
Mar 3100:22:35Summary readyHeadaches are common, but the causes are wide and varied, and some are more serious than others. Why do we get headaches? What's the difference between a headache and a migraine?Norman and Tegan talk through some basics about headaches, and why a round of squats might help...References: The Science Behind Headaches: What's Really Happening In Your Skull The vascular theory of migraine—a great story wrecked by the facts Twelve-month efficacy of CGRP monoclonal antibodies and predictive value of short-term response: results of an Australian multicentre study Trial of Galcanezumab in Prevention of Episodic Cluster Headache Erenumab for Chronic Cluster Headache: A Randomized Clinical Trial Effect of Exercise on Chronic Tension-Type Headache and Chronic Migraine: A Systematic Review The effect of different exercise types on migraine frequency in individuals with migraine: A pilot study If you enjoyed this episode, check these out! Am I addicted to caffeine? Is emu oil the new snake oil? There's a lot of fog around brain fog Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryIs a vibration plate worth the cost?
Mar 2400:24:00Summary readyWe've all probably wished for a way to achieve our fitness goals without the strain and sweat that can come with exercise.So what if you could lose weight, gain muscle and improve circulation just by standing on a vibrating platform?Norman and Tegan buzz through the evidence for and against vibration plates and so called "passive exercise".References: Dr Gustav Zander’s Victorian-Era Exercise Machines Made the Bowflex Look Like Child’s Play The effects of whole body vibration therapy on reducing fat mass in the adult general population: A systematic review and meta-analyses Whole-body vibration administered during a 3-week in-hospital multidisciplinary body weight reduction program increases resting energy expenditure in obese adolescents, a randomized clinical trial Immediate effects of localized vibration on flexibility: A randomized crossover trial Effects of whole body vibration with exercise therapy versus exercise therapy alone on flexibility, vertical jump height, agility and pain in athletes with patellofemoral pain: a randomized clinical trial Whole Body Vibration as an Adjunct to Static Stretching Whole-Body Vibration Stimulates Microvascular Blood Flow in Skeletal Muscle Whole body vibration training improves leg blood flow and adiposity in patients with type 2 diabetes mellitus Effects of Whole-Body Vibration Training on Lower Limb Blood Flow in Children with Myelomeningocele—A Randomized Trial Effect of localised vibration on muscle strength in healthy adults: a systematic review Whole-body vibration training improves muscle mass and strength in older adults through intra- and extra-muscular pathways The effect of whole body vibration training on quadriceps voluntary activation level of people with age-related muscle loss (sarcopenia): a randomized pilot study Hormonal responses to a single session of wholebody vibration exercise in older individuals Hormonal and Metabolic Responses to Whole Body Vibration in Healthy Adults Low-frequency vibrotherapy considerably improves the effectiveness of manual lymphatic drainage (MLD) in patients with lipedema: A two-armed, randomized, controlled pragmatic trial Efficacy of whole body vibration exercise in older people: a systematic review If you enjoyed this episode, check these out! Can you zap yourself buff with electrical muscle stimulation? Do the benefits of creatine go beyond the gym? Do healthy people need lymphatic treatments? Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
SummaryShould you add snail slime to your skincare routine?
Mar 1700:21:27Summary readySnail slime, or snail mucin, has become a popular product in skin care.Some claim it has anti-ageing properties, but if the early research shakes out, snail mucus could have even more significant uses.Norman and Tegan discuss why snail gunk has become a hero of cosmetics, and what else it might be capable of.References: Why Snail Mucin? Or, How This Ancient Practice Became a Skin Care Sensation Chemical composition, mineral profile, anti-bacterial, and wound healing properties of snail slime of Helix aspersa Müller Extraction, structure, pharmacological activities and applications of polysaccharides and proteins isolated from snail mucus Antimicrobial Activities of Different Fractions from Mucus of the Garden Snail Cornu aspersum Antimicrobial efficacy of Egyptian Eremina desertorum and Helix aspersa snail mucus with a novel approach to their anti-inflammatory and wound healing potencies Reviewing The Potential of Snail Extract to Accelerate and Improve Burn Wound Healing: A Literature Review HelixComplex snail mucus exhibits pro-survival, proliferative and pro-migration effects on mammalian fibroblasts The efficacy of Helix aspersa Müller extract in the healing of partial thickness burns: A novel treatment for open burn management protocols Helix aspersa maxima mucus exhibits antimelanogenic and antitumoral effects against melanoma cells 849 Snail mucus increases the anti-cancer activity of anti-PD-L1 antibody in melanoma Snail Mucus Enhances Chemosensitivity of Triple-negative Breast Cancer Via Activation of the Fas Pathway Snails and Skin: A Systematic Review on the Effects of Snail-based Products on Skin Health From Nature to Nurture: The Science and Applications of Snail Slime in Health and Beauty Artificial Snail Mucus Could Advance Cancer Treatments – Johns Hopkins University If you enjoyed this episode, check these out! Does anti-ageing skincare actually work? Should you be avoiding perfumes and fragrances? What we do (and don't) know about tinnitus Learn more about your ad choices. Visit megaphone.fm/adchoices
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