Public interest in concussion has exploded over the space of a generation, together with a new understanding of how best to help patients recover. Concussion patients were once prescribed rest in a dark room, but in recent years concussion management has literally come out of the dark.
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How metacognition — thinking about thinking — can improve the mental-health crisis
The science of metacognition studies how the mind can understand and control its own processes. Written by Brendan Conway-Smith, Carleton University Republished with permission from TheConversation.com In these times of virtual meet-ups, negative news overload and widespread uncertainty, it’s fair to say it has been a tough time for our brains. If you’ve been feeling mentally subpar, you may…
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Egypt’s bread subsidies may bring millions to the brink of starvation
In Egypt, the recent announcement that bread prices, long subsidized for much of the population, would likely have to rise was met with cries of despair. Indeed, over two-thirds of the population of Egypt depend on inexpensive bread for daily sustenance.
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Medical errors and the cult of expertise in the age of Covid
Ever since the Covid panic began in February of this year, medical personnel such as doctors and nurses have been treated to a level of hero worship generally reserved for the government's soldiers and cops. We were told they were heroically slaving away to treat Covid victims. And although many of these nurses were apparently spending their time choreographing TikTok videos and…
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Opinion: To think or not to think? Should you really think for yourself or should you trust the experts?
Thinking for yourself is often touted as a virtue, but is it always appropriate? After all, in the grand scheme of things, there's a boundless universe of knowledge which can theoretically be acquired, and we ourselves each possess but a thin sliver of all that is knowable. The more facts and data we have to assist us in our decision…
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Dangers of a sedentary Covid-19 lockdown: Inactivity can take a toll on health in just two weeks
As the world digs in for the second wave of COVID-19, flu season and winter, people also face a serious risk from reduced physical activity — especially older adults. Developing a plan to be physically active now will help you to stay strong and healthy through the long winter ahead.
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Those who fear disease most are most likely to prefer authoritarian regimes
Covid-19 has unleashed a pandemic of restrictive measures on the population. Lockdowns and mask mandates are becoming widespread. Libertarians have been vociferously denouncing covid-19 containment strategies as draconian. Evolutionary psychologists, however, argue that reactions in favor of government restrictions are the norm in environments where the public fears contamination. According to the parasitic stress theory popularized by Randy Thornhill and Corey Fincher, societies with a high…
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Antibiotics in cold and flu season: Potentially harmful and seldom helpful
Antibiotics are over-prescribed in Canada and worldwide, often for infections that do not need their help, particularly respiratory conditions. While these unnecessary prescriptions may contribute to the development of resistant bacteria, there is another reason to be cautious about antibiotics: Direct harms caused by these drugs.
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Want to make drugs less lethal? Legalize them.
Marijuana, i.e., cannabis, is now legal in eleven states for recreational use, thirty-three states for medical purposes, and another sixteen states have decriminalized it (usually fines for possession of small amounts). The upcoming election will see several legalization ballot measures, including recreational use legalization in Arizona, Montana, and New Jersey and medical use in Mississippi. South Dakota will have both medical and…
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The obesity paradox: Obese patients fare better than others after heart surgery
The World Health Organization has declared obesity to be a global epidemic that “threatens to overwhelm both developed and developing countries.” However, is obesity always bad when it comes to health?
