Colon Cancer in Young Adults: Why Rates Are Rising Under 50 and When Screening Should Start
Colon cancer in young adults is rising about 1 to 2 percent a year in the United States, and people born around 1990 face…
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Blog Category
Screening & Prevention
Articles on screening and prevention: which cancer, heart and metabolic tests are recommended, at what age and how often, and what happens when a screening result is abnormal.
The Pneumonia Vaccine: Side Effects and How Long It Lasts
The most common side effects of the pneumonia (pneumococcal) vaccine are a sore, red, or slightly swollen arm, tiredness, headache, muscle aches, and sometimes…
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Can You Have HIV for Years Without Knowing? How Testing Works
Yes. HIV can stay undiagnosed for many years, sometimes a decade or more, because after a brief flu-like illness it often causes no obvious…
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Food Intolerance Tests: What Works, What Is Marketing: the Evidence, Honestly
Only a few food intolerance tests are scientifically validated: hydrogen breath tests for lactose or fructose malabsorption, blood tests for celiac disease, and a…
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The Omega-3 Index Test: A Small Test With Growing Evidence
The omega-3 index test measures EPA and DHA, the two main marine omega-3 fatty acids, as a percentage of total fatty acids in red…
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HPV Vaccine for Adults: Who Benefits Up to 45 and What the Evidence Shows
Adults can receive the HPV vaccine, but the benefit shrinks with age. US guidance recommends catch-up vaccination through age 26 and a shared decision…
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How HIV Is Prevented Today, and How Common It Is in the UK
HIV is prevented today by combining several proven steps: using condoms, taking pre-exposure prophylaxis (PrEP) if you are at ongoing risk, starting post-exposure prophylaxis…
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Food Allergy Testing: Skin Prick vs Blood: What Each Can Tell You
Skin prick tests and blood tests both look for IgE antibodies to specific foods, but neither confirms a food allergy by itself. Skin tests…
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H. pylori Testing: Breath, Stool and Blood Options Compared
Three noninvasive tests can detect H. pylori. The urea breath test and the stool antigen test both identify an active infection with roughly 95…
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CGMs for Non-Diabetics: What Continuous Glucose Data Means Without Diabetes
For people without diabetes, continuous glucose monitor (CGM) data mostly confirms normal physiology: readings between roughly 70 and 140 mg/dL, with brief rises after…
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Dengue Vaccine: Who Can Have It, Why Prior Infection Matters and What Travelers Should Know
Two licensed dengue vaccines exist, and eligibility depends on age, where you live and whether you have had dengue before. Dengvaxia is limited to…
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Pancreatic Cancer Screening: Who Is Considered High-Risk and What Surveillance Involves
Routine pancreatic cancer screening is not recommended for people at average risk, because no test has been shown to lower deaths and false alarms…
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The VO2 Max Test: What Peak Oxygen Uptake Says About Longevity
A VO2 max test measures the largest amount of oxygen your body can use during hard exercise, usually in milliliters per kilogram per minute.…
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Travel Vaccines Checklist: Which Ones by Destination and When to Book Them
Travel vaccines fall into three groups: routine shots you should already have (measles, tetanus, whooping cough, flu), destination-recommended vaccines such as hepatitis A, typhoid,…
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Spirometry and Lung Function Tests: What the Blowing Actually Measures
Spirometry measures how much air you can force out of your lungs and how fast, using two key numbers: forced vital capacity (FVC) and…
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Sleep Apnea Testing: In-Lab vs At-Home: Which You Need
Most adults with classic obstructive sleep apnea symptoms, loud snoring, witnessed breathing pauses, and daytime sleepiness, can start with a physician-ordered at-home sleep apnea…
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Chikungunya: Where It Is Spreading, How It Differs From Dengue and Where the Vaccine Stands
Chikungunya is a mosquito-borne viral illness marked by sudden fever and severe, sometimes long-lasting joint pain. During 2025 it spread across Indian Ocean islands,…
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Mpox Vaccine: Who It Is Recommended For and How Protection Works
The mpox vaccine (JYNNEOS, also known as MVA-BN) is recommended by the CDC for adults at higher risk of exposure, including gay, bisexual and…
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