Category: Science and Health

Turkeys at a coop in Tsor’a in central Israel were found to be infected with bird flu, the Agriculture Ministry said Wednesday. The coop houses 10,500 birds in four buildings. All coops within 10 km of the farm were placed under lockdown. The Agriculture Ministry called on Israelis raising pet birds and backyard poultry to […]

Israeli soldiers who suffer from food allergies and rely on epinephrine autoinjectors (epipens) for emergencies have been able to join the IDF with specific medical profiles that allow them to serve in various front line positions with certain restrictions. However, in recent weeks, numerous soldiers and IDF personnel have expressed their surprise and dismay after […]

It’s certainly true that you’d feel if a colleague at work who sits nearby constantly sneezes and coughs because there’s a good chance you’ll catch what they have, but a new California study reveals that simply watching a sick person triggers a biological response by the immune system. Biology Prof. Patricia Lopez at Chapman University […]

Every time that Israel faces a serious budget deficit, Finance Ministry economists try to charge value-added tax on fruits and vegetables, whose purchasers are exempt from paying VAT on these nutritious foods. As the deficit is due to be huge because of the Gaza war and its implications, it will probably try again.  The ministry […]

A case of A(H1N2)v infection, also known as Swine flu, was detected in the north of England, according to media reports. The last pandemic of the disease was in 2009 after a mass outbreak spread from birds and pigs to humans.  The anonymous individual who was found to have contracted the infection did not work […]

Glioblastoma multiforme (GBM) is the most common primary brain cancer – one that begins in the brain itself rather than spreads from other organs. About 250 Israelis, most of them adults, are diagnosed with it in an average year. All glioblastomas are grade IV brain tumors, meaning they contain the most abnormal-looking cells and are […]

Wouldn’t you be willing to try a simple, albeit slightly unpleasant, action if it meant looking younger, preventing inflammation, reducing stress levels (which are currently high for all of us), and improving sleep? According to Dr. Poonam Desai, an expert in anti-aging medicine and longevity, changing your shower habits, even if not daily, can yield […]

Although doctors recommend that everyone over the age of six months get vaccinated against influenza this year, the most urgent are the elderly, people of all ages suffering from chronic illnesses and weak immune systems, pregnant women, babies and toddlers.  However, the flu vaccination rate among the elderly is 20% lower than last year, with […]

As someone living in Israel, I’ve felt firsthand the dissonance that follows in the wake of trauma. Here, the aftermath of conflict isn’t just about physical rebuilding but also about grappling with the invisible scars it leaves.  The day after a crisis, we find ourselves torn between our responsibilities and our fears. There’s this expectation […]

As the waistlines of people in many countries expand and belts have to be expanded a few notches, it’s inevitable that their beloved pets will get fat as well. The incidence of feline obesity, which is commonly studied but mostly on weight loss rather than weight gain,  continues to rise despite it being a preventable […]