Testing pooled samples for COVID-19 helps researchers track track early viral spread

The prevalence of the virus that causes COVID-19 was tracked during the early days of the pandemic by pooling samples from people with upper respiratory symptoms in a study conducted by researchers at the Stanford School of Medicine. Combining samples from several people at a time allowed the scientists to estimate the prevalence of the […]

Gardening helps to grow positive body image

New research has found that allotment gardening promotes positive body image, which measures someone’s appreciation of their own body and its functions, and an acceptance of bodily imperfections. The study, published in the journal Ecopsychology and led by Professor Viren Swami of Anglia Ruskin University (ARU), involved 84 gardeners from 12 urban allotment sites in […]

A plant-based diet helps to prevent and manage asthma, according to new review

A plant-based diet can help prevent and manage asthma, while dairy products and high-fat foods raise the risk, according to a new review published in Nutrition Reviews. Asthma is a common chronic condition in which the airways become narrow and inflamed—sometimes leading to difficulty with breathing, coughing, wheezing, and shortness of breath. “Asthma is a […]