Diet plays a very important role when it comes to your health. There are many people who have to adhere to strict diets because of certain conditions they have. While the basic understanding that we need all kinds of foods to fulfill our body’s needs, sometimes these foods can also cause harm to your body. For example, lactose intolerant people cannot eat or consume any kind of dairy product as their bodies do not have the necessary compounds, known as lactose, to break down dairy foods. Similarly, there are many foods that may be ok for others to consume, but not for people who have digestive issues like IBS. But this new clinical trial may be able to help us know what food we can eat based on our blood test! The blood test, called inFoods IBS, looks for a special type of antibody in the blood. Antibodies are like tiny soldiers that our bodies make to fight off things that could make us sick.

IBS is a very common problem, affecting a large number of people. Many people know that what they eat can make their IBS symptoms worse, but it's often hard to figure out exactly which foods are the culprits. This is because everyone is different, and what triggers one person might not trigger another. Doctors hear from patients all the time, asking for help in determining which foods are causing their problems. So, finding a reliable way to pinpoint those foods is important. This test is attempting to provide that reliability.

How Does This Blood Test Work?

Basically, the test is looking for an antibody called IgG. When the gut reacts badly to a food, it makes more of this IgG antibody. The test checks for reactions to 18 common foods, like wheat, milk, and certain fruits. If the test finds high levels of the IgG antibody for a certain food, it means that food is likely causing problems. Therefore, the patient should try to remove that food from their diet.

Many people with IBS struggle to find relief from their stomach pain and discomfort. This new study looked at whether a special blood test could help. The idea was to see if the test could tell people which foods were making their IBS worse. The results were encouraging. When people changed their diets based on what the blood test showed, about 60% of them felt less stomach pain. This is better than the 42% who felt better when they just tried a general diet change. This shows that the blood test might be a useful tool for people with IBS to get real relief.

How Does This Personalized Nutrition Approach Work?

Many doctors suggest that people with IBS try elimination diets, where they cut out certain foods to see if their symptoms improve. However, these diets can be very hard to follow, because they often require people to cut out a lot of different foods. Doctors are always looking for ways to give patients care that's tailored to their specific needs. In the case of IBS, that means figuring out exactly which foods each person should avoid.

This blood test is a step in that direction. Experts are calling it a move towards "precision nutrition." This means that instead of giving everyone the same diet advice, doctors could use the blood test to create a personalized plan for each patient. While more research is needed, this test brings hope that doctors will soon be able to give much more precise dietary recommendations to those people that suffer from IBS. While this test is yet to be approved by FDA, it could be a world of comfort and ease for people who suffer with IBS.

Plastic containers have been discouraged for a long time now, especially for heating food or storing hot food. Studies have associated this habit with a heightened risk of cancer, but now an expert has specifically spoken about black plastic containers and what makes them worse for you. According to Dr Rakesh Kumar Sharma, Senior Consultant Medical Oncologist at M | O | C Cancer Care & Research Centre, Gurugram, cooking or heating food in black containers could be very harmful to your body. Read on to find out how.

Dr Sharma, in an interview with Health and Me, said that cooking food in black plastic receptacles could lead to greater amounts of certain chemicals making their way into your body; however, there currently exists no scientific evidence confirming that this daily activity increases your risk of cancer.

Why is black plastic worse than others?

Dr Sharma explained that black takeaway containers usually consist of recycled plastics, such as e-waste, and can contain flame retardants, BPA, phthalates, etc. When heated in contact with food, especially if the food is hot, fatty, or acidic, more chemicals could potentially make their way into the food from the container. In this way, it may, over time, heighten your risk of developing a malignant tumour.

Black containers are coloured using carbon black, which is included in Group 2B of possible human carcinogens according to IARC, as shown in both animal and limited human research. Moreover, recycled black plastics could contain polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons and decaBDE, which have shown carcinogenic effects in experiments. This makes black plastic containers worse than other coloured counterparts. Yet, heating food in a plastic container of any colour is not deemed safe.

Do studies verify the side effects of heating food in plastic containers?

Experimental studies conducted in laboratories on microwaveable plastic receptacles reveal the migration of tens of chemicals and millions of microplastics per litre of the food simulant. However, a recent study in 2024 reported that containers labelled as microwave-safe in Korea adhered to contemporary safety standards for these levels, and total exposure fell within safe limits.

Leading cancer associations have confirmed that the usage of plastic packaging, even in microwave applications, has not been linked with increased cancer risks in humans, although there is ongoing research in areas such as black plastics. However, precautionary measures are suggested by experts as a better strategy due to the difficulties of directly studying long-term, low-level exposure to chemical compounds.

How to reduce cancer risk?

When it comes to reducing cancer risk, most doctors recommend quitting smoking and limiting alcohol intake. However, Dr Sharma listed some basic kitchen and eating habits that may come to your rescue:

1. Avoid cooking food in black plastic packaging, particularly if the food is oily or acidic.
2. Move hot food into glass, ceramic, or stainless steel containers for reheating.
3. Only use microwave-safe containers and discard any broken plastic containers.

Depression in men often does not look like the depression we all know about. It is never visible sadness or a verbal expression of emotional pain. The emotional dish is missing from the life menu of a man.

It hides behind productivity, irritability, exhaustion, or strong discipline. This masking makes it the most underdiagnosed mental health concern, frequently misread as stress, burnout, or simply personality traits.

One of the key barriers in identifying depression in men is the way emotional awareness is shaped from an early age. Many men are conditioned to respond to discomfort through action rather than reflection.

The moment something feels overwhelming, the instinct is not to sit with the feeling but to fix it, outperform it, or suppress it through movement—work, exercise, or distraction.

While this can provide short-term relief, it often delays emotional processing and deepens internal distress over time.

Clinically, this disconnect is often linked to alexithymia—a difficulty in identifying and articulating emotions.

The emotional signal is present, but it does not translate easily into words. Instead of “I am sad” or “I feel afraid,” the experience gets reduced to “I am tired” or “I am stressed.”

This limited emotional vocabulary can significantly affect help-seeking behavior like therapy and counselling, as the man does not recognize the depth or nature of what they are experiencing.

Depression In Men: Poor Physical Health

From a health perspective, unresolved emotional stress is not limited to the mind. It reflects in the body.

Chronic fatigue, sleep disturbances, headaches, digestive issues, and muscle tension are some of the symptoms seen.

Men who are very aware tend to see general physicians and not go to mental health professionals, treating physical symptoms while the psychological root remains unattended to.

Another way is externalized emotion. Irritability, anger outbursts, or risk-taking behaviour are often socially accepted expressions of underlying emotional pain.

A man working excessively, exercising compulsively, or withdrawing socially may, in fact, be coping with grief, loneliness, or anxiety, which are socially normal.

Our culture around masculinity complicates diagnosis even more. Strength is seen with emotional control, and vulnerability is seen as weakness.

Most men do not seek psychological support until symptoms become severe or functionally impairing. They struggle to express their internal state, reinforcing the cycle of silence.

Depression In Men: Physiological Indicators

Understanding depression in men requires shifting the lens from visible sadness to behavioral and physiological indicators.

It requires mental health practitioners and caregivers to look beyond surface functionality and recognise that high performance can coexist with deep emotional distress.

Early intervention is very important. Creating environments where emotional language is normalised without judgement or immediate problem-solving can significantly improve the situation. When men are given consistent permission to articulate internal states without fear of stigma, the gap between emotional experience and expression begins to close.

“Expressing your feelings should lead to a deeper connection, not conflict. It should invite empathy, not ego-driven reactions. It should bring relief, not retaliation or emotional punishment. If sharing your pain feels unsafe or punished, you are not in a healthy relationship—you are in an emotional environment where fear has replaced trust.”

Depression in men is not a lack of feeling, but a lack of translation. True healing begins when that translation is finally allowed to happen.

As the world observes Parkinson’s Awareness Month in April, there is a need to renew focus on building awareness, promoting early diagnosis, and strengthening access to treatment for Parkinson’s disease —a progressive neurological condition that affects over 10 million people globally and is among the fastest-growing neurological disorders worldwide.

Despite its increasing prevalence, Parkinson’s disease remains widely misunderstood, often under-recognized, and inadequately treated.

Parkinson’s disease is a long-term, degenerative disorder of the central nervous system, marked by the gradual loss of dopamine-producing neurons in the brain, which leads to challenges in movement and coordination. While the exact cause is not fully understood, it is believed to result from a combination of genetic predisposition and environmental influences.

Although it is more commonly seen in individuals above 60 years of age, nearly 10–15% of cases occur in those under 50, highlighting the importance of awareness across age groups.

Parkinson’s: Delayed Diagnosis A Concern

A major challenge in managing Parkinson’s disease is delayed diagnosis.

Early symptoms are often subtle and can be mistaken for normal ageing, resulting in delays in seeking medical care. Key motor symptoms include

• tremors at rest,
• slowness of movement,
• muscle stiffness,
• postural instability,
• freezing of gait.

All of these can progressively affect an individual’s mobility and independence.

Beyond motor symptoms, Parkinson’s disease is also associated with a range of non-motor symptoms that are frequently overlooked but have a significant impact on quality of life. These include

• depression,
• anxiety,
• sleep disturbances,
• cognitive changes,
• loss of smell,
• constipation,
• autonomic dysfunction.

Importantly, many of these non-motor symptoms may present years before the onset of motor signs, offering a valuable window for earlier diagnosis and timely intervention.

Parkinson’s Treatment With Deep Brain Stimulation

Parkinson’s disease is a progressive neurodegenerative condition characterized by the gradual loss of dopamine-producing cells deep within the brain, leading to both motor and non-motor symptoms that can significantly impact quality of life.

While many patients can be managed effectively with medications in the early stages, a considerable number experience fluctuations in symptom control over time, including ‘on-off’ periods and a reduced response to therapy.

In such situations, advanced treatments like Deep Brain Stimulation (DBS) can offer meaningful benefits by modulating abnormal brain circuits and providing more consistent symptom control.

Over the years, DBS has continued to evolve with innovations such as adaptive stimulation, directional leads, and AI-enabled programming, enabling more precise and personalized treatment. From a clinical standpoint, adopting a multidisciplinary approach and evaluating patients at the appropriate stage is critical.

Timely intervention can play a key role in improving long-term outcomes and helping patients maintain independence and functional ability.

Parkinson’s Awareness Month

During Parkinson’s Awareness Month, it is important to emphasize the need for collective action to improve awareness, reduce stigma, and ensure timely access to appropriate diagnosis and treatment for individuals living with Parkinson’s disease.

With ageing populations globally, the overall burden of the disease is expected to rise, underscoring the need for greater investment in research, caregiver support, and healthcare systems.

Patients, families, and caregivers are encouraged to consult a neurologist, neurosurgeon, or visit a movement disorders clinic if symptoms are suspected. Early diagnosis and timely management can play a crucial role in improving long-term outcomes and enhancing quality of life.